NEW DELHI: At least 93 people have been struck by lightning and killed in India over the past two days, disaster management officials said yesterday, as annual monsoon rains swept the coun- try. Lightning strikes are relatively com- mon in India during the June-October monsoon, which hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week’s toll is particularly high. Most deaths occurred in the eastern state of Bihar, where an overnight storm killed at least 56 peo- ple and injured another 28, mainly in rural areas. “The death toll has climbed to 56 and 28 are injured. Many of the victims are children and women,” Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar’s disas- ter management agency said. Another 37 people were killed across Uttar Pradesh, Jharkand and Madhya Pradesh states, according to figures compiled by local disaster management authorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was “deeply anguished” by the loss of life. Lightning kills thousands of Indians every year, most of them farm- ers working in the fields. More than 2,500 people were killed by lightning in India in 2014 according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the most recent figures available. — AFP 7 40 20 12 SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016 RAMADAN 18, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Min 33º Max 47º High Tide 02:55 & 12:12 Low Tide 06:55 & 19:57 40 PAGES NO: 16913 150 FILS Rival Brexit camps battle; UK votes in referendum Goal machine Messi leads Argentina to Copa final North Korea test fires two powerful missiles Dubai auction of Islamic treasures raises $11 million for refugees Emsak: 03:04 Fajer: 03:14 Shrooq: 04:49 Dohr: 11:50 Asr: 15:24 Maghreb: 18:51 Eshaa: 20:23 Ramadan TImings Be mindful of God Ramadan Kareem By Hassan T Bwambale T o be mindful of God Almighty in whatever one does is to know for certain that God watches over you externally and internally. As such, people should be ashamed to commit sins either in private or public because in whatever place or situation they are, God (to Whom is ascribed all perfection and majesty) definitely sees them. God says in the Quran what can be translated as, “Moreover, with Him (Allah) are the keys of the realms of the unseen. No one knows of them but Him. And He knows, as well, all that is in the land and the sea. Not even a leaf falls but He knows it. Nor is there any single grain hidden within the veils of the darkness of the earth - nor anything moist therein nor anything with- ered - but that it is recorded in a clear book.” (6:59) Worship God as if you see Him: Muadh Bin Jabal - Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) companion said, “O Messenger of Allah, advise me! The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said what can be translated as, “Worship Allah as though you see Him and always count yourself among the dead...” (Sheikh Al-Albani rated it as authen- tic in Saheeh At-Targheeb, 2,870) If someone is mindful of Allah and counts himself among the dead, there is no way he will have the audacity to disobey God. He will also make sure that the aim of everything he does is to seek the pleasure of God. Zaid bin Aslam narrated that Ibn Umar passed by a shepherd and said to him, “O shepherd! Is there any sheep suitable for slaughter?” The shepherd replied, “The owner of the flock isn’t here.” Ibn Umar replied, “When he returns, tell him it was eaten by a wolf.” Upon hearing this, the shepherd lifted his head towards the heaven and said, “Then where is Allah?” - a rhetorical question indicating that even he could lie to his master or anyone else, but he can’t lie to God because He watches over him in all situations and cir- cumstances. Ibn Umar was impressed by the piety, sin- cerity, honesty and above all the shepherd’s mindful- ness of God so much so that he paid that shepherd’s master a considerable amount of money to set him Continued on Page 13 National Assembly approves amendment to election law New election law bars those who insult God, prophets, Amir By B Izzak KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday overwhelm- ingly approved an amendment to the election law that bars all those convicted by court for insulting the Almighty, prophets or the Amir. The amendment, passed by 40 members against just three, means depriving dozens of opposition members including prominent opposition leader and former MP Mussallam Al-Barrak from contesting or voting in elections. The Assembly passed the critical amendment in two readings and sent it to the government. It becomes effective if the government, whose minister supported the change, will ratify the law and publish it in the offi- cial gazette. MPs also approved an amendment that would allow holding parliamentary elections from mid- day to midnight if they fall in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in summer next year after the current Assembly completes its four-year term. The Assembly also decid- ed to hold its final session on July 3 when it is expected to pass a landmark legislation for the independence of the judiciary. The Assembly also debated a report by the Audit Bureau outlining the main financial violations recorded by the Bureau against government ministries and departments from their final accounts in the 2014/2015 fiscal year. Although, the report says there has been a drop in violations as ministries responded positively to the Audit Bureau remarks, large sums of public funds have still been squandered due to failing to implement the law and the correct procedures. Continued on Page 13 KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah (center) greets MPs as he arrives for a parliamentary session at the National Assembly in Kuwait City. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat KUWAIT: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) yesterday declared that new measures would be executed this week to revamp work and services at Kuwait International Airport. Yousef Al-Fozan, the DGCA General Director, said in a statement to KUNA that the entry zone for departing passengers would be expanded, with a gate for all passengers, another for Kuwaiti and GCC citizens and a third for first-class, business travelers and crew members. Seven X-ray scanning devices have been installed, and other ones would be set up next week, said Al- Fozan, who also revealed that the departure counters would be increased from 10 to 22. There are 100 counters for serving the departing passengers and their luggage at the passengers’ terminal, in addition to eight electronic devices for issuing booking tickets for passengers carrying luggage by hand only. Moreover, night-time flights have been re-sched- uled to avert jamming. The airport can accommo- date 2,000 departing passengers per hour. It receives 100 planes on regular days and 130 planes during travel seasons. Al-Fozan also said that 200 personnel wearing phosphoric uniforms have been tasked with aiding the passengers. New gates at the parking lots have been built. A contract has been worked out with a Turkish company to build a new passenger terminal at a projected cost of KD 1.3 bil- lion. The six-year contract has been signed to increase the passenger capacity from six million to 25 million per year. — KUNA Airport authorities tackle congestion Lightning kills at least 93 as monsoon sweeps India MUMBAI: Indian pedestrians and a cyclist wade through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rain showers in Mumbai. — AFP News i n b r i e f Eid Al-Fitr holiday from July 5th to July 9th: CSC KUWAIT: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said yes- terday that Eid Al-Fitr holiday would last five days start- ing from July 5th until July 9th, whether Ramadan is 29 or 30 days. It said in a statement that if Eid was to fall on Tuesday (July 5th), the official holiday would last till July 8th, whereas Saturday July 9th would be considered rest day. However if Eid starts on Wednesday July 6th, Tuesday - Ramadan 30th would still be a rest day while Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be official holidays. State bodies with special working cir- cumstances shall determine their working hours according to their own needs. Citizens, expats urged to abide by MoI’s directions KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior yesterday urged citizens and residents to abide by the Ministry’s directions on roads, in markets and mosques during the last ten days of Ramadan. Adel Al-Hashash, the General Director of Security Information, said in a statement that the special security plan covers the Grand Mosque, mosques in the six governorates, main roads, intersections, commercial and popular malls. Security monitoring will be tighter in front of the mosques, with more patrols and deployment of a larger number of policemen and other security personnel. He warned that the clampdown on beg- gars would continue, and advised motorists not to leave valuable things in their cars upon parking. SANABIS, Bahrain: Bahraini Muslim boys read Quran, Islam’s holy book, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama. — AFP ASIR: If Rijal Almaa, a stone village tucked into a fold of Saudi Arabia’s southern mountains, showcases the polished end- point of new efforts in the kingdom to preserve cultural heritage, the hamlet of Watan Emsoudah represents the difficul- ties faced. Its low-covered alleyways lie thick with the debris of decades of aban- donment, some stone house roofs have caved in and thistles grow high between the hamlet’s walls, but near the entrance three men are working to save a house. Saudi Arabia has allocated nearly $1 billion to preserve its heritage in a new reform plan, but after decades of neg- lect, and in some cases deliberate destruction, saving its cultural treasures will prove complex and expensive. While that money was allocated in a National Transformation Program unveiled this month, no details were given as to how it would be spent and the only tourism projects listed in the plan were for a few large sites. “For maybe 40 years we stopped using these old houses and every five years you need to rehabilitate them,” said Abdulaziz Al-Ghanem representative of Asir’s architectural heritage centre at the government’s General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities. “I hope we get more money. We need it.” Watan Emsoudah is one of around 4,000 old vil- lages in Asir Province in the kingdom’s southwest and the project to restore it to save architectural tradition and boost tourism is one of eight in the region by a local investor. Rehabilitating the village, swaddled by terraced fields in a shallow bowl on a mountain plateau, will cost around 6 mil- lion riyals ($1.6 million), says Ibrahim al- Almiy, a former history teacher and the Continued on Page 13 Saudi to spend $1 bn on cultural heritage Amir receives Iraq Finance Minister PAGE 4 acquitted of IS membership PAGE
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NEW DELHI: At least 93 people havebeen struck by lightning and killed inIndia over the past two days, disastermanagement officials said yesterday, asannual monsoon rains swept the coun-try. Lightning strikes are relatively com-mon in India during the June-Octobermonsoon, which hit the southern coastearlier this month, but this week’s toll isparticularly high. Most deaths occurredin the eastern state of Bihar, where anovernight storm killed at least 56 peo-ple and injured another 28, mainly inrural areas.
“The death toll has climbed to 56and 28 are injured. Many of the victims
are chi ldren and women,” AnirudhKumar, a senior official at Bihar’s disas-ter management agency said. Another37 people were k i l led across UttarPradesh, Jharkand and Madhya Pradeshstates, according to figures compiled bylocal disaster management authorities.Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweetedthat he was “deeply anguished” by theloss of life. Lightning kills thousands ofIndians every year, most of them farm-ers working in the fields. More than2,500 people were killed by lightning inIndia in 2014 according to the NationalCrime Records Bureau, the most recentfigures available. — AFP
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016 RAMADAN 18, 1437 AH www.kuwaittimes.net
Min 33ºMax 47ºHigh Tide02:55 & 12:12Low Tide06:55 & 19:5740
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Rival Brexit camps battle;UK votes inreferendum
Goal machine Messi leads Argentina to Copa final
North Korea test fires two powerful missiles
Dubai auction of Islamic treasures raises $11 millionfor refugees
Emsak: 03:04Fajer: 03:14Shrooq: 04:49Dohr: 11:50Asr: 15:24Maghreb: 18:51Eshaa: 20:23
Ramadan TImings
Be mindful of God Ramadan Kareem
By Hassan T Bwambale
To be mindful of God Almighty in whatever onedoes is to know for certain that God watches overyou externally and internally. As such, people
should be ashamed to commit sins either in private orpublic because in whatever place or situation they are,God (to Whom is ascribed all perfection and majesty)definitely sees them.
God says in the Quran what can be translated as,“Moreover, with Him (Allah) are the keys of the realmsof the unseen. No one knows of them but Him. And Heknows, as well, all that is in the land and the sea. Noteven a leaf falls but He knows it. Nor is there any singlegrain hidden within the veils of the darkness of theearth - nor anything moist therein nor anything with-ered - but that it is recorded in a clear book.” (6:59)
Worship God as if you see Him: Muadh Bin Jabal -Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) companion said, “OMessenger of Allah, advise me! The Messenger of Allah(PBUH) said what can be translated as, “Worship Allahas though you see Him and always count yourselfamong the dead...” (Sheikh Al-Albani rated it as authen-tic in Saheeh At-Targheeb, 2,870)
If someone is mindful of Allah and counts himselfamong the dead, there is no way he will have theaudacity to disobey God. He will also make sure thatthe aim of everything he does is to seek the pleasure ofGod. Zaid bin Aslam narrated that Ibn Umar passed bya shepherd and said to him, “O shepherd! Is there anysheep suitable for slaughter?” The shepherd replied,“The owner of the flock isn’t here.” Ibn Umar replied,“When he returns, tell him it was eaten by a wolf.”
Upon hearing this, the shepherd lifted his headtowards the heaven and said, “Then where is Allah?” - arhetorical question indicating that even he could lie tohis master or anyone else, but he can’t lie to Godbecause He watches over him in all situations and cir-cumstances. Ibn Umar was impressed by the piety, sin-cerity, honesty and above all the shepherd’s mindful-ness of God so much so that he paid that shepherd’smaster a considerable amount of money to set him
Continued on Page 13
National Assembly approves amendment to election lawNew election law bars those who insult God, prophets, Amir
By B Izzak
KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday overwhelm-ingly approved an amendment to the election law thatbars all those convicted by court for insulting theAlmighty, prophets or the Amir. The amendment,passed by 40 members against just three, meansdepriving dozens of opposition members includingprominent opposition leader and former MP MussallamAl-Barrak from contesting or voting in elections.
The Assembly passed the critical amendment in tworeadings and sent it to the government. It becomeseffective if the government, whose minister supportedthe change, will ratify the law and publish it in the offi-cial gazette. MPs also approved an amendment thatwould allow holding parliamentary elections from mid-day to midnight if they fall in the Muslim holy month ofRamadan. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to beheld in summer next year after the current Assemblycompletes its four-year term. The Assembly also decid-ed to hold its final session on July 3 when it is expectedto pass a landmark legislation for the independence ofthe judiciary.
The Assembly also debated a report by the AuditBureau outlining the main financial violations recordedby the Bureau against government ministries anddepartments from their final accounts in the 2014/2015fiscal year. Although, the report says there has been adrop in violations as ministries responded positively tothe Audit Bureau remarks, large sums of public fundshave still been squandered due to failing to implementthe law and the correct procedures.
Continued on Page 13KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah (center) greets MPs as he arrives for aparliamentary session at the National Assembly in Kuwait City. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat
KUWAIT: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) yesterday declared that new measures wouldbe executed this week to revamp work and servicesat Kuwait International Airport. Yousef Al-Fozan, theDGCA General Director, said in a statement to KUNAthat the entry zone for departing passengers wouldbe expanded, with a gate for all passengers, anotherfor Kuwaiti and GCC citizens and a third for first-class,business travelers and crew members.
Seven X-ray scanning devices have been installed,
and other ones would be set up next week, said Al-Fozan, who also revealed that the departure counterswould be increased from 10 to 22. There are 100counters for serving the departing passengers andtheir luggage at the passengers’ terminal, in additionto eight electronic devices for issuing booking ticketsfor passengers carrying luggage by hand only.
Moreover, night-time flights have been re-sched-uled to avert jamming. The airport can accommo-date 2,000 depar ting passengers per hour. I t
receives 100 planes on regular days and 130 planesduring travel seasons. Al-Fozan also said that 200personnel wearing phosphoric uniforms have beentasked with aiding the passengers. New gates at theparking lots have been built. A contract has beenworked out with a Turkish company to build a newpassenger terminal at a projected cost of KD 1.3 bil-l ion. The six-year contract has been signed toincrease the passenger capacity from six million to25 million per year. — KUNA
Airport authorities tackle congestion
Lightning kills at least 93 as monsoon sweeps India
MUMBAI: Indian pedestrians and a cyclist wade through a flooded street afterheavy monsoon rain showers in Mumbai. — AFP
Newsi n b r i e f
Eid Al-Fitr holiday from July 5th to July 9th: CSC
KUWAIT: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) said yes-terday that Eid Al-Fitr holiday would last five days start-ing from July 5th until July 9th, whether Ramadan is 29or 30 days. It said in a statement that if Eid was to fall onTuesday (July 5th), the official holiday would last till July8th, whereas Saturday July 9th would be consideredrest day. However if Eid starts on Wednesday July 6th,Tuesday - Ramadan 30th would still be a rest day whileWednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday would beofficial holidays. State bodies with special working cir-cumstances shall determine their working hoursaccording to their own needs.
Citizens, expats urged to abide by MoI’s directions
KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior yesterday urgedcitizens and residents to abide by the Ministry’sdirections on roads, in markets and mosques duringthe last ten days of Ramadan. Adel Al-Hashash, theGeneral Director of Security Information, said in astatement that the special security plan covers theGrand Mosque, mosques in the six governorates,main roads, intersections, commercial and popularmalls. Security monitoring will be tighter in front ofthe mosques, with more patrols and deployment ofa larger number of policemen and other securitypersonnel. He warned that the clampdown on beg-gars would continue, and advised motorists not toleave valuable things in their cars upon parking.
SANABIS, Bahrain: Bahraini Muslim boys read Quran, Islam’s holy book, duringthe holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in the village of Sanabis, westof Manama. — AFP
ASIR: If Rijal Almaa, a stone village tuckedinto a fold of Saudi Arabia’s southernmountains, showcases the polished end-point of new efforts in the kingdom topreserve cultural heritage, the hamlet ofWatan Emsoudah represents the difficul-ties faced. Its low-covered alleyways liethick with the debris of decades of aban-donment, some stone house roofs havecaved in and thistles grow high betweenthe hamlet’s walls, but near the entrancethree men are working to save a house.
Saudi Arabia has allocated nearly $1billion to preserve its heritage in a newreform plan, but after decades of neg-lect, and in some cases deliberatedestruction, saving its cultural treasureswill prove complex and expensive. Whilethat money was allocated in a NationalTransformation Program unveiled thismonth, no details were given as to howit would be spent and the only tourism
projects listed in the plan were for a fewlarge sites.
“For maybe 40 years we stoppedusing these old houses and every fiveyears you need to rehabilitate them,” saidAbdulaziz Al-Ghanem representative ofAsir’s architectural heritage centre at thegovernment’s General Commission forTourism and Antiquities. “I hope we getmore money. We need it.” WatanEmsoudah is one of around 4,000 old vil-lages in Asir Province in the kingdom’ssouthwest and the project to restore it tosave architectural tradition and boosttourism is one of eight in the region by alocal investor.
Rehabilitating the village, swaddledby terraced fields in a shallow bowl on amountain plateau, will cost around 6 mil-lion riyals ($1.6 million), says Ibrahim al-Almiy, a former history teacher and the
Continued on Page 13
Saudi to spend $1 bn on cultural heritage
Amir receives IraqFinance Minister
PAGE4 acquitted of IS membership
PAGE
L O C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, with attendance ofHis Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, received yesterday atDar Salwa the visiting Minister of Finance of theRepublic of Iraq, Hoshyar Zebari. Minister Zebarihanded His Highness the Amir a letter from IraqiPrime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi related to issuesof joint concern, latest developments on theregional and international arenas.
The meeting was attended by Minister ofAmiri Diwan Affairs, Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Premier andMinister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah KhaledAl-Hamad Al-Sabah and Deputy Premier,Minister of Finance and Acting Oil Minister AnasAl-Saleh. In other news, His Highness CrownPrince received Deputy Prime Minister andInterior Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-KhaledAl-Sabah at Seif Palace. — KUNA
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with Iraqi Minister of Finance Hoshyar Zebari, in presence ofHis Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. — Amiri Diwan photos
Amir receives IraqiFinance Minister Zebari
Iraqi Minister of Finance Hoshyar Zebari hands over a letter from Iraqi Prime Minister HaidarAl-Abadi to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
KUWAIT: UN Special Envoy for Yemen IsmailOuld Cheikh Ahmad has expressed satisfac-tion for choosing Kuwait as the venue for theinter-Yemeni conciliation talks noting that theGulf state aided the Yemenis at this level inthe past. Cheikh Ahmad was speaking in astatement after his participation in a closed-door session of the UN Security Council bysatellite, briefing the council members aboutthe diplomatic efforts in Kuwait.
Kuwait’s political and logistical contribu-tion to the political process is very positive,he said, lauding in particular the significantrole undertaken by His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah forbacking up the peace consultations. He alsolauded the support given by the First DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister SheikhSabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and hisdeputy, Khaled Al-Jarallah, for keeping thenegotiations going. The troubleshooterexpressed gratitude to Kuwait, as a State,Government and people, for hosting the con-sultations and offering all needed facilities forthe political process.
Cheikh Ahmad added that His Highnessthe Amir had hosted him four times on side-lines of the process, adding that he had alsoreceived Yemeni delegations twice. Duringthese meetings, His Highness urged for pur-suing the dialogue for reaching a settlementto the crisis.
Weapons’ surrenderAsked about Ansarullah’s statement
expressing readiness to surrender weaponsand re-establish the state institutions accord-ing to international guarantees, he said, “Wehave expressed a clear opinion in this respectand we have come to Kuwait to act under theumbrella of the Security Council resolutions2216 and the five points upon which the dia-logue has been based.” The resolution 2216stipulates adherence to the legitimacy, repre-sented by President Abd-Rabbuh MansurHadi. “This matter is not contentious,” he con-firmed.
Regarding the UN-proposed road map,Cheikh Ahmad said it includes practical ideasto end the conflict, on basis of the resolution2216, working out security measures and
forming a national unity government to betasked with holding political dialogue pend-ing a comprehensive political solution. “It isnecessary that such a dialogue involves thewomen and the youth as well as the effectivepolitical forces,” he stated.
He indicated that forming joint militarycommittees was still under examination andrevealed that the Arab League SecretaryGeneral Nabil Al-Araby had expressed readi-ness to dispatch observers to report aboutfighters’ withdrawals and guns’ handover. Thetalks have already resulted in releasing 54prisoners by the government and 400 byAnsarullah.
Cheikh Ahmad urged all the parties torelease political prisoners, journalists anddetainees held for their opinions. He revealedthat the government has demanded releaseof more than 2,000 prisoners held by the oth-er side, while Ansarullah and their allies calledfor freeing more than 4,000 prisoners.
Kuwait, GCC support envoy Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) had Tuesday reiterated support to theUN Special Envoy for Yemen to bringing suc-cess to peace talks to restore security and sta-bility in Yemen. This came during a meetingbetween First Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and GCC Secretary GeneralAbdullatif Al-Zayani with Ould CheikhAhmad, at Bayan Palace.
The GCC, a statement by the foreign min-istry said, reaffirms efforts of Ould CheikhAhmad “to bringing success to Yemen peacetalks hosted by the State of Kuwait to restoresecurity and stability to Yemen, as well asstopping bloodshed of the Yemeni people.”
The meeting was attended by DeputyForeign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah, AssistantForeign Minister for Protocols Dhari Al-Ajran,Assistant Foreign Minister for GCC Nasser Al-Muzayyen, Kuwait’s Ambassador to EgyptSalem Al-Zamanan, Assistant Foreign Ministerfor Deputy Foreign Minister’s office Ayham Al-Omar, Assistant Foreign Minister for ArabWorld Aziz Al-Daihani, and Assistant ForeignMinister for International OrganizationsNasser Al-Hain. — KUNA
UN envoy applaudschoosing Kuwait as
venue for Yemen talks
KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaledand GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani meet with UN Special Envoy forYemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmad. — KUNA
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary GeneralBan Ki-moon heads Friday to France aheadof a Middle East tour that will take him toKuwait, Israel, the Palestinian territories andJordan. In Paris on Saturday, Ban will meet
with President Francois Hollande andForeign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, asFrance seeks to organize an internationalconference later this year to revive themoribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
The following day in Kuwait he will meet
with the UN’s envoy on the Yemen conflict,Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and with Yemeniparties involved in peace negotiations, saidUN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
He will also hold talks with Kuwait’s AmirHis Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and government members. OnMonday the UN chief heads to Jerusalem tomeet with Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin, andto Tel Aviv for a meeting with students.Tuesday will take him to Gaza for a visit to aUN-run girls primary school, then on toRawabi and Ramallah in the West Bank fortalks with Palestinian president MahmudAbbas and prime minister Rami Hamdallah.
While in France, Ban will also attend theCannes Lions advertising festival in theRiviera city in support of efforts to promotethe UN’s 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment, and receive an honorarydegree from the Pantheon-Sorbonne uni-versity in Paris. He returns to New York onJune 29. — AFP
UN chief visits Kuwait Sundayas part of Middle East tour
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
KUWAIT: Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah yesterday met with a number of ambas-sadors and diplomats from the US, Germany,Australia and Canada. During the meeting, theydiscussed preparations and arrangementsmade by these countries for holding a donormeeting for Iraq due in Washington on July 20.
Jarallah also met with the US charge d’af-
faires and the ambassadors of South Korea andJapan on the international community’s effortsto address North Korea’s military activities inlight of relevant UN Security Council resolu-tions. The meetings were attended by AssistantForeign Minister for the Deputy ForeignMinister’s Office Affairs Ambassador Ayham Al-Omar. — KUNA
Deputy FM meets withdiplomats in Kuwait
KUWAIT: Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah meets with a number of ambas-sadors and diplomats yesterday. — KUNA
KUWAIT: A press conference was held Tuesdaynight to announce a partnership agreementbetween the United Nations High Commissionerfor Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kuwait and SheikhaIntisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Chairperson of Al-Noweir Initiative, as part of a plan to register Syrianrefugees in Jordan through the UNHCR, in order toprovide them with basic needs of life.
Dr Hanan Hamdan, Head of the United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees Office in Kuwait,began her speech by thanking His Highness theAmir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah,the Humanitarian Leader, and the Kuwaiti peoplefor their contributions and support to help theunprivileged, and the leading humanitarian rolethat Kuwait is taking worldwide. She also extendedher gratitude to the staff working on the groundand in difficult circumstances, and the media repre-sentatives who play a key role in supporting theefforts of the global humanitarian action and high-lighting the urgent humanitarian issues.
