CR
IP
TI
ON
BS
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TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
Turkey ex-army
chief jailed
for life in mass
coup trial
Pakistan’s
‘Burka
Avenger’ set
to go global
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RAMADAN 28, 1434 AH
United reject
second
Chelsea bid
for Rooney
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US extends closure of
missions over ‘threat’
Embassy in Kuwait to remain shut till Saturday
conspiracy theories
Dua for peace
By Badrya Darwish
WASHINGTON: US missions across the
Middle East and Africa will be closed until at
least Saturday for fear of what lawmakers
said was the most serious Al-Qaeda threat in
years. The State Department, acting “out of
an abundance of caution”, said 19 diplomatic outposts would remain shuttered. Britain
said its embassy in Yemen would remain
closed until the end of Eid, the climax of the
holy month of Ramadan, “due to continuing
security concerns”. France also said its mission there would remain shut until Thursday
and Norway said it was shutting its
embassies in Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Ramadan is due to end at the weekend.
On Saturday, the global police agency
Interpol stoked fears by issuing a security
alert over hundreds of militants freed in jail
breaks. The US closure list includes 15
embassies or consulates that shut on
Sunday, as well as four additional posts. At
least 25 US missions had initially been
ordered closed. US lawmakers said the
move was prompted by electronic inter-
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cepts of high-ranking Al-Qaeda operatives
signaling a major attack.
Michael McCaul, chairman of the House
Homeland Security Committee dubbed the
intelligence “probably one of the most specific and credible threats I’ve seen, perhaps,
since 9/11”.
Continued on Page 15
Grand Mosque shimmers on holy night
badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net
E
verybody predicted last night could have been
the night - I mean the Night of Power (Laylatul
Qadr) which all Muslims wait for during the holy
month of Ramadan. The faithful pray and worship all
night. On this night all Muslims ask God for their
needs, be it for now or for the next life.
It is not specified on which day does Laylatul Qadr
falls. When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was asked by
his sahaba (companions) to give them the exact time
of Laylatul Qadr, he did not give them a straightforward answer. Of course, this was for good reasons. He
told them to seek it in the last ten days of Ramadan
on odd numbered nights, such as the 21st, 23rd, 25th,
27th or on the last day of Ramadan if the month has
29 days. In my opinion, he did this to encourage people to worship more and to try their best on all these
nights. This is true. I noticed among my friends that
everyone was making a big effort. I myself had a feeling that last night was the right night.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave descriptions of
this night. He said that it would be a serene night, not
too hot or too cold. Last night after iftar, the sky was
covered in a blaze of red and orange. It was amazing.
Many boys and girls took pictures of the sky with
their mobiles. The colour was beyond belief. On this
night I felt tranquility all over the world. There was a
feeling of peace. At sunrise, as Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) described it, there were no rays. This is another miracle.
The way I saw people worshipping and making
dua (supplication) was amazing. I was thinking: Why
can’t we be like this all year round? The people had
peace on their faces. This is what religion is for. It is to
make people more tolerant and peaceful. Why can’t
we see more peace everywhere? I prayed to God and
I hope God accepts my dua for peace for everybody
and the whole world. I prayed for peace in my Middle
East. I hope we see next Ramadan in a more peaceful
environment, be it Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Yemen and
everywhere else.
Have a peaceful Eid, guys! I also hope there will be
more peace in Kuwait for everybody. I hope the effect
of Laylatul Qadr will take us through the year.
KUWAIT: Worshippers pray at the Grand Mosque early yesterday on the 27th night of Ramadan. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat (See Page 3)
By Shakir Reshamwala
Amir to inaugurate new Assembly
Ramadan Kareem
Mary, Mother of Jesus
By Teresa Lesher
M
aryam, or Mary, Mother of Jesus (PBUH), is
the only woman mentioned by name in the
Quran. Her story is quite detailed, starting
from when her mother dedicated the baby in her
womb to the service of the temple (3:35). It tells how
Zachariah became her sponsor (3:44), how she grew
in purity (3:37), and that she guarded her chastity
(19:20). It records the conversation between her and
the angel who gave her the news of a child she
would immaculately conceive (3:45), and how he
would be a prophet of God sent to the Children of
Israel (61:6). It describes her in labor (19:23), and the
reaction of her astonished community when she
brought her baby Jesus to them (19:27). The Quran
says she was an upholder of truth (66:12)and chosen
over all the women of the world (3:42).
The story of Maryam is truly inspiring, but there is
one phrase spoken by her that, although sounding
quite ordinary, has had a deep impression on me.
Chapter 3 describes a scene where Zachariah enters
her prayer chamber and finds that she has “provision.” Exegeses describe the provision as out-of-season fruits, which would have been near-miraculous
in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. So Zachariah asks her,
“From where is this?” And she replies (in verse 37), “It
is from God. He provides for whom He wills without
account.” These wise words inspired Zachariah to ask
God for a son, who would also be “out of season” due
to the fact that Zachariah and his barren wife were
quite old. Their son is John the Baptist, but that’s
another story.
Continued on Page 15
KUWAIT: Members of the new Cabinet pose for a group photo before its first meeting yesterday. — KUNA
By B Izzak
KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah opens
the inaugural session of the new
National Assembly today with an
address to the nation expected to
focus on calls for cooperation
between the government and MPs.
And the other main focus today is
the crucial battle for the post of
Assembly speaker for which four
MPs are contesting. Several other
MPs are also contesting the deputy
speaker’s post. This is the 14th
Assembly since Kuwait held its first
parliamentary election in 1963, a
year after electing a constituent
assembly that drafted and
approved the constitution.
However, this is the fourth so-far
“legal” Assembly since June 2006
but the sixth Assembly because the
Continued on Page 15
KUWAIT: Tens of thousands of worshippers thronged the
Grand Mosque early yesterday to mark the 27th night of the
holy month of Ramadan in prayer and supplication. Many
believe ‘Laylatul Qadr’ (Night of Power or Decree) falls on this
night, but this is not a confirmed fact as Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) instructed Muslims to hunt for it on the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.
Resplendent in blue and gold tones, the prayer hall of the
newly refurbished Grand Mosque reverberated with the mellifluous voices of the imams who led the qiyam prayers. As on
other nights, eight rakaats of tahajjud prayers were performed followed by three rakaats of witr prayers. The first
four were led by Sheikh Khalid Al-Jahayyim and the remaining by Sheikh Meshary Al-Afasi.
Policemen, firefighters, paramedics and volunteers were
at hand to deal with any emergencies and ensure the
smooth flow of worshippers and traffic, but the gathering
passed off without incident. The Grand Mosque is the hub of
worship in Kuwait in Ramadan, and thousands pack its cavernous interiors even on other Ramadan nights. The mosque
closed for maintenance after Ramadan in 2011 and reopened
this year after a complete makeover.
Laylatul Qadr holds great significance for Muslims, and
the last ten nights of Ramadan are spent in prayer and meditation. The Holy Quran says that Laylatul Qadr is better than a
thousand months, and Allah’s blessings and angels descend
on earth on this night. Laylatul Qadr is also the night that
Allah first sent down the first verses of the Holy Quran via
Archangel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
World’s first test
tube burger tasted
LONDON: A burger made from cultured beef grown in a laboratory from stem
cells of cattle is held by the man who developed the burger, Mark Post of
Netherland’s Maastricht University, during a the world’s first public tasting
event for the product yesterday. — AP
LONDON: Scientists yesterday unveiled the
world’s first lab-grown beef burger, serving it
up to volunteers in London in what they
hope is the start of a food revolution. The 140
gm patty, which cost more than Ä250,000
($330,000) to produce, has been made using
strands of meat grown from muscle cells taken from a living cow. Mixed with salt, egg
powder and breadcrumbs to improve the
taste, and coloured with red beetroot juice
and saffron to help it look more meat-like,
researchers claim it will taste similar to a normal burger.
Professor Mark Post of Maastricht
University in the Netherlands, whose lab
developed the meat, says the burger is safe
and has the potential to replace normal meat
in the diets of millions of people. He brought
it into a news conference at a TV studio on a
tray covered in a metal cloche. The patty was
served to two volunteers, US-based food
author Josh Schonwald and Austrian food
researcher Hanni Ruetzler. After taking a
mouthful, Ruetzler said: “I was expecting the
texture to be more soft... I know there is no
fat in it so I didn’t know how juicy it would be.
It’s close to meat. It’s not that juicy.
Continued on Page 15
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
LOCAL
Travelling, shopping top
choices for Eid holidays
Finance ‘main problem’
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: The Eid holiday is nearing and people
have different plans on spending it. Some prepared their budget for this occasion, while others are facing difficulties due to financial problems. Although it’s a tradition to buy new outfits for Eid, some people won’t do so. Travelling
was the choice of Manal for Eid. “I will be travelling to Bahrain with my family for a week. I
expect to spend about KD 2,000 during this
holiday. We will not buy any new clothes here
but we will buy in Bahrain instead,” she told
Kuwait Times.
Ibtisam, 29, bought a new outfit for Eid.
“Since the past few years I haven’t bought new
outfits for Eid, but this year I bought a skirt and
blouse to wear on the first day of Eid. During the
Eid holiday, I plan to go to the cinema, restaurants and cafes. I’m also planning to go to a pic-
nic in the desert with my fiance,” she beamed.
Some people don’t have any particular plan
due to their financial situation. “I’m depending
on my salary, which I was told I will get after
Eid, so I don’t have a budget to spend on outfits
and expensive entertaining. My family is not
living in Kuwait so I have to be in contact with
them through social media and the Internet,
and I will spend most of the time at home. I
prefer to spend in charity. I’m paying for an
orphan’s upkeep. When I know he is happy, I
also feel happy,” stressed Sarah, 30.
Faisal prefers to spend the Eid holiday at a
chalet. “When I was a kid, I used to buy new
outfits, now I don’t care much as I mostly wear
the traditional dishdasha. My tailor makes two
dishdashas for me every month, so I won’t buy
other stuff. I was planning to travel, but I found
out that tickets are very expensive and the holiday is short. So I will spend the whole holiday
at the chalet with friends and family in addition
to going on sea trips from there. I plan to go to
Kubar and maybe stay overnight there. I will
spend some days with friends and others with
family,” he noted.
Abu Ahmad, a father of five, will take his
family for lunch on the first day of Eid. “What
can we do in this hot weather other than go to
indoor places and restaurants. We as adults
don’t buy outfits, but for the young children I
bought new clothes for Eid,” he said.
Amani wanted to buy new outfits for Eid but
she didn’t find anything suitable. “I went to the
market to buy new outfits but I didn’t find anything that I liked and fitted me. During this holiday, I will go out with friends during the second
day of Eid. The first day I will spend with my
family, and we will be visiting our relatives. I
won’t spend much, as I’m planning to travel
afterwards,” she explained.
Drug duo in police net
By Hanan Al-Saadoun
KUWAIT: Drugs fighting men arrested two
citizens with a half kilogram of drugs (ice,
heroin, hashish, marijuana and cocaine) in
addition to 2,500 hallucinatory pills.
After the house of one of them was raided, 80 gm of ice and 20 gm of heroin was
found. The suspect confessed to having a
partner, whose house was also raided and
100 gm of hashish, 250 gm of ice, 49 gm of
heroin, 10 gm of marijuana in addition to
three grams of cocaine and 2,500 pills were
found.
Both suspects confessed that the drugs
belong to them and that they trade in
drugs. They were sent to concerned authorities.
Family locks woman in
toilet for four months
KUWAIT: A woman in her twenties told
police that her family tortured her and
locked her in the toilet for four months after
refusing to let her marry a man of her
choice. The woman finally jumped from the
third floor, fracturing her ileum and leg. The
woman’s lawyer said “this is a torture and
restriction of freedom case that is not
accepted by logic, law or humanity, and is
rejected by Islamic sharia too”. The lawyer
said “the family of my client used to give her
one meal a day inside the bathroom and
she finally threw herself out from the third
floor when she got a chance to escape from
her ‘jail’”.
Shuwaikh fire
A huge fire in industrial Shuwaikh
destroyed several shops causing extensive
damage, but no injuries were reported. The
blaze began at noon Sunday, and took firemen three hours to put the fire out.
KUWAIT: Capital municipality emergency team carried out intensive inspection campaigns during the month of Ramadan and
removed 480 election ads and handed 20 citations. The campaigns resulted in fining 65 vendors, handing 32 citations to cars ferrying materials and 20 citations for dealing in expired foodstuff at the wholesale market. A number of people scavenging in
dumpsters were arrested too. Head of the emergency team Tareq Al-Qattan emphasized that campaigns shall continue in all governorates, co-operative societies, wholesale markets and restaurants to put an end to all violations.
NBK launches last session of
Summer Internship Program
KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) launched recently
the fourth and last session of the 2013 Summer Internship
Program. The program is custom-made for high school and
college students aged between 15 and 20 years..
Yaqoub Al- Baqer, NBK Public Relations Officer said, “NBK
Summer Internship Program is specially designed for high
school and college students as an extension of NBK’s education outreach services. The program demonstrates NBK’s
long-standing social involvement as well as its national commitment towards providing the young generations with the
appropriate opportunities to experience firsthand how the
actual professional banking issues and transaction are handled and processed.”
“NBK regularly organizes and designs events and packages for the youth of the country to familiarize them with the
world of banking and make them responsible citizens.” Al
Baqer added.
The 5-hour daily sessions of two-week internship featured
a mixture of theoretical and practical training dedicated to
providing the interns with invaluable knowledge on a variety
of subjects such as; the team work, creative thinking, means
of self-expression and modern banking work procedure, in
addition to helping interns to have greater exposure to daily
banking work procedures.
ties and avoid legal accountability, especially in
banking transactions.
Furthermore, Al-Mudhaf called on Kuwaiti
citizens to not hesitate in contacting the
embassy’s phone numbers 02075903400
around the clock.
Replying to a question on special guidelines
for Kuwaiti patients receiving medical treatment at British hospitals, Al-Mudhaf urged
patients to check their visa expiration date and
their escorts as well, and inform the health
office at the embassy at least two weeks prior
to expiration to enable the office to make necessary procedures.
In case of an emergency occurring after the
embassy’s working hours, Kuwaiti patients are
urged to call the embassy’s emergency number 999, or head to the nearest state hospital
such as St Mary’s Hospital, close to Hilton
Metropolitan in Edgware Road, or Chelsea and
Westminster Hospital in Fullham, or University
College Hospital (UCL) located across the
street from Euston railway station, noted AlMudhaf.
Moreover, he noted that the health office at
the embassy has allocated an on-call physician
for emergencies only during embassy’s nonworking hours and official holidays. He can be
reached at 07825186776. —KUNA
Women harassed
A Syrian was taken to Jleeb police station after being arrested in a crowded mall
for harassing women.
Mechanic held
Shuwaikh police arrested a Syrian who
manages an auto repair shop for stealing. He
was accused of replacing expensive original
spare parts from cars with cheap fakes, as he
relied on the difficulty of discovering his act.
A citizen went to industrial Shuwaikh police
station and told them he left his Britishmade car in a garage, but when he got the
car back, he discovered that its original alternator was removed and replaced by a replica of inferior quality. The citizen said the
repair was supposed to be somewhere else
in the car, which shows the theft was deliberate. Police asked detectives to arrest the
garage owner, who confessed to committing the act to benefit from the difference in
prices. Investigations are ongoing.
Violent man
Two policemen had to ask for backup to
control a man harassing others. The man
became violent when they attempted to
arrest him. The suspect was finally bundled
into a patrol car, and ended a traffic jam
that lasted for 90 minutes. A source said the
young man chased a car driven by a
woman, before losing control and hitting
the car of his target. When policemen
arrived, the victim told them what the man
did before the accident. When they started
to take his testimony, he became violent
and threatened to hurt them, then resisted
arrest. A backup was called and the suspect
was controlled and placed under arrest.
Heart attack
A citizen died in a Jahra mosque while
performing late night prayers (qiyam).
Worshippers told police that an elderly man
fell to the ground after prayers so paramedics were called in, and they discovered
the man died of a heart attack.
Policewoman harassed
Andalus detectives are looking for a driver who harassed a policewoman on her way
back from the airport, then spat on her
before fleeing. A security source said the
victim, who works as a policewoman at the
airport, went to Andalus police station and
told policemen that while driving her car
wearing her uniform, she was surprised by a
young man driving recklessly near her car
who scared her. When she attempted to
speak to him about what he did, he spat at
her. When she attempted to stop him, he
sped away. The policewoman gave police
his license plate number.
‘Kuwait progressing
steadily towards future’
Guidelines for Kuwaitis wishing to visit UK
LONDON: Kuwait Embassy in the United
Kingdom (UK) issued guidelines for Kuwaiti citizens who wish to visit Britain over the summer
holiday, whether for tourism or medical treatment, urging all to commit to safety and security guidelines during their stay in the country.
Most important guidelines for Kuwaiti citizens consist of keeping their passports from
getting damaged, lost, or stolen, as well as not
to mortgage them, and not to hand them to
any individual except official authorities,
Meshaal Al-Mudhaf, Head of the Consular section at Kuwait Embassy, and First Secretary
stated.
He called on citizens to immediately head
to the nearest police station in the event that
the passport is lost or stolen, and to inform the
embassy in order to provide its help as soon as
possible.
Al-Mudhaf stressed the importance of
keeping passports, flight tickets and jewelry in
the hotel safe, or nearest bank, warning citizens at the same time of carrying large sums of
cash or jewelry while shopping in the country
for their safety.
In addition, He stressed importance of abiding by British laws and regulations as they
should carry their authentic passports, civil IDs,
driver’s licenses at all time to prove their identi-
Foul play
A coroner’s report found suspicion of
foul play after the body of an Egyptian was
found inside a pool. Detectives believe that
the victim’s friend may be involved.
Angry stepfather
A young woman told police her stepfather beat her in Daiya. A security source said
the girl wanted to go out with her friends,
but her stepfather did not allow her, and
when she insisted, he beat her. The accused
told police that his stepdaughter insulted
him, so he beat her. The girl’s mother interfered and the girl dropped charges after her
stepfather signed an undertaking not to hit
her again.
Iran president
invited to
visit Kuwait
TEHRAN: Representative of His Highness the Amir of
Kuwait, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah said yesterday he conveyed to President of Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Hassan
Rohani an invitation to visit the State of Kuwait.
Speaking at Mehrabad International Airport this
evening, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled expressed joy for representing HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber
Al-Sabah at the ceremony to inaugurate President
Rohani. “I’ve delivered to President Rohani a letter from
HH the Amir dealing with bilateral relations and ways to
enhance the mutually-beneficial cooperation in all
fields,” he said.
“The message also entails an invitation from HH the
Amir to President Rohani to visit Kuwait,” he disclosed.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khald lauded the bilateral ties, voicing hope that the proposed visit will give momentum to
the cooperation on the bilateral and regional levels. He
concluded his visit to Tehran and left for home. —KUNA
RIYADH: Kuwaiti Minister of Information
and Minister of State for Youth Affairs,
Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem AlHamoud Al-Sabah said that Kuwait is
progressing steadily and is confident
about the future under its wise leadership, besides what the Kuwaiti people
enjoy of a long history of democracy.
Sheikh Salman said in an interview
published in the Saudi Al-Bilad newspaper yesterday that the elections is “a
simple stage of democratic architecture
experienced by the state since decades.”
He explained that all what can be
achieved through this mechanism
derived from the Constitution is welcome, referring to looking towards prosperity, stability, security and safety and
the true development of an ambitious
mankind.
On the relations between Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait, Sheik h Salman
praised the deep-rooted bilateral relations, thanks to the coordination and
consultation between His Highness the
Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
and his brother the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz in the interest of the Arab and
Islamic nation and the Gulf.
He noted in another context, the role
of the Gulf media, saying that it has
been taking an upward path since its
inception, adding that interest in such
media has increased thanks to the great
awareness of the importance of the
media, especially in this era which is
witnessing a tremendous technological
development.
He stressed keenness to harness
modern technology to serve the media
message of Kuwait and focus on achieving positive impact on young people,
especially since modern Statistics show
that the youth category, the biggest, is
highly affected by the news and information circulated by the social networks means.
He said that Kuwait occupies first
ranks among Arab countries in terms of
freedom of the press and there is no red
lines for the media in Kuwait, but there
are laws as is the case in all developed
countries.
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was keen
on the success of the e-legislations conference in order to develop the technology and electronic environment in
Kuwait, Information Minister Sheikh
Salman Al-Sabah said.
Sheikh Salman said His Highness the
Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah “is directly keen” on
giving the e-legislation issue a priority.
Sheikh Salman, speaking at a ceremony to honor committee members of
the e-legislations conference, said the
information ministry has a vision to prepare a draft law over e-media which
would need a legislation.
The bill, he added, “guarantees media
freedom and preserves freedom of society.” Sheikh Salman said views of all parties concerned, including those using
e-media, would be considered “in order
to reach a full fledged” law.
The ministry hoped relevant legislations would be approved as soon
as possible “so we create the appropriate electronic environment in
future.” —KUNA
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
LOCAL
Cabinet vote expected
to decide speaker post
Race could feature ‘surprises’
Ali Al-Omair
Ali Al-Rashid
Marzouq Al-Ghanim
Roudhan Al-Roudhan
KUWAIT: Electing a speaker for the new parliament is expected to feature a heated race during
today’s inaugural session between MPs Marzouq
Al-Ghanim, Ali Al-Rashid, Ali Al-Omair and
Roudhan Al-Roudhan. Al-Rai quoted parliamentary sources who indicated that the race is likely
going to end up being between Al-Ghanim and
Al-Rashid, whereas Cabinet sources revealed that
ministers’ vote is going to be unbiased.
Meanwhile, Al-Qabas daily quoted observers
who indicated that the Cabinet’s 16 votes are
eventually going to prove vital in giving a certain
candidate the advantage as long as ministers are
instructed to vote jointly. The observers who preferred to keep their identities anonymous said
that the race for the speakership could feature
‘surprises’, especially given the ambiguity surrounding the votes of independent and debutant
MPs.
It is the first time in Kuwait’s history that an
elected parliament holds its inaugural session
with four MPs officially in the race for the speaker’s post. MPs held gatherings with efforts ongoing as late as Sunday evening to convince candidates to withdraw in favor of others, but all efforts
were to no avail. Al-Ghanim, 45, is a member of
the liberal National Action Bloc and debuted in
parliament in 2006. Since then, he headed several
parliamentary committees including the youth
and sports as well as the financial committees. He
is credited for heading the first investigation committee in the parliament to finish its report in
time, regarding the case of a citizen’s death under
police torture.
Ghanim’s time in parliament is perhaps best
known for opposing sports reform laws and the
vicious campaign he was subjected against as a
result. He had forwarded a request with fellow
NAB member and former MP Adel Al-Saraawi to
grill then minister Ahmad Al-Fahd Al-Sabah, but
the grilling was never debated because the minister resigned.
Ali Al-Rashed, 46, debuted in the parliament in
2003 as a member of the National Action Bloc
before leaving the liberal group in 2009. He
played a major role in the public movement to
amend the electoral system that divided Kuwait
into 25 constituencies which was ultimately
replaced with a five-constituency system. He also
played a key role in the ouster of former oil minister Ali Al-Jarrah. His tenure is known for heated
exchanges with a number opposition figures in
the wake of grilling motions filed in the 2009 parliament. He was elected speaker of the scrapped
(Dec 2012) parliament after competing with MP
Ali Al-Omair and former MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi. In
late 2011, former prime minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah selected Rashed as the
elected member in his Cabinet as the constitution
stipulates, handing him the Ministry of Parliament
Amir receives some of
pardoned convicts’ families
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif
Palace yesterday some of the pardoned convicts’
family members who expressed utmost gratitude
to his fatherly initiative.
In his speech, HH Sheikh Sabah said “I respect
you, but I ask God Almighty to guide you to the
pursuit of good deeds as Kuwait is your precious
homeland, and if you offend your country, you
offend yourself.”
“We are glad to meet you as we wish the circumstances were better. We appreciate your
compassion to pardon them, for what they had
committed is wrong and unacceptable. God forgive those who contributed to the spread of such
bad behavior. We cannot thank you enough for
pardoning our children!” said Abdullah Al-Baidan.
For her part, Aisha Al-Ali said “Please, allow me to
speak on behalf of Sarah and the other convicts. I
apologize for what the young people have done.
They love Kuwait, the land where they have been
growing up and raised, and such an act was
probably influenced by the current situations
taking place around the world.
“Thank you very much for pardoning them
even though what they had committed is unacceptable, and may God Almighty bless you.”
HH the Amir said “Praise be to God and may
HA guide you to the right path. You can consider
me to be your father.” —KUNA
KUWAIT: Worshippers pray at the Grand Mosque in Kuwait early yesterday on the 27th night of Ramadan in search of Lailat AlQadr (The Night of Power), which marks the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) through the Archangel
Gabriel during Ramadan. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat
Affairs portfolio.
Ali Al-Omair is the oldest lawmaker vying for
the speaker’s post at the age of 55. A representative of the Islamic Salafist Assembly, Omair
debuted in the parliament in 2006 and was
reelected in 2008, 2009, as well as the two
scrapped assemblies (February and December of
2012). He was appointed as supervisor in the
2009 parliament, and headed a number of permanent and temporary committees during his
tenure which was characterized by a balanced
political approach. Al-Omair also entered in heated debates with opposition figures who believed
that he was defending the Cabinet of former
prime minister Sheikh Nasser, which resulted in
political feuds that remain until today. Despite
this, Omair previously partnered with former MP
Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei in grilling former minister
Abdullah Al-Maayouf.
Roudhan Al-Roudhan, 48, is an independent
who debuted in parliament in 2008. He is perhaps
best known for his time as Minister of Cabinet
Affairs in the midst of the worst political crisis
between the executive and legislative authorities
in the history of Kuwait’s parliamentary work.
Despite this, his relationship with opposition figures did not suffer a serious negative impact. He
also previously served as president of the
Municipal Council after being elected by default
as one of the council’s elected members.
Pope sends Eid greetings to
Muslims throughout the world
To Muslims throughout the World,
It gives me great pleasure to greet
you as you celebrate ‘Eid Al-Fitr’, so
concluding the month of Ramadan,
dedicated mainly to fasting, prayer and
almsgiving.
It is a tradition by now that, on this
occasion, the Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue sends you a
message of good wishes, together
with a proposed theme for common
reflection. This year, the first of my
Pontificate, I have decided to sign this
traditional message myself and to send
it to you, dear friends, as an expression
of esteem and friendship for all
Muslims, especially those who are religious leaders.
As you all know, when the Cardinals
elected me as Bishop of Rome and
Universal Pastor of the Catholic
Church, I chose the name of “Francis”, a
very famous saint who loved God and
every human being deeply, to the
point of being called “universal brother”. He loved, helped and served the
needy, the sick and the poor; he also
cared greatly for creation.
I am aware that family and social
dimensions enjoy a particular prominence for Muslims during this period,
and it is worth noting that there are
certain parallels in each of these areas
with Christian faith and practice.
This year, the theme on which I
would like to reflect with you and with
all who will read this message is one
that concerns both Muslims and
Christians:
Promoting Mutual Respect through
Education.
This year’s theme is intended to
underline the importance of education
in the way we understand each other,
built upon the foundation of mutual
respect. “Respect” means an attitude of
kindness towards people for whom we
have consideration and esteem.
“Mutual” means that this is not a oneway process, but something shared by
both sides.
What we are called to respect in
each person is first of all his life, his
physical integrity, his dignity and the
rights deriving from that dignity, his
reputation, his property, his ethnic and
cultural identity, his ideas and his political choices. We are therefore called to
think, speak and write respectfully of
the other, not only in his presence, but
always and everywhere, avoiding
unfair criticism or defamation. Families,
schools, religious teaching and all
forms of media have a role to play in
achieving this goal.
Turning to mutual respect in interreligious relations, especially between
Christians and Muslims, we are called
to respect the religion of the other, its
teachings, its symbols, its values.
Particular respect is due to religious
leaders and to places of worship. How
painful are attacks on one or other of
these!
It is clear that, when we show
respect for the religion of our neighbours or when we offer them our good
wishes on the occasion of a religious
celebration, we simply seek to share
their joy, without making reference to
the content of their religious convictions.
Regarding the education of Muslim
and Christian youth, we have to bring
up our young people to think and
speak respectfully of other religions
and their followers, and to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions
and practices.
We all know that mutual respect is
fundamental in any human relationship, especially among people who
profess religious belief. In this way, sincere and lasting friendship can grow.
When I received the Diplomatic
Corps accredited to the Holy See on
March 22, 2013, I said: “It is not possible
to establish true links with God, while
ignoring other people. Hence it is
important to intensify dialogue among
the various religions, and I am thinking
particularly of dialogue with Islam. At
the Mass marking the beginning of my
ministry, I greatly appreciated the presence of so many civil and religious
leaders from the Islamic world.” With
these words, I wished to emphasize
once more the great importance of
dialogue and cooperation among
believers, in particular Christians and
Muslims, and the need for it to be
enhanced. With these sentiments, I
reiterate my hope that all Christians
and Muslims may be true promoters of
mutual respect and friendship, in particular through education.
Finally, I send you my prayerful
good wishes, that your lives may glorify the Almighty and give joy to those
around you.
Happy Feast to you all!
From the Vatican, 10 July 2013
FRANCISCUS
Direct flights from Kuwait to Georgia soon
By Ben Garcia
KUWAIT: Kuwaiti tourist numbers to
Georgia grew tenfold compared to last
year, said Levan Nijaradze, Consul and
Counselor of the Georgian Embassy in
Kuwait as he announced direct flights
to Georgia starting next week.
FlyGeorgia, a new, privately owned and
controlled airline will offer full-service
flights to a number of destinations in
Europe, Middle East and South Asia.
FlyGeorgia aims to connect Georgia
with the world and support the development of tourism, economic growth
and popularization of the country. “It
was the very reason why we have to
accommodate FlyGeorgia to serve our
growing numbers of visitors and give
them the best Georgian experienced,”
he said.
FlyGeorgia will commence flights in
the next few days to encourage more
Kuwaiti and expatriate visitors.
“Imagine, if you only have KD 470, you
can enjoy at a four-star hotel in Georgia
for up to seven days,” he beamed.
According to Nijaradze, expatriates
with six months’ valid residency in
Kuwait can also visit Georgia without a
visa. “Kuwaitis are not required to get
any visa for Georgia. They can come
and stay up to 160 days without a visa.
Expats here can also visit with the same
privilege as long as they have six
months’ valid residency here. We want
to welcome the world to Georgia,” he
added.
The Georgian Consul General also
lauded Kuwait-Georgia bilateral relations. “We have been very active since
we opened the embassy in 2006 pro-
moting our interests in the region. This
is the center of our political relations
since Kuwait was the first country to
welcome us. So from here we handle
services for other GCC countries,
although we have now opened an
embassy in Qatar,” he said. He said
Kuwait and Georgia have signed memorandums of understanding in terms of
protecting investments and tourism
and are currently in talks with foreign
ministry officials here for the visit of the
foreign minister. Nijaradze also mentioned a Georgian team of archeologists is based in Kuwait to restore archeological sites and discover new ones.
Georgia held parliamentary elections in 2012 where the world witnessed a peaceful of transfer of power.
A new government led by Prime
Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili came to
power with a clear mandate to ensure
peace and stability through deeper
Euro-Atlantic integration, deepening
Georgia’s democracy, strengthening
the rule of law and unlocking Georgia’s
economic potential. Over the last few
months, Georgia has taken concrete
steps to implement a mandate across
these broad areas and organizing
them as part of an effort to demonstrate that Georgia is finally ready to
take its place in the Euro-Atlantic community of nations and be a constructive regional and international partner
and friend.
Nijaradze also acknowledged several changes and reforms within the government in an effort to finally join
NATO and EU. “We have been very
focus on joining the EU because we
can benefit from it tremendously,” he
said. “The current situation of EU right
now is not our primary concern as it
cannot affect a small country like us.
But being in the EU can help our country a lot in many areas.” He also encouraged Kuwaiti businessmen to set up
businesses in Georgia as they are the
most easiest country to deal with in
terms of investment. “We have a team
of people already talking with Kuwaiti
agencies with regards to investment.
In fact, many have already expressed
their desire to work with us and many
are in Georgia now to invest,” he
added.
Nijaradze noted that they are establishing links with Russia to continue
talks on the 20 percent of their territory which is partially occupied. “We are
ready for dialogue with Russia. We
want peace,” he said.
LOCAL
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
Wataniya Telecom concludes CSR Program for Ramadan
Events include iftar meals, girgian shows and Rijeemy walkathon
KUWAIT: The holy month of Ramadan
awakens a sense of kindness and
patience within the heart of one and all.
Wataniya Telecom had planned a variety
of activities and allocated generous funds
towards the celebration of the holy
month. From activities like “Donate Your
Time” campaign which encouraged volunteers to come forward and help BibIA
youb distribute meals, events also included a special Girgian show at the 360 Mall
and Rijeemy Walkathon which promoted
a healthy lifestyle. Wataniya Telecom was
very enthusiastic about the activities
planned and said “We are always looking
for ways to contribute towards the
growth and development of Kuwait. The
holy month of Ramadan is an excellent
time for Wataniya to reinforce its commitment towards the welfare of our society.
Exciting programs were rolled out to surpass customer expectations. There were
charitable contributions for the needy
and events which foster the communal
spirit of kindness and generosity.
“Donate Your Time” Campaign was
launched with the support of Bibi AlAyoub, where volunteers could come forward and help Bibi pack over a thousand
Iftar meals which were distributed in
mosques. Water and dates were also distributed for the last ten days at the Grand
Mosque.
Celebrity Buthaina Al-Raeesi acted in a
short play for Girgian at 360 Mall and distributed gifts to children who were pres-
ent at the event. Another contribution
from Wataniya for Girgian was distribution of gifts at the Al Sabah Hospital.
Wataniya also sponsored Rijeemy”
Walkathon in 360 Mall under the slogan
“Do it Smart”. It was a daily activity conducted for the first 20 days of Ramadan.
This event supported and promoted a
healthy lifestyle for everyone. Almost 800
people attended the event every day; it
included walking, running, different types
of exercises and sports. It also included
competitions where Wataniya gave
mobile phones to the winning team. The
Ramadan CSR program is mainly developed to reach all members of the community along with different segments
and age groups. It emphasizes on the
spirit of generosity and kindness to the
less fortunate. Wataniya is always keen to
develop future initiatives and community
events which lead to development and
growth of our society through its
Corporate Social Responsibility Program.
Jothen holds annual ghabqa for staff
KUWAIT: Jothen Company hosted its annual ghabqa for staff
members and their families, which was attended by CEO
Abdulmajeed Madhi and General Manager Hazem Hasna.
Competitions and various other activities were held at the
event that was hosted in special Ramadan atmosphere.
28) Taking Ihram is...
A) Pillar of Hajj
B) Sunna
C) Obligatory for Hajj
LOCAL
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
The One hosts iftar
Potato mousaka
6 potatoes, cut into round slices
1/2 lb ground beef
2 onions, chopped
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tomatoes, sliced round
1 tomato, diced
3 green peppers, chopped or whole
1 tsp salt to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
Sauce:
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt to taste
Lightly fry the potato slices and take them into a
large Pyrex dish. Cover the bottom with potatoes and
sprinkle some salt. Then set aside the rest of the fried
potatoes.?Meanwhile, cook ground beef over medium
heat in a skillet. Once it absorbs its own juice stir in oil
and onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add 1 diced tomato
and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes, add the spices
and turn the heat off.?Spread half of the ground beef
mixture over the potatoes and place the remaining
potato slices over (see the picture). Spread the rest of
the mixture all over evenly. Place the tomato slices and
peppers on top.?Mix the sauce ingredients in a small
bowl and pour all over the Mousaka. Bake it in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for about 35-40
minutes.?Serve Potato Mousaka warm.
Lemon bars
For the crust:
1/2 lb butter, at room
temperature
1/2 cup granulated
sugar
2 cups flour
A pinch of sea salt
For the lemon layer:
4 large eggs at room
temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated
sugar
1-1 1/2 grated lemon
zest (3 to 4 lemons)
2/3 cup freshly
squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup confectioners’
sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to
350∞F (180∞C) and
grease a 9x13x2 inch
oven tray lined with baking sheet.
For the crust, mix the
butter and sugar with an
electric mixer until light.
Combine flour and salt
and, with the mixer on
low, add to the butter
until just mixed. Take the
dough onto a well
floured board and gather
into a ball. Flatten the
dough with floured
hands and press it into
the greased baking sheet,
building up a 1/2 inch
edge on all sides. Bake
the crust for about 15 to
20 minutes, until very
lightly browned. Let cool
on a wire rack and leave
the oven on.
For the lemon layer,
whisk together the eggs,
sugar, lemon zest, lemon
juice, and flour. Pour over
the crust and bake for 25
to 30 minutes or about 5
minutes beyond the
point where the lemon
filling is set. Let cool to
room temperature.
Cut into
rectangles/squares and
dust with confectioners’
sugar.
KUWAIT: The One restaurant held an iftar for the media in its premises last
week. The evening featured delicious and sumptuous dishes and other surprises. —Photos by Joseph Shagra
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
LOCAL
kuwait digest
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dubai’s health
example
W
Expats praise
lawmakers
By Ahmad Al-Sarraf
hile Kuwait continues targeting expatriate
residents with a series of restrictions including a recent decision to deport a person on
the first serious traffic offense committed, the Dubai
Municipality announced two weeks ago a competition for citizens and residents alike with up to $5,500
in prizes to people who manage to lose weight during Ramadan.
A person is required to lose a minimum of 2 kg in
order to qualify for the competition. The campaign
was met with a huge response as thousands of people participated. The competition’s timing was not a
coincidence, as it was organized during Ramadan in
which many people develop a habit of overeating
during the hours between iftar and suhour, and subsequently gain weight. It is based on an innovative
idea to spread awareness regarding the risks of eating too much high-calorie food.
The competition’s idea is great and unprecedented - things that Dubai has become known for. It definitely did not come at random, but it must have been
preceded by studies that pointed out the health risks
resulting from obesity and overeating. According to
recent reports, food consumption indicators in
Kuwait show that consumption during this year’s
Ramadan has increased by 100 percent. And despite
the lack of precise statistics, I believe it is safe to
assume that citizens of Gulf states have one of the
world’s highest rates of diseases caused by obesity
such as diabetes and heart disease.
The ministry of health spends a lot of money every
year to treat patients affected by those diseases.
Therefore, you can imagine how much money Kuwait
can save if the Health Ministry carried out studied
steps to encourage both citizens and expatriates to
lose weight - including competitions with prizes for
the top 100 finalists for example. Similar plans would
result in very positive outcomes including less doctor
appointments, less medications, improved quality of
medical staff and employees’ productivity as well as
less sick leaves. Moreover, weight loss can help boost
the morale of citizens and residents, which means
longer lives and other priceless outcomes.
A few years ago, a Kuwaiti health specialist of foreign origin submitted a study to a state department
that included a scientific plan to lose weight and
exercise, detailed the positive gains on the physical
and mental health if the plan was followed by citizens
and expatriates, and explained how this could
improve the society’s productivity as a whole. After
six months of waiting, the specialist received a
response that her study was not approved. I believe
that if studies were carried out on death rates during
Ramadan and the two weeks after it, the result would
reveal an increase in deaths as a result of bad eating
habits. — Al-Qabas
Sir,
A
kuwait digest
Kill the racist inside you!
D
By Arwa Al-Waqian
on’t tell me that you are not racist - we all are and
have been brought up to it some way or another.
We know nothing about religion except for superficial things and have enhanced all values and traditions that
call for it. Although Islam is a religion of tolerance and
equality, our real everyday
life, including that of religious people themselves,
has nothing to do with
Islam.
Don’t tell you believe in
something other than the
prevailing racist kinship traditions. You bearded man don’t deny that you’d never
get your daughter married
to someone unless he was
like you - even if he
belonged to the same tribe,
which you may reject. You,
the one demanding human rights and equality through
international platforms while you still call a black person ‘a
slave’ - don’t deny that you still have some racism deep
within. On streets, we still categorically call people when
we lose our temper using words like ‘Indian’ or ‘Egyptian’ as
if we were degrading their nationalities. Don’t deny, dear
reader, that we have been raised in a country that encourages racism and your fellow-citizens have been classified
into sects and classes based on their origin. You have been
brought up to it, but to go on like this is very shameful and
disgraceful, especially when you are more aware and have
travelled worldwide, met
people from different nationalities and found out that
they are all better than you
when they treated you fairly
and you reacted with prejudice. I cannot deny that
racism is a global syndrome
that can be found even in
advanced countries, but
there is an international
trend to fight it while we,
locally, try to enhance it in
the worst forms.
One can make a change
by looking to people in general, not only their appearances; when dealing with a person’s essence, not his family name; when you like someone because your souls
match, not because your family names match. Each of us
has some racism and admitting it is the beginning of fighting this dreadful disease. - Al-Jarida
I cannot deny that racism is a
global syndrome that can be
found even in advanced countries, but there is an international trend to fight it while
we, locally, try to enhance
it in the worst forms.
kuwait digest
Start a new
approach
D
By Dr Terki Al-Azmi
uring Operation Deser t Storm between
January and March of 1991 to liberate Kuwait,
I worked as a volunteer at the 13th
Evacuation Hospital which was set up by the
American forces in the northeast of Saudi Arabia. I
don’t know why this experience came to my mind
after the Amiri pardon of people sentenced for
offending HH the Amir, and of course on the Iraqi
invasion’s anniversary on Aug 2.
It was a very weird situation. In the middle of the
Gulf War, a hospital was set up in the middle of the
desert within days and received more than 300
patients in its first few days of operation which also
saw surgeries performed. Today, excuses continue to
be given regarding hospital projects; and any other
construction projects the government carries out for
that matter.
I thought that the invasion’s experience was
going to give us an opportunity to build a new generation with a new culture. I was hoping to see a second and third row of leaders being prepared within
the ruling family and on the level of ministers and
undersecretaries. Sadly however, nothing of that has
happened. Instead, the same ideologies and
It is really very strange.
People get grey hair while
they wait for a government
house. They study and get
experience yet find no jobs.
approaches are repeated over and over again, making all hopes about a new beginning after liberation
only a dream.
It is really very strange. People get grey hair while
they wait for a government house. They study and
get experience yet find no jobs. They take their children to school but find out that elementary school
graduates cannot read properly. They go for medical
treatment but are given an appointment that falls
several months later. All that while dealing with
increasing prices of housing, as well as construction
material and consumer products. We have become
very scattered as a result of political feuds between
groups each repeating the ‘either with us or against
us’ slogan, the way in which the same family names
are used to fill leading posts, and an electoral system
that helped tribalism run deep within society.
The Aug 2 invasion anniversary came this year
during Ramadan, and in the last ten days of the holy
month. Isn’t it time to start a new approach that
replaces the wrong concepts in project management, leaders’ selection and providing public services? A new approach must be based on strategic
thinking to appoint leaders through specialized
assessment committees and run hospitals through
leading Western medical centers. A new approach is
realized when we read a story about a minister or
senior government official being fired. — Al-Rai
ccept our hearty congratulations on behalf of
Indian expatriates to lawmakers on their successful victory in the Assembly elections. In this connection, I would like to mention a verse from the Holy
Quran - Say (O Muhammad PBUH) O Allah , Owner of
Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and
You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You
honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In
Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things
competent. (Aal-Imran:26)
The young and new faces elevated to the parliament
have a full spirit of dedication for serving the cause of
the country’s progress and prosperity and to build a
model welfare state not only in the Gulf region but for
whole world with the help of versatile and experienced
veterans of parliamentary democracy.
The sons of soils have lots of tasks towards building
the nation’s unity, integrity and stability and to lead the
nation to the path of progress and prosperity.
Avowedly, the march of the nation depends upon
the peace, unity and integrity of a stable government.
They may take preventive measures to curb the causes
of ethnic violence and uprisings. Arab countries have
been engulfed in the curse of uprisings and fomenting
of unrest.
The uprising and unrest in neighboring countries like
Syria and Egypt should not be repeated in this peace
loving country. It is a hindrance for progress, prosperity
and tranquility of any nation.
Further, we would like to draw attention to soaring
prices, as it is a source of frustration among expatriates
with limited salaries. Therefore, I pray to Almighty Allah
the newly elected Assembly and consequent assemblies
complete full terms for the cause of progress, prosperity
and stability of Kuwait.
This is essential for the implementation and execution of policies, plans and programs towards achieving a
model welfare state in the Gulf.
Yours truly,
Nazeer Ahmed Shaik
kuwait digest
New Cabinet
formation
I
By Abdellatif Al-Duaij
took a vacation to relax, because the situation in
the past few years was difficult for every Kuwaiti,
except for those who do not have “patriotic feelings” of course. My vacation was and is still linked to
the National Assembly, as I nearly stop writing by the
end of every legislative term and resume with the
start of the next term. The National Assembly did not
take a break for three years, but was annulled twice,
during which I continued writing because of the
charged atmosphere. The atmosphere of elections
this year was warm and an opportunity to relax from
the tiring past few years, and also an opportunity to
We know that nothing has
changed, and will not
change, and that the regime
adopted and adopts individual and tribal policy and
method in ruling.
deal with my health problems.
I was enjoying the vacation and away from tension, but the statement of the prime minister that he
will follow the steps of the “Father Amir” changed
everything - it activated emotion elements and
released the disturbance genies that were relaxing.
Yes, we know that nothing has changed, and will not
change, and that the regime adopted and adopts
individual and tribal policy and method in ruling.
Yet we always hoped that development, social
changes and the surrounding political development
may speed up the development process and may be
a motive to change the method and modernize the
way the state and ruling is managed, especially with
the introduction of the ruling family youth, some of
whom announced to go along with development
and catch up with the era’s systems and methods.
Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, the prime minister, was
among the “youth” who we were looking to contribute to the development and modernization
process. Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak is also known for
objecting to inept policies that were rampant in the
past era and adopted by former cabinets prior to
and after the invasion, to a point where he was
fought rumors about belittling those who remained
in the country, and lies about stealing their funds.
Now Sheikh Jaber, after becoming prime minister,
comes with a promise to continue the same inept
policy that he criticized earlier - the policy of the
“Father Amir” as he described it - and promised to
reshuffle ministers or patch the Cabinet it instead of
changing it.
For the prime minister’s information, the reshuffle
policy was to confront the National Assemblies, as
ministers are retained against the majority of the
Assembly through reshuffles.
The motive behind this is to confirm that the family or the prime minister is ruling, not the nation
which is the source of authorities. The sovereign
owner, the authority, appoints ministers, and the
authority, not the National Assembly relieves them this was the message, and this was the goal behind
reshufflings. So does Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak wants
to continue the same stubbornness and “ridiculing”
the wishes of the National Assembly and its decisions?
This is what seems through the new Cabinet formation, which regretfully seems to be going according to the authority’s agendas and wishes and not
through reading the political situation and the
results of National Assembly elections as well as
public opinion inclinations. After all the events and
chaos Kuwait went through, and after breaking the
bones of some youth and jailing others, Sheikh Jaber
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
Rouhani names
govt of technocrats
amid crises
Gibraltar likens Spain threats to North Korea
Page 10
Page 8
SILIVRI, Turkey: A demonstrator waves a Turkish flag during clashes against Turkish police forces near a courthouse at near Istanbul yesterday after a court decision to sentence former army chief Ilker Basbug (inset) and other top
brass to life in prison in a high-profile trial of 275 people accused of plotting to overthrow the Islamic-rooted government. — AFP
Ex-Turkish army head jailed for life
Authorities ban protest by defendants’ supporters
SILIVRI, Turkey: A Turkish court yesterday sentenced a
former military chief to life in prison and dozens of others including opposition members of parliament to long
terms for plotting against the government, in a trial that
has exposed deep divisions in the country. Retired military chief of staff General Ilker Basbug was sentenced to
life for his role in the “Ergenekon” conspiracy to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. Announcing verdicts on the nearly 300 defendants in the case, the judges also sentenced three serving parliamentarians from the opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP) to between 12 and 35 years in
prison. Prosecutors say an alleged network of secular
nationalists, code-named Ergenekon, pursued extra-judicial killings and bombings in order to trigger a military
coup, an example of the anti-democratic forces which
Erdogan says his AK Party has fought to stamp out.
Critics, including the main opposition party, have said
the charges were trumped up, aimed at stifling opposition and taming the secularist establishment which has
long dominated Turkey. They say the judiciary has been
subject to political influence in hearing the case.
The judges also passed life sentences on a former
commander of Turkey’s prestigious First Army, a retired
gendarmerie commander, the leader of the leftist
Workers’ Party Dogu Perincek and high-profile journalist
Tuncay Ozkan. Six judges took it in turns to read the verdicts, sentencing defendants for membership of the
“Ergenekon terrorist organisation”. Booing by defence
lawyers, opposition politicians and some journalists in
court turned to applause as half of the defence lawyers
stormed out in protest at the sentences. “We are Mustafa
Kemal’s soldiers,” the defendants and defence lawyers
chanted in reference to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder
of the modern secular republic. “Damn the AKP,” they
chanted of Erdogan’s ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party.
Earlier, security forces fired tear gas in fields around
the cour thouse in the Silivri jail complex, west of
Istanbul, as defendants’ supporters tried to protest
against the five-year trial, a landmark case in the decadelong battle between Erdogan and the secularist establishment. With main access roads shut and protesters’
buses prevented from reaching the area, hundreds of the
defendants’ supporters attempted to cross the fields to
reach the court, but police with riot shields blocked their
advance. “The day will come when the AKP will pay the
price,” some chanted on the approach road to Silivri,
where hundreds of riot police and paramilitary gendarmes were on duty.
“This is Erdogan’s trial, it is his theatre,” Umut Oran, an
opposition parliamentarian with the CHP party, told
Reuters. “In the 21st century for a country that wants to
become a full member of the European Union, this obvious political trial has no legal basis,” he said at the courthouse. Erdogan has denied inter fering in the legal
process, stressing the judiciary’s independence. But he
has criticised the prosecutors handling the case and
expressed disquiet at the length of time defendants have
been held in custody. Among the 275 defendants
accused in the case were military officers, politicians,
academics and journalists. They deny the charges.
Twenty-one of the defendants were acquitted as the
court announced verdicts one by one.
Basbug criticised the court on his Twitter account
after the verdicts were announced. “If society questions
the independence of judges in a country, if it harbours
doubts about whether its judgements are lawful, you
cannot claim there is supremacy of law in that country,”
he said. “Those on the side of the truth and righteous,
that is on the side of justice, have a clear conscience. That
is how I am.” The threat of a coup is not far-fetched: the
secularist military staged three coups in Turkey between
1960 and 1980 and pushed the first Islamist-led govern-
ment out of office in 1997.
But Erdogan has chipped away at the army’s influence
since his AK Party came to power in 2002, including in
the courts with the Ergenekon case and the separate
“Sledgehammer” plot. Last September, the court in Silivri
jailed more than 300 military officers for plotting to overthrow Erdogan a decade ago in “Sledgehammer”. The
government’s control over NATO’s second largest army
was illustrated on Saturday when Ankara appointed new
military commanders in an overhaul of the top ranks,
forcing the retirement of a senior general regarded as a
government critic.
The Turkish public initially welcomed the Ergenekon
trial on the grounds it would bring to account the country’s “Deep State” - an undefined network of secularists
long believed to have been pulling the strings of power
in Turkey. As the court proceedings advanced criticism
grew, however. The European Commission also
expressed concern. “We were all happy when this court
case started because we thought it was an effort to clean
up the Deep State. But we soon realised it was an effort
to clean up political opponents,” said Nedim Sener, an
investigative journalist accused of links to Ergenekon
and still on trial in a related case.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Fresh diplomatic push
to defuse Egypt crisis
Thousands protest in support of Morsi
KENITRA, Morocco: Protestors chant slogans during a demonstration on gainst the pardon by King Mohamed
VI of Morocco of a Spanish paedophile, Daniel Fino Galvan, who raped 11 local children. — AFP
Moroccans want to know
why child rapist went free
KENITRA, Morocco: The royal pardon may have been revoked but residents of the Moroccan city of Kenitra
still want to know why a man convicted of raping their children was
ever released. Spanish paedophile
Daniel Galvan Vina, who lived in their
midst for years, was found guilty of
raping 11 children aged between
four and 15, and jailed for 30 years in
Sept 2011. But on Tuesday of last
week, he was among 48 Spanish prisoners pardoned by King Mohamed VI
in response to a request from King
Juan Carlos, who visited Morocco last
month.
Galvan was released and deported back to his homeland, so that by
the time the pardon was revoked late
on Sunday, he was beyond the reaches of the Moroccan authorities.
Spain’s ambassador to Morocco,
Alberto Navarro, told the El Pais
newspaper that Rabat can now ask
that Galvan serve out the rest of his
sentence in a Spanish jail. But for residents of this city of more than
350,000 people, 50 km north of the
Moroccan capital, that prospect is
scant consolation. A planned demonstration in the city centre late on
Sunday went ahead despite the
announcement that the pardon had
been revoked.
Primary schoolteacher Fatima
Imelouane joined the demonstrators
with her daughter. “We still don’t
understand what is behind this affair,”
she said. “Why this pardon? Why the
revocation? Who is responsible and
what are the government and the
justice minister (Mustapha Ramid)
doing?” she asked. “There is so much
ambiguity in all of this.” Student
Oumaima Haitouf, 22, said she had
rushed to join the demonstration as
soon as she read about it on
Facebook. “Like many people in
Kenitra, I feel humiliated,” she said.
“We want to know how all this happened.” The palace said the king had
been unaware of the “abject” nature
of Galvan’s crimes when he granted
the pardon and had ordered a probe
into his “regrettable release”.
In Spain, the opposition socialist
party demanded explanations from
the government as to why Galvan’s
name had been included on a list of
prisoners whose release was sought
from Morocco. Lawyer Hamid Krairi,
who was largely responsible for
Galvan’s arrest and prosecution in
2011, expressed “relief” that the royal
pardon had been rescinded. But he
said the decision did not go far
enough. “People here want answers
about the circumstances of this pardon,” he said. “He lived here in complete impunity from 2003 to 2011,”
said Krairi, who obtained incriminating photographs of Galvan with his
child victims that were instrumental
in his successful prosecution. “Most
of his victims came from outlying districts of the city,” said the lawyer who
acted for the children’s families.
Galvan’s release sparked outrage
across Morocco, which has seen several high-profile paedophile arrests in
recent months. On June 20, police
arrested a British suspected paedophile after local residents overheard screams from a six-year-old girl
he allegedly abducted. And in May, a
Casablanca court jailed a 60-year-old
Frenchman for 12 years after convicting him of paedophilia. Sunday’s
protest in Kenitra passed off peacefully albeit under a heavy police presence. But new demonstrations were
planned for Casablanca today and
Rabat tomorrow. — AFP
CAIRO: Fresh international efforts
were underway in Egypt yesterday to
find a peaceful end to the crisis
sparked by the military’s overthrow
of Islamist president Mohamed
Morsi. EU envoy Bernardino Leon
met with Prime Minister Hazem AlBeblawi after US Deputy Secretary of
State William Burns met the number
two of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood
movement, Khairat Al-Shater, in
prison, officials said. Both envoys
have engaged in a series of meetings
with Morsi loyalists and members of
the army-backed interim leadership
including army chief Abdel Fattah AlSisi.
According to the official MENA
agency, Burns and Leon were accompanied by top diplomats of Qatar and
the United Arab Emirates during the
visit to Shater at Cairo’s high security
prison in Tora. But Muslim
Brotherhood spokesman Gehad alHaddad said Shater refused to speak
to the delegation, saying only that
the Brotherhood’s position on
defending Morsi’s legitimac y is
“unchanged”.
The powerful Shater, one of the
main financiers of the Muslim
Brotherhood, is due to face trial on
August 25 along with senior
Brotherhood leader Rashad Bayoumi
and Brotherhood Supreme Guide
Mohammed Badie, who is currently
in hiding. The three are accused of
inciting the killing of protesters during clashes outside the Brotherhood
headquarters in Cairo in June.
Morsi himself has been formally
remanded in custody on suspicion of
offences committed when he
escaped from prison during the 2011
revolt that toppled former president
Hosni Mubarak. US Senators John
McCain and Lindsay Graham are
expected in Egypt for a series of talks
today, in a fresh push for a solution.
In Cairo, thousands of Morsi loyalists
marched to the High Court, calling
for the release and reinstatement of
their leader, blocking traffic in the
centre of the capital.
Supporters of Morsi - Egypt’s first
freely elected president - see his
ouster by the military as a violation
of democracy and insist on nothing
short of reinstatement. The interim
leaders however say there is no turning back on the army- drafted
roadmap announced after Morsi’s
ousting on July 3 and which provides
for new elections in 2014. Both the
interior ministry and the army have
repeatedly called on pro-Morsi protesters to lift their sit-ins which have
paralysed parts of the capital and
increased divisions in the country.
Authorities have promised Morsi loyalists a safe exit and said an end to
their protests would allow the
Muslim Brotherhood to return to
political life. Days of heated diplomatic activity in Cairo have seen visits by Burns, EU foreign policy chief
Burns had also met with members
of the Brotherhood’s political arm,
which later stressed its continued
commitment to “legitimacy, which
stipulates the return of the president,
the constitution and the Shura
Council,” or upper house of parliament. During his visit, the US envoy
sat down with Foreign Minister Nabil
Fahmy in a bid to broker a compromise as Washington kept up the pressure from afar, with Defence Secretary
CAIRO: Egyptians walk behind a banner lampooning US President Barak
Obama and a banner supporting Egyptian Army Chief Lt Gen Abdel Fattah
Al-Sisi yesterday. — AP
Catherine Ashton, Arab diplomats
and an African Union delegation.
On Sunday, Sisi met Islamist leaders to try to mediate a solution with
Morsi suppor ters. Among those
attending the talks were influential
Salafist clerics Sheikh Mohammed
Hassan and Mohammed Abdel Salam,
who just days ago addressed pro Morsi suppor ters at a rally. “ The
Islamists who met Sisi, while not
members of the Muslim Brotherhood,
have been supporting them at the
Rabaa Al-Adawiya sit-in. Hopefully,
the Brotherhood will listen to what
they have to say to find a way out of
the crisis,” a source close to the talks
said. But Yasser Ali, a spokesman for
the pro-Morsi demonstrators, said the
clerics had met Sisi “without having
been mandated”.
Chuck Hagel urging Sisi to support an
“inclusive political process”, the
Pentagon said.
The diplomatic push came as the
Washington Post published an interview with Sisi in which he urged
Washington to pressure Morsi supporters to end their rallies. “The US
administration has a lot (of ) leverage
and influence with the Muslim
Brotherhood and I’d really like the US
administration to use this leverage
with them to resolve the conflict,” he
said. Sisi said that police, not the military, would be charged with dispersing the protests, and insisted that
millions of Egyptians “are waiting for
me to do something”. But Fahmy
insisted authorities have “no desire to
use force if there is any other avenue
that has not been exhausted”. — AFP
Rouhani names govt of
technocrats amid crises
TEHRAN: President Hassan Rouhani
has unveiled a cabinet of technocrats to help him tackle the formidable challenges of shoring up Iran’s
economy and opening up dialogue
with the West over Tehran’s controversial nuclear drive. The 18-strong
all-male cabinet boasts a breadth of
experience, with some members
having served under pragmatic expresident Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
from 1989 to 1997, and others
under reformist Mohammad
Khatami, who was president from
1997 to 2005. The team, announced
late on Sunday after Rouhani was
sworn into office, must be confirmed by the conservative-dominated parliament, with voting
expected to begin within a week,
once the vetting procedures are
over.
The 64-year-old moderate cleric
took over from hardliner Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad vowing to repair the
damage caused by his predecessor’s
oft-provocative policies and remarks
that in two turbulent four-year
terms left Iran divided domestically,
isolated internationally and struggling economically. The West is hoping that Rouhani will take a more
constructive approach in the longrunning talks on Tehran’s nuclear
drive, which despite Iranian denials
is suspected by world powers of
having military objectives.
Immediately after being sworn in
at parliament Sunday, Rouhani presented his cabinet line-up of seven
pro-reform nominees, three conservatives, four moderates and four
considered as independent. Among
key nominees were veteran retired
diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif as
foreign minister and ex-oil minister
Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, named to
the same portfolio again. Rouhani
has, meanwhile, entrusted conservatives with control of the crucial interior and intelligence ministries. The
list drew mixed reaction from the
Iranian press on Monday, with moderate and reformist papers hailing
the team’s breadth of experience
while conservative outlets questioned the inclusion of “notorious”
figures, Zanganeh in particular.
Arman, a paper with ties to the
reformists, hoped in an editorial that
“all members of the government will
get a vote of confidence,” hailing the
TEHRAN: Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani (lerft) stands next to Iran’s
former Ambassador to the UN Mohammad Javad Zarif in his office yesterday. —AFP
cabinet as “a coordinated, strong,
efficient economic team” best
placed to help Iran overcome its
economic pain. But Tehran-based
moderate analyst Sadeq Zibakalam
cautioned in comments to the Fars
news agency that the “centrist government would have the minimal
support of reformist and conservatives” alike as it includes names from
the rival camps. Conservative media
outlets were critical of the “oldest”
government since the inception of
the Islamic republic in 1979, and
questioned the nomination of those
with involvement to the turbulent
aftermath of Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in 2009.
“Is someone with many open cases for signing contracts that undermined (Iran’s) interests able to take
control of the sensitive and critical oil
ministry,” hardline Kayhan daily said
in its editorial of Zanganeh, who has
had ties with opposition leader Mir
Hossein Mousavi, currently under
house arrest. Conservative MP
Ramezan Shojaei meanwhile criticised the fact that no women were
included in the cabinet lineup. In his
only female appointment, Rouhani
named Parvin Dadandish as his
women’s affairs advisor. In his inaugural speech on Sunday, Rouhani
repeated his campaign promises of
improving the livelihoods of Iranians
whom he said were under “a lot of
economic pressure” because of
tough US and EU sanctions over
Iran’s refusal to stop uranium enrichment.
“The only path to interact with
Iran is through negotiations on equal
grounds, reciprocal trust-building,
mutual respect and reducing hostilities,” he said in remarks contrasting
starkly with those of Ahmadinejad. “If
you want a proper answer, do not
speak with Iran with the language of
sanctions but with the language of
respect,” Rouhani added, sparking
optimism in the White House, which
said Iran would find the United
States a “willing partner” if he was
serious.
Rouhani formally took office on
Saturday at another ceremony in
which he received the endorsement of
supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, who has final say on all key
state affairs, including the nuclear
issue. Considered a regime insider for
his service record since the Islamic
republic’s inception in 1979, Rouhani
on Sunday made his first staff appointment with Mohammad Nahavandian,
a US Green Card residency holder with
a PhD in economics from George
Washington University, as chief of staff.
Nahavandian is expected to play a
leading role in coordinating Rouhani’s
economic policies. In another appointment, Rouhani on Monday named
reformist ex-industries minister
Eshagh Jahangiri as first vice president. — AFP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Syria ‘moles’ wage battle from underground tunnels
DAMASCUS: The Syrian colonel is still
astounded. He was directing operations
from the second floor of building when he
heard gunfire - rebels had penetrated his
headquarters via an underground tunnel.
“One floor closer and I wouldn’t be here to
describe the attack,” he said. The rebels
killed 12 soldiers on the ground and first
floors of the building in eastern Damascus
before being beaten back by army fire.
Troops discovered the tunnels that had
been used to penetrate the building
stretched 320 m between the districts of
Qabun and Jubar, two rebel areas of the
Syrian capital.
“It was two metres high and three
metres across. Thanks to the city’s electricity supply, it was lit and had ventilation systems. The tunnel was reinforced with metal pillars,” says a journalist who toured the
tunnel. “This is a war of moles against hornets,” says a businessman in Damascus in
characterising the tactics of Syria’s rebel
and regime in the battle for the country.
The rebels are the moles, digging underground to create tunnels through which
they transport weapons, move fighters
and prepare explosives away from the
fighter jets and helicopters of the army,
which buzz overhead.
In Khaldiyeh, a rebel-held district of the
city of Homs that fell to the regime last
week, a lieutenant-general who gave his
name only as Ali describes another narrow
escape from an attack. “In taking the district, we discovered a tunnel that ended
almost directly under our headquarters. If
we’d arrived 10 days later, our fate would
have been sealed,” he said. “We were in
one building and our opponents were in
another. They were building their tunnel
and I heard the noise of their machine in
action,” he added.
“They were preparing to detonate an
enormous explosive charge underneath
us, just like they did in Qusayr,” the officer
said, referring to a town in Homs province
recaptured by regime forces in June. Rebel
forces used the same tactic to destroy the
regime-held general hospital in Qusayr on
Sept 3 last year. A video showed opposition fighters descending into a 200-metre
long tunnel to place the explosives underneath the building. Another video, from
March 19, shows armed men firing and
throwing explosive devices at a building
in the Palestinian Yarmouk camp in
Damascus, before disappearing into a tunnel, its entrance covered with blankets.
A Western military expert says Syrian
regime ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite
movement which made extensive use of a
network of tunnels during its 2006 war
with Israel, has been charged with flush-
ing rebels out of their underground hideouts. Soldiers and rebels say the tunnels
are sometimes dug by hand, but more
often by mechanical drills. “They are small
machines fitted with two drills that can
dig a few metres a day,” one Syrian army
officer says. “Then they have to reinforce
the tunnels, and for that they use
hostages, promising to release them afterwards,” he adds.
Rebel fighters reject that allegation.
“That’s not true. It’s our men who are digging the tunnels,” says Ahmad Al-Khatib,
from the Syrian Revolution General
Commission, a network of opposition
activists on the ground. “And if one group
has made prisoners work on the tunnels,
that doesn’t mean it’s a generalised trend.”
Khatib says the tunnels have been key for
the rebels, adding that some extend for
around 700 metres, including in the Adra
region, north-east of Damascus. “Tunnels
have been very useful for us. Thanks to the
tunnels, we are able to get past the
snipers and go anywhere we want, however far away it is,” he told AFP. “But not all
tunnels are linked to each other, and not
all areas have tunnels. The areas where
there are most tunnels are Homs and
Damascus provinces.”
Syria’s security services allege that
Palestinian militant group Hamas, which
HOMS: Syria’s General Fahd Jassem Al-Freij (second left), Deputy
Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces and Minister of
Defense, inspecting the area around Khaled bin Walid mosque in the
district of Al-Khalidiyeh in this central Syrian city. —AFP
fell out with the Syrian regime over its
response to the uprising, has helped train
rebels in the art of digging tunnels.
Hamas regularly tunnels under the borders of the Gaza Strip, into neighbouring
Egypt and Israel. But Khatib rejects the
allegations with a laugh. “So just because I
eat noodles does that make me Chinese?”
he said. “Necessity is the mother of invention.” —AFP
Freed Britons slam
treatment in UAE
DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad gives a speech at an ‘iftar’ meal on the last week of the holy month of Ramadan with political and religious
figures in Damascus on Sunday. —AFP
Syria rebels take villages
in regime’s heartland
BEIRUT: Syrian rebels captured
four Alawite villages on the country’s mountainous Mediterranean
coast yesterday as they battled
government troops in one of
President Bashar Assad’s strongholds for the second straight day,
activists said. Alawites, an offshoot
of Shiite Islam, dominate Assad’s
regime. The capture of villages in
their heartland in Latakia province
is a symbolic blow to Assad, whose
forces have otherwise been taking
territory in recent weeks in central
Syria. Syria’s conflict has taken on
an increasingly sectarian tone in
the last year, pitting predominantly
Sunni Muslim rebels against the
Alawite-dominated regime.
The Britain-based Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said
rebels captured the villages after
attacking government outposts in
the Jabal al-Akrad hills on Sunday.
The group, which relies on reports
from activists, said at least 32 government troops and militiamen
and at least 19 rebels, including foreign fighters, died in Sunday’s
fighting. Much of Latakia has been
under the firm control of Assad’s
forces since the beginning of the
conflict more than two years ago,
but some areas including the Jabal
al-Akrad are close to rebel-held
areas and have seen fighting.
It was a rare success for the
rebels on the battlefield in recent
weeks. Assad’s forces have been on
the offensive since taking the central town of Qusair in June, and last
week captured a key district in the
central city of Homs, an opposition
stronghold. Syria main’s opposition
bloc hailed the rebel advance, and
said that Assad’s troops had used
the villages to attack rebel-held
civilian areas. The Observatory’s
chief Rami Abdul-Rahman said
civilians in the four villages fled.
There were no immediate reports
of civilian casualties in the fighting.
Meanwhile, at the site of one of
the regime’s victories in Homs,
Syrian Defense Minister Gen Fahd
Jassem Al-Freij toured the ravaged
district of Khaldiyeh yesterday,
praising troops for what he told
state TV was a “military miracle”.
Standing in front of the historic
Khalid bin Al-Waleed mosque in
Khaldiyeh, Freij vowed the army
will “triumph against this universally-backed terrorism which is being
exported to us”. More than 100,000
people have been killed since the
conflict started in March 2011 as
largely peaceful protests against
Assad’s rule. It turned into an
armed uprising after opposition
supporters took up arms to fight a
brutal government crackdown on
dissent. The Assad government
claims it is not facing a popular
revolt, but a conspiracy by Gulf
Arab states and the West seeking
to destroy Syria by supplying
Islamic extremists with weapons
and funds.
Also yesterday, Human Rights
Watch said ballistic missiles fired by
the Syrian army into populated
areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months. The USbased group said it has investigated nine apparent missile attacks
that killed at least 215 people, half
of them children, between
February and July. The most recent
attack HRW investigated occurred
in the northern province of Aleppo
on July 26, killing at least 33 civilians including 17 children. HRW
activists visited the sites of seven of
the nine attacks and found no
apparent military targets nearby,
the group said. Ole Solvang, a senior researcher with HRW, said it’s
impossible to distinguish between
civilians and fighters when firing
missiles with wide-ranging
destructive effects into densely
populated areas.
“Even if there are fighters in the
area, you cannot accurately target
them and the impact in some of
these cases has been devastating
to local civilians,” Solvang said in a
statement. The HRW called on
Assad to stop indiscriminate
attacks.
Government officials could not
immediately be reached for comment. The military has repeatedly
denied it is targeting civilians during the 2-year conflict, saying its
troops are fighting “terrorists” hiding in civilian areas.
In his latest appearance late
Sunday Assad called on the Syrians
to unite behind the army’s efforts
to “defend their homeland”. “There
is no solution with terrorism but to
strike with an iron fist,” Assad was
quoted as saying by state news
agency SANA. —AP
LONDON: Three British men who claim they were tortured and wrongly
convicted on drugs charges in the UAE said yesterday their treatment had
been “disgusting” and “out of this world”. The trio were pardoned and freed
from prison last month after British Prime Minister David Cameron raised
their case with the United Arab Emirates president. In their first interview
since returning, Grant Cameron, 25, Karl Williams, 26, and Suneet Jeerh, 25,
all from London, claimed they were subjected to beatings by the Dubai
authorities.
The tourists were arrested in July last year and convicted in April of
possessing for consumption more than one kilogramme of synthetic
cannabis known as Spice. They were jailed for four years each and Dubai’s
appeals court upheld their sentences. Jeerh claimed the men were taken
into the desert to be tortured. “It was just out of this world, disgusting the
way they treated us,” he told ITV television. “They just kept on beating us,
asking us names, telling us we were someone else that we were not and
when they pulled the tasers out, that’s it, my lights went out from there. It
was like a long cattle prod with a little taser bit at the end.”
Grant Cameron said the group knew there was a bag in their car, but
claimed they had no idea it contained synthetic cannabis. “We hired a
rental car from a gentleman that we had met over there and we discovered a bag in the car and on inspecting it, it just seemed it was some form
of packet. It said on it: ‘not for human consumption’,” he said. “It didn’t seem
anything untoward in any way so we thought nothing of it.” He said that
after their arrest they were beaten “repeatedly” for five or 10 minutes
before being taken to their hotel room and beaten for another 20 minutes. —AFP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Ramadan gives glimpse of peace at restive Gitmo
MIAMI: On a weekday during Ramadan,
soldiers usher reporters to a window
looking in on Echo Block where about 15
men are at afternoon prayer. The prisoners stand hip to hip in two rows, kneel
then rise in the only glimpse of the captives the reporters will get in a weeklong
visit. As the military tells it, an angry
hunger strike is cooling, and Islam’s holy
month is a new beginning. But this
guarded glance at the 12th Ramadan for
most Guantanamo detainees shows no
fellowship, no festive meal in the blocks.
And it is the complete opposite of a
generous, confident Ramadan visit of a
year ago. Then, the prison gave The
Miami Herald night and day access to
prayer and meals at different times in
different cellblocks, to look and listen
from unseen vantage points while commanders unhurriedly stood inside prison
corridors chatting with confidence that
they were doing the right thing. Last
year, the Herald got to record a prisoner
under lockdown berating his guards
before settling down to call his fellow
captives to prayer through his steel cell
door.
This year, it is the job of the
Pentagon-salaried cultural advisor called
Zak to tell their story, from behind a
desk at the command headquarters. In
the places where the reporters can’t look
or listen, says Zak, himself a Muslim, the
detainees are “praying, reading the
Quran, meditating, being on their own.”
Lockdown has ended for dozens who
are allowed to live communally now, if
not as liberally as before. “They watch
TV,” he says, and a recent report on AlJazeera about plans to hold parole-style
reviews for indefinite detainees went
over well. “Ramadan is just a time when
detainees spend worshipping,” he adds.
“It gives the guards a break from putting
up with the detainees.”
It is the first Ramadan at Guantanamo
for most US soldiers here and, coming
after months of lockdown and hunger
striking, the prisoners’ most austere in
years. Midnight meals come in
Styrofoam boxes slid through a slot in
each captive’s cell door. Even those the
military says are eating and behaving
are locked alone inside a cell for six
hours, then let out in time for dawn
prayers. Conversations with lawyers, in
person or by phone, take place in a different building. So guards are under
orders to search each man’s genitals,
twice, an invasive procedure the prison
implemented after Ramadan last year.
As a result, most captives are refusing
to speak with their lawyers, leaving
attorneys like Cortney Busch to conclude from scant meetings and phone
calls that her clients’ spirits are broken.
“ Throughout the holiday we have
learned that communal time, a tenet of
Ramadan, is used as a reward for those
who give up hunger striking - and a
punishment for those who refuse to do
so,” she wrote from the base after several
clients wouldn’t come out of their cells
to see her. “Certainly there is nothing to
celebrate this Ramadan, and the mood
of the camp reflects this.”
That’s a change, too. Last year, commanders said that because hunger striking was a legitimate protest, a handful of
prisoners who had refused to eat for
years were entitled to the perks of communal life - as long as they compliantly
took nourishment through tubes snaked
up their noses. The procedure was done
at night to let them observe Islam’s
Ramadan fast, too. This year, the hunger
strikers are under lockdown. It’s easier
for a Navy medic to knock on a cell door
to ask, after dark, whether the captive
will be drinking his bottle of Ensure by
hand. Or whether he’ll get it up the nose
after two soldiers take him in shackles to
a restraint chair.
If any of the dozens of hunger strikers
are allowed to worship communally, the
military will not say. “We want to make
sure they protest safely. The best way to
do that is in a single cell,” said Army Lt
Col Samuel House, a prison camps
spokesman who was mobilized to the
prison in January. The holy month began
after dark July 8. The prison announced
a “Ramadan pardon.” On that day, the
military counted 106 of the 166 captives
as hunger strikers. The prisoners’ lawyers
argued there were more.
Troops offered the captives clean,
white uniforms, and let some prisoners
out of lockdown to communal pods
inside a 200-cell cement block prison
called Camp 6. The Army commanders
forgave past sins, according to Zak, in a
“reset” that wiped the slate clean of
accrued disciplinary days for doing bad
things, such as covering surveillance
cameras, refusing to leave a cell for tube
feeding or hoarding “contraband” food.
Another way a detainee gets discipline time is by “weaponizing” his excrement. Social scientists say it happens
especially in solitary confinement when
a captive collects it in a cup and flings it
through a food slot at a guard. A 40year-old Army guard, “Sgt M,” calls it “a
crime of opportunity” that he’s experienced four times.
Prison public affairs officers in particular, and commanders taking Congress
members on tours, cite the tactic as one
of the greatest indignities of service at
Guantanamo and an example of gross
misbehavior. Guards used to say they
got “cocktailed,” for other bodily fluids
that a bored or angry captive has added
to the brew. These days they call it
“splashing”. By Ramadan in the communal cellblocks, according to one watch
commander, the detainees had stopped
their “splashing” and the commanders
had reinstated art classes.
Guards were “building rapport with
the detainees,” said Army Sgt 1st Class
Vernon Branson, the watch commander,
whose Military Police company got to
Guantanamo about a month before
Ramadan and found the prisoners “pretty upset being in single cells.” By his
account, there’s been a “night and day”
transformation. “We don’t want to upset
them. We know this is their holiest
month.”
Branson’s Texas-based 591st MP Co
was supposed to be going to
Afghanistan. But the Defense
Department diverted it to Cuba after
troops stormed Camp 6 in April during
the restive hunger strike. A career Army
cop, he’s done two tours in Iraq, one in
Saudi Arabia. He calls Guantanamo’s
guard schedule - five 12-hour days in a
row - stressful, career-enhancing duty
that some troops relieve with scuba diving during two-day weekends.
“Everyone talks about being splashed,”
he said. “All I know is, it’s better than
being shot at.”
Some troops say splashing even
stopped for the first few days of
Ramadan at Camp 5, the 100-cell maximum-security prison whose Army captain in charge won’t say how many captives are under 22-hour lockdown.
House, the camp spokesman, estimates
the prison burned about 50 US Army
uniforms that got contaminated from
being splashed during the hunger strike.
“We do have a few detainees who like to
splash,” House said.
At Camp 5’s particularly high-risk,
hostile cellblocks, guards don face
masks and jumpsuits atop their battle
dress. Even so, Sgt M said the slime slid
inside four different times. He got a
medical checkup, decontamination drill
and new uniform. “It’s tough. You cannot
be angry in that moment. It’s not a
pleasant thing to have to endure but
you have to take that next breath,” said
M., who added that “not all” the
detainees treat him poorly. He came to
Guantanamo from guarding criminal
soldiers at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas,
and said the work here takes the same
skill: “Maintain your composure, maintain your professionalism.”
Most members of the guard force
serve for nine months to a year, and call
their captives by their internment numbers, not their names. They are forbidden to read the military assessments of
the detainees that court-martialed Army
Pvt. Bradley Manning gave to WikiLeaks,
and are posted on the Miami Herald
website. Still, Sgt M said he does have
empathy for the men he guards. “I
understand these people are human
beings,” he said. “They’ve been away
from their families. I’m sure they miss
their families and their homes.”
Last year, a Camp 5 commander said
nearly exactly the same thing. Since
then, the detainees through their
lawyers have complained of cruel treatment, of disrespectful Quran searches,
humiliating genital pat downs and horribly painful forced-feedings - all of which
the US military denies. In September a
mentally ill captive was allowed to kill
himself with a drug overdose in a disciplinary cell, according to a Southcom
investigation that in November blamed
both guards and medical staff for not
keeping close enough watch on him. A
new more rigid regime followed.
Looking back, says Navy Capt Robert
Durand who has logged the most time
there as prison spokesman, a culture of
communal captivity bred what he called
unchecked “mass indiscipline” by the
detainees at the once showcase Camp 6
prison building - where last year about
100 captives were considered cooperative enough to roam freely last Ramadan.
In January, soldiers replaced sailors at
Camp 6, and one watchtower guard felt
threatened enough to fire rubber bullets
into the prison’s $744,000 giant recreation yard, which has been off-limits to
prisoners for months. —MCT
Gibraltar likens Spain
threats to North Korea
British-held territory’s fake reef irks Madrid
KHURVALETI, Georgia: A woman looks through four-foot high coils of razor wire
that divide the Russian-backed breakaway territory from Georgian-controlled
land in this village on July 25, 2013. — AFP
Georgia still counting
cost of war with Russia
GUGUTIANKARI, Georgia: The 2008 war
between Georgia and Russia over the separatist region of South Ossetia may have only
lasted five days but five years on, Amiran
Gugutishvili is still counting the cost. Snaking
through the burnt-out shell of what was once
his cousin’s house are four-foot (1.2-m) high
coils of razor wire that divide the Russianbacked breakaway territory from Georgiancontrolled land. The wire also cuts
Gugutishvili off from the fruit orchards that
once provided his livelihood. “It feels like I am
living in a prison,” Gugutishvili, 67, told AFP,
pointing at the tangled grapevines that he
says are now only patrolled by armed Russian
border guards with dogs. “There is no freedom - what sort of freedom can this be?”
On the night of Aug 7-8, 2008, Georgia’s
pro-Western President Mikheil Saakashvili
launched an offensive to reclaim breakaway
region South Ossetia only to see Russian
forces sweep into Georgia. Until then, the
division between Georgia and the self-proclaimed territory of South Ossetia was illdefined. Despite a brutal conflict in the early
1990s that saw the breakaway territory
declare independence and set up its own
administration, the region was a patchwork of
Georgian and Ossetian villages where people
on both sides often worked together and
intermarried.
Now though, five years on from the war,
links between the two sides have been
almost totally severed and Russian forces
continue to build new fences and lay razor
wire. “No party to this war has got what it was
seeking,” admitted Georgia’s Reintegration
Minister Paata Zakareishbili whose job is officially aimed at reintegrating the territory
Tbilisi no longer controls. Russia officially
recognised South Ossetia - along with another breakaway Georgian region Abkhazia - as
independent states and Moscow now has
thousands of troops stationed in the strategic
region. Half a decade after the war, Georgia’s
turbulent political landscape is now transformed and the wisdom of Saakashvili’s decision to launch the fateful offensive is coming
under ever greater scrutiny. Once preeminent, with his second and last term ending in
October, Saakashvili is now a lame duck president after his party lost out to a coalition
headed by billionaire Prime Minister Bidzina
Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili, who made his vast fortune in Russia in the early 1990s, has made
normalising relations with Moscow his foreign policy priority and pledged to improve
ties with the separatist authorities.
Zakareishbili, a member of the coalition
that ousted Saakashvili’s United National
Movement party from power at parliamentary elections last year, said the president’s
attempt to settle the festering territorial dispute backfired spectacularly. “In the end, it
brought him an unexpected outcome - a fullscale war and more refugees, more human
suffering,” Zakareishbili said.
Sitting on the porch of her concrete
house, one of around 2,000 built by the government in the settlement of Tserovani for
Georgians forced to flee their homes during
the war, Lila Beridze said the past five years
have been a constant struggle. “Obviously
being able to live in the town where you were
born is better,” said Beridze, who fled her
home in the town of Akhalgori when it was
seized by Russian and Ossetian forces. Once a
kindergarten teacher, Beridze says she now
struggles to make ends meet with the roughly $60 (45 euro) she says she receives each
month from the government.
Georgia’s new government has mooted a
possible investigation into the handling of
the war but officials in charge at the time
remain adamant that the fight was forced
upon them. “It was the moment when one
forgets everything personal and could only
think of what can be done to help your country in the face of an existential threat,” Eka
Tkeshelashvili, Georgia’s foreign minister at
the time of the war, told AFP. Any move to
accept the status of the breakaway territories
is unthinkable though, and Ivanishvili’s
pledge to carry on the previous government’s
pro-Western course means any optimism is
limited. “Georgia cannot cross certain red
lines,” says George Khutsishvili, director of the
Tbilisi-based International Center on Conflict
Negotiation. “The hope is not growing yet but
it is also not vanishing - it is here and we are
waiting to see how the process develops.”
Meanwhile, government estimates in the
aftermath of the conflict put the cost of infrastructure damage at around $1 billion, while
everything from foreign investor confidence
to tourism took a blow. While the economy
slowed in the aftermath of the fighting, some
$4.5 billion of US and EU post-war aid helped
to prop up the country. For those living along
the de facto border though, the situation is
unlikely to improve any time soon. In the
divided village of Khurvaleti, razor wire stops
Gocha Markeshvili visiting the cemetery
where his relatives lay buried and the
Ossetian neighbours they lived side by side
with for generations. “All those who had
somewhere to go left,” Markeshvili, 28, says,
looking at the curls of wire running along the
end of his garden. “I didn’t so I had to stay
behind.” —AFP
MADRID: Gibraltar yesterday
blasted a Spanish threat to
impose a euro 50 ($66) car toll at
the border with the tiny Britishheld territory as North Koreanstyle “sabre rattling”. The British
outpost in the Mediterranean,
known as “the Rock”, was outraged by Spanish Foreign
Minister Jose Manuel GarciaMargallo’s comments in an interview published Sunday in conservative daily ABC. It was the latest in a string of spats going back
decades between Spain and
Gibraltar, frequently sparked by
disputes over fishing rights
around the British outpost that
Madrid wants to reclaim as its
own.
“ What we have seen this
weekend is sabre-rattling of the
sor t that we haven’t seen for
some time,” Gibraltar Chief
Minister Fabian Picardo said in an
interview with Britain’s Radio 4.
“ The things that Mr GarciaMargallo has said are more reminiscent of the type of statement
you would hear from Nor th
Korea than from an EU partner,”
he added. “ We have seen it
before during Franco’s time during the 1960s but I think all of us
hoped that those politics were
never going to come back,”
Gibraltar’s political chief said,
referring to the late dictator
Francisco Franco.
In the inter view with ABC,
Spain’s foreign minister complained about Gibraltar’s decision to build a concrete artificial
reef in surrounding waters so as
to stop alleged incursions by
Spanish fishing boats. The foreign minister said Spain would
consider: Introducing a Ä50 tax
to enter or leave Gibraltar, bringing in money that could be used
to help Spanish fishermen who
Cars and motorcycles wait to cross into Gibraltar in this Dec16, 2006 photo. — AP
had suffered from Gibraltar’s new
reef; Stopping at the frontier any
deliveries of concrete or other
materials required to build the
reef; Closing Spanish airspace to
restrict some flights; Reforming
online gambling laws to oblige
Gibraltar to use Spanish servers if
it wants to operate in Spain,
allowing Madrid to rake in taxes.
Gibraltar is home to several large
online gambling firms.
British Prime Minister David
Cameron was “seriously concerned” about developments at
the border, his spokesman said in
London. Spain has not raised
with Britain the reported proposals for fees or airspace restrictions, however, he said. “We are
seeking an explanation from
them regarding reports that they
might target Gibraltar with further measures,” he said. Spain
ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713
under the Treaty of Utrecht but
has long argued that it should be
returned to Spanish sovereignty.
Britain refuses to do so against
the wishes of Gibraltarians.
The latest row came after
Gibraltar accused Spain of delib-
erately holding up cars entering
the territory by searching every
vehicle and creating delays of up
to six hours. The delays ended on
July 29 after British Foreign
Secretary William Hague phoned
Garcia-Margallo to express “serious concerns” at the stoppages
and Britain’s Foreign Office formally protested to the Spanish
ambassador in London. Spain
closed the frontier crossing with
Gibraltar, just 6.8 sq km and
home to about 30,000 people, in
1969. It was fully reopened only
in 1985.— AFP
UK police apologise to
family of man killed
LONDON: British police yesterday apologised
to relatives of a man who died after being
pushed to the ground during protests against
the G20 summit in London in 2009, and confirmed a settlement had been reached with
his family. Ian Tomlinson, 47, was hit with a
baton and shoved by a riot policeman and later collapsed and died as thousands of protesters took to the streets. His widow Julia
Tomlinson said the apology and settlement the amount of which has not been disclosed was “as close as we are going to get to justice”.
Tomlinson’s fatal encounter with riot
policeman Simon Harwood was filmed by a
US hedge fund manager, who passed the
footage to The Guardian newspaper. It
showed Tomlinson - who had a history of
alcoholism and was estranged from his family
- walking away from a group of police officers,
and falling to the ground after he was hit and
shoved by Harwood. Harwood was sacked last
year after being found guilty of gross misconduct.
Tomlinson’s wife said the family had been
put through unnecessary stress because the
police failed to recognise immediately that
they were at fault. She said: “We knew that Ian
had been unlawfully killed by the officer as
soon as we saw the video, but we had to first
go through the long legal process of taking
apart untruthful accounts given by PC
Harwood and other police officers. We should
not have had to do this. “The last four years
have been a really hard uphill battle. We have
had to deal with many obstacles and setbacks.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Maxine
de Brunner of London’s Metropolitan Police
said she took “full responsibility ” for
Harwood’s actions which “fell far below the
standard we expect from our officers”. She
said the police accepted the finding of an
inquest that Tomlinson was unlawfully
killed. “As the jury found, at the time of the
strike and push Mr Tomlinson was walking
away from the police line... He posed no
threat. “I apologise unreservedly for Simon
Harwood’s use of excessive and unlawful
force, which caused Mr Tomlinson’s death,
and for the suffering and distress caused to
his family as a result.” — AFP
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
Bomb wounds train passengers
as Pakistan goes on high alert
Pakistan probes possible Qaeda link to jailbreak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police scoured hills surrounding the capital Islamabad and sent additional units to protect key installations yesterday
amid tightened security ahead of a major
Muslim holiday and after a bomb wounded 14
people on a train. Police and soldiers go on alert
every year in the closing days of the holy Muslim
month of Ramadan, which this year coincides
with a global security alert issued by the United
States which closed more than a dozen
embassies in the Middle East and Africa following an Al-Qaeda threat.
“We have beefed up security in Islamabad,
particularly at the Faisal Mosque since there is a
security threat,” Mohammad Rizwan, a senior
police officer, told Reuters. “We have also
combed the Margalla Hills, setting up pickets at
certain points.” The mosque is the largest in
Pakistan and sits at the foot of the majestic
Margalla Hills, the first foothills to the Himalayas.
The bomb exploded on a train travelling
between the southern financial hub of Karachi
and the ancient city of Lahore, capital of
Punjab province. No one was killed. It was
unclear whether police were hunting a specific
target or whether the increased security was a
reaction to an embarrassing jail break last
week in which more than 250 prisoners were
KARACHI: A Pakistani woman walks through floodwaters following heavy monsoon rain yesterday. —AP
Pak death toll
from rains at 53
ISLAMABAD: Heavy rains that caused
flash floods and collapsed houses in different parts of Pakistan have killed 53
people over the past three days, an official said yesterday. Civil and military
authorities have launched rescue and
relief efforts to deal with the crisis, said
Brig. Kamran Zia, a senior member of the
National Disaster Management
Authority. He said the deaths from the
flooding span the entire country. Twelve
people were killed in the semiautonomous tribal region in the northwest,
eight in neighboring Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province, and three in the
Pakistan-held par t of the disputed
Kashmir region. Twelve people also died
in central Punjab province, 10 in southwestern Baluchistan, and eight in southern Sindh. Flooding was especially bad
in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi,
because of the southern city’s faulty
drainage system, Zia said. The same
storm system hit Afghanistan, killing at
least 58 people.
Pakistan regularly suffers from flooding during the monsoon season, which
usually runs through July and August.
The country suffered the worst floods in
its 66-year history in 2010, when floodwaters inundated one-fifth of the country, killing over 1,700 people. More than
20 million people were affected at the
time. — AP
freed from jail in a militant attack.
Pakistan’s police are notoriously underequipped, poorly trained and under-funded.
Security forces sometimes resort to blanket bans
to counter potential threats, for instance by banning motorcycles or shutting down telephone
networks.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is investigating possible
Al-Qaeda involvement in a major jailbreak in the
country’s militant-plagued northwest that freed
nearly 250 prisoners, security officials said yesterday. Dozens of heavily-armed militants last
week stormed a prison in Dera Ismail Khan, close
to Pakistan’s lawless tribal areas on the Afghan
border, in a well-coordinated assault that left 13
dead.
The Pakistani Taleban claimed responsibility.
But on Saturday global police agency Interpol
said it suspected Al-Qaeda was involved in the
raid and in other prison breaks in eight countries, including Iraq and Libya. Al-Qaeda and
the Pakistani Taleban have close ties-extremists from the global terror network have hideouts in Pakistan’s tribal areas-and a senior
security official told AFP the link was under
scrutiny in the jailbreak probe. “Involvement of
Al-Qaeda is one the factors that we cannot
rule out at the moment,” the official said on
condition of anonymity.
He said “such attacks are always carried out
with involvement of two type of groups, one
which plans and the other which executes”. The
Dera Ismail Khan breakout came a week after
militants stormed two prisons in Iraq, freeing at
least 500 inmates including senior Al-Qaeda
leaders. “Jailbreak is something that requires a
lot of planning and is not an easy task. Now we
have to determine who were the planners, facilitators and operators”, said the official.
The Central Prison in Dera Ismail Khan can
hold up to 5,000 inmates and around 300 were
being held in connection with attacks on security forces and sectarian killings. “One thing is very
clear: that all those who took part in the jailbreak were highly trained and the pattern of the
attack shows they had come for the attack with
proper planning,” another security official said. A
senior government official in Peshawar, the main
city in the northwest, told AFP: “Apparently the
plan was prepared in Waziristan tribal district
and preliminary information suggests that AlQaeda helped in preparing the jailbreak plan.”
“However, we are working on it and a final report
will be prepared soon”. North Waziristan is one of
the seven tribal districts and a major focus of
militant activity. —Agencies
From Indian PM a well-worn plea;
from lawmakers, familiar rejoinder
NEW DELHI: Standing outside India’s parliament,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed to
opposition parties to allow the legislature to function without disruption so that it could pass key
bills. His appeal, delivered in his usual quiet monotone, fell on deaf ears. Opposition lawmakers
disrupted proceedings with demands for Singh to
quit over corruption allegations. With parliament
effectively stalled, the government gave up and
adjourned the session, two days earlier than
scheduled. Just two out of 38 bills had been
passed.
That was in May. Yesterday, Singh again stood
outside parliament to appeal to political parties in
the world’s biggest democracy to cooperate with
the government to ensure the monsoon session
of parliament that started this week is “truly productive”. With dozens of important bills piling up
and a national election possibly just months
away, the session may be Singh’s last chance to
drive through some long-pending economic
reforms and get parliament’s seal of approval on
its flagship programme to give cheap grain to 67
percent of the population.
In New Delhi, there is much speculation that
the government, now ruling as a minority after
the withdrawal of key allies, could call early elections in November or December, although it
insists that it plans to serve out its full term until
next May. “We have wasted lot of time in the previous two or three sessions and I hope that will
not be repeated in this session,” Singh said, speaking so softly that he was barely audible at times. “I
appeal to the opposition to cooperate with the
government in smooth running of the session.”
But when the trouble came within minutes of his
plea, it was from Singh’s own Congress party.
Congress lawmakers forced the lower house of
parliament to adjourn many times yesterday as
they protested against their party’s decision last
week to break up Andhra Pradesh into two states.
Andhra is a major IT hub for multi-nationals such
as Google and attracts much of India’s foreign
direct investment. “The whole nation is watching.
Please sit down,” said an exasperated Satpal
Maharaj, a lawmaker who was presiding over proceedings in the lower house amid shouting from
protesting lawmakers.
Singh does not have time to waste. The monsoon session is short - there are just 16 working
days, even fewer if you don’t include the four days
devoted to private members’ bills. The govern-
ment has proposed a formidable legislative agenda 43 bills and ordinances including one measure
to allow up to 49 percent foreign investment in
the pension sector and another aimed at simplifying the process of buying land for business purposes. The most important measure is the food
security ordinance, which will lapse if not passed
this session. The $22 billion cheap food plan is a
central plank of the Congress party’s election
platform as it seeks a third straight term in government. The plan aims to give 5 kg (11 lb) of
cheap rice and wheat every month to 800 million
people, more than doubling the reach of the
existing subsidised food system.
The plan is due to be discussed in parliament
on Wednesday, after a planned vote on Tuesday
on the Companies Bill, which aims to strengthen corporate governance and ease the process
of mergers and acquisitions. “The intention of
the UPA (United Progressive Alliance coalition)
is to use the monsoon session to push as many
bills as possible in an attempt to wipe out four
years of misrule and lack of governance,” Arun
Jaitley, a leader of the main opposition party,
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told the India
Today weekly. — Reuters
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
US military helicopter crashes in Okinawa
OKINAWA: Smoke billows from the crash site of US air force rescue helicopter HH-60 at Camp Hansen as US marine helicopter CH46 flies over
to drop water, on the southern island of Okinawa yesterday. —AP
TOKYO: A US militar y helicopter
crashed yesterday at an American base
on the southern island of Okinawa, and
all four crew members are believed to
have survived, Japanese and US officials said. The HH-60 rescue helicopter,
which belongs to Okinawa’s Kadena Air
Base, was on an unspecified training
mission when it crashed at Camp
Hansen, a US Air Force statement said.
Television footage showed smoke
rising from a spot in the forest, with a
mangled object that appeared to be
the frame of the helicopter ablaze. The
US statement said the cause of the
crash was not known, and did not elaborate on the condition of the four crew
members on board.
However, Defense Minister Itsunori
Onodera told reporters, citing information he had received, that three crew
members ejected from the helicopter
and the fourth was apparently injured
and taken to hospital. Onodera said the
accident was “regrettable” and that he
was asking the US to provide information promptly, conduct a thorough
investigation and take preventive measures.
Okinawan prefectural police said
there were no reports of injuries or
damage outside the base. The crash
comes amid strong local opposition to
the U.S. Marine Corps’ additional
deployment of 12 MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft on the island. About half of
the 50,000 US troops in Japan are
based on Okinawa under a Japan-US
security pact.
Anti-US military sentiment on the
island is a longstanding issue, and
many residents have complained about
base -related crime, noise and accidents. Local media said the crash
revived memories of an accident in
2004, when a CH-53 helicopter from
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
crashed into a nearby university building, triggering a huge anti-base uproar
although there were no civilian injuries
and the crew survived.”We knew it was
going to happen sooner or later,” said
Kadena Mayor Hiroshi Toyama, referring to yesterday’s crash. —AP
Why won’t Weiner just
leave NYC mayor race?
Stance rooted in political calculation: Experts
NEW YORK: Why doesn’t Anthony
Weiner just quit? It’s a question angry
voters, pundits and fellow politicians
have been asking almost nonstop in
the nearly two weeks since the New
York City mayoral candidate’s latest
sexting bombshell, which has sent his
poll numbers plummeting and turned
his campaign into a chaotic sideshow.
Weiner, who is married to longtime
Hillary Rodham Clinton aide Huma
Abedin, was forced to admit two
weeks ago that he continued to trade
sexually explicit online messages with
women even after he resigned from
Congress in 2011 for similar behavior.
Weiner, one of a crowded field of
Democrats vying to succeed Mayor
Michael Bloomberg, insists he’s staying
in the race no matter what. And
experts say that beyond the former
congressman’s well-known ego and
combativeness, his stance may just be
rooted in political calculation. A leading theory: Weiner takes his hits on the
campaign trail, gives the media a
chance to ask every sexting question
and essentially punch themselves out
on the issue. And even if he loses, he
emerges with the scandal mostly
behind him and his political career
refreshed to run for higher office
again.
“All along, there has been a school
of thought that Weiner was running in
part to rehabilitate his image,” said
Wendy Schiller, a Brown University
political scientist. “Even now, he stays
in the race, takes his lumps and shows
some character,” Schiller said. “That
might resonate with New Yorkers. And
if he does better than people think he
should, that helps for the future, too.”
With fewer than 40 days until the
Democratic primary, Weiner has been
doing his best to push past the horde
of reporters and photographers and
make his case directly to voters. In
recent days, he has been leaving
events with more applause than when
he entered.
When a man at a Bronx campaign
stop last week questioned the viability
of Weiner’s campaign, asking, “When
do you say ‘Enough is enough?’” the
candidate’s hoarse voice roared to life.
“If you become the mayor of the City
of New York, you’ve got to put up with
him again. “I’ve dishonored my wife,
but sir, I didn’t do anything to you,”
Weiner said. “If you think you’re a better person and a better candidate, why
don’t you want to let me run? Let the
citizens of this city decide.”
NEW YORK: New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner listens during a meeting with leaders from the South and East
Asian communities in Queens. —AP
this every single day,” Weiner told the
crowd. “People saying to you, ‘You
know what, you did something we
don’t like.’ Cameras in your face.
‘Change your mind, back down. Quit.’
That’s not the kind of mayor I’m going
to be.”
The next night, Weiner traveled to a
Queens neighborhood that was once
part of his congressional district. A
man asked how voters could ever trust
At yet another Queens event, there
were boos from the crowd, but they
were directed at longshot Republican
candidate George McDonald for calling Weiner “a self-pleasuring freak.”
“I’m facing some tough challenges
now, and one thing all of my opponents agree upon is they’d rather I
wasn’t running,” he said. “Well, tough,”
he said to applause from the audience.
Weiner’s campaign manager has quit
and his spokeswoman was forced to
apologize for cursing out an intern
who wrote a tell-all article about the
campaign. But team Weiner seems to
be embracing the confrontations. His
campaign sent out an email to supporters titled “Getting an earful from a
voter,” which included a video depicting the tough Bronx exchange.
Other factors may explain why
Weiner insists on putting up with all
this, not the least of which is money.
Because of city campaign finance laws,
Weiner is eligible for $2.1 million in
matching funds, money he would
have lost if he did not run this year. He
would also lose access to the matching
funds if he quit now even if he decides
to run again. His campaign bank
account, much of which was raised for
a 2009 mayoral bid he never launched,
now totals just over $5 million. Like
most mayoral candidates, Weiner is
expected to spend most of his campaign money to finance a TV advertising blitz in the campaign’s final weeks.
Another factor in keeping Weiner in
the race is the ballot itself. Because it
has already been finalized, voters will
see Weiner’s name on primary day
even if he did drop out. In addition, the
Democratic field remains unsettled
and lacks a contender who has seized
control of the race, experts believe.
Weiner had soared to the top of the
Democratic polls last month only to
fall after the recent revelations. A
Quinnipiac College poll released last
week had him in fourth place with 16
percent, trailing frontrunner City
Council Speaker Christine Quinn at 27
percent. The redemption strategy is
risky. It already was dealt a blow by last
month’s revelations and could be
derailed entirely if more scandalous
behavior was to be uncovered. “He
said it was in the past, but obviously it
wasn’t the past,” said Steven Cohen, a
political scientist at Columbia
University. “People will have a hard
time believing him the next time, too.
He lied to the public.” —AP
US NSA revelations could hurt
deal with ‘betrayed’ hackers
LAS VEGAS: The US government’s efforts to
recruit talented hackers could suffer from the
recent revelations about its vast domestic surveillance programs, as many private researchers
express disillusionment with the National Security
Agency. Though hackers tend to be anti-establishment by nature, the NSA and other intelligence agencies had made major inroads in recent
years in hiring some of the best and brightest,
and paying for information on software flaws that
help them gain access to target computers and
phones.
Much of that goodwill has been erased after
the NSA’s classified programs to monitor phone
records and Internet activity were exposed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, according
to prominent hackers and cyber experts. A turn in
the community’s sentiment was on show at two
major security conventions in Las Vegas this
week: Black Hat, which attracts more established
cyber professionals, and Def Con, which gets a
larger gathering of younger, more independent
hackers.
“We’ve gone backwards about 10 years in the
relations between the good guys and the US government,” said Alex Stamos, a veteran security
researcher who was to give a Def Con talk on
Saturday on the need to revisit industry ethics.
Stamos has willingly briefed FBI and NSA officials
on his work in the past, but said that he would
now want their questions in writing and he would
bring a lawyer to any meeting.
With top intelligence officials warning in
March that cyber attacks and cyber espionage
have supplanted terrorism as the top security
threat facing the United States, the administration is trying to boost security in critical infrastructure and the military is vastly increasing its
ranks of computer specialists.
The NSA, working with the Department of
Homeland Security, has been lending more of its
expertise to protect defense contractors, banks,
utilities and other industries that are being spied
upon or attacked by rival nations. These efforts
rely on recruiting talented hackers and working
with professionals in the private sector.
Some security experts remain supportive of
the government. NSA Director Keith Alexander’s
talk at the Black Hat conference was well received
on Wednesday, despite a few hecklers. But at the
larger and less expensive Def Con, where attendance is expected to top last year’s 15,000, conference founder and government advisor Jeff Moss
asked federal agents to stay away.
Moss last year brought Alexander as a keynote
speaker to woo the hacking community. But he
said the relationship between hackers and the
government has worsened since then. “I haven’t
seen this level or sort of animosity since the 90s,”
Moss said in an interview. “If you aren’t going to
say anything in these circumstances, then you
never are.”
The NSA’s surveillance programs target foreigners outside the United States who pose
potential threats to US security or who can provide intelligence for foreign policies. But the
secret projects also scooped up huge amounts of
American data, according to documents leaked
by Snowden, triggering sharp criticism from
many lawmakers and civil liberties advocates.
“A lot of people feel betrayed by it,” said HD
Moore, an executive at security firm Rapid 7,
though he said he would continue to brief the
NSA on software flaws that the agency uses for
both offensive and defensive cyber activities.
“What bothers me is the hypocritical bit - we
demonize China when we’ve been doing these
things and probably worse.”
Alexander took a conciliatory tone during his
Black Hat speech, defending the NSA but saying
he looked forward to a discussion about how it
could do things better. Black Hat attracts professionals whose companies pay thousands of dollars for them to attend. Def Con costs $180 and
features many of the same speakers.
At Black Hat, a casual polling station at a vendor’s exhibition booth asking whether Snowden
was a villain or a hero produced a dead heat: 138
to 138. European attendees were especially prone
to vote for hero, the vendor said. Def Con would
have been much rougher on Alexander, judging
by interviews there and the reception given
speakers who touched on Snowden and other
government topics.
Christopher Soghoian, an American Civil
Liberties Union technologist, drew applause from
hundreds of attendees when he said the ACLU
had been the first to sue the NSA after one of the
spy programs was revealed. Peiter Zatko, a hacker
hero who funded many small projects from a justdeparted post at the Pentagon’s Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency, told another
large audience that he was unhappy with the surveillance programs and that “challenging the government is your patriotic duty.”
The disenchanted give multiple reasons, citing
previous misleading statements about domestic
surveillance, the government’s efforts to force
companies to decrypt user communications, and
the harm to US businesses overseas. “I don’t think
anyone should believe anything they tell us,” former NSA hacker Charlie Miller said of top intelligence officials. “I wouldn’t work there anymore.”
Stamos and Moss said the US government is
tilting too much toward offense in cyberspace,
using secret vulnerabilities that their targets can
then discover and wield against others. Closest to
home for many hackers are the government’s
aggressive prosecutions under the Computer
Fraud and Abuse Act, which has been used
against Internet activist Aaron Swartz, who committed suicide in January, and US soldier Bradley
Manning, who leaked classified files to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.
A letter circulating at Def Con and signed by
some of the most prominent academics in computer security said the law was chilling research in
the public interest by allowing prosecutors and
victim companies to argue that violations of electronic “terms of service” constitute unauthorized
intrusions.
Researchers who have found important flaws
in electronic voting machines and medical
devices did so without authorization, the letter
says. If there is any silver lining, Moss said, it is that
before Snowden’s leaks, it had been impossible to
have an informed discussion about how to balance security and civil liberties without real
knowledge of government practices. “The debate
is just starting,” he said. “Maybe we can be a template for other democracies.” —Reuters
SAN DIEGO: San Diego Mayor Bob Filner apologizes for his behavior in this
frame from a video produced by the city of San Diego. —AP
San Diego mayor takes
2 weeks off for therapy
SAN DIEGO: Therapists say admitting one has
a problem is the first step toward recovery. For
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner that could be
tricky. The first-term mayor and former congressman started two weeks of intensive therapy yesterday while facing a sexual harassment
lawsuit and calls for his resignation amid a flurry of allegations that he groped women for
years. Even as he undergoes treatment, Filner is
set to be grilled by lawyers under oath this
week in a lawsuit brought by his former communications director that claims he asked her
to work without panties, told her he wanted to
see her naked and dragged her around in a
headlock while whispering in her ear.
Neither Filner nor his office has released
details about his therapy or its location. Filner is
picking up the tab for the treatment. Filner’s
accusers, his one-time supporters and voters
have expressed skepticism that any two-week
program is an appropriate remedy for what
Filner himself has described as years of inappropriate behavior toward women. Longtime
therapists also questioned how much progress
could be made.
“It is pie-in-the-sky to think that in two
weeks anyone could be a new man,” said Helen
Friedman, a St. Louis psychologist who has
treated compulsive sexual behavior for 30
years, though she said it was a good start.
Success will depend on how far the 70-year-old
Filner goes in acknowledging his problems,
experts said. “Typically in the first few sessions
you have to find someone you really trust,” said
Lilli Friedland, a Beverly Hills psychologist who
advises business executives on sexual harassment. “‘Can I open up with all my dirty laundry,
and is this person expert enough?’ It takes a
number of sessions and visits to establish that
trust.”
Some voters wondered whether the therapy stint was simply an effort to buy time amid
extraordinary pressure to resign. “He needs to
save face,” said Christina Imhoof, 72, who voted
for Filner in November but then quit the
Democratic Party over the allegations. She said
she suspects Filner will return after the time-out
and say his therapist has encouraged him to
resign for medical reasons.
Filner announced his plans on July 26 to
enter a behavioral counseling clinic to “begin
the process of addressing my behavior.” He
called it the first step in a continuing program
that would involve ongoing counseling. “I must
become a better person ... I must demonstrate
that my behavior has changed,” Filner said then,
while offering apologies and an acknowledgement that his “failure to respect women, and
the intimidating contact, is inexcusable.”
The mayor’s office did not respond to interview requests. Ten women, including a university dean and a retired Navy rear admiral, have
gone public in the past month with accusations
that Filner made unwanted passes. Some contend that he cornered them and made sexual
advances that included groping and slobbering
kisses.
At least five renewed their calls for Filner to
resign after he pledged to begin therapy. “It is
highly doubtful that two weeks of therapy will
correct for decades of reprehensible behavior,”
said Laura Fink, who alleges that Filner patted
her buttocks at a 2005 fundraiser when she was
deputy campaign manager to the then-congressman. One accuser, former Filner communications director Irene McCormack Jackson,
has filed a harassment lawsuit against him. Her
lawyer, Filner’s attorney and city lawyers will
depose him Friday.
Filner, the city’s first Democratic leader in 20
years, will keep full powers while in therapy and
said he would be briefed twice-daily on city
business. Filner also has delegated significant
authority, including the ability to sign contracts,
to an interim chief operating officer, Walt Ekard,
a former county administrator.
The mayor’s absence comes during a summer lull, with the City Council on August recess.
Nevertheless Filner’s Republican predecessor,
Jerry Sanders, said his absence occurs when the
mayor’s office normally “would get caught up,
do a lot of policy work and make sure things
got in order.” Sanders, who now leads the San
Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce,
believes the scandal is affecting day-to-day
business. He said department directors are hesitant to make decisions, that money has not
been released for the city’s tourism marketing
district, and investors are reluctant to start projects.
“We are hearing companies saying: ‘Why
would we move to San Diego? With this going
on the city is the absolute object of ridicule
around the country,’” Sanders said. Experts who
spoke generally about treatment approaches
and not specifically about Filner said patients
being treated for addictive or compulsive sexual behavior typically get a medical examination
to rule out chemical imbalances or other physical ailments. —AP
Police kill armed
14-yr-old in NYC
NEW YORK: A rookie police officer shot
and killed a 14-year-old boy on a New York
City street early Sunday after he refused to
drop his gun and pointed it in the direction of officers, authorities said. Shaaliver
Douse died of a single gunshot to his jaw
after the confrontation in the Bronx. Two
officers with the New York Police
Department were on foot patrol when
they heard gunfire at around 3 am local
time. The officers responded to the scene
and found the boy with a 9mm handgun
firing shots at a fleeing man, authorities
said.
Police released two surveillance videos
Sunday evening that show a man they’ve
identified as Douse, wearing a white T-shirt
and jeans, fire at a group of men standing
outside a bodega and then chasing after
one of them. The officers identified themselves as police and ordered him to drop
his weapon, authorities said.
When he pointed his gun in the direction of officers, one of the officers shot
him, police said. Douse was pronounced
dead at the scene. “It is undetermined at
this time whether he fired at the officers,”
NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said
at a news conference Sunday evening,
adding Douse may have been aiming his
weapon at the unidentified male running
in the officers’ direction.
The two officers had joined the department in January. Douse had been in trouble with the law before. He was charged in
May with attempted murder after a 15year-old boy was shot in a Bronx neighborhood where Douse lived. That shooting
took place two miles from where Douse
was later shot to death.
Douse was also charged with assault,
criminal possession of a weapon and menacing in connection to the incident. The
prosecution of Douse was then deferred,
said Steven Reed, a spokesman for the
Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The office
had insufficient evidence to proceed, and
the victim was unable to identify his shooter, he said. The case was still open, Reed
said. —AP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Thailand police summon Facebook users for posts
BANGKOK: Police in Thailand have
opened investigations of four people
for allegedly causing panic by posting
rumors of a possible military coup on
Facebook - and an investigator threatened yesterday to charge anyone who
even “liked” the postings on the social
media site. The move comes as
Bangkok braces for possible political
protests this week coinciding with a bill
related to a 2006 coup in the country.
Opponents say the bill could pave the
way for the return of the man that the
military ousted in that takeover, former
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
whose sister leads the current elected
government.
Technology Crime Suppression divi-
sion chief Police Maj. Gen. Pisit Paoin
said Monday that the four posted
Facebook entries with false information
that could damage the country. If found
guilty, they could face up to five years in
prison and a fine worth 100,000 baht
($3,200). “These four have posted false
messages about the coup and other
messages that could lead to chaos in
the society,” Pisit told at a press conference. “The postings’ content does not
hold any truth, and if the words kept
spreading around, it could damage to
the country.” He said the police have
issued summons for them to meet
investigators.
Among those summoned are
Sermsuk Kasitipradit, the political editor
of public television channel TPBS, and a
local pro-government protest leader.
The postings mentioned a possibility of
a military coup and urged the public to
hoard food and water. “Those who ‘liked’
and ‘shared’ the posts will also face
charges, so we would like to ask the
public to contemplate very carefully
about the way they use social media,”
Pisit added. More than 1,000 anti-government protesters kicked off a rally in
Bangkok on Sunday as lawmakers were
scheduled to deliberate on the controversial bill on Wednesday.
Last week, the government invoked
the Internal Security Act in three
Bangkok districts, citing the possibility of
protest violence. The act, in effect from
Aug. 1 - 10, authorizes officials to seal off
roads, take action against security
threats, impose curfews and ban the use
of electronic devices in designated areas.
Peaceful and unarmed rallies are
allowed under the law.
Opponents of Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra’s government
feared the bill, which would grant
amnesty to people arrested for political
activities since the 2006 military coup,
could pave the way for the return of her
brother Thaksin. Thaksin was ousted in
the 2006 coup and has been living in
self-imposed exile.