Kuwait’s vital roleThe Head of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees Office in Kuwait saidthat the State of Kuwait has played a vital role inalleviating the suffering of afflicted people as aresult of disasters, conflicts, and wars around theworld. It did not exclude any sect, race nor nationali-ty from its donations, as its contributions extendthroughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. The State ofKuwait’s substantial offerings have lifted burdensfrom a large population of men, women, and chil-dren suffering from many different types of crises,and have improved their daily living standards andraised the quality of assistance provided to them.The State of Kuwait represented by His Highness, itsgovernment, its people, and its charitable andhumanitarian organizations, has become an exem-plar among the international community in its initia-tives for helping refugees, internally displaced per-sons, and disaster victims who are sorely in need,and this leading humanitarian role has been alsoreflected as the UNHCR Office in Kuwait approachedseveral private sector entities during the past year.
Recent updatesDr Hamdan said that the UNHCR Office has the
honor to establish a partnership with SheikhaIntisar Al-Sabah due to her numerous humanitarianaccomplishments that are reflected on her charita-ble, developmental and professional work. DrHamdan praised Sheikha Intisar’s work and initia-tives that support and develop the talents of youthin Kuwait, and her constant support to refugees invarious fields such as education and health. DrHamdan stressed the importance of UNHCR’s part-nership with Sheikha Intisar and stated that she isthe best person to raise awareness and advocatefor the registration and protection of refugeesaround the world. Based on Sheikha Intisar’s inter-est, she visited the UNHCR Office and UNHCR’s reg-istration centers in Jordan, including Zaatari camp,during which she attended registration interviewsand met with Jordanian authorities and UNHCRemployees to learn more about the challenges andobstacles faced by the government and institu-tions to register and protect refugees in the coun-try, and to acquaint herself with the registrationand protection processes of UNHCR. The Head ofUNHCR Office in Kuwait said that she believes thatthis field visit marks the beginning of a long-termpartnership between Sheikha Intisar and UNHCR.
Volunteer workMeanwhile, Sheikha Intisar Al-Sabah, who is
also the Chairperson of the Lulua PublishingHouse, stated that the national rate of participationin volunteer and charity work indicates a nation’sdevelopment and progress and measures thenational prosperous wellbeing of a country, and
the State of Kuwait is the best witness to thesemeasures.
Sheikha Intisar said that after UNHCR Kuwaitoffered her the opportunity to visit UNHCR’s Officein Jordan and witness the exact steps of the regis-tration and protection process carried out on a dai-ly basis to guarantee refugees an identity for them-selves and their families, she further realized theimportance of registering refugees as it is one ofthe most crucial and first steps in protecting them.
She affirmed that the registration of refugees offersthem a better future in their country of asylum, giv-en that it provides them an official identity whichsimplifies other procedures such as providingrefugees with education, health, and shelter. It alsohelps in the process of family reunification, identi-fying the percentage of refugee population, regis-tering the birth of children, and providing othernecessary rights for every child, individual, and
family. Nevertheless, the increasing number ofrefugees burdens the registration process andfinancial resources in both the host country andthe UNHCR Offices. Therefore, I am pleased toexpress my pleasure to support UNHCR in register-ing and protecting refugees worldwide. The firststage of this collaboration will be a project thataims to register 33,000 refugee children in Jordanto guarantee them protection and their basichuman rights.
“In conclusion, I would like to express my grati-tude and thankfulness to the United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees, the attendees, mediarepresentatives and everyone who supports therefugee cause, not only in Kuwait but worldwide,”Sheikha Intisar said.
Refugee statisticsIt is worth mentioning that the latest statistics
on registered refugees include:• Total number of Syrian refugees registered world-wide: 4,843,344 refugees• 39 percent of the total number of refugees arechildren aged between new-born to age eleven. • In Turkey, the number of registered refugeesreached 2,743,497 refugees • In Lebanon the number of registered refugeesreached 1,048,275 refugees• In Jordan, the number of registered refugeesreached 655,217 refugees• In Iraq, the number of registered refugeesreached 246,589 refugees• In Egypt, the number of registered refugeesreached 120,491 refugees• In Morocco, the number of registered refugeesreached 29,275 refugees
The numbers of refugees is continuouslyincreasing due to the remaining humanitarian cri-sis faced by refugees around the world.
UNHCR, Sheikha Intisar Al-Sabah announcepartnership to provide basic rights to refugees
Sheikha Intisar Al-Sabah visits the Zaatari camp department.
Sheikha Intisar Al-Sabah visits Syrian refugees at the Zaatari camp in Jordan.
KUWAIT: (From left) Sheikha Intisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Chairperson of Al-NoweirInitiative and Dr Hanan Hamdan, Head of theUnited Nations High Commissioner forRefugees Office in Kuwait attend the pressconference. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat
By Talal Al-Ghannam
Good morning dear brothers and sisters, and I wishall of you a blessed month of Ramadan. In this arti-cle, I would like to talk about the blessings of this
holy month and some of the ‘dos and don’ts’ during it.The days of Ramadan are days of blessings, commu-
nity and togetherness; a spiritual feast to replace thephysical one of which we are deprived. Entirely under-standable, we see Ramadan through a soft-focus lens: atime of exaltation, family togetherness, and spiritualpleasure in the face of physical pain. In forgetting thematerial burdens that only weigh us down, we areuplifted by the spirit into a stratosphere that is other-wise unimaginable. There is no doubt about the spiritu-al merits of Ramadan that Muslims recognize and share.
But it is no disrespect to the holy month if we recog-nize that our reality of Ramadan is not quite as picture-perfect as we like to portray it. Yes, we feel uplifted, andour sense of spirituality and community is irrepressiblyheightened, but we must not airbrush out our less palat-able behavior. It is time to tackle our Ramadan bad habits.
Women turn from already being hardworking wivesand mothers into almost full-time chefs. We have highexpectations of an amazing iftar evening after evening.Every food item we have craved over the previous 24hours before iftar must materialize before us when it istime for it, and each person must have their tastescatered for. Around the world this duty falls mostly onwomen. What a counter-intuitive result for Ramadan,that women spend more time cooking and toiling intothe small hours doing food preparation. Perhaps we canreduce our expectations, or better still, all get involvedin the preparations, cooking and tidying up afterwards.We need to give wives and mothers a rest.
It is one of the Muslim World’s open secrets thatinstead of Ramadan being a month of culinary restraint,many people actually put on weight during it. We aremeant to be more conscious of food consumption as asign of thankfulness, and to have empathy with thosewho have less, all the while shifting focus away from thebody. If our body mass goes up, then we have donesomething terribly wrong. It is time to rethink ourRamadan strategy and dispense with a bad habit.
No doubt it is hard to maintain concentration whilefasting. But laziness at work and complaints that it isimpossible to engage in proper employment are, quitefrankly, baffling. The point of fasting is to carry on with nor-mal life as much as possible. Skiving off work is hardly anethical form of behavior. No need to moan, be slothful orsleep at work. And if you really cannot do it, then takesome holiday time. You go to a number of governmentinstitutions and want your papers done as quickly as possi-ble, but there you get the answer: “Come back tomorrow,the manager is absent.’ Or another scenario is when youare told that the employee is sleeping in the other room.
In many parts of the Muslim World, tradersunscrupulously raise the prices of their products andservices to exploit the needs of Muslims at a time ofneed for staple goods. That is not very Ramadan-like inmy view. But perhaps most important of all ofRamadan’s bad habits is the lack of focus on our behav-ior. There is no point in getting hungry if all we are goingto do is snap someone’s head off, get into an argument,or sit and gossip to pass the time. Caffeine withdrawalseems relatively simple to deal with by comparison tosome of the changes needed to get rid of those badRamadan habits.
Finally, let us treat Ramadan the way it deserves andact according to its blessed teachings and morals,rather than blaming everything on it.
Till the next article insha Allah.
In my view
Sorry Ramadan
L O C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Instead of Ramadan being a month ofculinary restraint, many people actuallyput on weight during it.
KUWAIT: The Cabinet’s higher committee for following up theimplementation of the nation’s plan for financial and economicreform met on Tuesday to continue perusing the plan andstrategize means of carrying it out. The meeting was chaired bycommittee chairman and undersecretary of the ministry offinance Khalifa Hamada, a press statement by the ministry said.
Last month the committee focused on laying out possibleremedies for any would be irregularities in the plan, whichdeals broadly with such financial reform steps as redrawingand redefining the role of the state in the national economy,increasing the contribution of the private sector to the econo-my, streamlining the labor market, and enacting legislation tobetter serve the goals set by the plan.
The nation’s plan for financial and economic reformaddresses the issue of the nation’s revenues, including theimposition of a ten percent tax on corporate profits and a fivepercent value added tax (VAT tax) on purchases by the public(which has been adopted by the GCC), and adjusting the leaseamount charged by the state for its property given to individ-ual or corporate investors. On the other hand, the plan dealswith rationing the nation’s total expenditures includingmonies spent on government ministries and agencies, stop-ping the establishment of new government ministries, agen-cies, and authorities or merging existing ones or even doingaway with some. Also, revamping current subsidies to thepublic and developing new approaches to preparing thenation’s annual budget. — KUNA
Committee for financialreform holds meeting
KUWAIT: Committee chairman and undersecretary ofthe ministry of finance Khalifa Hamada (left) chairs themeeting. — KUNA
By Meshaal Al-Enezi
KUWAIT: Municipal Council member and headof the Farwaniya committee Nayef Al-Sourrecently criticized Minister of State forMunicipality Affairs Essa Al-Kandari because ofhis alleged interference in staff appointments.Sour claimed that Kandari listed some KuwaitMunicipality employees alongside those due toreceive a special bonus for their outstandingperformance at the expense of others whoreally deserve the bonus. Sour said that theminister was doing this for election-relatedpurposes. Sour also urged His Highness thePrime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to inter-vene because “Kandari has mobilized the entire municipali-ty to serve his elections interests.”
Teachers rewardedThe Ministry of Education (MoE) recently approved the
bonuses for its employees working at the general certifi-cate control centers during the second and the fourth peri-
od exams for the school year 2015-2016, saidassistant undersecretary for development andadministrative affairs Fahd Al-Ghaiss. Ghaissadded that MoE urged Civil ServiceCommission (CSC) to approve paying thebonuses to employees and teachers who hadbeen officially assigned to work in the centers,in addition to teachers marking grades 10 and11 exams at some Capital governorate schools.
In other news, CSC had earlier agreed toinitially allow MOE to appoint 315 expatriateteachers to cover the shortages in someschools in various educational areas. In a let-ter sent to MoE, CSC explained that it agreed
to lift the ban it had imposed on appointing expatriatesin ministries and various government establishments toallow MoE to appoint the 1,060 teachers it had alreadyinterviewed. CSC also urged MoE to constantly provide itwith updated information about the vacancies resultingfrom resignations to review them and make sure expatswould only be appointed in positions suffering from ashortage in Kuwaitis.
Nuclear medicineHead of the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) nuclear medi-
cine department Dr Eman Al-Shemmari said that thetotal number of patients annually examined in thosedepartments was 50,000. She also denied that patientshave to wait long to get an appointment at any of thenuclear medicine departments.
Shemmari stressed that nuclear medicine is 100 per-cent safe and that the material used has a very shortlifespan. In addition, Dr Shemmari added that 90 percentof the nuclear medicine department at Adan Hospital iscomplete.
Violations at Co-opsChairman of the prices committee at the Union of
Consumer Cooperative Societies Sami Al-Munayyekh saidthat 27 instances of price violations had been detected atYarmouk and Rawda co-ops. Speaking on the sidelines of atour he made with union inspectors in both co-ops,Munayyekh warned that co-ops that insist on violatingunion regulations would be subject to dissolving theirboards of directors.
Council member accusesminister of misconduct‘Minister nominated staff to serve elections interests’
Minister Essa Al-Kandari
KUWAIT: This handout photo released by the Interior Ministry shows a man arrestedyesterday for forging residency transaction documents.
Two trucks are seen heavily damaged after an accident reported yesterday on KingFahd Expressway.
By Hanan Al-Saadoun
KUWAIT: Residency detectives recently arrested a Pakistaniman for forging residency transaction documents, saidsecurity sources. Case papers show that detectives weretipped off concerning the suspect’s activity of forgingsponsors’ signatures on various transactions in return formoney. An undercover agent made a deal with the suspectto forge three transactions and the suspect was arrestedred-handed on delivering the fake documents.
Driver hurtTwo trucks collided in the early morning hours yester-
day on King Fahd Expressway. One of them immediatelycaught fire, injuring its Gulf driver, said security sources,noting that the fire was controlled and the driver wasrushed to hospital for treatment.
Trees set ablazeA number of palm trees recently caught fire on a Wafra
farm, said security sources, noting that firemen rushed tothe farm, where they managed to control the fire and pre-vent it from spreading to nearby power posts. Separately,a fire broke out in a Wafra house, said security sources,noting that when firemen arrived at the site, they found
that the fire was inside one of the house’s rooms. Thehouse was evacuated and ventilated to help the firefight-ing team control the flames and prevent the fire fromspreading to other parts of the house. No casualties werereported. Another fire broke out in a house in Ardhiya. Thehouse was evacuated and firefighters divided into teamsto ventilate the house, fight the fire and rescue residents.No casualties were reported. Meanwhile a fire also brokeout in a house in Andalus. Firemen from Sulaibikhatarrived in a record time and managed to control the fire.No casualties were reported. In another case, Qurain fire-men were dispatched to deal with a fire in a pile of woodalong Ghouss Street, where firemen had a tough time con-trolling the flames because of the wind, but finally man-aged to put the fire out. Separately, Qurain firemen freed anumber of people who were trapped inside a malfunc-tioning elevator in Funaitees, said security sources. Noinjuries were reported.
Gas leakA gas leak was reported in a Farwniya complex, said
security sources, noting that the gas was coming out of aclosed office where a cooking gas cylinder was leaking. Theplace was broken open according to standard safety proce-dures, the leak was stopped, and the place was ventilated.
Man forged employer’s signatureon residency transaction documents
Truck driver injured in collision
Firefighters extinguish flames on palm trees in a Wafrafarm yesterday.
By A Saleh
KUWAIT: The appeal court yester-day seconded a first instant rulingacquitting four citizens who werecharged of belonging to the IslamicState (IS), because the law lacks anylegislations incriminating belongingto it. Notably, security force hadarrested the four citizens, notingthat they belonged to a five-mem-ber cell including one who died inIraq. However, state security investi-gations showed that the suspectshad no intention of committing anyhostile activities in Kuwait and thatall they did was to facilitate youth totravel to join IS in Syria and Iraq.
Book controversySeparately, a recent announce-
ment by the Ministry of Awqaf andIslamic Affairs, calling for bids to
print a book on IS has led to manyangry public and parliamentary reac-tions. Accordingly, the ministryissued a statement explaining thatthe idea behind the book was passedand approved, and that the bookwas meant to refute IS allegationsand expose its ideological deviationfrom Islam.
The ministry added that thebook’s author had previously usedthe book’s content as a paper he pre-sented to Cairo University onextremism and terrorism and that itwas judged and published by the‘Research Magazine’ issued by theuniversity ’s Darul Uloum faculty.“More books and academic studiesneed to be printed and distributedto scholars and teachers to providethem with enough proofs to counterand refute occasional allegations,”the ministry explained.
Four acquitted of IS membership due to lack of legislation
BAGHDAD: Kuwait’s Embassy toIraq Tuesday dismissed socialmedia reports, posted on June 20,that Ambassador Ghassan Al-Zawawi met with leaders of thePopular Mobilization Forces.“These reports are baseless,” an
embassy source said in a state-ment, and affirmed that neitherZawawi nor any of the diplomatsmet with the Popular MobilizationForces’ leader. Al-Zawawi has beenin Kuwait before the June 20report, said the source. — KUNA
Embassy denies envoy met PopularMobilization Forces’ leaders
KUWAIT: Property experts predict that thedomestic real-estate market will be stable in thesecond half of this year due to the summer holi-days’ season, regional conditions and oil prices’steadiness. Haitham Al-Houti, in charge of sales atAman and Investment Company, said the realtysector is gripped with stagnation in the summerperiod due to regional jitters and recent fall of thecrude prices. However, there have been sometrades on investment plots, namely in Hawallyand Salmiya.
Mahmoud Al-Sabouni of Magic HomeCompany said oil prices’ decline has affected themarket in Q1 2016. “However the market hasbeen active since May with rise of the oil prices.”Habib Al-Saffar of Al-Mejas Company said thelocal property market is stead despite the global
economic crisis, particularly the bearish trends inbourses and realty markets. Property prices areexpected to be firm in the coming months withsome hikes in the housing sector, he said.
On trades in the housing units, he said East Al-Gurain had the highest record of transactions not-ing houses that used to be sold for KD 180,000 arenow being sold for KD 200,000. The investmentsector is calm, he added, noting that Al-Salmiyaand Hawalli have the highest figure of trades.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Al-Ahmad, a realty expert,said the market would not witness falls in theforeseeable future. The market was in a critical sit-uation between middle of 2015 and first quarterof 2016, he said, attributing the negative situationto the unstable regional conditions and the bear-ish oil prices. — KUNA
Kuwait realty sectorto be steady: Experts
Photoo f t h e d a y
Ali Najdi (center) one of the most famous Kuwaiti Nokhethas (sailors) and protagonist the actual storyof the book ‘Sons of Sinbad’ written by Australian adventure Allen Villiers, who participate in a 9-month voyage from Aden to Kuwait. The image shows Najdi with some of his companions in the islandof Zanzibar, taken in the summer of 1938 during a trip back to Kuwait. Photo prepared by MahmoudZakaria Abu Alella, Researcher in Heritage, the Ministry of Information. (Source: ‘Sons of Sindbad, thePhotographs’ —by Yacoub Hijji and Grace Pundyk)
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 20164
18) What is the name of the second battleof Islam?
Battle of Uhad
Young Voices
By Faten Omar
Nearly a quarter of Kuwait’s entire population isunder the age of 14 and yet with the exception ofschool assemblies, we never hear their voices.
During Ramadan, Kuwait Times likes to publish a specialseries that engages with its readership in a more direct,personal way to learn their concerns, issues and view-points.
This Ramadan, we will chat with some of ouryoungest readers about their lives in Kuwait, in anattempt to see the world through their eyes. What dothey see for the future of our beautiful country? Whatwould they improve and how would they change it? Bylistening to their future plans, stories, and experience inRamadan, we can remind ourselves and hopefully our
readers of the ties that bind us all together as a species.These are the voice of Kuwait’s future and we invite themto share their thoughts with us here.
Talia Hussain is a five-year-old kindergartener fromSalmiya. Talia is obsessed with shopping and makeup.
Kuwait Times: What do you want to be when yougrow up?
Talia: I want to be a doctor or a pharmacist like myparents.
KT: What is your experience in Ramadan? Talia: I love Ramadan because my mother always
cooks delicious meals - the soups are my favorite.
KT: What do you want to change about Kuwait orthe world?
Talia: I would change my school and make a worldwithout schools because I hate schools.
KT: What is your favorite thing to do with yourfriends?
Talia: I love to make handmade flowers.
KT: Tell me how will you use your allowance. Talia: I will give some of it to poor people and then go
shopping with the rest.
‘My mother always cooksdelicious meals in Ramadan’
Public Authority for Sports hosts Ramadan reception
KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and National Assembly SpeakerMarzouq Al-Ghanem are pictured with top Public Authority for Sports officials.— Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh
His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem take a group photo with top Public Authority for Sports officials.
His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah andNational Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem attend the event.
Children greet officials during the event.
KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Sports (PAS) hosted a Ramadan reception Tuesday night, which was attended by Chairman of the Board, Minister ofInformation and Minister of Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Director General Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, board mem-bers and other officials. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and other dig-nitaries attended the event.
Kuwaiti businessman Emad BuKhamseen (third from left) is pictured with Public Authority for Sports’ Director General Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-AhmadAl-Sabah and other guests.
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 20165
KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem is pictured with Islamic Constitutional Movement mem-bers. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh
ICM member Nasser Al-Sane welcomes Minister of Public Works Dr Ali Al-Omair.
MP Adel Al-Kharafi attends the event.
Former MP Mohammad Al-Saqr (second from right) sits next to ICM member and for-mer MP Mubarak Al-Duwailah during the event. Minister of Education Dr Bader Al-Essa is pictured with ICM members.
KUWAIT: The Islamic ConstitutionalMovement (ICM) hosted a Ramadan recep-
tion Tuesday night at the diwaniya of formerSecretary General Nasser Al-Sane.
Lawmakers including National AssemblySpeaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and MP Adel
Al-Kharafi, government officials includingpublic works minister Dr Ali Al-Omair and
education minister Dr Bader Al-Essa, andother guests attended the event.
ICM hosts Ramadan gathering
FROM THE ARABIC PRESSTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Al-Jarida
CrimeR e p o r t s
Police free man from kidnapper
KUWAIT: A security source said a call was receivedabout a kidnapping of a bedoon man by an unidentifiedperson, adding that the victim sent messages to hisfather asking for help. The case was referred to criminaldetectives, and they were able to locate the suspect in aSalmy desert area, who was arrested following a chase.Detectives fired gunshots at his car ’s tires, so heattempted to escape on foot. The suspect said he metthe victim on the Internet, and convinced him to meetin person. He took him from Sulaibiya industrial area tothe desert and attempted to rape him. In a separatecase, Ahmadi detectives are investigating the kidnap-ping of a young man by several men in a SUV. The youthsaid he was beaten in the car before being able to jumpout in Umm Al-Haiman desert area.
Suicide attemptA woman was admitted to hospital for gastric lavageafter drinking kerosene in a suicide attempt, after writ-ing a message to her husband saying “I hate you”. Thewoman’s husband sought police help, so an ambulancewas sent and the woman was rushed to hospital.
Drugged driver arrestedA citizen failed to escape from Ahmadi police after col-liding with a woman’s car while under the influence ofdrugs. He was arrested and sent to the Drugs ControlGeneral Department. The suspect was unsteadily driv-ing his car in Fahd Al-Ahmad when he collided with acitizen’s car. She called the police, so he attempted toescape at high speed, but police stopped and arrestedhim. Police found the illicit pills that he used.
Hairdresser suedA Lebanese woman accused an Egyptian hairdresser ofburning her hair, after asking to dye it. The client wentto Abu Halifa police station and lodged a complaint.Investigations are underway. — Al-Rai and Al-Anbaa
Attempted miscarriage Ahmadi prosecutor ordered Mubarak Al-Kabeerpolice station officers to file charges of attemptedmiscarriage as a felony. An American woman ofArab origin complained about her husband forattempting to make her have a miscarriage throughviolence in their house. She gave police a medicalreport stating she was 29 weeks’ pregnant, and wasadmitted to hospital with severe bleeding. She wasgiven medicine to stabilize the fetus.
ScamA citizen complained against two Egyptians towhom he agreed to sell soap products, but they didnot pay him for it. The citizen told Rumaithiya policehe tried to collect the money several times butfailed. Police called the two for questioning butthey did not answer. Police are working on the case.Separately, a citizen accused an Egyptian and twoSyrians of swindling him out of KD 12,000, as theymade him believe they wanted to open a restau-rant. But after he gave them the money, they disap-peared. Police are investigating.
Family disputesA citizen was beaten and insulted by her brotherbecause of family disputes. A security source said awoman told police her brother beat her and insist-ed on filing a complaint against him, because shedoes not want him to beat her again. In anothercase, seven citizens - four women and three men -had a fight in Adan due to a family dispute, untilpolice brought them under control and chargedthem with fighting.
Following Al-Qaeda’s terrorist 9/11 attacks in NewYork that were condemned by many Arab writersand described as a mass killing crime targeting
innocent civilians, a similar number of writers also con-demned the crime and made some remarks using retrac-tion words like the famous ‘BUT’ before they elaboratelystarted reminding Arab readers about American policiesin the Arab region and its spiritual and financial supportto the Israeli regime.
At that time, some colleagues including Dr Saad BinTafla wrote expressing rejection of such writings that theydescribed as ‘pulling down what your right hand doesusing your left hand’. Those writers who played bothtunes were known as the ‘Bin Laken’ group to rhyme withBin Laden, as ‘laken’ in Arabic means ‘but’.
This disturbing argument made by the Bin Lakengroup indirectly justifies terrorism and violence despitetheir ugliness. They start by rejecting terrorism and vio-lence be it state, group or individual terrorism - a situationthat cannot take any retractions because condemnationoriginates from abstract general human situations thatcannot be restricted or explained or justify any criminalact targeting civilians regardless of the scene or locationof the crime.
The crime recently committed in a gay nightclub byOmar Mateen, who was inspired by IS, can be viewed inthe same way by the Bin Laken group, who would start bycondemning the action and then retract using a but toremind, as usual, that the victims were nothing but agroup of gays. Nothing is new about US policies in theregion, be it supporting Israel, interfering in Iraq, or even ifwe go back deeper in history to the foundation of theUSA, when colonial white men wiped out the nativeIndians and then expanded west and south, assaultingMexicans and dominating Latin America.
There is nothing new about this long bitter imperialhistory in dealing with Third World countries. So can thisjustify terrible crimes like the one committed at theOrlando nightclub? Wouldn’t it have been better for these‘but’ groups to focus more on the gun lobbies that strong-ly reject all policies and attempts to ban weapons withthe excuse of a constitutional article they twisted, to makeowning a weapon or rifle becoming more like picking upa chocolate bar from the neighborhood department storeshelf!
The Orlando crime will surely provide enough supportto presidential candidate Donald Trump and his fascismagainst Muslims and others, just the way IS inspiredMateen and justified Assad’s tyranny against the Syrianpeople. So, should we not stop these ‘but’ groups andstop making excuses? — Translated by Kuwait Times
The ‘but’ peopleBy Hassan Al-Essa
Al-Anbaa
Ramadan has its special atmosphere in various Islamiccountries in terms of rituals l ike fasting andTaraweeh prayers for some and in terms of customs
and social traditions such as Ramadan dishes, family gath-erings and folkloric games. Naturally enough, all thesepractices have developed over time and we now have spe-cial Ramadan quizzes, costumes, sales and Ramadan series,that in turn created a phenomenon known as ‘Ramadancritics’!
The growing TV productions have contributed in creat-ing the seasonal phenomenon of Ramadan critics, whicheven grew greater with the spread of social media. Art crit-
icism no longer needs academic studies or reading books.And now with the deterioration of Arabic drama produc-tion, everybody has been racing to practice impressionisticcriticism showing all the flaws in various Ramadan TVseries and complain about how miserable are the produc-tions they are keen on watching en mass similar to masswhale beaching!
Ramadan critics practice their seasonal suicidal conductby insisting on watching even the bad works just to curseand express resentment, make comments about actresses’lips or actors’ hairstyles as if the whole process is becomingmore like self-torture by forcing oneself to follow badworks. The TV screen has become more like a ‘wailing wall’for viewers or a ‘find the seven differences’ quiz whenRamadan critics wait for this or that bad program or seriesnot to enjoy it, but rather to criticize it, fish for mistakesand talk about them in private gatherings or electronicdiwaniyas! — Translated by Kuwait Times
Arabs’ ‘Wailing Wall’Al-Anbaa
By Salah Al-Sayer
Art criticism no longer needs academic studies or reading books
Photoo f t h e d a y
KUWAIT: The full moon seen in the clear sky during a Ramadan night in Kuwait. Muslims are looking to observe the last ten nights of Ramadan starting from tomorrow. — KUNA
KUWAIT: Kuwait Finance House (KFH) continued its‘Feeding a Fasting Person’ campaign as par t of itsRamadan program and charity activities that underline itsIslamic identity and firm belief in its commitment to
assume social and humanitarian responsibility. KFHtoured several crowded places to offer breakfast meals forthose fasting. The distribution covered industrial areas,gathering places and Nayef Palace in addition to mosques
and crowded areas. KFH’s efforts in Ramadan reinforcebank’s role in the field of social responsibility, and keen-ness to take part in the efforts of easing the suffering oflow-income segments.
KFH offers iftar meals to fasting people
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Popular Pakistani Sufisinger shot dead in ‘actof terror’
Page 11
Trump to ramp up critique of Clinton as failure
Page 9
BRISTOL: Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron, foreground, addresses Vote Remain supporters with former Prime Minister John Major, right, during a rally. — AP
LONDON: Campaigners on both sides of the crucial vote onwhether or not Britain should remain in the European Union criss-crossed the country yesterday, their last day to win support fromthe undecided. Prime Minister David Cameron outlined his visionfor a future with Britain retaining its place in the 28-nation bloc, bris-tling at the notion that the country would be headed in the wrongdirection if it stayed in. He flatly rejected the charge that the institu-tion is moribund.
“We are not shackled to a corpse,” Cameron told the BBC. “Youcan see the European economy’s recovery. It’s the largest singlemarket in the world.” The most notable figure in the “leave” cam-paign, former London Mayor Boris Johnson, kicked off a whirlwindtour of England as he pushed for a British exit - or Brexit. Touring theBillingsgate Fish Market, Johnson mugged for the cameras with fishin hand - a not-so-subtle reminder that this is an island nation - andone very proud of its independence and self-assurance. “It’s time tohave a totally new relationship with our friends and partners acrossthe Channel,” Johnson said. “It’s time to speak up for democracy, andhundreds of millions of people around Europe agree with us. It’stime to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system.”Britain goes to the polls Thursday after a campaign that has beenboth heated and complicated. The reach of the EU into every aspectof life has meant that all sorts of groups - from scientists to CEOs -have registered opinions on whether to stay or go.
High stakes The stakes are high as the vote is final - unlike an election in
which the results can be reversed in the next term. However, thevote is not legally binding, and Parliament would have to vote torepeal the law that brought Britain into the EU in the first place. Avote to leave would invoke Article 50 of the Treaty on EuropeanUnion, which allows a member state to withdraw. The article hasnever been invoked and it would trigger a period of uncertaintyduring years of negotiations on the relationship between the EUand the UK.
Much of the debate has hinged on the economy. From theinternational banks in the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf to the tra-ditional home of Britain’s financial industry in the City of London,business has largely awaited the referendum with trepidationand caution. Many fear a vote to leave would undermineLondon’s position as the world’s pre-eminent financial center anddamage an industry that underpins the British economy.
Leaders of about half of Britain’s largest companies made alast-ditch appeal to their employees to vote for remaining in theEuropean Union. In a letter to the Times on the eve of Thursday’svote, some 1,285 business leaders - include representatives ofhalf of the FTSE 100 businesses - argue that a vote to leave willhurt the British economy.
Acrimonious campaignSimilar letters have been released in the course of the acrimo-
nious campaign. But Wednesday’s letter is clearly meant to makethe 1.75 million people employed by the signatories think twiceabout their vote. “Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty
for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs,” the lettersaid. “Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite: morecertainty, more trade and more jobs. EU membership is good forbusiness and good for British jobs. That’s why, on June 23, weback Britain remaining in the EU.”
The companies represented include Barclays, Standard Lifeand Anglo-American. Stock markets and the pound continued torise, indicating that investors think the “remain” side will win.Markets are likely to be jittery, however, as the vote is expected tobe tight and a vote to leave would create huge uncertainty. USFederal Reserve chair Janet Yellen warned Tuesday that theupcoming vote “could have significant economic repercussions.”
The head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, alsosaid the consequences of a vote to leave would be difficult toassess. “This lack of precision from two of the most eminent cen-tral bankers in the world with respect to the global consequencesof a vote to exit was a refreshing outbreak of honesty in contrastto the very precise warnings that the UK public has been bom-barded with,” said Michael Hewson, the chief market analyst ofCMC markets, citing warnings from the International MonetaryFund, the Bank of England and the Organization for EconomicCooperation and Development - all of which signaled dire conse-quences if the country were to exit. The betting markets solidlystood by the “remain” side. The Betfair exchange said remain isnow at 76 percent probability. Some 80 percent of the 1 millionpounds placed during and after a BBC debate on Tuesday was on“remain,” the exchange said in a statement. — AP
Politicians make final appeals in ‘Brexit’ vote Britain’s EU faith in the hands of undecided voters
US court convictstwo of conspiring
to join ISLOS ANGELES: A US court on Tuesday convicted two men ofattempting to help the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria,with one attempting to travel to the Middle East. A jury foundNader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, both 25, guilty ofconspiring to provide material support to the jihadist group,the US Justice Department said in a statement.
Both men, from Anaheim, California, were arrested in Maylast year, when Elhuzayel was about to board a plane fromLos Angeles to Turkey to join the IS group. They had “usedsocial media to discuss ISIL and terrorist attacks, expressed adesire to die as martyrs, and made arrangements forElhuzayel to leave the United States to join ISIL,” the state-ment said, using a term for the IS group.
Badawi had bought a one-way ticket for Elhuzayel totravel to Israel with a layover in Istanbul, it added. In record-ed conversations, Badawi and Elhuzayel “discussed how itwould be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and todie in the battlefield.” The two also recorded a video inwhich Elhuzayel swore allegiance to IS group leader AbuBakr Al-Baghdadi and vowed to travel to Syria to join thegroup, the statement said. The jury also found Elhuzayelguilty of 26 counts of bank fraud, for which he faces up to100 years in prison. It found Badawi guilty of fraudulent useof federal funds, for which he faces up to 35 years in prison.Elhuzayel obtained money for his travel by depositingstolen checks into his personal checking accounts beforewithdrawing cash from three banks.—AFP
ISTANBUL: Before dawn in Istanbul, in the holy Muslim fastingmonth of Ramadan. A turbaned Turkish cleric kneels on a prayercarpet and prepares to recite verses from the Quran. “In the nameof God, the compassionate and the merciful...” Nothing especiallyunusual-except the cleric is reading not in a mosque but what isofficially a museum. And the museum is the Hagia Sophia, one ofthe single most emblematic edifices of human civilization. A mas-terpiece of architecture, the Hagia Sophia was first built as achurch in the sixth century in the Christian Byzantine Empire. Itwas almost immediately converted into a mosque following theconquest of Constantinople by the Muslim Ottomans in 1453 withminarets built to flank its magnificent basilica.
It became a secular museum in a key reform of the new post-Ottoman Turkish authorities under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the1930s, making the Hagia Sophia universal heritage for peoples ofall faiths. But critics have long accused the ruling Islamic-rootedJustice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep TayyipErdogan of harbouring a hidden agenda to turn the Hagia Sophiaback into a mosque as a symbol of Turkey’s status as a majorityMuslim nation. Last year, a Muslim cleric recited the Quran in theHagia Sophia for the first time in 85 years to mark the opening ofan exhibition. But this Ramadan the Turkish authorities have gonea step further, with the state TV religion channel Diyanet TVbroadcasting every day of the month the Quran recitation by a
different senior Turkish cleric, the most extensive use of the build-ing for religious purposes since it became a museum. The recita-tion takes place at the time of suhur, the pre-dawn meal con-sumed by Muslims as they prepare for a day of fasting, hoursbefore the thousands of tourists who sweep through the HagiaSophia daily begin queuing outside the turnstiles.
‘Lack of respect’ The recitation, broadcast live on Diyanet TV, aroused a furious
reaction from Greece, which for years has warily eyed what Athenssees a creeping Islamisation of the building. “This kind of obses-sion-bordering on bigotry-for holding Muslim ceremonies in amonument that belongs to the patrimony of humanity is incom-prehensible and shows a lack of respect and contact with reality,”Greece’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said he had written to the UN’scultural heritage agency UNESCO to complain about its use. USState Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington“would encourage the Turkish government to preserve the HagiaSophia in a way that respects its traditions and its complex histo-ry.” But in a spiteful diplomatic row, Turkey’s foreign affairsspokesman Tanju Bilgic said Greece’s statement was “unaccept-able” and said Athens should look more closely at its own recordon religious freedoms. He said Greece has not given permission
for the construction of a mosque in Athens for years, violated thereligious freedoms of its remaining Muslim minority and “mistakesbeing against Islam for being modern.” Some Turkish officials-including a recent culture minister-have voiced a desire to see theHagia Sophia become a mosque again but this has never been anofficial policy.
‘Why another mosque?’ Erdogan had already caused some shudders when on May 29
he led a ceremony attended by hundreds of thousands-completewith a aerobatic stunt display-to celebrate the conquest ofConstantinople. Both sides may want to keep the dispute in checkhowever, given the relatively robust relations between Turkey’sAKP government and Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras, particularly onthe migration crisis. Turkey has also pleased Greece in recent yearsby offering greater respect for Orthodox traditions, including thisyear allowing Epiphany Day to be celebrated in the Aegean city ofIzmir for the first time in over nine decades. But critics also point toa 13th century Byzantine church in the Black Sea city of Trabzonwhich was turned into a mosque in the sixteenth century andthen became a museum in the 1960s. After a lengthy legal battle,Turkey’s religious affairs authority took repossession of the build-ing-confusingly also called Hagia Sophia-and in 2013 it wasreopened again to Muslim believers. —AFP
Pre-dawn Quran readings sparks fears for Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia
I N T E R N AT ION A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
CAIRO: Egypt’s government said yester-day it had lodged an appeal against acourt decision to block the controversialhandover of two uninhabited Red Seaislands to Saudi Arabia. The deal over theislands of Tiran and Sanafir promptedsome of the largest public protests intwo years when it was signed in April.
The country’s State Council ruled onTuesday that the islands, strategically sit-
uated at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba,must remain under Egyptian sovereign-ty. “The government will present all thedocuments it has to demonstrate theintegrity and strength of the case it pre-sented to the Supreme AdministrativeCourt which has the right to rule on thecase,” the prime minister’s office said in astatement yesterday.
“It will also present a dossier contain-
ing documents and maps that will assistin resolving the case.” The governmentargues that the islands-which can beused to control access to the Israeli portof Eilat-have always been Saudi territorybut were leased to Cairo in 1950 follow-ing a request by Riyadh. It says the dealto transfer them was based on a decreeby since-ousted president HosniMubarak. Cairo says Mubarak had even
informed the United Nations about thematter in 1990. The deal, signed during avisit to Cairo by Saudi Arabia’s KingSalman in April, prompted an outcryfrom many Egyptians, and sparkedprotests against President Abdel FattahAl-Sisi. Sisi, whose government dependsheavily on Saudi largesse, faced criticismon social media for “selling” the islands inreturn for multi-billion-dollar investment
deals with Riyadh. More than 100 peoplewere jailed for up to five years for takingpart in demonstrations against the dealthat police quickly dispersed, but theywere later freed on appeal. Oil-rich SaudiArabia is one of the main regional back-ers of Sisi, a former army chief who hasoverseen a crackdown on the oppositionsince ousting his Islamist predecessorMohamed Morsi in 2013. —AFP
Egypt govt appeals court block on Saudi island deal
ARSAL: In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, a Lebanese army soldier takes his position overlooking an area controlled by the Islamic Stategroup at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. — AP
BEIRUT: Warplanes have bombed the IslamicState group’s de facto Syrian capital Raqa, killingat least 25 civilians, after the jihadists drove pro-government forces out of their bastion northernprovince. Twin offensives aimed at severing thejihadists’ supply line from the Turkish border toRaqa city appear to have largely stalled as ISmounts a fierce defense using suicide bombers.
Six children were among the 25 civilianskilled in bombing raids on Raqa city lateTuesday, according to the Syrian Observatory forHuman Rights. “Dozens more were wounded,some of them critically,” said the British-basedmonitoring group, which was not immediatelyable to determine who had carried out the raids.The Syrian government, its longtime ally Russiaand a US-led coalition have all carried out airstrikes against IS in Raqa.
The Observatory said there were fresh airstrikes-apparently by the coalition-on the city onWednesday, one of which hit the town hall. Raqais Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) — an anti-ISactivist group which gathers news on atrocitiesin the city-posted photos of what it said werethe aftermath of Tuesday’s strikes. They show aconcrete balcony hanging off the damagedfacade of a residential building as a large fireengulfs a white minivan. The group has accusedIS of preventing civilians from leaving the city inorder to use them as human shields. RBSSactivist Abu Mohammad told AFP that the
wounded were struggling to get proper medicaltreatment as IS has recruited most doctors in thecity to treat its own fighters.
‘Disastrous’ retreat Raqa city was seized by IS in early 2014 and
regime forces were expelled from the entireprovince that year. Backed by Russian air power,government troops re-entered the province thismonth as part of an offensive to retake the townof Tabqa, a key stop on IS’s supply route fromTurkey to Raqa city. But after advancing to with-in seven kilometers of Tabqa airbase, they weredriven back an estimated 20 kilometers lateMonday. More than 40 troops and militia werekilled in a jihadist counterattack. Al-Masdar, anews website close to Syria’s regime, said yester-day the lightning IS offensive had led to a “disas-trous turn of events” and “a disorganized retreatthat left behind weapons and several soldiers.”Syria analyst Fabrice Balanche said the pullbackcould be attributed to a lack of “elite forces”engaged in the battle.
“At the first suicide attacks, they retreated,”the Washington-based expert told AFP. “TheSyrian forces were spread too thin to be defend-able.” Further west in the adjacent province ofAleppo, another assault aimed at blocking ISsupplies have stalled. The US-backed SyrianDemocratic Forces encircled the jihadist-heldtown of Manbij on June 10 but have since faced
a barrage of IS suicide attacks, including threeon Tuesday, the Observatory said.
‘Civilians are starving’ Syria’s conflict began in 2011 as protests
demanding political reform and the ouster ofPresident Bashar Al-Assad. But a brutal regimecrackdown and the rise of jihadist groups havetransformed it into a multi-front civil war thathas killed more than 280,000 people. Peaceefforts have failed to put an end to the violence,and a truce brokered by the US and Russia hasall but collapsed.
UN mediator Staffan de Mistura said Tuesdayhe hoped peace talks could resume in July, butwarned they could not proceed “while hostilitiesare escalating and civilians are starving.”Negotiations could restart if the truce is rein-forced, humanitarian aid is increased, and a“common understanding of a political transition”is reached, he told the General Assembly viavideo link. “Then we can have, hopefully in July,inter-Syrian talks that are not about principlesbut about concrete steps to a political transition,”he said. The main Syrian opposition body-theHigh Negotiations Committee-has called for atransitional government body without Assad.But Syria’s regime says Assad is a “red line” and itwould only be willing to broaden the govern-ment structure to accommodate some opposi-tion figures. — AFP
Air raids kill 25 civilians
in IS stronghold in Syria
Supply line offensives have stalled
ISTANBUL: Turkish authorit ies havearrested three suspected Islamic State (IS)jihadists in a probe into a planned attackon a transgender rights rally last weekend,a report said yesterday. The three, com-prising one Turkish national and two menfrom Russia’s volatile Caucasus region ofDagestan, were detained in raids on Fridayand remanded in custody by a court onTuesday, the Dogan news agency said.
Items including suicide belts packedwith explosives, camouflage gear and mil-itary knives were seized by the authori-ties, it added. The three had been plan-ning to attack a rally around Istanbul’sTaksim Square promoting transgenderrights. The gathering took place on
Sunday but was broken up by police,Dogan said. It said the raids had beenconducted in the Istanbul districts ofBasaksehir and Pendik after police actedon a tip-off. The Istanbul authorities hadbroken up the transgender rally after ban-ning that event as well as a larger gaypride ral ly planned for the comingSunday. It had cited security reasons andsafeguarding public order as the reasonfor the ban. Istanbul has twice been hitthis year by deadly attacks blamed on IS.A blast in Istanbul’s historic centre inJanuary killed a dozen German touristswhile an attack on the Istiklal Street shop-ping hub in March killed three Israelis andand Iranian. — AFP
Turkey detain IS suspects
over a ‘LGBT rally plot’
BAGHDAD: Iraqi forces hunted jihadistfighters in their last Fallujah redoubts yes-terday as tens of thousands of displacedcivilians massed in overcrowded campsaround the city. A month exactly after theoffensive against the Islamic State group’sbastion was launched, progress on the mili-tary front exceeded expectations but so didthe scope of the ensuing humanitarian cri-sis. “The northern and central parts ofFallujah have almost been cleared ofDaesh,” Lieutenant General Abdulwahab Al-Saadi told AFP, using an Arabic acronym forIS. “There are few IS fighters left, only in theAl-Muallemin and Jolan neighborhoods inthe north of the city,” said Saadi, the overallcommander of the Fallujah offensive. “Themilitants in Jolan are offering some resist-ance but we’re pushing back and we’vekilled a number of them,” he said.
Operations against IS in northernFallujah were being conducted by the elitecounter-terrorism service and forces fromthe federal and provincial police. PrimeMinister Haider Al-Abadi launched theoffensive against the jihadist stronghold,50 kilometers west of Baghdad, a monthago. After an initial phase of staging opera-tions to encircle Fallujah, elite federal forcesstormed the city centre and were able togain the upper hand relatively quickly.Abadi declared victory on June 17, sayingonly small pockets of IS fighters remainedafter Iraqi forces raised the national flagover the main government compound inthe city centre. Saadi and other Iraqi com-manders have said government forces con-trolled at least three-quarters of the city.
Christopher Garver, the spokesman ofthe US-led coalition assisting Iraqi forces,said Tuesday that by the US military’s defi-nition, only a third of the city had beencleared. US forces battling one of IS’s previ-
ous incarnations in 2004 suffered some oftheir worst losses since the Vietnam War inFallujah, despite huge numerical and tech-nological superiority.
Iraqi forces who have been re-conquer-ing swathes of territory lost to IS two yearsago had been expected to face their tough-est battle yet and IS fighters to defend theiremblematic bastion to the death. Afterbreaching the jihadists’ defenses in thesouth of the city, Iraqi forces moved rela-tively rapidly and despite persistent vio-lence in northern neighborhoods the out-come of the battle appears in no doubt.
More aid agencies needed Tens of thousands of starving civilians,
who had been living virtually besiegedunder IS rule in and around Fallujah, fledtheir homes and filled hastily expandeddisplacement camps. The influx of familieshowever caught the aid community flat-footed and relief organizations admittedthe response was inadequate.
“We have to admit that the humanitari-an community has also failed the Iraqi peo-ple,” said Nasr Muflahi, Iraq head of theNorwegian Refugee Council, one of theorganizations providing aid to people dis-placed from the Fallujah area. “There areserious funding shortfalls, but there is nojustification why there aren’t more aidagencies helping the people of Fallujah,” hesaid. As already existing camps filled waybeyond capacity, other camps were beingset up but the newly displaced familiesarriving there often found nothing to sleepon or under, nothing to eat or drink. At acamp in Khaldiyeh, on the shores of LakeHabbaniyah west of Fallujah, IntikhaMohammed and her three children had toshare two mattresses with 10 other peo-ple.—AFP
Fallujah nearly cleared
but aid effort flounders
KHALDIYEH: Displaced Iraqis who fled the government’s operation against theIslamic State (IS) group in the city of Fallujah carry bags of food donated by a NGOcalled Preemptive Love Coalition on June 20, 2016 in a camp. —AFP
Turkey: Normalization deal depends on Israel
TURBO, Colombia: Mohamud Warfa Hirsiis a long way from home. From a dustyKenyan refugee camp, he has reached thesticky heat of the Caribbean, and his jour-ney is not over. The 27-year-old Somali hastraveled nearly 13,000 kilometers from EastAfrica. His hoped-for destination now lieshundreds of miles to the north, in theUnited States. “My journey was very hard,”he told AFP. He has made it to an obscuremilestone on the transcontinental refugeetrail: Colombia’s port of Turbo. Warfa Hirsi isone of thousands of migrants treading thistrail through South and Central America.They risk arrest, drowning, disease andabuse by people-traffickers. But still theycome in their thousands. From Turbo, traf-fickers take them by boat to a remote bayup the coast from where they can cross theborder into Panama.
Drowned Arriving by boat and plane from coun-
tries like Cuba and Haiti, and from as faraway as Africa and Asia, migrants gather in
Turbo, sleeping in hotels, abandoned build-ings or under the stars. They cram withoutlife vests onto boats, sometimes with 40people in a craft made for 20, braving four-meter (13-foot) waves. “Vessels have cap-sized. These people have been drowning inthe sea,” said Brigadier General AdolfoEnrique Martinez, head of a Colombiannavy anti-drugs task force in Turbo.
Those who make it to the border willtrudge through the Darien jungle intoPanama, risking hunger, dehydration anddisease, and on through Central America.One Cuban migrant, 33-year-old computerengineer Aliex Artiles, tried it that way in2010. He wants to reach the United Statesto apply for residency under a special USagreement with Cuba.
Last time he got through thePanamanian jungle and as far as Mexico,where the authorities sent him back home.This year, Artiles set off again, by planefrom Havana to Trinidad, then by ferry tovolatile Venezuela, from where he crossedthe border into Colombia.—AFP
ANKARA: Turkey said yesterdaythat reaching a deal to normalizerelations with Israel downgradedafter a 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish vessel dependedon steps taken by the Jewish state.Foreign Minister MevlutCavusoglu said Turkey had madeits demands crystal clear ahead ofupcoming talks-while insistingthat Ankara’s relationship withPalestinian militant group Hamas,which rules Gaza, was not a condi-tion in the talks. Two of Turkey’skey conditions for normalization-an apology for the deadly 2010raid and compensation-werelargely met, leaving its thirddemand, that Israel lift its block-ade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip,as the main obstacle.