The government’s special peacekeeping command under the Internal
Security Act warned on Sunday against
sharing any information that could lead
to havoc in the nation. Army chief Gen.
Prayuth Chan-ocha on Monday denied
the coup rumors and urged the public to
be careful in distinguishing truth from
rumors. “Do not spread the rumors.
Rumors are rumors. I want every group,
every side, everyone, no matter which
side you’re on, to be sensible ... and be
able to see what is true and what isn’t,”
Prayuth told reporters. Thailand’s 2007
Computer Crime Act addresses hacking
and other traditional online offenses,
but also bars the circulation of material
deemed detrimental to national security
or that causes panic. It carries a penalty
of up to five years’ imprisonment and a
fine of 100,000 baht ($3,300). —AP
Punks finally break Myanmar’s
silence on religious attacks
Radical monks at forefront of campaign against Muslims
SYDNEY: Rupert Murdoch’s Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper is displayed
with the Fairfax Media’s Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on a news stand
yesterday. —AFP
Australian PM faces battle
as election campaign begins
SYDNEY: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday launched the first day of Australia’s election campaign with a raft of funding pledges,
as a poll showed support slumping while the
Murdoch press urged voters to “kick this mob
out”. Rudd on Sunday named September 7 as
the day Australians will go to the polls, hoping to complete a stunning political comeback with victory for his Labor Party three
years after it ousted him. But he faces an
uphill battle after what newspapers said was
years of a “toxic political climate” that saw
Julia Gillard topple him as Labor leader in
2010. He then defeated her to retake the job
in June in hopes of saving the party from an
election wipeout.
Since then Rudd, who is running under
the slogan “A New Way”, has re-energised
Labor. He worked hard to shore up support
yesterday by committing Aus$450 million
(US$400 million) to boost after school care for
kids. Labor also announced Aus$200 million
in new assistance for the struggling car manufacturing industry, with Rudd saying: “I want
to see Australia make things that the world
needs.” But, in the first poll to be released
since the election was announced, the Tony
Abbott-led conservative coalition continues
to lead on a two-party basis 52 to 48 percent,
unchanged from two weeks ago.
More worryingly for Rudd, the Newspoll in
The Australian newspaper of 1,147 voters
showed there has been a jump of six percentage points in the number of people dissatisfied with his performance during the past
fortnight. And while he remains the preferred
prime minister by a big margin over Abbott,
the poll showed he has lost ground.
Labor is also battling the might of the
Rupert Murdoch press, which controls 70 percent of the country’s print media, with the
mogul’s Sydney Daily Telegraph devoting its
entire front page to a picture of Rudd and an
editorial under the headline: “Finally, you now
have the chance to ... Kick This Mob Out”.
The mass-market tabloid supported him
at the 2007 election that he won, but now
says it is time to “consign Rudd to the bin of
history”. “We agree with the prime minister
when he says that ‘the old politics of the past
won’t work for Australia’s future’,” said the
newspaper, with Murdoch last week jetting in
his trusted Australian lieutenant, New York
Post editor Col Allan, to lead the campaign.
“The problem is, those old politics belong
to Kevin Rudd and to history’s rubbish bin.”
Murdoch has been a critic of Labor’s multi-billion dollar National Broadband Network,
which he reportedly believes threatens the
business model of his Foxtel pay-TV monopoly. The aging media baron is also fiercely
against Labor’s proposed media reforms,
which will include a new public interest test
for major mergers and stronger self-regulation requirements. Murdoch’s broadsheet The
Australian acknowledged Rudd had given
Labor new life, but said Australia had
endured “a toxic political climate and a period
of repeated government failure on core
issues”.
Rudd, whose campaign is focused on the
economy and a decision to send asylumseekers to Papua New Guinea and Nauru,
said he was not surprised at Murdoch’s
stance. “He wants to see the government
removed and he wants to see Mr Abbott as
prime minister,” he told ABC radio, reiterating
that while Labor were the underdogs they
offered a better future. “I think what the
Australian people want is a new approach to
the future which is based on positive policy
and bringing the country together-government, business, unions-to deal with the central economic challenge which lies ahead,” he
said. This, said Rudd, was handling the economy’s transition away from a decade-long
mining boom. Abbott, campaigning in
Brisbane, said he would make repealing
Labor’s carbon tax his first task if elected,
telling voters they had the choice “between
real solutions from the coalition or more of
the same from the Labor party”. —AFP
China is in no hurry to
sign S China Sea accord
BEIJING: China is in no rush to sign a
proposed agreement on maritime rules
with Southeast Asia governing behaviour
in the disputed South China Sea, and
countries should not have unrealistic
expectations, the Chinese foreign minister said yesterday. After years of resisting
efforts by the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to start
talks on the proposed Code of Conduct,
China said it would host talks between
senior officials in September.
Washington has not taken sides, but
Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated
in Brunei last month the US strategic
interest in freedom of navigation
through the busy sea and desire to see a
Code of Conduct signed quickly.
Speaking in the Vietnamese capital
Hanoi, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
said a lot more work on the Code of
Conduct (CoC) was needed.
“China believes that there should be
no rush. Certain countries are hoping
that the CoC can be agreed on overnight.
These countries are having unrealistic
expectations,” China’s official Xinhua
news agency paraphrased Wang as saying. “...The CoC concerns the interests of
various parties and its formulation
demands a heavy load of coordination
work,” he added. “No individual countries
should impose their will on others.”
Previous efforts to discuss the Code of
Conduct had failed “due to disturbances
from certain parties”, Wang said, without
naming any countries. “Instead of making
disturbances, parties should make efforts
that are conducive to the process so as to
create the necessary conditions and
atmosphere,” said Wang.
Friction over the South China Sea, one
of the world’s most important waterways, has surged as China uses its growing naval might to more forcefully assert
its vast claims over the oil-and gas-rich
sea, raising fears of a military clash. Four
ASEAN nations, including Vietnam and
the Philippines, have overlapping claims
with China.
China and the Philippines accuse each
other of violating the Declaration of
Conduct, a non-binding confidencebuilding agreement on maritime conduct signed by China and ASEAN in 2002.
Such differences could be another obstacle to agreeing on a more comprehensive pact as China has stressed that countries must first show good faith by abiding by the DoC.
Critics say China is intent on cementing its claims over the sea through its
superior and growing naval might, and
has little interest in rushing to agree to a
code of conduct. Divisions among ASEAN
over the maritime dispute burst into the
open a year ago when a summit chaired
by Chinese ally Cambodia failed to issue
a closing communique for the first time
in the group’s 45-year history. —Reuters
YANGON: Punk rockers draw double-takes as
they dart through traffic, but it’s not just the pink
hair, leather jackets or skull tattoos that make
these 20-somethings rebels: It’s their willingness
to speak out against Buddhist monks instigating
violence against Muslims while others in
Myanmar are silent. “If they were real monks, I’d
be quiet, but they aren’t,” says Kyaw Kyaw, lead
singer of Rebel Riot, as his drummer knocks out
the beat for a new song slamming religious
hypocrisy and an anti-Muslim movement known
as “969.” “They are nationalists, fascists. No one
wants to hear it, but it’s true.”
Radical monks are at the forefront of a bloody
campaign against Muslims, and few in this predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million people
are willing to speak against them. For many,
being Buddhist is an important part of being
Burmese, and monks, the most venerable members of society, are beyond reproach. Others are
simply in denial, or buy into claims the Muslim
“outsiders” pose a threat to their culture and traditions.
The silence is as dangerous as the mobs razing
mosques and cheering as Muslims are hunted
down and beaten to death with chains and metal
pipes, says Michael Salberg, director of international affairs at the US-based Anti-Defamation
League. “It’s not perpetrators that are the problem
here,” he says, pointing to conditions that paved
the way for the Holocaust in Germany and the
genocide in Rwanda. “It’s the bystanders.”
After half-century of harsh military rule, a quasi-civilian government installed two years ago has
implemented sweeping reforms, releasing prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house
arrest, relaxing restrictions against peaceful
assembly, opening up the media and throwing
away the censor’s pen.
The same freedoms have also given voice to
monks like Wirathu, a charismatic speaker and
supporter of 969. His following is growing as he
crisscrosses the country calling for boycotts of
Muslim-owned shops and a ban on marriages
between Buddhist women and Muslim men, and
warning that a higher birthrate could one day
bring Muslims from 4 percent of the population
to a majority.
“All I can really say is, people should look at the
teachings of Buddha and ask themselves, is this
what he meant?” says Ye Ngwe Soe, the 27-yearold frontman of No U Turn, the country’s most
popular punk rock band. He wrote the song
“Human Wars” after violence against Rohingya
Muslims in Rakhine state started spilling into other regions. “When I go to some urban areas, I hear
talking about 969, hating Muslims, being violent.
It shouldn’t be this way.” Hate speech experts say
the best way to counter people like Wirathu is to
seek the voice of moderate Buddhists.
But outside of a handful of monks and civil
activists who have gotten together for interfaith
dialogues, few are stepping up. Westerners working in Myanmar are often surprised when their
otherwise progressive Burmese subordinates
softly defend the monks or say nothing when discussions turn to religious violence. “I’m sure a lot
of them think this is total madness, but they don’t
dare to say that openly,” says Bertil Lintner, a
Swedish journalist who has written several books
about Myanmar. “If they do they will be attacked
embraced by the US and others for his reformminded agenda, banned an issue of Time magazine that splashed Wirathu on the cover and
called him “the face of Buddhist terror,” and issued
a statement saying he supports 969.
With national elections scheduled for 2015,
opposition leader Suu Kyi has said nothing, worried, analysts say, there will be a backlash at the
polls if she is perceived as anti-Buddhist. That
leaves the punk rockers, who know what it’s like
to be outsiders. During military rule, the tiny punk
community practiced and performed in secret,
YANGON: In this photo, Kyaw Kyaw, lead singer of punk rock band Rebel Riot,
rehearses with his group members in a Yangon studio, Myanmar. —AP
by these new nationalists, religious bigots,
accused of being friends with Muslims ... . It’s a
very difficult situation.”
Arker Kyaw, a 20-year-old graffiti artist bursting with an electric creativity, has several friends mostly musicians and DJs - who are Muslims and
was very upset about the violence that has
wracked their communities in the last year. He
and others of varying religious backgrounds put
together a music video expressing solidarity, saying basically, “Don’t worry, at least between us,
everything will be OK.”
But when asked if he isn’t tempted to answer
to 969 when he sees their stickers and signs on
the walls of Yangon, he says: “No. It’s very complicated. On this one, I think it’s better to be the
audience, not the show.” President Thein Sein,
often in abandoned buildings, by the railroad
tracks or in private, before a small group of close
friends. While others were cowed by the constant
threat of arrest and imprisonment, they screamed
out about abuses at the hands of the army and
asked why politically-connected businessmen
were getting rich while everyone else suffered.
Today they have a new battleground, religious
intolerance. And they aren’t about to shy away.
Kyaw Kyaw of Rebel Riot likes to say that while he
can’t change the world, or Myanmar, or even
Yangon, he can at least influence those around
him. “They can arrest us, we don’t care,” says this
26-year-old son of a police officer. “Or we can be
attacked by certain groups. We don’t care, we’ve
prepared ourselves for this mentally. But we want
to speak our minds.” —AP
China expunges Bo’s
once-stellar reputation
DALIAN: The Dalian Modern Museum
once boasted exhibits on the achievements that brought renown to the city
and its former mayor Bo Xilai. Not any
more, with China’s propaganda
machine dismantling Bo’s reputation
as his trial approaches. Any references
to the one-time political star at the $24
million museum have disappeared,
along with once-prominent displays
showcasing signature features of
Dalian, which Bo is credited with transforming in the 1990s. In recent months
a hodgepodge of items have instead
been on show, among them a gallery
of American artwork, display cases of
20th century pipes and stamps, and
Inner Mongolian stirrups and jewellery
dating back a millennium.
Although some locals still remember him fondly, the makeover is
emblematic of the way the ruling
Communist Party is scrubbing away
the vestiges of the disgraced politician, whose trial on bribery and other
charges is scheduled this month.
“There’s this idea of getting rid of
everything, the person and the accomplishments,” said Maria Repnikova, an
Oxford University researcher into
state-media relations in China.
“While it might appear disturbing
to many observers, if you look at other
historic events it seems like this
method has been used in the past.”
Many Chinese know little of the
bloody 1989 crackdown on the
Tiananmen protests, which are not
referred to in school textbooks.
Similarly myriad other sensitive events,
such as multiple school collapses in a
2008 earthquake that raised suspi-
cions of corruption, are also subject to
strict censorship.
Until his downfall, Bo had been
praised for transforming Dalian into a
development success story during the
1990s, before he moved on to head
the provincial government of Liaoning
wife had killed a British associate, lifting the lid on the scandal. When he
was accused in September of a broad
range of “disciplinary violations” by the
party, state media pilloried him for
having “badly undermined” China’s
image. Two months later his successor
DALIAN: This picture 2013 shows a statue on display in Dalian
modern museum in Dalian, northeast China’s Liaoning
province. —AFP
and the national commerce ministry.
In 2007 he moved to Chongqing in the
southwest and drew further attention
with a “red revival”, exemplified by revolutionary songs and with populist
policies that came to be called the
“Chongqing model” of development.
But his leftist bent alienated some
leaders, and he was brought down
after his police chief fled to a US consulate last February with evidence Bo’s
said there was “no such thing as a
Chongqing model”.
Bo has not been seen in public
since March 2012, and has had no
opportunity to defend himself as his
image has been taken apart. A
respected Chinese magazine last week
reported that the corruption charges
he will face will focus on his time in
Dalian-a narrow scope that could help
contain the damaging political fallout.
The Dalian museum was commissioned during his term to showcase
the city’s rapid growth.
Opened in 2002, it used to display
projects linked to Bo, including a
champion football team, an international fashion show and a squad of
female mounted policewomen,
according to an old sign left on the
floor. In May 2011 a visitor wrote on
the tourism website tripadvisor.com
that one of the most memorable displays was a luxurious carpet presented
to Bo by a foreign official.
But references to the politician or
his contributions to Dalian have since
vanished. Calls have also been made in
recent months to abolish the women’s
mounted police unit. Now, the museum’s eclectic collections are spread out
around a gaping sun-lit atrium that
echoes to the chatter of cleaners wiping panels of glass.
However, efforts to undo Bo’s
accomplishments may not find fertile
ground among locals, some of whom
said they still supported him despite
the scandal because of the benefits he
had brought the city. “Without Bo Xilai,
Dalian would not be what it is today,”
said a resident who declined to give
his name because of the sensitivity of
the topic. “China from ancient times
has had very few clean officials,” he
added. “Everyone has pros and cons,
but you have to see if he has more
pros or more cons.” Another 58-yearold resident surnamed Li agreed: “If he
made mistakes, then he made mistakes. You still cannot forget he good
things he did. “You cannot just erase
his positive side.” —AFP
14
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
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Issues
How Hollande
plans to win
his bet on jobs
By Mark John and Emmanuel Jarry
D
efying all predictions by the IMF, the European
Commission and the bulk of private economists,
President Francois Hollande is still banking on a
turnaround in French unemployment by the end of the
year. Not only that, he has upped the stakes by making it
the top political priority of his Socialist government. “I will
be judged on it,” he told the nation in a Bastille Day television interview last month. It is no secret that he plans to
use a variety of state-subsidised temporary jobs and training places to ease the strain on jobless claims totals that hit
an all-time record of 3.28 million in June.
The first test of his plan will come directly after France’s
August summer break - when his government believes it
will confound the sceptics and start to chip away at jobless
totals. “Taken together, these measures will have a major
impact over the period up to the end of the year. It will
make itself felt on the unemployment trend,” said a government source. Hollande’s plan is simple. Although he insists
the French economy is already pointing up after two successive quarters of slight shrinkage, he accepts that it will
still not generate enough growth to create jobs until the
second half of next year. Hence the plan to stimulate the
jobs market right now.
When French children return to school in September,
they will be welcomed by an army of 30,000 new classroom
minders and playground assistants in many cases taken
straight from the dole queues. Such public sector posts are
a category of jobs whose average duration will be doubled
to 12 months. Add to these the so-called “jobs of the
future” which the government will fund to help unqualified
youths aged between 16 and 25 take up jobs in the health,
charitable and other non-commercial sectors.
After a slow start, the government estimates 2,500 such
contracts are now being signed a week and expects to get
close to a year-end target of 100,000. The third major lever
will be a new tranche of training schemes aimed at matching the unemployed with the several hundred thousand
job vacancies currently unfilled in France because of a skills
mismatch. Hollande expects to fill 30,000 such posts this
year and 70,000 more in 2014. Finally, Hollande wants to
encourage the private sector to take on 70,000 young people by giving companies financial incentives to train a
young worker to replace an employee heading into retirement.
There is no official forecast for how many jobless claims
will be wiped out by these measures. Nor has the government disclosed the overall cost of the scheme, which will
depend ultimately on how many jobs are taken up.
National statistics agency INSEE has forecast that unemployment will keep increasing throughout the year to hit
11.1 percent by year-end, just shy of the record 11.2 percent of 1997, with the state-subsidised jobs slowing the
increase but not enough to actually cut the unemployment
rate. But some economists agree the arrival on the market
of subsidised jobs could allow Hollande to win his bet by
announcing a drop in unemployment from September
onwards.
“You can’t exclude the possibility of the government
playing skillfully with the calendar,” said Olivier Passet of
Paris-based private economics research institute Xerfi,
which in a June poll by Reuters was among the majority of
forecasters who predicted Hollande would miss his yearend goal. “It could turn out the figures announced look
pretty good.”
Others are less convinced. Marie Diron, Director of
Macro Forecasting at Oxford Economics and also among
those who in June doubted that Hollande could win his
bet, forecast the subsidised jobs would not be enough to
turn the overall tide of the labour market. “We are concerned about low corporate margins and we think companies will focus on restoring profitability,” she said of further
expected layoffs, forecasting that unemployment would
continue rising until early 2014.
Among the factors Diron said could work against
Hollande are the fact that many subsidised jobs will go to
those who would have found work anyway, especially after
eligibility criteria were loosened. Separately, the continued
growth in the French labour supply tends to inflate jobless
claims, she said. Even if Hollande does manage to
announce a statistical fall in the number of unemployed
between now and the end of the year, critics will accuse
him simply of cooking the books with artificially created
jobs that will not last.
But Hollande is unrepentant. The second part of his
wager is that a recovery will, by the middle of 2014, kick in
enough to create employment by itself. — Reuters
All articles appearing on these
pages are the personal opinion of
the writers. Kuwait Times takes no
responsibility for views expressed
therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please
send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail
mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait.
The editor reserves the right to edit
any submission as necessary.
Bitcoin gets big bets from tech industry
By Peter Delevett
P
eople in Silicon Valley like to say it’s
not about the money; it’s about
changing the world. But with Bitcoin,
it’s about changing the money to change
the world. Dot-com pioneers and freshfaced 20-somethings alike are founding
companies to help transact the virtual currency. A nationwide network has formed
for angel investors keen to back such startups. And the Winklevoss twins - made
famous by “The Social Network” film - plan
a Bitcoin investment fund. But what is “virtual currency,” anyway? And are those
chasing Bitcoin headed for a gold rush, or
fool’s gold?
Nick Holland, a Javelin Strategy analyst
in Boston, is among those who believe
math-based currencies like Bitcoin, which
enable transactions from one user to
another without official oversight or high
fees, could upset the centuries-old tradition of paper money - much as user-generated Wikipedia all but replaced the venerable Encyclopaedia Britannica. Bitcoin was
created in 2008 by a programmer (or
group) using the pseudonym Satoshi
Nakamoto. Nakamoto envisioned a peerto-peer computing network of interconnected users that could oversee the creation of a digital currency independent of
any central authority, then regulate its
trade.
Nakamoto capped the number of bitcoins that could exist at 21 million. And to
keep the market from being flooded,
Nakamoto set up a system in which new
bitcoins can only be minted, or “mined,” by
solving complex mathematical puzzles.
Once a miner believes he or she has solved
one of those puzzles, a message goes out
to the entire network. If other users agree
with the solution, new bitcoins are added
to a public ledger that keeps track of the
amount in existence; that number currently stands at just over 11.4 million.
The Nakamoto system varies the difficulty of each puzzle so that, on average, a
new block gets mined every 10 minutes,
keeping the supply predictable. The successful miner then pockets a bit of the new
Bitcoin for his trouble, which he can sell or
trade with other users. The phenomenon
was largely restricted to hard-core geeks
until last spring’s financial crisis in Cyprus.
With the Mediterranean nation’s government unable to guarantee bank deposits,
some investors liquidated their savings
into Bitcoin by linking their bank accounts
to Bitcoin transfer services. “That was kind
of the catalytic event that pushed Bitcoin
into the forefront,” Holland said. It also
helped create a frenzied run-up in the
price, from around $14 per coin to more
than $230; as of Friday afternoon it was
trading around $95 on the various online
exchanges that have sprung up to let users
buy and sell the currency.
Bitcoin skeptics, to be sure, abound.
California finance officials in June sent the
Washington, DC-based Bitcoin Foundation
a cease-and-desist letter asking if the
group was conducting money transfers
without a license. Officials with the foundation, which was formed in September,
say they’re simply in the business of developing certification guidelines for Bitcoin
companies. That such guidelines have yet
to be formed reflects one of the chief concerns regarding the technology: Its Wild
West atmosphere.
During Bitcoin 2013 - held in San Jose
in May and billed as the currency’s first
major US summit - an organization called
Bitcoin Not Bombs urged nonprofits to
adopt the virtual payment system, trumpeting that it “cannot be manipulated by
any government, bank, organization or
individual.” The libertarian aspect meshes
with Silicon Valley’s hacker ethos. But it
also led Homeland Security officials in May
to briefly seize some assets of Tokyo-based
Mt Gox, the largest Bitcoin exchange, for
not complying with money-laundering
laws.
Critics note that transactions in the currency are anonymous, which has enabled
the sale of illicit weapons and drugs. And
because the coins are stored in online
“wallets,” there have been reported
instances of hackers wiping out a user’s
holdings. Many Bitcoin backers concede
that adult supervision may be required if it
is to gain broader use and trust. “All these
exchanges have realized, ‘I have something
really valuable here. I’d better follow the
regulations’,” said Alex Ferrara, a tech
investor with Bessemer Venture Partners in
New York. Though he’s waiting to bet on
any startups in the space, he said: “For
Bitcoin, going legit will be a good thing.”
Another sign of that mainstreaming
effort came in April, when the Winklevoss
brothers - who once famously claimed in
court that Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea
for Facebook - announced they’d amassed
about 1 percent of all bitcoins in circulation. They’re now seeking federal approval
to let investors buy into that hoard via
shares in a public investment fund.
While it’s unclear whether regulators
will sign off on the untested concept,
Bitcoin is increasingly finding favor with
merchants that range from blogging site
Reddit to watch manufacturer Raketa.
Earlier this year, two hackers in Los
Angeles unveiled PizzaForCoins.com,
which lets people use bitcoins to buy pies
from nearby Pizza Hut and Domino’s locations. “Bitcoin will make a dent in society
when more normal transactions occur that
would have occurred with dollars or credit
cards,” said Garry Tan, a partner at
Mountain View, Calif., startup foundry Y
Combinator. He’s an adviser to Coinbase, a
San Francisco startup that holds the record
for the most venture capital pumped into
a Bitcoin company (more than $6 million at
last count).
Ferrara, the venture capitalist, thinks
that day is still far off, noting that turning
bitcoins into cash requires a transfer service such as BitInstant, which charges high
fees, or a go-between like Coinbase, which
limits how much users can transact unless
they provide reams of information to comply with banking laws. Still, Ferrara is bullish on the technology’s disruptive potential, which he said evokes that of Skype.
Michael Terpin, co-founder of the new
BitAngels investment network, hearkens
back even further to the last time he saw
promise like Bitcoin’s. Terpin attended the
San Jose conference in May and noticed
that it was held in the same room as the
first Internet World trade show. “I got the
same kind of evangelism and hopes for
incredible growth as I got in 1994, when I
found little 10-by-10 booths for Yahoo and
Lycos,” he said. “Now the question,” he
added of the Bitcoin crowd, “is can they
maintain that growth - and surmount the
regulatory issues?” — MCT
MDC struggles for survival after poll disaster
By Stella Mapenzauswa
Z
imbabwe’s MDC party, shocked by its
overwhelming election defeat, has a
battle on its hands to convince supporters it has any chance of taking power
in the years to come. The Movement for
Democratic Change’s survival may depend
on a shakeup of its leadership, which many
say was naive in entering a four-year unity
government with President Robert
Mugabe’s ZANU-PF after a decade of acrimony and conflict. State media are already
sounding the death knell for the party led
by former trade unionist Morgan
Tsvangirai, who since 1999 has been the
only man to have offered serious opposition to ZANU-PF - until his hammering in
the July 31 polls. “Morgan Tsvangirai’s 15
minutes of fame have come to a spectacular end. It was bound to happen,” the proMugabe Sunday Mail crowed in an editorial. As Tsvangirai, 61, prepares to launch a
legal challenge to a poll he says was heavily rigged, analysts are asking why his party
participated in an exercise it said was riddled with flaws from the outset. A visibly
angry Tsvangirai told reporters on Saturday
he would go to court to overturn the result,
which gave ZANU-PF a two-thirds majority
in parliament. Some 61 percent of voters
endorsed the 89-year-old Mugabe for
another five-year term as president, against
34 percent for Tsvangirai, the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission said.
Tsvangirai’s denunciation of the vote as
a “huge farce” smacked of desperation by a
man “profoundly shocked by having had
the rug pulled out from under his feet”, said
Piers Pigou of the International Crisis
Group, a political think-tank. “The bottom
line is that the MDC formations signed up
for this,” he said. “They have been outmanoeuvred again. One could ask what on
earth made them think you could trust the
process in the first place.”
Tsvangirai and other senior MDC leaders
face accusations that they lost touch with
the plight of ordinary Zimbabweans while
enjoying the perks of being in a unity government formed in 2009 in the aftermath
of another disputed election. The election
loss will also re-ignite debate on
Tsvangirai’s fitness to continue leading the
party, in the wake of a string of sex scandals that called his morals into question.
Over the last five years as prime minister,
Tsvangirai has swapped the modest gear
he donned at rallies in the party’s fledgling
years for sharp suits and gleaming shoes
that suggest he is enjoying the same lavish
livestyle as his nemesis. “Tsvangirai took all
his support for granted - that they would
never desert him no matter what he did, no
matter how badly he behaved,” said political analyst Denford Magora, an outspoken
Tsvangirai critic. “In the end, no matter
what accusations of rigging are thrown at
ZANU-PF, the truth of the matter is that
there is no way out for the MDC this time.”
With African observers largely unanimous
in endorsing the elections as free and cred-
Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai addresses a media conference in Harare on Aug 3, 2013. — AFP
ible, the MDC will struggle to rally regional
support behind it in its bid to overturn the
result and pave the way for a re-run.
The party might do well to focus its
energies instead on the next elections in
2018, which Mugabe, who has towered
over Zimbabwean politics since independence from Britain in 1980, will almost certainly be too old at 94 to contest. The MDC
might learn from the example of Mugabe’s
ZANU-PF, which regrouped to revitalise its
support base ahead of this year’s poll after
narrowly escaping defeat in 2008, said
political analyst Eldred Masunungure.
“Presently the MDC is in denial, and justifiably so, but its future depends on what it
does once it recovers. It needs to remobilise the people and reconnect with the
grassroots,” added Masunungure, a lecturer
at the University of Zimbabwe. “It is high
time it tried to rejuvenate the leadership.
After this kind of electoral tsunami you
can’t rest on your laurels. That would be
disastrous.”
Analysts have suggested MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti, outgoing finance
minister in the unity government, as a possible successor. But Biti, a lawyer by profession, might be too much of an intellectual
to draw the kind of working class support
Tsvangirai enjoyed in his urban stronghold.
“Tendai Biti is very able but Morgan is the
one with the appeal and I still think that
he’s right person for the party,” said Sarah
Hudleston, author of “Face of Courage: A
Biography of Morgan Tsvangirai”. “He made
a mistake going into a joint government to
start with, but I think the MDC will survive.
He must now go back to being an opposition politician.” — Reuters
NEWS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
The illuminated Faisal Mosque is pictured on the 27th night of the holy month of Ramadan in Islamabad yesterday. — AFP
Mary, Mother of Jesus
Continued from Page 1
I find Maryam’s answer to the question, “From where
is this?” quite interesting. Most people probably would
have said, “The neighbor sent it to me” or “A caravan
has just arrived from Yemen” or “I bought it this morning from the farmers’ market.” Although any answer
would satisfy the most curious person, it didn’t satisfy
her. She was so devout and so wise that she could see
beyond the obvious and the circumstantial - she could
see the Truth. So she answered, “It is from God.” And it
doesn’t really matter if the provision she referred to
had a mysterious origin or not. Even if Zachariah found
her with her usual meal and asked, “From where is
this?” I imagine she would have answered, “It is from
God” because it is the truth. The Quran says, “Whatever
good has come to you, it is from God” (4:79).
We should respond as wisely as Maryam when asked
about our blessings. Imagine if someone asked you, I
love your glasses! Where did you get them? and you
said, “They are from God!” Or You look so young! How
do you do it? And you replied, “It’s from God!” Or You
have a lovely home. “Thanks to God! It is from Him.” Or
What’s for dinner? “Steak and potatoes from God.”
That’s the outlook that Maryam had: appreciative, humble, insightful. Look around and start counting your
blessings - from the cup of tea beside you, to the warm
blanket on your bed, to the car in the driveway. If it’s
good, it’s from God.
And if it’s not good, it’s from you. The Quran says,
“Whatever good has come to you, it is from God, and
whatever harm has stricken you, it is from yourself”
(4:79). Sometimes God allows something seemingly
bad to happen to alert us to mistakes we are making so
that we correct our actions and reform (see 30:41).
Sometimes God allows bad things to happen so that
we turn to Him sincerely and forsake other “gods” to
whom we may have wrongly ascribed power.
Sometimes we need hard times to make us more humble and receptive to spiritual guidance. God says, “And
it may be that you dislike something while it is good for
you, and it may be that you love something while it is
bad for you. And God knows while you do not know!”
(2:216). So even a calamity can be a blessing in disguise
for he who benefits from it by turning to his Creator for
solace and support. Whatever happens, we should be
receptive to the good in it and count it as a blessing.
If we perceive all events in our lives as good for us either as a source of enjoyment from God or a means of
improving ourselves and growing closer to our Creator
- then we can never count our blessings because they
are innumerable. In fact, the Quran proclaims that if
you attempt to count the blessings of God, you could
never enumerate even a single one (16:18), reminding
us of the multifaceted goodness in a single blessing.
(Most English translations don’t express the Arabic
meaning correctly, perhaps due to the seeming incongruence between blessings and single one.) Certainly
we don’t deserve such continuous generosity, and we
can never repay God for His care. But we can acknowledge God as the source of all good, thank Him for His
blessings, and uphold the truth when we understand it.
We can adopt the insight and wisdom of Maryam, chosen above all the women of the world, who said about
a meal, “It is from God.” God’s amazing response to our
appreciation is this: “If you give thanks, I will give you
more” (14:7). As Maryam rightfully concluded, “He provides for whom He wills without account.”
Question: Who is the only woman mentioned in the
Quran?
The consistency is perfect (but) I miss salt and pepper!”
Schonwald confessed to a difficulty in judging a burger “without ketchup or onions or jalapenos or bacon”. Both tasters
shunned the bun, lettuce and sliced tomatoes offered to
them to concentrate on the flavor of the meat itself. Post
regretted having served the patty without his favorite topping: aged gouda cheese. “That would have enhanced the
whole experience tremendously,” he told AP. He said he was
pleased with the reviews: “It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start.”
Sergey Brin, one of Google’s co-founders, was revealed as
one of the financial backers of the project. He said in a video
message: “Sometimes when technology comes along, it has
the capability to transform how we view our world. I like to
look at technology opportunities. When technology seems
like it is on the cusp of viability and if it succeeds there, it can
be really transformative for the world.”
Post insisted the artificial beef is safe, promising to give the
leftovers from yesterday’s tasting to his children. “I ate it
myself a couple of times with no hesitation whatsoever... I
would feel perfectly comfortable letting them taste it,” he told
journalists at the tasting. Post acknowledged that the technology was at a very early stage but predicted the meat could
be on supermarket shelves in 10 to 20 years. “This is just to
show that we can do it,” he said.
The first public tasting took place at a west London theatre, where a professional chef cooked the round, pink patty
over low heat at a kitchen counter similar to those used in TV
cookery shows. Britain’s Vegetarian Society questioned the
need for such technology when people could just stop eating
meat. Post said: “We are catering for beef eaters eating beef in
an environmentally friendly and ethical way. Let the vegetarians remain vegetarians.”
There are concerns that the growing demand for meat is
putting unsustainable pressure on the planet, both through
their teams for the postseason playoffs.
NEW YORK: Alex Rodriguez, baseball’s highestRodriguez was banned until the end of the 2014
paid player and one of the sport’s greatest hitseason - the longest doping penalty ever handed
ters, was suspended for a record 211 games yesby MLB - because he had committed other
terday for alleged doping offences. Another 12
offences, MLB commissioner Bud Selig said in a
players, including three All-Stars, were handed
statement. “Rodriguez’s discipline under the Basic
50-game suspensions by Major League Baseball
Agreement is for attempting to cover-up his violafollowing a long investigation into links
tions of the Program by engaging in a course of
between top players and a Florida clinic
conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the
accused of supplying performance enhancing
Office of the Commissioner’s ,” Selig said.
drugs.
“The suspension, which will become effective
MLB released a statement identifying the
on Thursday, August 8th, will cover 211
following players that had been given the lessAlex Rodriguez
Championship Season games and any 2013
er bans: Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz,
San Diego Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, Detroit Tigers Postseason games in which Rodriguez otherwise would have
shortstop Jhonny Peralta, Philadelphia Phillies reliever been eligible to play.” Rodriguez had previously indicated he
Antonio Bastardo, New York Mets outfielder Jordany would appeal to an arbitrator, allowing him to play until the
Valdespin, Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, Seattle case was resolved. He was listed to play for the New York
Mariners catcher Jesus Montero, New York Mets outfield Yankees in Chicago on Monday against the White Sox.
prospect Cesar Puello, San Diego Padres pitching prospect Although Rodriguez has never been punished for doping, he
Fautino De Los Santos, Houston Astros pitching prospect has previously admitted to doping, but said he stopped using
Sergio Escalona and New York Yankees outfield prospect steroids about a decade ago. The 38-year-old is currently fifth
on the all-time home runs list with 647 home runs but the ban
Fernando Martinez.
They were all treated as first-time offenders and will serve threatens to ruin his prospects of overtaking Barry Bonds
their penalties - about eight weeks in MLB - in time to rejoin (762) as the all-time leader. — Reuters
Amir to inaugurate new Assembly
Courtesy TIES Center, a leading non-political NGO promoting relations between Westerners and Muslims
through dialogue, friendship and cultural exchange. For
more information. www.tiescenter.net
AUGUST 6, 2013
World’s first test tube burger tasted
Continued from Page 1
A-Rod and 12 others
suspended by MLB
the food required for the animals and the methane gas they
produce, which contributes to global warming. “What we are
going to attempt is important because I hope it will show cultured beef has the answers to major problems that the world
faces,” Post said ahead of yesterday’s event. “Our burger is
made from muscle cells taken from a cow. We haven’t altered
them in any way. For it to succeed it has to look, feel and
hopefully taste like the real thing.”
The team in Maastricht took cells from organic cows and
placed them in a nutrient solution to create muscle tissue.
They then grew this into small strands of meat, 20,000 of
which were required to make the burger. Although it is very
expensive, the costs of cultured beef are likely to fall as more
is produced and the team claim it could be available in supermarkets within 10 to 20 years. Proponents of test tube meat
cite a variety of reasons for why it is worth supporting, from
animal welfare to the environment and even public health lab-created meat theoretically carries no risk of disease and
does not need to be treated with antibiotics. PETA, the animal
rights group, has been funding research in the United States
and has offered a $1 million prize for the first lab to produce
and bring to market in-vitro chicken meat.
Dr Neil Stephens, a sociologist based at Cardiff University
who has studied test tube meat, told AFP the project was an
attempt to spark a debate about an issue that many in the
field believe is still not taken seriously enough. “They want to
demonstrate to the world that in-vitro meat is something
that’s real, it’s something to be taken seriously,” he said. “This is
still very much an early stage technology,” said Stephens. “This
is a fundamentally different way of making meat,” and raises
questions whether it is meat at all, he said. “What will be interesting is, in the coming weeks, watching the response to see
how many people are convinced by the technology.” Scaling it
up will be a big challenge. He said about 50 people were
involved in this kind of research worldwide, mainly in the
Netherlands and North America. — Agencies
Continued from Page 1
two previous parliaments were nullified by the constitutional court on the grounds of flawed constitutional
procedures. The last election held on July 27 was again
boycotted by Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition
groups and as a result it recorded a voter turnout of just
52.5 percent, more than 10 percent lower than average
but almost 13 percent higher than the less than 40 percent recorded in the election held last December. A
number of groups that boycotted the polls in December
and a majority of bedouin tribes took part in the July
polls.
Under Kuwait law, the first session will be initially
chaired by the oldest member, who is MP Hamad AlHarashani, a tribal lawmaker who was a member in the
scrapped Assembly. The chairperson will deliver a
speech to welcome the Amir who will then deliver a
speech in which he is expected to call on MPs and the
government to cooperate to accelerate the pace of
development plans. Then Prime Minister HH Sheikh
Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah will deliver his speech which
is known in Kuwait as the “Amiri Address”, in which the
premier will outline the main guidelines of his government policies and programs of the whole parliamentary
term. Then after a short interval to allow newly-elected
MPs to greet the Amir, lawmakers and ministers will take
the oath and the first real business of the Assembly will
start. MPs will be asked to elect the speaker for the fouryear term of the Assembly. Four candidates have publicly said they will contest for the post - Ali Al-Rashed, the
speaker of the scrapped assembly, Ali Al-Omair, the Salaf
Islamist MP who lost to Rashed in the race for the speaker of scrapped Assembly, Marzouk Al-Ghanem and
Roudhan Al-Roudhan.
The last two candidates had boycotted the December
polls in protest against the amendment to the electoral
law but took part in this election after the amendment
was confirmed by the court. Ghanem is primarily the
main representative of the business community and the
nephew of former speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi and
Roudhan is a former Cabinet minister. Observers believe
that Ghanem and Rashed have the best chance to go
into a runoff and the 16 votes from the Cabinet are crucial in the expected close battle.
Then MPs will elect the deputy speaker. Several lawmakers like Adnan Abdulsamad, Mohammad Al-Hadiya,
Mubarak Al-Khrainej and Kamel Al-Awadhi have
expressed the desire to contest for the post. The
Assembly will also elect the Assembly’s secretary and
observer and then the permanent committees. The session is expected to be the only one for the new
Assembly in this term as it will go into summer recess
until the end of October.
US extends closure of missions over ‘threat’
Continued from Page 1
An attack appeared to be “imminent,” possibly timed to
coincide with the last night of Ramadan, he told CBS.
Saxby Chambliss, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence
Committee, said there has been “an awful lot of chatter”
among terrorists, all “very reminiscent of what we saw pre9/11”. Chambliss said a National Security Agency program
that electronically intercepts mobile phone and email
communication helped gather intelligence about this
threat.
The NSA programs have come under intense scrutiny
since former intelligence analyst Edward Snowden leaked
information to the press about the scope of the surveillance. “If we did not have these programs then we simply
wouldn’t be able to listen in on the bad guys,” said
Chambliss. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, told ABC News the threats were “more specific” than previous threats. While an exact target was
unknown, he said, “the intent seems clear. The intent is to
attack Western, not just US, interests.” ABC News cited an
unnamed US official as saying there was concern that AlQaeda might deploy suicide attackers with surgically
implanted bombs to evade security.
The posts to be closed include those in: Abu Dhabi,
Amman, Cairo, Riyadh, Dhahran, Jeddah, Doha, Dubai,
Kuwait, Manama, Muscat, Sanaa, Tripoli, Antananarivo,
Bujumbura, Djibouti, Khartoum, Kigali and Port Louis. New
closures were announced in Madagascar, Burundi, Rwanda
and Mauritius. The outposts that are reopening include
those in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Mauritania, Iraq
and Israel. Security was especially tight in Yemen’s capital
Sanaa yesterday. Soldiers with armored personnel carriers
were stationed outside the buildings as police and army
checkpoints went up on all the city’s main thoroughfares.
Residents said they heard the sound of a drone overhead,
which could only be American as Washington is the sole
power to operate the unmanned aircraft in the region.
The United States considers Al-Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula to be the jihadist network’s most active and
dangerous branch, and is intensifying a drone war against
militants in Yemen. “I’ve spent 21 years in the CIA, and I
don’t think I’ve ever seen 22 embassies closed simultaneously. This is very, very unusual,” Robert Baer, a former CIA
officer in the Middle East, told CNN. Baer said the US
action comes amid an Al-Qaeda resurgence, including
recent prison breaks in Libya and Iraq and turmoil in
Egypt, Mali and elsewhere in the region. Interpol said it
suspected Al-Qaeda was involved in mass breakouts in
nine countries, notably Iraq, Libya and Pakistan. Late last
week, the State Department issued a worldwide travel
alert to US citizens, warning of the “potential for terrorists
to attack public transportation systems and other tourist
infrastructure.” — AFP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
S P ORTS
Mihaylov set to join Verona
SOFIA: Bulgaria goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov will join Serie A newcomers
Hellas Verona from Dutch side Twente Enschede subject to a medical, he said
yesterday.
“I’m going to Milan, where I have to pass medicals and sign for Verona,” the
25-year-old told local media. He is expected to join the 1985 Italian champions on a two-year contract.
Mihaylov, capped 26 times by the Balkan country, joined Liverpool in 2007 from Levski Sofia and
has spent three seasons on loan at Twente
before signing a permanent deal with the Dutch
club in 2010. In 2011, Mihaylov was named
Bulgaria’s footballer of the year, breaking the
domination of Fulham striker Dimitar
Berbatov who had won the award four consecutive times.
The goalkeeper is the son of Bulgarian
Football Union president Borislav Mihaylov, who
was himself capped 102 times. Verona, who have
already signed former Italy striker Luca Toni in an
attempt to bolster their squad, are back in Serie A
for the first time in 11 years after finishing
second in Serie B behind Sassuolo. —Reuters
Detroit 3, Chicago White Sox 2 (12 innings); St. Louis 15, Cincinnati 2; Kansas City 6, NY
Mets 2; Cleveland 2, Miami 0; Seattle 3, Baltimore 2; Boston 4, Arizona 0; Pittsburgh 5,
Colorado 1; Tampa Bay 4, San Francisco 3; Milwaukee 8, Washington 5; Minnesota 3,
Houston 2; LA Dodgers 1, Chicago Cubs 0; Toronto 6, LA Angels 5; Texas 4, Oakland 0;
San Diego 6, NY Yankees 3; Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 1.
GB
1
6.5
9.5
16
3
7.5
15.5
24
2.5
12
12.5
27.5
National League
Eastern Division
Atlanta
67
45 .598
Washington
54
57 .486
Philadelphia
50
61 .450
NY Mets
49
60 .450
Miami
43
67 .391
Central Division
Pittsburgh
67
44 .604
St. Louis
65
45 .591
Cincinnati
61
51 .545
Chicago Cubs 49
62 .441
Milwaukee
47
64 .423
Western Division
LA Dodgers
61
49 .555
Arizona
56
55 .505
San Diego
52
60 .464
Colorado
52
61 .460
San Francisco 49
61 .445
12.5
16.5
16.5
23
1.5
6.5
18
20
5.5
10
10.5
12
A-Rod can play during
suspension appeal
NEW YORK: Alex Rodriguez may have to
wait a little longer Monday for official word
on his suspension. Instead of noon, Major
League Baseball was likely to push back an
announcement on Biogenesis punishments
until later in the day, people with knowledge of the decision said. They spoke on
condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized.
In a one-of-a-kind day, A-Rod was to
make his season debut for the New York
Yankees on Monday night, just hours after
receiving the suspension and appealing the
penalty. MLB informed the Yankees on
Sunday that A-Rod will be suspended for his
links to a clinic accused of distributing
banned performance-enhancing drugs, one
of the people said, speaking on condition of
anonymity because no statement was
authorized.
The Yankees weren’t told the exact
length of the suspension, though they were
under the impression it will be through the
2014 season, the person said.
But the person also said A-Rod will be eligible to play while he appeals the penalty to
an arbitrator. The Yankees star could get a
shorter penalty if he agrees to give up the
right to file a grievance and force the case
before an arbitrator, the person added. A
suspension from Monday through 2014
would total 214 games, and an unsuccessful
appeal could stretch serving the penalty
into 2015.
In the era before players and owners
agreed to a drug plan in late 2002, arbitrators often shortened drug suspensions - in
the case of Yankees pitcher Steve Howe, his
penalty was cut from a lifetime ban to 119
days. Rodriguez is the most famous player
linked to the now-closed Biogenesis of
America anti-aging clinic in Florida, and the
Yankees expect him to be charged with
interfering with MLB’s investigation, resulting in a harsher penalty than the other 13
players facing discipline. Barring an agreement, Rodriguez’s appeal would be heard by
arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.
Adding to the drama: The 38-year-old
Rodriguez, a three-time AL MVP, was due to
rejoin the Yankees for their series opener at
the Chicago White Sox, his first big league
appearance since last October’s playoffs.
He’s been rehabbing since hip surgery in
January. “He’s in there, and I’m going to play
him,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said
Sunday after New York’s 6-3 loss at San
Diego. Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson
was excited A-Rod could play during an
New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez
LONDON: Valencia striker Roberto Soldado has completed his move to Tottenham Hotspur after passing a medical, the Premier League club announced yesterday.
The clubs agreed last week to the transfer of the Spain
international for 30 million euros ($39.85 million), a record
for the north London team, subject to a medical.
He is now expected to make his debut for Spurs in a
pre-season match at home to Espanyol on Saturday.
Soldado, who scored 30 goals in 46 appearances for
Valencia last season and has been on target six times in 11
matches for Spain, joins fellow new recruits Paulinho and
Nacer Chadli at Spurs.
Brazil midfielder Paulinho left Corinthians last month in
a deal worth 17 million pounds ($25.96 million) while
Belgium winger Chadli joined the Londoners from Dutch
side Twente Enschede for a fee that media reports said
was in the region of seven million pounds. Spurs open
their Premier League campaign at newcomers Crystal
Palace on Aug. 18. —Reuters
Jockey dies after fall
DARWIN: Australian jockey Simone Montgomerie died after a fall at the
Darwin Cup yesterday, prompting organisers to cancel the event.
The 26-year-old jockey tumbled from her mount Riahgrand in the sixth
race at the Darwin Racecourse and was trampled by other horses.
“Simone was a champion jockey at the top
of her game and a pioneer of women in racing who will be sorely missed,” Northern
Territory chief minister Adam Giles said
in a statement.
“As far as the Darwin Turf Club is
concerned, she was our family and
we’re all devastated by this accident,”
club chairman Brett Dixon told
reporters.
Montgomerie, who had two children, was treated by doctors on the
spot and died soon after being taken to
hospital. “There will be a full investigation which has already been initiated by
the stewards,” the club said in a statement. —Reuters
A’s and White Sox stumble
MLB results/standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
W
L
PCT
Boston
68
45 .602
Tampa Bay
66
45 .595
Baltimore
61
51 .545
NY Yankees
57
53 .518
Toronto
51
60 .459
Central Division
Detroit
64
45 .587
Cleveland
62
49 .559
Kansas City
56
52 .519
Minnesota
48
60 .444
C’ White Sox
40
69 .367
Western Division
Oakland
64
47 .577
Texas
62
50 .554
Seattle
52
59 .468
LA Angels
51
59 .464
Houston
36
74 .327
Striker Soldado
heads to Spurs
appeal. “I want him back with us. This is
arguably one of the best hitters of all time,”
he said. “Having him in the lineup is obviously going to be very positive for us.”
New York is a season-high 91/2 games
out of first place in the AL East and 41/2 out
in the race for the second wild-card spot.
“We’re going to be happy to see him
back in the lineup, especially the way we’ve
been playing,” second baseman Robinson
Cano said. “He can come up and help us win
some games.”
All-Stars Nelson Cruz of Texas, Jhonny
Peralta of Detroit and Everth Cabrera of San
Diego were among those who could get 50game suspensions from the probe, sparked
in January when Miami New Times published documents linking many players to
the closed clinic in Coral Gables, Fla.
Many players were expected to agree to
penalties and start serving them immediately, but an appeal by a first-offender under
the drug agreement would postpone his
suspension until after a decision by an arbitrator. Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun, the
2011 NL MVP, agreed July 22 to a 65-game
ban through the rest of the 2013 season for
his role with Biogenesis.
Braun was given a 50-game suspension
for elevated testosterone that was overturned last year by arbitrator Shyam Das
because of issues with the handling of the
urine sample.
Since spring training, the union has said
it will consider stiffer penalties starting in
2014. “The home runs that are hit because a
guy’s on performance-enhancing substances, those ruin somebody’s ERA, which
ruins their arbitration case, which ruins their
salary,” Los Angeles Angels pitcher C.J.
Wilson said. “So it’s a whole domino effect.”
Rodriguez’s return from hip surgery was
slowed by a quadriceps injury. He completed his second minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on Saturday night, a twoday stay at Double-A Trenton. Rodriguez
walked in all four plate appearances, a day
after hitting a two-run homer.
Following Friday night’s game, Rodriguez
all but said he thought MLB and the Yankees
were conspiring to keep him from getting
back to the big leagues.
“There is more than one party that benefits from me not ever stepping back on the
field. And that’s not my teammates and it’s
not the Yankee fans,” he said, adding: “When
all this stuff is going on in the background
and people are finding creative ways to cancel your contract and stuff like that, I think
that’s concerning for me.”
He last played in October, going 3 for 25
(.120) with no RBIs in the playoffs. Rodriguez
is owed $8,568,306 of his $28 million salary
from Monday through the rest of the season
and $86 million for the final four years of his
contract with the Yankees. Girardi didn’t
think A-Rod’s arrival would create more turmoil than the Yankees already are used to.
“I don’t suspect it’ll be awkward. Most of
these guys know him as a teammate and
have laughed a lot with Alex and been
around Alex a lot,” he said. “I think it’ll be
business as usual. I’m sure there will be more
media there, obviously, tomorrow, but I
think that’s probably more for Alex to deal
with than the rest of the guys. —AP
OAKLAND: Derek Holland gave up four hits in
eight stellar innings and Nelson Cruz and Mitch
Moreland each hit a home run as Ron
Washington became the most successful manager in Rangers histor y as Texas beat the
Oakland Athletics 4-0 on Sunday.
Adrian Beltre had two hits and drove in a run
for the Rangers, who have won six of seven to
move within 2 1-2 games of the AL West-leading
Athletics. Nate Freiman had two hits for the A’s,
who have lost four of five.
Holland (9-6) walked two and matched his
season high with 10 strikeouts to end a personal
two-game losing streak.
AJ Griffith (10-8) lasted 6 2-3 innings, allowing four runs - three earned - on five hits. He
walked one and struck out seven. Griffin has
allowed a majors-leading 28 home runs in 2013
and became the first Oakland pitcher to give up
two or more in four straight starts since Mark
Redman in 2007. Washington, who coached for
Oakland for several years, passed Bobby
Valentine with his 582nd win.
TIGERS 3, WHITE SOX 2
In Detroit, Torii Hunter hit an RBI single in the
12th inning as Detroit extended Chicago’s losing
streak to 10 games. Miguel Cabrera, who has
been dealing with hip and abdominal problems,
led off the 12th with a pinch-hit single. Matt
Tuiasosopo ran for him and went to second on a
sacrifice bunt by Austin Jackson. Hunter, who
came on as replacement, lined a single to leftcenter off Dylan Axelrod (3-8).
Bruce Rondon (1-1) pitched two scoreless
innings for his first career win. The Tigers, who
have won 12 of 13, take a three-game lead in the
AL Central into a four-game series at secondplace Cleveland.
MARINERS 3, ORIOLES 2
In Baltimore, Seldom-used Henry Blanco hit a
two-run homer in the seventh off Chen Wei-yin
as Seattle beat Baltimore behind left-hander Joe
Saunders.
Batting ninth in the lineup, the 41-year-old
Blanco sent an 0-2 pitch into the left-field seats
to erase a 2-1 deficit. The backup catcher was
playing in his 32nd game of the season, the 17th
with Seattle after being signed as a free agent.
Saunders (10-10) worked out of trouble in
almost every inning but improved to 7-0 lifetime
against Baltimore after allowing two runs, eight
hits and two walks in six innings. Chen (6-4) gave
up three runs and five hits over seven innings in
his first loss since May 1.
BLUE JAYS 6, ANGELS 5
In Anaheim, Jose Bautista and Edwin
Encarnacion drove in the tying and go-ahead
runs with two-out singles in the ninth as Toronto
beat Los Angeles to avoid a four-game sweep.
OAKLAND: Ian Kinsler No. 5 of the Texas Rangers gets his throw off to complete the doubleplay as Brandon Moss No. 37 of the Oakland Athletics slides into second base in the ninth
inning. —AFP
Mark Trumbo hit a three-run homer and Mike
Trout also went deep against Mark Buehrle,
helping the Angels build a 5-2 lead for C.J.
Wilson. But the Blue Jays rallied with two in the
eighth, as Angels manager Mike Scioscia used
five pitchers to get out of the inning.
Frieri (0-4) ended the eighth by catching
Colby Rasmus’ popup in front of the mound, but
gave up a single by Brett Lawrie and plunked No.
9 hitter J.P Arencibia to open the ninth. Brett
Cecil (5-1) earned the victory and Casey Janssen
got his 19th save in 21 chances.
TWINS 3, ASTROS 2
In Minneapolis, Justin Morneau and Oswaldo
Arcia homered, and four relievers combined for
four scoreless innings to lead Minnesota to a
three-game sweep of Houston.
Arcia led off the seventh with a home run
that broke a 2-all tie. He connected against Brad
Peacock (1-4), who was promoted from Triple-A
to make the start and struck out 10.
Caleb Thielbar (2-1) got two outs for the win
and Glen Perkins earned his 27th save. The Twins
hadn’t swept a series, or won three games in a
row, since June 18-20 against the Chicago White
Sox. The Astros have lost four straight overall.
Twins starter Mike Pelfrey went five innings but
remains winless since July 6.
INTERLEAGUE
RED SOX 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0
In Boston, Felix Doubront pitched seven
shutout innings to continue his run of strong
starts and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in two runs to
lift Boston over Arizona.
It was Boston’s seventh win in nine games,
completing a 5-2 homestand. The AL East leaders play 16 of the next 19 away from Fenway
Park, beginning Monday night in Houston.
Doubront (8-5) allowed five singles, struck
out five, didn’t walk a batter and allowed just
one runner to reach second base in holding an
opponent to three runs or fewer for the 15th
straight start. It’s the most by a Red Sox left-hander since at least 1920. Diamondbacks starter
Brandon McCarthy (2-5) gave up two runs on
five hits in 4 1-3 innings.
RAYS 4, GIANTS 3
In St. Petersburg, Wil Myers homered and four
relievers allowed one hit over 4 1-3 scoreless
innings to help Tampa Bay beat San Francisco.
Alex Torres (4-0) started the bullpen parade
by replacing Roberto Hernandez with two outs
in the fifth and struck out two over 1 1-3 innings.
Jake McGee worked a perfect seventh and Joel
Peralta left Hunter Pence stranded at second
after a two-out double in the eighth before
Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 27th
save.
Tampa Bay took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on Sam
Fuld’s hit against Jose Mijares (0-3) to help the
Rays win for the 25th in 31 games. —AP
Braves thump slumping Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Chris
Johnson drove in a pair of runs and
Alex Wood pitched six strong
innings to lead the Atlanta Braves
to their 10th straight victory, 4-1
over the slumping Philadelphia
Phillies on Sunday. Wood (2-2)
allowed one run on two hits in his
fourth major league start. The
unorthodox 22-year-old rookie lefthander, who configures his body in
an unusual way during his delivery,
struck out three and walked two.
Johnson, who entered leading
the league in batting, hit a two-run
single in the first to stake the Braves
to an early lead. Justin Upton and
B.J. Upton each had a pair of hits
with a double apiece for Atlanta,
which matched its season-best winning streak. Philadelphia managed
just four hits while dropping its fifth
straight and 13th in the last 14.
PIRATES 5, ROCKIES 1
In Pittsburgh, AJ Burnett
allowed eight hits and Russell
Martin provided some rare run support for the right-hander with a
three-run homer to lead the Pirates
over the Rockies.
Burnett (5-7) struck out nine and
walked one in his first complete
game of the season and 23rd of his
15-year career. He threw 110 pitches, 83 for strikes.
Martin’s home run came in the
fifth inning and put the Pirates
ahead 5-0. Burnett hasn’t gotten
much backing this season, and
owns a losing record despite a 2.73
ERA. The Pirates, who have the best
record in the major leagues at 6744 following 20 consecutive losing
seasons, maintained their 11/2game lead in the NL Central over St.
Louis.
Colorado starter Juan Nicasio (6-
eight innings. He struck out 11.
PHILADELPHIA: Carlos Ruiz No. 51 of the Philadelphia Phillies chases
down BJ Upton No. 2 of the Atlanta Braves in a rundown for an out in
the second inning. —AFP
6) struggled for a second consecutive start, giving four runs and six
hits in 4 1-3 innings with three
walks and four strikeouts. He
allowed a career-high eight runs in
his previous start Tuesday at
Atlanta.
DODGERS 1, CUBS 0
In Chicago, AJ Ellis hit an RBI single and Stephen Fife pitched into
the sixth inning as Los Angeles
extended its franchise-record road
winning streak to 14 with a win
over Chicago.
The Dodgers haven’t lost on the
road since July 6 in San Francisco.
The NL record for consecutive road
wins is 17 by the New York Giants in
1916. Detroit was the last to win 14
straight in 1984.
The Cubs haven’t scored for 23
straight innings. Fife (4-3) struck
out five and allowed seven hits in 5
1-3 scoreless innings. Kenley Jansen
struck out the side in the ninth for
his 17th save in 20 opportunities.
Cubs starter Carlos Villanueva (2-8)
allowed a run and two hits in six
innings.
CARDINALS 15, REDS 2
In Cincinnati, Matt Carpenter
broke his 0-for-23 slump with a
bases-loaded double during the
Cardinals’ decisive rally as St. Louis
ended a tough trip on the upswing
by beating Cincinnati.
The Cardinals went 3-8 on a trip
that included seven straight losses four of them in Pittsburgh, allowing
the Pirates to overtake them for the
NL Central lead.
Carpenter’s two-run double off
the wall completed a five-run rally
in the sixth against Mike Leake (105) and two relievers. Matt Adams,
David Freese and Tony Cruz homered for the Cardinals, who have
scored 13, 13, 3 and 15 runs in their
last four games. Lance Lynn (13-5)
allowed two runs on four hits in
BREWERS 8, NATIONALS 5
In Milwaukee, Jeff Bianchi lofted
a single that dropped just behind a
drawn-in infield, breaking a tie and
capping a five-run sixth inning as
Milwaukee beat Washington.
With the score tied 4-4 and runners at second and third, Bianchi’s
soft bloop off Fernando Abad (0-3)
dropped in back of second base as
Anthony Rendon raced back to
make a play. It allowed Khris Davis
to score from third and Juan
Francisco to just beat the throw
home with a perfect slide.
John Axford (5-4) allowed a
home run to Adam LaRoche in the
top of the sixth but nothing else to
earn the win. Jim Henderson
pitched the ninth for his 15th save
in 18 chances. Milwaukee snapped
a three-game losing streak.
INTERLEAGUE
INDIANS 2, MARLINS 0
In Miami, Scott Kazmir and three
relievers combined on a four-hitter
as Cleveland beat Miami for its 10th
win in 11 games.
The shutout was the 15th for the
Indians, most in the American
League. They took two of three
games in the series despite scoring
a total of only six runs. The Indians,
who are chasing AL Central-leading
Detroit, begin a four-game series at
home Monday against the Tigers.
Lonnie Chisenhall and Michael
Brantley drove in the Indians’ runs,
and that was enough for Kazmir (74). Making his 200th career appearance, the left-hander allowed two
hits in six innings. Nathan Eovaldi
(2-2) allowed only one run in seven
innings but left after throwing 105
pitches. —AP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
S P ORTS
Woods wins at Firestone
Usain Bolt celebrates in this file photo.
Bolt fired up for worlds
despite rivals’ absence
MOSCOW: Usain Bolt is determined not to
let the absence of some of his main rivals
make him drop his guard as he tries to win
back the 100 metres world title he lost two
years ago. Bolt, who retained his Olympic
title last year, said after arriving in Moscow
for the world championships that he was
not worried he would repeat the nightmare
of Daegu in 2011, when he was disqualified
for a false start.
“I went to the Olympics, and now I’m
back - back to regain my title. I’m even
more focused that last time. So I’m going to
get it done,” the Jamaican told Reuters on
Sunday, six days before the championships
start. American Tyson Gay and Jamaican
former world record holder Asafa Powell
will not compete in Moscow after failing
doping tests. Jamaican Yohan Blake will not
defend his title because of a hamstring
injury. Bolt, who has won six Olympic gold
medals and is the 100 metres world record
holder, denied their absence would affect
his own motivation, pointing out that he
had won titles before when big rivals were
not competing.
“So for me I’m really motivated to go
and show the world that even without
nobody there, I can still win. So I’m focused,
and I’m ready to go,” he said. Bolt, whose
main rival for the 100 gold is likely to be
American Justin Gatlin, made it clear that
winning was his priority, not setting a new
world record in next Sunday’s final. “I never
predict times, because you never know, it
might be like this, you know, overcast, and
slightly chilly, or it might just be warm. You
never know what can happen so that’s my
focus, and that’s what I’m going out there
to do, and (to) prove to the world that I’m
still a champion,” he said.
Bolt, 26, looked relaxed as he performed
a set with DJs at a Jamaican-themed party
in the Puma Yard in Gorky Park in central
Moscow. He said he would not jump the
gun by discussing the doping tests failed
by Powell and Gay, saying the full details
were not known: “So, I don’t want to judge
anybody until I hear the final.”
Bolt won 100, 200 and relay golds in the
2008 and 2012 Olympics. He also won the
100 and 200 world titles in 2009 and
retained the 200 title in Daegu two years
later. He said he was open to a proposal
by Mo Farah, Britain’s Olympic 5,000 and
10,000 metres champion, to race each
other over 600 metres. “We don’t know if
it will happen, but we’ll definitely be
thinking about it, to see if it possibly
could fit in our schedules. So we’ll definitely look into it and see what can happen,” Bolt said. —Reuters
AKRON: Tiger Woods eased to a seven-shot victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on
Sunday, earning his 79th win on the PGA Tour
and sounding an ominous warning to his rivals
ahead of next week’s PGA Championship.
Seven strokes ahead overnight, the world
number one left an elite field trailing in his wake
as he signed off with an even-par 70 at Firestone
Country Club to land a record eighth title in the
World Golf Championships (WGC) event.
Woods played rock-steady golf on a warm,
blustery afternoon at one his favourite venues,
barely making a mistake on the way to a 15under total of 265 for his fifth PGA Tour title this
year in only 11 starts. With his eighth victory at
Firestone, he equalled the mark he already
shares with Sam Snead for most wins at a single
PGA Tour event.
It also leaves him just three shy of matching
the Hall of Famer’s record 82 career PGA Tour
victories. Since turning professional in late 1996,
Woods has won at least five times on the U.S. circuit in 10 separate seasons.
“ The total body of work is pretty good,”
Woods told reporters after earning the winner’s
cheque for $1.5 million. “One thing I’m proud of
is obviously how many times I’ve won, how
many World Golf Championships I’ve won, but
also how many years I’ve won five or more times
in a season. “That’s something I’m very proud of
is how many tournaments I’ve been able to win
consistently, year-in and year-out, and then how
many World Golf Championships I’ve been able
to win.” Fellow American Keegan Bradley, the
defending champion, closed with a five-birdie
67 to share second place at eight under with
Swede Henrik Stenson (70).
“It was a really weird feeling because it was
like a tournament within a tournament,” said
Bradley. “Coming in second is a big accomplishment considering Tiger had such a big lead.
“It’s very tough to give Tiger that many shots.
The round he shot on Friday was pretty special.
You know, I hate to sit here and go on and on
about how good he is, but he is.”
The tournament was effectively over after
Woods distanced himself from his rivals with a
stunning nine-under 61 on Friday and virtually
every spectator on Sunday had eyes firmly
focused on the world number one.
The galleries were lined three-to-four deep
on the right side of the fairway before Woods
teed off in the final round, fans having welcomed him with shouts of “Go Tiger” and “79”.
After using an iron off the tee at the par-four
first to find the left portion of the fairway, he
struck his approach just short of the green into
the rough from where he chipped five feet past
the hole and made the putt to save par.
Wearing his trademark Sunday red shirt,
Woods played solidly for the next eight holes,
lining up mid-range birdie putts on each green
while squandering his only close opportunity
from six feet at the second. Out in level-par 35,
Woods recorded his only birdie of the day at the
par-four 10th, sinking a seven-footer to briefly
stretch his advantage to nine strokes.
The quality of his iron play was stellar all day
and it came as a surprise when he made his only
error of the round with a three-putt bogey from
long range at the par-four 14th for his lead to be
cut to eight.
That lead then shrank to seven when Bradley
birdied the par-four 17th but Woods safely
parred his last four holes to complete the 18th
WGC win of his career in 42 starts.
“Being as blustery as it was, it was going to be
really hard for someone to shoot 62 or 63 today,”
said Woods, who after his round picked up his
young son, Charlie, before setting off to sign his
card.
“If I didn’t give any shots away today and
played my game and shot even par or better, I’d
have to force these guys to go and shoot something super low on a golf course that wasn’t
going to give it up under these conditions.”
US Open winner Justin Rose carded a 69 to
finish at one under, two strokes better than
British Open champion Phil Mickelson, who said
he lacked the requisite sharpness all week as he
signed off with a 71.
Northern Irish world number three Rory
McIlroy closed with a 72 to end a largely disappointing week as he prepares for his title
defence at the PGA Championship.
“I keep saying my game doesn’t feel too
far away,” said McIlroy. “It’s obviously not
where I want it to be, but it’s not a million
miles away.” —Reuters
Turkey bans 31
athletes for doping
TURKEY: The Turkish Athletics Federation
(TAF) has given two-year suspensions to 31
athletes for drug violations, it announced
yesterday.
At least three of the athletes competed
at the 2012 London Olympics, including
hammer thrower Esref Apak, the 2004 silver
medallist.
Bans had been expected after the
International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF) conducted a large number of tests ahead of and during the
Mediterranean Games in the Turkish city of
Mersin in June.
Apak was one of eight athletes who
tested positive following the European
Team Championships in Gateshead the
same month. Last week, TAF chairman
Mehmet Terzi resigned from the post he
had held for nine years in the face of doping allegations directed at Turkish sportsmen and women.
“The athletes were found to be in viola-
tion of Turkey’s strict anti-doping laws following testing undertaken by the Turkish
anti-doping authority ( TADA),” Ugur
Erderner, president of Turkey’s National
Olympic Committee and a member of the
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) executive board, said in a statement.
“TADA conducted the tests either as
part of their own anti-doping programmes,
or in conjunction with the IAAF and WADA.
“This work is part of a concerted, and
much more aggressive, anti-doping policy
in Turkey that has been in place for over six
months and will be further reinforced with
the re-accreditation of the WADA-licensed
anti-doping laboratory in Ankara later this
year.” Erderner said an anti-doping education programme would be introduced in
schools and colleges. “Turkey has zero tolerance for doping and it is our intention to
have clean, young athletes competing on
the international sporting stage in the
future.” —Reuters
COLOMBIA: Fireworks burst over the Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium during the
closing ceremony of the World Games on August 4, 2013, in Cali. The World Games
gather more than 4,700 athletes from around the world to compete in 31 sports not
included in the Olympic Games. —AFP
AKRON: Tiger Woods holds the Gary Player Cup trophy after the Final Round of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at
Firestone Country Club. —AFP
Woodland cruises to victory
TORONTO: American Gary Woodland cruised to an easy win on Sunday at
the Reno-Tahoe Open, the PGA Tour’s only event using a modified
Stableford scoring system.
Woodland, who shot a final round of three-under 69, started the day
with a seven-point lead and finished nine clear of his nearest rivals,
Jonathan Byrd and Andres Romero of Argentina.
Woodland compiled a total of 44 points for the tournament, where
points were awarded for birdies and eagles and deducted for bogeys or
worse.
The victory was Woodland’s second in a PGA Tour event and sealed a
place in next week’s PGA Championship. He also won the Transitions
Championship two years ago in his rookie season.
“It felt like it was meant to be this week,” said Woodland. “I tried to stay
calm and really focus on what I was doing.” With a big overnight lead, he
was never seriously challenged on the final day, even though he managed
only one birdie in his first 13 holes.
He made his only bogey of the tournament on the par-4 17th, but
picked up three birdies in the last five holes, including a 58-foot chip on
367-yard, par-4 14th that dropped into the cup.
“I was just trying to get it on the green, let alone go in. It was one of the
best shots I’ve ever hit,” he said. Byrd charged up the leaderboard to finish
tied for second on 35 points with a brilliant closing round of 64 that featured seven birdies and an eagle.
“My whole mindset was just to be a little more aggressive and give ourselves chances and just free it up,” Byrd said.
“And I was able to do that today getting off to a hot start. I just felt like I
was off to the races.” Romero (69) was unable to make up any ground on
Woodland but leapfrogged Brendan Steele (72), who had been second
overnight but bogeyed two of his last three holes on Sunday.
He finished fourth on 33 points, one clear of Dickie Pride and their fellow American David Mathies. —Reuters
RENO: Gary Woodland kisses the trophy after his victory during the
final round of the Reno-Tahoe Open at Montreaux Golf and Country
Club. —AFP
Historic Moscow arena to undergo renovation
MOSCOW: The World Athletics
Championships will be the last major
event staged at Russia’s top sports venue-Moscow’s Luzhniki arena before it
shuts down for several years to undergo
a complete renovation for the 2018 football World Cup.
Event organisers have already
renewed the field, tracks and jumping
sectors at the 84,745-capacity arena for
the August 10-18 championships.
The improvements are just the first
step in the total reconstruction of the stadium, which is remembered fondly by
Muscovites as the centrepiece of the
1980 Moscow Olympics-the biggest
sporting event in the history of the
Soviet Union.
“The arena, which is also a historic
monument, will not be demolished. But
it’s also impossible to leave it as it is
because it doesn’t fit the strict FIFA
demands for World Cup venues,”
Moscow’s chief architect Sergei
Kuznetsov told AFP.
“But the outward appearance of the
venue will not be seriously changed, to
keep this historic memory of the nation
alive.” Russian athletes tested the facilities
during their national championships in
July and all said they were satisfied with
the new surface.
“ The arena is just amazing. It’s a
bomb!” Maria Abakumova, the 2008
Olympic silver medallist and reigning
world champion in women’s javelin, said
after winning the national title.
“ The sector is very good. We can
expect serious results here at the worlds,”
women’s long jump champion Lyudmila
Kolchanova added.
The decision to construct the riverside
sports centre was taken at the height of
the Cold War in December 1954 and it
was officially opened on July 31, 1956.
The construction of Luzhniki became
a true “people’s construction site” as
crowds of Muscovites came to work at
the construction site for free at weekends
to speed up the work. It took just 450
days to build. An impressive set of other
sporting venues, including an ice palace,
swimming pool and tennis courts were
also constructed.
This turned the territory of what used
to resemble a country village- mostly
famous for its huge puddles and bogsinto a modern sport city.
Since that time the main arena-which
is also the home of Russian football
giants Spartak Moscow-hosted more that
3,000 official football matches, including
the 1999 UEFA Cup final and the 2008
Champions League final.
Luzhniki also staged world championships in ice hockey (1957), modern
pentathlon (1961) and speed skating
(1962).
Matches for the Rugby Sevens World
Cup also took place at the stadium this
year and it will host the opening and final
match of the 2018 football World Cup.
The arena underwent a complete renovation in 1995, when its stands were
equipped with individual plastic seats
and a special roof was constructed to
protect the spectators from rain and
snow.
“ The renovation of the arena will
begin right after the end of the athletics
championships,” said the stadium’s
deputy general director, Boris
Megrelidze. “We’re planning the capacity
of around 88,000 seats after the reconstruction. It’s the FIFA demand and we
shall adhere to it unconditionally.”
The arena should be re-opened in
2017 to host matches for the
Confederations Cup, the traditional dress
rehearsal for the World Cup. —AFP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
S P ORTS
Teen girls dazzle
buoyed by Phelps
BARCELONA: Missy Franklin claimed
an historic six golds at swimming’s
world championships while Ruta
Meilutyte and Katie Ledecky each
broke two world records as teenage
girls ruled the pool in Barcelona.
US starlet Franklin earned her six in
the 100 and 200m backstroke finals,
the 200m freestyle, plus she picked up
relay gold medals in the 4x100m and
4x200m freestyle finals, then Sunday’s
4x100m medley.
It made her the first woman to win
six titles at a world championships,
her haul matching Ian Thorpe of
Australia at the 2001 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
It’s a mark which has only been
bettered by Michael Phelps’ seven
golds at Melbourne in 2007.
“It is an honour to be the first
woman to reach this landmark,” said
Franklin, who won five golds at the
London Olympics and set the 200m
backstroke record.
The 18-year-old American won six
of the eight events she entered in the
stand-out performance in Barcelona
while Ledecky of the USA and
Lithuania’s Meilutyte, who are both
sixteen, finished with two world
records each.
A total of five world records were
broken in Barcelona-all by women.
BARCELONA: US swimmer Katie Ledecky holds the FINA trophy for the best
female swimmer during the award ceremony at the FINA World
Championships. —AFP
Meilutyte took both the 50m and
100m breaststroke records, while
Ledecky shaved nearly six seconds off
the 1500m record, then lowered the
800m mark on Saturday while
Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen, 24
also set a new 200m breaststroke
record.
Ledecky said Phelps’s mark can still
be felt on the sport, 12 months after
the swim legend walked away after
last year’s Olympics.
“There are a lot of great female
swimmers right now,” said Ledecky as
Phelps retired last year after a career
which included 18 Olympic golds and
26 world titles.
“Michael left a great legacy and I
think a lot of people have been
inspired by him, both male and
female. “The men are trying to chase
his records, which are really hard to
reach and it is the women’s time right
now.”
Despite Franklin’s achievements,
Ledecky deserved her award as the
championships’ best female swimmer
with a haul of four golds after sweeping the long-distance freestyle events
over 400, 800 and 1500m, plus helping the USA women’s 4x200m
freestyle relay squad to victory.
Ledecky has said she now wants to
test herself over 200m, which would
put her on a collision course with
Franklin at the 2015 world championships in Kazan, Russia, before the
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Even
without Phelps, the USA team dominated the medals table with 29
medals (13 gold, 8 silvers and 8
bronze) with China a distant second
with a total of nine, France third and
Australia fourth.
Australia bounced back from their
disappointing performance at the
Olympics with three gold. Both Cate
Campbell and James Magnussen won
their respective 100m freestyle finals
while Christian Sprenger took the
100m breaststroke title.
China’s 21-year-old long-distance
star Sun Yang again proved he has few
peers in the freestyle adding Sunday’s
1500m title to the 400m and 800m
golds he won during the week.
But Chinese teenager Ye Shiwen
was a flop as the Olympic 200 and
400m individual medley champion
finished fourth and seventh over the
respective distances.
Ye took the London 2012 Olympics
by storm when she won took both IM
titles, swimming the final leg of the
400m final in a faster time than men’s
winner Ryan Lochte to set the world
record of 4min 28.43sec. Ye’s time in
the Barcelona 400m IM final was just
over 10 seconds slower than her
world record in London.
Ryan Lochte carried the burden of
Phelps’ absence for the US men with
three golds that took his tally of world
titles to an amazing 15.
South Africa’s Chad le Clos and
Cameron van der Burgh picked up
where they left off in London with Le
Clos winning both the 100 and 200m
butterfly golds in Barcelona.
Van der Burgh, the Olympic champion, finished second to Sprenger in
the men’s 100m breaststroke, but
gained revenge with gold in the 50m
final with Sprenger second. —AFP
Photo of the day
Jake Gagne of USA enters the first corner at the AMA Pro Go Pro Daytona Sport Bike race of Red Bull US
Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca —www.redbull.com
Australia sees
golden horizon
MELBOURNE: Australia’s three-gold
performance at the world championships has raised hopes the former
swimming power can re-capture its
glory days after a dismal year marked
by Olympic failure and a number of
controversies out of the pool.
Australia finished fourth in the final
standings in Spain behind the United
States, China and France, but their
total of 13 medals was beaten only by
the Americans and they boasted an
encouraging 10 silvers. The haul, highlighted by golds in both the men’s
and women’s 100 metres freestyle,
was a big improvement on the solitary women’s relay gold won from the
London Games, where the team
slumped to its lowest Olympic haul in
20 years.
It also helped expunge some of the
negative fall-out from London, which
saw the men’s freestyle relay team
plunged into scandal for taking a
sedative in a team bonding exercise,
and the nation’s swimming establishment slammed for allowing culture
problems to fester.
“It was a really positive step forward,” Australia’s former freestyle
world champion Daniel Kowalski told
Reuters yesterday.
“To surpass the performances of
last year is a massive step in the right
direction and provided the swimmers
with the opportunity to let that do the
talking.
“Obviously a lot has been said
(about them). “Now they’ve put performances on the board and have
really done their part in helping to
rebuild after what’s been a really
tough year.”
James Magnussen celebrated a
successful defence of his 100m
freestyle world title, capping a difficult
period in which he was pilloried for
swimming poorly in the men’s relay at
London and missing out on gold in
the individual event.
Cate Campbell’s triumph in the
women’s 100m freestyle ensured
Australia would hold both crowns in
the blue-riband distance for the first
time since the 1960 Mexico Olympics,
and came after she was ruled out of
the London race after contracting
pancreatitis.
Like all other nations, however,
Australia were trounced by the
Americans, who finished with 13
golds from a total of 29 medals, with
the brilliant Missy Franklin claiming
six titles alone.
Australia have yet to unearth a new
generation of medal-making
machines following the retirements of
a raft of champions including fivetime Olympic gold medallist Ian
Thorpe and 1,500m freestyle great
Grant Hackett. Other nations, meanwhile, like China and France, have
caught up.
Kowalski, who captured a freestyle
relay gold at the 2000 Sydney Games
and was a fixture of Australia’s dominant teams of the 1990s, said the
American feats in Barcelona were
“scary”.
The Australians, however, were
well placed to chip away at their dominance, with team members, coaches
and officials back on the same page,
and only a few months after independent reviews into the London flop
alleged the team was riven by bully-
ing, infighting and allegations of
favouritism.
“I think they’ve been provided a
number of opportunities post-London
to air their feeelings, air their grievances,” Kowalski, general manager of
the Australian Swimmers Association,
said of the team.
“Definitely (team unity) is the
strongest it’s been probably since
about 2008. “We just have to get the
public and commentators to start to
see that the sport is trying and I think
that this is a great first step.”
The next step may be to secure a
new head coach after Leigh Nugent
resigned earlier this year following a
barrage of media criticism for failing
to deal with team indiscipline during
the London Games. Swimming
Australia appointed caretakers
Michael Bohl and Rohan Taylor to lead
the women and men’s teams respectively at the world championships,
and the governing body was interviewing candidates in Europe for the
permanent head role, local media
reported.
The successful candidate would
need to have a thick skin to lead a
nation that produced the likes of
Dawn Fraser and Thorpe, and has
been dismayed by the loss of clout in
the pool, Kowalski suggested. “It’s a
great role, but it’s also a tough role to
walk into because there’s a lot of
expectation and history and tradition,”
he said. “But whoever they are, I think
they should feel confident that there
is a structure in place now, and support and people who want to get the
sport back to where it was previously
and do it collectively.” —Reuters
Lynx and Stars roll
MINNEAPOLIS: Lindsay Whalen
scored 22 points, Seimone Augustus
added 18 and the Minnesota Lynx
beat the Seattle Storm 90-72 Sunday
for their 18th straight home win.
Rebekkah Brunson had 12 points
and 11 rebounds and Maya Moore
scored 16 points as Minnesota (16-3)
extended its overall winning streak
to nine games.
Minnesota’s home win streak,
dating back to last season, is tied
with the 2010-11 Storm teams for
the third longest streak in WNBA history. Los Angeles won a record 28
straight at home from 2000-02 and
19 in a row from 2012-13.
Shekinna Stricklen led Seattle (811) with 24 points. Tina Thompson
had 12 and Tanisha Wright 10.
The Storm cut a 31-point secondhalf deficit to 13 midway through
the fourth quarter before the Lynx
regained control down the stretch.
SPAIN: Silver medalist Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte poses with her medal and her women’s 50-metre breaststroke
world record award during the award ceremony of the womenís 50-metre breaststroke swimming event in the
FINA World Championships.—AFP
Chong and Long advance
GUANGZHOU: Top-seeded Lee
Chong Wei of Malaysia defeated
Ireland’s Scott Evans in straight games
to advance to the second round of the
World Badminton Championship yesterday.
Chong Wei won 21-14, 21-15 in just
40 minutes and will next meet
Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka of
Indonesia in the second round.
Rumbaka defeated Israel’s Misha
Zilberman 21-15, 23-21 to set up a
tough second round match.
No. 2-seeded Chen Long of China
also advanced after a one-sided 21-2,
21-5 win over Luka Wraber of Austria
while his countryman Du Pengyu
dropped a game before beating
South Korea’s Wan Ho Son 21-17, 1621, 21-13.
Long’s next round opponent will
be Japan’s Sho Sasaki, who defeated
Scotland’s Alistair Casey 21-6, 21-18.
The biggest upset during yesterday’s
play involved No. 12-seeded Wing Ki
Wong of Hong Kong losing 22-20, 1721, 21-10 to India’s Ajay Jayaram while
Eric Pang of the Netherlands got a
walkover against Japan’s No. 5-seeded
Kenichi Tago.
Among the other seeded players,
Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, Yun Hu
of Hong Kong, Tien Minh Nguyen of
Vietnam, Indonesian Tommy Sugirato
and Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen all
advanced to the second round. —AP
SILVER STARS 69, SHOCK 65
In San Antonio, Danielle
Robinson scored 19 points, Jia
Perkins had 18 as San Antonio won
its third straight home game.
Danielle Adams added 14 points
and Jayne Appel had nine points
and 13 rebounds for San Antonio (713). Glory Johnson scored 19 points
and Liz Cambage added 16 for Tulsa
(7-15), which has lost two of three.
With the Silver Stars leading by four
in the final minute, Robinson was
fouled twice and made all four free
throws to help secure the win. Tulsa
followed each pair with a 3-pointer the latter by Jennifer Lacy that
pulled the Shock to 67-65 with 19
seconds remaining. Perkins and
Robinson each made a free throw in
the final 17 seconds to close out the
victory.
SPARKS 75, MYSTICS 57
In Washington, Nneka Ogwumike
had 22 points and 10 rebounds,
Lindsey Harding added 11 points
and a career-high 14 assists as Los
Angeles beat Washington.
Jantel Lavender had 13 points
and 10 rebounds for her first double -double of the year, Marissa
Coleman scored 11 points and
Ebony Hoffman added 10 for the
Sparks (13-7). Harding came within
two assists of the league’s all-time
record of 16, set twice by Ticha
Penicheiro, and within one of the
team mark also set by Penicheiro in
2010.
Los Angeles was without leading
scorer and rebounder Candace
Parker with a wrist injury for the second straight game.
Cr ystal Langhorne scored 23
points for the Mystics (9-12), who
lost their third straight game and
fifth in their last six. —AP
Lindsay Whalen
19
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
sp orts
Argentine football giants River Plate open university
BUENOS AIRES: Deep in the depths
of Buenos Aires’ iconic Monumental
Stadium, not far from where Mario
Kempes once inspired Argentina to
World Cup glory in 1978, fitness trainer Fernando Mas is planning for the
future.
But while the famous 65,000-capacity arena situated above him rocks to
the sound of raucous chanting whenever home club River Plate or
Argentina’s national team are playing,
today a hushed, scholarly silence prevails. Mas, 29, is one of around 70 students at the recently inaugurated
River Plate University, believed to be
the first institution of its kind operated
by a football club anywhere in the
world.
The son of legendary 1960s and
1970s River striker Oscar “Pinino” Mas
admits that a lifelong association with
the club was responsible for guiding
him towards the university.
“I’ve chosen it above all because it’s
River,” Mas told AFP. “Not only am I a
supporter but I also love this club and
know a lot of people here.
“The club is not satisfied with just
football, which is at the heart of the
team. This university is a testament to
the club’s greatness.”
But while Mas’s return to education
may have been colored by his loyalty
to the club, there are above all practical reasons for enrolling.
“I didn’t want to be doing nothing. I
wanted to start studying again and I
needed a professor to pressure me
and show me what to do,” he laughs.
“My line of thought was to return to
studying. But also I am a fitness trainer
and I think that here, in a few years,
like in Europe, a diploma will be
required to sit on the bench,” with substitutes and the technical team, he
explained to AFP. The most successful
club in Argentine football’s long history, River was founded more than a
century ago. An educational system
was first set up under the club’s auspices as far back as 1928, although it
was restricted to players only.
Today, River teaches some 2,000
students from kindergarten through
to university age, a one-stop shop
catering to all.
It’s possible to sign up a child “and
for him to go through kindergarten,
primary school, secondary school and
then higher education or university,”
says Marcela Stronatti, head of River’s
primary school.
“It’s an important academic offer
and a very prestigious one in our
country.” River Plate University chancellor Juan Carlos Pugliese says the
club is a “social institution.”
“We’re more than 100 years old and
we have developed an education system. Today we’ve realized that the
club had to go up one level and create
a university,” he explained.
“There are a lot of universities that
have a football team, but we are the
only team with a university, and really,
a comprehensive educational system,”
he adds. The university offers four
areas of study: sports marketing,
sports administration, business
administration and physical education.
“We want to shape professionals
who correspond to different facets of
the sporting world,” Pugliese said.
A Mexican and Colombian are the
first foreign students to enroll in the
private institution, where classes cost
1,200 pesos per month (around $220),
with a discount for team members.
Those behind the university hope that
more foreigners will enroll.
Teachers and administrators point
to several footballers, both active and
retired, who passed through River’s
school, including former Argentine
international Hernan Crespo and the
current darling of the national side
Gonzalo Higuain, who has just moved
to Napoli from Real Madrid.
Agustina, a young mother of two
girls, an eight-month old and threeyear-old, enrolled her children in River
Plate’s nursery and kindergarten, and
expects her children to spend the
entirety of their education at the
school. “The school is good and it’s difficult to get a spot. I’m for River, and
the girls as well-but my husband roots
for Independiente,” she says.
“There’s a prejudice that you have
be from River to come here. The
school is excellent, and that’s why we
chose it, whether you are a member of
the club or not.”—AFP
United reject second
Chelsea bid for Rooney
STEVENAGE: Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne (center) leaves
Stevenage Magistrates Court, north of London yesterday. —AFP
Gascoigne fined for
rail station assault
STEVENAGE: Troubled former England
football star Paul Gascoigne was fined
yesterday after pleading guilty to common assault and drunk and disorderly
behaviour at a railway station.
The ex-Tottenham and Lazio midfielder, who has a long history of alcoholism,
admitted the two charges at Stevenage
Magistrates’ Court, north of London.
The 46-year-old was fined £1,000
($1,540, 1,160 euros) — £600 for the
assault and £400 for the second charge.
He was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation to security guard Jack
Sherrington, who he assaulted, court
costs of £85 and a £60 victim surcharge.
A charge of assault against his ex-wife
Sheryl was dropped.
Gascoigne was travelling from his
native Newcastle in northeast England to
London on July 4, but got off the train at
Stevenage station. Sherrington tried to
assist by putting the drunken Gascoigne
in a wheelchair after noticing him staggering towards the railway tracks, prosecutors told the court.
Gascoigne became abusive towards
Sherrington, swearing repeatedly and
grabbing him for a few seconds around
the neck. Sherrington did not sustain any
injuries. The court heard that Gascoigne’s
ex-wife and children were called to the
station.
The police were called at 10:30pm and
arrested the former star. Gascoigne
received treatment for alcoholism at a US
clinic earlier this year, organised by concerned friends.
His lawyer Gavin Harris told reporters
outside court: “Mr Gascoigne wants to
publicly apologise for his actions that
evening. He now wishes to be left alone
to carry on with his recovery.”
Gascoigne did not speak as he left
court. Known to fans as “Gazza”, he made
57 appearances for England between
1988 and 1998.
Considered one of the most talented
English players ever, Gascoigne is best
known for his exploits at the 1990 World
Cup in Italy, where he helped England
reach the semi-finals.
He started his career at Newcastle and
went on to play for Spurs, Lazio, Rangers,
Middlesbrough and Everton before his
career wound down.—AFP
Chelsea down Milan 2-0
EAST RUTHERFORD: Goals from Kevin
de Bruyne and Andre Schuerlle lifted
Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over AC Milan
Sunday and set up a match for manager
Jose Mourinho against former club Real
Madrid. Mourinho, who left Real Madrid
two months ago to return to the London
club, and Chelsea will face off against 32time Spanish champions Real Madrid
tomorrow in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium for
the inaugural title in the International
Champions Cup, an eight-team friendly
tournament.
Chelsea are the only side who haven’t
allowed a goal in their first two matches,
while Real, who beat Everton 2-1 in Los
Angeles on Saturday, have a tournament-high five goals.
On Sunday, Branislav Ivanovic gave
Chelsea the initiative in the fourth
minute, finding space on the left side
near the byline only to have his effort
blocked at the right post by Milan keeper
Christian Abbiati. Ivanvonic put a header
wide in the 12th before Milan had its first
chance, a blast by Kevin-Prince Boateng
that went high and wide. De Bruyne had
a goal disallowed 22nd for offside, but
Chelsea got on the score sheet in the
29th minute when Eden Hazard found
space on the left, dribbled toward the
middle and passed to an unmarked
Debruyne.
The 22-year-old Belgian international,
who transferred from Genk in 2012 but
spent last season on loan at Werder
Bremen, angled a shot across the goal
line. It wasn’t until the second minute of
injury time that Chelsea added another
goal, when Victor Moses broke free on
the left and sent a ball across the area to
Schuerrle. The 22-year-old German international, who joined Chelsea on a reported 21 million euro transfer from
Leverkusen in June, volleyed the ball low
inside the right post. —AP
LONDON: Manchester United
have rejected a second offer from
rivals Chelsea for unsettled forward Wayne Rooney, the Premier
League champions said yesterday.
The Europa League winners
tabled an improved bid for
Rooney, having had an initial cash
offer rebuffed last month. “A bid
was received yesterday and
immediately rejected,” a United
spokesperson told the BBC. “Our
position remains that he is not for
sale.”
Rooney left United’s recent
pre-season tour of the Far East
due to a hamstring injury, hours
after arriving in Bangkok. The
England striker has also now been
ruled of Tuesday’s pre-season
friendly at AIK Stockholm because
of a shoulder problem he picked
up in a behind-closed-doors
match at the weekend. According
to recent media reports, Rooney
has been ‘angry and confused’
with his situation at United after
comments from new manager
David Moyes that suggested he
was a backup in attack to Robin
van Persie.
The former Everton player has
been the subject of transfer speculation since retired manager Alex
Ferguson said at the end of last
season that the 27-year-old had
asked to leave the club.
Rooney joined United for 27
million pounds ($41.24 million)in
August 2004 and has made 402
appearances for the club, scoring
197 goals and winning five league
titles and the Champions League.
He has two years left of a contract that, according to media
reports, earns him a basic salary of
250,000 pounds ($381,800) a
week.
Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas will
resist overtures from Manchester
United to stay at his “dream” club
Barcelona, his teammate and
close friend Gerard Pique said yesterday.
The English Premier League
champions have so far failed with
two bids for Fabregas, who has
emerged as their main summer
transfer target as new boss David
Moyes seeks to inject a creative
force into his midfield. But Pique,
a close confidante of the midfield
maestro since their time at
Barcelona’s acclaimed La Masia
academy, said Fabregas was
determined to stay in Catalonia
and fight for a starting place at
the club he left as a 16-year-old.
“He wants to stay in Barcelona
because it’s always been his
dream (to play for Barca),” Pique
said. “I’m confident he will stay on.
He’s a good player, he will always
have offers because of his talent,
but he is feeling quite calm right
now,” the towering 26-year-old
defender told reporters in
Thailand at the start of Barca’s
whistlestop Asia tour.
His comments echo those of
Barcelona sporting director
Andoni Zubizarreta, who told
Wayne Rooney celebrates in this file photo.
Spanish media Monday that
Manchester United have abandoned their interest in the playmaker.
Fabregas, who was met with
garlands as he arrived in Bangkok
with his teammates, has failed to
nail down a starting position in
Barca’s star-studded midfield. His
international teammates Xavi,
Andres Iniesta and Sergio
Busquets are ahead of him in the
pecking order, especially in big
matches. But Barca are reluctant
to sell the pint-sized Fabregas,
especially since the loss of Thiago
Alcantara to Bayern Munich.
Barca enticed Fabregas back
from Arsenal with a long-term
view to him replacing the 33-yearold Xavi, who is expected to play
fewer games in the coming sea-
son.
But Iniesta said competition for
places at the La Liga champions
was not something that deters
the players. “It’s about the performance of the whole team, we
have to look at the whole picture,”
he told reporters at a press conference hours after the Barca touring team arrived in Bangkok.
Barcelona return to Asia three
years after their last tour of the
football-mad continent-home to a
massive fan base and huge potential sums in sponsorship. The tour
is a final chance for new manager
Gerardo Martino to assess his players in official friendly action before
the start of the La Liga season on
August 18. The new boss has
impressed Barca’s superstars so far,
according to Pique.—Agencies
Wenger fears slow progress on transfers
LONDON: Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal may
be forced to go into their crucial Champions
League qualifier without further additions to
the squad. Wenger has experienced a frustrating close season in the transfer market with
France under-20 international Yaya Sanogo
the only new arrival at the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger’s interest in Luis Suarez, his principal target, is ongoing but so far Arsenal have
failed to persuade Liverpool to part with the
striker with a bid of over £40 million
(46,038,504 euros) falling short of the Anfield
club’s valuation.
The start of season is less than two weeks
away with the Gunners set to face a testing
Champions League qualifier first leg on
August 20 or 21, a handful of days after the
Premier League opener against Aston Villa on
August 17. Any new signings must be registered by August 12 if they are to be eligible to
play in the Champions League qualifying
round, but Wenger concedes that is unlikely at
present. Speaking after his side had lost 2-1 to
Galatasaray in the Emirates Cup on Sunday,
Wenger said: “Let’s count first on what is here
and if we can add something, we will do.
“But it’s very difficult to predict if something
will be sorted out before we play in the
Champions League qualifier.
“I think we have enough quality to achieve
it with the players we have in at the moment
and if we can have some more in before then,
it’s even better.”
The Champions League draw could pitch
Arsenal against a number of strong sides
including PSV Eindhoven and Real Sociedad.
And Wenger added: “It’s difficult. It’s a
stressful situation but we did fight very hard to
be in that situation and now it’s time to take
advantage of the fact we finished fourth and
Arsene Wenger
we have an opportunity to qualify.
“Of course it’s always very tricky to qualify
but we have the experience of having done it
before.” Wenger will continue to target new
signings but he played down talk of a move
for former captain Cesc Fabregas. A clause in
the player’s contract gives Arsenal first refusal
should he opt to leave Barcelona but Wenger
denied this was likely, insisting he had no
knowledge of reports Barca coach Gerardo
Martino had said the player’s future lay in his
own hands. “I haven’t heard that comment at
all, and I haven’t read it so I’m always a bit cautious to answer what a manager is supposed
to have said,” Wenger said. “What I know is
Fabregas will stay one more year at least in
Barcelona. That’s the information I have. If that
changes, I don’t know. But that’s what I have
been told.” Wenger also confirmed Gervinho
was close to sealing a move to AS Roma, while
Marouane Chamakh is expected to tie up a
permanent switch to Crystal Palace.
Arsenal’s pre-season plans were disrupted
by Didier Drogba who scored twice to secure a
2-1 win and the Emirates Cup for Galatasaray
after Theo Walcott had put the Gunners ahead.
Drogba’s first came from the penalty spot
after the striker had fallen easily under a challenge from Ignasi Miguel and Wenger added: “I
think honestly the penalty was very, very soft.
It was a classic Drogba.
“We had a contrasting performance. In the
first half we had a good performance. We were
in control. “They didn’t look dangerous and we
were not capable of maintaining physically
that pace and control. “In the second half we
dropped. It’s a long time since I have seen two
such different halves.
But it was a good preparation.” Galatasaray
coach Fatih Terim was delighted with Drogba’s
contribution, saying: “Hopefully Drogba will
continue scoring goals for us. He’s a very important player and we need his goals. “We are happy we scored this goal in a Galatasaray shirt.
Hopefully he will continue to improve.”—AFP
Fluminense held by Preta
EAST RUTHERFORD: AC Milan’s Antonio Nocerino tackles Chelsea’s Ramires during a 2013 International Champions Cup match at MetLife stadium in East
Rutherford. —AFP
BRAZIL: Fluminense striker Fred,
given a temporary reprieve from
a four-match ban, missed a penalty for the second time in four
days as his side were held to a 1-1
draw by Ponte Preta in the
Brazilian championship on
Sunday. South American champions Atletico Mineiro lost their
third successive league match
since winning the Libertadores
Cup, going down 3-0 at
Flamengo, while three players
were sent off as Porto Alegre’s
“Grenal” derby ended 1-1.
Fred, who missed a penalty
against Cruzeiro on Wednesday,
has had an unhappy time since
scoring twice in Brazil’s 3-0
Confederations Cup final win over
Spain in June and continued his
run in Campinas.
He had a weak 43rd minute
penalty saved by Ponte Preta
goalkeeper Roberto, who also
managed to turn away Fred’s
effort from the rebound.
Critics argued that Fred should
not have been playing anyway as
he was banned for four games
following his sending off against
Botafogo two weeks ago.
However, he appealed the
decision and was allowed to continue playing until the new hearing as Fluminense benefited from
the controversial “suspensive
effect”. Titleholders Fluminense,
playing their second game since
the appointment of former Brazil
and Real Madrid coach Vanderlei
Luxemburgo, finally went ahead
through Gum four minutes after
the re-start but were denied a
win by William’s 86th minute
equaliser.
Atletico Mineiro’s Libertadores
hangover showed no signs of
abating as they went 2-0 down to
Flamengo in less than 15 minutes
with Nixon and Elias scoring.
Missing Ronaldinho due to a
lack of match fitness, the Roosters
were never in the game and
Paulinho added a third in the
75th minute for Flamengo.
Gremio and International
shared the spoils in a typically
fiery Porto Alegre derby which
produced two goals and three
red cards. Hernan Barcos gave
Gremio the lead with an 18th
minute penalty and Leandro
Damiao replied midway through
the second half for Dunga’s
Internacional. Inter had Jorge
Henrique dismissed for a second
yellow card and Fabricio sent off
for elbowing off in the final quarter of an hour, while Gremio’s
Werley also saw red for violent
conduct. —Reuters
Chelsea down
Milan 2-0
Woods wins at
Firestone
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
19
17
Bolt fired up for worlds despite rivals’ absence
Page 17
CARLSBAD: Samantha Stosur (left) of Australia and Victoria Azarenka of Bulgaria pose with their trophies at the Southern California Open. — AFP
Stosur stuns Azarenka in Carlsbad
CARLSBAD: Australia’s Sam Stosur won her first
title in nearly two years when she upended world
number two Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-2 to win the
Carlsbad Open on Sunday.
In registering her first victory over the
Belarussian in nine attempts, Stosur played an
opportunistic and clutch contest, fighting off 11
of 12 break points while breaking Azarenka in
every game she had the chance to do so.
“She had a lot of opportunities and all of them
except for one I hit a really good first serve and
she didn’t get a ball into play,” Stosur told
reporters.
“That’s something I have to be very happy
with, to step up the line under pressure and hit
the serves where and how I wanted to time and
time again.
“I know what it feels like not to break serve
when you have the opportunities, it can get pretty frustrating.” The fifth seeded Stosur had come
close to defeating Azarenka in their last two
meetings at the 2012 US Open and 2013 Rome,
but she hadn’t been able to contend with her
foe’s vicious returning and superior movement.
But the Azarenka that faced Stosur in Carlsbad
was just coming off knee and hip injuries she suffered at Wimbledon, and appeared to be a little
slow to the ball and inaccurate off the ground.
Stosur broke Azarenka in her first service
game to go up 2-0, but then was broken straight
back when the two times Australian Open champion ripped a backhand down the line.
But Azarenka handed the break right back by
committing three straight errors to go down 3-1,
and after Stosur was able to hold in the next
game to 4-1 by fighting off five break points with
a series of hard serves, she gained control of the
contest.
Stosur fought off another break point with a
big body serve to go ahead 5-2, and then won
the first set when Azarenka committed two more
errors.
Stosur was able to fight off another five break
points to open the second set, bombing aces on
two of the break points, which left Azarenka muttering to herself.
Azarenka’s level continued to drop and Stosur
broke her to 4-2 when she dumped a backhand
into the net. On her first match point, the
Australian watched Azarenka careen an easy
backhand well wide.
“I didn’t take my chances, but she was really
serving well today,” said Azarenka, who finished
the contest with only 11 winners and 32 unforced
errors.
“I was trying to do the same thing that wasn’t
working. That wasn’t very smart for me to do. But
I have to give her credit, she played great.”
The 29-year-old Stosur said that the title was
exactly what she needed heading toward the U.S.
at Flushing Meadows.
“It was just such a confidence boost to win
such a big tournament, such a staple,” she said of
her 2011 victory. “It was very good for my confidence and it definitely gave me the experience I
needed. It propelled me to get to the finals at the
US Open,” added Williams, who lost the final at
Flushing Meadows that year to Samantha Stosur.
The 31-year-old American brings a formidable
recent record to the Canadian hard courts, with
seven titles this year including a French Open
crown and, most recently, the Swedish Open.
However, she thinks there could be plenty of
room for improvement, and more titles. “I don’t
know if I’ve peaked yet,” Williams said as she prepared for this week’s tournament. “I don’t know if
I’ve gotten to the top of the mountain yet. “If I am
there, I want to stay there.” That’s ominous news
for her challengers, many of whom will also be in
Toronto.—AFP
Rain helps England retain Ashes
Del Potro defeats
Isner in DC final
WASHINGTON: Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina
overcame a shaky opening set to defeat big-serving American John Isner 3-6 6-1 6-2 on Sunday and
win the $1.3 million Citi Open, underscoring his
status as a major threat at the upcoming US Open.
Del Potro, playing in his first tournament since
losing to Novak Djokovic in an epic Wimbledon
semi-final a month ago, was at his best when it
mattered most, converting four of six break-point
chances. After appearing tired and spraying the
ball in the first set, Del Potro played near-flawless
tennis the rest of the way to dispatch the towering
Isner, who won in Atlanta last week and was seeking his third title of the year.
Del Potro had trouble returning Isner’s missilelike serves early in the match but broke the
American twice in the second set and in the opening game of the third.
“He broke me very early and I couldn’t find my
way with either my forehand or backhand,” Del
Potro said after winning the Washington tour stop
for the third time.
“I was lucky in the second set to break his serve
early. I was excited to come back in the match. I
kept fighting all the time.”
The 24-year-old Argentine broke Isner in the
seventh game of the final set to take a 5-2 lead and
brushed aside three break points in the final game
to win the match.
Isner blasted 29 aces in his semi-final victory
over Russian Dmitry Tursunov but managed only
six against the top-seeded Del Potro, including just
one in each of the final two sets.
“The aces weren’t going to be as high just
because of how far he was standing back,” said
Isner, at number 20 the highest ranked American.
“He was so far back the guy calling the sideline had
to get out of the way.
“With his reach, I knew he would get to a lot of
balls. I’m sure that was his game plan, get my serve
back and go from there. (My lack of aces) was
more his doing than anything.”
Open, which she won two years ago.
“This is a huge boost for me,” said Stosur, who
ripped 20 winners and forced Azarenka into 18
errors. “I haven’t had great results all year, so to be
able to bounce back from last week’s first round
loss (at Stanford) and play better and better each
day and come away with this is a good boost
going into the last Slam of the year.”
Meanwhile, world number one Serena
Williams is eager to test herself against the
world’s best, including Wimbledon champion
Marion Bartoli, at the WTA Tour’s Rogers Cup that
starts late yesterday. Williams won the tournament the last time it was held in Toronto in 2011.
It shifted to Montreal last year, where former
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova defeated
China’s Li Na in the final. Now that it has returned
to Toronto, Williams is hoping a victory in the
$2.369 million event can boost her build up to
the final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open
WASHINGTON: Juan Martin Del Potro of
Argentina poses with the winner’s trophy
after defeating John Isner during the final of
the Citi Open at the William HG FitzGerald
Tennis Center. — AFP
With the US Open beginning later this month,
Isner said rated Del Potro just behind the two topranked players in the world, Djokovic and Andy
Murray.
“I would put him maybe the smallest hair
behind guys like Djokovic and Murray,” he said. “He
could very easily right now be the third favorite.
“He’s got a very good shot to go deep (in the
tournament).” Isner said he thought Del Potro, who
played the night match on Saturday and didn’t get
to sleep until 3 a.m., appeared listless in the first set
but recovered quickly.
The American said Del Potro “definitely raised
his level” of play in the second set. He said the service break to start the third set was crucial. “I was
telling myself whether I lost the set 6-1, like I did, or
7-6, there was still a third set. I was liking the position I was in, especially serving first. — Reuters
MANCHESTER: England retained the Ashes
after rain meant the third Test against Australia
at Old Trafford ended in a draw yesterday.
Only 20.3 overs were possible on the fifth
and final day, but that was still long enough for
England to collapse to 37 for three, having
been set 332 to win after Australia declared on
their overnight 172 for seven.
But England, 2-0 up in the five-match series
after wins by 14 runs and 347 runs at Trent
Bridge and Lord’s respectively, only had to
draw this match to be sure of retaining the
Ashes.
And they had the result they required when
the match was abandoned as a draw at
4.39pm local time (1539GMT). “It’s a great feeling, a strange feeling. It’s been a strange day for
the lads but we’ve retained it after three
games, played good cricket in the first two,
fought hard and had a little bit of a luck today
with the weather,” England captain Alastair
Cook said at the presentation ceremony.
“It’s nice to retain the Ashes. “It’s been a really good series. We played well at Lord’s (where
England won the second Test by 347 runs),
Trent Bridge was a nail-biting game (England
got home in the first Test there by just 14 runs).
“In this game it was an important toss to
win but Australia played well, put us under
pressure getting 500 but we responded well
with the wicket getting harder. We fought
hard.”
Asked if the match had ended in an anti-climax, Cook replied: “The weather hasn’t been
ideal but you can’t predict that.
“We’ve retained the Ashes and now we
want to go and win them. “If you’d said that
after three Tests, I’d have snapped your hand
off to be in this position.”
Australia captain Michael Clarke said his
side had paid the price for falling 2-0 behind,
with no side having won an Ashes series from
that position since a Don Bradman-inspired
Australia triumphed 3-2 in 1936/37.
“I don’t want to take anything away from
England. They deserved to be 2-0 up. That’s the
chance you take when you are 2-0 down in the
UK, there can be a bit of rain about. The guys
have worked their backsides off here.”
Clarke was named man-of-the-match for
his first innings 187 but he said: “It’s nice to
make runs but the result is more important.”
Australia will have a chance to regain the Ashes
when the return series starts in Brisbane in
November.
But Clarke said this side still had something
to play for this campaign. “It’s important we
concentrate on the two Tests here. It would be
a great achievement if we leave England 2-2 —
our goal is to try to level the series.”
Ryan Harris struck twice after rain delayed
Monday’s start by 30 minutes to dismiss Cook
(lbw) and Jonathan Trott (caught behind)
before Peter Siddle claimed the prize wicket of
Kevin Pietersen, edging to wicketkeeper Brad
Haddin.
However, the bad weather for which
Manchester venue Old Trafford is infamous,
but which had stayed away until Sunday
evening, took charge.
At the close, England were 295 runs shy of
the victory target, with Joe Root, dropped on
four, 13 not out and Ian Bell four not out. Now
the best Australia can hope for is to share the
series 2-2. In the event of a drawn campaign,
the team that last won the Ashes retains them
and in this series that means England following
their 3-1 win in Australia in 2010/11.
One consolation for Australia was that this
result ended a run of six successive Test
defeats, their worst for 29 years, and meant
they avoided equalling their all-time record
losing streak of seven set between 1885-88.
The series, which could yet see the first
drawn Test campaign between England and
Australia since 1972, continues Friday with the
fourth Test at Chester-le-Street, the headquarters of north-east county Durham. — AFP
SCOREBOARD
MANCHESTER: Final scoreboard on the fifth day of the
third Ashes Test between England and Australia at Old
Trafford yesterday:
Australia 1st Innings 527-7 dec (M Clarke 187, S Smith
89, C Rogers 84, M
Starc 66 no, B Haddin 65 no; G Swann 5-159)
England 1st Innings 368 (K Pietersen 113, A Cook 62, I
Bell 60; P Siddle
4-63, M Starc 3-76)
Australia 2nd Innings (overnight: 172-7)
C. Rogers c Prior b Broad
12
D. Warner c Root b Bresnan
41
U. Khawaja b Swann
24
S. Watson c Pietersen b Bresnan
18
M. Clarke not out
30
S. Smith run out (sub/Prior/Anderson)
19
B. Haddin c Broad b Anderson
8
M. Starc c Swann b Anderson
11
R. Harris not out
0
Extras (b4, lb2, w3)
9
Total (7 wkts dec, 36 overs, 177 mins)
172
Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Rogers), 2-74 (Warner), 3-99
(Khawaja), 4-103
(Watson), 5-133 (Smith), 6-152 (Haddin), 7-172 (Starc)
Did not bat: P Siddle, N Lyon
Bowling: Anderson 8-0-37-2 (1w); Broad 7-2-30-1;
Swann 15-0-74-1; Bresnan
6-0-25-2 (2w);
England 2nd Innings (target: 332)
A. Cook lbw b Harris
0
J. Root not out
13
J. Trott c Haddin b Harris
11
K. Pietersen c Haddin b Siddle
8
I. Bell not out
4
Extras (w1)
1
Total (3 wkts, 20.3 overs, 94 mins)
37
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Cook), 2-15 (Trott), 3-27 (Pietersen)
To bat: J Bairstow, M Prior, T Bresnan, S Broad, G Swann,
J Anderson
Bowling: Harris 7-3-13-2; Starc 4-2-6-0 (1w); Watson 22-0-0; Lyon 3-0-8-0;
Siddle 3.3-0-8-1; Clarke 1-0-2-0
Result: Match drawn
Man-of-the-match: Michael Clarke (AUS)
Business
Detroit workers fear
effects of bankruptcy
Page 22
Sri Lanka opens expanded
port to take large ships
Page 23
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
Unexpected exit of Siemens CEO shocks German business
Page 25
Ali Alghanim & Sons
Automotive achieves
record H1 performance for BMW
Page 26
HONG KONG: A general view shows Victoria Harbour and residential and commercial buildings including the International Finance Centre Two (IFC - centre R). The Hong Kong government introduced measures to rein in Hong Kong’s
red-hot property prices through extra stamp duties on some purchases as well as taxing overseas buyers this yaer. — AFP
At revamped Etisalat, acquisitions regain traction
Maroc stake buy to be Etisalat’s largest ever
DUBAI: Etisalat, the Gulf ’s biggest
telecommunications firm, has kickstarted a stalled acquisition strategy
with a potential $10.5 billion in deals,
including a $5.5 billion stake purchase
in Morocco, its biggest buy ever. The
United Arab Emirates company seems
determined to avoid past mistakes,
where it sometimes overbid for foreign
operators or bought minor holdings
that gave it no say in how an affiliate
was run.
Gulf Arab telecom operators like
Etisalat and its Qatar-based rival
Ooredoo are on the prowl for assets
outside their relatively small and saturated home markets, where rising competition has pressured profitability.
Since the start of 2011, Etisalat has
overhauled management, withdrawn
from India and sold most of its stake in
Indonesia’s PT XL Axiata, reducing its
footprint to about 15 countries across
the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
“ There has been quite a lot of
changes at Etisalat over the past couple of years to equip the company to
cope better with the challenges of
being a large international organisation,” said Matthew Reed, a senior analyst at Informa in Dubai. Some analysts
had expected Etisalat to retrench further by trimming its operations back to
those in high growth, large population
or wealthy markets. Etisalat’s domestic
market accounted for 64 percent of
revenue in the second quarter.
But with a renewed mandate from
its majority owner, the state -run
Emirates Investment Authority, to
expand abroad, and having packed the
executive suite with fresh foreign
recruits, Etisalat seeks to both expand
and consolidate its existing portfolio
through acquisitions. Etisalat, which
spent about $12.6 billion between
2004 and 2009 buying companies,
licenses and other investments, is now
on the brink of its largest acquisition
ever - a $5.54 billion deal to buy
Vivendi’s 53 percent stake in Moroccan
operator Maroc Telecom. Unlike some
of its previous investments, the company has been careful on price, offering
92.6 Moroccan dirhams for the stake, a
7 percent discount to the operator’s
closing price on July 22, a day before
Vivendi said it was holding exclusive
talks with Etisalat.
Etisalat ’s Chief Strategy Officer
Daniel Ritz said in July that the company was looking for opportunities to
bolster its existing portfolio of companies through acquisitions. By beefing
up its existing portfolio, Etisalat is mirroring a strategy employed by its Gulf
rival Ooredoo which has spent about
$3.9 billion since the start of 2012,
increasing its stakes in some foreign
units, taking majority control of Iraq’s
Asiacell. Etisalat, the largest telecoms
firm in the Gulf by market capitalisation, may raise its holding in Saudi
Arabia affiliate Mobily, its chief executive said last year. A Middle East telecoms banker, speaking on condition of
anonymity, said a stake increase in
Mobily could well be on the cards after
the company closes the Maroc transaction, although such a move would be
expensive with Mobily’s shares up 21
percent year-to-date and at a six-year
high. Based on current market price,
Etisalat may have to shell out nearly
$3.9 billion to gain a controlling stake
in Mobily. “It makes a lot of sense to
have more control and say in your
international business. Mobily is a
good business and increasing ownership there could be a positive move.