“ Whether a deal can bereached at the f irst upcomingmeeting depends on the steps tobe taken by Israel,” Cavusoglu tolda news conference in Ankara. “Ourconditions are not very complicat-ed, they are plain conditions,”Cavusoglu said. “They need to befulfilled the same as our apologydemand.” He did not give the dateof the meeting although pressreports have said it would takeplace on Sunday and be followedby an announcement on the nor-malization of ties.
Relations between once closeallies Turkey and Israel hit an all-
time low after Israeli commandosstaged a botched pre-dawn raidon a six-ship flotilla in May 2010 asit tried to run the blockade on theHamas-run Gaza Strip. Nineactivists on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry werekilled, with a tenth person laterdying of his wounds, sparking abitter diplomatic crisis. All 10 wereTurkish nationals.
The Hurriyet newspaper report-ed on Tuesday that the announce-ment for a deal would be madeafter talks between top Turkish for-eign ministr y off icial FeridunSinirlioglu and Israel’s pointmanon Turk ish relations, JosephCiechanover. It did not say wherethe talks would be held. Israeli dai-ly Yedioth Aharonot reported onWednesday that the next round oftalks would be held in Turkey andan announcement made there.
Previous reports have said thatfor any normalization, Israel alsowants Turkey to prevent seniorHamas operative Salah Aruri fromentering its territory and actingfrom there. Ankara has never con-firmed his presence in Turkey. Areport in the Turkish daily newspa-per Karar yesterday suggested thatall Hamas operatives previouslybased in Turkey had left the coun-try for Qatar several months ago atthe request of Turkish authorities.
Turkey is a key backer of Hamas,
with President Recep TayyipErdogan holding regular meetingswith the Doha-based Hamasleader Khaled Meshaal. Cavusogluyesterday said Turkey’s contactswith Hamas were “not clandestine”and that they would continue forthe sake of intra-Palestinian unityand Middle East peace. But heruled out any condition aboutHamas for a deal with Israel. “Thereis no such a condition like Hamasfor normalisation of our bilateral
relations with Israel and there can-not be.” Analysts have said Turkeymay pursue a more conciliatoryforeign policy following the depar-ture of former Prime MinisterAhmet Davutoglu, who spear-headed an aggressive and inter-ventionist strategy. His successorBinali Yildirim last week said hewanted no permanent tensionswith neighbors after serious rup-tures not just with Israel but alsowith Egypt and Russia. — AFP
ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister and leader of Turkey’s ruling party,the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Binali Yildirim address-es MPs during an AK Party’s group meeting at the Grand NationalAssembly of Turkey. — AFP
US-bound migrants go
through Latin America
I N T E R N AT ION A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
CARACAS: A senior US diplomat was inVenezuela on Tuesday to meet withofficials to jumpstart dialogue betweenthe normally hostile governments asthe socialist-run nation is torn apart bydaily food protests and a campaign tooust President Nicolas Maduro. ThomasShannon, a career diplomat withextensive experience in Latin America,flew to Caracas after weeks of lootingand hunger riots in Venezuela. Theriots led to hundreds of arrests andseveral deaths.
State Department spokesman JohnKirby said Shannon, who now serves asundersecretary of state for politicalaffairs, hoped to foster dialogue aboutthe social, economic and political chal-lenges facing the oil-rich country. Hewas to meet with leading oppositionfigures and was also expected to meetwith Maduro and other government
representatives. The visit comes as theOrganization of American States is setto meet later in the week in Washingtonto debate the mounting crisis andweigh sanctioning Maduro for allegedlystamping out political dissent in viola-tion of regional commitments todemocracy. Maduro used the diplomat-ic mission as a cudgel to batter his crit-ics. In televised statements, he returnedto one of his favorite topics: What hedescribes as the childish stubbornnessof the country’s political opposition. “Ithink it is very good that we are takingthese steps with the US,” he said. “I onlywish the Venezuelan opposition wouldengage in serious, transparent dialoguein the same way.”
Bloody protests The opposition held talks with
Maduro two years ago after bloody anti-
government protests swept the nation,but that dialogue eventually dissolvedwithout bearing fruit. Today, govern-ment opponents are taking a differenttack, organizing around a recall referen-dum they hope will lead to Madurobeing removed from office this yearwith one of their own potentially toreplace him.
Thousands of Caracas residentsstood in a warm drizzle Tuesday waitingto verify their signatures on a recall peti-tion by having their fingerprints taken.The weeklong verification drive beganMonday and is the first of a series ofsteps in the byzantine recall process.People in the lines said they were gladto wait and see the recall as the bestway to remedy the shortages and triple-digit inflation that are forcing manyhere to skip meals.
Food protests continued to pop up
in the capital on Tuesday. A small groupof residents stopped traff ic near aCaracas slum, while in a wealthy neigh-borhood people hung banners saying“we are hungry.” Shannon, a formerambassador to Brazil, steps into thequagmire with an uncertain outcome. Aprocession of visits he made last year toCaracas yielded no tangible results, set-ting low expectations that this tripcould result in a breakthrough onreleasing political prisoners and calls forthe referendum to move forward. TheUS and Venezuela haven’t exchangedambassadors since 2010, and evenwhen announcing Shannon’s visit lastweek at a summit in the DominicanRepublic, US Secretary of State JohnKerry and his Venezuelan counterpartcould barely hold back the animositythat has long characterized relations.But as Venezuela unravels, US officials
are increasingly concerned about therisk of further bloodshed and a humani-tarian crisis that could spill across itsborders and undermine PresidentBarack Obama’s legacy in a regionwhere he made history by reopeningrelations with Cuba.
Members of the opposition say therecall drive and food riots have causedthe government to tighten control overcritics. Human rights groups say intoler-ance for dissent has led to the jailing ofdozens of people they consider of polit-ical prisoners. Over the weekend, offi-cials arrested two opposition activistswho had been traveling outside ofCaracas to participate in the validationprocess. On Tuesday, Human RightsWatch denounced the arrests and calledon authorities to produce a legal ration-ale for holding the men or release themimmediately. — AP
Top US diplomat to meet with Venezuela officials amid crisis
TEXAS: In this file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in The Woodlands, Texas. —AP
NEW YORK: Seeking to refocus his presidentialcampaign, Donald Trump will lambastDemocratic rival Hillary Clinton as a failed secre-tary of state who is out of step with Americanson trade and immigration. Trump’s address yes-terday morning at his hotel in New York’s SoHoneighborhood marks his official opening salvoagainst Clinton, the prospective Democraticpresidential nominee, in the general election. Itcomes as Trump faces growing questions abouthis readiness not just for the presidency, but forthe campaign he will need to run to get there.
The Trump campaign is hoping the speechcan quiet those concerns and rally Republicansaround their shared opposition to Clinton. Thebillionaire businessman plans to focus in partic-ular on Clinton’s tenure at the State Department,arguing that her foreign policy is in part respon-sible for the creation of the Islamic State militantgroup. “Hillary Clinton had a four-year tryout forthe presidency as secretary of state,” saidStephen Miller, a Trump policy adviser. “She ranthe State Department and the world went up inflames. Everything took a nosedive, except forHillary Clinton’s bank account - which swelled tonew highs.” Trump is also expected to citeClinton’s past support for trade deals and herwillingness, along with her husband, formerPresident Bill Clinton, to accept speaking feesand contributions to their foundation fromcountries with poor human rights records.However, Trump is not expected to target theformer president’s personal infidelities, as he didearlier in the campaign.
Reckless approachClinton has been harshly critical of Trump,
particularly since she wrapped up her lengthyDemocratic primary battle. On Monday, shewarned that the businessman would send theUS economy back into recession and said his“reckless” approach would hurt workers still try-ing to recover from the 2008 economic turbu-lence. “Every day we see how reckless and care-less Trump is. He’s proud of it,” Clinton said. “Well,that’s his choice. Except when he’s asking to beour president. Then it’s our choice.”
Trump had planned to deliver his address onClinton last week, but he postponed the eventbecause of the nightclub shootings in Orlando,Florida. The Republican’s response to the attackwas panned by many in his own party, who bris-tled as he took credit for “being right” about terror-ism and suggested that President Barack Obamawas sympathetic to militant groups. The Orlandogunman identified himself as an Islamic soldier incalls with authorities during his rampage. OnMonday, Trump fired his campaign manager,Corey Lewandowski, hours before a new fundrais-ing report showed that the billionaire’s campaignhad just $1.3 million in the bank at the start ofJune. Trump allies cast Lewandowski’s firing thisweek as the start of a new phase for the campaign.Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman andLewandowski’s internal rival, signaled on a confer-ence call with aides that a rapid staffing expan-sion would be coming soon.
Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker,who has been seen as a potential vice presiden-tial pick, said he was “pretty excited” to learn ofthe changes. “I think that what appears to beoccurring over the last 24 hours is a movementin a direction that I think could be very, very pos-itive,” Corker said. While Manafort, a longtime
Republican operative, is believed to be in chargenow, the campaign has not fully clarified who isrunning the operation.”It’s not been writtendown anywhere, but you have to assume,” EdBrookover, the campaign’s l iaison to theRepublican National Committee, said ofManafort. As with everything involving Trump,
the billionaire appears to be the only one truly incharge. “I think I want to be who I am. I don’twant to be a phony like Hillary Clinton,” he toldNBC’s “Today.” He added: “I want to be what Iam.”Pace reported from Washington. AssociatedPress writers Steve Peoples and Erica Wernercontributed to this report.—AP
In speech, Trump to ramp up critique of Clinton as failureTrump faces growing questions about his readiness
LOS ANGELES: For days, wildfires have ragedamid spiking heat across Southern Californiaand much of the West, driving hundreds ofpeople from their homes. Yet homes haveoverwhelmingly remained safe so far, afteraggressive and strategic firefighting and adose of luck. In the foothill suburbs northeastof Los Angeles, a major wildfire gave a majorscare to homeowners when it broke out withinfeet of residential streets. But a day later, fire-fighters had stopped its progress with bom-bardment from helicopters and crews hikinginto the hills to douse it and cut fire lines.
“They are working so hard, it’s excruciatingwith the heat, and up and down these hills,they ’re steep,” LA County fire Capt. MikeMcCormick said. Homeowner Gordon Witbysaid Tuesday he couldn’t believe how close theflames had been to his house in Duarte a dayearlier, and how calm the scene was now. “Theflames were so high. And so fierce,” Witby toldKABC-TV, The blaze, along with a neighboringone that broke out shortly before, were 10percent contained on Tuesday night afterburning about 71/2 square miles, US ForestService spokesman Nathan Judy said.
‘Another night at least’Still, no one was being allowed back yet to
the 770 homes in Duarte that were underevacuation orders. “We’re looking at anothernight at least,” Judy said. “We understand thestress it puts on families if you displace themfrom their homes, and we want to get themback as soon as we can.” Near the US-Mexico
border southeast of San Diego, a two-day-old,9-square-mile wildfire has forced the evacua-tion of about 600 homes and more than 1,500people in Lake Morena Village. It was also 10percent contained.
Elsewhere, crews made progress against aweek-old blaze that has charred more than 12square miles in rugged coastal mountainswest of Santa Barbara, boosting containmentto 82 percent. Most evacuees from that firewere set to be allowed to return on yesterdaymorning. In Utah, officials have evacuatedabout 100 homes from a mountain near atown in the southwest section of the state as awildfire less than a mile away moved down arocky slope toward the community of PineValley. The blaze is about a square mile, but itis moving dangerously close to homes in diffi-cult terrain, officials said. In eastern Arizona, afire doubled to nearly 42 square miles and ledofficials to warn a community of 300 residentsto prepare to evacuate. The blaze on the FortApache Indian Reservation was not movingquickly toward the community of Cedar Creekbecause of sparse vegetation and shiftingwinds. Governor Doug Ducey declared a stateof emergency to free up state funds to help inthe fire area. New Mexico is one place wherehomes were not spared, with about two dozendestroyed last week in the mountains south ofAlbuquerque. That blaze was showing signs ofslowing by Tuesday night, when authoritiessaid it was 61 percent contained. Higherhumidity helped crews strengthen fire lines,and evacuees prepared to return home.—AP
Fires rage across Southwest,but homes are mostly spared
MONROVIA, California: Firefighting aircraft drop fire retardant to protect communitiesthat border the wildness in case evening winds change direction, as is common in thearea, at the San Gabriel Complex Fire in the Angeles National Forest on June 21,2016 nearMonrovia, California. —AFP
NOCHIXTLAN: A small town in southernMexico buried three of its own Tuesday,two days after a clash between police andprotesters left eight dead. Residents in thetown of Nochixtlan in Oaxaca state accusedpolice of opening fire during a confronta-tion involving protesters and striking radi-cal teachers, killing several people includ-ing 19-year-old Jesus Cadena Sanchez.
A middle child, Cadena Sanchez was thesecond of three burials, as hundredsmarched with his casket to a rocky hilltopcemetery under a steady rain. After his bur-ial, Cadena’s mother, Patricia Sanchez Meza,recalled her last conversation with him inwhat must have been minutes before a bul-let ripped through his lower abdomen onSunday.
Federal and state police had moved into remove a highway roadblock on the out-skirts of Nochixtlan on Sunday. By latemorning shots rang out. Though who start-ed shooting is disputed, journalists filmedpolice firing their weapons. Eight werekilled and more than 100 injured. Sanchezhad gone out on an errand Sunday morn-ing and was surprised to find her son gonewhen she returned. She called for himthinking maybe he was asleep. They hadthe habit of always eating breakfast togeth-er. Then she thought maybe he had walkedthe couple blocks to the church, becausethe bells had rung calling people to help.She gathered some supplies to help theinjured and walked toward the action. Sheturned back a block from the hospitalbecause there was shooting. Eventually,around 11:20 a.m., Sanchez was able tospeak briefly with Cadena by phone. Sheheard a lot of noise. He told her they hadthem pinned behind a bus.
Chaotic scene “He told me, “I’m all right mommy, relax,
I’ll be right back.” Then the call cut off.Photos Cadena took with his cellphone
before his death showed a chaotic sceneunder a blue sky. Dozens of protesters,some with handkerchiefs tied around theirfaces were spread across the roadway. Oneman held a softball-size rock. In the dis-tance a line of what appear to be blue-uni-formed federal police stretch across theroad. A helicopter circled overhead. Othermen who were with Cadena at the end toldSanchez that federal police fired on them.One of those who tried to help him wasshot in the mouth and killed. Another wasgrazed. Cadena had not told his mother hewas going to support the teachers’ road-block that morning, but it did not surpriseher. “He was very supportive, he didn’t likeinjustices,” she said. Cadena had graduatedhigh school one year before. Sanchezproudly flipped through photos of him inan album. He with a friend in their schooluniforms. The soccer and music lover want-ed to continue his studies and become acivil engineer, Sanchez said.
The crowd at Cadena’s funeral was defi-ant. They blamed authorities and chantedthat his death be avenged. The first stepforward could come when the Mexicangovernment and representatives of the dis-sident teachers’ union will hold talks. Themeeting was to be held in Mexico City andwill be led by Interior Secretary MiguelAngel Osorio Chong.
The Interior Department said in a state-ment that the talks will seek to find solu-tions that allow for a return to peace inregions that have seen turbulent protestsrecently. Radical teachers unions are vehe-mently opposed to education reforms thatinclude subjecting teachers to evaluations,and have led demonstrations in severalstates and the Mexican capital. Officialssaid the reform itself will not be up fornegotiation in yesterday’s talks. The mostrecent round of protests was set off by thearrest of some union leaders on chargesincluding corruption. — AP
Mexico town buries dead after clash between teachers, police
NOCHIXTLAN: The mother of Jesus Cadena, who died last Sunday during the clearingof the highway by police, is comforted by relatives. — AP
Thousands of California college students homeless and hungry
LOS ANGELES: Nearly 50,000 studentsattending the largest public university in theUnited States are homeless and many morego hungry, according to a new study madepublic this week. The study, commissioned byCalifornia State University (CSU), which has 23campuses across the western state and some460,000 students, shows that 8.7 to 12 per-cent of students at the school are homelesswhile 21 to 24 percent lack a consistent foodsource.
“I reflected a bit on the number, and thenumber one in five students at Cal State arefood insecure are a gasp,” said Timothy White,chancellor of the Cal State system, as he pre-sented the findings at a conference onMonday. He said the study was commis-sioned in February of last year in order toquantify anecdotal evidence on the issue.Staff, faculty and administrators were ques-tioned along with students. The report saidthat many struggling students felt their levelof need was not understood by campus per-sonnel and some were unaware of the assis-tance available to them.
One homeless student identified as Nikkisaid she had informed residential staff at onecampus of her situation but was told it wouldnot be “fair ” to allow her to stay in thedorms.”Well, if we do that for you, then wehave to do that for everybody,” she recountedbeing told. Another student identified asAnnie said she would welcome food assis-tance in order not to be stigmatized andmade to “feel like you’re walking with a scarletletter on your chest.”
Staff interviewed said they limited “out-reach and promotion” of assistance pro-grams-such as food stamps or financial aid-for fear they would be deluged with requestsgiven their limited resources. “Often, pro-grams and services were the ‘best kept secret’of the campus because participants savedresources for the students experiencing themost acute crisis,” the report said. It addedthat the scale of the problem was also oftenmisunderstood or minimized.
“In some cases, there was a normalizing ofthe ‘starving student’ as part of the collegevernacular,” the report said. “Some partici-pants suggested, outside of rare circum-stances, that students generally squandertheir resources with youthful behavior.”Thestudents who reported being homeless saidthey often “couch-surfed” or slept in their cars,in tents, in parking lots or railway stations.The study, the first such survey in the country,said a system-wide commitment was neededto remedy the situation.
“CSU campuses are developing programsto support the needs of displaced and foodinsecure students,” the report said. “However,a greater understanding of this student popu-lation, their experiences accessing and utiliz-ing existing services, and their rates of reten-tion is needed,” Elizabeth Chapin, a spokes-woman for CSU, said the study would contin-ue for another two years to assess how wide-spread the issue of homelessness and hungeris among students and to come up with inter-vention programs to assist them and ensurethey graduate.— AFP
DIFFA: Outside the Diffa grand mosque inNiger’s southeast, two soldiers stand at theready, rifles pointed at the wave of worship-pers walking towards them. Unbidden, themen raise their “boubous”, the traditional wide-sleeved robes worn across West Africa. Theyneed to show they’re not hiding explosivesunder the tunics.
This is one of the ways that Boko Haraminsurgents have changed life in Diffa, theregional capital of a territory of 600,000 peoplesituated uncomfortably close to the borderwith Nigeria. The attacks by the Nigeria-basedIslamists, the swarms of refugees from the vio-lence, and government security measures tocombat Boko Haram have combined also tostrangle the local economy.
“There are no more customers,” saidMamane Noure Abdou, owner of a half-empty
store selling peanuts and drinks. “People areafraid or have fled.” “There’s no money, no jobs,no fields (to tend), nothing,” he added, sayinghis profits have dropped by a third comparedto 2015. In its quest to form a hardline Islamicstate, Boko Haram’s seven-year insurgency hasleft at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria andmade more than 2.6 million homeless.Extending the attacks to neighboring coun-tries, the group has prompted a regional mili-tary fight back involving troops from Niger,Chad and Cameroon as well as Nigeria.
State of emergency Some 2,000 Chadian soldiers currently are
set to launch a counter-offensive against thegroup in the region, in coordination withNigeria, Niger and Cameroon. In an effort toprotect its citizens, Niger has imposed security
measures in the southeast which have furtherslowed down the country’s economy.
In March 2015, the local governor evacuat-ed some 25,000 people living on the nearbyislands of Lake Chad, many of whom resettledin Diffa. He also suspended trade in fish andpepper, the region’s most important products,and banned motorcycles-the leading localmode of transport-because they had beenused by Boko Haram fighters to get around.Then he slapped a curfew on night-time traffic.“We don’t do anything anymore,” said mechan-ic Mohamed Ali. “We just sit around.”
A year ago, Ali, 22, was the proud owner ofa motorcycle repair shop set up in the spacenext to Abdou’s small grocery store. Now theshop has become a “fada”, or gathering place,where mats cover the floor, and Ali is unem-ployed. About 13,000 people in all have lost
their jobs because of the motorbike ban,according to a civil society source.
‘Lost all activity’ “I hold it against Boko Haram, but the
measure wasn’t well thought out,” said Ali, who“really misses” the engines. On the other hand,the motorcycle ban proved to be good newsfor Adama Malamari, a onetime motorcycletaxi-driver, who swapped his two-wheeler for afour-door. “We sold the motorcycle and otherthings and bought our taxi,” the 22-year-oldsaid.
Malamari said he makes more money nowthough his work is more difficult because ofthe state of the roads, the police roadblocks,and the thousands of inexperienced drivers.Couriers have been hardest hit by the crisis,many simply walking away from the job, said
Sabou Ali, the region’s secretary general incharge of couriers.
“There is insecurity on the roads because ofBoko Haram,” he said. “We have lost all activityin the forbidden zones”, such as the islands andregions evacuated by the authorities. “Roadsand markets have been closed, traffic hasslowed,” Sabou Ali added, saying that costshave also risen. It used to cost 400 CFA francs(0.60 euros, 88 US cents) a liter to fuel up atruck on petrol from Nigeria, but now 530 CFAfrancs.
Pepper, a local specialty, too has beenimpacted by the violence and security meas-ures, with most of the local farmers now dis-placed and living on international aid. Buyerswho resold the commodity in cities such asNiamey in the west and Zinder in south centralNiger meanwhile no longer work. —AFP
Niger’s Diffa suffers greatly under Boko Haram violence
BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Poland’s PrimeMinister Beata Szydlo attend a news conference after German-Polish gov-ernment consultations at the chancellery. —AP
NAIROBI: On a wet Thursday nightin early May, a well-known busi-nessman and government criticwas found dead in his armoredblue Mercedes by a busy road onthe outskirts of Nairobi, five bulletholes in his chest, neck and arm.Kenya’s long history of state vio-lence meant the murder of JacobJuma, who was in his mid-forties,was quickly viewed as a politicalassassination.
His death dominated the coun-try ’s newspapers as amateursleuths picked holes in the policenarrative of a business deal gone
wrong, and opposition politicianscried foul. It was a tricky case, thecountry’s senior detective MuhoroNdegwa told journalists, with nowitnesses and no weapon. Hepromised his team would do theirbest, but in the six weeks since hisdeath no arrests have been made.
The arc of Juma’s life was unusu-al at first, and then unique: Kenya’spervasive tribal patronage helpeda poor but smart rural kid make thepolitical connections necessary toget rich on ill-gotten governmentcontracts. But after he was cut outof a potentially lucrative miningdeal he became a relentless anti-corruption activist and govern-ment critic leading many to seepolitics behind his death.
Juma was “a scoundrel that bit-terness turned into an asset forthose fighting corruption,” saysJohn Githongo, a renowned anti-corruption campaigner. “Hebecame a fount of confidentialtreasury documents, information,history and gossip,” he says.
Elections trigger spikes in cor-ruption and the country is alreadygetting set for next year’s vote:there are regular, sometimes dead-ly, street protests against an elec-tion commission the oppositionsays is biased; MPs on both sideshave been investigated for hate
speech and inciting violence; andgraft is accelerating as politiciansseek to fund either their cam-paigns or their retirements. Juma’smurder is being seen as the curtainraiser to a potentially violent elec-tion season. Diplomats are alreadymuttering about “a repeat of 2007”when more than 1,100 people diedin election-related tribal violence.
Rags to riches, ally to enemy Juma won a place at a Nairobi
polytechnic in 1989 and quicklyimpressed businessman and politi-cian Cyrus Jirongo, who hails fromthe same part of the country andbecame his patron. “You could tellthis was somebody who was goingto get somewhere,” recalls Jirongo.
“He was very poorly dressed but hehad a lot of confidence. That confi-dence alone would make you thinkthat, surely, he was worth yourmoney.”
Jirongo housed Juma with hisnieces and nephews, paid Juma’scollege fees and introduced himto the twinned worlds of politicsand business. Juma made friendswith allies and relatives of then-president Daniel Arap Moi (onwhose 1992 election campaignJirongo worked) and founded hisbusiness empire on those firstgovernment contracts, re-surfac-
ing rural dirt roads.He grew into his wealth, adopt-
ing the flashy style of the newlyrich with designer suits, smart cars,gaudy property and sparkly watch-es. Jirongo approved: “Above all, hewanted the world to know he hadsucceeded, he’d beaten the pover-ty he’d come from.” During thistime Juma got to know WilliamRuto, a fellow hustler but one withbig political ambitions.