We could also see them make a move
in Egypt where there are talks of a
fourth license and potential consolidation,” the banker said. Egypt, the Arab
world’s most populous country has
three mobile operators including
Etisalat. The other two are Vodafone
Egypt and Mobinil, which is controlled
by France Telecom.
“ The operator seems now more
focused on making ‘appropriate and
strategic’ investments that hold long
term growth prospects,” according to
Abhinav Purohit, an analyst at IDC in
Dubai. Etisalat has also expressed inter-
est to acquire rival Pakistan mobile
operator Warid Telecom. Reuters had
reported that it had hired Goldman
Sachs Inc as an adviser for the potential acquisition worth up to $1 billion.
In 2006, Etisalat paid nearly double
that of the nearest bidder to buy a 26
percent
stake
in
Pakistan
Telecommunication Co Ltd (PTCL) for
$2.6 billion. That stake is now worth
$260 million in the market though the
ownership also gives Etisalat management rights in the business. Etisalat still
owes Pakistan $800 million as part of
the original transaction.
Yet Pakistan remains an attractive
market for Etisalat - its 177 million people are yet to be served by 3G and data
could be a big earner for operators.
Adding Warid to the portfolio will give
the company about 12.5 million new
subscribers to its existing base and a
chance to better compete with existing
players such as Oslo-based Telenor and
China Mobile.
Etisalat does not plan to sell any of
its international portfolio, according to
Ritz, even though Etisalat had hired
Deutsche Bank to potentially help sell
part of Atlantique Telecom in 2011.
“We are not in divestment mode. A lot
of the legacy deleveraging issues
which some other telecom companies
face in the world do not apply to us,”
Ritz said.—- Reuters
India service sector worst since 2011
NEW DELHI: India’s services sector,
which contributes 60 percent of
national output, shrank for the first
time in nearly two years in July, figures
showed yesterday, fuelling pessimism
about an early economic recovery. The
figures suggest “a near-term recovery
in growth is not in the cards and confidence remains subdued,” said HSBC
chief Asian economist Leif Eskesen.
The HSBC ser vices Purchasing
Managers’ Index (PMI) contracted for
the first time since late 2011 to 47.9
points in July from 51.7 points in the
previous month. Fifty is the mark that
divides expansion from contraction.
The widely followed index reading
was also the lowest since April 2009.
The numbers, the latest in a string of
weak data, come as India faces testing
times-hit by capital flight against a
backdrop of slow growth, a tumbling
currency, a huge current account
deficit, corruption scandals and slug-
gish reforms.
Nervous foreign investors pulled a
total of $10.5 billion from the Indian
equities and debt market in June and
July alone. The rupee has been setting
record lows against the dollar and the
central bank has been forced to keep
interest rates high to brake the currency’s fall rather than lowering borrowing costs to spur growth. Eskesen said
the government’s recent moves to
open up a still heavily state-dominated economy are welcome.
But they need to be translated into
action on the ground to bring back
foreign and domestic investors and
“get the wheels turning again”, he
said. Investors fret that the embattled
Congress-led coalition will be unable
to take bold action due to political
controversies, and because lawmakers
will increasingly jockey to win points
with voters before polls due by mid2014.
The government wants to pass a
landmark food security bill to give
cheap grains to hundreds of millions
of poor-a measure it hopes could propel it back to power. It is also trying to
win approval for key financial measures, including widening foreign
investor access to the insurance and
pension fields.
But yesterday’s parliament session
opening repeated a familiar pattern of
adjournments — in this case triggered by opposition uproar over a
government plan to create a new
southern state that has sparked
demands by other regions for statehood. The last session was one of the
most unproductive on record, disrupted by protests over alleged government graft.
The government is desperate for an
economic revival after India logged
growth of five percent last year, its
lowest pace in a decade. With manu-
facturing in the doldrums, it has been
hoping for a services pickup to drive
an upturn.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram
just last week predicted the services
sector might perform better than last
year. But confronted by other downbeat data, many economists have
already cut growth forecasts to the
low five percent range from earlier
projections of six percent and higher.
Days earlier, HSBC’s manufacturing
growth index showed India’s factory
output slowdown deepened in July,
with order books contracting by the
most in over four years. India’s currency firmed slightly to 60.88 rupees to a
dollar yesterday but was still close to
its lifetime low of 61.21 rupees set last
month. Analysts say keeping interest
rates high may choke the once-booming economy and cause more currency weakness, triggering a vicious circle. —AFP
Saudi above 8,000 pts
MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s main stock
index rose above the 8,000-point
level yesterday for the first time in
nearly five years, while Egypt hit a
fresh five-month high on increasing hopes for a peaceful resolution
to its political crisis. The Saudi
index advanced 1.3 percent to
8,072 points, its highest finish
since September 2008; it has
gained in five of the last six trading
sessions. The kingdom’s bourse
will close from Tuesday for Eid holidays and resume trading on Aug.
13; investors’ willingness to hold
stocks over the holidays is a bullish
signal.
“The recent buying is positioning ahead of a post-Eid rally,” said
Amer Khan, fund manager at
Shuaa Asset Management. “From a
fundamental perspective, quarterly earnings were either in line or
better than expectations, underlining the strength in the Saudi economy.” The country’s economic fundamentals justify the increase in
share prices although some sectors, such as those driven by local
consumption, are now trading at a
premium to regional valuations, he
added.
The Saudi index’s break this
week above major resistance at
7,944 points, the April 2012 peak,
was long-term bullish and leaves
no major chart barrier before 8,782
points, the 61.8 percent retracement of the fall from January 2008.
The petrochemical and banking
sectors, which together account
for around 60 percent of total market value, rose 1.3 and 1.8 percent
yesterday.
Egypt
Meanwhile, Cairo’s benchmark
climbed 1.5 percent to its highest
close since Feb. 21; the market has
fully recouped losses suffered during the political turmoil early this
year and is up 2.8 percent year-todate. Several thousand Islamist
supporters of deposed president
Mohamed Morsi marched through
downtown Cairo yesterday calling
for his reinstatement and
denouncing the army general who
led his overthrow.
However, violence on the
streets has lessened and analysts
believe Mursi supporters and the
army-backed government are
showing signs of reconciliation.
International envoys have stepped
up talks with leaders of the two
sides to try to find a political solution. Egyptians and Arabs were net
buyers of stocks yesterday while
foreign investors were net sellers,
bourse data showed. “We’re looking for political stability before we
add to positions in Egypt. There
won’t be clarity on companies’
earnings or the currency until
there is a clear macroeconomic
outlook,” Shuaa’s Khan said. But the
Egyptian index also staged an
important technical breakout this
week, smashing major resistance
around the 5,450-point area, which
capped it in May and July. The next
major resistance is at the January
peak of 5,884 points.
Dubai
In Dubai, the measure rose 1.2
percent to hit a fresh 56-month
high as upbeat second-quarter
earnings boosted retail investor
sentiment. Many analysts say that
with the index now up 63 percent
year-to-date, it is in for a significant
pull-back, but there are so far no
clear technical signs of that and
the charts remain long-term bullish. “Most of the blue-chip companies have reported second-quarter
earnings and although they were
solid, I think they are priced in,”
said Mohab Maher, senior manager of the institutional desk at
MENA Corp. The market is heading
towards a correction in the coming
two weeks, he adds. The market
has been dominated by retail
activity as investors look for shortterm gains. Dubai Investments Co
and Dubai Financial Market
climbed 1.6 and 3.5 percent
respectively, the two most active
stocks. — Reuters
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
BUSINESS
Detroit workers fear
effects of bankruptcy
$9bn of $18.5bn in debt owed to pension funds
DETROIT: Thousands of pensioners already
struggling to get by are afraid they will be
pushed into poverty if the city of Detroit is able
to slash their benefits in a bankruptcy court.
Retired fire chief Jerry Franklin Smith spent 39
years battling blazes in a city filled with abandoned buildings and too many arsonists. He’s
worried that if a bankruptcy judge allows the
city to wipe out its obligations to his pension
fund he’ll need to somehow find a job at the
age of 78.
“I’ve only done physical things all my life. But
I really can’t do them anymore,” Smith told AFP.
“It makes you nervous.” Police and firefighters
don’t qualify for the federally-run Social Security
pension plan, which has an average payout of
$1,268 a month. So their city-run plan is the
only thing keeping them out of food banks or
even homeless shelters. Luckily it is better-funded than a separate plan run for Detroit’s other
municipal workers. But it is still owed millions
and the city is hoping to slash all pension and
retiree health care benefits in order to wipe out
debt and reduce future costs.
Emergency manager Kevyn Orr was in court
Friday urging a federal judge to find the city eligible for bankruptcy in the second such hearing
since the birthplace of the US auto industry
became the largest US city to go bust on July
19. Orr has estimated that about nine billion
dollars of the city’s $18.5 billion in debt is owed
to the pension funds and retiree health care
benefits of the city’s 10,000 workers and 20,000
retirees.
Unions and the pension administrators dis-
pute his calculations and have filed suit to block
any significant cuts, noting that pension benefits are protected by Michigan’s constitution.
“Governor (Rick) Snyder has taken an oath to
protect every aspect of our constitution, thereby he would be violating said oath should he
fail to protect our pensions,” said Mark Diaz,
president of the Detroit Police Officers
Association.
“Though there is a great deal of uncertainty
about the direction these proceedings will go,
know this; there is no end to the lengths we will
go in order to protect the heroes who protect
the City of Detroit.”
The legal fight could drag on for months or
even years, leaving city workers and retirees
who’d planned their lives around those previously fixed payments in limbo. Carol Conner, 63,
has already seen her modest monthly stipend
shrink after the city imposed higher fees for
retiree health care benefits.
“How am I supposed to get by?” said Conner,
who lives on Detroit’s crime-ridden east side on
a monthly pension comes that currently comes
to less than 1,600 dollars. Conner, who retired
from her position as a building attendant to
care for her 83-year-old mother, said she is
among many Detroiters who turned to the city
as a job of last resort.
The pay wasn’t very good, but she needed a
job and health care benefits after a long spell of
unemployment. Conner worked at Chrysler and
General Motors-which were successfully restructured under bankruptcy protect in 2009 thanks
to billions in help from the federal government-
but was downsized before she could quality for
a pension from either automaker. Even if she
could find another job, she couldn’t take it
because her mother “can’t be left alone anymore.”
Many retirees bristle at the fundamental
unfairness of being asked to pay for a financial
crisis caused by decades of mismanagement
and complex social and economic problems. “I
earned it. It wasn’t something that was given to
me,” said Michael Mulholland, 65, who retired
from water and sewer department. “It’s deferred
income,” he explained. “I worked with a lot of
contractors.
They didn’t get a pension but they made a
lot more money than I did. I won’t have the
opportunity to get a retroactive raise.” Once a
bustling beacon of industrial might, the Motor
City is now a poster child for urban decay, its
landscape littered with abandoned skyscrapers,
factories and homes.
Detroit has seen its population shrink by
more than half-from 1.8 million in 1950 to
685,000 today-as crime, flight to the suburbs
and the hollowing out of the auto industry ate
away at its foundations.
Crime is rampant, and the city literally cannot afford to keep the lights on-a whopping 40
percent of streetlights are out. Roger Howard,
55, doesn’t think the bankruptcy process will
make life any better in his troubled neighborhood on Detroit’s east side. “It would just make
things a lot worse for me, said Howard, who was
forced into retirement after 31 years as the city
sought to slash its budget. — AFP
‘Fabulous Fab’ verdict is
vindication for SEC lawyer
NEW YORK: As the head of litigation for the US Securities and
Exchange Commission, Matthew
Martens’ main job is to oversee other lawyers. In his three years at the
agency, he had not tried a case
himself. That is, until the SEC decided to bring a civil fraud suit against
former Goldman Sachs Vice
President Fabrice Tourre, the highest profile case to emerge from the
agency’s investigations into the
causes of the 2008 financial crisis.
Martens, 41, tried the case himself
and on Thursday secured a big win.
A federal jury in Manhattan found
Tourre liable on six of the seven
charges against him.
Martens said in an interview it
was important that a case deemed
significant by the agency should
garner attention from the top. He
said the verdict should rebut critics
of the SEC’s trial record, which has
taken hits amid setbacks last year in
other financial crisis cases. “If this
doesn’t convince people we can
win these cases, I don’t know what
would,” Martens said.
The SEC accused Tourre, 34, of
misleading investors in a synthetic
collateralized debt obligation
called Abacus 2007-AC1. The SEC
said Tourre failed to disclose that
Paulson & Co Inc, the hedge fund of
billionaire John Paulson, helped
choose subprime mortgage securities linked to go into Abacus and
also that the fund planned to bet
against it.
During the trial, the 20th of his
career, Martens told jurors, “Wall
Street greed drove Mr. Tourre to lie
and deceive.” He readily acknowledged to the jurors the complexities of the case, telling them
“nobody is making a TV show any
time soon about a CDO trial.” But he
sought to convince them the fraud
Tourre committed was simple. “You
can’t and don’t need to teach them
everything about the subject material,” Martens told Reuters Friday.
applied to run its Atlanta office,
according to Robert Khuzami, who
stepped down as the SEC’s director
of enforcement in January and
joined Kirkland & Ellis last month.
Khuzami, who got to know Martens
through that process, subsequently
reached out when the position of
chief trial counsel opened up.
Martens’s arrival at the SEC came
at a time of restructuring for the
SEC’s enforcement division, which
had been criticized for failing to
uncover Bernard Madoff’s $65 billion Ponzi scheme before it came to
light in December 2008. Khuzami
called Martens a “very hands on
manager” who instituted closer
supervision of members of the trial
unit. He also was part of an effort to
create more integration between
the trial lawyers and investigative
units, Khuzami said.
“He generally set a high standard for performance and encouraged member of trial units to get
involved earlier in the investigative
process,” Khuzami said. Mar y
Schapiro, who chaired the SEC at
the time of Martens’ hiring and is
now at the Promontory Financial
Group consulting firm, said
Martens had “this extraordinary
ability to, in a very cogent, concise,
logical way, pull all the information
together that was necessary for us
to make a decision.”
US attorney’s office
Martens joined the SEC in
August 2010 from the US Attorney’s
Office in Charlotte, North Carolina,
which he joined as an assistant US
attorney and left as deputy criminal
chief. Before heading to Charlotte,
Martens worked under Michael
Chertoff, first as an associate at the
law firm Latham & Watkins and later as chief of staff when Chertoff
headed the Justice Department’s
criminal division.
While he was in Charlotte,
Martens started a securities fraud
practice. He also built up his trial
experience, taking 14 cases to jury
trials. “His philosophy was to volunteer to try anything,” said Chertoff,
who later served as secretary for
the US Department of Homeland
Security and now heads the
Chertoff Group consulting firm. “He
wanted to really get that experience.” When Martens began looking
to join the SEC, he originally
Court appearances
While at the SEC, Martens was
the lead lawyer in a lawsuit against
the Securities Investor Protection
Corp seeking to force the industryfunded non-profit to initiate a court
proceeding enabling investors who
lost money in Allen Stanford’s $7
billion Ponzi scheme to file claims.
Martens argued the case at the district court level, where a judge
ruled against the SEC. The case is
now on appeal. He also acted as
lead counsel in seeking court
approval of a $285 million settlement
with Citigroup Inc, which the SEC
accused of misleading investors in
the sale of a $1 billion collateralized
debt obligation. US District Judge
Jed Rakoff in Manhattan rejected the
settlement in November 2011, criticizing a provision in which the bank
neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing. An appeal of that ruling is
pending.
Those court appearances notwithstanding, the Tourre case marked
Martens’s first actual trial at the SEC.
He inherited it from Lorin Reisner,
who handled the case as deputy
director for enforcement until he left
in 2011. The Tourre verdict is a chance
for the SEC to rebuff critics who have
questioned its ability to win big cases
stemming from the financial crisis.
How much longer Martens will be
associated with the SEC is unclear. In
May, Reuters reported he had been
considering leaving to join a law firm.
Martens declined to discuss his
future, other than plans to take a
vacation this week. — Reuters
BrandIndex: Customers rank
Ford tops in brand perception
DUBAI: BrandIndex puts Ford No. 1 in customer perceptions in its midyear review
survey - based on responses from 600,000
Americans rating 1,100 US companies.
Respondents reacted favorably to Ford
when asked if they’d heard anything good
or bad in the past two weeks about a
brand.
Ford jumped from sixth place in the
2012 survey, due largely to sales momentum for the all-new Fusion and Focus. The
two cars are key to the company’s commitment to deliver top fuel economy across its
lineup including an industry-leading seven
Ford-branded vehicles returning 17km/L or
more. Ford’s US sales are up 12 percent in
the first half of 2013, helping the company
achieve the largest market share gain of
any automaker. Brands were rated using
YouGovBrandIndex’s Buzz.
Ford Middle East managing director,
Larry Prein said: “More and more customers are recognizing the efforts Ford is
exerting to deliver top-notch vehicles that
answer to their driving needs.
Ford has gone a long way in terms of
quality, fuel-efficiency and leading technologies and this latest recognition from
BrandIndex shows improved perception
from the customers.
“We continue to build on this strong
momentum and work relentlessly with our
dealers around our region to further
strengthen our after sales support and
parts availability to bring customer satisfaction to greater heights.”
Burgan Bank announces
winner of VISA card
spending campaign
KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced today
the name of the winner of its weekly VISA
Card draw to win KD 2,000. The lucky winner of this week is Ahmed Sha’aban
Hashem Al-Refai.
The winners’ announcement comes as
part of Burgan Bank’s cards promotion that
was launched earlier, Each KD 20 spent in
Kuwait or abroad using Burgan Bank’s VISA
Credit Cards will grant the card holder one
chance to enter the weekly draws; and
each transaction done abroad on any
Burgan VISA ATM Card will earn 1 chance.
The draw will be carried out on a weekly
basis, commencing on July 14 and will end
on September 30, 2013.
Burgan Bank’s latest promotion is in-line
with its overall commitment to provide its
customers with exclusive benefits that go
beyond their banking needs. To find out
more about Burgan Bank’s services as well
as its latest promotions, customers are
required to visit their nearest Burgan Bank
branch.
Burgan Bank announces
Yawmi account winners
KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced the
names of the five lucky winners of its
Yawmi account draw, each taking
home a prize of KD 5,000. The lucky
winners for the daily draws took home
a cash-prize of KD 5,000 each, and
they are: Mohammad Safar
Mohammad Abdulhadi, Athari Kazem
Mohammed Alsaleh, Fadel Habeb
Hussein Hasan, Abdulmohsen Khaled
Abdulmohsen Albahar, Mok alom
Borato Joun George Kotti.
With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become
more convenient, easier, and faster for
customers to benefit from.
Now, customers will be eligible to
enter the draw after 48 hours only
from opening the account. Customers
are also required to deposit KD 100 or
equivalent only to enter the daily
draw, and the coupon value to enter
the draw stands at KD 10.
The newly designed Yawmi
account has been launched to provide
a highly innovative offering along
with a higher frequency and incentive
of winning for everyone. Today, the
Yawmi account is a well understood
product, where its popularity can be
seen from the number of increasing
account holders.
Burgan Bank encourages everyone
to open a Yawmi account and/or
increase their deposit to maximize
their chances to becoming a daily
winner. The more customers deposit,
the higher the chances they receive of
winning the draw.
Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their
nearest Burgan Bank branch and
receive all the details, or simply call
the bank’s Call Center where customer
service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the
Yawmi account or any of the bank’s
products and services.
EXCHANGE RATES
Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.
Japanese Yen
Indian Rupees
Pakistani Rupees
Srilankan Rupees
Nepali Rupees
Singapore Dollar
Hongkong Dollar
Bangladesh Taka
Philippine Peso
Thai Baht
Irani Riyal
Irani Riyal
ASIAN COUNTRIES
2.911
4.673
2.799
2.163
2.928
224.430
36.783
3.656
6.553
9.107
0.271
0.273
Saudi Riyal
Qatari Riyal
Omani Riyal
Bahraini Dinar
UAE Dirham
GCC COUNTRIES
76.097
78.408
741.200
757.940
77.714
ARAB COUNTRIES
Egyptian Pound - Cash
41.700
Egyptian Pound - Transfer
40.292
Yemen Riyal/for 1000
1.331
Tunisian Dinar
173.830
Jordanian Dinar
402.980
Lebanese Lira/for 1000
1.914
Syrian Lier
3.0100
Morocco Dirham
34.367
EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES
US Dollar Transfer
285.250
Euro
379.380
Sterling Pound
435.290
Canadian dollar
278.020
Turkish lira
148.410
Swiss Franc
308.050
Australian Dollar
258.580
US Dollar Buying
284.050
20 Gram
10 Gram
5 Gram
GOLD
251.000
127.000
66.000
UAE Exchange Centre WLL
COUNTRY
Australian Dollar
Canadian Dollar
Swiss Franc
Euro
US Dollar
Sterling Pound
Japanese Yen
Bangladesh Taka
Indian Rupee
Sri Lankan Rupee
Nepali Rupee
Pakistani Rupee
UAE Dirhams
Bahraini Dinar
Egyptian Pound
Jordanian Dinar
Omani Riyal
Qatari Riyal
Saudi Riyal
SELL DRAFT
258.22
278.54
311.48
382.28
284.65
439.55
2.94
3.676
4.676
2.163
2.922
2.793
77.57
757.62
40.40
405.12
740.27
78.60
76.04
SELL CASH
263.000
282.000
311.000
384.000
287.400
443.000
3.000
3.800
5.150
2.700
3.600
2.920
78.000
759.500
41.100
416.200
746.400
79.000
76.300
Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd
Rate for Transfer
US Dollar
Canadian Dollar
Sterling Pound
Euro
Swiss Frank
Bahrain Dinar
UAE Dirhams
Qatari Riyals
Saudi Riyals
Jordanian Dinar
Egyptian Pound
Sri Lankan Rupees
Indian Rupees
Pakistani Rupees
Bangladesh Taka
Philippines Pesso
Selling Rate
287.400
274.760
428.985
370.385
298.000
760.910
78.225
78.890
77.505
405.140
40.249
2.198
4.713
2.870
3.690
6.562
Cyprus pound
Japanese Yen
Thai Bhat
Syrian Pound
Nepalese Rupees
Malaysian Ringgit
Philippine Peso
Sierra Leone
Singapore Dollar
Sri Lankan Rupee
Thai Baht
705.016
3.836
9.270
4.105
3.040
89.395
Bahrain Exchange Company
CURRENCY
British Pound
Czech Korune
Danish Krone
Euro
Norwegian Krone
Scottish Pound
Swedish Krona
Swiss Franc
Australian Dollar
New Zealand Dollar
Uganda Shilling
Canadian Dollar
Colombian Peso
US Dollars
Bangladesh Taka
Cape Vrde Escudo
Chinese Yuan
Eritrea-Nakfa
Guinea Franc
Hg Kong Dollar
Indian Rupee
Indonesian Rupiah
Jamaican Dollars
Japanese Yen
Kenyan Shilling
Malaysian Ringgit
Nepalese Rupee
Pakistan Rupee
BUY
Europe
0.4279241
0.0065872
0.0467041
0.3733185
0.0439680
0.4230973
0.0390333
0.3016846
SELL
0.4369241
0.0185872
0.0517041
0.3808185
0.0491680
0.4305973
0.0440333
0.30866846
Australasia
0.2428761
0.2133021
0.0001127
0.2548761
0.2233021
0.0001127
America
0.2670366
0.0001450
0.2828000
0.2760366
0.0001630
0.2849500
Asia
0.0036138
0.0031610
0.0454029
0.0164633
0.0000442
0.0341796
0.0046177
0.0000228
0.0028465
0.0028034
0.0031961
0.0830650
0.0027770
0.0027615
0.0036688
0.0033910
0.0504029
0.0195633
0.0000502
0.0372796
0.0046827
0.0000280
0.0038465
0.0029834
0.0034261
0.0900950
0.0029770
0.0028015
Bahraini Dinar
Egyptian Pound
Ethiopeanbirr
Ghanaian Cedi
Iranian Riyal
Iraqi Dinar
Jordanian Dinar
Kuwaiti Dinar
Lebanese Pound
Moroccan Dirhams
Nigerian Naira
Omani Riyal
Qatar Riyal
Saudi Riyal
Sudanese Pounds
Syrian Pound
Tunisian Dinar
UAE Dirhams
Yemeni Riyal
0.0060966
0.0000728
0.2203297
0.0021225
0.0087170
0.0065666
0.0000758
0.2263297
0.0021645
0.0093170
Arab
0.7494092
0.0383905
0.0127029
0.1448818
0.0000793
0.0001841
0.3963338
1.0000000
0.0001748
0.0223705
0.0012108
0.7291191
0.0776134
0.0754533
0.0463312
0.0019418
0.1709755
0.0761541
0.0012855
0.7579092
0.0404055
0.0192029
0.1466718
0.0000798
0.0002441
0.4038338
1.0000000
0.0001948
0.0463705
0.0018458
0.7401191
0.0783964
0.0760993
0.0468812
0.0021618
0.1769755
0.0776041
0.0013855
Al Mulla Exchange
Currency
US Dollar
Euro
Pound Sterling
Canadian Dollar
Indian Rupee
Egyptian Pound
Sri Lankan Rupee
Bangladesh Taka
Philippines Peso
Pakistan Rupee
Bahraini Dinar
UAE Dirham
Saudi Riyal
*Rates are subject to change
Transfer Rate (Per 1000)
284.700
380.750
437.550
276.150
4.685
40.390
2.161
3.655
6.530
2.790
757.950
77.500
76.000
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
BUSINESS
Qatar: Project activity gaining drive in 2013
NBK ECONOMIC BRIEF
KUWAIT: Hopes are high that
activity in Qatar’s projects market will accelerate in 2013. With
an estimated value of $243 billion, Qatar’s projects market is
the third largest in the GCC.
During the first half of 2013, 35
contracts worth approximately
$27.5 billion were awarded,
according to MEED Projects
tracker. This is an increase of
almost 30 percent on the value
of contracts awarded in all of
2012. High value contracts tendered during the first half of
2013 are primarily transportation
and construction-related: tunneling for the Doha Metro (Red,
Green and Gold lines, Msheireb
and Education City stations)
worth approximately $12.3 billion and commencement of the
$9.9 billion Barwa Al-Khor real
estate development.
Should project activity gain
more traction in 2013, a further
$29 billion worth of contracts are
expected to be awarded during
the second half of the year. This
would put the total at $56.5 billion, which is more than double
the value of contracts awarded
in 2012. The package of contracts associated with the local
roads and drainage program that
is managed by the public works
authority Ashghal is likely to be
the main focus of project activity. Qatar’s projects market has
been driven by the twin targets
of national development and
infrastructure construction associated specifically with the World
Cup in 2022. National development is being spearheaded by
the government as per the
National Development Strategy
(NDS 2011-16) and broader
Qatar National Vision 2030
(QNV). Following completion of
Qatar ’s massive hydrocarbon
investment program, which culminated in the final expansion of
LNG capacity in 2011, as part of
the NDS, efforts are under way to
diversify and stimulate the country’s non-hydrocarbon economymanufacturing, public infrastructure, services etc.
Outstanding projects in Qatar
are therefore predominantly
construction, transportation and
industrial sector-related highprofile development projects
include the Lusail City development, integrated railway project,
New Doha por t, Barzan gas
development and World Cup
2022 football stadia.
The NDS has earmarked $225
billion in development spending
(2011-16), of which $150 billion
is to be borne by the government and state-owned Qatar
Petroleum (QP). The private sector, along with other public entities, is expected to finance the
remaining portion of approximately $100 billion.
The government has been
funding its part of the develop-
ment plan through the budget,
while public sector entities and
the private sector more generally
have relied on a combination of
debt issuance and bank credit.
With regard to debt issuance, the
authorities have established a
sovereign dollar benchmark
yield curve that has facilitated
borrowing by domestic government-owned corporates via the
debt markets.
With a focus on delivering its
investment program, the government announced another
expansionary budget for fiscal
year (FY) 2013/14. Capital spending is forecast to increase by 17
percent over last year ’s estimates. As a share of GDP, public
investment in Qatar during the
last five years has averaged 30
percent, the highest in the GCC.
Actual capital spending, however, has frequently fallen short
of the government’s targets, by
22 percent in FY2011/12 and 33
percent in FY2012/13. In terms of
the balance on governmentfunded capital projects, $92.9
billion of an estimated $117.5
billion was outstanding at the
end of 2012-although the commencement of work on the
major public works projects during the last few months would
have gone some way towards
reducing that figure.
Indeed, concerns have been
expressed that project execution
has not progressed to the extent
that many had been expecting at
the outset. Logistical and personnel constraints, coupled with
challenges in managing a
pipeline of projects on this scale,
are among the main reasons cited for delays in project implementation. Design changes midway through a project have also
affected delivery, as illustrated
by the delayed opening of the
$18 billion Hamad International
Airport. Nevertheless, despite
the fixed deadline of the World
Cup in 2022 drawing ever nearer,
there is optimism that projects
will eventually be delivered on
time-more than 51 percent of
the projects have actually
entered the execution phase,
according to MEED. Moreover,
GDP figures recently released by
the Qatar Statistics Authority
(QSA) show that the construction
sector was especially buoyant
during the first quarter of the
year, growing by 11.7 percent y/y
and 6.3 percent q/q. Credit
growth, meanwhile, continues to
grow by a robust 18 percent y/y
(as of May). And the government, for its part, has reiterated
its commitment to addressing
many of the constraining issues
such as bottlenecks in supply,
shortage of project management
expertise and the current, suboptimal level of private sector
involvement in the development
plan.
Sri Lanka opens expanded
port to take large ships
Port’s capacity doubled
ATHENS: Employees of social security offices and the national Manpower
Employment Organization, which assists the unemployed, protest outside the
Ministry of Labour yesterday. Greece must axe 4,000 state jobs by the end of the
year and relocate 25,000 civil servants to support understaffed parts of its vast
bureaucracy. — AFP
Private equity moves
to be Asia’s new banker
HONG KONG: In three years, global private
equity firm KKR & Co has provided over $1.5 billion in loans to companies in India, a business
traditionally handled by state-owned and private sector banks. Encouraged by that success,
KKR - which rose to prominence with its hostile
$25 billion takeover of US food and tobacco
giant RJR Nabisco in 1989 - plans to expand the
niche business in China and across Asia.
The move by private equity into lending
comes at a time when buyout deals in Asia are
few and far between and as traditional banks
retreat. Apollo Global Management, KKR and
Olympus Capital are raising credit funds as they
seek out alternative sources of income. At least
$6.6 billion is being raised by 12 funds for
investment in Asia, according to Private Equity
International and Thomson Reuters data.
At the same time, credit across Asia has
grown tight, leaving small businesses and family-owned firms short of capital as the big banks
focus their attention on top-tier clients. The
business model adopted by private equity in
Asia is very different to that in the United States
and Europe, where private equity makes its
profits through large buyouts. In Asia, loans as
small as $50 million are a growing part of KKR’s
business as it expands a model developed by
its India head, Sanjay Nayar, who was
Citigroup’s former Asia CEO. “This country is
going to take time to develop into a sophisticated private equity market. There’s no point in
having a single product strategy,” said Nayar.
Target: China
Big buyouts are rare in Asia, but the region’s
millions of small entrepreneurs are starved of
capital for businesses from farming to software
development. And powerful families that dominate Asia’s emerging economies are reluctant
to sell stakes in their businesses, but will take a
loan. The next wave of credit funds is expected
to target China, where global firms are studying a little-known, but high-risk strategy that
would allow them to get money into the mainland to provide high-interest loans to China’s
cash-starved small- and mid-sized business.
China’s 4.3 million SMEs account for 60 percent of GDP and 75 percent of new jobs created in the country, but are forced to use the socalled shadow banking system when they
need funds - a market that includes pawn
shops, credit guarantee firms and trust companies. Shoreline Capital, with offices in the
United States and China, started by buying
non-performing loans (NPLs) in China and
added lending when the supply of NPLs dried
up in 2009 after China flooded the market with
fresh loans during the global financial crisis. “A
lot of private companies were coming to us
wanting debt finance,” said Ben Fanger, cofounder of Shoreline. “Even though the government was flooding the market with loans it was
going predominantly to state-owned enterprises and government projects.”
Seen as saviour
Since Nayar joined in 2009, KKR has organised a series of loan syndicates, putting $100
million of its balance sheet into a total of $1.5
billion in loans. Private equity in India lends
through non-bank financial companies
(NBFCs), which are more flexible than banks.
NBFCs can give loans to buy land, to refinance
real estate debt, or for a company to buy out a
private equity investor, areas that banks find
tough to lend to.
Top private equity funds can make internal
return rates, a measure of profitability, of 25
percent, but returns from credit funds can be as
low as 9 percent. Private equity firms like the
stable income stream though, and see lending
as a way to open doors to future buyout deals.
“There are huge opportunities for private
equity and private debt in India. Public markets
are very shallow, and the banks are undercapitalised,” said Nayar. Now KKR is raising a rupee
credit fund of up to $400 million the Alternative
Credit Opportunities Fund-1 - from Indian
insurance corporates and high net worth individuals, according to sources with knowledge
of the matter. In India, KKR has lent money to
large companies such as insurance-to-hospitals
group Max India Ltd, as well as to small growing companies.
Shoreline, which has provided credits to
local government projects and private companies, takes whole companies or real estate projects as collateral in return for loans with interest rates priced above 20 percent. The borrower
gets the asset back if they repay the loan.
Funds like Shoreline see themselves providing
a lifeline to SMEs, whose borrowing options
have been cut by the credit squeeze. Shortterm borrowing costs in China recently jumped
when the central bank allowed interbank rates
to surge, dealing a further blow to companies
in need of cash.
“These companies view us as their saviours,”
said Shoreline’s Fanger. Shoreline funds make
returns of over 20 percent, similar to regular
private equity funds. That’s attracting others to
study the model. Previously, offshore credit
funds have played it safe in China, lending only
to the Hong Kong listed arms of Chinese companies, which then funnel the money to subsidiaries in China. But that business model
does not tap the SME market, and fails to generate the kind of returns that Shoreline makes.
Not without risk
While the returns from SME lending are
high, so are the risks. Carlyle, Asian
Development Bank, GE Capital and Citigroup
Venture Capital invested more than $100 million in Shenzhen-based loan guarantee company Credit Orienwise. By 2007, the company was
one of the biggest of its kind in China, and was
being lined up for an IPO.
But the investment unravelled. A Deloitte
report from 2008 noted a Credit Orienwise general manager had disappeared, and was suspected of forging documents and using the
company seal to grant unauthorised guarantees on third-party loans. The same report noted Credit Orienwise had written down over half
of $250 million in loans at the time. Investors
never confirmed their losses, and Carlyle still
lists the company as an asset.
Fanger said Shoreline decided not to invest
in loan guarantee businesses because of problems assessing the risks - yet the fund still faces
risks. A common fraud, said Fanger, is for entrepreneurs to strip pledged assets out of one
company and move them to another.
Shoreline’s experience in suing hundreds of
companies allows it to write contracts it can
enforce in China’s courts.— Reuters
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka marked the
opening of its expanded Colombo
port yesterday, a $400 million project that aims to transform the
Indian Ocean island into a regional
trading hub by allowing a new, bigger generation of cargo vessels to
dock. The project will enable the
port to double its current capacity
by accepting mega-cargo ships
that hold as many as 18,000 shipping containers to enter the port,
helping to reduce freight rates and
making Sri Lanka a more attractive
port of call.
The port’s capacity will eventually be increased from the current 5
million containers to 12 million
containers per year, according to
the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. The
additional capacity will help the
impoverished country of 20 million
to increase its share of shipping in
the Indian subcontinent, according
to the Asian Development Bank,
which helped fund the project.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa
was on hand to commission the
first of three container terminals at
the port. The terminal is a joint venture between Hong Kong-based
China Merchants Holdings
International and the Sri Lanka
Ports Authority. Each terminal will
have the capacity to handle 2.4 million containers annually.
The port was deepened to 18
meters (59 feet) and plans allow for
COLOMBO: Tug boats put on a water display during the launch of the Chinese-built Colombo International
Container Terminal (CICT) at the port yesterday. —AFP
the port to be made as deep as 23
meters, should a new generation of
deep-drafted vessels come on line,
according to the authority, which
manages the country’s ports. It has
a 6.8-kilometer (4.2-mile) breakwater and 285 hectares of harbor
basin.
Authority chairman Priyath B
Wickrama said the rapid and steady
growth in cargo shipments in the
Indian Ocean rim countries over
the past few decades led to the
expansion of Colombo’s port. He
added that the growth in size of
container vessels has led shippers
to demand deep-water channels,
deeper draft berths and larger turning circles.
The expansion was funded with
$300 million loaned by the Asian
Development Bank and $100 million provided by the Sri Lanka Ports
Authority and Ceylon Petroleum
Corp. Sri Lanka has been spending
heavily to upgrade its infrastructure
since the end of the civil war in
2009. Many of the big projects,
including new port, airport and a
highway in the island’s southern
and a coal power plant, have been
funded by China. Neighboring
India and Japan have also funded
projects in Sri Lanka, which is located on the main sea lines between
Asia and the West. —AP
New 2014 Chevrolet Impala rated top sedan
KUWAIT: Consumer Reports rated the All-New
2014 Chevrolet Impala at 95 out of 100 calling it
“Excellent” and making the New Impala the
highest rated sedan and among the highest-rated vehicles Consumer reports has ever reviewed.
The new revolutionary edition of the 2014
Chevrolet Impala was praised for the way it rides
and handles. Consumer Reports’ Auto Specialists
found that the Impala rides like a luxury sedan
with a cushy and controlled demeanour, while
delivering surprisingly agile handling, capable
acceleration, and excellent braking. Consumer
Reports noted that the interior of the Impala sets
the new standards for fit and finish in cars with
high quality materials and trims. The cabin is
very quiet. The roomy interior has a sumptuous
back seat and a huge trunk. Interior ambience
and trimmings are largely of high quality. The
controls are presented in an intuitive, easy to use
way without resorting to an over-complicated
interface. Advanced electronic safety features
are readily available.
The All-New 2014 Chevrolet Impala is available in LS, LT and LTZ models and is powered by
a best-in-class 3.6L, V6 engine which generates
305 horsepower and 356 Nm of torque. The new
engine’s technology saves fuel efficiently making
it available to drive for 100 KM with only 8.1
liters of fuel. The car also provides electrically-
controlled steering systems and enhanced suspension to deliver smooth and comfortable driving.
Built with an innovative interior, the Impala
provides high standards of comfort and convenience and spaciousness especially in the
legroom area for the front and rear passengers.
The All-New 2014 Chevrolet Impala is also
equipped with remarkable technology including
the intuitive Mylink infotainment system which
includes an eight-Inch color touch screen.
Mylink is designed to accommodate new fea-
tures and enhancements and be highly customizable. The 2014 Chevrolet Impala introduces new levels of comfort and technology
with advanced safety features including forward
collision alert, lane departure warning, side blind
zone alert and rear cross-traffic alert for an
exceptional driving experience.
Visit any of Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons automotive showrooms to discover the All-New 2014
Chevrolet Impala and experience the luxuriousness and outstanding performance that the
Impala will offer you.
Hopes rise of euro-zone recovery
BRUSSELS: The euro-zone recession seems to
be fading out at last, with key growth indicators
giving a surprisingly strong showing, economics
experts said yesterday. A key leading indicator of
activity, the Markit Eurozone Composite
Purchasing Managers Index for July switched to
give a growth reading for the first time for 18
months.
The index logged 50.5 points, up from an initial estimate of 50.4 and above the 50-point
watershed which signals the difference between
a trend of shrinking activity or growth. The reading for the services sector was 49.8 points, up
from an initial estimate of 49.6, after manufacturing surprised with a strong 50.3-point reading. The survey of sentiment among thousands
of purchasing managers, the people responsible
for buying materials and products for businesses, is widely seen as a reliable gauge of economic expansion. In Germany, rates of increase in
manufacturing output and service sector activity
hit 17- and five-month highs respectively,
London-based Markit said.
The combines score for Germany in July was
52.1 points, comfortably back in the black. The
other main national economies of France, Italy
and Spain each registered a further easing of
contraction, with solid growth among manufacturers. “The final Output Index reading of 50.5
confirms a welcome return to growth
for the euro-zone economy at the start of the
third quarter, raising hopes that the region can
finally claw its way out of its longest-running
recession,” said Rob Dobson, Senior Economist at
Markit. “Granted, the euro area has experienced
false dawns before-but the improvements in
confidence and other forward-looking indicators
warrant at least some optimism for the outlook
this time around.”
The data comes on the back of a first, minuscule drop in overall numbers of unemployed
people for more than two years-by 24,000 to
19.26 million in June.
The euro-zone has been seen as the main
drag on the world economy over the past couple
of years as austerity policies adopted to tame
the debt crisis have crippled growth. “The labour
market remains the main bugbear of the eurozone, as rising joblessness hurts growth and raises political and social tensions,” Dobson added.
“But even here there was some better news,
with the rate of job cutting easing to a 16-month
low.” The news was not all good yesterday with
the European Union’s Eurostat data agency flagging a fall for euro-zone retail sales in June of 0.5
percent compared to May. Germany, the EU’s
biggest economy, saw retail sales fall 1.5 percent. Eurostat gave no explanation of the figures which tend to be volatile and heavily influenced by seasonal factors. However, the anticipated impact of growing business confidence
on cosumer spending was still enough for analysts to tip a stable recovery.—AFP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
BUSINESS
BART labor talks continue as planned strike looms
SAN FRANCISCO: With an eleventh hour order,
Gov Jerr y Brown aver ted a strike of San
Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit system late
Sunday night, easing the minds of hundreds of
thousands of anxious commuters. In the order,
Brown named a board of investigators for a seven-day inquiry into the contract dispute that
threatened to shut down, beginning Monday,
one of the region’s major train lines.
Brown’s order comes under a law that allows
the state’s intervention if a strike will significantly disrupt public transportation services and
endanger public health. “For the sake of the
people of the Bay Area, I urge - in the strongest
terms possible - the parties to meet quickly and
as long as necessar y to get this dispute
resolved,” Brown said in the order.
In a statement, BART spokesman Rick Rice
said the transit authority’s board president Tom
R adulovich sent a letter to the governor
requesting his intervention and a cooling off
period of 60 days. The governor issued an order
with considerably less time of a week. “The formal impartial fact-finding that accompanies the
cooling-off period will help clarify the points of
difference between the proposals,” the statement said.
Union leaders issued a critical statement after
the order, accusing BART management negotiators of stalling until only hours remained before
the strike would have begun to provide counter
proposals on core pay and benefits. “Our hope is
that the Governor’s Board of Investigation will
reveal how little time BART management has
spent at the bargaining table in the past 30
days, compared with how much time they’ve
spent posturing to the media,” said SEIU 1021
President Roxanne Sanchez.
Bay Area Rapid Transit managers and union
leaders had returned to the bargaining table
Sunday in hopes of heading off a strike that
would have affected 400,000 commuters and
created traffic nightmares for the San Francisco
area for the second time in a month.
Representatives from BART management and
the agenc y ’s two largest employee unions
negotiated for about 14 hours Saturday and
resumed bargaining Sunday morning as a mid-
night deadline loomed. Brown’s order came at
around 10:30 pm Sunday.
Big differences remain on key issues including wages, pensions, worker safety and health
care costs, but the parties had expressed some
optimism that an agreement could be reached
to avert a strike planned for Monday. Despite
allegations of stalling late Sunday, earlier in the
weekend union leaders cautiously expressed
hope for agreement and said progress was
being made. “The parties made some important
but incremental moves yesterday, and I hope to
get to a deal,” Josie Mooney, chief negotiator for
the Ser vice Employees International Union
1021, said Sunday before heading into negotiations. “If the parties work very hard, then it’s certainly possible in the amount of time we have
left.” “There was definitely movement from both
sides,” BART chief negotiator Thomas Hock said
as he left negotiations late Saturday night.
“Hopefully, if we keep moving, we will get to a
proposal that both sides can agree to.” BART’s
two largest unions issued a 72-hour notice
Thursday that employees would walk off the job
if they didn’t reach agreement on a new contract by midnight Sunday.
“BART really is the backbone of the transit
network. No other transit agency has the ability
to absorb BART’s capacity if there’s a disruption,”
said John Goodwin, spokesman for the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission. In the
event of a strike, transit agencies had planned
to add bus and ferry service, keep carpool lanes
open all day and even give away coffee gift
cards to encourage drivers to pick up riders.
They were also encouraging workers to avoid
peak traffic hours or telecommute if possible.
When BART workers shut down train service
for four days in early July, roadways were
packed and commuters waited in long lines for
buses and ferries. The unions agreed to call off
that strike and extend their contracts until
Sunday while negotiations continued. Bay Area
and state officials have been pressuring BART
managers and union leaders to reach an agreement this weekend, saying a strike would create
financial hardship for working families and hurt
the region’s economy. — AP
OAKLAND: In this file photo, striking Bay Area Rapid Transit workers picket
as they close the intersection of 14th & Broadway in downtown Oakland,
Calif.— AP
Billionaire John Henry
takes on Globe challenge
BOSTON: As recently as five years
ago, billionaire John Henry, could do
no wrong in Boston, but since then
the image of the man who agreed to
buy the Boston Globe on Saturday
has taken a beating. The principal
owner of the city’s beloved Boston
Red Sox delivered not one, but two
World Series championships (2004
and 2008) to a region that had
endured an 86-year drought. He
remade the team’s Fenway Park, now
101 years old, into a modern venue
with sold- out attendance that
stretched for years. He has bested
the hated New York Yankees and
shown marketing genius by using
Fenway to host signature events that
have nothing to do with baseball,
such as having a Bruce Springsteen
concert there or attracting some of
European soccer ’s best teams for
exhibition matches.
But the 63-year-old Henry, who
becomes the largest employer of
journalists in Boston with his purchase of the Boston Globe from the
New York Times Co, has a somewhat
tattered image in a city that once
celebrated him as a hero. Some of his
problems stem from columnists and
reporters who will now call him boss.
He was born in Quincy, Illinois, the
son of soybean farmers. He made his
fortune trading soybeans and other
commodities. One of his innovations
was developing an automated way
for managing a futures trading
account in the late 1970s.
But in recent years, he has been
called eccentric and aloof and even
distrac ted by his purchase of
England’s Liverpool Football Club.
Perhaps his greatest sin was allowing
the Red Sox last year to slip into last
place in their division. The return to
the cellar came after a Boston Globe
stor y revealed how some of the
team’s best pitchers drank beer and
ate fried chicken in the clubhouse
during one of the worst late-season
collapses in Major League Baseball
history during the 2011 season.
The bashing of Henry and the Red
Sox got so bad in the fall of 2011 that
he raced to the studios of a top
Boston sports radio show to defend
himself and his team. It made for riveting theater as the soft-spoken
Henry distanced himself from some
of the free-agent signings that led to
the team’s implosion. Henr y has
agreed to buy the Globe newspaper
and other properties for $70 million,
a song compared to the $1 billionplus the New York Times Co paid for
them about 20 years ago. But like
every other daily newspaper in a
major American city, the Globe has
lost advertising, readers and prestige. “The first thing to note is that he
paid more for his second baseman
than for the Globe,” said Lou
Ureneck, a Boston University journalism professor. The Red Sox last
month agreed to pay second baseman Dustin Pedroia at least $100 million over the next several years in a
contract extension. Ureneck, whose
work includes a study of newspaper
economics for the N ieman
Foundation titled “The Business of
News,” said there was no easy way
back for the Globe.
“Adver tising - once a reliable
source for print media - is a cheap
commodity on the Internet,” Ureneck
said. “Classified advertising is a distant memor y, ancient histor y.
Maintaining newspapers - or more
importantly the news organizations
behind them - is going to be a long
and difficult slog, requiring digital
products strong enough to attract
paying readers.”
Boston attorney Robert Bertsche,
who has helped the Globe gain
access to sealed records, said Henry’s
rehabilitation of Fenway Park showed
he was capable of putting community interests first. “He’s taking on the
immense challenge of owning and
operating a newspaper in this day
and age,” Bertsche said. “You have
to have the ability to look forward
and not look backward and really
experiment even if it means putting
money behind failed experiment.”
In a statement on Saturday, Henry
did not give any specifics about what
he has planned for the paper. He said
more details would emerge in the
coming days. “Financial success
requires a strong news report, and a
strong news report requires financial
success,” Ureneck said. “The big marketing challenge is getting readers to
see the value in subscribing online.
Can John Henry do this? If he can get
them to buy expensive beer and
peanuts, maybe he can get them to
put down a few dollars a month for
their local newspaper. There’s a lot
more at stake here than a ball game.”
Bertsche could not agree more.
For example, the newspaper blew the
lid off a Roman Catholic clergy sexual
abuse scandal that continues to
reverberate around the globe. The
paper’s reporting staff and management threw a lot of resources at getting impounded cour t cases
unsealed.
Those records shed light on how
the Catholic Church was sheltering
pedophile priests. As Henry takes a
new role as newspaper owner, he
does have some good momentum.
After jettisoning the bad chemistry in
the Red Sox clubhouse, the team is
back on top with two months left in
the season. The Red Sox have one of
the best records in Major League
Baseball. “ The Red Sox are doing
pretty well right now. We like John
Henry,” Bertsche joked. — Reuters
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
BUSINESS
Unexpected exit of Siemens
CEO shocks German business
Austrian outsider replaced by 33-year Siemens veteran
CANBERRA: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (second from right) sits
with Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) Sen Gavin Marshall
(left) and Gai Brodtmann, a representative for Canberra, at a federal caucus
meeting.—AP
Australian oppn pledges
carbon tax will soon go
CANBERRA: Australia’s conservative opposition
party is casting the looming election as a referendum over a contentious carbon tax, pledging
yesterday that scrapping the tax would be its
first priority if it regains power. The major political parties as well as the public are bitterly divided over whether Australian industrial polluters
should be forced to pay for the carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases they produce.
Australians are among the world’s worst emitters of such gases on a per capita basis.
The issue rose yesterday when Virgin
Australia, the nation’s second largest airline,
blamed a carbon tax bill of up to 50 million
Australian dollars ($44 million) for blowing up its
forecast loss for the last fiscal year to as much as
AU$110 million. It was the first full day of campaigning after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on
Sunday set a Sept 7 election date. Opposition
leader Tony Abbott said he told the head of the
Prime Minister’s Department in a letter yesterday to make arrangements to repeal the tax so
“we can move swiftly, if elected.”
“If this election is about anything, it is about
the carbon tax,” Abbott told reporters. “Getting
rid of the carbon tax is fundamental to our plan
for a stronger economy,” he added. But while the
letter might have demonstrated Abbott’s
resolve, he is unlikely to win the Senate majority
he would need to be certain of repealing the tax.
Rudd’s predecessor as Prime Minister, Julia
Gillard, created the carbon tax in a deal with the
minor Greens party whose support enabled her
to cobble together a minority government after
the 2010 election.
By breaking a pre-election promise never to
introduce such a tax, Gillard triggered angry
protest rallies and damaged her center-left
Labor Party’s standing in opinion polls.
Disastrous polling led to Rudd ousting her in an
internal government leadership showdown in
June. She had replaced him in similar circumstances in the face of a polling slump three years
earlier.
Rudd has now promised to tinker with the
carbon tax law if re-elected to reduce the cost to
polluters. The tax is due to be replaced in 2015
by an emissions trading scheme. Rudd has
pledged to bring forward the scheme linked to
the European market by a year to July 2014,
slashing the cost of producing a ton of carbon
dioxide to less than a quarter. But Abbott’s
Liberal Party-led coalition opposes any charge
for greenhouse gases. It plans to reduce the
nation’s emissions by paying industry taxpayerfunded incentives to reduce pollution.
The conservatives dumped their own policy
of making polluters pay after a United Nations
climate conference in Copenhagen in 2009
failed to agree on a global pact on reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. An opinion poll published in The Australian newspaper yesterday
found that support for the government trailing
the opposition 48 percent to 52 percent.
But Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former
diplomat, held a commanding lead over Abbott,
a former Roman Catholic seminarian, as the better prime minister. Rudd had 47 percent support, Abbott 33 percent and 20 percent of
respondents were undecided. The poll by
Sydney-based market researcher Newspoll was
based on a random nationwide telephone survey of 1,147 voters at the weekend. It has a 3
percentage point margin of error. —AP
Little sign of economic stress
in N Korea’s well-swept capital
PYONGYANG: North Korea’s economy is believed
to be virtually lifeless after decades of mismanagement, isolation and sanctions aimed at foiling
its nuclear ambitions but its showcase capital,
Pyongyang, shows no hint of calamity. A cemetery for war dead unveiled at a ceremony, that
leader Kim Jong-un presided over, looked immaculate, with grave stones bearing portraits of the
dead and images of the medals they won. A new
war museum, opened to the public with much
fanfare, boasts top-of-the line television displays
and elaborate recreations of battle sites.
A big statue of North Korea’s founding father,
Kim Il-sung, grandfather of the current leader,
looms over visitors to the museum dedicated to
the war South Koreans blame the elder Kim for
starting. North Korean visitors took pictures with
Japanese digital cameras. Government minders
closely chaperoned the foreign journalists
throughout their stay and the visitors largely had
to rely on glimpses of Pyongyang from the press
bus to get an impression of life.
There’s no hint of the numbing poverty,
hunger and repression that North Korean defectors say define life in the countryside. The US
Central Intelligence Agency says in its global fact
book that North Korea’s annual per capita income
was $1,800 in 2011, in purchasing power terms,
the 197th in the world and about 5.5 percent that
of South Korea. A famine in the 1990s is estimated to have killed a million people. More than a
quarter of children are chronically malnourished,
according to a UN-backed survey published in
March. But none of that is evident in Pyongyang.
Old cars, little shops
Residents, by definition regime loyalists
because the government decides who can live
there, rely on a rusting cable car system to get
around. Long lines of people pack in at busy
times of day. People walk a lot along the largely
empty, well-swept streets. In recent days, women
held up parasols of different colours to shade
themselves from the summer sun.
Most cars are old European or Japanese models but there are some newer ones including
Toyota Land Cruisers, and Mercedes-Benz and
Audi sedans. Perhaps surprisingly, a lot of little
shops are scattered across the city, in particular
book and clothes shops. There are also restaurants and tiny shops selling nothing but locally
produced soft drinks, in apple, grape and peach
flavours.
Many people were sitting relaxing in the
shade in squares and along sidewalks. Some chatted on mobile phones. Apartment blocks may
look a bit run-down, just as in many other Asian
cities, but many residents had flower pots on their
balconies. It’s after sunset that North Korea’s economic difficulties are more evident. Large parts of
Pyongyang have no street lights, and apparently
a patchy electricity supply. Specks of light floating
in the darkness look like fireflies but prove to be
bicycle lamps. It goes without saying in the capital of one of the world’s most tightly controlled
countries that there is no hint of any unrest or
frustration with the regime led by the 30-year-old
Kim.
“He has been in place for more than a year
and a half now; we see no sign of any dissent or
opposition or internal discomfort over his position as leader,” one diplomat said of the young
leader. While Kim has been more visible, especially over the past week when he looked confident
and relaxed presiding over the anniversary celebrations, there’s no indication of any change in
the policies set by his father and grandfather.
“There’s been a change in style, but not substance,” said the diplomat, who declined to be
identified. —Reuters
European shares
hit 2-month highs
LONDON: Gold held above $1,300 an ounce
yesterday, but came under some pressure as
the dollar steadied after mixed US data last
week left investors less sure the Federal Reserve
would start to scale back its stimulus next
month. Early last week, strong US GDP and factory figures led to losses in gold of around 3.5
percent. However, prices rebounded after data
showed US employers had slowed their pace of
hiring, which quashed prospects the Fed will
start tapering its bond-buying as early as
September. Spot gold was down 0.2 percent at
$1,309.05 an ounce by 1339 GMT. US gold
futures for December fell $1.90 to $1,308.40 an
ounce. The dollar, softer initially, steadied
against the yen and the euro. European shares
edged up to a two-month high and benchmark
US Treasury yields fell to 2.6 percent, below
July’s two-year peak of 2.755 percent but still
higher than at the start of the year.
As gold pays no interest, the returns from
US bonds are closely watched by market participants. Gold, seen as a hedge against inflation,
had gained in recent years as central banks acted to boost their economies. Prices touched an
all-time high of $1,920.30 in 2011. In recent
weeks, the Fed has said it would begin tapering
its $85 billion monthly bond purchases if the
US economic recovery retained momentum,
prompting investors to monitor housing and
jobs data closely.
The next data the market will watch is the
US ISM non-manufacturing PMI at 1400 GMT.
“People will monitor today’s ISM numbers and
you may see additional liquidation with a good
number there, especially if the dollar continues
to strengthen,” MKS SA senior vice president
Bernard Sin said. “If we fall below $1,300, the
next level I would look at is $1,270.”
Speculators cut long gold positions
Hedge funds and money managers
trimmed their gold net longs and raised their
bullish position in silver futures and options, a
report by the US Commodity Futures Trading
Commission showed on Friday. Holdings in
SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest goldbacked exchange-traded fund, fell 0.26 percent
to 918.64 tonnes on Friday, touching fresh fouryear lows. —Reuters
MUNICH/FRANKFURT: Tension in the highest ranks
of German engineering giant Siemens had been
brewing for months when top managers gathered
late last month to review the state of the business.
The 166-year-old titan of German industry was having a horrible year, its image tarnished by pricey
delays to offshore wind and high-speed train projects,
and the closure of its solar thermal business, which
had lost 1 billion euros.
But few of those present could have guessed, as
they entered the sleek white Siemens Forum building
in Munich, that long-running resentments and rivalries were about to boil over with dramatic effect. The
nine members of the management board, led by
Chief Executive Peter Loescher, had come together on
a Thursday in the midst of a German heat wave, one
week before Siemens was to publish its third quarter
results.
With some executives taking part by phone, the
discussion took a gloomy turn, sources familiar with
the talks said, as the heads of the company’s big divisions-industry, energy, healthcare and infrastructurewarned about disappointing orders and a deteriorating economic environment. Some argued that
Loescher’s goal, announced less than nine months
before, to boost the firm’s operating profit margin to
12 percent by 2014, looked unrealistic. Joe Kaeser, the
finance chief who had long viewed that goal with
scepticism, agreed.
Loescher pushed back, but to no avail. The fateful
decision was taken: Siemens should abandon the
profit goal. Hours later, after a green light from inhouse legal experts, the company put out a terse “ad
hoc” statement to announce the news. It took the
market by surprise and Siemens stock nose-dived. It
was the sixth time in Loescher’s six years at the helm
of Siemens that he had misjudged the group’s profit
outlook and it would be the last.
Within days, the 55-year-old Austrian, the first outsider ever to run the company, was unceremoniously
booted out. Kaeser, a “Siemensianer” of over three
decades whose disdain for his boss was an open
secret in the company and among investors, was
hoisted into the top job. Both Loescher and Kaeser
declined to be interviewed for this story, although
Kaeser told a German newspaper he had played no
part in Loescher’s removal.
The change at the top of Germany’s second most
valuable company was shocking both for its speed
and for the ruthless way in which it was carried out in
a country known for its cosy, consensual approach to
business. It prompted a reaction from Chancellor
Angela Merkel, who faces an election next month.
She called Siemens a “flagship” and said she hoped it
would soon return to “calm waters”. More importantly,
the turmoil at Siemens has highlighted weaknesses at
the highest levels of German industry at a time when
the country is being held up as a model of manufacturing strength in a region in crisis.
Saviour
Loescher, the son of a sawmill owner, was hailed
as a saviour when he arrived six years ago from US
healthcare group Merck after a bribery scandal at
Siemens that claimed the scalps of his predecessor
Klaus Kleinfeld and chairman Heinrich von Pierer. He
wasted little time, tackling the scandal head-on and
launching the biggest corporate restructuring in
decades at Siemens, a company of some 370,000
employees-a third based in Germany-which traces its
roots to an electrical telegraph company founded by
Werner von Siemens in Berlin in 1847.
But Loescher, a tall, reserved man who speaks five
languages including Japanese, soon ran into trouble.
Workers fought back against job cuts and the cleanup of the bribery scandal cost hundreds of millions of
euros. The new CEO issued his first profit warning
only nine months into the job. Huge writedowns in
the company’s healthcare and solar businesses followed. Under Loescher, Siemens failed to keep up
with rivals such as Philips and General Electric in
terms of innovation and profitability. Its stock now
trades at 12.4 times estimated 12-month forward
earnings, at a discount to both Philips and GE, which
trade at multiples of 15.3 and 14.0, according to
StarMine data.
The size and complexity of its business portfolio-it
makes products ranging from gas turbines, to trains,
ultrasound machines and hearing aids - have also
been a problem of late. Investors have been particularly critical of costly delays plaguing the offshore
wind and train businesses. “It simply should not be
possible for a Siemens executive to sign a contract
that can result in a half-billion euro loss for late delivery,” said Peter Reilly, an analyst at Deutsche Bank.
Well-planned putsch?
Some insiders believe Loescher simply failed to
recognise that another profit warning would sink
him. “He really underestimated the impact of this,”
said one source close to the company who requested
anonymity. “He can be naive on things like this.”
Others see him as the victim of a well-organised
putsch, led by Chairman Gerhard Cromme, with the
tacit consent of Kaeser. “It looks to me like he was set
up for a fall,” said Pascal Boeuf, a fund manager at UBS.
“There are signs that this putsch had been planned
for some time.”
What does seem clear is that Cromme, who
brought Loescher on board in 2007, worked actively
in the hours after the profit warning to lay the
groundwork for his exit. Cromme, who declined com-
views of the 10 members of the Siemens board who
represent the interests of shareholders. The other was
made up of 10 Siemens labour representatives, who
by German custom hold half of the board seats. Their
meeting took place at the Siemens Forum building
where the profit warning had been decided two days
before.
At the Kempinski, Cromme quickly made clear
that Loescher must go, sources familiar with the talks
told Reuters. One described the chairman’s plan as
“meticulously prepared”. But Josef Ackermann, the
former CEO of Deutsche Bank, pushed back, according to another source, at one point telling Cromme:
“Gerhard, you can’t do it this way”. Two board
members-Michael Diekmann, the head of German
insurance group Allianz, and Nicola LeibingerKammueller of technology firm Trumpf-sided with
Ackermann. Six others supported Cromme, making it
7 to 3 in favour of ditching Loescher. Neither
Ackermann, Diekmann nor Leibinger-Kammueller
would comment.
Meanwhile in the city centre, the 10 other board
members were reluctant to take sides on Loescher’s
future. But they feared if they remained neutral, denying Cromme the majority he needed to push out
Loescher, then the chairman himself would fall, to be
replaced by Ackermann, whom they viewed with suspicion. In the end, the decision was taken to go along
MUNICH: Joe Kaeser, new CEO of the German industrial giant Siemens AG, reacts
during a press conference in Munich. —AFP
ment, had been forced to step down as chairman of
ThyssenKrupp just four months before, under fire for
rubber-stamping bad investments by the steel
group’s management. The same couldn’t be allowed
to happen at Siemens. It is also clear that relations
between Loescher and Kaeser were fraught. One
source told of a shouting match between the two in
an elevator over Loescher’s attempt to muzzle the
outspoken Kaeser on conference calls with analysts.
At a recent shareholders’ meeting in Munich, the two
were asked pointedly about their relationship.
Loescher played down the tensions, but Kaeser’s
response did little to ease concerns: “We complement
each other like light and darkness,” he said. A former
employee says the two hate each other “like the
plague”.
“You can’t do it this way”
Still, Loescher did not see the axe coming even
after the profit warning sent Siemens stock sliding 8
percent. The next day, a Friday, he gave an interview
to Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung in which he
spoke of “headwinds” and vowed to stay on. Little did
he know that phone calls to organise his exit had
begun the evening before, shortly after the “ad hoc”
release landed, and that two meetings of board
members to discuss his fate had already been set for
Saturday. The first of these meetings was held at the
Kempinski Hotel at Munich airport and heard the
with Cromme and his plan to install Kaeser as CEO.
Loescher’s fate was sealed.
Daunting challenge
Can Kaeser, a Bavarian who changed his name to
Joe from Josef during a stint in the United States, get
Siemens back on track? Ben Uglow, an analyst at
Morgan Stanley, believes his intimate knowledge of
Siemens and focus on shareholder value are “relatively unique”, giving him as good a chance as anyone.
Still, the challenge is daunting. Kaeser will have to
face down the unions and pare back Siemens’
unwieldy business portfolio in order to boost profitability. Crucially, he must show he can say no to contracts that could come back to bite the company.
“Siemens has had an execution problem, and I do not
expect that to change,” said one fund manager who
works for a top-10 investor in Siemens.
The economic environment, in Europe and Asia,
won’t make things easy. On Wednesday, Kaeser
acknowledged that a pickup in China was taking “significantly longer than hoped”. And then there are the
lingering tensions arising from Loescher’s abrupt
ejection, and suspicions that Cromme and Kaeser
may have colluded to dislodge him. One executive
described the battle between Ackermann and
Cromme as “red hot”. “Cromme has to go,” the fund
manager said. “Only then can Siemens successfully
manage to reinvent itself.” —Reuters
Tycoon’s 10-year crusade
to get Big Mac in Vietnam
HO CHI MINH CITY: Tycoon Henry
Nguyen mopped floors, flipped burgers
and even cleaned toilets over a 10-year
campaign to convince McDonald’s Corp to
let him bring Big Macs and Happy Meals to
communist Vietnam. McDonald’s is making a late entry into this market, where
Yum Brands Inc already has dozens of
Pizza Hut and KFC outlets and Burger King
Worldwide Inc has 15 restaurants. Even
Starbucks Corp debuted in Ho Chi Minh
City in February and opened its second
branch last week.
Capitalism has taken root in a country
that many Americans associate more with
an unpopular war than rising wealth. The
super-rich are becoming household
names in Vietnam, which showcased its
first billionaire in June on the cover of its
inaugural edition of Forbes magazine.
Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American who set
up Pizza Hut in Vietnam six years ago, says
he has lived and breathed McDonald’s. He
studied its business model as part of his
master’s degree, and pursued the Vietnam
franchise opportunity for a decade - even
as he worked with rival Yum. When he visited his hometown of Chicago, he would
meet McDonald’s executives at the company’s headquarters in suburban Oak
Brook, Illinois. The Golden Arches will first
appear in Ho Chi Minh City in early 2014
and later in the capital Hanoi, but the
expansion will be “step by step”, said
Nguyen, who worked at McDonald’s in the
United States as a teenager and again this
year at a Singapore outlet. His timing looks
questionable. While rivals have gained a
firm foothold, McDonald’s is opening just
as the economy falters and consumer
demand is fading. Still, the 40-year-old is
convinced the local market is ripe for a
McDonald’s franchise. “McDonald’s showing up here shows that Vietnam is a big
deal to a lot of people. It means things are
happening in Vietnam,” Nguyen told
Reuters in an interview at his swanky office
here in Vietnam’s most iconic building. He
is the son-in-law of Nguyen Tan Dung,
Vietnam’s prime minister since 2006, but
insists that isn’t why he won the
McDonald’s franchise deal.
McDonald’s spokeswoman Becca Hary
confirmed that Nguyen had been discussing the franchise opportunity for
many years, and said he made the shortlist
out of a much larger group. “His marriage
did not preclude him for participating in
what was a very competitive selection
process for our partner in Vietnam,” she
said, adding that the company’s research
into a new market can span years and it
saw “great opportunities ahead” in
Vietnam.
Affordable luxury
Vietnam recorded 4.9 and 5 percent
economic growth, respectively, in the first
two quarters of 2013, lacklustre for a developing Asian market, putting it on track for
its slowest annual expansion in 14 years.
Debt-laden banks are struggling to lend
and at least 120,000 businesses have
closed since 2011, official data shows.
Retail sales growth was 11.8 percent in the
first quarter, the slowest since 2005, and
2012’s annual increase of 15.7 percent was
just half the rate recorded two years earlier.
In advanced markets, McDonald’s tends to
do well when the economy weakens
because cash-strapped consumers trade
down to cheaper food. But in developing
economies, Western fast food has cachet
and is often priced out of the reach of the
masses. In Vietnam, a piece of KFC chicken
costs about as much as a bowl of Vietnam’s
trademark all-day meal, pho noodle soup,
at 32,000 dong ($1.51), and a KFC meal is
more than double that. Burger King’s
burgers go for as much as 85,000 dong.
McDonald’s has not yet opened, so pricing
information was not available, but Nguyen
said he did not want to position it as a luxury brand. Though this once “tiger” economy might appear to be losing its teeth,
Nguyen is adamant McDonald’s hasn’t
missed the boat. “McDonald’s doesn’t look
at the conditions today, they look at the
long-term potential of the market,” he said.
“There’s a big market here, a big part
because of the demographic.” Other big
brands have sussed that out too. Twothirds of Vietnam’s 90 million population
are under the age of 30, its cities are
swelling and 34 percent of its people are
internet users within easy reach of Western
marketeers. It’s not just about the masses.
Although average annual income per capita is just $1,400 - one quarter that of
Thailand and a seventh of Malaysia’s
according to the World Bank - Vietnam has
a wealthy, status-conscious urban middle
class that enjoys splashing out on big
names, expensive smartphones and top of
the range Vespa motorcycles.
“My family’s business is doing well, so I
don’t see any recession,” said Doan Ngoc
Nhu, 33, moments after handing over 200
million dong ($9,400) for an Hermes bag at
a posh Ho Chi Minh City mall. “I chose this
bag because it’s expensive,” added Nhu,
sporting a well-cut designer dress. “It
means quality, it helps me build an image
and I care a lot about my image.”
Gucci and Louis Vuitton are now readily available for well-heeled Vietnamese
urbanites. Starbucks, the world’s biggest
coffee chain, sees “tremendous opportunity” in Vietnam, a spokesperson said. As
Starbucks is aware, in a country that produces 15 percent of the world’s coffee and
has an abnormally high amount of coffee
shops, it’s about where, not what people
are drinking. “It makes me feel more
Western, more dynamic,” said student Tran
Thien Thanh, 20, perched on a modern
sofa in a Starbucks in the former Saigon
thronged with customers web-surfing on
iPhones and iPads.
‘Super-luxury cars’
Luxury automaker Rolls Royce plans to
open its first showroom in Vietnam next
year, targeting the entrepreneurs
unscathed from the slowdown having
earned their riches in the boom years of
2003-2008, when the economy grew an
average 7.8 percent annually. “The Rolls
Royce customer owns at least $30 million
or has five or more super-luxury cars,” said
Minh Doan, head of Rolls Royce Motor Cars
in Hanoi. “The fundamentals are sound for
long term growth and wealth creation for
Vietnam’s businesses.” But there’s still plenty
of chains and brands that aren’t here and
many companies have been put off.
Infrastructure is often inadequate, supply
chains are limited, import taxes are high.
Corruption, cronyism, protectionism and
excessive bureaucracy are longstanding
problems, as shown in Vietnam’s ranking of
99th out of 185 countries last year in terms
of ease of doing business, according to the
World Bank. —Reuters
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
BUSINESS
Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive achieves
record H1 performance for BMW in Kuwait
Biggest ME market in terms of growth for BMW, MINI sales
KUWAIT: The most successful
first half in Ali Alghanim & Sons
Automotive’s history, the BMW
Group importer in Kuwait has
registered a 47 percent growth in
BMW and MINI sales during the
first half of 2013 compared to the
same period in 2012.
Kuwait is the top performing
Middle East market in terms of
sales growth and the third best
after Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia
in terms of the number of BMW
and MINI cars sold. Testament to
the strength of the Kuwaiti market, these figures highlight the
high demand for BMW Group
vehicles and the importance of Ali
Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s
ongoing focus on exceptional
customer service, an extensive
product offering and premium
facilities to cater for the brands’
ongoing growth.They also
demonstrate Kuwaiti customers’
appetite for luxury vehicles.
The BMW 5 Series was Ali
Alghanim & Sons Automotive’s
bestselling model, with a 23 percent increase compared to the
same half year period in 2012.
The BMW 5 Series is a core product for BMW and combines
sporting and elegant design,
excellent comfort, the highest
standard in efficiency in its class
and sets the benchmark in driving dynamics and safety having
achieved 5 stars in both the Euro
NCAP and US NCAP vehicle safe-
ty assessment programmes.
The flagship BMW 7 Series
was the importer’s second highest volume selling model with
an 83 percent growth. Other
models that were a driving force
behind the company’s positive
sales achievements included the
BMW 6 Series and BMW X3,
which witnessed 285 percent
and 216 percent sales increases
respectively.
MINI continues to be popular
amongst audiences in Kuwait.
Sales during the first six months
of 2013 were led by the MINI
Countryman and the MINI Hatch.
Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive
recently welcomed the seventh
member of the MINI family - the
MINI Paceman, the world’s first
Sports Activity CoupÈ. With its
active and dynamic elements
and smooth design, it is already
proving to be a popular addition
to the importer’s portfolio.
Commenting on the record
sales growth, Yousef Al-Qatami,
General Manager of Ali Alghanim
& Sons Automotive, said: “We are
extremely pleased with our performance during the first six
months of the year, especially as
we achieved the highest growth
out of all the Middle East markets. This is down to our focus on
driving the BMW Group brands
forward in Kuwait by continuously providing premium quality
products and services to all our
Allen Smith named
President, CEO of
Four Seasons
Hotels and Resorts
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts yesterday announced that Allen Smith,
currently CEO of Prudential Real Estate Investors, will become President
and CEO of the luxury hotel company. The announcement follows an
extensive global search overseen by the private company’s long-term
shareholders, Kingdom Holding Company, Cascade Investment and
Triples Holdings. Smith, age 56, will take up his new position on
September 23, 2013.
Smith has served as CEO
of Prudential Real Estate
Investors (PREI), one of the
world’s largest real estate
investment managers, since
2008. Under his leadership,
PREI expanded its global
presence, which today consists of 23 offices worldwide
and USD 53 billion in real
estate assets under management, including many hotels.
Smith joined Prudential in
1987 as a member of its hotel
investment group after earning his master’s degree from
Cornell University’s School of
Allen Smith
Hotel Administration. Over
the course of his career with Prudential, his responsibilities expanded
beyond hotel investing to include all commercial property types and all
facets of the real estate investment business including strategic planning, organizational development, capital partner relations, portfolio
management, corporate finance and business operations.
Four Seasons was founded in 1960 by Isadore Sharp, who built the
company into the global icon it is today, with 91 properties in 38 countries complemented by a strong development pipeline. The company
was taken private in 2007 by its long-term shareholders. With their support, Four Seasons is expanding its leadership position by accelerating
execution of its existing growth strategy to further strengthen its iconic
brand, while creating new opportunities for its loyal guests, employees,
and hotel owner partners worldwide.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal,
Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, said, “The success of Four
Seasons as the world’s greatest luxury hospitality company has resulted
from the incredibly strong and consistent vision that the company has
pursued from its inception. We have enjoyed a strong relationship over
twenty years as the company has evolved and grown, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with our friends at Cascade and
Triples to support Allen as CEO.”
Michael Larson, Chief Investment Officer of Cascade Investment,
added “We see great market opportunities to further expand the Four
Seasons brand worldwide. Allen is a proven global growth leader and
investor who fits well with our strong company culture and understands
the value of preserving the quality of the existing brand. We are excited
to work closely with our great partners and Allen to execute the established strategic plan for the company.”
Sharp said, “I could not be more pleased with the selection of Allen
to lead Four Seasons forward. He shares the vision and values of our
organization and will complement our outstanding executive management team and inspire our exceptional employees around the world.
Allen has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and will ensure
that Four Seasons further enhances its position as the world’s leading
luxury hotel brand.”
customers. As a result, our models continue to be in high
demand. Looking ahead, we will
be welcoming a number of beautifully-designed and technologically-advanced new and refined
models to our showroom, and as
such, are excited about what’s to
come and optimistic that we’ll
end the year with another record
per formance.” Overall, BMW
Group Middle East reported a 22
percent growth in sales for the
first half of 2013 compared to the
same period last year, the world’s
most successful premium automotive manufacturer delivered a
record breaking 12,657 BMW and
MINI vehicles to customers
across 13 Middle East markets.
CREC achieves KD 6,786,978 profit in H1
KUWAIT: Abdulfatah Marafie Chairman
and Managing Director of the Commercial
Real Estate Company stated that the company achieved earnings of KD 6,786,978 in
the first half of this year, an increase of 328
percent compared to the same period of
2012. And these profits resulted in the
increase of the financial indicators rate for
the period ended June 30, 2013 compared
to the same period of 2012, where the
percentage of return on equity was 2.71
percent and increased to 3.15 percent, as
well as the amount of the rate of return on
profit collected to the total assets is 1.87
percent an increase of 244 percent, and
the growth rate of return on paid-up capital of the company reached 3.7 percent
increased of 328 percent.
The company also maintained frequent
increase in income, which is high quality
and consists of rental and hotel revenues,
where the total revenue reached KD 8.6
million for the six months ended
30/06/2013 which reflects the strong
growth of revenues where it reached
approximately 25 percent compared to
the same period of last year. And the com-
pany continued its policy to reduce the
cost of debt, which decreased by 25.3 percent resulting in a reduction of the financial burden for the company in the
amount of KD 760,717 during the six
months ended 30/06/2013 compared to
the same period of last year. In this regard,
Marafie announced that The Commercial
Real Estate Company has completed to
sign the agreement to obtain bank facilities from United Ahli Bank - Kuwait and
Bahrain Branches an amount of KD 50 million to be repaid in 8 years, noted that the
value of the listed facilities will be used to
settle prior to the company’s debt to a
local bank of $50.7 million dinars. A reduction will result from the settlement
process on the company’s debt by KD
700,000 as well as a decrease in the cost of
debt by KD 375,000 per year.
On the other hand, the Commercial
Real Estate Company continued on the
implementation of its projects and
announced the start of the lease in the
Luxury Juman residential complex located
in Mahboula on Fahaheel Expressway with
an area of 7,950 square meters. This proj-
Britain leads Europe’s
improving economy
LONDON: Rocketing British business led the way in
Europe’s slowly improving economy in July, according to surveys that suggested the euro zone’s
lengthy recession may be nearing an end.
Yesterday’s purchasing managers’ indexes (PMIs),
surveying thousands of companies worldwide,
showed the UK services sector expanded at its
fastest pace in more than six years last month, topping even the most optimistic forecasts. In the euro
zone, businesses achieved a first, albeit faint rise in
activity for 18 months, inspired by a pick-up in manufacturing.
Although it will take another couple of months
to work out if the region has really turned the corner, data company Markit, which compiles the PMIs,
said there was cause for optimism. A report due later yesterday from the United States, currently the
lone driver of global growth, is expected to show
growth picked up in non-manufacturing companies.
World shares edged up yesterday and the dollar
softened after the data, helped by a growing conviction the US Federal Reserve will stick with its massive stimulus effort for a while. But it was the boom
among businesses in the UK, the world’s seventh
biggest economy, that was most eye-catching.
“It’s another storming PMI,” said Victoria Clarke,
economist at Investec. The Markit/CIPS services PMI
leapt to 60.2 in July from 56.9 in June, its highest level since December 2006 and a bigger gain than
forecast by any of the economists polled by Reuters.
Readings above 50 denote expansion. Signs of
recovery also pose a challenge for the Bank of
England. On Wednesday, Governor Mark
Carney is due to say whether the BoE will go ahead
with a policy of‘forward guidance’aimed at keeping
down bond yields by promising low rates while the
economy remains fragile. “Coupled with the lead
that we saw in the construction PMI and the pretty
solid manufacturing PMI, all those indicators are
suggesting the UK recovery is really gaining pace
now,”Clarke said.
That can’t yet be said of the euro zone, with
some of its largest constituents like Spain and Italy
still languishing in recession. But German business
activity rebounded in July, while the downturns in
the euro zone’s next three biggest economies France, Italy and Spain - eased. Markit’s composite
euro zone PMI broke above the 50 growth threshold for the first time since January 2012, hitting 50.5
in July from 48.7 in June, and revised up a tick from
a preliminary reading.
Retail sales data for May showed a 0.5 percent
fall month-on-month, although that was a little better than expected, while investor sentiment in the
bloc brightened in August. “All in all, most figures
published recently continue to confirm the expectation of a subdued and fragile recovery in the second half of 2013,” said Peter Vanden Houte, chief
euro zone economist at ING. —Reuters
VIVA welcomes Eureka to distribution network
KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing and
most developed telecom operator, yesterday
announced that it has further expanded its
reach across Kuwait after signing an agreement
with Eureka, one of Kuwait’s leading retailers of
consumer electronics and appliances, making it
an authorised VIVA distributor. Eureka, established in 2001, is currently present in Kuwait
through four different showrooms and offers a
full range of consumer electronics and devices.
Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran, VIVAís Chief
Executive Officer said: “We are very pleased with
this new partnership that will further solidify
VIVA’s presence amongst its customers and
allow it to better service them. Our partnership
with Eureka adds a further four branches to our
distribution network across Kuwait, making it
more feasible for VIVA customers to access and
benefit from our wide range of leading services
and products.” ìOur ultimate goal is to offer the
latest products and best services possible to our
customers, wherever they are, and together we
will work towards achieving this,” added AlBadran.
Ahmed Nouri Al-Qani, Eureka’s Chief
Executive Officer also commented: ìWe are very
proud of this partnership, as it stems from our
commitment towards presenting our customers
with the most up-to-date products and services;
and through partnering with the fastest- growing telecom operator in Kuwait, we will achieve
just that. We look forward to a fruitful partnership that our strong customer base will benefit
from.î Through this collaboration, VIVA has
pledged its commitment once again to continuously providing unique services, and adding value to each customer experience, while catering
to their different needs.
Salman Al-Badran
Abdulfatah Marafie
ect is one of the architectural achievements of the company which provides
smart systems, operating services, modern
management, and guarding and security
services all the time so its residents will
enjoy the luxur y and comfor t living.
“Juman Complex” includes shops and mul-
ti-purpose hall in addition to a health club
(gym) and swimming pool, Jacuzzi and
sauna to ease the burdens of everyday life
by providing the various needs of tenants
under one roof and the highest levels of
service that combine safety and sophistication.
In the conclusion of his statement,
Marafie confirmed that the Commercial
Real Estate devotes all its potentials to
achieve the promising future vision
according to the capabilities possessed by
and working on development and investment to create sustainable growth and
achieve excellent profits and value-added
for the shareholders, and also contribute
to their role in urban development in the
State of Kuwait as one of the leading companies in the field of real estate.
Abdulfatah Marafie thanks and appreciates the efforts of the executive management and staff of the company, also complimented on the confidence of shareholders and their continued support as
everyone offered sincere congratulations
on the occasion of the holy month of
Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr.
DSI profit, revenues surge
53.9% and 71.8% in H1
DUBAI: Drake & Scull International PJSC
(DSI), a regional market leader in the integrated design, engineering and construction
disciplines of General Contracting,
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP),
Water and Power, Rail and Oil and Gas
reported yesterday total Revenues of AED
2.567 billion and total Net Profit of AED 114.9
million for the first half of 2013 ended June
30, representing a top line and bottom line
growth of 71.8 percent and 53.9 percent
respectively, compared to the first half of
2012.
Earnings per Share (EPS) for the first half
of the year stood at AED 0.044 indicating a
56.1 percent growth compared to the same
period last year. Earnings before Interest,
Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) reached AED 189.9 million compared to
AED 107 million indicating improved operational efficiency.
Total project awards year to date reached
AED 5.2 billion in KSA, UAE, Qatar, Jordan
and India. The total Order Backlog reached a
record high closing at AED 11.7 billion as of
the 30th of June representing a 58.1 percent growth compared to AED 7.4 billion
recorded during the same period last year.
Selling, General & Administrative
Expenses (SG&A) as percentage to revenues
fell by 4.2 percent from 9.4 percent to 5.2
percent compared to H1 2012 and net operating cash flow generated during the first
half of 2013 was AED 83 million.
Quarterly Net Profit increased by 63.2
percent closing at AED 52.2 million compared to AED 32 million recorded in Q2
2012. Q2 2013 Revenues nearly doubled
surging to AED 1.340 billion compared to
AED 717.3 million achieved in Q2 2012 .EPS
for the same period closed at AED 0.0192
representing a Year on Year increase of 60
percent.
Commenting on the results, Khaldoun
Tabari, CEO of DSI said, “We have successfully managed to deliver on our growing backlog in the first half of the year. The consolidated Net income and Revenues recorded
during H1 2013 constitute 100 percent and
77.3 percent of the respective results
achieved in fiscal 2012 ended December
31.”
“We are well on track in achieving our
growth objectives for the year. KSA and the
Khaldoun Tabari
UAE continue to be the key drivers to our
top line growth. Our recent contract awards
in the Jordanian market and the on-going
projects in Southern Iraq will contribute to
the bottom line growth in the second half
of the year as productivity on project sites
improve.”
“Operations in Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria and
India are steady with sustained margins
across all our business streams.” “The results
of the first half of the year are a testimony of
our commitment to deliver growth and solid quality of earnings by increasing revenue
growth while improving our operational
margins and reducing our SG&A.” Khaldoun
Tabari added.
“Our operational cash flow has substantially improved compared to H1 2012 as we
remain focused and determined on improving collections and enhancing our cash conversion cycle to improve our working capital and deliver on our backlog.” “We remain
optimistic on the prospects of the second
half of the year across all our markets and
we expect to continue with the same
momentum with additional emphasis on
improving liquidity and sustaining profitability.”
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
technology
Technology bubbling up as education innovation blooms
SCOTTSDALE: On a warm spring evening, hundreds of investment bankers, venture capitalists and
geeky tech entrepreneurs gathered near the pool at
the Phoenician, a luxury resort outside Phoenix, for
a high-profile gathering of education innovators. As
guests sipped cocktails and nibbled hors d’oeuvres,
the mood was upbeat.
And why not? Major innovations - forged by the
struggles of the Great Recession and fostered by
technology - are coming to higher education.
Investment dollars are flooding in - a recordsmashing 168 venture capital deals in the United
States alone last year, according to conference host
GSV Advisors. The computing power of “the cloud”
and “big data” are unleashing new software. Public
officials, desperate to cut costs and measure results,
are open to change. And everyone, it seems, is talking about MOOCs, the Massive Open Online
Courses offered by elite universities and attracting
millions of enrollees worldwide.
As with so many innovations, the technology is
bubbling up mostly from the United States, fueled
by American capital chasing profitable solutions to
American problems. But as with those past innovations, the impact will be worldwide - in this case,
perhaps even more powerfully in developing countries where mass higher education is new.
Global demand is surging. And college tuition
dollars - including, in the United States, $200 billion
annually in federal student financial aid - follow the
students where they choose to enroll, making the
market more competitive and open to innovation.
The 1,500 attendees here- up from a few hundred in recent years - agreed on the surprising origins of this spring-like moment: the wintry depths
of the financial crisis that struck five years ago.
“People started to say, ‘How do we do more with
the resources we have?’” says Jim Shelton, the U.S.
Department of Education’s top innovation guru.
“Technology has almost always answered that question for other sectors.”
Richard Demillo, director of the Center for 21st
Century Universities at Georgia Tech, puts it another
way: The Great Recession exposed structural flaws
in higher education. The system simply cost too
much and accomplished too little.
“Everything from cost to price to the mission of
universities kind of went under the microscope,”
Demillo says. “Enter technology.”
What does this wave of educational innovation
entail? To be sure, it includes the MOOCs and all
sorts of “adaptive learning” software that promises
to teach and measure some things better and more
cheaply than a human teacher. The idea is to free up
teachers for what they do best, not replace them,
advocates insist, though many people are skeptical.
But in some ways, the innovation is broader than
the technology itself, which many call cool but not
yet revolutionary. Recent financial pressures and
these new technologies are opening cracks in traditional, age-old structures of higher education. Terms
like “credit hour” and even the definition of what it
means to be a college are in flux.
Higher education is becoming “unbundled.”
Individual classes and degrees are losing their connections to single institutions, in much the same
way iTunes has unbundled songs from whole
albums and the Internet is increasingly unbundling
television shows and networks from bulky cable
packages. “The consumer, after five years on a
tablet and five years on an iPhone, is just sick of
being told ‘You can’t do that,” says Brandon Dobell,
a partner at William Blair & Co., an investment bank
and research firm based in Chicago. “I can do everything else on my phone, my tablet. Why can’t I learn
as well?”
We’ve been here before. Every new technology
promises to transform education. In the 18th century, the US Postal Service brought correspondence
courses. In the 1930s, the big radio networks talked
about turning the airwaves into a university for the
masses. The Open University, launched in Britain in
1971, promised much the same for television. The
Internet produced online learning - now 20-plus
years old.
All those technologies had some effect. But traditional universities are still around, and still dominant. Technology didn’t solve the scale problem:
One teacher can lecture millions of students online.
But truly “teach” them, with personal feedback and
interaction?
“There’s an endless faith in education in technology,” says John Meyer, a Stanford University sociologist of education, and skeptic of the latest trends.
“Right now, there’s a kind of binge of belief that the
Internet will solve the problem.” But the arrival of
MOOCs, barely a year old, has many believing this
time is different.
At his desk at a telecom company in the Nigerian
capital of Lagos, Ugochukwu Nehemiah used to
take his full one-hour lunch break. Now, he quickly
devours his meal, then watches his downloaded
MOOCs. He’s finished three so far, with two more
under way - courses in electronics, business and disruptive innovation, taught by institutions like the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the
University of Maryland. Nehemiah needs a master’s
to advance at work, but cannot afford the program
in England where he’s been admitted. The MOOC
learning doesn’t translate into a widely recognized
credential, but he cannot get such teaching locally,
and it’s helpful regardless.
“It’s a form of self-development,” says Nehemiah,
a father of two. “The way I would speak when I have
meetings to attend,” he adds, “would be much different than the way I had spoken if I had not taken
this course.” Some MOOCs are only a modest stepup from glorified lecture videos. But the star power
of famous professors has helped make them hugely
popular.
When non-profit edX offered its first MOOC in
“Circuits and Electronics” last spring, 154,000 students signed up - more than have graduated from
MIT in its 150-year history (though only 7,000 lasted
and passed the final). Now edX has 900,000 students and more than 30 courses. For-profit rival
Coursera has ramped up to 3.5 million students, 370
courses and 69 partner institutions. The MOOCs,
though, are just one part of this new landscape.
Sal Khan, a charismatic former hedge-fund
adviser, discovered his knack for explaining things
while tutoring his young cousins in algebra in 2004.
In 2006, he uploaded his first YouTube video and,
two years later, founded Khan Academy.
Today, Khan, who is based in Mountain View,
Calif., has more students than all the MOOCs combined: Six million unique users a month from 216
countries watch one or more of the 4,000-plus
videos available on Khan Academy’s website. These
are not full courses, but connected series of free,
bite-sized lessons - about 10 minutes each - taught
by Khan and others in everything from math to art
history. You can watch in 28 languages, from
Spanish to Farsi, Bengali and Portuguese.
The appeal of such technologies is obvious: getting great teachers in front of more - millions more students. But Khan also talks extensively about
shaking up education across a different dimension not just geography, but time. Khan students can
learn what they need, when they need it, without
having to take and pay for an entire course.
“Whether we’re talking basic literacy or quantum
physics,” Khan says, “it’s the ability to cater to one
person’s needs.”
Here’s the centuries-old concept of time in traditional universities: Yoke together students of differ-
Demillo notes.
“If you have the opportunity to sit in a classroom
with a great lecturer, 12 people around the table
having a discussion, then by all means that is the
best educational experience you can have,” Koller, a
former Stanford computer science professor, told a
recent conference of education journalists.
“I’m not trying to substitute that with technology,” she said. “But even at Stanford I can’t make the
claim that students spend the majority of their time
in classes with less than 20 people.”
Changes to concepts of academic time could
have far-reaching effects, on both costs and classrooms. More than a century ago, the Carnegie
Foundation invented the “credit hour,” which
became the basic unit of academic time across education, measuring hours spent in class but not necessarily what students learned. Now, the foundation
MADRID: In this Friday, May 24, 2013 file photo, student Raul Ramos goes through his online
homework during a session of a massive online class in Madrid. Recent financial pressures and
new technologies are opening cracks in traditional, age-old structures of higher education.
Terms like ‘credit hour’ and even the definition of what it means to be a college are in flux.
Higher education is becoming ‘unbundled.’ —AP
ing abilities, sit them in lecture halls, teach them at
the same speed. After 12 or 15 weeks, whether they
pass with an A or a D-minus, give them equal credit.
Take a break, and then repeat.
“We’ve organized higher education into this factory model where we bring a group of students in
post-high school and march them through more or
less in lock-step,” says Demillo, the Georgia Tech professor and author of “Abelard to Apple: The Fate of
American Colleges and Universities.” “People that
don’t conform are rejected from the factory and
people that make it through are stamped with a
degree.” Researchers have long understood students generally do better with customized speed
and regular assessment, but simple economics
made such individualized learning unrealistic.
“But technology is a great multiplier just like in
business, and it gives you the ability to do that,”
is reviewing the whole model with an eye possibly
toward a more competency-based approach awarding credit for what students learn, rather than
for how long. The US government is interested, too.
In March, the Department of Education approved a
competency-based program at Southern New
Hampshire University and signaled other colleges
could get federal approval for programs that don’t
mark time in traditional credit hours.
Meanwhile, similar tectonic shifts may be contemplated with accreditation - another traditional
pillar of American higher education that’s been a
model for the world, but which technology threatens to transform.
Accreditation, a process essentially run by traditional universities, determines who can award credits and degrees and collect federal financial aid dollars. It offers a quality control other countries envy,
but it also limits supply. To education entrepreneurs
who can’t give credits or degrees, it’s an innovationsquelching monopoly that keeps them from offering their solutions to the problem of college affordability.
The Obama administration said earlier this year it
wants more flexibility in the accreditation system, to
reward things like value and “student outcomes.”
Such developments could open the door to new
types of providers, which has entrepreneurs optimistic, though pushing for more. “The whole
monopoly on credentialing is slowly breaking,” says
Burck Smith, co-founder of Baltimore-based
Straighterline, a small start-up with large ambitions.
The company offers online courses (self-paced
but with tutors available) in subjects like algebra
and chemistry. For now, it can’t offer credit itself,
because it’s not a traditional, accredited university.
But about 40 colleges have agreed to award credit
to students who finish Straighterline courses ”unbundling” some of their teaching to a specialized
provider.
Students also can’t use federal aid to pay for
Straighterline courses. But because Straighterline
doesn’t have a campus, it doesn’t charge for things
like football teams, student unions and career counselors. It charges only for teaching: $99 a month, a
price most can pay without federal aid. It plans to
enroll as many as 15,000 this year.
Some colleges can justify their $50,000 price tag,
Smith says. But for students who just want welltaught basic courses, without bells and whistles,
why shouldn’t the market offer just that?
Asked recently whether he would push for more
changes to open up the market, U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan said he wants to make
room for more experiments and to see the data.
“College costs are crushing lots of Americans,”
Duncan said. “I think technology has a chance, an
opportunity, to be very, very disruptive, very helpful
there.” “I’m extraordinarily interested,” he added. “I’m
not sold.”
Abdoulaye Coulibaly, 26, is an English master’s
student at Felix Houphouet Boigny University in the
West African nation of Ivory Coast. He does not
believe online education can or should replace the
classroom. “We’re going to be very lazy online,” he
says. “If you put my class online, I’m going to take it
and I’m not going to come to the university again.
We need to come to class. They’re the teachers and
they have to teach us. If we don’t understand, we
need to ask questions. That’s the only way for us to
understand.”
And yet, MOOCs have obvious allure in a place
where the few universities burst at the seams - if
they function at all. Post-election violence recently
forced Felix Houphouet Boigny to close for 17
months, and its libraries still have no books. Just getting to school is an ordeal; Coulibaly must leave his
home at 5 am to snag a seat in 8 am class, and he’s
been robbed a half-dozen times en route.
To Coursera’s Koller, the MOOCs’ potential is if
anything greater in places like Ivory Coast. India, she
notes, wants to increase by tens of millions the
number of its young people with college degrees.
Reaching its goals would require building 1,500
new universities, she notes, but India can’t fully staff
its current ones. Scaled-up teaching through technology is the only solution.—AP
NASA’s Curiosity rover
celebrates year on Mars
LOS ANGELES: Mount Sharp has beckoned Curiosity since the NASA rover
made its grand entrance on Mars exactly a year ago, dangling from nylon
cables to a safe landing.
If microbes ever existed on Mars, the
mountain represents the best hope for
preserving the chemical ingredients
that are fundamental to all living
things.
After a poky but productive start,
Curiosity recently pointed its wheels
south, rolling toward the base of Mount
Sharp in a journey that will last many
months. Expect Curiosity to channel its
inner tourist as it drives across the rockstrewn landscape, dodging bumps and
taking in the scenery.
“We do a lot of off-roading on a lot
of little dirt roads,” said mission manager Jennifer Trosper. Curiosity will
unpack its toolkit once it arrives at its
destination to hunt for the organic
building blocks of life. Scientists have
been eager for a peek of Mount Sharp
since Curiosity, the size of a small SUV,
touched down in an ancient crater near
the Martian equator on the night of
Aug. 5, 2012.
The world wondered whether
Curiosity would nail its landing, which
involved an acrobatic plunge through
the thin atmosphere that ended with it
being gently lowered to the ground
with cables.
Engineers had to invent new tricks
since Curiosity was too massive to
bounce to a landing cocooned in
airbags - the preferred choice for previous rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
After seven terrifying minutes, a
voice echoed through mission control
at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“Touchdown confirmed,” said engineer
Allen Chen. “We’re safe on Mars.”
Scientists and engineers clad in
matching sky-blue polo shirts erupted
in cheers. Some were so excited that
they overshot their high-fives.
Curiosity became a pop sensation.
Several of Curiosity’s handlers including
Bobak “Mohawk Guy” Ferdowsi became
science rock stars.
The technical prowess required to
pull off such a landing has “captured
the imagination of a whole new generation of prospective explorers,” said
American University space policy professor Howard McCurdy, who has closely followed the $2.5 billion mission.
Mission scientist Sushil Atreya of the
University of Michigan remained calm
until the last ten seconds. “Then it hit
me - it’s crazy! It was an unbelievable
feeling of relief when the first picture
from the rover came down,” Atreya said.
Mike Malin, who operates Curiosity’s
cameras, ticked off two of his favorite
pictures from the mission so far: A view
of the rover’s heat shield falling away
right before landing and a color portrait of Mount Sharp. “That looks so
much like Utah that it felt very familiar,”
said Malin, who heads Malin Space
Science Systems.
Once the euphoria of landing wore
off, the six-wheel, nuclear-powered
rover went to work, spending two
months testing its instruments and systems. The health checks took longer
than expected because Curiosity was a
complex machine.
To celebrate the landing anniversary, engineers commanded one of
Curiosity’s instruments to play “Happy
Birthday” as the rover took a break from
driving.
Scientists initially hoped to head to
Mount Sharp late last year, but decided
to take a detour to an intriguing spot
near the landing site where three different types of terrain intersected.
Curiosity discovered rounded pebbles - clear evidence of an ancient
streambed. It also fulfilled one of the
mission’s main goals. By drilling into a
rock and analyzing its chemistry,
Curiosity concluded that Gale Crater
possessed the right environmental conditions to support primitive life. It’s not
equipped to look for microbes, living or
extinct.
With Curiosity busy studying rocks
and dirt, the start date for the mountain trek kept getting pushed back. At
one point, the team declined to predict
anymore.
Now that it’s finally on the move, scientists hope to keep stops to a minimum. Along the way, Curiosity will take
pictures, check the weather, track radiation and fire its laser at rocks.
Curiosity was such a smash that
NASA is preparing for an encore performance in 2021 using the same landing technology. Budget willing, the
next rover will be able to collect rocks
and store them on the Martian surface
for a possible future mission to pick up
and ferry back to Earth. — AP
LONDON: A new Cultured Beef Burger made from cultured beef grown in
a laboratory from stem cells of cattle, is cooked by chef Richard McGeown
during the world’s first public tasting event for the food product held in
London. — AP
LONDON: Food Scientist Hanni Rutzler inspects a burger made from cultured beef grown in a laboratory from stem cells of cattle. The Cultured
Beef could help solve the coming food crisis and combat climate change
according to the producers of the burger which cost some 250,000 euros
(US $ 332,000) to produce. — AP
Feds, states want Apple to
revamp e-book practices
NEW YORK: The Justice Department and 33
state attorneys general said they want to prevent Apple from entering into contracts with
sellers of e-books, movies, music and other digital content that are likely to raise prices.
The demand comes out of an antitrust suit
against Apple Inc. and five e-book publishers. A
federal judge ruled last month that Apple had
colluded with the publishers to raise e-book
prices.
The Cupertino, Calif., company has denied
wrongdoing and has said it will appeal the decision. On Friday, it called the remedy proposal “a
draconian and punitive intrusion into Apple’s
business.” The inclusion of digital media other
than books in the proposal doesn’t bear any
relation to the findings in the case, Apple said.
The book publishers previously settled the
price-fixing charges. They are Hachette,
HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Holtzbrinck
Publishers, doing business as Macmillan, and
The Penguin Publishing Co. Ltd., doing business
as Penguin Group. The settlements were
designed to encourage price competition and
discounting, but that hasn’t happened.
The government alleged that the publishers
colluded with Apple to move the e-book industry away from the wholesale model employed
by Amazon.com Inc., which had unnerved publishers by selling e-book versions of popular
hardcover titles for as little as $9.99 before the
April 2010 release of Apple’s iPad. Under its contracts with publishers, Amazon was free to sell
books at any price it wanted.
Apple instead adopted the “agency” model,
under which publishers set the retail price and
the store takes a cut. Under that model, the
store can’t discount a book. That pressured
Amazon into accepting the agency model, the
government alleged.
The government wants Apple to agree to
sign new contracts with the publishers that
aren’t likely to raise prices. In its response Friday,
Apple said the government’s proposed remedy
is unnecessary, since the publishers are already
signing new wholesale contracts.
In her ruling in July, the judge said the conspiracy harmed consumers in numerous ways.
Some had to pay more for e-books, she said.
Others bought cheaper e-books rather than the
ones they preferred to purchase and others
deferred purchases altogether rather than pay
higher prices.
The settlements with the publishers removed
the shackles that prevented Amazon from discounting, but the $9.99 price for e-books that
publishers dreaded has become increasingly
rare. The Justice Department and the attorneys
general also want Apple to allow rival e-book
sellers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble Inc. to
provide links inside their iPhone and iPad apps
to their own book stores.
Apple allows Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s
apps to load books that have already been purchased, but doesn’t allow the apps to sell books
or link to online bookstores. — AP
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
H E A LT H & S C I E N C E
Fonterra CEO sorry for milk scare, denies cover-up
BEIJING: Theo Spierings, the CEO of New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra, faces
the media at a press conference yesterday.—AFP photos
Sugary drinks tied to
obesity among preschoolers
NEW YORK: Five-year-olds who drink sugar-sweetened sodas, sports drinks or juices
every day are more likely to be obese than
those who have sugar-sweetened beverages less often, according to a new study.
Although the link between sugary drinks
and extra weight has been well documented among teens and adults, researchers
said that up until now, the evidence was
less clear for young children. “Even though
sugar-sweetened beverages are relatively a
small percentage of the calories that children take in, that additional amount of
calories did contribute to more weight gain
over time,” said Dr Mark DeBoer, who led
the study at the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville.
He and his colleagues surveyed the parents of a nationally-representative group of
9,600 children when the kids were two,
four and five years old. The children were
all born in 2001. Parents reported on their
income and education, as well as how
often children drank sugary beverages and
watched TV. The children and their mothers
were weighed at each survey visit. The proportion of kids who had at least one soda,
sports drink or sugar-sweetened juice drink
each day ranged from 9 to 13 percent,
depending on their age.
Those children were more likely to have
an overweight mother and to watch at
least two hours of TV each day at age four
and five. After accounting for those influences as well as families’ socioeconomic
status, the researchers found five-year-olds
who had at least one sugary drink each day
were 43 percent more likely to be obese
than those who drank the beverages less
frequently or not at all.
Kids were considered obese if they had
a body mass index - a measure of weight in
relation to height - above the 95th per-
centile for their age and gender, as calculated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. About 15 percent of fiveyear-olds in the study were obese.
Four-year-old sugary beverage drinkers
also tended to have a higher rate of obesity
than non-drinkers - but that finding could
have been due to chance, the researchers
reported yesterday in Pediatrics. Among
two-year-olds, there was no link between
sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity.
In a statement sent to Reuters Health,
the American Beverage Association trade
group wrote, “Overweight and obesity are
caused by an imbalance between calories
consumed from all foods and beverages
(total diet) and calories burned (physical
activity). Therefore, it is misleading to suggest that beverage consumption is uniquely responsible for weight gain among this
group of children, especially at a time in
their lives when they would normally gain
weight and grow.” The researchers said kids
who drink sports drinks and other beverages with added sugar may not make up
for the extra calories by eating or drinking
less of something else. That could be in
part because sugar wouldn’t satisfy children’s appetite as well as something with
protein and fat. Drinking milk, on the other
hand, “will contribute to satiety and not as
big of an increase in total intake as something that is pure sugar,” DeBoer said. His
study did not take into account kids’ other
eating habits and physical activity. Dr Y.
Claire Wang, who studies childhood nutrition and obesity at the Columbia University
Mailman School of Public Health in New
York, said she wasn’t surprised by the findings. “This is really just adding to the evidence we already know that (drinking) sugar-sweetened beverages in childhood is
associated with weight gain. —AP
India partly revokes Roche
cancer drug patent
ZURICH: India has partly revoked patents
granted to Roche Holding AG for its breast
cancer drug Herceptin, a spokesman for the
drugmaker confirmed on Sunday. Swiss
newspaper Schweiz am Sonntag reported
that the Kolkata Patent Office had lifted divisional patents for Herceptin on July 17 on the
grounds they had not been properly submitted. “I can confirm that the Assistant
Controller of Patents at the Kolkata Patent
Office has revoked divisional patents of
Herceptin and that we are now considering
the further course of action,” a spokesman for
Roche said. The decision is the latest in a
series of rulings on intellectual property and
pricing in India that have frustrated attempts
by Western drugmakers to sell their medicines in India’s fast-growing drugs market.
On Friday, India revoked a patent granted
to GlaxoSmithKline’s for breast cancer drug
Tykerb, following on from a landmark court
ruling in April disallowing patents for incremental innovations. Roche has already adapted its business model in India to increase
affordable access to drugs and try to stave off
trouble from India’s patent authorities.
In August 2012, it introduced cut-price
versions of Herceptin and another cancer
drug MabThera, under an alliance with Indian
generics firm Emcure Pharmaceutics. Last
year, India revoked patents granted to
Roche’s hepatitis C drug Pegasys, Pfizer Inc’s
cancer drug Sutent, and Merck & Co’s asthma
treatment aerosol suspension formulation. All
were revoked on grounds that included lack
of innovation.—Reuters
Some like it hot, but
does it matter in yoga?
NEW YORK: Hot yoga devotee Karla Walsh
feels exhilarated after an hour of twisting her
soggy limbs into pretzel shapes, but the Iowabased writer wonders if all that swelter really
ramps up her workout. Bikram and other
types of hot yoga, where temperatures can
soar to 105 Fahrenheit (40.5 Celsius) or higher, are increasingly popular. Fitness experts
say the hot-house workout if done properly is
not harmful and may seem more challenging,
but add that followers aren’t working any
harder than in other yoga classes.
“The benefits are largely perceptual,” said
Dr Cedric Bryant, the chief science officer of
the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
“People think the degree of sweat is the quality of the workout, but that’s not reality. It
doesn’t correlate to burning more calories.” In
a small study sponsored by ACE at the
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, researchers
who monitored two dozen healthy adults
during regular and hot yoga classes found no
difference in the increase in core temperature
or heart rate between the two 60-minute sessions.
“An increase in core temperature would
suggest the person is storing heat, and
depending on how high, would be at risk for
heat injury,” Bryant explained. “We didn’t find
that.” He added that people enjoy hot yoga
because it allows them to feel more flexible.
“But as far as physical benefits,” which he said
include muscular strength, endurance, flexibility and balance, “you can get those from a
standard yoga class.”
For the study, the hot yoga was conducted
in an average temperature of 92 degrees
Fahrenheit (33 Celsius). Bryant said in classes,
including the popular Bikram style, where the
temperature rises to 105 Fahrenheit (40.5
Celsius) or higher, further study is needed.
“Many folks want to know what happens in
that really extreme class,” he said. “Our study
says you don’t have to be at those extreme
temperatures to get all those benefits.” New
York-based yoga instructor Taj Harris likens a
hot yoga class to a physical therapy session
with heat packs or a massage with hot stones.
“The heat allows the body to be more supple,”
said Harris, who teaches 60-, 75- and 90minute classes at Crunch fitness centers. “It
increases joint lubrication as well as flexibility
in muscles.”
Harris said the heat, which can range from
92 (33 Celsius) to 100 (38 Celsius) degrees
Fahrenheit in her classes, eliminates the need
for the extended warm-up of a traditional
class. “People like to sweat, they enjoy the
way their body feels after a nice heated
stretch,” she said. “I have had the pleasure of
watching some students work through tightness, strains and pains with a regular hot
yoga practice.”
Harris encourages her yogis to drink water
during class, bring plenty of towels to wipe
away their excess sweat, and tells them that if
they need a respite, it’s always cooler on the
floor. Bryant said when doing any activity in a
hot environment it’s crucial to maintain
hydration and to watch out for early danger
signs. “Dizziness, headache, lightheadedness,
mild nausea and muscle cramps, are indicators that you’re not tolerating that heat,” he
explained. —Reuters
BEIJING/ CHINA: New Zealand dairy giant
Fonterra apologized yesterday for a botulism
scare that saw product recalls and seizures
from China to Saudi Arabia, but denied accusations it delayed releasing information. “We
deeply apologize to the people who have been
affected,” CEO Theo Spierings told a news conference in Beijing, capital of the world’s biggest
market for baby formula. But he insisted that
the company had informed customers and the
authorities within 24 hours of confirming the
contamination problem. Fonterra revealed at
the weekend that a whey product used to
make baby milk and soft drinks had been contaminated with bacteria that can cause botulism, a potentially fatal disease.
Fonterra is the world’s largest dairy co-operative and New Zealand’s biggest company,
accounting for 89 percent of the country’s milk
production-15.4 billion litres-in 2011 and
recording turnover of US$15.7 billion last year.
The scare saw restrictions put on Fonterra products imported into China while Dumex and
Karicare, both subsidiaries of French food giant
Danone, issued recalls in China, Hong Kong,
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and New
Zealand. Authorities in Russia also ordered a
recall of Fonterra’s products and advised consumers against using them, domestic reports
said, while New Zealand and Vietnam both
warned parents to avoid some types of Karicare
formula.
In Saudi Arabia authorities said they had
seized a batch of affected formula and it would
be destroyed. New Zealand’s dairy industry-
which accounts for 25 percent of the country’s
total exports-will be particularly concerned
about the damage caused to its reputation in
China, by far its most important market. It has
long promoted itself as a supplier of “clean,
green” dairy products, particularly in China,
where consumers distrust domestically-made
products after a series of food safety scandalsthe worst of them involving a company linked
to Fonterra. A New Zealand minister said China
had banned all imports of milk powder from
the country, but there was no Chinese confirmation and Spierings said there were “restrictions” on Fonterra’s whey products. “We totally
understand the concern among parents,” he
told reporters. “Parents have the right to know
that infant nutrition and other dairy-related
products are 100 percent safe.” New Zealand
Prime Minister John Key had earlier yesterday
accused the company of a “staggering” delay in
revealing the contamination.
Tests had shown “something” when the
batch was produced in May 2012 but the company “allowed it to go out”, Key told Radio New
Zealand. Spierings said the first signs of a problem only emerged after tests in March this year,
when further tests had been needed to identify
“the root cause and the exact strain” of bacteria
involved. “That takes time,” he said. “On July 31
we got that message and we went out 24 hours
later in the proper way to inform our customers
and to inform the NZ government.”
Aside from Danone’s Dumex, the other two
companies affected in China, Hangzhou
Wahaha and Coca-Cola’s Chinese subsidiary,
who used the whey in soft drinks, both said
their products were safe but they would recall
them as a precaution. Chris Galloway, a senior
lecturer in public relations at Massey University,
said there were concerns Fonterra had not
learned the lessons of a 2008 scandal when six
children died and more than 300,000 fell ill
after one of its part-owned Chinese partners,
Sanlu, illegally laced milk with the chemical
melamine.
“The repetition makes it harder for people to
accept that this is an isolated incident,” he told
AFP. But some Chinese still put their faith in foreign brands. Only one Chinese baby milk manufacturer has so far been affected by the scare
and there were no signs of panic buying at
supermarkets. “No matter how bad imported
milk is, I will never buy domestically made baby
formula,” said one poster on China’s hugely
popular Twitter-like microblogging site, Sina
Weibo. Fonterra said there had been no reports
of illness linked to consumption of the tainted
product, which contains the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can cause botulism, an
infection that can lead to paralysis and death.
The company has blamed the contamination on a dirty pipe at a North Island processing
plant. About 95 percent of China’s milk powder
imports in January-March came from New
Zealand, up by a third on the same period in
2012, a government website reported in April.
Fonterra shares closed down 3.65 percent at
NZ$6.86 in Wellington, while Danone shares
were down 0.71 percent to 59.96 euros in midmorning trade in Paris. —AFP
NEW ZEALAND: (Left) Warning signs on the shelves in a Wellington supermarket where a batch of baby formulae made by
Fonterra have been stripped clear because of suspected contamination in the product in Wellington yesterday. (Right) A woman
checks a guarantee announcement on a shelf of Dumex baby formula, which uses the New Zealand dairy Fonterra as its raw
material supplier, at a supermarket in Hefei.
Restaurant chain says salad
linked to virus no longer served
NEW YORK: A salad mix linked to a
severe stomach virus that sickened
more than 200 people in Iowa and
Nebraska has not been served at
Olive Garden and Red Lobster
restaurants there for about a
month, a spokesman for the restaurants said on Saturday. The Food
and Drug Administration identified
the salad, supplied by a Mexican
farm, as responsible for the
cyclospora outbreak in those two
states.
But the FDA said it is not yet
clear if it was the culprit in 14 other
states as well, and the investigation
will continue. Rich Jeffers, a
spokesman for Orlando, Floridabased Darden Restaurants, which
operates Olive Garden and Red
Lobster, said it has been more than
a month since the last case was
reported in Iowa and Nebraska. The
shelf life of the salad is about twoweeks.
“We are fully confident along
with health officials that in those
states the product is out of the supply chain,” Jeffers said. The
cyclospora infections account for
more than 400 cases of illness in 16
states, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. At
least 22 people have been hospitalized. The highest number of cases 146 - were reported in Iowa, followed by Texas with 113, Nebraska
with 81 and Florida with 25, accord-
ing to the CDC. Other states have
reported cases in the single digits.