Accusations that he orchestrat-ed violence in the wake of the 2007election, and subsequent crimesagainst humanity charges at theInternational Criminal Court, didnot derail Ruto’s career and in 2013he became deputy president. Jumawasn’t a supporter but, friends say,
believed his relationship mighthelp him secure control of theMrima Hill niobium and rare earthmine in Kwale on Kenya’s coast.
Instead his l icense was can-celled. “He refused to cut govern-ment figures in on the deal,” saysone close friend. “That mining dealwas the turning point.” Juma wasleft bitter, angry and dangerous.“After that he dedicated himself todoing nothing else but exposingthe regime,” says the friend.
‘This was a hit squad’ Juma played a central role in
revealing at least two major cor-ruption scandals, including one inwhich the government has beenunable to explain how it spent$2.75 billion (2.6 billion euros)raised through a 2014 Eurobondissue.
He took his combative personato Twitter-once using the socialmedia site to accuse Ruto of order-ing his death-and feeling corrup-tion had done him out of hisbiggest-ever business deal, it wascorruption he focused on.Githongo and others regard thecurrent government as perhapsthe most corrupt in Kenya’s history.
Foreign businessmen routinelycomplain that a 30 percent skim-ming off the top of contracts hasbecome standard. One foreignexecutive described the increasingcorruption and extortion ahead ofnext year’s election as a “smash andgrab” while a prominent Kenyanbusinessman described it as “ashakedown”. “It is very difficult todo business with the Kenya gov-ernment if you are not willing topay right from the top to the bot-tom,” says Jirongo.
Allies of Juma have openlyaccused the state of his murder.“The inspector-general (of police)knows who killed Jacob Juma. Thiswas a hit squad and it is known,”opposition leader Raila Odingasaid at a memorial service inNairobi. Ruto denies involvementand has threatened legal actionagainst those who repeat allega-tions that he was behind thekilling.
For Juma’s wealthy and influ-ential friends in Kenya’s businesscommunity, aggrieved at the lev-els of corruption and eager for anend to a government they feelhas betrayed them, his death is amessage. “It’s a warning to all ofus: You stay in the corner we giveyou or we wi l l deal with you,ruthlessly.” —AFP
Corruption, politics, murder: Anatomy of a Kenyan killingElection season triggering spikes in corruption
BUNGOMA: A photo taken on May 14, 2016 shows people lowering the coffin of Kenyan busi-nessman Jacob Juma during his funeral in Bungoma County, western Kenya. —AFP
BERLIN: Seventy-five years after the Naziinvasion of the Soviet Union, which led tothe deaths of tens of millions, Germany’s for-eign minister warned Wednesday that“Europe is at risk of splitting along newdivides,” while Russia’s president drew paral-lels to the lead-up to the attack and today,saying the West still seeks to isolate hiscountry.
In an op-ed printed in Russia, Ukraineand Belarus, Frank-Walter Steinmeier cau-tioned “peace in Europe cannot be taken forgranted, not even today.” Referring toRussia’s annexation of Crimea, Steinmeiersaid “unilateral shifting of borders in breachof international law and the failure torespect the territorial integrity of neighbor-ing countries ... take us back to the timesfrom which we believed we had escaped,times that nobody can wish for.”
Steinmeier urged all sides to return todialogue, saying “the leaders of today havethe duty to draw the right lessons from ourcommon past.” In Moscow, Russian PresidentVladimir Putin placed a wreath at the Tombof the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin walland suggested in remarks to the Duma thatthe Western Allies had paved the way for theinvasion by not working more closely withthe Soviets.
“Leaders of some Western countries pre-ferred a policy of containment toward theSoviet Union and tried to put it into interna-tional isolation,” he said. Putin drew parallelsto today, saying that Russia has “repeatedlyexpressed its willingness to talk” about jointresponses to international terrorism. “Butjust like before the start of the WWII wedon’t see a positive response,” Putin said.“Quite on the contrary, NATO is ratchetingup its aggressive rhetoric.”
Though the Soviet Union and Hitler’sGermany had signed a non-aggression pactin 1939, which led to the division of Polandbetween the two nations, the Nazis brokethat with the June 22, 1941, invasion.Steinmeier went out of his way to empha-
size Germany’s responsibility, calling theinvasion part of Adolf Hitler’s “crazy andmegalomaniacal” attempt “to subjugate andexterminate the people of the Soviet Union.”“In all the current debates on Europe’speaceful order, we must never forget thatthe aggression, the war of destruction, theideology of Slavic subhumans, descendedupon the peoples of the Soviet Union fromEurope, from the West, from Hitler ’sGermany,” Steinmeier said.
Merkel backs greater role Meanwhile, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s
cabinet agreed yesterday to expand the roleof the German navy in the MediterraneanSea to include efforts to stop arms headedto Islamic State militants in Libya, govern-ment sources said. The German decisioncomes days after the European Union gaveits naval force the authority to search suspi-cious vessels as part of its five-frigate“Sophia” mission, which is also seeking tobreak up gangs smuggling migrants toEurope.
Parliament is expected to approve themove before it adjourns for the summer atthe end of June, the sources said. The man-date also covers work to help Libya build upa coastal patrol and navy. Germany has thusfar participated in the EU mission with alogistics ship, and about 950 German sol-diers have helped rescue about 15,000 peo-ple at sea since May 2015, according to theGerman military.
Once approved by parliament,Wednesday ’s decision means Germanships will be able to stop, search and seizelarger vessels used by gangs transportingmigrants, and also take suspects into cus-tody, the sources said. In cases of suspect-ed arms smuggling, they will also be ableto search ships transiting to and fromLibya, they added. Merkel often under-scores the need to improve conditions incountries like Libya to help end the currentmigrant crisis. —Agencies
Germany warns of new risks to Europe; urges dialogue
MADRID: Spain’s interior minister facedcalls to resign yesterday over a conver-sation leaked four days before electionsin which he and an anti-fraud officialappear to discuss ways to incriminatehis political rivals.
In the conversation published byonline left-wing daily Publico, JorgeFernandez Diaz and the head ofCatalonia’s anti-fraud office go throughpotential leads or probes that could belaunched against pro-independencepoliticians of this northeastern region,or their relatives. With general electionslooming on Sunday, the allegationsunleashed a storm. Several rivals ofFernandez Diaz’s conservative PopularParty (PP) demanded he quit.
“We have an interior minister, whoshould be protecting us all, apparentlyusing his post to investigate politicalrivals,” Pablo Iglesias, head of the anti-austerity Podemos party, told TVE tele-vision. “I think this should trigger animmediate resignation.” Fernandez Diazimmediately slammed the leak as a“conspiracy.” But he acknowledged thatthe meeting, which dates back to 2014,had taken place.
“I remember having had this meet-ing, but as for the content of these con-versations, I remember the general gist,which was to meet a magistrate that
heads up the anti-fraud office of theregional government, whose mission isto fight fraud and corruption,” he toldSpanish radio. “To claim that an interiorminister is conspiring against membersof Catalonia’s government is surreal,” hesaid, adding police had been tasked toinvestigate exactly how the conversa-tion was recorded and leaked.
Madrid and Catalonia’s separatistpoliticians have long been at odds overa pro-independence drive in thewealthy Spanish region. During theconversation, Daniel de Alfonso, theanti-fraud official, allegedly lays outseveral leads for possible offences com-mitted by various pro-independencepoliticians or their relatives, but addsthey are all “weak.”
But Fernandez Diaz allegedly insiststhat some can still inflict “a lot of harmpolitically”. The revelations come justbefore Sunday’s elections, in which thePP is expected to come first, thoughwithout the absolute majority it needs.The elections are the second in sixmonths, after polls in December result-ed in a hung parliament with the arrivalof Podemos and centre -r ightCiudadanos, another upstart, on thescene. Parties subsequently failed toagree on a coalition government, forc-ing fresh elections. —AFP
Spain minister facing calls to resign over convo leak
LONDON: Volunteers from Paris travelled to LondonWednesday to hand out love letters from France aim-ing to persuade Britons to stay in the EU on the eve ofa knife-edge referendum. Standing outside one ofLondon’s busiest commuter rail stations, around 15volunteers from “Operation Croissant” handed outpostcards with handwritten messages from French
nationals. “Because what would you do without Frenchkiss?” read one.
Organizers had hoped to distribute freshly-bakedcroissants with the roughly 500 postcards sending greet-ings from the city of love ahead of Thursday’s EuropeanUnion membership vote. But their plans were scupperedby British police, who cited laws banning campaigners
from providing food to voters in the run-up to an elec-tion because it could corrupt the result. Organizer RosaRankin-Gee said they wanted to make a gesture whichcontrasted with the often bad-tempered main debate, inwhich Prime Minister David Cameron is leading the pushto stay in. “We’re all aware of how vitriolic the campaignhas been and we wanted to do something happy, tomake people smile,” said the 29-year-old, who livesbetween Paris and Britain.
On the postcards, people write about “their love forour eccentricity or our music” or about their families’Anglo-French connections, she said. Wearing “OperationCroissant” T-shirts, volunteers handed out the messagesin the morning rush hour outside King’s Cross station.Some walked on without taking the postcards whileothers were intrigued by the interest that their Frenchneighbours were taking in the vote.
Kathryn Sygrove, 50, received a postcard which read:“Please don’t leave us alone with the Eurovision SongContest.” “I’ve already made my mind up,” she said. “I’mon the side of the croissant.” Amy Ferguson, 33, whoactually works for a company making croissants, saidshe too had already decided to vote in, but added: “Ithink it’s nice that they have sent us this. I’m touched.”
After a long and often bitter campaign, opinion pollsindicate that the race is extremely close. The “Remain”camp is currently on 51 percent and “Leave” is on 49 per-cent, according to a poll of polls by the What UK Thinksproject which excludes undecided voters. Rankin-Geesaid the fresh croissants which volunteers had broughtwith them on the Eurostar train from Paris would nowbe given to a homeless shelter, with no political mes-sage attached. —AFP
‘Operation Croissant’: French love seeks to keep UK in EU
LONDON: Pro-remain campaigners from “Operation Croissant”, a French pro-EUgroup, hand out postcards written by Parisians urging people in the UK to vote toremain in the EU, to commuters at Kings Cross Station. —AFP
I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF)has recruited its first female fighterpilots, paving the way for more womento be given combat roles as one of theworld’s biggest military forces takessteps towards greater gender parity.Flying Officers Mohana Singh, BhawanaKanth and Avani Chaturvedi receivedtheir wings on Saturday when they werecommissioned into the IAF at a gradua-tion ceremony in the southern city ofHyderabad.
“It is a golden day as for the first timethese women are going to join the fight-er pilots,” Indian Defence MinisterManohar Parrikar said at the ceremony.“This will inspire more women to take up
the most challenging task in the armedforces. Our long-term objective is towork towards gender parity in the armedforces.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi alsocongratulated the women, saying it was“a matter of immense pride and joy” tohave the first female fighter pilots. “Morepower to them,” he tweeted. Only ahandful of countries such as Britain, theUnited States, Israel and neighboringPakistan, have allowed women into thecockpits of fighter jets. India had untilnow kept women out of that role, andaway from frontline warships andground combat, citing concerns overtheir vulnerability if captured and their
physical and mental ability to handle thestress of such deployments.
Opportunities for womenThe country’s defense forces began
recruiting women to non-medical posi-tions in 1992, yet only 2.5 percent of itsmore than 1 mill ion personnel arewomen - most of them administrators,intelligence officers, doctors, nurses ordentists. In recent years, Indian courtshave pushed the military to widenopportunities for women, by givingthem permanent commissions, forexample, instead of limiting them tofive-year terms.
Modi’s government announced last
year it would bring women into fightingroles and approved IAF plans for womenpilots to fly warplanes from June 2017on a three-year experimental basis.Indian President Pranab Mukherjee inFebruary went a step further announc-ing the country would induct women inall fighter streams of the armed forces inthe future. Defense Minister Parrikarconfirmed plans to extend combat rolesfor women in the army and navy, addingit would take time.
“There are still a lot of technical andadministrative difficulties in severalareas in taking more women. We needto create a lot of infrastructure forwomen, especially in air force and navy
wings,” he told reporters at the event.“Yet, we will work towards creating moreopportunities for them.”
The three women, who are in theirearly twenties, will undergo training onHawk advanced jets for a year, beforethey fly supersonic warplanes. The newfemale fighter pilots told reportersthey were excited about the opportu-nity, adding that they expected totreated on a par with their male coun-terparts. “I always wanted to be a fight-er pilot, but when we joined the optionwas not there,” Kanth said. “So when itcame to us in December 2015, I knew Iwas going to grab it with both myhands.” —Reuters
India’s female fighter pilots pave way for more women in combat
KATHMANDU: Nepalese relatives of 12 victims of a suicide bomb attack reactas they pay their last respects alongside the coffins of those killed. —AFP
KARACHI: One of Pakistan’s bestknown Sufi musicians was shotdead by unknown assailants rid-ing a motorcycle in Karachi onWednesday, triggering an out-pouring of grief over what policedescribed as an “act of terror”.
Amjad Sabri, aged around 45,was travell ing by car from hishome in the c i t y ’s easternKorangi area to a television stu-dio, when a motorcycle pulled upalongside the vehicle and theattackers opened f i re, FarooqSanjarani, a police officer toldAFP. Sabri was hit by five bulletsand was declared dead at AbbasiShaheed Hospital while a com-panion, named as a re lat ive,Saleem Sabri, was in critical con-dition, a hospital source added.
“It was a targeted killing andan act of terrorism,” MuqaddasHaider, a senior pol ice off icersaid, without naming possiblesuspects. Grisly mobile phonefootage of the scene of the crimeshot by an onlooker showed thesinger ’s head s lumped on hisr ight shoulder and a pool ofblood on the ground by the dri-ver’s side where he sat.
Targeted sect Sabri was a ‘Qawwal’, or singer
of ‘Qawwali’, which is a tradition-a l form of I s lamic devot ionalmusic that i s popular acrossSouth Asia with roots t racingback to the 13th centur y. Themusic is closely associated withSufism, a mystical sect of Islamthat is v iewed as heret ical byhardl ine groups such as theTaleban.
The Taleban and other Islamistgroups have carried out majorattacks on Suf i mosques andshrines in recent years, includingthe 2010 bombing of the DataDarbar shr ine in Lahore thatk i l led more than 40 people.Sabri , the son of another leg-
endary Qawwali singer, GhulamFarid Sabri who died in 1994, wasa fixture on national televisionand regular ly per formed on amorning show during the ongo-ing holy Musl im month ofRamadan.
In May 2014 he was asked by acourt to respond to blasphemycharges following the broadcastof a controvers ia l song-and-dance routine that was set to aQawwali piece about the wed-ding of the Prophet Mohammed’sdaughter to his cousin.
‘Mission of love’His killing was met with shock
and condemnation. Neighborscongregated outside the singer’shome to offer condolences to his
re lat ives, whi le T V channelsbroadcast recordings of his musicin tr ibute. “ Total ly shocked tohear the news of @AmjadSabri.May Allah bless him with Jannah(heaven) for he praised Him & HisProphet beautifully all his life,”tweeted Ayaz Sadiq, the speakerof Pakistan’s parliament.
“Shocked and saddened bynews of the k i l l ing of AmjadSabri , not just a cr ime but anattack on our culture and her-itage,” added Mustafa Qadri , ahuman r ights researcher atAmnesty International. While themotive behind the k i l l ing wasnot immediate ly c lear, Ar iebA zhar, another popular Suf isinger, told AFP he believed Sabrimay have been targeted because
of his religious views.“Our own dear Amjad Sabri,
son of Ghulam Farid Sabri andnephew of Maqbool Sabri, therenowned Sabri brothers, was atrue lover of God, l i fe and a l lthat’s good,” he said. “His missionof love has tragically been cutshort by those who spread hatein the world, and is a great lossfor all the divided people of ourcountry,” he added.
Karachi, a city of 20 mill ionand Pakistan’s economic hub, isfrequently hit by religious, politi-ca l and ethnic v io lence.Parami l i tar y forces began asweeping crackdown on mi l i -tants in the city in 2013, whichhas led to a substantial drop inoverall levels of violence. —AFP
Popular Pakistani Sufi singer shot dead in ‘act of terror’
Mystical sect of Islam viewed as heretical
KARACHI: Pakistani investigators and journalists gather around the blood-stained car of famousSufi singer Amjad Sabri after an attack in Karachi, Pakistan, yesterday. —AP
KATHMANDU: Dozens of people, many intears, thronged Kathmandu’s airport yester-day to receive the bodies of 12 Nepaliguards killed in a suicide bomb attack inKabul this week. The victims were among 14security guards who were killed Monday in aTaliban suicide blast targeting their bus asthey headed to work at the Canadianembassy in Kabul.
Afghan authorities had earlier said thatall 14 were Nepali nationals, beforeKathmandu clarified that 12 of the victimsbelonged to Nepal. Relatives and friendsbroke down in tears as they approached thepink-and-white coffins, tagged with thenames of the dead. “Our family is devastat-ed,” said Sarajan Adhikari, whose brother-in-law Madhusudhan Koirala was killed in theattack.
The 45-year-old’s death was the latesttragedy to hit the family. The guard lost twochildren in last year’s massive earthquakethat killed nearly 9,000 people in theHimalayan nation. “(My sister) had told himnot to go (back) the last time he camehome. It was only the compulsion to earnthat made him return,” Adhikari told AFP.
Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Olioffered a floral tribute to the victims as heattempted to console distraught family
members, many of whom had camped outfor hours at the airport. “The whole countryis mourning the death of innocent Nepalesekilled in this cowardly attack,” Oli toldreporters after placing marigold garlands oneach coffin.
The aircraft, chartered by the Nepal gov-ernment, also brought back 24 otherNepalese who worked as guards for SabreInternational, the same company thatemployed the victims. “It could have beenme,” said former Nepal army soldier ShyamBahadur Tamang, 47, who began working inAfghanistan in 2014. “There is no securityfor us... there are many other Nepalese whoare eager to quit and return home,” Tamangtold AFP.
Authorities said around 3,300 Nepalesewere currently working in Afghanistan assecurity guards but accurate figures for thetotal number employed across the world arehard to come by. Impoverished Nepal haslong served as a supplier of security forcesto the world. A number of them are formersoldiers with the Gurkha brigades of theIndian and British army’s while others areretired Nepal army or police personnel. FourNepali guards were killed in a 2011 attack ona UN compound in the northern Afghan cityof Mazar-i-Sharif in 2011. —AFP
‘Devastated’ Nepalese receive the bodies of Kabul victims
KURIGRAM: Piyara Begum once had a happylife in Garuhara village by the BrahmaputraRiver in northern Bangladesh, but worseningerosion of the river banks has displaced herfamily seven times. Now Piyara, 30, has takenshelter in Panchgachi village, 8 kilometersaway in the same sub-district of KurigramSadar. “I am always concerned about wherePiyara and her three children are living, andhow she manages her family expenses, as shehas lost everything due to erosion,” said heruncle, Abdul Majid, who still lives in Garuharavillage. The loss of Piyara’s home is taking a tollon her mental and physical health, he added.
Riverbank erosion is a common problemalong the mighty Brahmaputra during themonsoon, but scientists say climate change ismaking the phenomenon worse by contribut-ing to higher levels of flooding and siltation.According to villagers in Garuhara, about 200families have been displaced by erosion therein the last two years.
Majid fears that if the trend continues, thewhole of the village will go underwater, ren-dering about 1,000 families homeless. Butsome of those who want to escape thatprospect cannot - because they are unable toturn their assets into the cash they need topay for their move. Abdul Malek, 45, a farmerin Garuhara, had 0.4 acres of agricultural landon the bank of the Brahmaputra, but the riverwashed away half his plot during the mon-soon last year. “My family had no problem inthe past as we cultivated crops on the land tomeet our food demand. But now we are fac-ing trouble,” he said. Malek and his family areplanning to migrate to another part of thecountry after selling their homestead, butthey cannot find a buyer because the proper-ty is at high risk of erosion. Other families inGaruhara village who also want to sell up andleave are trapped there for the same reason.
Erosion rates risingThe Brahmaputra is a transboundary river,
originating in southwestern Tibet, flowingthrough the Himalayas, India’s Assam Stateand Bangladesh, and out into the Bay ofBengal. Climate change has contributed torapid siltation of the river in recent years,which is intensifying bank erosion during themonsoon, Bangladesh Water Resources
Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud told theThomson Reuters Foundation.
A 2014 study from the International Unionfor Conservation of Nature showed that theflow of the Brahmaputra is influenced strong-ly by the melting of snow and ice upstream,mainly in the eastern Himalaya mountains.This century, as temperatures rise, the river islikely to see an overall increase in flowsthroughout the year, driven by more rainfall,higher snow melt rates and expanded run-offareas, the study said.
Every year, the river carries silt from theHimalayas and deposits it downstream inBangladesh, creating myriad islands known aschars. When floods occur upstream on theBrahmaputra, amid more intense bursts ofheavy rainfall linked to climate change, the silt-ed-up river has less capacity to carry the hugevolume of water, accelerating bank erosion.
Maminul Haque Sarker of the Center forEnvironmental and Geographic InformationServices (CEGIS), a Dhaka-based think tank,said the erosion rate has increased at somepoints of the river in Kurigram, Gaibandha,Jamalpur and Sirajganj districts. A 2015 CEGISstudy put the annual rate of erosion along theBrahmaputra at around 2,000 hectares inrecent years. Bangladesh’s major rivers com-bined consume several thousand hectares offloodplain annually, destroying homes andinfrastructure and leaving people landlessand homeless.
‘Silent cancer’A 2013 study by the Refugee and
Migratory Movements Research Unit at theUniversity of Dhaka and the UK-based SussexCentre for Migration Research estimated thatriverbank erosion displaces 50,000 to 200,000people in Bangladesh every year. Those dis-placed by erosion become isolated from theirfamilies and wider social networks, and mosthave no scope to return to their roots.
Majid from Garuhara village said many ofhis neighbors and relatives have already left forother parts of the country and do not see eachother even once a year. Minister Mahmud saidriverbank erosion works like a silent cancer andcan be more devastating than storms or floodsbecause it takes everything people own,including their land. —Reuters
Bangladesh river eats up homes, trapping villagers
KATHMANDU: Rani Maya Shrestha was workingon a neighbor’s potato farm when the first ofNepal’s two massive earthquakes struck last year.She rushed home to find her husband buried inthe ruins of their house northeast of the capitalKathmandu. “I should have died with him,” saidShrestha inside the tin hovel that has been herhome for the last year. “Without my husband, mylife has become meaningless.”
The frail looking 45-year-old woman has nodocuments to prove her rights to her husband’sproperty in the ancient town of Sankhu. She sur-vives on around 75 cents a day from knittingmufflers and woollen caps. Twin quakes in Apriland May 2015 killed some 9,000 people in theHimalayan nation, leaving many women to fendfor themselves in a country where widows facehostility, abuse, discrimination and evenenslavement.
Mina Adhikari says her life was shattered aftershe lost her school teacher husband in the disas-ter. She is now struggling to bring up their twosons alone. “It drastically changed the way I am
treated by society. Society does not accept meas one of them,” the 33-year-old said by phonefrom the village of Gairigaon close to the the 7.8magnitude quake’s epicenter in west Nepal.
Women for Human Rights (WHR), a Nepaliorganisation which campaigns for widows’rights, said women who had lost their hus-bands in the disaster faced a multitude of prob-lems. “There is superstition and stigmatization.Widows have no status,” said WHR’s chief LilyThapa ahead of International Widows’ Daytoday.
She said many widows lacked documents toclaim their dead husband’s property or faceddifficulties getting rebuilding grants becausetheir marriage was not registered, as is com-mon in Nepal. Some widows have also beenabandoned when family members moved tonew locations following the disaster, sheadded.
Although Nepal has taken major steps toempower women since the end of its decade-long civil war in 2006, widowhood remains sur-
rounded by taboos in this patriarchal society.Like other widows, Adhikari said she was nolonger allowed to attend religious ceremoniesor other celebrations because women whohave lost their husbands are seen as inauspi-cious. In some places, widows are consideredso unlucky that people steer clear of them inthe street.
Destitution and enslavementNepal has around half a million widows.
Many lost their husbands during the war or toHIV. Others were widowed when their hus-bands died in accidents while working overseasas migrant laborers. Another factor is child mar-riage, with girls in Nepal often married off asteenagers to much older men.
When their husbands die many widows areleft destitute. If they remain with their in-lawsthey may be confined to the house and treatedlike servants, activists say. In some cases thefamily may even blame the widow for her hus-band’s death. The Loomba Foundation, a wid-ows’ rights charity, said widows could face hos-tility because it was sometimes believed theirhusbands had died as punishment for immoralacts or crimes their wives had committed in aprevious life.