Olive Garden and Red Lobster
restaurants in Texas, the state with
the second largest number of
reported illnesses, are not supplied
by Taylor Farms de Mexico, Jeffers
said. The majority of cases were
reported between mid-June and
early July, the CDC said. “None of
Taylor Farms’ other 11 facilities have
been connected to these cases,” a
statement on its Web site said. The
FDA also said its investigation has
not found any problems with
bagged salad mix found in grocery
stores. The states reporting cases of
stomach illness are: Iowa, Nebraska,
Texas, Wisconsin, Arkansas,
Connecticut, Florida, Georgia,
Illinois,
Kansas,
Louisiana,
Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey,
New York, and Ohio. Cyclosporiasis
is most commonly found in tropical
and subtropical regions of the
world.
Symptoms for the illness, caused
by ingesting contaminated food or
water containing a parasite too
small to be detected without a
microscope, include nausea, watery
diarrhea and body aches. Most people with healthy immune systems
recover from the infection without
treatment, but the elderly and those
with weakened immune systems are
believed to be at higher risk for prolonged illness.—Reuters
Israel to launch limited active
polio virus campaign in south
JERUSALEM: Israel said on Sunday it was launching a
campaign to administer the active polio vaccine to
children in its southern region after tests detected at
least 1,000 carriers of the virus in that area, though
none were found to be ill with the disease.
The Health Ministry said it was recommending that
children born after January 2004, but not younger
than two months, report to publicly-funded clinics
administered oral drops of a weakened active virus
vaccine began yesterday. Polio, a viral illness that can
cause paralysis, is considered highly contagious but
has been eradicated in most countries since vaccines
were developed in the 1950s.
Most children around the world are now vaccinated at an early age with the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) as part of routine public health policy.
The active oral vaccine (OPV) is administered in
places endemic for polio or where the risk of transmission is high.
Israel conducted tests after the virus was detected
in sewage samples some weeks ago, and subsequent
tests by laboratories abroad provided “indications
there are between 1,000 to 2,000 carriers of the virus,”
Health Minister Yael German said in an interview with
Channel 2 television. While there have been no
reported cases of the disease, a decision was made to
take protective steps. Israeli media said the target
population numbered about 150,000 children.
“The level of immunization in Israel is 98 percent
and there are no cases of the disease,” German said.
“But the virus exists, for now in the south.” Tests were
still being conducted to see whether the immunization campaign ought to be widened to cover other
parts of the country, German added.
A similar immunization campaign followed a limited outbreak of polio in Israel and Palestinian territories in the late 1980s, at a time when it was believed
the disease had been eradicated in the region. Health
groups have said they believe they could rid the
world of polio by 2018 with a $5.5 billion vaccination
and monitoring plan.—Reuters
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
H E A LT H & S C I E N C E
Breathing new life: New procedure helps asthma sufferers
TEXAS: Taylor Mosley’s asthma flare-ups were
so severe that she sometimes wondered
when her next wheezing breath might be her
last. Mosley, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas, has
relied on steroids and her rescue inhaler for
years to keep her asthma in check but said
she still would wind up in the hospital once
or twice a month in intensive care, often for
days at a time. Her health led her to drop out
of college, caused her to miss work and kept
her from participating in sports and outdoor
activities for fear of triggering an asthma
attack, she said.
“Emotionally, you just feel like you are
going to die any minute,” Mosley said. But a
newly available medical treatment has
Mosley breathing easier for the first time in
years. In March, Mosley was the first patient
to undergo the three-part bronchial thermoplasty procedure now offered at Texas Health
Southwest Fort Worth for those whose severe
asthma cannot be controlled by medication
alone. “Now I feel free. I don’t have a ball and
chain around my foot and I can go and start
to do the things I want to do,” said Mosley,
who has started running and is planning her
first camping trip with her family.
An estimated 25.9 million Americans have
asthma, according to the most recent
American Lung Association report. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of those have a severe
case of the lung disease, which can lead to
numerous emergency room visits, lost productivity at work and even death.
Bronchial thermoplasty, approved by the
Food and Drug Administration in 2010, does
not cure asthma but is designed to reduce
inflammation of the airways and improve
patients’ quality of life, said Dr Huy Duong, a
pulmonary critical care physician at Texas
Health Southwest.
Through the minimally invasive procedure, a small catheter is inserted into the
lungs and radio frequency energy is used to
heat the lung tissue and reduce the thickness
of the smooth muscles that become inflamed
during an allergy attack. The heating process
limits the muscles’ ability to constrict, making
breathing easier for the patient.
“People with asthma over time develop
thickened airway muscles. When they get an
asthma attack, that causes the airway muscles to constrict,” said Duong, who performed
the procedure on Mosley. “The idea is that if
you deliver thermal energy to the muscles
and thin them out, people will have fewer
attacks.”
Duong said the treatment is the newest
non-drug alternative to years of steroid use,
which can create long-term health effects
including osteoporosis, cataracts and high
blood pressure. “Asthma is very common
around here. There are not too many alternatives for people with asthma that medications
aren’t controlling. A lot of these people end
up on steroids and immune-suppressing
drugs that have a lot of side effects and their
quality of life is terrible,” he said.
Mosley said she hasn’t been hospitalized
for an asthma flare-up and hasn’t had to miss
work since completing the procedure.
Though she still carries her rescue inhaler, she
said she finds she doesn’t have to use it as frequently as she once did. Now she’s looking
forward to her camping trip at Lake Whitney.
“I’m almost 23 years old and I’ve never been
camping. As a kid I wasn’t allowed to do
much because you never knew how my asthma was going to react,” Mosley said. “This is a
celebration.”—MCT
TEXAS: Dr Huy Duong, left, pictured has helped asthma patient Taylor Mosley,
22, by using a new bronchial thermoplasty treatment .
TEXAS: (Left) Pulmonary critical care physician Dr Huy Duong, has helped asthma patient Taylor Mosley (not pictured) by using a new
bronchial thermoplasty treatment offered at Texas Health Southwest. (Right) A device that helps in bronchial thermoplasty treatment.
Japan nuclear body says radioactive
water at Fukushima an ‘emergency’
Official says leaks into ocean exceed legal limits
TOKYO: Highly radioactive water seeping into the
ocean from Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear
plant is creating an “emergency” that the operator
is struggling to contain, an official from the country’s nuclear watchdog said yesterday. This contaminated groundwater has breached an underground barrier, is rising toward the surface and is
exceeding legal limits of radioactive discharge,
Shinji Kinjo, head of a Nuclear Regulatory
Authority (NRA) task force, told Reuters.
Countermeasures planned by Tokyo Electric Power
Co are only a temporary solution, he said. Tepco’s
“sense of crisis is weak,” Kinjo said. “This is why you
can’t just leave it up to Tepco alone” to grapple
with the ongoing disaster.
“Right now, we have an emergency,” he said.
Tepco has been widely castigated for its failure to
preparefor the massive 2011 tsunami and earthquake that devastated its Fukushima plant and
lambasted for its inept response to the reactor
meltdowns. It has also been accused of covering
up shortcomings.
It was not immediately clear how much of a
threat the contaminated groundwater could pose.
In the early weeks of the disaster, the Japanese
government allowed Tepco to dump tens of thousands of tons of contaminated water into the
Pacific in an emergency move. The toxic water
release was however heavily criticized by neighboring countries as well as local fishermen and the
utility has since promised it would not dump irradiated water without the consent of local townships. “Until we know the exact density and volume of the water that’s flowing out, I honestly
can’t speculate on the impact on the sea,” said
Mitsuo Uematsu from the Center for International
Collaboration, Atmosphere and Ocean Research
Institute at the University of Tokyo. “We also
should check what the levels are like in the sea
water. If it’s only inside the port and it’s not flowing out into the sea, it may not spread as widely as
some fear.” Tepco said it is taking various measures
to prevent contaminated water from leaking into
the bay near the plant. In an e-mailed statement to
Reuters, a company spokesman said Tepco deeply
apologised to residents in Fukushima prefecture,
the surrounding region and the larger public for
causing inconveniences, worries and trouble. The
utility pumps out some 400 tonnes a day of
groundwater flowing from the hills above the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the basements of the destroyed buildings, which mixes
with highly irradiated water that is used to cool
the reactors in a stable state below 100 degrees
Celsius. Tepco is trying to prevent groundwater
from reaching the plant by building a “bypass” but
recent spikes of radioactive elements in sea water
has prompted the utility to reverse months of
denials and finally admit that tainted water is
reaching the sea. In a bid to prevent more leaks
into the bay of the Pacific Ocean, plant workers
created the underground barrier by injecting
chemicals to harden the ground along the shoreline of the No. 1 reactor building. But that barrier is
only effective in solidifying the ground at least 1.8
meters below the surface.
By breaching the barrier, the water can seep
through the shallow areas of earth into the nearby
sea. More seriously, it is rising toward the surface a break of which would accelerate the outflow. “If
you build a wall, of course the water is going to
accumulate there. And there is no other way for
the water to go but up or sideways and eventually
lead to the ocean,” said Masashi Goto, a retired
Toshiba Corp nuclear engineer who worked on
several Tepco plants. “So now, the question is how
long do we have?”
Contaminated water could rise to the ground’s
surface within three weeks, the Asahi Shimbun
said on Saturday. Kinjo said the three-week timeline was not based on NRA’s calculations but
acknowledged that if the water reaches the surface, “it would flow extremely fast.” A Tepco official
said yesterday the company plans to start pumping out a further 100 tonnes of groundwater a day
around the end of the week.
The regulatory task force overseeing accident
measures of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power
station, which met Friday, “concluded that new
measures are needed to stop the water from flowing into the sea that way,” Kinjo said. Tepco said on
Friday that a cumulative 20 trillion to 40 trillion
becquerels of radioactive tritium had probably
leaked into the sea since the disaster. The company said this was within legal limits.
Tritium is far less harmful than cesium and
strontium, which have also been released from the
plant. Tepco is scheduled to test strontium levels
next. The admission on the long-term tritium
leaks, as well as renewed criticism from the regulator, show the precarious state of the $11 billion
cleanup and Tepco’s challenge to fix a fundamental problem: How to prevent water, tainted with
radioactive elements like cesium, from flowing
into the ocean.—Reuters
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
W H AT ’ S O N
Sheraton offers
unforgettable
Eid experience
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hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! Let
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o celebrate the festivities of Eid AlFitr, Sheraton Kuwait, a Luxury
Collection Hotel is offering its
guests unique cultural experiences of
hospitality and dining venues.
At Sheraton Kuwait, guests can enjoy
a variety of finest global cuisines to titillate every palate whilst listening to live
music that captures the happiness of Eid.
Enjoy refined Italian dining at
Riccardo, relish the taste of exotic India at
Bukhara, take pleasure in matchless
Lebanese cuisine in the warm hospitality
of Le Tarbouche and experience extravagant Iranian dishes at Shahrayar in addition to Al Hambra which offers a lavish
buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner at
both Sheraton Hotel and Grand Avenue,
The Avenues.
The English Tea Lounge available in
Announcements
Indian Embassy Announcement
n the occasion of the Independence Day
of India, a flag hoisting ceremony will
take place at the Embassy of India premises on Arabian Gulf Street on Thursday, August 15,
2013, at 0700 hours. The flag hoisting will be followed by the reading of the message of the
Hon’ble President of India by the ambassador of
India and singing of patriotic songs. There will be
an Open House Reception after the programme
concludes. All Indian nationals are cordially invited to attend the function.
O
Indian Embassy
sets up helpline
he Indian Embassy in Kuwait has set up
helpline in order to assist Indian expatriates in registering any complaint regarding the government’s ongoing campaign to
stamp out illegal residents from the country.
The embassy said in press release yesterday
that it amended its previous statement and
stated if there is any complaint, the same could
be conveyed at the following (as amended):
Operations Department, Ministry of Interior,
Kuwait. Fax: 22435580, Tel:
24768146/25200334. It said the embassy has
been in regular contact with local authorities
regarding the ongoing checking of expatriates.
The embassy has also conveyed to them the
concerns, fears and apprehensions of the community in this regard. The authorities in Kuwait
have conveyed that strict instructions have
been issued to ensure that there is no harassment or improper treatment of expatriates by
those undertaking checking. “The embassy
would like to request Indian expatriates to
ensure that they abide by all local laws, rules
and regulations regarding residency, traffic and
other matters,” the release read. It would be
prudent to always carry the Civil ID and other
relevant documents such as driving license,
etc. In case an Indian expatriate encounters
any improper treatment during checking, it
may be conveyed immediately with full details
and contact particulars to the embassy at the
following phone number 67623639. These contact details are exclusively for the above-mentioned purpose only.
T
Issue of online visa
by Indian embassy
oreigners requiring visas for India need to
apply it online from 16th June 2013.
Applicants may log on to the Public portal at ww.indianvisaonline.gov.in. After successful online submission, the hard copy, so
generated, has to be signed by the applicant
and submitted with supporting documents in
accordance with the type of visa along with
the applicable fee in cash at any of the two
outsource centres at Sharq or Fahaheel. It is
essential that applicants fill in their personal
details as exactly available in their passports.
Mismatch of any of the personal details would
lead to non-acceptance of the application. Fees
once paid are non-refundable. All children
would have to obtain separate visa on their
respective passports.
F
8th Expo Pakistan
to commence in September
he 8th Expo Pakistan will be held from
September 26 to 29 in Karachi. Held
annually, Expo Pakistan is the biggest
trade fair in the country showcasing the largest
collection of Pakistan’s export merchandise
and services.
Foreign Exhibitors also use the event to
launch their products. Expo Pakistan 2012 was
visited by delegates from 52 countries and
generated a business of over $ 518 million. A
16 member delegation from Kuwait including
reputable companies like Al-Yasra Foods also
took part in the last exhibition.
Expo Pakistan 2013 is being held under the
auspices of the Trade Development Authority
Pakistan. Details about the event can be
viewed www.expopakisan.gov.pk. Further
information and details of sponsorship can be
obtained from the office of Commercial
Secretary, Pakistan Embassy, Jabriya
(25356594) during office hours.
Enjoy the taste of true Espresso at
Vergnano Cafe at Olympia Complex
T
he superior quality of the blends
comes from the meticulous selection of the best raw materials available, and from an extraordinary production process. Cafe Vergnano is the first to
introduce an innovation that brings all the
passion and pleasure of the perfect
espresso to everyday life at home.
Espresso is now available in Kuwait,
through Al-Sanabel Al-Thahabiya Est. Tel:
22413795/98. Espresso Vergnano can be
ordered through www.taw9eel.com
Espresso Vergnano capsules are compatible with other espresso machines.
Pakistanis hold blood donation drive
I
n response to the appeal by the Central Blood Bank
of Kuwait, the Pakistani blood donors in Kuwait
(PBDIK) organized a blood donation event at the
Central Blood Bank in Jabriya on Aug 2..
A large number of people including Pakistan’s
Ambassador to Kuwait Syed Abrar Hussain, the Deputy
Head of Mission, Hasan Wazir and prominent members
of Pakistan community participated in the event to
donate blood.
The Ambassador, while speaking on the occasion,
appreciated efforts of PBDIK in organizing the successful event on a very short notice. He said the huge
turnout at the event was clear indication of love and
care that Pakistani community feels for their Kuwaiti
T
Write to us
Send to What’s On
upcoming events, birthdays or
celebrations by email:
local@kuwaittimes.net
Fax: 24835619 / 20
two locations at the Sheraton Hotel and
Second Avenue, The Avenues is the perfect venue to head to, for a light snack,
coffee or tea in a sophisticated atmosphere
In keeping with the vibrant spirit of
the Eid celebrations, the Sheraton Kuwait
offers an exclusive upgrade to a suite at
the price of a standard room inclusive of
daily Breakfast, Complimentary Wifi,
Complimentary Shopping discount
vouchers to used at M.H. Al Shaya retail
outlets at the Avenues Mall,
Complimentary Shuttle service to
Avenues Mall and Late check-out.
On this Occasion, Sheraton Kuwait’s
staff and management headed by Fahed
Abushaar / Area Director and General
Manager would like to wish everyone a
Happy Eid!
Dramatist to perform
his ‘last’ act in Kuwait
P
D Paulose, a celebrated activist,
is leaving Kuwait. But that does
not mean he has no time for his
prime passion - drama. His last solo
performance will be presented on
Aug 30 at Pravasi Auditorium,
Abbassiya. The event will also present
a short film acted by Paulose and his
veteran drama compatriot Biju
Samuel, both star actors of Future Eye
Theater, Kuwait, which coordinates
the event.
The 20-minute drama ‘Megham
Manalinodu Paranjathu’ (What the
Cloud Said to the Sand’) scripted by
Sunil Cherian tells the story of a shepherd whose dreams and real life share
discrepancies like that of day and
night. The shepherd who gets a
recorded audiotape from his wife has
news mirroring the present-day affairs
in Kerala. The solo drama will have the
voice of Mini Wilson Chirayath who
got the best actress award during the
KALA drama competitions last year in
Kuwait.
The 5-minute film which was originally shot for a Youth India, Kuwait
short film competition is about the
precautions some expatriates are
incapable of taking while fighting to
survive outside their home country.
The drained-out balance sheet of an
expat’s life is compared with the scary
scarcity of water on our planet. The
film titled ‘Bhoomiyude Attam’ (The
Edge of the Earth) is also written and
directed by Cherian and edited by
Sreekumar Bhaskar. Music is by Nebu.
Both the film and drama will be
shown on Aug 30 at 6.30 pm at
Pravasi Auditorium, Abbassiya.
brothers and sisters.
Ijaz Ahmed Ijaz of PBDIK expressed his gratitude to
all the participants especially the various community
groups like Hala Pakistan, Kuwait Pakistan Friendship
Association, Pakistan Business Council, Pakistan
Employment Forum, and Club 25, whose immense support, he said, made the event successful.
W H AT ’ S O N
T
Prof Ghassan attains senior VP position at CIOB
he Vice President for Academic Affairs at Gulf
University for Science and Technology (GUST) in
Kuwait, Prof Ghassan Aouad, has been appointed
as Senior Vice President of the Chartered Institute of
Building (CIOB) and will become the CIOB President in
2014. The CIOB is an international professional body
has a membership of more than 45,000 from across the
globe. The CIOB is nearly 180 years old and hasitsheadquarters in Ascot, UK and one of its Branches in Dubai,
UAE. The CIOB accredits universities from across the
globe and provides leadership in developing professionalism in the construction sector.
Prof Ghassan Aouad is the Immediate Past President
of the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD).
Prior to this, he was the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for
Research and Innovation and Dean of the College of
Science and Technology at the University of Salford in
the UK. Ghassan is also a visiting professor at the
University ofSalford (UK).Prior to joining Salford, he
spent five years in the Department of Civil and
Building Engineering of Loughborough University,
where he obtained an MSc in Construction (1987) and
a PhD entitled Integrated Planning Systems for the
Construction Industry (1991)
Ghassan has spent the last 20 years teaching and
researching subjects related to the areas of
Information Modelling and Visualisation, nD simulation, and process mapping. His publications record
includes over 90 refereed journal papers, 113 conference papers, and a number of books, book chapters
and reports. He is also currently on the editorial board
of several international journals, and he has been an
external examiner to more than 52 PhDs and successfully supervised 22 PhD students at Salford. As a principal investigator, Ghassan has generated over £20M to
support research related to built and human environment processes and products, collaborating widely
with many UK and international institutions, and has
presented his work in more than 42 countries.
Prof Shuaib Al-Shuaib, President of GUST, said “GUST
is delighted that its Vice President Academic Affairs has
been elected as Senior Vice President of the CIOB and I
am confident he will make serious contributions to this
prestigious professional body”. Chris Blythe, Chief
Executive of the CIOB said, “I know for sure that
Ghassan’s international reputation will help us
strengthen the Institute’s international recognition.
Ghassan will become President in June 2014 and this
will be announced at the CIOB’sMembers’Forum week
in Qatar”.
Ghassan said, “I am so proud of this appointment
and I am passionate about my association with the
Embassy
Information
EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA
The Embassy of Australia has announced
that Kuwait citizens can apply for and
receive visit visas in 10 working days
through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and Immigration matters are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre
located in Al Banwan Building, 4B, 1st Floor, Al
Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City. Visit.
www.vfs-au-gcc.com for more info. The Embassy
of Australia does not have a visa or immigration
department. All processing of visas and immigration matters is conducted by the Australian
Consulate-General in Dubai. Email:
Info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VIS),
immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office), Tel:
+971 4 205 5900 (VFS), Fax: + 971 4 355 0708
(Visa Office). Notary and passport services are
available by appointment. Appointments can be
made by calling the Embassy on 22322422.
CIOB.The CIOB is a professional institution which is
very progressive and passionate about the development of the construction sector globally”.
Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait - Fintas celebrates Eid Al Fitr
O
n the joyous occasion of Eid Al
Fitr, Safir Hotel & Residences
Kuwait - Fintas, a 5-star hotel, has
unveiled a great family package including
a rich selection of culinary delights and
exemplary room offers to celebrate the
spirit of togetherness and family bonds
that is the essence of the occasion. Safir
Fintas expresses its warmest greetings to
their valued guests and their families and
invites them to spend a memorable Eid Al
Fitr celebration in the hotel.
This Eid, Safir Fintas opens its doors to
everyone who wants to experience the
luxury and comfort of its fine hotel rooms
and furnished apartments overlooking
the waters of the Arabian Gulf. Offering
exceptional rates for a one-night stay in
deluxe rooms or in a 1or 2 bedroom
apartment, further lower rates are available if guests opt to choose a two-night
stay package. This includes a complimentary Eid buffet breakfast at Flavors
Restaurant, free use of the outdoor roof
top swimming pool, free high speed
internet connection and a designated
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
nnnnnnn
EMBASSY OF CANADA
The Embassy of Canada in Kuwait does
not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visa and immigration matters including enquiries is conducted by the Canadian Embassy in Abu
Dhabi, UAE. Individuals who are interested in
working, studying, visiting or immigrating to
Canada should contact the Canadian
Embassy in Abu Dhabi, website:
www.UAE.gc.ca or
www.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-imenquiry@international.gc.ca. The Embassy of
Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei
St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of
Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday
through Thursday. The reception is open
from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services for
Canadian citizens are provided from 09:00
until 12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.
nnnnnnn
Kid’s Corner at the Beach Garden.
Moreover, an array of special culinary
treats awaits adults and children alike.
Flavors Restaurant will serve its guests a
special Eid Buffet and a live cooking station for lunch and dinner for KD15 per
person. Enjoy shisha in a variety of flavors
at Hilal Al Fintas which also offers a special buffet for KD8 per person. The
rooftop Sky Lounge, with its outdoor
swimming pool overlooking the Arabian
Gulf offers a perfect venue to beat the
heat and enjoy the sun at the Ice Cream
and Milk Shake Bar. For families who
choose to celebrate at home, we bring
the festivities straight to your doorstep
with our special Outside Catering Eid Al
Fitr offer; whole Quzi with two kinds of
rice and five different types of salads, a
sure treat to share with the whole family.
EMBASSY OF GREECE
The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has
the pleasure to announce that visa
applications must be submitted to
Schengen Visa Application Centre (VFS office)
located at 12th floor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad
Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City,
(Parking at Souk Watia). For information
please call 22281046 from 08:30 to 17:00
(Sunday to Thursday). Working hours:
Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collection from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applications please visit the following website
www.mfa.gr/kuwait.
nnnnnnn
EMBASSY OF INDIA
The Embassy of India will remain closed
on Thursday, August 15th, 2013 on
account of Independence Day.
nnnnnnn
EMBASSY OF UK
As of July 22, the British Embassy’s Visa
Application Center (VAC) will be extending opening hours to be from 08:00 to
15:00 (previously from 09:30 to 14:30). This will
generate more appointments in addition to
the ones created from the Iftar opening time
from 20:00 - 22:00. This step comes in response
to the increasing number of applicants during
summer.
nnnnnnn
Penguins 3D on Scientific Center IMAX
T
he Scientific Center announced screening
‘Penguins 3D’ on IMAX starting from the first day
of Eid Al-Fitr Holiday. On that regard, Chairman
and Managing Director Mejbel Al-Mutawa’a said that
the movie documents the journey of a king penguin to
his home land in an arctic island where it was born. The
movie follows the story of the penguin as he struggles
to adapt with birds, seals as well as six million other
penguins in the ‘Penguins City’ and start his own family. The movie was shot in 14 months between 2011
and 2012 at one of the most beautiful natural locations
in the world, which is also home for the world’s largest
group of penguins. The movie started screening worldwide two months ago. It is distributed by nWave; with
whom the Scientific Center cooperate to screen several
great movies such as ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ and ‘The
Human Body’. The Scientific Center welcomes visitors
on the first day of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday from 2:00 pm
to 11:00 pm, and on the rest of the holiday from 9:00
am to 11:00 pm.
EMBASSY OF US
Parents of Kuwaiti citizen children may
drop off their sons’ and daughters’ visa
applications - completely free of an interview or a trip inside the Embassy. The children
must be under 14 years of age, and additional
requirements do apply, but the service means
parents will no longer have to schedule individual appointments for their children, nor come
inside the Embassy (unless they are applying
for themselves). The service is only available for
children holding Kuwaiti passports. To take
advantage, parents must drop off the following
documents: Child Visa Drop-off cover sheet,
available on the Embassy website
(http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.htm)
- Child’s passport; The Child’s previous passport, if it contains a valid US visa; 5x5cm photo
of child with eyes open (if uploaded into DS160, photos must be a .jpg between 600x600
and 1200x1200 pixels, less than 240kb, and
cannot be digitally altered); A completed DS160 form; Visa Fee Receipt from Burgan Bank; A
copy of the valid visa of at least one parent. If
one parent will not travel, provide a visa copy
for the traveling parent, and a passport copy
from the non-traveling parent with a letter stating no objection to the child’s travel. - For children of students (F2): a copy of the child’s I-20.
Children born in the US (with very few
exceptions) are US citizens and would not be
eligible for a visa. Parents may drop off the
application packet at Window 2 at the Embassy
from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, Monday to Wednesday,
excluding holidays. More information is available on the U.S. Embassy website:
kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.html
nnnnnnn
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN
On the auspicious occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr,
and in accordance with the Eid holidays
announced by the Government of Kuwait,
the Embassy of Pakistan will remain closed from
August 8 to 11, 2013 (Thursday to Sunday) if the
first day of Eid is on Thursday, and will reopen
with its routine office timings from 08.00 am to
04.00 pm on Monday 12th August 2013. In case
Bid falls on Friday, the Embassy will resume its
work from Tuesday 13th August, 2013.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
TV PROGRAMS
3:15
3:45
4:10
5:00
5:05
5:15
5:25
5:45
5:55
6:15
6:20
6:30
6:40
7:00
7:10
7:30
8:00
8:30
9:15
9:45
10:15
11:05
11:55
My Family
The Cafe
Lark Rise To Candleford
Buzz & Tell
Charlie And Lola
3rd & Bird
Me Too!
Garth And Bev
Tweenies
Buzz & Tell
Charlie And Lola
3rd & Bird
Me Too!
Garth And Bev
Tweenies
My Family
The Cafe
The Weakest Link
Eastenders
Doctors
Monarch Of The Glen
Lark Rise To Candleford
My Family
3:15 Too Cute!
4:05 My Cat From Hell
4:55 Snake Crusader With Bruce
George
5:20 Shamwari: A Wild Life
5:45 Call Of The Wildman
6:10 Call Of The Wildman
6:35 Call Of The Wildman
7:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild
7:25 Must Love Cats
8:15 The Most Extreme
9:10 Project Puppy
9:35 Project Puppy
10:05 Roaring With Pride
11:00 Animal Cops Miami
11:55 Snake Crusader With Bruce
George
12:20 Call Of The Wildman
12:50 Gator Boys
13:45 Animal Precinct
14:40 Roaring With Pride
15:30 Shamwari: A Wild Life
16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild
16:30 The Most Extreme
17:25 Penguin Safari
18:20 Too Cute!
19:15 Going Ape
19:40 Call Of The Wildman
20:10 The Snake Buster
20:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life
21:05 Big Five Challenge
22:00 Bondi Vet
22:55 Pit Bulls And Parolees
23:50 Animal Cops Phoenix
0:45 After The Attack
1:35 Untamed & Uncut
2:25 Big Five Challenge
2:10
3:05
4:00
4:50
5:00
5:15
5:45
4:10
5:05
6:00
6:50
7:00
7:15
7:45
True Stories
Marley Africa Road Trip
Animal Armageddon
One Of A Kind
One Of A Kind
A Racing Car Is Born
Marley Africa Road Trip
6:35 8:35 Hell On High Wate
7:30 9:30 Weaponology
8:20 10:20 I Shouldn’t Be Alive
9:10 11:10 In The Footsteps Of
Thesiger
10:05 12:05 True Stories
10:55 12:55 Mummy Autopsy
11:50 13:50 Feral Children
12:45 14:45 Animal Armageddon
13:40 15:40 Weaponology
14:35 16:35 World’s
Toughest
Expeditions With...
15:25 17:25 I Shouldn’t Be Alive
16:20 18:20 How We Invented The
World
17:10 19:10 One Of A Kind
17:20 19:20 One Of A Kind
17:35 19:35 A Racing Car Is Born
18:05 20:05 True Stories 5
19:00 21:00 How We Invented The
World
19:55 21:55 Final 24
20:50 22:50 I Escaped Death
21:45 23:45 One Of A Kind
21:55 23:55 One Of A Kind
22:10 0:10 A Racing Car Is Born
22:35 0:35 How We Invented The
World
23:30 1:30 Final 24
3:00
3:20
3:45
4:05
4:30
4:50
5:15
5:35
6:00
6:25
6:45
7:10
7:35
7:55
8:20
8:45
9:05
9:30
9:55
10:15
10:40
11:05
11:25
11:50
12:15
12:35
13:00
13:25
13:45
14:10
14:35
15:00
15:25
15:50
16:10
16:35
17:00
17:20
17:45
18:10
18:30
18:55
19:20
19:40
20:05
20:30
20:50
Brandy & Mr Whiskers
Brandy & Mr Whiskers
Emperor’s New School
Emperor’s New School
Replacements
Replacements
Brandy & Mr Whiskers
Brandy & Mr Whiskers
Austin And Ally
Suite Life On Deck
Shake It Up
A.N.T. Farm
Jessie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Doc McStuffins
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
A.N.T. Farm
A.N.T. Farm
Jessie
Jessie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Shake It Up
Shake It Up
Austin And Ally
Austin And Ally
A.N.T. Farm
Jessie
Shake It Up
That’s So Raven
Good Luck Charlie
Jessie
Shake It Up
A.N.T. Farm
A.N.T. Farm
Austin And Ally
Good Luck Charlie
Shake It Up
That’s So Raven
Suite Life On Deck
Jessie
A.N.T Farm
A.N.T Farm
Shake It Up
Suite Life On Deck
21:15
21:40
22:00
22:25
22:50
23:10
23:35
0:00
0:20
0:45
1:05
1:30
1:50
2:15
2:35
Austin And Ally
That’s So Raven
Jessie
A.N.T. Farm
Good Luck Charlie
Wizards Of Waverly Place
Wizards Of Waverly Place
Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana
Brandy & Mr Whiskers
Brandy & Mr Whiskers
Emperor’s New School
Emperor’s New School
Replacements
Replacements
3:00 Bondi Rescue
3:30 Bondi Rescue
3:55 Bondi Rescue
4:25 Endurance Traveler
5:20 Banged Up Abroad
6:15 Street Food Around The World
6:40 Market Values
7:10 Exploring The Vine
7:35 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita
8:05 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita
8:30 My Sri Lanka With Peter
Kuruvita
9:00 Bondi Rescue: Bali
9:25 Bondi Rescue
9:55 Bondi Rescue
10:20 Bondi Rescue
10:50 Bondi Rescue
11:15 Bondi Rescue
11:45 Endurance Traveler
12:40 Banged Up Abroad
13:35 Street Food Around The World
14:00 Kimchi Chronicles
14:30 Exploring The Vine
14:55 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita
15:25 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita
15:50 My Sri Lanka With Peter
Kuruvita
16:20 Bondi Rescue
16:45 Bondi Rescue
17:15 Bondi Rescue
17:40 Bondi Rescue
18:10 Bondi Rescue: Bali
18:35 Bondi Rescue: Bali
19:05 Endurance Traveler
20:00 Exploring The Vine
20:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita
21:00 Street Food Around The World
21:30 Kimchi Chronicles
22:00 Banged Up Abroad
22:55 Bondi Rescue
23:20 Bondi Rescue
23:50 Bondi Rescue
0:15 Bondi Rescue
0:45 Scam City
1:40 Don’t Tell My Mother
2:35 Banged Up Abroad
3:00 Andy Bates American Street
Feasts
3:25 Food Wars
3:50 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
4:15 Unique Eats
4:40 Chopped
5:30 Iron Chef America
6:10 Challenge
7:00 Unwrapped
7:25 Unwrapped
7:50 Andy Bates American Street
Feasts
8:15 Unique Sweets
8:40 Reza’s African Kitchen
9:05 Jonathan Phang’s Caribbean
Cookbook
9:30 Amazing Wedding Cakes
10:20 Extra Virgin
10:40 Unique Sweets
11:10 Unwrapped
11:35 “Red, Hot And Yummy”
12:00 The Next Star
12:50 Reza’s African Kitchen
13:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To
Basics
13:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To
Basics
14:05 Tyler’s Ultimate
14:30 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
14:55 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
15:20 Guy’s Big Bite
15:45 Chopped
16:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back To
Basics
17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To
Basics
17:25 Tyler’s Ultimate
17:50 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
18:15 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
18:40 Guy’s Big Bite
19:05 Jonathan Phang’s Caribbean
Cookbook
19:30 Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity
Cook Off
20:20 Chopped
21:10 Chopped
22:00 Reza’s African Kitchen
22:25 Reza’s African Kitchen
22:50 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
23:15 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
23:40 Food Wars
0:05 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
0:30 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
0:55 United Tastes Of America
1:20 United Tastes Of America
1:45 Reza’s African Kitchen
2:10 Reza’s African Kitchen
2:35 “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives”
4:15 Battlestar Galactica: Blood &
Chrome
6:00 Jesse Stone: Benefit Of The
Doubt
8:00 Pizza Man
10:00 Batman: The Dark Knight
Returns Part One
12:00 Ice Quake
14:00 Pizza Man
16:00 Jurassic Park
18:00 Ice Quake
20:00 The Killing Jar
22:00 Ultraviolet
0:00 Soldiers Of Fortune
2:00 The Killing Jar
3:00 Live MSNBC All In With Chris
Hayes
4:00 Live MSNBC The Rachel
Maddow Show
5:00 Live MSNBC The Last Word
With Lawrence O’Donnell
6:00 NBC Nightly News
6:30 ABC World News With Diane
Sawyer
7:00 NBC Nightly News
7:39 Live ABC Nightline
8:06 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow
Show
9:00 MSNBC The Last Word With
Lawrence O’Donnell
10:00 Live ABC World News Now
10:30 Live ABC World News Now
11:00 Live NBC Early Today
11:30 Live ABC America This
Morning
12:00 Live ABC America This
Morning
12:30 Live ABC America This
Morning
13:00 Live ABC America This
Morning
13:30 MSNBC First Look
14:00 Live NBC Today Show
17:57 MSNBC Hardball With Chris
Matthews
18:38 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow
Show
19:19 MSNBC The Last Word With
Lawrence O’Donnell
20:00 Live MSNBC Andrea Mitchell
Reports
21:00 Live MSNBC Newsnation
22:00 Live MSNBC The Cycle
23:00 Live MSNBC Martin Bashir
0:00 Live MSNBC Hardball With
Chris Matthews
1:00 Live MSNBC Politicsnation
2:00 Live NBC Nightly News
2:30 ABC World News With Diane
Sawyer
3:00 Breaking In
3:30 Breaking In
4:00 Seinfeld
4:30 The Tonight Show With Jay
Leno
5:30 Cougar Town
6:00 All Of Us
6:30 Arrested Development
7:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
8:00 Seinfeld
8:30 Cougar Town
9:00 Breaking In
9:30 Two And A Half Men
10:00 1600 Penn
10:30 Arrested Development
11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay
Leno
12:00 All Of Us
12:30 Seinfeld
13:00 Seinfeld
13:30 Arrested Development
14:00 Breaking In
14:30 Two And A Half Men
15:00 1600 Penn
15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition
16:00 The Colbert Report Global
Edition
16:30 All Of Us
17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
18:00 Last Man Standing
18:30 Raising Hope
19:00 Two And A Half Men
19:30 1600 Penn
20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay
Leno
21:00 The Daily Show
21:30 The Colbert Report
22:00 Malibu Country
22:30 The Neighbors
23:00 Friends
23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
0:30 The Daily Show
1:00 The Colbert Report
1:30 Seinfeld
2:00 Seinfeld
2:30 Friends
4:00
6:00
8:00
10:30
11:30
12:00
15:00
16:00
19:00
19:30
20:00
21:30
22:30
NRL Premiership
Super League
Super Rugby
AFL Premiership Highlights
ICC Cricket 360
Live Cricket Friends Life T20
Trans World Sport
Live Cricket Friends Life T20
NRL Full Time
Futbol Mundial
Live Sailing Louis Vuitton Cup
Trans World Sport
NRL Premiership
JURASSIC PARK ON OSN ACTION HD
‘We’re the Millers’ subverts
family to construct it
T
he cast of “We’re the Millers” didn’t
exactly immerse themselves in
research for their roles in the new
comedy. Then again, considering the
characters they played, that might have
been for the best. In the film, which opens
on Wednesday, small-time pot dealer
David finds himself in hock to his supplier,
and agrees to smuggle some marijuana
from Mexico to the United States to pay
off the debt. David, played by Jason
Sudeikis, pulls together a phony family to
paint a picture of innocence before suspicious border guards. He enlists stripper
Rose (Jennifer Aniston), runaway Casey
(Emma Roberts) and naive teenage neighbor Kenny (Will Poulter).
The four drive a recreational vehicle
across the border and back as a series of
mishaps tests the fake family. So, role
research? Not so much. “They had to drag
me out of that strip club every night,”
Aniston deadpanned at a recent news
conference. The movie’s off-kilter look at
family road trip movies isn’t the only way
“We’re the Millers” subverts convention.
With its broad take on families, what they
mean and how they’re built, “We’re the
Millers” is as concerned with changing
viewers’ perspectives as with getting
laughs.
“Part of what was exciting for me about
the project was the element of subversion
of your standard family road trip movie or
the tropes of that,” director Rawson
Marshall Thurber told Reuters in an inter-
view. A game of Pictionary goes south
after Kenny draws a skateboard and David
and Rose wind up making some anatomical guesses that are not exactly family
friendly.
David threatens to pull the RV over
during a family fight. The typical paternal
admonishment of “I’ll turn this car around
and we’ll go straight home” becomes “No
drugs for anyone” if the bickering doesn’t
stop. And the notion of family is redefined. The characters joined the trip for
selfish reasons, Thurber noted, but they
grew to care about each other. “That’s the
whole emotional storyline that plays
throughout the film, which is, we get four
people who get into this adventure and
this quest for their own reasons,” Thurber
said.
Aniston portrays a stripper whose loser
ex has left her in financial straits. She
agrees to play David’s wife in his drugsmuggling scheme for cash. Despite her
sketchy background, Aniston’s character
Rose is most notable for her quick thinking, such as when she fakes a group
prayer to appease an angry flight attendant. The movie has “nothing to do with
female sexuality and everything to do
with interpersonal relationships and the
bonds of family be they biological or volitional choices,” Thurber said. “What I want
to do is make a movie that’s really funny,
that’s enjoyable, but also gives you just a
little bit of something to talk about on the
way home.” — Reuters
Review: Tunstall eloquently
contemplates mortality
K
.T. Tunstall, “Invisible Empire/Crescent Moon” (Blue
Note) “We are fighters in our prime,” K.T. Tunstall
sings to her father on her new album, and the words
resonate with poignancy now that he’s gone. “Invisible
Empire/Crescent Moon” focuses on the death of
Tunstall’s dad last year, and from her sorrow sprung perhaps the best set of songs yet by the Scottish singer. She
recorded the album in Arizona, where the stark desert
landscape depicted in the cover art perfectly matches
the musical mood.
Tunstall finds beauty amid the bleakness, and her
intimate alto eloquently expresses her emotions as she
contemplates mortality. Co-producer Howe Gelb provides graceful support with sparse but distinctive wowand-flutter arrangements. “We’re all made of glass ...
with one eye on the clock,” Tunstall sings in “Made of
Glass,” and there’s comfort in her candor. The songs are
neither sentimental nor heavily spiritual, although the
final composition offers an epitaph for her father as a
choir swells, singing with angelic fervor at the end
about the end. — AP
Costner in negotiations to star in
Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Midnight Delivery’
H
SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE ON OSN ACTION HD
ot off his turn as Pa Kent in “Man of Steel,” Kevin
Costner is in negotiations to star in “Midnight
Delivery” for Universal Pictures. “Pacific Rim” director
Guillermo del Toro will produce along with David Linde of
Lava Bear Films. Gary Ungar, Tory Metzger and Russell
Ackerman will serve as executive producers. Neil Cross,
who created the BBC series “Luther ” and co-wrote
Universal’s hit horror movie “Mama,” has written the script,
which is based on an original idea by del Toro. Universal’s
exec VP of production Scott Bernstein and creative executive Sara Scott will oversee the project for the studio.
Costner has had a resurgence in the feature world since
winning an Emmy for “Hatfields & McCoys.” In addition to
“Man of Steel,” he next stars opposite Chris Pine in
Paramount’s “Jack Ryan,” which hits theaters this Christmas.
Costner, who just wrapped Summit’s NFL-themed movie
“Draft Day,” is currently filming Mike Binder’s indie drama
“Black and White” with Octavia Spencer. Costner next stars
in McG’s Relativity thriller “Three Days to Kill.” He’s repped
by WME, One Talent Management and attorney Daniel M.
Grigsby. Del Toro is represented by WME, Exile
Entertainment and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and
Fishman. — Reuters
Classifieds
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
Kuwait
CHANGE OF NAME
KNCC PROGRAMME
FROM LAST DAY OF RAMADAN TO WEDNESDAY (14/08/2013)
SHARQIA-1
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
11:45 AM
2:00 PM
4:15 PM
6:30 PM
8:30 PM
11:00 PM
1:00 AM
SHARQIA-2
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
12:15 PM
2:30 PM
4:45 PM
6:45 PM
8:45 PM
10:45 PM
12:45 AM
SHARQIA-3
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
11:30 AM
2:15 PM
5:00 PM
7:30 PM
10:00 PM
12:30 AM
Last Day of Ramadan, No Show before 9.00 pm
On Friday & 1st day of Eid no show before 1.30 pm
MUHALAB-1
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
TUE+WED
Digital (2D)
CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI)
NO FRI
ATTARINTIKI DAREDI (DIG)(TELUGU)
FRI
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
MUHALAB-2
RED 2 (DIG)
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
MUHALAB-3
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
12:30 PM
3:30 PM
3:00 PM
1:30 PM
3:45 PM
5:45 PM
8:00 PM
10:15 PM
12:45 AM
FANAR-2
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
FANAR-3
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI)
CHENNAI EXPRESS (DIG) (HINDI)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
11:15 AM
1:30 PM
4:00 PM
6:15 PM
8:15 PM
10:30 PM
12:30 AM
12:00 PM
3:00 PM
6:00 PM
9:00 PM
12:05 AM
Last Day of Ramadan, No Show before 9.00 pm
On Friday & 1st day of Eid no show before 1.30 pm
Tuesday & Wednesday, No show before 3.30 pm
MARINA-1
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
11:15 AM
2:15 PM
4:15 PM
7:00 PM
9:00 PM
12:05 AM
MARINA-2
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
12:00 PM
2:00 PM
4:30 PM
6:30 PM
8:45 PM
10:45 PM
12:45 AM
MARINA-3
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG-3D)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
11:00 AM
1:30 PM
3:30 PM
6:00 PM
8:00 PM
10:15 PM
12:30 AM
3:00 PM
6:00 PM
8:30 PM
10:45 PM
12:45 AM
11:15 AM
1:45 PM
4:15 PM
6:30 PM
9:30 PM
12:05 AM
11:45 AM
2:00 PM
4:00 PM
6:15 PM
8:15 PM
10:15 PM
12:15 AM
Last Day of Ramadan, No Show before 9.00 pm
On Friday & 1st day of Eid no show before 1.30 pm
Tuesday & Wednesday, No show before 3.30 pm
FANAR-1
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
Last Day of Ramadan, No Show before 9.00 pm
On Friday & 1st day of Eid no show before 1.30 pm
AVENUES-1
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
11:00 AM
11:30 AM
1:45 PM
4:00 PM
6:15 PM
8:30 PM
10:45 PM
1:00 AM
AVENUES-2
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
PACIFIC RIM (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
1:30 PM
4:15 PM
7:00 PM
9:45 PM
12:30 AM
AVENUES-3
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
12:45 PM
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
3:00 PM
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
5:15 PM
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
7:30 PM
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
9:45 PM
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
12:05 AM
NO TUE+WED
Last Day of Ramadan, No Show before 9.00 pm
On Friday & 1st day of Eid no show before 1.30 pm
360º- 1
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
11:30 AM
2:00 PM
4:30 PM
7:00 PM
9:30 PM
12:05 AM
360º- 2
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
12:15 PM
3:15 PM
6:15 PM
9:15 PM
12:15 AM
360º- 3
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
11:15 AM
1:30 PM
3:45 PM
6:00 PM
8:15 PM
10:30 PM
12:45 AM
AL-KOUT.1
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG-3D)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
EL7ARAMY & EL3ABIET (DIG)
THE LONE RANGER (DIG)
11:45 AM
1:45 PM
3:45 PM
6:00 PM
8:00 PM
10:00 PM
12:05 AM
AL-KOUT.2
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
THE SMURFS 2 (DIG)
DESPICABLE ME 2 (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
HAMMER OF G’S (DIG)
12:15 PM
2:30 PM
4:30 PM
6:45 PM
8:45 PM
10:45 PM
12:45 AM
AL-KOUT.3
RED 2 (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
STREET DANCE ALL STARS (DIG)
RED 2 (DIG)
NO TUE+WED
12:30 PM
3:00 PM
5:15 PM
7:30 PM
9:45 PM
I, Hasanali Asgerali
Badnawarwala, holder of
Indian Passport No:
J3503961 hereby change
my name to HASANALI
ASGERALI KALIMI. (C 4476)
5-8-2013
I, Sahana, holder of
Passport No: F 1472571,
hereby change my name to
SHAIKH SAHANA. (C 4457)
4-8-2013
LOST
Lost
Civil
ID
No:
264060101777 by the name
Mohammed Shish Abdul
Karim Dalal. Finder please
contact 99517914.
5-8-2013
SITUATION VACANT
Driver needed for Kuwaiti
family. Age over 35 - full
time or part time. Call
60623330. (C 4474)
3-8-2013
FOR SALE
Toyota Fortuner SUV,
white, December 2006, no
accident, 2700cc, alternative 4-wheel driving,
115,000 km, Al Sayer maintenance, 4 new tires, covered cabin, KD 3700. Tel:
99766343. (C 4477)
5-8-2013
112
THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY
FOR CIVIL INFORMATION
Automated enquiry about
the Civil ID card is
1889988
Prayer timings
Fajr:
Shorook
Duhr:
Asr:
Maghrib:
Isha:
03:43
05:11
11:54
15:30
18:37
20:01
Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)
Airlines
BBC
QTR
JZR
JZR
THY
MEA
PIA
THY
ETH
GFA
UAE
ETD
THY
RJA
JZR
FDB
MSR
RBG
OMA
QTR
THY
DHX
FDB
BAW
UAE
KAC
KAC
JZR
JZR
UAE
ABY
QTR
FDB
IRA
ETD
GFA
MEA
TMA
UAE
MSR
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
JZR
JZR
JZR
JZR
JZR
JZR
JZR
THY
KNE
Arrival Flights on Tuesday 6/8/2013
Flt
Route
43
DHAKA
148 DOHA
539 CAIRO
267 BEIRUT
5464 SABIHA
406 BEIRUT
239 SIALKOT
764 SABIHA
620 ADDIS ABABA
211 BAHRAIN
853 DUBAI
305 ABU DHABI-INTL
768 ISTANBUL
642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA
555 ALEXANDRIA
67
DUBAI
612 CAIRO
555 ALEXANDRIA
643 MUSCAT
138 DOHA
770 ISTANBUL
170 BAHRAIN
69
DUBAI
157 LONDON
3857 DUBAI
412 MANILA
416 JAKARTA
165 DUBAI
503 LUXOR
855 DUBAI
125 SHARJAH
132 DOHA
55
DUBAI
605 ISFAHAN
301 ABU DHABI-INTL
213 BAHRAIN
404 BEIRUT
213 BEIRUT
871 DUBAI
610 CAIRO
302 MUMBAI
284 DHAKA
206 ISLAMABAD
352 COCHIN
332 TRIVANDRUM
561 SOHAG
557 ALEXANDRIA
535 CAIRO
777 JEDDAH
177 DUBAI
257 BEIRUT
189 DUBAI
766 ISTANBUL
480 TAIF
Time
00:05
00:05
00:40
00:20
00:10
00:35
01:05
01:40
01:45
01:55
02:25
02:30
02:50
03:10
06:20
03:10
03:15
03:15
03:20
03:30
04:35
5:10
05:50
06:30
03:45
06:15
06:35
11:35
07:40
08:25
08:50
09:00
09:15
9:20
9:30
10:40
10:55
12:00
12:45
13:00
07:50
08:15
07:25
08:05
07:55
12:00
19:10
16:10
17:50
17:30
14:30
20:10
13:10
13:20
SVA
KNE
QTR
RJA
QTR
ETD
UAE
ABY
UAL
GFA
SVA
SYR
GFA
AXB
QTR
JAI
RBG
OMA
FDB
ABY
MEA
IRA
MSR
KLM
ALK
UAE
ETD
QTR
GFA
QTR
JAI
FDB
ABY
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
KAC
JZR
JZR
JZR
JZR
AIC
UAL
DLH
JAI
MSR
THY
500
472
140
640
134
303
857
127
982
215
510
341
219
393
144
572
553
647
61
129
402
619
618
415
229
859
307
136
217
146
576
59
123
104
166
678
674
786
546
618
774
542
514
1802
562
742
239
185
135
513
981
981
636
574
614
772
JEDDAH
JEDDAH
DOHA
AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA
DOHA
ABU DHABI-INTL
DUBAI
SHARJAH
WASHINGTON DC DULLES
BAHRAIN
RIYADH
DAMASCUS
BAHRAIN
KOZHIKODE
DOHA
MUMBAI
ALEXANDRIA
MUSCAT
DUBAI
SHARJAH
BEIRUT
LAR
ALEXANDRIA
AMSTERDAM
COLOMBO
DUBAI
ABU DHABI-INTL
DOHA
BAHRAIN
DOHA
COCHIN
DUBAI
SHARJAH
LONDON
PARIS
MUSCAT
DUBAI
JEDDAH
ALEXANDRIA
DOHA
RIYADH
CAIRO
TEHRAN
CAIRO
AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA
DAMMAM
AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA
DUBAI
BAHRAIN
SHARM EL SHEIKH
CHENNAI
BAHRAIN
FRANKFURT
MUMBAI
CAIRO
ISTANBUL
14:30
14:35
14:55
15:55
16:15
16:35
16:55
17:10
17:15
17:20
17:20
18:25
19:05
19:15
19:25
19:35
19:40
20:00
20:00
20:05
20:15
20:20
20:30
21:05
21:10
21:15
21:30
21:35
21:45
22:00
22:05
22:20
20:55
18:45
18:40
19:35
19:25
18:30
14:15
19:10
19:25
18:15
13:40
16:40
14:40
19:30
22:30
22:40
23:00
23:20
22:25
22:40
23:10
23:20
23:30
23:45
Airlines
AIC
PIA
AXB
JAI
UAL
DLH
MSR
MSR
KLM
THY
JZR
BBC
MEA
PIA
THY
THY
ETH
THY
UAE
FDB
RBG
MSR
ETD
OMA
QTR
UAE
QTR
JZR
FDB
RJA
GFA
THY
KAC
JZR
BAW
JZR
JZR
KAC
KAC
ABY
UAE
FDB
QTR
KAC
ETD
IRA
KAC
GFA
KAC
KAC
MEA
JZR
JZR
KAC
Departure Flights on Tuesday 6/8/2013
Flt
Route
976 GOA/CHENNAI
206 LAHORE
490 MANGALORE
573 MUMBAI
981 WASHINGTON
637 FRANKFURT
615 CAIRO
615 CAIRO
411 AMSTERDAM
5465 ISTANBUL
502 LUXOR
44
DHAKA
407 BEIRUT
240 SIALKOT
773 ISTANBUL
765 ISTANBUL
621 ADDIS ABABA
769 ISTANBUL
854 DUBAI
68
DUBAI
556 ALEXANDRIA
613 CAIRO
306 ABU DHABI
644 MUSCAT
139 DOHA
3858 DUBAI
149 DOHA
560 SOHAG
70
DUBAI
643 AMMAN
212 BAHRAIN
771 ISTANBUL
545 ALEXANDRIA
164 DUBAI
156 LONDON
256 BEIRUT
534 CAIRO
513 IMAM
561 AMMAN
126 SHARJAH
856 DUBAI
56
DUBAI
133 DOHA
1801 CAIRO
302 ABU DHABI
604 ISFAHAN
101 ONDON
214 BAHRAIN
541 CAIRO
165 ROME
405 BEIRUT
556 ALEXANDRIA
776 JEDDAH
677 MUSCAT
DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION
Time
00:05
00:15
00:15
00:20
00:25
00:30
00:30
00:30
00:55
01:10
01:30
01:30
01:35
02:20
02:20
02:40
02:45
03:40
03:45
03:50
03:55
04:15
04:20
04:20
04:25
05:10
05:15
05:35
06:30
06:35
07:00
07:10
07:20
07:25
08:25
08:50
09:10
09:15
09:25
09:30
09:50
09:55
10:00
10:05
10:15
10:20
10:25
11:25
11:30
11:45
11:55
12:10
12:25
13:00
KAC
JZR
TMA
MSR
THY
KNE
UAE
KAC
KNE
SVA
KAC
KAC
QTR
KAC
RJA
JZR
JZR
QTR
ETD
JZR
ABY
UAE
GFA
SVA
UAL
JZR
JZR
SYR
GFA
JZR
AXB
KAC
RBG
JAI
FDB
ABY
QTR
OMA
KAC
KAC
MEA
IRA
MSR
ABY
DHX
KLM
ETD
ALK
UAE
KAC
QTR
KAC
GFA
FDB
KAC
QTR
JAI
JZR
JZR
KAC
JZR
785
176
223
611
767
481
872
673
473
501
617
773
141
741
641
238
512
135
304
538
128
858
216
511
982
184
266
342
220
134
394
283
554
571
62
120
145
648
343
351
403
618
607
124
171
415
308
230
860
381
137
301
218
60
205
147
575
554
1540
411
528
JEDDAH
DUBAI
DUBAI
CAIRO
ISTANBUL
AIF
DUBAI
DUBAI
JEDDAH
JEDDAH
DOHA
RIYADH
DOHA
DAMMAM
AMMAN
AMMAN
SHARM EL SHEIKH
DOHA
ABU DHABI
CAIRO
SHARJAH
DUBAI
BAHRAINZ
RIYADH
BAHRAIN
DUBAI
BEIRUT
DAMASCUS
BAHRAIN
BAHRAIN
KOZHIKODE
DHAKA
ALEXANDRIA
MUMBAI
DUBAI
SHARJAH
DOHA
MUSCAT
CHENNAI
KOCHI
BEIRUT
LAR
LUXOR
SHARJAH
BAHRAIN
DAMMAM
ABU DHABI
COLOMBO
DUBAI
DELHI
DOHA
MUMBAI
BAHRAIN
DUBAI
ISLAMABAD, PAKIS
DOHA
ABU DHABI
ALEXANDRIA
CAIRO
BANGKOK
SYUT
13:00
13:20
13:45
14:00
14:10
14:10
14:15
15:05
15:30
15:45
15:45
16:00
16:15
16:30
16:55
17:05
17:15
17:20
17:20
17:40
17:50
18:15
18:20
18:20
18:30
18:30
18:40
19:25
19:50
20:05
20:15
20:15
20:20
20:35
20:40
20:45
20:45
20:55
20:55
21:05
21:15
21:20
21:30
21:35
21:50
22:05
22:15
22:20
22:25
22:30
22:35
22:40
22:45
23:00
23:00
23:05
23:05
23:20
23:25
23:40
23:55
34
stars
CROSSWORD 273
STAR TRACK
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This is an easy, calm day that should find everything running smoothly.
Interaction with authority figures or older people may be quite productive. You will feel yourself working easily with the flow of work today. This is a good day to get many things accomplished. You make your way through ideas, concepts and your ability to communicate and
express them to others is admirable. This may be a good time to consider teaching or tutoring.
This afternoon you will take pride in your accomplishments as you talk with a friend or counselor about your progress within the business world. You remind yourself that it is not what you
do so much as how you do it and not who you are so much as how you make others feel about
themselves.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Although difficulties arise today, it is a good problem-solving day. You may
feel as though you are between a rock and a hard place at times without really understanding
why. You will find several answers are right in front of you and your decision of which one to
pick is almost a plus in either direction . . . So, pick one and keep moving forward. If you stop
and think for too long, you miss out on the experience and that winning feeling. This is a day
when you can trust your inner voice. The energies around you are workable and solvable and
highlight emotional fulfillment. Suddenly the world is a brighter place. A focused and clear
vision can be quite beneficial. Smile! Remain confident, not cocky but confident. Good news is
shared this evening.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
ACROSS
1. A unit of heat equal to the amount of heat
required to raise one pound of water one
degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere pressure.
4. Troubled persistently especially with petty
annoyances.
12. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation
equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated
material.
15. The network in the reticular formation
that serves an alerting or arousal function.
16. Not friendly.
17. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit
juice.
18. A white linen liturgical vestment with
sleeves.
19. Propose as a candidate for some honor.
20. A sharp hand gesture (resembling a
blow).
21. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth
and mother of Cronus and the Titans in
ancient mythology.
23. A software system that facilitates the creation and maintenance and use of an electronic database.
25. A user interface based on graphics (icons
and pictures and menus) instead of text.
27. A light springing movement upwards or
forwards.
29. A highly unstable radioactive element
(the heaviest of the halogen series).
31. A doctor's degree in preventive medicine.
32. English theoretical physicist who applied
relativity theory to quantum mechanics and
predicted the existence of antimatter and
the positron (1902-1984).
36. A person to whom money is paid.
40. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic
protozoa that form temporary pseudopods
for feeding and locomotion.
42. Inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable.
45. A local computer network for communication between computers.
46. Any of various systems of units for measuring electricity and magnetism.
47. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974)
that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the
United States.
48. A Turkish unit of weight equal to about
2.75 pounds.
50. Moths whose larvae are cutworms.
54. Not fake or counterfeit.
55. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on
a skewer usually with vegetables.
57. A mouth or mouthlike opening.
58. A radioactive element of the actinide
series.
60. An enclosed space.
65. United States swimmer who in 1926
became the first woman to swim the English
Channel (1903- ).
69. Pertaining to a simple method of cell
division.
71. (informal) Roused to anger.
72. A language spoken by the Atakapa people of the Gulf coast of Louisiana and Texas.
75. Antibacterial drug (trade name Nydrazid)
used to treat tuberculosis.
76. A master's degree in business.
77. Of such surpassing excellence as to suggest divine inspiration.
78. Airtight sealed metal container for food
or drink or paint etc..
79. Edible tuber of any of several yams.
80. A member of a people of India living in
Maharashtra.
81. A constellation in the southern hemi-
sphere near Telescopium and Norma.
DOWN
1. (informal) Exceptionally good.
2. The basic unit of money in Western
Samoa.
3. A member of a Turkic people of
Uzbekistan and neighboring areas.
4. Ancient Hebrew unit of liquid measure =
1.5 gallons.
5. Sweet pulpy tropical fruit with thick scaly
rind and shiny black seeds.
6. The shape of a raised edge of a more or
less circular object.
7. Any organic compound containing the
group -CONH2.
8. In the Arabian Nights a hero who tells of
the fantastic adventures he had in his voyages.
9. Large shrimp sauteed in oil or butter and
garlic.
10. Informal terms for a meal.
11. A chronic skin disease occurring primarily in women between the ages of 20 and 40.
12. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.
13. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.
14. United States labor organizer who ran for
President as a socialist (1855-1926).
22. American poet (born in England) (19071973).
24. A city in east central Texas.
26. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting
(especially in cases of drug overdose or poisoning).
28. Fallow deer.
30. Covered with paving material.
33. Avatar of Vishnu.
34. Having the wind against the forward side
of the sails.
35. The capital and largest city of Yemen.
37. A young person (especially a young man
or boy).
38. Imperial moths.
39. A public promotion of some product or
service.
41. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in
favor of a person or cause).
43. An accidental hole that allows something (fluid or light etc.) to enter or escape.
44. A monarchy in northwestern Europe
occupying most of the British Isles.
49. A path set aside for walking.
51. Essential oil or perfume obtained from
flowers.
52. A loose sleeveless outer garment made
from aba cloth.
53. A flat tortilla with various fillings piled on
it.
56. Any of various spiny trees or shrubs of
the genus Acacia.
59. An assertion of a right (as to money or
property).
61. Measuring instrument consisting of a
graduated glass tube used to measure or
transfer precise volumes of a liquid by drawing the liquid up into the tube.
62. A city in central New York.
63. The basic unit of money in Yemen.
64. Type genus of Ochnaceae.
66. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake
Chad.
67. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls.
68. An inactive volcano in Sicily.
70. An area in a town where a public mercantile establishment is set up.
73. Anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the function of the thyroid gland.
74. The month following March and preceding May.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
This is an easy day that runs along quite smoothly. There is a greater appreciation for things of value—and the idea of value itself. This is certainly a time
when material things have a great deal of importance for you. New business equipment or a
demonstration of new technical gizmos is mesmerizing and catches the attention quickly.
Every worker wants to try something new and a line is forming. Some items cause you to think
an investment opportunity might be coming to your attention, and you may yet give that idea
another pass. Today, it is a test period to actually see what the company owners want to purchase and what is most helpful for production or resale. There are other achievements but new
products seem to take the lead for today.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
A friend or co-worker may come to you for your counsel regarding a family business issue. Financially, you can give some very good references for advice if you don’t
feel competent but you are capable of giving counsel. You will be able to be understanding and handle this very unpredictable material. You are able to cut through the red tape and find the real truth in
a matter but at this time it is wise to listen. Perhaps an appointment during the noon break or after
work would be wise. When and if they are ready to hear what you have to say, they will be open to listening. There are good practical job-related thoughts and ideas today as you communicate what you
see in the order of business to your superiors. You are invited to a future social event.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
You enjoy working hard and being organized and you exercise skill and discipline in anything that affects your career. This is a perfect combination for management.
There may be a sticky situation coming to your attention today; however, you are not afraid to
get into the most difficult of situations. You always seem to come up with the essence of the
matter at hand. Your imagination reaches beyond differences and manages to solve difficulties.
At your best you are enchanting, able to point to the unity that binds all things together. Today
your quick thinking surprises even you as you rally around the conference table. Keep up the
good work. A good conversation with those you love is possible and dinner this evening is
through a gift.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
There is a yearning for the stimulation of new ideas. You become more
occupied with products that people can use when they travel . . . Perhaps you will put together
a quick demonstration for the public to learn easy packing or what to leave at home when
traveling by plane. Whatever your job, there will be more communication with the public so
familiarize yourself with new guidelines of travel and be prepared to be helpful. Business is
improving every day. During the noon break today, you may decide to get together with coworker friends and plan a fun get-together away from work. It is time for a break and time to
get to better know the people with whom you work. You enjoy having a few friends over to
your place this evening.
Word Search
Libra (September 23-October 22)
You like to get right to work the minute you get to work. It is a confidence
builder when people want what you have to offer. Today you may need to use your wise tact as
you are often looking to please. You have learned to look ahead so that you can know as you
make important decisions that they are good decisions and there are no compromises today.
You could be working in a bank and have control over a loan division or some other type of
transaction process. Today you have enough people in your office to work slightly overtime. It
feels good to have business in a positive upswing. Obstacles that have been frustrating before
now, should finally find easy explanation under your supervision. You look forward to making
your vacation plans.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Problems at home may be short-lived but could leave lingering thoughts of
what should have, could have or would have been. Fortunately, you have done
some very good work on solving problems and can achieve good results from the action you
take. Now you must leave your good work to take hold and turn to the workplace in order to
help move the business world along. You feel successful and able to handle difficult situations.
Good advice from a guide or older person may be forthcoming. This is looking like a very profitable day. You are a good worker, always thinking and caring for others. You are naturally service-oriented and enjoy taking care of whatever gains your attention. You can sort out just what
each person needs.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of
others just now and are in a good position to communicate concerning groups
and society in general. Be careful that you do not go on a spending spree after work today, for
you may appreciate the beauty and value of everything you encounter. You could feel loving
and warm to those around you, and you are appreciative of your own life and self, in general.
Everything you see in the stores seems to be something you have been wanting to purchase . . .
Careful. You may find that someone close to you understands and is helpful with good insights.
You could come up with new solutions or inventions this evening—the ideas and possibilities
are numerous. Keep an idea log.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
CAPRICORN
Travel and other contacts with faraway people and places play a big role for
you now. If you decide to sign up for a special discount, make sure the discount
is for the whole trip and not just the first leg of the trip. You will find that you can really make
clear choices. Career decisions are straightforward and easy to make. Your communication skills
are good and you are able to make your way through ideas and concepts with the ability to
express yourself well to others. Higher education, philosophical or religious contacts could
have a part in making good things happen. Earning an extra income through a little part-time
work comes to mind today as there are items on your list of wants that amuse and tickle your
fancy. A few new books would be good.
Aquarius (January 20- February 18)
Gathering and exchanging information is part of the ability to solve problems. You could be most persuasive with others and expressive in communication. There could
be challenges but this only helps to fine-tune the details of a particular project. Your ambition is
intensified as the day progresses. Easy does it . . . Take your breaks and allow others to contribute toward the outcome of the day. This afternoon you may find yourself being put to good
use by your friends, or it could be that circumstances force you to reorganize and be more conservative. All of this should go rather smoothly. Your finances will be improving soon. There is a
recipe a young person wants and you may be digging through the home files to find it. Try the
internet.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
There is an emotional seriousness to becoming focused now. You will
want to dig deep for information, references or confirmations. It seems that time is not
slow enough for all that needs accomplishing. You could be too strict with yourself, to
insist that whatever does not contribute to security and other long-term goals is trivial.
Your ambition is intensified. Study and research could enter into your work more often
now—perhaps you feel that statistics will help back your actions, or your word. Real estate
or home and family planning take on a greater importance for you now. You may feel that
it is time to build your support group and have roots. This is a very nice day, perhaps filled
with some renewed appreciation for those you love.
Yesterday’s Solution
Yesterday’s Solution
Daily SuDoku
Yesterday’s Solution
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
i n f o r m at i o n
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and complaints:
Call MSAL hotline 128
GOVERNORATE
Sabah Hospital
24812000
Amiri Hospital
22450005
Maternity Hospital
24843100
Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital
25312700
Chest Hospital
24849400
Farwaniya Hospital
24892010
Adan Hospital
23940620
Ibn Sina Hospital
24840300
Al-Razi Hospital
24846000
Physiotherapy Hospital
24874330/9
PHARMACY
ADDRESS
PHONE
Ahmadi
Sama Safwan
Abu Halaifa
Danat Al-Sultan
Fahaeel Makka St
Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd
Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd
23915883
23715414
23726558
Jahra
Modern Jahra
Madina Munawara
Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1
Jahra-Block 92
24575518
24566622
Capital
Ahlam
Khaldiya Coop
Fahad Al-Salem St
Khaldiya Coop
22436184
24833967
Farwaniya
New Shifa
Ferdous Coop
Modern Safwan
Farwaniya Block 40
Ferdous Coop
Old Kheitan Block 11
24734000
24881201
24726638
Tariq
Hana
Ikhlas
Hawally & Rawdha
Ghadeer
Kindy
Ibn Al-Nafis
Mishrif Coop
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Jabriya-Block 1A
Jabriya-Block 3B
Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St
Mishrif Coop
Salwa Coop
25726265
25647075
22625999
22564549
25340559
25326554
25721264
25380581
25628241
Hawally
Al-Madeena
22418714
Al-Shuhada
22545171
Al-Shuwaikh
24810598
Al-Nuzha
22545171
Sabhan
24742838
Al-Helaly
22434853
Al-Faiha
22545051
Al-Farwaniya
24711433
Al-Sulaibikhat
24316983
Al-Fahaheel
23927002
Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh
24316983
Ahmadi
23980088
Al-Mangaf
23711183
Al-Shuaiba
23262845
Kaizen center
25716707
Rawda
22517733
Adaliya
22517144
Al-Jahra
25610011
Khaldiya
24848075
Al-Salmiya
25616368
Kaifan
24849807
Shamiya
24848913
Shuwaikh
24814507
Abdullah Salem
22549134
Nuzha
22526804
Industrial Shuwaikh
24814764
Qadsiya
22515088
Dasmah
22532265
Bneid Al-Gar
22531908
Shaab
22518752
Qibla
22459381
Ayoun Al-Qibla
22451082
Mirqab
22456536
Sharq
22465401
Salmiya
25746401
Jabriya
25316254
Maidan Hawally
25623444
Bayan
25388462
Mishref
25381200
W Hawally
22630786
Sabah
24810221
Jahra
24770319
New Jahra
24575755
West Jahra
24772608
South Jahra
24775066
North Jahra
24775992
North Jleeb
24311795
Ardhiya
24884079
Firdous
24892674
Omariya
24719048
N Khaitan
24710044
Fintas
23900322
INTERNATIONAL
CALLS
PRIVATE CLINICS
Ophthalmologists
Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor
25622444
Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea
25752222
Dr. Masoma Habeeb
25321171
Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy
25739999
Dr. Mohsen Abel
25757700
Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl
25732223
Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly
25732223
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)
Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner
24555050 Ext 510
Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali
25644660
Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478
Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah
25311996
Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory
25731988
Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary
22620166
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz
25651426
General Practitioners
Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi
24555050 Ext 123
Dr. Yousef Al-Omar
24719312
Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem
23926920
Dr. Kathem Maarafi
25730465
Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528
Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi
24577781
Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501
Urologists
Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy
22641534
Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul
22639955
Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660
Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120
Dr. Leons Joseph
66703427
Psychologists
/Psychotherapists
Paediatricians
Plastic Surgeons
Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf
22547272
Dr. Khaled Hamadi
Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari
22617700
Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed
Dr. Abdel Quttainah
25625030/60
Family Doctor
Dr Divya Damodar
23729596/23729581
Psychiatrists
Dr. Esam Al-Ansari
22635047
Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan
22613623/0
Gynaecologists & Obstetricians
DrAdrian arbe
23729596/23729581
Dr. Verginia s.Marin
2572-6666 ext 8321
Endocrinologist
25665898
25340300
Dr. Zahra Qabazard
25710444
Dr. Sohail Qamar
22621099
Dr. Snaa Maaroof
25713514
Dr. Pradip Gujare
23713100
Dr. Zacharias Mathew
24334282
(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar,
FRCS (Canada)
25655535
Dentists
Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan
22655539
Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami
25343406
Dr. Shamah Al-Matar
22641071/2
Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly
25739272
Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed
22562226
22618787
Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer
22561444
Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan
22619557
Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash
22525888
Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan
25653755
Dr. Bader Al-Ansari
25620111
General Surgeons
Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer
22610044
Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher
25327148
Internists, Chest & Heart
Dr. Adnan Ebil
Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan
22666300
25728004
Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra
25355515
Dr. Mobarak Aldoub
24726446
Dr Nasser Behbehani
25654300/3
Soor Center
Tel: 2290-1677
Fax: 2290 1688
Neurologists
22639939
Dr. Mousa Khadada
info@soorcenter.com
www.soorcenter.com
3729596/3729581
Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri
25633324
Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan
25345875
Gastrologists
Dr. Sami Aman
22636464
Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly
25322030
Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali
22633135
Kaizen center
25716707
25339330
Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888
Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924
Physiotherapists & VD
Dr. Deyaa Shehab
25722291
Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees
22666288
Rheumatologists:
Dr. Adel Al-Awadi
Dr Anil Thomas
Dr. Salem soso
Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman
25330060
Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah
25722290
Internist, Chest & Heart
DR.Mohammes Akkad
24555050 Ext 210
Dr. Mohammad Zubaid
MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC
Assistant Professor Of Medicine
Head, Division of Cardiology
Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital
Consultant Cardiologist
Dr. Farida Al-Habib
MD, PH.D, FACC
Inaya German Medical Center
Te: 2575077
Fax: 25723123
2611555-2622555
William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677
Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677
Afghanistan
0093
Albania
00355
Algeria
00213
Andorra
00376
Angola
00244
Anguilla
001264
Antiga
001268
Argentina
0054
Armenia
00374
Australia
0061
Austria
0043
Bahamas
001242
Bahrain
00973
Bangladesh
00880
Barbados
001246
Belarus
00375
Belgium
0032
Belize
00501
Benin
00229
Bermuda
001441
Bhutan
00975
Bolivia
00591
Bosnia
00387
Botswana
00267
Brazil
0055
Brunei
00673
Bulgaria
00359
Burkina
00226
Burundi
00257
Cambodia
00855
Cameroon
00237
Canada
001
Cape Verde
00238
Cayman Islands
001345
Central African
00236
Chad
00235
Chile
0056
China
0086
Colombia
0057
Comoros
00269
Congo
00242
Cook Islands
00682
Costa Rica
00506
Croatia
00385
Cuba
0053
Cyprus
00357
Cyprus (Northern) 0090392
Czech Republic
00420
Denmark
0045
Diego Garcia
00246
Djibouti
00253
Dominica
001767
Dominican Republic 001809
Ecuador
00593
Egypt
0020
El Salvador
00503
England (UK)
0044
Equatorial Guinea 00240
Eritrea
00291
Estonia
00372
Ethiopia
00251
Falkland Islands
00500
Faroe Islands
00298
Fiji
00679
Finland
00358
France
0033
French Guiana
00594
French Polynesia
00689
Gabon
00241
Gambia
00220
Georgia
00995
Germany
0049
Ghana
00233
Gibraltar
00350
Greece
0030
Greenland
00299
Grenada
001473
Guadeloupe
00590
Guam
001671
Guatemala
00502
Guinea
00224
Guyana
00592
Haiti
00509
Holland (Netherlands) 0031
Honduras
00504
Hong Kong
00852
Hungary
0036
Ibiza (Spain)
0034
Iceland
00354
India
0091
Indian Ocean
00873
Indonesia
0062
Iran
0098
Iraq
00964
Ireland
00353
Italy
0039
Ivory Coast
00225
Jamaica
001876
Japan
0081
Jordan
00962
Kazakhstan
007
Kenya
00254
Kiribati
00686
Kuwait
00965
Kyrgyzstan
00996
Laos
00856
Latvia
00371
Lebanon
00961
Liberia
00231
Libya
00218
Lithuania
00370
Luxembourg
00352
Macau
00853
Macedonia
00389
Madagascar
00261
Majorca
0034
Malawi
00265
Malaysia
0060
Maldives
00960
Mali
00223
Malta
00356
Marshall Islands
00692
Martinique
00596
Mauritania
00222
Mauritius
00230
Mayotte
00269
Mexico
0052
Micronesia
00691
Moldova
00373
Monaco
00377
Mongolia
00976
Montserrat
001664
Morocco
00212
Mozambique
00258
Myanmar (Burma) 0095
Namibia
00264
Nepal
00977
Netherlands (Holland)
0031
Netherlands Antilles 00599
New Caledonia
00687
New Zealand
0064
Nicaragua
00505
Nigar
00227
Nigeria
00234
Niue
00683
Norfolk Island
00672
Northern Ireland (UK)
0044
North Korea
00850
Norway
0047
Oman
00968
Pakistan
0092
Palau
00680
Panama
00507
Papua New Guinea 00675
Paraguay
00595
Peru
0051
Philippines
0063
Poland
0048
Portugal
00351
Puerto Rico
001787
Qatar
00974
Romania
0040
Russian Federation 007
Rwanda
00250
Saint Helena
00290
Saint Kitts
001869
Saint Lucia
001758
Saint Pierre
00508
Saint Vincent
001784
Samoa US
00684
Samoa West
00685
San Marino
00378
Sao Tone
00239
Saudi Arabia
00966
Scotland (UK)
0044
Senegal
00221
Seychelles
00284
Sierra Leone
00232
Singapore
0065
Slovakia
00421
Slovenia
00386
Solomon Islands
00677
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
lifestyle
G o s s i p
J
ustin Bieber’s visit to a New York club reportedly ended in a bloody brawl on Saturday night. The
‘Beauty and a Beat’ singer allegedly “went nuts” on a fellow reveller as he partied at Southampton
hotspot South Pointe, leading to a physical altercation between members of the star’s entourage and
club patrons. The fight is thought to have been triggered by a heated exchange between Justin, 19, and a
male club-goer after a female friend attempted to hit on the singer in his roped-off V.I.P. section. A source
told the New York Daily News: “He ripped his shirt off and went nuts. He was screaming.” Justin’s security
team quickly intervened and took the star out to the club’s parking lot to cool off, but things took a turn for
the worse inside the nightclub. The singer’s friends and members of his security were “involved in a fight”
after he was escorted out, and an eyewitness reported seeing blood. Earlier in the evening, the ‘Boyfriend’
hitmaker’s bodyguards were accused of being “heavy-handed” with fans who had hoped to meet the star.
Justin arrived with his entourage and four bodyguards at around 2am and quickly “took over” the V.I.P. area,
which was closely guarded by his eagle-eyed minders. The security team were described as being “intimidating” and “overbearing”, and even flashed a torch in the face of partygoers who tried to snap pictures of
Justin on their cameraphones.
R
apper and actor 50-Cent faces
arraignment on charges that he
attacked his ex-girlfriend and
trashed her condo. The hearing for the
singer, whose real name is Curtis
Jackson, was scheduled for yesterday. If
convicted, the “In Da Club” singer faces
up to five years in jail and $46,000 in
fines. The woman told police that during
a June 23 argument, Jackson began
destroying property at her Toluca Lake
condo before she locked herself in a bedroom. She says Jackson kicked open the
bedroom door and kicked her, causing
injury. Police estimated about $7,100 in
damage to the home. The woman told
police she had been in a three-year relationship and has a baby with Jackson
who has referenced drug dealing and
violence in many songs.
H
arry Styles is treating his sister to an all-expenses-paid US holiday. The
One Direction hunk has paid for his older sister Gemma, 22, to go on
the trip of a lifetime as a present for graduating from Sheffield
University in the UK with a First-class degree. The 19-year-old singer has
pulled out all the stops by arranging for his brainbox sibling to enjoy unlimited shopping while she’s in America, as well as giving her access-all-areas
passes for One Direction’s gigs in Ls Vegas in Nevada, and San Diego and Los
Angeles in California. A tour insider told the Daily Star newspaper: “Harry is
giving Gemma a massive treat for getting a first at Sheffield Uni. He’s so
proud of her as she’s worked really hard to get top grades and deserves to
have some fun. “He flew her to Las Vegas and has put her in a posh suite at
every stop on the tour with AAA pass access and anything she needs. “Plus
there’s a gift of unlimited shopping during her stay in America for clothes
and gadgets. He plans to treat her to a new wardrobe.” The ‘Best Song Ever’
hitmakers are currently on the North American leg of their worldwide Take
Me Home Tour, and Harry is missing his family after being away since the
tour left the UK in April. The source added: “Gemma loves hanging out with
her brother and keeping an eye on him. Harry is in awe of her because she’s
so brainy and got a first, plus the highest marks in the year. “He gets homesick sometimes while on tour, so it’s great for him to have her there for a
while too.”
P
rince Jackson and his girlfriend pigged out on cheap hamburgers this weekend. The 16-year-old son of late pop singer Michael Jackson and his girlfriend Remi Alfalah - reportedly a Kuwaiti princess - are worth millions
between them, but eschewed Los Angeles’ fine dining restaurants to enjoy a simple meal at one of the city’s Smashburger outlets. A source told the New York Post
newspaper: “I couldn’t believe it - there were these two bajillionaires having $5.29
burgers.” The couple, who spend most of their free time in the upmarket areas of
Los Angeles and are frequently spotted eating, shopping and strolling around
Rodeo Drive, an area famed for its luxury goods stores, were joined with friends
and an adult, who “looked like” Prince’s mother, Debbie Rowe, “but wasn’t.” Actress
Greice Santo was also spotted at the burger joint and advised Prince and his
friends to try the chain’s SmashFries with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. Prince and
Remi met at the Buckley School, an exclusive private school in Sherman Oaks,
California, where they are in eleventh grade.
‘T
he Lone Ranger’ actor is used to travelling around the
world for his movie career because his family moved
home so many times as a child, and he doesn’t feel as
though there’s any single place he can call home. He explained: “I
mean, I’m still enigmatic ... still kind of a vagabond’s existence in a
way because you’re always on location, or you’re travelling here or
there. But the weird thing is, because we moved so many times as
kids, the idea of packing ... it’s just sort of the memory of taking all
your stuff as a kid to another joint. Home is pretty much on the
road.” However, when he’s not on location, the 50-year-old star
finds himself travelling back to Los Angeles because that’s where
his children - daughter Lily-Rose, 14, and 11-year-old son John - go
to school. He added to ITV’s ‘Daybreak’: “Home, mostly because my
kids go to school [there], so these days when I’m not shooting,
obviously Los Angeles.” Johnny split from the mother of his kids,
actress-and-singer Vanessa Paradis, in June 2012 and believes the
separation has made him closer to Lily-Rose and John. He said:
“Anything like that, for anyone, is always difficult to go through,
especially difficult when there are kids involved and quite grown
kids. I think it went as well as it could have possibly gone and it’s
been interesting and a great sort of bonding experience for all of
us in a weird way, all going through that together. It’s been a pretty
intense bonding experience.”
G
eorge Michael has suffered permanent damage from his near fatal car
crash. The ‘Careless Whisper’ hitmaker
was spotted outside his London home with
large scars from a deep gash on the back of
his head as well as another large scar on his
left elbow. The photographs acquired show
the damage after he fell out the passenger
seat of a Range Rover on a busy M1 motorway near St Albans, close to London, in May.
The 50-year-old singer was airlifted to hospital - where he remained for for two weeks after suffering head injuries, cuts and bruises. George is now said to be “on the mend”
and is maintaining positive spirits following
the tragedy. A source the People newspaper:
“George is enjoying life, a few scratches but
he’s glad to be alive.” The crash follows an
incident in 2010 where the star received an
eight-week jail sentence for crashing his
Range Rover while under the influence of
cannabis. The scarring is the latest in a string
of health troubles for the singer after he
nearly died as a result of contracting pneumonia in November 2011.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
lifestyle
G o s s i p
T
he ‘X Factor’ USA judge was involved in a dramatic
rescue mission last month during a botched whale
watching trip with four friends on a private rented
boat in Provincetown in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The 32year-old singer has now revealed she thought she was
going to die when they lost sight of the boat they’d been
following and got caught in winds of up to 30 miles per
hour. She told People.com: “I remember thinking to myself,
‘Lord, please don’t let this boat capsize. Please let us get to
shore in one safe, sound piece. I just want to see tomorrow.
“[There was] no more shore, no more land, we’re seeing no
more of the buoys, no more of the boats passing by - it’s
just in the middle of nowhere, so we realized that we’re
lost.” The gang tried to call for help on their mobile phones,
but they were so far from shore no one had any signal except for Kelly. She explained: “I was like, ‘Please, Lord,
give me two bars’. He gave me two bars and we contacted
some folks that were on land and they helped us.” A towboat was finally sent to rescue them, and they arrived back
in Provincetown over 10 hours after they first realised they
were lost. Kelly said: “The waves coming in were like 5 to 10
feet high and the boat was only a 27-foot boat and it felt
like forever to get back to shore.” The Destiny’s Child star is
adamant she won’t to get on another boat “for a long time
- a very long time.”
L
ily Collins’ famous father made her want to “make
a mark on the world”. The 24-year-old actress the daughter of musician Phil Collins and his
American second wife Jill Tavelman - has been determined to succeed since she was just a child and says
the ‘In The Air’ hitmaker has always been one of her
biggest inspirations. She said: “I was a complete outsider when I moved to the States from London at five
years old. “Having an English accent, I felt alienated. I
wanted to fit in and I learned to adapt. I’ve been driven since the day I was born. I grew up watching my
dad, who is an incredibly strong man, and that made
me want to make a mark on the world as well.” And
Lily - who is dating her ‘The Mortal Instruments: City of
Bones’ co-star Jamie Campbell Bower - says her father
has taught her to focus on her work and not worry
about other people’s opinions, particularly when it
comes to her personal life. She told Event magazine:
“My dad has shown me the pros and cons of having
your private life in the public eye. “He says everyone is
going to have an opinion about anything that you do,
and most of the time what you read will be negative,
so if you focus on that you’re never going to be happy.
What matters is the experience you have and if you’re
T
he British model insists she has no
desire to be super-skinny and she
loves the feeling she gets from working hard. She said: “I’d rather be fit than
thin. I can dance for longer. I feel stronger,
healthier, brighter and less stressed. “Diets
feel like starvation. I love a belly on a
woman - it’s so beautiful. I want Beyonce’s
body.” Daisy believes people find exercise
gives a better natural high than partying
and taking illegal substances does. She
told Sunday Times Style magazine:
“People don’t take drugs anymore. And,
actually, you get much happier from exercising than anyone ever did getting off
their face.” And the brunette beauty
admits her own workout regime has
inspired her friends to follow her lead and
get fit. She said: “Every one of my friends
works out in some way now and none of
them did before I started. I was like, ‘Come
on guys! “There are a lot of them I’ve
forced into it and all of them do feel better
about themselves.”
proud of the work. “He comes and supports me with
my mum at the premieres of my films. He’s proud of
me and laughs when he gets Google alerts about me.
“I think it’s because tweeting and Facebook didn’t
exist in his day, and seeing his little girl being on a fan
video is quite surreal.”
T
he 34-year-old actress is planning to make
a move into the perfume industry after
seeing stars like Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj
and Sarah Jessica Parker successfully launch
their own scents. She told WWD: “I’m interested
[in doing a fragrance]. We all need a little help in
smelling good, especially in the summer in New
York City!” The brunette - who has seven-yearold daughter Suri with her ex-husband Tom
Cruise - already has lucrative beauty deals with
Bobbi Brown cosmetics and Alterna hair care.
The former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star has taken her
role as the face of Bobbi Brown one step further
by creating a make-up palette for the brand
called The Bobbi & Katie Collection which
women can use on the go. She explained: “Our
objective was to do something that is very helpful to all women. You can put it on in the back of
a cab, you can put it on in your bathroom at
home, you can put it on in the parking lot at
your child’s soccer game. It’s simple, but we like
to have special things that make us feel good.”
Katie is also collaborating on a skincare range
with the company this autumn.
R
ebel Wilson wants her new show to inspire girls to have fun. The 27-year-old
actress will take on the leading role of Kimmie in TV sitcom ‘Super Fun Night’,
for which she is also a writer, and Rebel hopes it will inspire women with low
self esteem. Speaking at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, she
said: “The purpose of the show, to me, is to really inspire girls who don’t think they’re
cool, or popular or pretty and all that, to get out there and [prove] that they can have
fun and exciting lives, too. I think in order to do that, we have to present a very realistic version of what it’s like to be girl who looks like me and isn’t the coolest. “That
often involves Kimmie getting broken up with by a dude who says Kimmie is too fat.
I’m always pitching the sadder storylines, like where I get punched in the face.” Conan
O’Brien is an executive producer on ‘Super Fun Night’ and he says his main role is to
“let Rebel be Rebel”. He said: “I see my job as being to do everything in my power to
let Rebel be Rebel. I said to her, ‘Anything interfering with your ability to be you, call
me and I’ll be ineffective.’ “
Lohan makes fun of Stewart
L
indsay Lohan has poked fun of Kristen Stewart.
The 27-year-old actress - who has left rehab last
week after a 90-day court-ordered stint - is seen
mocking the ‘Twilight’ actress in a preview clip for her
gig guest hosting chat show ‘Chelsea Lately’ tonight.
Discussing a recent incident in which the famously
glum-looking star yelled a photographer, Lindsay
scoffed: “I’m just excited that Kristen Stewart, you
know, finally showed some emotion.” When the other
hosts appear shocked, Lindsay backtracks, saying:
“No, I really do love her. She’s awesome. I’m a Kristen
Stewart fan.” However, the ‘Mean Girls’ star then takes
another pop at the 23-year-old actress, joking about
the infamous paparazzi shots of her kissing ‘Snow
White and the Huntsman’ director Rupert Sanders,
which ended both his marriage and her relationship
with Robert Pattinson when it was made public. She
laughed: “I will say this, of course she hates photographers - they got a picture of her kissing a married
man in a Mini Cooper.” Meanwhile, Lindsay is set to
open up about her own demons in an in-depth interview on ‘Oprah’s Next Chapter’ and a newly-released
preview shows the chat show legend probing the
redhead with some tough questions. Oprah Winfrey
asks, “Are you an addict?”, before saying, “What does it
feel like to be both an adjective and a verb for childstar-gone-wrong?” Linday will additionally film an
eight-part documentary about her life for Oprah’s
channel OWN, for which she has allegedly received a
$2 million pay check.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
lifestyle
B
ollywood is foraying into controversial terrain
with new spy thriller, “Madras Cafe”, whose
depiction of rebels in the Sri Lankan civil war
has raised concerns among India’s large Tamil population. The movie, which opens in India this month,
features John Abraham as an Indian secret agent
shortly after peace-keeping troops sent by New Delhi
to Sri Lanka were forced to withdraw in 1990 following a three-year battle with separatist Tamil rebels.
Director Shoojit Sircar describes “Madras Cafe”,
shot in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, as a
“hardcore political film which examines conspiracies,
espionage, how information is coded, decoded and
passed through”. India has a large and politically
active Tamil population in its south and South Indian
activists have already raised concerns over the
movie’s depiction of the rebels in the bloody conflict.
But Sircar insists the movie, set in the early 1990s,
“does not take sides. “The bigger message is that in a
civil war, civilians suffer the most,” he told AFP.
While the film’s main character is fictitious, Sircar
said he had “used real references, portrayed rebel
groups, revolutionary freedom fighters, Indian Peace
Keeping Forces (and) shown how India got involved
and the chaos”. The conflict in Sri Lanka, which cost up
to 100,000 lives, erupted in 1983 between government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE), who were fighting for an independent
state for ethnic Tamils. Both sides are accused of
human rights atrocities. In 1987, Indian Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi sent a peace-keeping force in a bid to
end the conflict but the intervention failed.
The move was met with criticism at home while
straining relationships between the two neighbors,
and when Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, the LTTE
were the prime suspects. Sircar remains tight-lipped
over whether Gandhi’s killing is tackled directly in the
movie, saying “how it ends and moves is the surprise
of the film”. Although the assassination changed the
course of Indian history, few of the country’s movies
have looked at Gandhi’s death, the Tamil Tigers or the
Sri Lankan conflict. Tamil-language drama
“Kutrapathrikai” (Chargesheet), based on Gandhi’s
killing and the civil war, was blocked by the censors
for its political overtones and only released 13 years
later in 2007 with several cuts.
The acclaimed 1999 Tamil film, “The Terrorist”, was
inspired by the assassination, while the 2002 drama
“Kannathil Muthamittal” (A Peck on the Cheek), directed by Mani Ratnam, focused on a girl searching for
her parents amid the Sri Lankan conflict and won various awards. Often preferring more light-hearted fare,
Hindi-language Bollywood films that venture into
geopolitics tend to focus on cross-border conflicts
with Pakistan and the disputed region of Kashmir.
But Sircar, whose past films include the unconven-
tional 2012 comedy hit “Vicky Donor” about sperm
donation, said he wanted to place the spy operation
against a different setting. “I did not want the usual
India-Pakistan backdrop,” he said. “I had been following this civilian crisis for a long time and integrated it
into the main story.” Although the movie has passed
India’s censor board, the film may still face hurdles in
the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Activist group Naam
Tamilar (We Tamils) has asked the state government
to stop the film’s release, unhappy that the trailer
depicted the LTTE as “terrorists”, according to Indian
media reports.
“We would like to see the film before its release,”
filmmaker Sebastian Seeman, who heads the group,
told Indo-Asian News Service, saying they would let
the film pass “if we don’t find any scene in the film
objectionable”. “Madras Cafe” star Abraham told AFP
he plans to attend a press conference in Tamil Nadu to
calm any controversy over the movie, saying: “I am
sure once they see the film they will be happy. “It is
great cinema and we have taken great care not to
hurt anyone’s feelings. But the backdrop of the film is
true incidents and real life situations which we can’t
shy away from,” he said.
It would not be the first film to be banned in Tamil
Nadu. Another spy thriller, “Vishwaroopam”, was
forced out of cinemas in January after Muslim groups
complained they were portrayed in a negative light,
V
eteran French actor Gerard Depardieu is shooting a film in
Paris for the first time since he sparked a huge outcry by
leaving France for tax reasons and taking Russian nationality. In an exclusive interview with AFP, the 64-year-old film star
said he did not move out of the country to escape the taxman
but to flee “the way governments use the money they take.” The
award-winning performer made global headlines late last year
when he decided to move to Belgium after the Socialist government sought to impose a 75 percent tax rate on annual incomes
over one million euros ($1.3 million).
He was subsequently granted Russian citizenship by
President Vladimir Putin. The decision prompted controversy, as
have his friendships with Putin and Chechnya’s strongman
leader Ramzan Kadyrov-both accused of human rights violations. “It’s the first time that I’m shooting again in France (since
the controversy)”, he told AFP Sunday of his new film about the
history of the FIFA World Cup, in which he plays the competition’s creator Jules Rimet.
“I had refused all French films as people could not understand. I am Russian and a Belgian resident. I live in Russia, where I
spent three-and-a-half months. I have firms in the countries in
which I live because it’s more advantageous. “In 15 years, I have
prompting director Kamal Haasan to threaten to go
into exile. The matter, which renewed fears about
freedom of artistic expression in India, was resolved
when controversial scenes were muted. — AFP
spent maybe only five months in France. Since December 2012,
a month-and-a-half... I am not escaping the taxman but the way
governments use the money they take,” he said by phone. The
film shoot in Paris will only last around 20 days, and Depardieu
will be acting in English alongside “an international cast” of
British, Australian and American actors including Tim Roth, he
said, without giving more details.
Under the helm of French director Frederic Auburtin, the
actors will also work on location in Brazil, Switzerland and Spain,
and the film is due to come out in time for the 2014 World Cup.
Known as much for his acting skills as for his erratic off-screen
behavior, Depardieu was recently fined 4,000 euros ($5,315) and
had his licence suspended for driving his scooter in Paris while
drunk in November. But according to a person close to the actor,
who refused to be named, he is now “on top form and has
stopped all excesses.” Depardieu will also star as Dominique
Strauss-Kahn in an upcoming film inspired by the spectacular
fall from grace of the French former IMF chief, who was accused
of sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid. — AFP
Gerard Depardieu
T
he Aboriginal Australian women
whose lives inspired the acclaimed
movie “The Sapphires” have protested at the film’s US DVD cover, saying its
portrayal of a white male actor as the lead
disrespects people of color. The feel-good
flick about four Aboriginal singers sent to
entertain troops in Vietnam has the
women on its DVD cover in Australia. But
in the US version they are “blue washed”
and placed in the background while Irish
actor Chris O’Dowd-who plays their manager-is front and centre in full colour. The
original Sapphires-Naomi Mayers, Beverly
Briggs, Lois Peeler and Laurel Robinsonhave written to the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People in
the US to complain.
The women, in a letter written on their
behalf by the Aboriginal Medical Service,
say the DVD cover completely missed the
trauma that people of color experienced
in Australia and the United States. “The US
cover of the DVD... in fact reinforces precisely the sort of bigotry that Naomi,
Beverly, Lois and Laurel fought so hard
against,” it said. “We’re hopeful that the
NAACP-with its long and proud history of
advocating strongly for the interests of
people of color-will add its significant
voice to calls for the DVD cover to be
changed.”
Mayers, who works at the Aboriginal
Medical Service in inner Sydney’s Redfern
Keith Urban
K
eith Urban will help the NFL kick off the 2013 season.
Urban is scheduled to perform live during NBC’s
pregame show before the Baltimore Ravens open the
season at the Denver Broncos on Thursday, Sept 5. A news
release says the Grammy-winning country music star will perform from a stage floating in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
The performance comes during a busy period for the
Australian singer. He’s out on tour this summer, set to release
his new album “Fuse” on Sept. 10 and learned this week he’ll
return next season as an “American Idol” judge. “The Voice”
Season 4 winner Danielle Bradbery will sing the national
anthem at the game. — AP
L
ollapalooza, the three-day music festival in Chicago’s historic Grant Park, was bigger than ever this year with a
lineup that honored its alternative rock roots and broadened its appeal to fans of folk, dance, rap and even country
music. A record 300,000 people took in nearly 150 bands playing on eight stages set up across the mile-long park lawn just
across the street from the shores of Lake Michigan.
The varieties of music were as disparate as the concert
attendees. Teens in brightly-colored tank tops bobbed to the
bass music of Dillon Francis in the dance arena on Friday while
goths in black swayed to Sunday’s closing set by alternative
veterans the Cure. Vampire Weekend supplied the literary pop,
singing about the Oxford comma, while country-rocker Eric
Church sang about drinking Jack Daniels and getting stoned.
The chart-topping pop folk group Mumford and Sons drew
some of the largest crowds on Saturday who heard their banjoand-acoustic guitar rave-ups “I Will Wait” and “The Cave,” after
another folk group on the rise, the Lumineers, warmed up the
crowd from a stage across the park’s lawn. The sold-out annual
summer event, which last year pumped $120 million into the
local economy and booked many downtown hotels to capacity
this year, is Chicago’s largest concert.
Nine Inch Nails, the veteran alternative band fronted by
Trent Reznor, played the first Lollapalooza in 1991 and closed
Friday night with their first US gig in four years. A large portion
of the crowd was not even born when Reznor burst onto the
scene with his aggressive industrial rock, breaking through
with the song “Head Like a Hole,” which they performed toward
the end of their set.
“I came here for the girls and (band) the Killers. I don’t know
Robert Smith of The Cure performs during Lollapalooza 2013 at Grant Park on
August 4, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. — AFP photos
In this photograph
taken Indian Bollywood
actor John Abraham and
actress Nargis Fakhri
pose ahead of a screening for the forthcoming
political Hindi film
“Madras Cafe” in
Mumbai. — AFP
who Nine Inch Nails are,” said 15-year-old Ryan Coolidge, a resident of Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Two artists scheduled to
perform Saturday night on the same stage abruptly canceled
appearances. Rapper Azealia Banks was said to have come
down with a throat ailment while Lollapalooza organizers
announced that Death Grips, a rap group from California,
“chose not to appear.”
The festival largely went off without a hitch otherwise, with
rains muddying fields early on Friday before sunshine and
cooler-than-normal temperatures provided comfortable conditions for the fans. Ben Gibbard announced that the show
would be the last for his group the Postal Service. Local hiphop artist Chance the Rapper, whose uplifting tales about rising above the gun violence on Chicago’s streets, was such a
success on a smaller stage that many could not get close
Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend performs during Lollapalooza 2013.
suburb, described the cover as disrespectful. “What has upset us is that the DVD
cover appears to miss that point (of the
film) entirely,” she told The Sydney
Morning Herald. “It’s disrespectful to the
very talented young Aboriginal actors in
the film, and it’s disrespectful to us as a
group. “But in particular, it’s disrespectful
to women of color everywhere who have
stood up against this sort of thing all their
lives.”Mayers said the women were proud
of their work with the Sapphires and of
the film.
“We hope that the US distributors of
the DVD stop and think about how their
depiction of that work might be received,
and that it motivates them to reconsider
the cover artwork before the DVD is distributed,” she said. The US cover has
already caused a storm on social media,
with O’Dowd himself tweeting in
response to a question that it was “ridiculous, misleading, ill-judged, insensitive
and everything the film wasn’t”. — AFP
enough to see the 20-year-old.
The dance stage Perry’s - named after Lollapalooza organizer Perry Farrell - was one of the most popular. Bottom-heavy
bass music dubstep dominated that area, with acts such as
Baauer - known for his track “Harlem Shake” and the hundreds
of social media dance routine videos it spawned. Grant
Kwiecinski, aka GRiZ, played saxophone over his squelching
bass tunes. He first attended four years ago as a fan, an event
that contributed to him making a career of music. “My one
experience with Lollapalooza was in 2009 - it was actually the
first music festival I’ve ever been to,” he said in an interview. “It
was one of those very cool memories where it all starts to
make sense to you very quickly.” — Reuters
Chainz performs during Lollapalooza 2013.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
lifestyle
Guides on bamboo rafts wait to take tourists along the Yulong River in
Yangshuo. Karst peaks dot the skyline in the background. — MCT photos
T
Fresh peppers sit for sale in Hong Kong’s flower district.
hree years ago I got engaged on the Great Wall in
Beijing. Since then, China has held a special place in my
heart, so my husband and I jumped at the chance to tag
along with our Mandarin-speaking friend during a two-week
jaunt through the country. China can be intimidating, but
many of its cities are easy to navigate for English speakers.
Here are five tourist-friendly locales.
•
Hong Kong: Our trip started here, where there is a
large English presence because it was under British rule until
1997. The efficient, extensive subway announces each stop in
English, and many locals are bilingual.
We stayed on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong and decided
to take a day trip out of the city and over to Lantau Island. We
made our way to the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car to take a 25minute ride. The trip gave us a view of the Hong Kong
International Airport, the South China Sea and the rolling lush
landscape on the way to the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, better
known as Big Buddha.
•
Yangshuo: If you’re anywhere near it, this quiet city
is a must-see. The vacation town is most known for its sharp
mountains covered by lush greenery in an area free of the
noise and air pollution that plague larger Chinese cities.
From Hong Kong, take the subway across the Chinese border to Shenzhen, where you can hop on an overnight train to
Guilin for about $40 (US). Tickets must be bought in advance.
A pre-arranged English-speaking driver can pick you up at
the Guilin train station and take you to get a bowl of Guilin
rice noodles, a local breakfast staple. (To make arrangements,
visit guilincits.com/en, the website of China International
Travel Service Guilin.) The driver can then take you to get boat
tickets ($35) for a four-hour boat ride up the Li River.
Once in Yangshuo, hire a local tour guide to take you on an
all-day bike ride. (Guides can be found through Bike Asia,
bikeasia.com.) For about $10 apiece we hired a guide who
spoke English, Mandarin and the local dialect to help us rent
bikes ($5) and go on a breathtaking tour of the countryside.
•
Guilin: This is mostly just a stop for people heading
to and from Yangshuo, but it’s worth a half-day walk around
Kaia Roberts, 29 has an eclectic taste for used clothing.
Kristine Huson can spot a designer label at Goodwill in
seconds.
K
activists are organizing some lifestyle change movements.
Consumers will dictate the direction of future retailing.”
John Lynden’s affinity for American-made clothing started
a decade ago when he bought his first pair of American-made
Levi’s in San Francisco. They held up better than other jeans,
so he started to pay attention to where all of his clothes came
from. Now, he says, it’s much easier to find domestic-made
brands. The 45-year-old small-business owner who even buys
American-made socks is suddenly en vogue.
“My style isn’t defined by what’s trendy but by how it was
made,” he said. “I just get excited when I see that ‘Made in the
USA’ tag.”
The clothes can also come with a higher price. Once Justin
Holinka changed his thought process, it was easier for the 26year-old Minneapolis stock analyst to spend $250 on one pair
of American-made jeans over three pairs of imported ones. “I
got fed up with the fact that they’d fall apart,” he said. “I’d
rather buy a few things that are going to last me a long time.”
Huson admits she does shop at H&M and Macy’s for modern accessories to pair with her vintage dresses, and she doesn’t wear retro shoes. “I always add a modern element so it
doesn’t look like I’m wearing a costume,” Huson said. “I don’t
want to look like I fell off the ‘Mad Men’ set.”
As this wave of socially conscious shopping gains steam,
business at secondhand stores is picking up, especially
among women. Allison Bross-White recently moved her consignment shop, B. Resale, to a new location in south
Minneapolis that’s twice as big. “Another driving force in the
growth of secondhand businesses is the fact that it’s become
more acceptable to wear used clothing,” she said. “Before the
recession, there was a stigma.”
The DIY ethic also is on the rise. People have always been
into sewing quilts or bags, but in the past two years, Trish
Hoskins of sewing and knitting shop Crafty Planet has seen an
uptick in fashion sewing. The number of members at
BurdaStyle (www.burdastyle.com), a five-year-old social network for sewing novices, grew to 753,184 in mid-May, a rise of
47 percent from a year earlier, the company said.
Sewing-machine sales are booming, too, with sales in the
United States expected to top 3 million in 2012, according to
SVP Worldwide, maker of Singer sewing machines. That’s double the number from a decade ago. The trend is driven partly
by the popularity of fashion-focused TV shows, but Hoskins
says it’s more than that: “People want to be able to customize
their look without compromising their ethics and breaking
the bank.”
As much as Greg Martin loves his American brands, the 44year-old Minneapolis man said it’s difficult to achieve a 100
percent ethically sound wardrobe. “It costs a lot of money.” he
said. “It’s kind of sad, but I don’t think you could do an entire
wardrobe of all USA goods. You’d have to be pretty obsessive.”
— MCT
ristine Huson can spot a designer label at Goodwill in
seconds. She can zip through the racks of her favorite
vintage store even faster. The 42-year-old South St. Paul,
Minn., woman has joined an ethical fashion movement of
consumers striving to be more mindful of their buying habits.
These socially conscious style mavens want to know where
their clothes came from, who made them and how they got
here. For some, that means buying American-made; others
sew their own. Shoppers like Huson turn to the past.
“By shopping vintage, I know that the garments were
made well by union garment workers, no one else is likely to
have them, and they have already stood the test of time,” said
Huson, whose wardrobe is 85 percent vintage. “I can buy a
new dress and know that it’s not going to end up in a landfill
somewhere ... it’s living a new life on my shoulders.”
Mary Newman in her Minneapolis home. — MCT photos
Huson has steered clear of mass retailers for as long as she
could dig through her grandmother’s closet. For some, it’s taken the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry to give them pause about their purchases. More than
1,100 factory workers died in Bangladesh following a muchpublicized building collapse in April. For some pundits, “fast
fashion” suddenly became “fatal fashion.”
“The price for cheap fashion is slave labor and inhumane
working conditions,” said Beth Bowman, 35, of St. Paul. “I try
not to participate in that, but maybe once a year I do want
some cute, trendy earrings for $4.99.” While many Americans
say they would prefer to buy American-made products, only 2
percent of clothes bought in the United States are actually
made here, according to the American Apparel and Footwear
Association. In the 1960s, 95 percent of what we wore was
made here, according to Save the Garment Center.
That disconnect makes it difficult to change habits, said
Hye-Young Kim, an assistant professor in the University of
Minnesota’s retail merchandising program. “People say fast
fashion is like fast food, because it’s addictive and unhealthy,”
Kim said. “But like the slow food movement, consumer
Visitors walk out onto West Lake in Hangzhou, the capital and largest city of the
Zhejiang Province in Eastern China.
while you wait for your next train. Take a stroll along the Li
River and head to Fubo Shan peak to get a 360-degree view of
the city.
•
Xian: This is home to the Terracotta Army, life-size
soldiers created to guard Qin Shi Huang’s tomb more than
2,000 years ago. A farmer discovered the soldiers in 1974.
Minibuses leave constantly from the local train station and
can get you to the site in about an hour ($8).
After a day of sightseeing, walk through the city’s Muslim
Quarter. This district offers an array of open-air restaurants
and street food. We tasted spicy tofu and potatoes cooked
and seasoned to order. Pick up some jian dui, a Chinese pastry
made from glutinous rice flour and filled with sweet red bean
paste.
•
Hangzhou: A domestic flight ($70) is an easy, fast
way to get from Xian to Hangzhou, which is a picturesque city
110 miles (or a two-hour train ride) southwest of Shanghai.
The city is home to beautiful West Lake and is known as one of
China’s most scenic and historic tourist spots.
Visitors can bike around the lake, take a covered boat ride
or sit on the shore under weeping willow trees. Take a walk to
Lingering Rosy Cloud Mountain, where a trail takes you to the
top for a magnificent view of the city.
Before you go
Travel to China requires a visa. Apply at the Chinese
Consulate, 100 W. Erie St, Chicago, at least 30 days in advance.
It costs $140 and can take two weeks to process. Rush options
are available for an additional $30. The consulate requires
proof of a plane ticket and the hotels where you will be staying.
Booking a hotel in advance always is advisable because
walk-up prices can be markedly more expensive. Visit english.ctrip.com to arrange trains, hotels, tours and domestic
flights. — MCT
Indian models walk the ramp for ‘Shobha Shringar Jewellers’ at the 4th edition of India International Jewellery
Week 2013 (IIJW) in Mumbai on August 4, 2013. — AFP photos
50-Cent due in
court on domestic
violence charge
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2013
36
Photos show the exterior of former French-built mansion that is now the ‘China House’ porcelain museum in the
Chinese coastal city of Tianjin. — AFP photos
n TianJin Municipality, a private museum known as “China
House” has become a new landmark in the city. A local art
collector, Zhang Lianzhi, has turned a desolate old building into a showcase of porcelain. Instead of putting his collections in safe cabinet, the collector has actually “built” the
house with an amazingly large number of porcelain antiquities. Let’s follow our host Yin Chen to explore the extraordinary museum and the story behind its construction.
This is a museum whose most compelling contents are
on its exterior: over 5000 ancient vases, 4000 plates and 400
million porcelain fragments. Most can trace their history
back to hundreds or thousands of years ago. Put together,
they help create the most fascinating architecture in the
country, “China House”.
The house was renovated from a colonial-era villa built in
the 1920s. Although its owner is reluctant to put a price tag
on it, experts have evaluated the worth of the museum at 2
billion RMB. The creatively laid out displays detail the history
and stories of porcelain making in China. You can find items
fired in almost all the famous kilns in different historic periods.
This red star on the very top of the house roof is also the
star of the museum. It was made by gluing together fragments of a rarely-found porcelain called “Ji Hong”. Used
exclusively by the royal family in the Ming Dynasty, the
porcelain’s crimson sheen was very hard to attain.
“China House” is the fulfilled dream home of collector
Zhang Lianzhi, who designed it himself. Zhang Lianzhi,
owner and designer of China House, said, “The design is
based on my understanding of antique porcelain and traditional Chinese culture. The experience is like a child building
his dream house with toy bricks. With such a large amount
of porcelain pieces, all I needed was my imagination to create and explore.” In this museum, porcelain is employed as a
new form of decorative expression in architecture.
Many parts of the house have their own symbolic meanings. The museum has aroused controversy among the public. Some people say that used this way, the antiques have
become worthless. Zhang Lianzhi counters that antiques
I
are not something that can only be conserved in storage
houses.
He believes he is giving his collection a new lease on life
by presenting them to the public.
Zhang Lianzhi said, “I want to share my enthusiasm about
the collection with many more people. For the past twenty
years, I myself have found great fun in studying the stories
and history behind the ceramics. It would be a pity and
waste if these fabulous works of art were appreciated by
myself only.” The house is a new tourist attraction in Tianjin.
Thousands of visitors from home and abroad arrive every
day.
A US news blog, the Huffington Post, has listed the China
House as one of the world’s 15 most stunning museums.
Others on the list include New York City’s Solomon R.
Guggenheim Museum. — english.cntv.cn
P
mated TV series for Pakistan but it seems like the whole
world wants to know about the Burka Avenger.” A TV distribution company in Europe has been in touch with a view
to translating the show into 18 languages, including
English and French, and screening it in 60 countries, Rashid
said. The issue of girls’ education in conservative, militantplagued northwest Pakistan hit world headlines last
October when Taliban gunmen shot teenage activist
Malala Yousafzai.
Malala, who campaigns for the right of girls to go to
school, survived the attack and last month delivered a
powerful speech at the UN in New York. Rashid said Malala
was a “real life superhero” for her courage and said the
attack on her had come as they prepared an early episode
of “Burka Avenger”. “We were all stunned because we were
working on the exact same story about a little girl who
akistan’s new cartoon superhero who fights bad guys
disguised in a flowing black burka is set to go global,
her creator told AFP, with plans afoot to broadcast
the show in 60 countries. The Urdu-language animation
“Burka Avenger”, showing the adventures of a mild-mannered teacher who uses her superpowers to fight local
gangsters trying to close down the girls’ school where she
works, hit Pakistani TV screens last month. The kids’ actioncomedy struck a chord in a country where Taliban militants
have prevented thousands of girls from going to school in
the northwest and attacked activists campaigning for their
education.
The man behind “Burka Avenger”, pop star Haroon
Rashid, said he had been overwhelmed by the response.
“The reception has been absolutely phenomenal, beyond
our expectations,” he said. “We were making this little ani-
Participants gather at the press preview of cartoon show Burka Avenger in
Rawalpindi. — AFP photos
stands up to the bad guy who tried to shut down her
school,” he said. “I had never heard of Malala before then-it
was like life was imitating what was on our screen while we
were developing.” Nearly half of all children in Pakistan and
almost three quarters of young girls are not enrolled in primary school, according to UN and government statistics
published late last year.
Jiya, the teacher and cartoon’s protagonist, transforms
into a burka-clad all-action heroine skilled in martial arts to
fight against “ignorance and tyranny” in the fictional village
of Halwapur. Armed only with books and pens, she takes
on the wicked Baba Bandook and his henchmen, who
include Vadero Pajero, a corrupt politician-something adult
Pakistanis are all too familiar with. There has been lively
debate in Pakistan’s English language press about whether
Jiya’s choice of disguise is a sign of empowerment or pro-
Aaron Haroon Rashid, one of Pakistan’s biggest pop star poses with his team at
the press presentation of cartoon show Burka Avenger.
motes something used to oppress women. But Yousaf Ejaz,
the show’s artistic director, said the inspiration came from
his childhood.
“I was a big fan of Batman, and my grandmother, she
had a burqa,” he said. “So back in the childhood when she
was away, we would steal her burqa and act like Batman,
wearing that burqa: ‘I am Batman, look at me!’ “So it was
one of the inspirations that kicked in when I was talking to
Haroon about early ideas of the Burka Avenger.” — AFP
Aaron Haroon Rashid, one of Pakistan’s biggest pop star speaks at the press
presentation of cartoon show Burka Avenger.