“The younger the age of the husbands whenthey died, the greater the severity of the crimethe widows (are believed to have) committed inthe past life,” the foundation said in a globalreport on widows last year. The charity says wid-ows in Nepal are also regularly accused of killingtheir husbands deliberately or through neglect -including by passing on HIV. Traditionally, wid-ows are required to shun merriment. They arebanned from wearing red clothes and most jew-elry. Many wear only white. Often forced intovirtual seclusion, they are not supposed toremarry or move out of their in-laws’ homes,which leaves many open to exploitation.
Most widows in Nepal are illiterate and twothirds are under 35, compounding the risks ofabuse, activists say. In 2008, in recognition ofthe large number of war widows and popularaversion to widow remarriage, the governmentput forward a scheme to pay men a 50,000rupee ($460) incentive to marry widows. Butwidows protested, saying the proposal wasopen to abuse by traffickers and would turnthem into commodities. Nepal’s SupremeCourt ordered the government to ditch the ini-tiative. —Reuters
Nepal’s quake widows struggling to survive
HERAT: A burqa-clad Afghan woman buys bread at a shop during the Islamic monthof Ramadan in Herat on June 21, 2016. Throughout the month, devout Muslims mustabstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset when they break the fast withthe Iftar meal. —AFP
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
SYDNEY: A piece of debris that washedup on an island off Australia’s southcoast was not from missing MalaysiaAirlines flight MH370, officials said yes-terday as they confirmed there are noplans to extend the underwater searchfor the plane. The item was found earlierthis month among seaweed and drift-wood and resembled part of a plane,with the words “Caution No Step” visible,according to footage on Australia’sChannel Seven.
The Australian Transport Safety
Bureau (ATSB), which is coordinating thesearch, examined the debris and dis-missed it as being from the jet that van-ished in March 2014 with 239 people onboard. “Information received from themanufacturer indicates the item is notconsistent with the manufacturing speci-fications of a Boeing commercial aircraft,”the bureau said in a statement.
Two other pieces of debris foundaround the same time on theMadagascan island of Nosy Boraha arestill being examined. The fate of the
plane, presumed to have crashed at seawhile travelling from Kuala Lumpur toBeijing, remains a mystery. Five pieces ofdebris believed to have come from theaircraft have so far been discoveredthousands of kilometers from the cur-rent search zone far off the westAustralian coast, presumed to have drift-ed there. Wild weather continues tohamper the search operation’s progressto find the plane’s crash zone, with oneof three ships involved sustaining dam-age to a tow cable. So far 105,000
square kilometers of the designated120,000-square -k i lometre seafloorsearch zone has been covered withoutsuccess. If nothing turns up once thearea is ful ly scoured, expected byAugust, the search will be abandoned,Australia, Malaysia and China-the coun-tries that most of the passengers camefrom-have jointly said.
Officials from the three countries metin Malaysia this week to further discussthe issue, but the talks wrapped up withno announcements. As the meeting
began on Monday, an international net-work of MH370 next-of-kin released astatement repeating its call for thesearch to be extended. But the ATSBconfirmed that consistent with theundertaking made last year, only theagreed 120,000 square kilometers wouldbe searched. “In the absence of crediblenew information that leads to the identi-fication of a specific location of the air-craft, governments have agreed thatthere will be no further expansion of thesearch area,” the bureau said. —AFP
Debris found in Australia ruled out as from MH370
This photo taken on June 16, 2016 shows a crew member of a fishing vesselsitting at the bow, anchored at the mouth of the South China Sea off thetown of Infanta in Pangasinan province, as they prepare for a fishing expedi-tion to Scarborough Shoal. —AFP
SEOUL: North Korea took a sig-nificant step yesterday in thedevelopment of a powerful bal-listic missile intended to reach USbases in the Pacific, launchingone of the weapons about 1,000kilometers high after five failedattempts in recent months.
The North’s suspectedMusudan tests worry Washingtonand its allies, Tokyo and Seoul,because the missile’s potential3,500-kilometer range puts muchof Asia and the Pacific, includingUS military bases there, within
reach. Japanese Defense MinisterGen Nakatani said the mostrecent launch demonstrated a“certain level of capability,” andcould lead to a further strength-ening of North Korea’s ballisticmissile capabilities that can coverJapanese territory.
Each new test - apparentlylinked to a command from NorthKorean leader Kim Jong Un - like-ly provides valuable insights tothe North’s scientists and militaryofficials as they push towardtheir goal of a nuclear and missileprogram that can threaten theUS mainland. Pyongyang earlierthis year conducted a nucleartest, its fourth, and launched along-range rocket that outsiderssay was a cover for a test of
banned missile technology.A statement from South
Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said asuspected first Musudan launchfrom the east coast city of Wonsanfailed. It didn’t elaborate, butJapan’s Defense Ministry said themissile fragmented and pieces fellinto waters off the KoreanPeninsula’s east coast. Later yes-terday, the South’s military saidthe North fired another suspectedMusudan, which flew about 400kilometers. Seoul didn’t immedi-ately classify this launch as either
a success or failure.
Flying high Japan’s Defense Ministry said
that its radar analysis found thatthe missile reached an altitudeexceeding 1,000 k ilometers,which suggests it was a Musudanmissile. “We have to see it as asuccess,” Lee Choon Geun, ananalyst at South Korea’s state-funded Science and TechnologyPolicy Institute, said of the sec-ond launch. “No other (previous)missiles fired by North Koreahave ever flown that high.”
The US Strategic Command inHawaii said its systems detectedand tracked two suspected NorthKorean Musudan missiles that fellinto the Sea of Japan. They didn’t
pose a threat to North America, itsaid. In April, North Korea attempt-ed unsuccessfully to launch threesuspected Musudan missiles, butall exploded midair or crashed,according to South Koreandefense officials. Earlier thismonth, North Korea had anothersuspected Musudan failure, SouthKorean officials said.
Before April’s launches, NorthKorea had never flight-tested aMusudan missile, although onewas displayed during a militaryparade in 2010 in Pyongyang. The
launches appear to stem from KimJong Un’s order in March for morenuclear and ballistic missile tests.The order was an apparentresponse to springtime US-SouthKorean military drills, which NorthKorea views as an invasionrehearsal.
Since the end of those militarydrills, Pyongyang has repeatedlycalled for the resumption of talkswith Seoul, even as it pursuesnew missile development, butthe South has rejected the over-tures. Seoul wants the North tofirst take steps toward nucleardisarmament. Pyongyang says itsrivals must negotiate with it as anestablished nuclear power,something Washington andSeoul refuse to do.
Pushing hard The string of recent launch
attempts shows the Nor th ispushing hard to upgrade its mis-sile capability in defiance of US-led international pressure. TheNor th was slapped with thestrongest UN sanctions in twodecades after its nuclear testand long-range rocket launchearlier this year.
“ These provocations onlyserve to increase the interna-tional community’s resolve tocounter (North Korea’s) prohibit-ed activities, including throughimplementing exist ing UNSecurity Council sanctions,” StateDepartment spokesman JohnKirby said. “We intend to raiseour concerns at the UN to bol-ster international resolve inholding (North Korea) account-able for these provocativeactions.”
South Korea’s UnificationMinistry called the launches a“clear provocation.” In Tokyo,Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wasalso critical, saying, “We find itutterly unforgivable.” ChineseForeign Ministry spokeswomanHua Chunying said that Beijingdidn’t consider the missi lelaunches to be an act of defianceagainst China, Nor th Korea’slong-time ally with whom itsrelations have cooled substan-tially in recent years.
“To say such an act taken byNorth Korea shows disapprovalagainst China is reading toomuch into it,” Hua said at a pressbriefing. North Korea has recent-ly claimed a series of break-throughs in its push to build along-range nuclear missile thatcan strike the American main-land. But South Korean officialshave said the North doesn’t yetpossess such a weapon.
The North, however, hasalready deployed a variety of mis-siles that can reach most targetsin South Korea and Japan, includ-ing American military bases inthe countries. The KoreanPeninsula remains in a technicalstate of war because the 1950-53Korean War ended with anarmistice, not a peace treaty.About 28,500 US soldiers are sta-tioned in South Korea to deterpossible aggression from NorthKorea; tens of thousands moreare stationed in Japan. —AP
North Korea makes progress with two midrange missiles
Ballistic missiles aiming to reach US bases
PAJU: South Korean army soldiers prepare to fire 105mm howitzers during an exercise in Paju,South Korea, near the border with North Korea yesterday. —AFP
INFANTA: Jonathan Almandrez was chasedaway from the rich fishing grounds of aSouth China Sea lagoon by a Chinese patrol-something he hopes will stop happening ifthe Philippines wins an international legalcase against Beijing. The incident atScarborough Shoal, a necklace of reefs androcks that Filipino fishermen say hosts someof the world’s most abundant marine life, ispart of a long-running territorial row thatsits at the heart of a UN backed tribunalexpected to rule in the coming weeks.
“I was angry at their gall to shoo us awaywhen we were clearly inside Philippine terri-tory,” said the 30-year-old, who used a pseu-donym as he did not want to be identifiedfor fear of potential Chinese repercussions.Almandrez-who provided mobile phonefootage of the encounter to AFP-said for twohours on June 7, Chinese coast guard patrolboats circled a wooden outrigger carrying10 Filipino fishermen.
The patrol boats got within about twometers (six feet) of the vessel, which hadbeen fishing the reefs just outside theshoal before daylight betrayed them tothe Chinese. “Transfer to another area! Nofishing inside,” the Chinese patrol person-nel shouted in English, according toAlmandrez. “You go (back) to Chinabecause this is the proper ty of thePhilippines,” Almandrez recalled shoutingback.
The Filipino crew eventually left when amuch larger Chinese vessel began toapproach and they feared it would firewater cannon. Video footage shows twopatrol boats flying Chinese flags and withthe English words “CHINA COAST GUARD”on the side.
China takes control Local fishermen say the shoal, 230 kilo-
meters off the main Philippine island ofLuzon, has been their hunting ground forgenerations. It is 650 kilometers fromHainan island, the nearest major Chineselandmass, but falls within the ill-defined“nine-dash line” that marks the extent ofBeijing’s claim to control of nearly all of theSouth China Sea.
The reefs and shallow waters mean onefisherman can easily spear 200 kilogrames offish in just over an hour, according toAlmandrez and others from Infanta, one ofthe main Scarborough Shoal fishing townson Luzon. It also provides vital shelter forstranded fishermen during storms. Chinatook effective control of the shoal in 2012,following a brief encounter with thePhilippine Navy’s flagship and Filipino coastguards.
Since then, non-Chinese fishing boatsapproaching the lagoon mouth have rou-tinely been given an ear-splitting hornblast from a ship stationed inside, and
those who refuse to leave run the risk ofbeing hosed down or even rammed,according to Filipino fishermen.
“The water spray was so strong itdestroyed one of our styrofoams,” FelixLavezores, 36, told AFP at Infanta, recallingan early May water-cannon attack at thelagoon mouth that split an ice box used tostore their catch.
An expedition to the shoal costs around90,000 pesos (nearly $2,000) per boat,including fuel, supplies and crew salaries-money the boat’s owners cannot make backif they are forced to hightail it home with anempty hold. The Chinese at times also cutanchor cables, putting Filipino boats at riskof running aground, according to some ofthe Filipino fishermen at Infanta andMasinloc, another fishing town.
‘Intrinsic territory’ China claims it has sovereign rights to
nearly all of the South China Sea, evenwaters approaching the coasts of its Asianneighbors. When asked about incidents atthe shoal, foreign ministry spokeswomanHua Chunying repeated China’s long-stand-ing position. “We have said thatScarborough Shoal is China’s intrinsic territo-ry. The Chinese coast guard vessels’ lawenforcement activities in China’s sovereignterritorial waters are legitimate and beyondreproach,” Hua told reporters in Beijing onTuesday.
The competing territorial claims have fordecades made the South China Sea a poten-tial source of regional conflict, and tensionshave risen sharply in recent years as Chinahas sought to expand its presence in the dis-puted areas. Aside from taking control ofScarborough Shoal, it has undertakenunprecedented land-reclamation works inthe Spratly Islands, one of the sea’s mainarchipelagoes that are also claimed by thePhilippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Critics of China fear the artificial islandscould be put to military use, and to establisheffective sea and air control over some ofthe world’s most important shipping routesand waters that are believed to sit atop sig-nificant oil and gas deposits. The Philippines,the most vocal critic, has responded bylodging a case with the Permanent Court ofArbitration, a UN-backed tribunal at TheHague, asking it to rule that China’s claims tomost of the sea violate international law.
Although China is a signatory to the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea, it hasvowed to ignore the ruling and accused thePhilippines of stirring tensions with its legalchallenge. The Philippines hopes a favorableverdict will, at minimum, help build globaldiplomatic pressure on China. But regardlessof the outcome, China looks unlikely to letPhilippine fishermen return to ScarboroughShoal. —AFP
Filipino fishermen placehopes on China tribunal
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian policehave rescued 29 Filipinas who hadbeen trafficked into work in bars, thePhilippine embassy in Kuala Lumpursaid yesterday. The women were res-cued from two bars in the town ofBintulu in the Malaysian state ofSarawak on June 9 after the embassybrought reports of trafficked women toMalaysian police, a statement by theembassy said.
Also arrested during the raid werethree Filipinos who served as agents andcaretakers of the women, it said. It gaveno further details on the case of the 29
women. But it said some individuals andagencies were allegedly offering work inMalaysia to people who enter as tourists,promising to convert them to employ-ment visas in exchange for payment.
“The embassy reminds Filipinos tobe vigilant and not to deal with unli-censed individuals or purported place-ment agencies, especially online, asthey could end up being trafficked,” itsaid. Malaysia’s relatively developedeconomy is a magnet for migrants-many of them illegal-from aroundSoutheast Asia, including large num-bers of Filipinos. —AFP
29 Filipinas saved from trafficking in Malaysia
TOKYO: Japan’s parliamentary election cam-paign kicked off yesterday as Prime MinisterShinzo Abe’s ruling party seeks a mandate forhis economic policies amid opposition criti-cism that the lives of the ordinary people arenot improving. As more than 380 candidatestook to the streets across the nation, pleadingfor votes from vans outside train stations andshopping arcades, Abe opened the campaignwith a pledge to proceed with his
“Abenomics” plan to revive the economy andpull the country out of a slump.
“The biggest topic of this election is eco-nomic policies,” Abe told a crowd inKumamoto, a southern city struck by deadlyearthquakes in April. “This is an election inwhich we decide whether to return to thatdark doldrums or not.” Up for grabs in the July10 vote are 121 seats, or half of the seats inParliament’s less powerful upper house.
The pro-business ruling party is hoping fora show of support for Abe’s economic pro-gram, while the opposition is criticizing hisefforts to have Japan take a bigger globalsecurity role and has warned of his party’sultimate goal of wanting to rewrite Japan’spacifist constitution to reflect the new securi-ty policy. “We will stop the reckless Abe poli-tics and change its course,” Katsuya Okada,head of the main opposition DemocraticParty, said in a speech in Kofu in central Japan.“We will bring in a new wind into Japanesepolitics.”
It is the first nationwide election since thevoting age was lowered to 18 from 20, a stepaimed at encouraging younger generations tovote. Old-style loyalties are generally crucial inJapanese elections, so the addition of 2 mil-lion younger voters - about 2 percent of thetotal voter population if they all turn out - willbe closely watched, although campaign plat-forms largely catering to Japan’s aging popu-lation are turning away young voters andexperts say the impact of the expanded vot-ing age will be minimal.
Opposition groups want to keep the rulingbloc from gaining ground in the upper house,where they have a majority but are short ofthe two-thirds mark. Abe’s ruling coalitionholds a two-thirds majority in the more pow-erful lower house, - the benchmark neededfor approval in both houses to hold a nationalreferendum on changing the constitution. Thesplintered opposition sorely disappointed thepublic over what was widely seen as its fum-bling response to the 2011 quake, tsunamiand nuclear disaster in northeastern Japanwhen it was in power. —AP
Japan’s election campaign begins
TOKYO: Eriko Imai, singer and candidate for House of Councilors for the rulingLiberal Democratic Party, top in orange shirts, yells in unison as she kicks off herelection campaign. — AP
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
N E W STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
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The reports said that government ministries anddepartments have failed to collect over KD 510 millionin charges and fees rendered by the government agen-cies. It said that the amount of government debt onothers has grown to about KD 1.9 billion and called foraction to recover government charges and debt. PublicTreasury has been deprived of fines on others totalingKD 77 million because government agencies failed tocollect those fines, the report said.
The Audit Bureau reported a suspected profiteeringcase amounting to KD 21 million at the Ports Authority
in which employees are suspected of facilitating to oth-ers to seize the funds. MP Jamal Al-Omar said theremarks of the Bureau are frightening and after its pub-lication, the government must resign and leave, addingthat he fully trusts the Bureau. He also asked about thegovernment measures in this regard.
Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh said the governmentreiterates its full cooperation with the Bureau, but “wedo not agree to all the remarks”, adding that the govern-ment will refute some of the remarks. Later theAssembly held a secret session to hear the report of theFinance Minister about the financial status of the coun-try. Nothing was announced after the session.
National Assembly approves amendment to...
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local investor behind these projects. That high cost - forone tiny village in a country where most old dwellingswere deserted for modern concrete houses after last cen-tury’s oil boom - shows how little of its heritage SaudiArabia may be able to protect even with new investment.
Although the capital Riyadh is a low-rise sprawl ofhighways and modern, concrete shopping malls, thetowns of the Red Sea coast and the southern highlandsstill contain some fine buildings in their historic oldquarters. Some good mud buildings survive in the cen-tral regions of the country, including the ruling al-Saudfamily’s restored historical capital of Diriyah just outsideRiyadh, but as these areas originally were mostly popu-lated by tent-dwelling nomads, the architectural legacywas scarce.
Investing in heritageIn its efforts to end reliance on oil for economic wealth,
Riyadh wants to invest in tourism, aiming to increasespending by Saudis at home instead of on holidaysabroad, and by pilgrims to Makkah at other attractionsaround the country. There is also an ideological agenda tosuch efforts: restoring cultural sites occupied a prominentplace in Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’sVision 2030 reform plan as a means of boosting nationalpride. Encouraging visits to local places of beauty or inter-est is a key goal and Saudi Arabia has some world-classsites, some in remote areas, that are all but unknown out-side the kingdom.
The spectacular rock-hewn Nabatean tombs of MadainSaleh, the ornate facades of Jeddah’s coral-built old townand the ancient rock art hidden among the boulders ofthe northern deserts constitute an inheritance unique tothe kingdom. But previous efforts to protect cultural her-itage were directed only at a few landmark sites while rap-id development fuelled by oil wealth and a lack of interestin preserving traditional architecture has allowed othersto crumble.
Ironically, given the focus on religious tourism, recentdestruction has mostly been in Makkah. Its old houses,including some dating to the time of the ProphetMohammed, have been razed for development projectsto increase pilgrimage. That approach was partly a resultof the austere local Sunni Muslim tradition, which regardsthe veneration of objects, including buildings associatedwith Islam’s earliest days, as tantamount to idolatry. Thefocus on national and even pre-Islamic heritage todayshows one way in which religious strictures are loosening.
Rain comes and houses fallThe road from Watan Emsoudah to Rijal Almaa
descends Mount Souda in hairpin bends as the juniperscrub of the cool upper slopes gives way to the humidheat of the Red Sea coastal plain. The example of RijalAlmaa, where investment of 4 million riyals over the pastthree years has created from the village an attraction thatis now prominently featured in Asir province’s tourist liter-ature, shows how restoration projects can succeed.
While its spectacular setting in a mountain valley andthe towering size of its stone houses, decorated with che-querboard patterns in quartz, gives it advantages some
other old villages lack, Almiy believes this model could beemulated. He envisages a trail of restored villages throughAsir’s mountains, each reflecting a different element ofthe region’s unusual architectural heritage and adding tothe flow of local tourists drawn by the region’s clementsummer weather.
But money is a big problem. Almiy, who lived in an oldhouse in Rijal Almaa until the age of 16, is an independentinvestor and his projects were carried out in partnershipwith government agencies, which provided some moneyand official blessing. Still, the government has so farinvested so little in local heritage that it does not evenhave a register of traditional architecture in Asir or neigh-boring provinces where most towns and villages havecrumbling old houses.
Even in central Abha, the capital of Asir, local custom iscelebrated in traditional motifs added to concrete build-ings while actual mud houses in the unique highlandstyle, with slate courses providing a serrated effect, fall toruin. “In five or 10 years this will all collapse. The raincomes and the houses fall. There has to be investment.The state needs to invest,” said Almiy, standing in Abha’sal-Basta district where a cluster of old houses is graduallydisintegrating.
The empty quarterIt is a pattern repeated across the country: In Najran, a
fertile valley running between steep dry hills into theEmpty Quarter desert, clusters of adobe tower houseswith distinctive horizontal ribs nestle among the fields.Some are clearly looked after by their owners, but mostare slowly eroding, their lack of care causing such struc-tural damage that wide cracks are opening down theirflanks or that the towers are starting to list dangerously tothe side.
The spending envisaged on tourism and heritage inthe new reform plans, however, seems likely to focusmostly on big projects. Widescale investment is plannednear Madain Saleh and on some Red Sea islands rich inmarine wildlife. However, Saudi heritage was given aboost in 2014 when the United Nations cultural bodyUNESCO listed old Jeddah as a world heritage site. It pres-ents some of the same preservation challenges as the vil-lages of Asir, where like in Jeddah, most old houses areprivately owned and some are in grave disrepair. “When Iwas young we didn’t know the importance of these build-ings. In those days we cheered when they knocked themdown for a new road. But now we have managed to safe-guard the architecture,” said Sami Nawar, mayor ofJeddah’s old city.
The humid climate rots the houses’ wood and erodeswalls, demanding constant repair, and the magnificentbuildings of the seventh-century old town are inhabitedby poor foreign laborers instead of the merchant elite forwhom they were built. The UNESCO listing has helped toensure a brighter future for old Jeddah’s 600 historicalhouses, built of coral and with delicate wooden screensornamenting their imposing facades. It galvanized stateinvestment and a restoration plan. In Asir, any such holis-tic approach still appears a long way off. “Saving our her-itage is a national project. It’s for the whole nation. But Idon’t think there’s going to be any investment soon,” saidAlmiy. -— Reuters
Saudi to spend $1 bn on cultural heritage
DUBAI: Bahrain aims to end years of instability with a crack-down on Shiite political parties, but it could be a gamblethat risks further destabilizing the Western-allied kingdomand the wider Middle East. Five years after it crushed streetprotests with Saudi military support, the Sunni Muslim royalfamily that rules over a population with a Shiite majorityappears convinced it will again weather international disap-proval for tough measures.
In a series of moves over the past three weeks, authoritiesclosed down the main Shiite opposition Al-Wefaq IslamicSociety, doubled the prison sentence on the group’s leader,Sheikh Ali Salman, detained prominent rights campaignerNabeel Rajab and stripped Ayatollah Isa Qassim, Bahrain’sShiite spiritual leader, of his citizenship. Authorities havemanaged to muzzle anger each time by deploying extrapolice officers to the streets, but the move against Qassimthis week brought thousands in spontaneous protests out-side his home west of the capital Manama.
The United States and other Western countries haveexpressed alarm, but Bahrain appears to be calculatingthat the distaste will not translate into concrete reprisalsagainst a country closely allied to key US partner SaudiArabia. However, opponents say that by limiting peacefulways to express their views through a recognized grouplike Al-Wefaq, the government will only push Shiite youthsinto the arms of extremists, including some responsible forbomb attacks.
“Dangerously, by outlawing the moderate opposition,the authorities are pushing all opposition into illegality,which strengthens hardliners on all sides,” said Ali Alaswad, aformer member of parliament from al-Wefaq, now in exile.“That clearly leaves the prospect for dialogue and reconcilia-tion completely dead in the water. This will not take thecountry forward.” The concern is shared even by some whosupport the authorities.
“Extremism is currently confined to small arenas, involv-ing mostly young men, many of them living abroad,” said aformer Bahraini official who asked not to be identified in acountry where open criticism of official policy is often mut-ed. “When the main group (Al-Wefaq) is struck, I believethat even without intending it, you are opening the arenato all kinds of extremism,” he added. Regional analysts wor-ry that an intensification of sectarian animosity in Bahraincould spill over into the wider region, where allies of SunniSaudi Arabia and Shiite Iran are fighting proxy wars fromSyria to Yemen.
Anger, dismayThe United States, which maintains its navy’s Middle East
headquarters in Bahrain, expressed alarm at the stripping ofQassim’s citizenship. The UN human rights office said it wasvery concerned by what it called a “clearly unjustified” step.
Bahrain has defended its actions as necessary for nationalsecurity. The authorities accuse Al-Wefaq and Qassim of pro-moting sectarianism and of links to Iran, which they blamefor backing militants who have used improvised bombs toattack security forces, killing 17 officers since 2011, accord-ing to the interior ministry.
Iran denies fomenting violence. But the commander ofan elite force in Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards,Qassem Soleimani, responded to the stripping of the cler-ic’s citizenship by suggesting Bahrainis may have no choicebut to resort to “armed resistance” against the ruling AlKhalifa dynasty.
Some critics say Bahrain may have been encouraged tolaunch its latest crackdown by a timid response fromWashington to the kingdom’s suppression of protests fiveyears ago, when “Arab Spring” demonstrations were sweep-ing the region. “This is the most naked show of brutal forcesince the violent 2011 crackdown,” wrote Brian Dooley of theUS group Human Rights First, which lobbies Washington tostress the importance of rights in its foreign policy.
“It leaves the US government’s approach of quiet diplo-macy and big rewards for small gestures of reform in tatters.”After an international inquiry into the government’s han-dling of the 2011 unrest, Bahrain made some reforms andopened political dialogue with Shiite parties. However, talkswith opposition ended without agreement in 2013, andsince then Bahrain has remained gripped by political dead-lock. More recently, the smouldering discontent on thestreets has been exacerbated by financial strains caused bylower oil prices.
Bahrain’s close ally Saudi Arabia, which allows no inde-pendent political parties of its own, has been sceptical ofpro-democracy measures. Bahrain is connected by a cause-way to Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province, home to alarge Shiite minority, and Riyadh worries that its own Shiitescould be emboldened by gains by Shiites in Bahrain. Someexperts attribute the crackdown to a resurgence in influenceof Bahraini government hardliners who see limiting Shiitepower as a natural part of Arab opposition to non-Arab Iran,and who have been emboldened since reform talks stalled.
However others say Al-Wefaq shares the blame, after it,along with three smaller opposition groups, boycotted par-liamentary elections in November 2014. That made theopposition vulnerable to accusations that it was not interest-ed in dialogue. Al-Wefaq said it chose not to take part in thevote because the elected parliament would not haveenough power and because voting districts favored theSunni minority. “This is all still a fallout from the decision ofAl-Wefaq not to participate in the most recent parliamentaryelections, and they see Ali Salman as someone who is notwilling to compromise,” said Justin Gengler, a Qatar-basedBahrain expert. — Reuters
Bahrain gambles with security by launching crackdown on Shiites
DIRAZ, Bahrain: Bahraini Shiite clerics attend a protest against the revocation of the citizenship of topBahraini Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim (portrait) near Qassim’s house in the village of Diraz, west ofManama. — AFP
CAIRO: Pushing his cart through the teemingEgyptian capital, 71-year-old Cairo streetsweeper Abdallah Mohamed says nothing canstop him from fasting during Ramadan. Not thestifling heat pushing temperatures above 50degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). Noteven the long days of this year’s Muslim fastingmonth, which is coinciding with the summersolstice. “He who is used to fasting will fasteven in the middle of a fire,” Mohamed says asthe sun beats down. “But he who is not used tofasting will not fast no matter where he is.”More than a billion people around the worldare marking Ramadan this month, whenMuslim faithful abstain from eating and drink-ing from dawn to dusk.
Determined by the lunar hijri calendar,which has 11 days fewer than the solarGregorian calendar, Ramadan shifts back everyyear. The last time the holy month began inearly June was in 1983. Mohamed wakes andeats around 3:00 am, before his daily two-hourcommute from the southern town of Dahshurto Cairo, where he earns 25 Egyptian pounds($2.80) a day cleaning the streets. He worksuntil around 2:00 pm, then heads home andsleeps for a few hours before breaking his fastonce the sun sets.
16-hour fast Sixteen hours after he last ate or drank,
Mohamed takes a sip of hot soup, then somefood, tea and finally water. “Many people arenot able to fast. They did not get used to thesethings, to getting hungry,” he says. Across thestreet from where Mohamed is working, 37-year-old cook Fathy stands before a long grillwith flaming charcoal, smoke billowing in hisface as he turns cooking chickens. During thedays of Ramadan, Fathy packs his barbecuedmeat, rice, vegetables and salads to go, evenfor those who are not observing the fast. “Acustomer tells me he will eat here? No,” Fathysays. “Everyone here is fasting. The young kidsare fasting.” Fathy’s staff arrive at 8:30 am tobegin preparing the food. They start grilling themeat around noon, around seven hours beforethe traditional evening meal to break the
Ramadan fast, known as iftar.When sundown comes, they must first tend
to customers before taking their own meals.“The most important thing is that there aretables here and people are breaking their fast,”Fathy says. Ramadan is a busy time for restau-rant workers like Fathy, but for others the fast-ing month is quiet. “During the daytime, work-ers reach their limit, unable to move after oneor two hours of work,” says 58-year-old RedaMohammadeen, a manager at an auto repairshop. “That is the maximum effort that they canmuster.”
‘Can’t change obligations’ But Mohammadeen says he doesn’t mind as
customers “themselves do not go out inRamadan especially during the daytime...things are very quiet.” Pharmacist MohamedIbrahim says he has been busy this year howev-er, with the long fasting days leading morepeople to seek medical assistance. Many cometo his shop in Cairo’s Sayeda Zeinab districtwith low blood pressure, headaches and dizzi-ness. “Everyday I inject painkillers that do notbreak the fast to struggling customers of allages,” Ibrahim says.
Egyptians are not alone, with Muslims acrossthe northern hemisphere having to cope withthis year ’s long Ramadan hours. In SaudiArabia, Islam’s spiritual home, Saad Al-Rayessays the long days and searing temperaturesare proving difficult. “The heat is definitelyintense this year, on top of the length of thefasting period which is over 16 hours,” the 45-year-old Riyadh resident says as he heads tothe mosque.
But Rayes says he hasn’t altered his Ramadanroutine. “We have to deal with this weather andwe can’t change our daily obligations.” Nasr AbuZaid, 25, worries about those having to toil out-doors, even though Saudi authorities havebanned work in the sun between 10:00 am and3:00 pm. “Ramadan this year came at the heightof summer and that makes it hard for manypeople. The most affected are those who workoutside and in the construction industry; it’simportant to be kind to them.” — AFP
In Cairo, heat and long days test the faithful
CAIRO: Egyptian cook Fathi grills chicken outside a restaurant in the Egyptian capital Cairo. More than a billion peoplearound the world are marking Ramadan this month, when Muslim faithful abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and hav-ing sex from dawn to dusk. — AFP
Continued from Page 1
free and bought that flock of sheep for him as a capital to beginhis free life with.
(Al-Albani said in As-Silsila As-Saheeha 7/469 that its chain of narra-tors is correct.) The shepherd would never have dreamt of being free,let alone owning the flock of sheep he was tending. Fear and love ofAllah, and anticipating His rewards made that possible. That can hap-pen to anyone who is sincere in his worship of God Almighty. Beingmindful of Allah is underscored more in Ramadan because only Godknows who really fasts and who doesn’t.
Someone can easily lock up himself in a room, eat and drink andthen come out claiming to be fasting, which people would not doubt- but because of the fear and love of God, those who fast don’t do that.Fasting is training for the mindfulness of God that should be contin-ued even after Ramadan. It should be well understood that no onedies until he gets his full share of what Allah had preordained for himin terms of sustenance. Therefore, no one should employ illicit meansto get sustenance.
Abu Umama Al-Bahiley narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)said, “Indeed, Angel Gabriel has revealed into my heart and mind that
no one will die until his life-span ends and until he gets its sustenancein full measure. So fear Allah and seek your sustenance licitly. Moreover,do not let (your assumptions of) delayed subsistence cause you to dis-obey Allah (in order to expedite your sustenance). For, indeed, whatev-er is with Allah cannot be obtained except by obeying Him.” (Al-ImamAl-Albani rated it as authentic in Saheeh Al-Ja’mei 2,085.)
If you truly fear Allah, He will provide for you from places andmeans that you do not expect. Moreover, He will find solutions to yourproblems. Abu Uthman said that Abu Hafs (both pious men) told him,“When you sit in front of people (to exhort and advise them), then bean advisor first to your soul and heart. Moreover, do not be misled bythe fact that they gather around you to listen to you. For indeed, theyonly watch your external behavior, emotions, etc, whereas, Allah (toWhom is ascribed all perfection and majesty) watches over you inter-nally and externally.” (Ihya’aUloum Ad-Deen by Al-Ghazali 4/297)
Courtesy of the TIES Center: The TIES Center aims at empower Kuwait’sexpats through social and educational services that promote a positiveand productive role in society, and to facilitate opportunities for intra-and interfaith interactions that promote social solidarity. For more infor-mation, please call 25231015/6 or e-mail: [email protected]
Be mindful of God
A N A L Y S I STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
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Yesterday was the last day of campaigning forBritain’s referendum on whether or not to stay inthe EU, a momentous decision with far-reaching
implications for Britain and Europe. The campaign hasdivided the country and been ferocious in tone. TheDaily Mirror newspaper called it the “most divisive, vileand unpleasant political campaign in living memory”.Here are some of the key dates in the run-up to today’shistoric vote.
Date set, Boris backs Brexit After marathon talks in Brussels, Conservative Prime
Minister David Cameron emerges late on February 19 withwhat he describes as key reforms to the European Unionthat allow him to recommend Britain staying in.Back inLondon the following day, he sets the referendum date forJune 23, firing the starting gun for campaigning whichbegins almost immediately. The day after that, February21, London’s then mayor Boris Johnson, who many tip as apossible successor to Cameron, reveals his hand and sayshe will support the “Leave” camp, in a major blow to theprime minister.
Corbyn and Obama weigh in The leader of the main opposition Labor party Jeremy
Corbyn makes his first major intervention on April 14, urg-ing Britons to vote in favor of staying in the EU, a daybefore the start of official campaigning.US PresidentBarack Obama delivers a major boost to the “Remain”camp when he says on a visit to London on April 22 thatBritain would be “at the back of the queue” for a trade dealwith Washington if it left the EU.
Global bodies issue warningsThe ‘Remain’ camp wins a boost from international
organizations which back its line that leaving the blocwould be catastrophic for the economy. The G7 group oftop economies says on May 27 that a Brexit would pose a“serious risk to growth”. International Monetary Fundmanaging director Christine Lagarde warns on May 13that quitting the EU would be “pretty bad to very, verybad” for the British economy. Others backing the “Remain”camp include EU politicians, former NATO leaders and theUS defense, foreign and treasury secretaries.
Poll turnaround Early June sees a shift in mood, as the “Leave” camp
takes the lead in opinion polls on the back of increasingfears over immigration, proposing an Australia-stylepoints-based system. Lending weight to the “Leave” cam-paign is the backing of the country’s most-read newspa-per, the Sun, which urges readers to “BeLEAVE” in Britain.Meanwhile, the rival campaigns seek to outdo each otherwith stunts to drum up support. On June 15, a Brexit fish-ing flotilla sails up the River Thames sounding foghornsand displaying anti-EU signs, led by UK IndependenceParty (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage in a protest against EUfishing policies. Pro-EU rocker Bob Geldof pulls alongsidein another boat, flicking a V-sign and shouting “Nigelyou’re a fraud” through a loudspeaker. He is doused withwater from a “Leave” boat.
Pro-EU MP killed Pro-”Remain” lawmaker Jo Cox of Labor is shot and
stabbed to death in her constituency in Birstall in north-ern England. The murder in broad daylight plunges thecountry into mourning and both sides suspend cam-paigning. In his first court appearance, her allegedattacker Thomas Mair gives his name as: “Death to trai-tors, freedom for Britain.” Husband Brendan later told theBBC she had been “worried” about the tone of the EUdebate and that he believed she had been killed for herpolitical views.
Last days, last ditch pleas In the final days of the campaign, polling swings back
towards the “Remain” campaign, with most surveys nowgiving it a narrow lead. Political, economic, cultural andsports figures, along with newspapers on both sides ofthe debate, issue last-ditch pleas for votes. Cameronmakes a clear appeal to older voters-seen as more likely tovote for a Brexit-urging them to think of the “hopes anddreams of your children and your grandchildren”. Globalstocks and sterling rise again on the belief Britain willchoose to stay. The biggest debate of the campaign takesplace on June 21 as Johnson goes head-to-head with hissuccessor as London mayor Sadiq Khan, a “Remain” sup-porter, at London’s Wembley Arena. Both sides accuseeach other of scaremongering. —AFP
Issues
Key dates in UK’s EU referendum
By Pirate Irwin
David Beckham and Ian Bothammay be retired, but their compet-itive spirit has not deserted them
as they battle it out on opposite sides ofBritain’s heated EU referendum debate.Beckham, once the darling of footballterraces worldwide, has declared himselffor the “Remain” camp, while ageingcricket legend Botham has come out for“Leave”.
Beckham, who also played in France,Spain and Italy during his stellar career,said the remarkable Manchester Unitedteam built by manager Sir Alex Fergusonwas more successful because of theeclectic mix of Europeans who con-tributed to its triumphs. “We were abetter and more successful teambecause of a Danish goalkeeper, PeterSchmeichel, the leadership of anIrishman Roy Keane and the skill of aFrenchman in Eric Cantona,” said the 41-year-old on Tuesday in a post onInstagram.
Botham, never one for subtlety eitheras a player or subsequently as a pundit,said he had tired of the number of for-eigners entering Britain. “The peoplecoming into our country, they don’tseem to have to come over with a job,any qualifications, just turn up,” the 60-year-old nicknamed ‘Beefy’ said at a VoteLeave event with Boris Johnson in May. “Ithink it will get cluttered. I would actual-ly start thinking, ‘hang on a minute,we’ve got enough people in this coun-try’,” said the former all-rounder, whoseexploits in winning the Ashes in 1981remain one of England’s greatest sport-ing achievements. Beckham’s former
Manchester United team-mate RioFerdinand followed him on Tuesday,declaring for Remain.
Ferdinand, capped 81 times, said itwould be the first time he has ever vot-ed-aged 37. “I think all the focus onimmigration has been a real shame,”wrote Ferdinand in London’s EveningStandard newspaper. “I don’t wantBritain to become an angry and mean-spirited country. I think there’s a dangerthat, if Leave wins, it’ll be an endorse-ment of the idea that it’s OK to blame allour problems on foreigners. “ TheEngland football team used to do that.
And it didn’t help us play any better.“Europeans make a really important con-tribution to our country, and most of ourproblems are actually home-grown,”Ferdinand said.
‘A precarious place’Reflecting the divide within the coun-
try which has seen families split over howto vote, Ferdinand’s former England cen-tral defensive partner Sol Campbelldeclared for “Leave”. England legend JohnBarnes, meanwhile, came out for “Remain”after justice minister Michael Gove previ-ously named him as part of the “Leave”
camp celebrity lineup. Barnes said hiscomments about a Brexit vote beinggood for English footballers had been“misinterpreted” by Gove as an endorse-ment for leaving the EU, but that he in factsupported remaining part of the bloc.More practically, a Brexit would impactnegatively on how Europe shares intelli-gence on hooliganism, money launderingand people trafficking, Conservative law-maker Damian Collins said.
“If you were a corrupt sports officialyou would want the UK to leave the EU,”said Collins, who is an influential memberof the British parliament’s culture, mediaand sports committee. “I say that becausewhat they don’t want is countries work-ing together to improve governancestandards across the EU and law enforce-ment agencies sharing intelligence andinformation. “That has made them moreeffective, as they have shown in the pastcouple of years with regard to FIFA andthe IAAF. “All sorts of practical things thatare being created through the EU, if wecame out we would have to renegotiateall those with individual states.
“If Sepp Blatter (disgraced former pres-ident of FIFA) had a vote, he’d be votingto leave.” Horse trainer John Gosden-whotrains mounts for owners ranging fromQatari sheikhs to Lady Bamford, wife ofleading pro-Brexit businessman AnthonyBamford-said a vote to leave would havesevere consequences, and not just for the‘Sport of Kings’. “A vote to leave would actas a catalyst for the disintegration of theEU,” the 65-year-old Cambridge Universityeconomics graduate and two-timeEpsom Derby winning trainer said. “Intruth it would be a precarious place for allof us to be.” —AFP
Becks and Botham: From ball games to Brexit ballot
By Jovan Matic, Ismet Hajdari
When Albanian Prime Minister EdiRama wrote to the London Timesabout the risk of Brexit, his mes-
sage was clear-and echoed other Balkannations desperate to join the EuropeanUnion. “Please don’t go,” Rama pleaded.As Britons head towards Thursday’s stay-or-go referendum on the EU, countries insoutheastern Europe fear for the impacton thei r own hopes of jo in ing theBrussels club if the Leave campaign wins.“M y biggest fear i s that the WesternBalkans will go ‘below the radar’ whateverhappens in the UK,” said Tanja Miscevic,who is leading Serbia’s negotiations withthe EU.
“Negotiations between the 27 mem-ber-states and the UK will be a priority onthe EU’s agenda along with the migrantcrisis, Turkey and then-if something elsedoes not come up - enlargement andSerbia,” she said. Six countries have offi-c ia l ly sa id they want to jo in the EU:Albania , Bosnia , Kosovo, M acedonia ,Montenegro and Serbia-together home toaround 20 million people.
Membership negotiations have alreadystarted with Serbia and Montenegro, butare yet to get underway for Albania andMacedonia. Bosnia and Kosovo have beenpromised the prospect of membershipwhen they are ready. However, the blochas ruled out any further enlargementbefore 2020, and even that date looksunrealistic. Macedonia “would be evenfurther from the European Union than it isnow” if Britain severs its links with thebloc, said Petre Silegov, spokesman forthe countr y ’s opposi t ion S ocia lDemocrats.
Feeding euroscepticism Where Britain’s Brexiteers see the EU as an
interference in national sovereignty, many inthe Western Balkans-a region of widespreadpoverty and turbulence-see the 28-nationbloc as a beacon of stability and prosperity.Even so, enthusiasm for the EU has ebbed inthe face of the euro-zone’s troubles andEurope’s migrant crisis, with the latter puttingthese countries on the frontline without thefeeling of being supported by Europe. ABrexit would only reinforce these sentiments,
said regional politicians and analysts.“Britain’s exit would feed eurosceptic ideas
that have always existed,” warned Kosovo’sminister for dialogue, Edita Tahiri. Officially,the region remains in keen pursuit ofEuropean integration. Serbian Prime MinisterAleksandar Vucic, a staunch ultranationalist inthe 1990s who now styles himself a pro-European reformist, won re-election in Aprilwith a strongly pro-EU campaign. In Albania,judicial reforms demanded by Brussels havecreated a political crisis-but it is for internal
reasons and EU accession faces no credibleopposition.
“It is because of this aspiration that wehave changed our long history of wars andbloody conflicts, and entered a new era ofpeace and cooperation,” said Rama in his let-ter to The Times in April. One example ofimproved cooperation is the ongoingBrussels-brokered dialogue between formerfoes Serbia and Kosovo, a key requirement inboth sides’ bids to join the EU. But more thanever, Balkan players have the feeling of notbeing a priority for the troubled bloc-a senti-ment that could be exacerbated by an EU-British divorce. “You cannot expect an EUshaken by the departure of Britain to be pre-occupied with expansion into the Balkans,”said Safet Gerxhaliu, head of the KosovoChamber of Commerce.
Calls to consolidateWhile far-right parties in the region enjoy
less success than in France or Austria, pro-Russian ultranationalists are on the march inSerbia, returning to parliament after Aprilelections to fan the anti-European flame. TheBrexit campaign has already had a knock-oneffect for accession hopefuls, according toMaja Bobic, secretary general of the EuropeanMovement in Serbia (Evropski Pokret). Bobicpointed to politicians “listing enlargement asone of the EU’s bad sides” and waving “thethreat of mass immigration from candidatecountries”. But Balkan nations waiting at theEU’s gates might soon become a problem forthe bloc, according to those keen to join.Miscevic warned that “only a consolidatedEurope” can overcome issues such as themigrant crisis. “This means that the EU canonly overcome and react to the challenges itfaces by working hand-in-hand and integrat-ing the Western Balkans,” she said. —AFP
LONDON: Pro-remain campaigners from ‘Operation Croissant’, a French pro-EU group, hand out postcards written by Parisians urging people in the UKto vote to remain in the EU, as they campaign to avoid a Brexit ahead of theJune 23 EU referendum. —AFP
‘Please don’t go’: Balkan EU hopefuls fret over Brexit
David Beckham
LONDON: Tour de France champion Chris Froome said he was “hungrier thanever” to win the race for a third time after being named yesterday as TeamSky’s leader for next month’s edition. Froome, who won in 2013 and last year,leads a powerful looking Sky team built to steer him to the yellow jersey whenracing begins at Mont-Saint-Michel on July 2. He will be joined by Spain’sclimbing specialist Mikel Landa, another world-classclimber in Colombia’s Sergio Henao and key support riderfrom last year Geraint Thomas. Vasil Kiryienka, MikelNieve, Wout Poels, Luke Rowe and Ian Stannard completeteam principal Dave Brailsford’s squad. “The Tour deFrance will always be the pinnacle of our sport,” Froome,who clicked into gear with victory in the Criterium duDauphine this month, said in a statement. “Every riderobviously starts every new Tour equal and what has gonebefore counts for nothing. This year I am hungrier thanever for success. — Reuters
S P O RT STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
LONDON: Jade Jones is determined to retain her Olympic title in Brazilafter being named in Britain’s four-athlete taekwondo squad for the 2016Rio Games, announced yesterday. The 23-year-old, who became the firstBriton to win Olympic gold in taekwondo, will be joined by world champi-on Bianca Walkden (+67kg), Olympic bronze medallist Lutalo Muhammad(-80kg) and Mahama Cho (+80kg). “I’m going to Rio for gold,” Jones, whowill compete in the -57kg category, was quoted as saying by British media.“I’ll be leaving everything on the mat and I want to be the best whichmakes me hungrier than ever and determined to succeed. “Overall mypreparation for the Games is going really well and things are comingtogether at the right time.” European champion Walkden, 24, who missedthe 2012 London games due to injury, said she was eagerly anticipatingmaking her Olympic debut in the Aug. 5-21 Games. “I can’t wait to getthere now and take the chance to live my dream,” she told British media.“My journey to Rio has been a roller coaster, so it’s amazing to be selected,and winning at the Olympics would mean everything to me.” — Reuters
Jones targets another taekwondo gold in Rio
Froome hungry for third Tour title as Sky’s leader
ROME: Italy’s 2008 Olympic 50km race walk champion Alex Schwazer,who returned from a doping ban to win the world championship titlelast month, has tested positive again for a banned substance, Italy’s ath-letics federation said yesterday. “There has been a notice of a viola-
tion,” a spokesman said but could not confirm newspaperreports that the positive was the result of a re-test of a
January sample, taken after Schwazer had qualified forthe Rio De Janeiro Olympics.
Schwazer, who also won the European 20km titlein 2010, served a ban of three years nine monthsafter admitting using the blood-booster EPO in2012 and now faces a life ban from the sport.
An assistant to one of his coachessaid Schwazer would hold a
news conference later yester-day. — Reuters
Champ Schwazer fails another doping test
BOSTON: Chris Sale mowed down baseball’smost lethal lineup and in return became themajors’ first 12-game winner as the ChicagoWhite Sox quieted the Boston Red Sox 3-1 onTuesday night at Fenway Park. Sale (12-2) struckout nine, tying a season high, and allowed onerun on four hits and a walk over seven innings asChicago (35-36) won its fifth game in six tries inBoston. Todd Frazier hit his 20th home run of theseason, Tim Anderson slugged his first careerhomer and Melky Cabrera drove in a run for theWhite Sox. Mookie Betts drove in the lone run forBoston (39-31), which has dropped six of nine.Clay Buchholz’s return to the Red Sox’s rotationwas listless as he served up a pair of homers andgave up three runs total on four hits and a walkwith five strikeouts in five innings. Buchholz (3-7)lost his starting job May 26 after giving up sixruns in an 8-2 loss against Colorado and hadmade five relief appearances since.
DODGERS 3, NATIONALS 2Yasmani Grandal hit a towering three-run
homer in the eighth inning as Los Angeles camefrom behind to defeat Washington. Tanner Roark(6-5), who had been masterful all night behind a2-0 lead, put the first two batters on in the eighthinning and Grandal drove a 2-1 fastball over thecenter field fence. It was the catcher’s sixth homerun of the season. One day after becoming theDodgers’ all-time saves leader, Kenley Jansenearned his 21st of the season with a perfectinning of relief. Louis Coleman (1-1) recorded thewinner with one scoreless inning.
GIANTS 15, PIRATES 4Angel Pagan hit a grand slam and Johnny
Cueto picked up his 11th win as San Franciscowalloped Pittsburgh. Conor Gillaspie added atwo-run homer and finished with four hits andfour RBIs for the Giants, who had 22 hits. Theyhave won nine of their past 10 games. Pueto (11-1) allowed one run on four hits with six strikeoutsand one walk over 6 2/3 innings. He left in theseventh after the Pirates broke up his shutoutwhen Jacob Stallings got his first major-leaguehit, a double to the left-field wall, and RBI.Pittsburgh has lost six of its past seven gamesand 11 of its last 13.
ASTROS 3, ANGELS 2Carlos Correa hit a two-run, walk-off single in
the ninth inning to lift Houston. Correa, whoseleadoff homer in the fifth inning served as thelone run scored against Angels left-handerHector Santiago, lined a 3-2 pitch from Angelscloser Huston Street (2-1) into the right-centerfield gap to score George Springer and MarwinGonzalez, both of whom had walked. Astros sec-ond baseman Jose Altuve followed Gonzalezwith a grounder off the glove of third basemanYunel Escobar to load the bases for Correa. TheAstros (36-36) pulled to .500 for the first timesince April 6. Astros right-hander Luke Gregerson(1-1) earned the victory in relief.
CARDINALS 4, CUBS 3St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright was hit for three
early runs then shut down Chicago for his firstwin in more than three weeks. The victory wasthe second straight for the Cardinals (37-33) overthe Cubs in a series that wraps up Wednesday.Chicago (47-22) saw its still formidable NationalLeague Central lead over St. Louis slip to 10 1/2games. Wainwright (6-4) was hit for single runsin the first, third and fourth innings but held theCubs scoreless through the balance of his 6 2/3inning outing. Chicago starter Jason Hammel (7-3) suffered his second loss of June after giving upfour runs on six hits, walking one and striking outthree.
INDIANS 6, RAYS 0Corey Kluber pitched a three-hit, complete-
game shutout and Jose Ramirez and Juan Uribehomered to lead streaking Cleveland. Kluber (7-7) struck out nine and walked two in pitching histhird career shutout. The only hits allowed by
Kluber were singles, by Corey Dickerson in thesecond inning and by Brad Miller and EvanLongoria in the ninth. The victory extends the ALCentral-leading Indians’ winning streak to five ina row. They have also won 10 straight homegames. Tampa Bay, last in the AL East, has lost sixin a row.
METS 2, ROYALS 1Five New York pitchers combined for 8 2/3
innings of one-run relief after right-handerBartolo Colon departed with a thumb injury, andAsdrubal Cabrera and Yoenis Cespedes each hitsolo homers as the Mets edged Kansas City in arematch of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field.The piecemeal win stopped a three-game losingstreak for New York (37-32). The Royals (38-32)had a three-game winning streak snapped.Hansel Robles, who entered after Colon was hiton the right thumb by a line drive off the bat ofKansas City leadoff batter Whit Merrifield, earnedthe win after allowing one run on five hits andone walk while striking out six over a career-high3 2/3 innings. X-rays on Colon’s thumb were neg-ative. The 43-year-old, who had never recordedfewer than two outs in his first 481 big leaguestarts dating back to 1997, is day-to-day.
REDS 8, RANGERS 2Jay Bruce and Zack Cozart provided the mus-
cle, backing Anthony DeSclafani’s arm inCincinnati’s victory over streaking Texas. Bruceand Cozart each went deep, combining to drivein seven runs in the opener of a two-game inter-league series. That was plenty of support forDeSclafani, who picked up his first win of the sea-son. The Rangers (46-26) not only lost for the firsttime in eight games, but Colby Lewis suffered hisfirst setback in seven decisions. Texas also had itsstring of series victories snapped at 10 in a row.
TIGERS 4, MARINERS 2Mike Aviles’ nubbed single 40 feet down the
first base line with one out and the bases loadedin the eighth inning scored pinch-runner AndrewRomine with the tie-breaking run to lead Detroitover Seattle. Bruce Rondon (1-0) pitched a score-less eighth to earn the win in his second appear-ance since being recalled from the minors.Francisco Rodriguez gave up a pair of two-outsingles before finishing his 20th save of the sea-son. Justin Verlander went the first seven inningsfor the Tigers, striking out five and allowing sixhits. Verlander stranded a Mariners runner atthird with one out in the third, getting twostraight strikeouts after a double plus a sacrifice.He also got three outs in a row following Cano’sleadoff double in the fourth.
PADRES 10, ORIOLES 7Matt Kemp finished with four hits, and Derek
Norris homered and drew a key bases-loadedwalk as San Diego Padres rallied. Baltimore helda 6-3 lead heading into the seventh when itsbullpen and defense faltered. Three walks, a wildpitch and an error helped the Padres score fourruns and take a 7-6 lead. San Diego has wonthree straight and its bullpen helped slam thedoor on the Orioles after starter Luis Perdomoallowed six runs in five innings. Mychal Givens (5-1) faced five batters and didn’t record an out,allowing four runs on three hits with two walks.Baltimore starter Tyler Wilson left after sixinnings with that three-run lead but Givensstruggled.
ROCKIES 8, YANKEES 4Charlie Blackmon homered twice and Nolan
Arenado hit a two-run homer as Coloradodefeated New York. Arenado hit his 21st homerun with one out in the sixth when he drove a 1-0 pitch from reliever Nick Goody inside the foulpole and over the left field wall. Before the thirdbaseman hit his latest home run, Blackmonrecorded his fourth career multi-homer gamewith solo shots in the first and fourth off IvanNova (5-5). Mark Reynolds drove in two runs,Carlos Gonzalez had an RBI single and Arenadoadded a sacrifice fly as the Rockies (34-36) wonfor the 10th time in 15 games.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, BLUE JAYS 2Yasmany Tomas and Peter O’Brien hit home
runs, Patrick Corbin pitched into the seventhinning and Arizona defeated Toronto. Corbin (4-6) allowed eight hits, three walks and two runs in6 1/3 innings. The left-hander struck out three asthe Diamondbacks (34-39) extended their win-ning streak to five games as the Blue Jays (39-34)lost their third in a row. Blue Jays starter MarcoEstrada (5-3) allowed two hits, including a homerun, three walks and three runs while striking outeight in six innings before Jesse Chavez replacedhim. It was the 11th straight start in whichEstrada had allowed five or fewer hits whilegoing six or more innings.
BRAVES 4, MARLINS 2 (10 INNINGS)Jace Peterson tied the score with a two-run
homer in the eighth and knocked in the winningrun with a single in the 10th as Atlanta continued
its mastery of Miami. The Braves (24-46), whohave the worst record in the National League,have taken six of seven games from the Marlins(37-34) this season. Atlanta, which is riding a sea-son-high six-game winning streak, is 29-12 atMarlins Park since it opened in 2012.
TWINS 14, PHILLIES 10Kurt Suzuki had four hits and knocked in a
career high six runs as Minnesota outsluggedPhiladelphia. Suzuki roped a liner into the left-field corner in his final at-bat, but settled for hissecond two-run double instead of trying forwhat would have been his first career cycle.
Both pitching staffs were ineffective andeach offense took advantage early and often.The Phillies pounded out 14 hits, including fourhome runs while the Twins also managed 14 hits
in winning their second consecutive game.Philadelphia lost its eighth straight contestdespite scoring more than two runs for the firsttime in a week.
ATHLETICS 5, BREWERS 3Marcus Semien went 3-for-4 with a triple and
drove in three runs as Oakland rallied pastMilwaukee. The Brewers, who swept a two-gameseries from the Athletics at Miller Park on June 7-8, lost their fourth straight game and fell to 1-7on their nine-game road trip, which endsWednesday against Oakland. The A’s ended theirtwo-game losing streak and improved to 3-5 ontheir nine-game homestand. Oakland’s SonnyGray gave up two runs (one earned) on sevenhits over six innings and got a no-decision. Grayhasn’t won since April 22 at Toronto. — Reuters
Sale first to 12 wins, White Sox beat Red Sox
American LeagueEastern Division
W L PCT GB Baltimore 40 30 .571 - Boston 39 31 .557 1 Toronto 39 34 .534 2.5 NY Yankees 34 36 .486 6 Tampa Bay 31 38 .449 8.5
Central DivisionCleveland 40 30 .571 - Kansas City 38 32 .543 2 Detroit 36 35 .507 4.5 Chicago WSox 35 36 .493 5.5 Minnesota 22 48 .314 18
Western DivisionTexas 46 26 .639 - Seattle 36 35 .507 9.5 Houston 36 36 .500 10 LA Angels 31 40 .437 14.5 Oakland 29 41 .414 16
National LeagueEastern Division
Washington 43 29 .597 - NY Mets 37 32 .536 4.5 Miami 37 34 .521 5.5 Philadelphia 30 42 .417 13 Atlanta 24 46 .343 18
Central DivisionChicago Cubs 47 22 .681 - St. Louis 37 33 .529 10.5 Pittsburgh 34 37 .479 14 Milwaukee 31 40 .437 17 Cincinnati 28 43 .394 20
Western DivisionSan Francisco 45 27 .625 - LA Dodgers 40 33 .548 5.5 Colorado 34 36 .486 10 Arizona 34 39 .466 11.5 San Diego 30 42 .417 15
MLB results/standings
Colorado 8, NY Yankees 4; San Diego 10, Baltimore 7; San Francisco 15, Pittsburgh 4; Arizona4, Toronto 2; Detroit 4, Seattle 2; Atlanta 3, Miami 2 (10 innings); Chicago White Sox 3, Boston1; NY Mets 2, Kansas City 1; Cleveland 6, Tampa Bay 0; Cincinnati 8, Texas 2; St. Louis 4,Chicago Cubs 3; Houston 3, LA Angels 2; Minnesota 14, Philadelphia 10; Oakland 5,Milwaukee 3; LA Dodgers 3, Washington 2.
KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing andmost developed telecom operator, launchedthe competition “Score & Win” Euro 2016starting 10 June until 10 July 2016.
The competition “Score & Win” is an info-tainment service where VIVA’s customerscan subscribe to the service by sending“WIN” to the short-code 50441, andincludes the following services: a subscrip-tion service includes the free trial period of3 days, daily points and content about theEuro 2016 championships. In addition, sub-scribers have the chance to play in thegame “Score 11” that grants the users the
opportunity to receive an instant prize (Playstation 4 console) when answering correct-ly 11 questions about soccer.
Winners are eligible to win valuableprizes through draws: 2 LED screens and 2iPhone 6S Plus. Mid-campaign’s prize willbe 2 tickets to attend Euro 2016 finals inParis including traveling ticket and accom-modation, and the final draw will allowusers to win the big prize $10,000.
To find out more about “Score & Win”Euro 2016, visit one of the 70 VIVA branches,or the VIVA website at www.viva.com.kw, orcall VIVA’s 24-hour call center on 102.
VIVA launches ‘Score & Win’ Euro 2016 competition
BOSTON: Jose Abreu #79 of the Chicago White Sox slides under the tag of Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox in the sixth inning during the game at Fenway Park on Tuesday inBoston, Massachusetts. — AFP
S P O RT STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
BETHESDA: The late Spanish legend SeveBallesteros continues to influence golfers,including Spaniard Jon Rahm andAmerican Jordan Niebrugge, who maketheir professional debuts today at the USPGA National tournament.
The newcomers received key advicefrom Sergio Garcia and Jose MariaOlazabal, both of whom were inspired byBallesteros, while the five-time major win-ner is a role model for Rahm, the low ama-teur at last week’s US Open. “I’ve reallybeen studying Seve and how he had thatcharisma, that special thing to bring peo-ple closer,” Rahm said. “That’s something I
look up to, something I would like to doone day.” Ballesteros, who died in 2011 atage 54 of brain cancer, won three BritishOpens and two Masters titles as well as ahost of fans with his skill and passion, withOlazabal and Garcia following in his foot-steps as Spanish champions.
“Those three guys are idols in Spain,”Rahm said. “I really look up to Seve, moston his character, the way he brought peo-ple together. Because of them I play golfnowadays. Two major champions, Sergiocoming in as a 19-year-old the way he did,it really is a reference to know if they did it,I can do it too.”Rahm wore blue and white
at the US Open as a tribute to Ballesteros,who shared the lead entering the 1983 USOpen final round at Oakmont but settledfor fourth. “I put the colors on knowing hewould be out there in heaven lookingdown on me and helping me out,” he said.“They gave me some extra confidence thatif I was wearing those colors I had to honorhim. Hence the up and down on 18 tomake the cut. It had some special meaningto me.” Rahm, 21, won a world amateurtitle after Olazabal said he needed toimprove his short game. Rahm also servednotice of his skills by sharing 23rd lastweek at Oakmont and fifth at last year’s
Phoenix Open, the best PGA result by anamateur since Chris Wood’s fifth at the2008 British Open. “That week gave methe confidence I needed to know I couldcompete with the best,” Rahm said.
Niebrugge, 22, shared sixth at last year’sBritish Open, the best finish and lowestscore by an amateur at St. Andrews. Hismajor memory from the week came whenhe strode up the final hole alongsideGarcia, who passed along some Seve-esque advice.
“The thing that probably sticks themost was walking up 18 the last day withSergio and everybody on all sides,”
Niebrugge said. “It was pretty special,” headded. “He just told me to never forget thisbecause you don’t really get to see thistype of stage too often. So I definitelywon’t forget that.
I get chills every time thinking aboutthat so it was pretty awesome.” Rahm ishoping little will change in the pro ranks,except for getting the paychecks. “It hasnever been about the money for me. SinceI was a kid, I had the dream to become agreat player,” he said. “It really shouldn’tmake a difference. If you make the leastamount of strokes, you’re going to makethe most amount of money.” — AFP
Seve’s legacy lives on with influence on newest pros
LONDON: Northern Ireland’s four-times majorwinner Rory McIlroy has decided to pull out ofthe historic golf tournament at the Rio OlympicGames in August because of health fears overthe Zika virus. “After speaking with those closestto me, I’ve come to realise that my health andmy family’s health comes before anything else,”the world number four said in a statement yes-terday. “Even though the risk of infection fromthe Zika virus is considered low, it is a risknonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take.”
The 27-year-old McIlroy was due to representIreland, rather than Britain, at the Games and hiswithdrawal is the latest blow to golf, which isreturning to the Olympics for the first time since1904. A number of big names, including Fiji’sVijay Singh and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa,have also withdrawn because of the virus.Controversy over the Aug. 5-21 Games hasgrown as more becomes known about Zika. Themosquito-borne virus can cause crippling birthdefects and, in adults, has been linked to theneurological disorder Guillain-Barre.
Last week, the World Health Organisation(WHO) said that the Games did not need to bemoved or postponed because there is “a verylow risk” that holding the event in Brazil willcause further spread of the virus.
An expert WHO panel on Zika concluded thatstaging the event during the Brazilian wintermeans the mosquito population will be smallerand intensified mosquito-control measures inplace around venues “should further reduce therisk of transmission”.
MIXED RESPONSEMedical experts had a mixed response to
McIlroy’s decision. Derek Gatherer, a virus expertat Britain’s Lancaster University, said if the golferwas “contemplating becoming a father within ayear or so, then it was a perfectly reasonableprecaution to stay away from regions of activeZika transmission”.
But Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecularvirology at the University of Nottingham, said:“Obviously I don’t know the reasons for this deci-sion, but it does strike me as being extreme.
“The chances of being infected by the Zikavirus is low, especially if you protect yourselffrom mosquito bites by covering up and using agood insect repellent.” But there are clearly wor-ries in the golf world. Earlier this month, worldnumber one Jason Day expressed doubts for thefirst time over whether he would compete and
the virus was a hot topic of conversation amonggolfers at last week’s U.S. Open. Masters champi-on Danny Willett, whose wife Nicole gave birthto their first child at the end of March, said hewas excited about the Olympic Games butwould not to go if his family’s health was at risk.
The list of absentees also includes Australianworld number eight Adam Scott and SouthAfrica’s world number 14 Louis Oosthuizen, whoboth opted out of playing in Rio over schedulingconflicts.
FROZEN SPERMThe connection between Zika and micro-
cephaly first came to light last year in Brazil,which has now confirmed more than 1,400 casesof microcephaly that it considers to be related toZika infections in mothers.
Britain’s Olympic long jump champion GregRutherford has decided to have his sperm frozenbefore the Games. His partner Susie Verrill, whowill not travel to Rio with their young son, saidthe couple had taken the precaution because
they wanted to have more children. McIlroy,who is engaged to American Erica Stoll, took along time to decide who he would represent inRio and threatened to skip the Olympics as heagonised over his choice between Britain andIreland before opting for the latter in 2014. “Itrust the Irish people will understand my deci-sion (not to go). The unwavering support Ireceive every time I compete in a golf tourna-ment at home or abroad means the world tome,” McIlroy added.
“I will continue to endeavour to make my fansand fans of golf proud with my play on thecourse and my actions off it.” Irish golf team cap-tain Paul McGinley said McIlroy would have beena 100 percent certain pick for the Games but ful-ly understood the reasoning behind the player’swithdrawal. “It’s not for me to influence his deci-sion, it’s a health decision he has discussed withhis family and wife to be,” McGinley told Irishnational broadcaster RTE. “Shane (Lowry) andGMac (Graeme McDowell) are the next two in atthe moment.” — Reuters
McIlroy pulls out of Rio over Zika fears
OAKMONT: In this Saturday, June 18, 2016 file photo, Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watch-es his tee shot on the ninth hole during the rain delayed second round of the US Open golfchampionship at Oakmont Country Club, in Oakmont, Pa. McIlroy says he will not be compet-ing in the golf tournament at the Rio de Janiero Olympics because of concerns over the Zikavirus, it was reported yesterday. — AP
JAKARTA: In this picture taken on June 16, 2016 Indonesia weightlifting athlete Deniconducts a daily exercise in Jakarta, during a holy month of Ramadan. IndonesianOlympic medallist Triyatno had a look of pained determination on his face as hehauled a 180 kilo barbell into the air — no mean feat for a weightlifter fasting duringthe Islamic holy month of Ramadan. — AFP
JAKARTA: Indonesian Olympic medallistTriyatno had a look of pained determina-tion on his face as he hauled a 180 kilo bar-bell into the air-no mean feat for aweightlifter fasting during the Islamic holymonth of Ramadan.
The 28-year-old and fellow weightlifterEko Yuli Irawan were Indonesia’s only twomedal winners at the last Olympics, clinch-ing silver and bronze respectively, and thepressure is on as they gear up for Rio thissummer. But that has not stopped the ath-letes joining tens of millions of others inthe world’s most populous Muslim-majoritycountry in forgoing food and drink duringthe daytime to mark Ramadan.
And they insist it has not affected theirintensive preparations. “I don’t find it aheavy weight, it’s not difficult,” Triyatno saidof juggling the competing demands offasting and getting ready for the Olympics.
“My training remains the same.” At arecent session at a gym in Jakarta’s mainstadium, the country’s weightlifting teamspent two hours grunting and groaning asthey pumped iron under the watchful eyesof their coaches.
While most in Indonesia practise a mod-erate form of Islam, religion still plays alarge role in many people’s lives, and thetraining began with the team standing in acircle and saying a brief prayer.
Triyatno, who like many Indonesiansgoes by one name, claimed silver at theLondon 2012 Olympics in the -69kg classwith a total of 333kg, while 26-year-oldIrawan won bronze in the -62kg class, lift-ing a total of 317kg.
But the final medal tally of just two wasIndonesia’s worst at an Olympics for over20 years, with the performance draggeddown by a poor showing from the tradi-tionally strong badminton players.
As the best per formers in London,Indonesia’s weightlifting team-which con-sists of five men and two women-are nowcarrying the country’s hopes for success ontheir broad shoulders as they head into Rio.
‘WARRIOR MENTALITY’ Triyatno and Irawan will face stiff com-
petition from the likes of the Chinese andNorth Koreans, but they appeared relaxedat the recent training session.
And they insisted observing Ramadan
would not get in the way of their prepara-tions, with the men typically training fourhours a day, five days a week. “Praise be toGod, up till now it has not affected me,”Irawan told AFP of the fasting month.
“I am used to it, every time there is achampionship, we must lose some weightso we must eat less anyway.” But he con-ceded that at times it was tough and thirstin particular was a challenge.
“It is a bit difficult to stay focused but wedon’t have to train hard every day, somedays we just work on our technique,” hesaid. For his part, national team coach DirjaWiharja did not believe the country’s topmedal hopes would be affected.
“Indonesian athletes have a warriormentality, they will fight to give their best-that is what a true champion is,” he said.
The coach has made adjustments fortraining in Ramadan, Islam’s holiest monthwhen Muslims commemorate the divinerevelations received by Prophet Mohammed(PBUH). For the pre-dawn breakfast thatMuslims eat to set them up for a day of fast-ing, the weightlifters are given more supple-ments than usual and advised against eat-ing unhealthy fried foods.
The training starts later, at 9:30 aminstead of 9:00 am, to give them a littlemore rest. Triyatno and Irawan had modestupbringings in the province of Lampung,on western Sumatra island, and stumbledinto weightlifting almost by accident.
Irawan said he originally wanted to joinhis local football club but could not affordthe monthly fee so took up weightlifting,which was free, while Triyatno was attract-ed by the prospect of getting to travel andstaying in nice hotels.
But they quickly went on to compete atthe national level and have never lookedback. After the Eid holiday at the start ofJuly marking the end of Ramadan, theweightlifters will take part in a trainingcamp in South Africa before heading to Rio.
While some have voiced concerns aboutthe impact of fasting, others believe thatsuch strong religious devotion could helpIndonesia on the path to Olympic victory.
“If the faith is strong, we should do evenbetter,” said Aveenash Pandoo, a formerSouth African national coach who is help-ing the Indonesians prepare for theOlympics. — AFP
Indonesian Olympic lifters say Ramadan no heavy weight
WELLINGTON: Wales vowed yesterday toplay “bold” rugby in their last chance thisseries to notch an elusive win against NewZealand, despite an ever-mounting injurytoll in the touring squad.
The Welsh said in-form prop GethinJenkins (calf ), lock Bradley Davies (knee)and flanker Josh Turnbull (shoulder) had allbeen sent home ahead of the third Test onSaturday, following winger George North’stour-ending hamstring injury earlier in theseries. However, in a rare piece of goodnews from the team doctor, centre JamieRoberts has passed concussion tests and isavailable to play in Dunedin.
Assistant coach Robin McBryde said theinjuries would not change Wales’ plans for amatch expected to be played at a hightempo under the roof of Forsyth BarrStadium.
He said despite being 2-0 down, thetourists would maintain the expansive stylethat had allowed them to challenge theworld champions for long periods in thefirst two games.
“We’ve been pretty bold and the playershave said they want to evolve and movethe game on, so it ’s good to see themembracing that,” McBryde said.
“In the last game we were willing to trydifferent things and not everything cameoff, but we can’t be scared of that.” Headded: “When you fear change too muchyou become paralysed.”
Fly-half Dan Biggar said Dunedin wasthe tourists’ final opportunity to end a 63-year losing streak against the All Blacksdating back 28 matches to 1953. He wasconvinced they could end the dismalsequence by avoiding the mistakes andconcentration lapses that marred other-wise strong performances in Aucklandand Wellington.
“We’ve shown how competitive we canbe, but the next step for us on Saturday iswinning and holding out for an 80-minuteperformance,” he said. Biggar said Waleshad improved their game on tour andwould be disappointed to leave NewZealand without a win, after their 39-21and 36-22 defeats so far.
“It’s not about going down to Dunedinto finish off our season and serenade theAll Blacks and say how good they’ve been,”he said. “It’s about getting in amongst themagain and pushing them... one more pushfor beating New Zealand in New Zealand isworthwhile.” — Reuters
BRISBANE: Winger Dane Gagai scored a hat-trickof tries as Queensland fought off a strong NewSouth Wales challenge to win their 20th State ofOrigin rugby league series in Brisbane yesterday.The Maroons triumphed 26-16, scoring four triesto two for their 10th win in the last 11 series tocontinue their domination of the Australian inter-state contest.
Queensland wrapped up the three-matchseries with a match to play, after winning theopening game 6-4 in Sydney earlier this month.
Gagai bobbed up for three tries at crucialtimes, while opposite winger Corey Oates scoredanother for Queensland.
The team also owed their victory to their influ-ential Test halves Cooper Cronk and JohnathanThurston, with Thurston landing some spirallingconversions from the sideline in his haul of five
goals from six attempts. The Maroons, under first-year coach Kevin Walters, looked poised for acomfortable win with a 16-4 lead early in the sec-ond half before the Blues mounted a brave fight-back to trail 20-16 with 13 minutes left.
But centre Michael Jennings was centimetresaway from scoring a scrambling try inQueensland’s in goal before Oates sealed thegame for the Maroons with his try in the cornerafter some sublime ball work from Thurston.
“Full credit to the Blues, they kept throwing itat us and they scored a long-range try which gotthem a bit of momentum but we kept our cool,stuck to the game plan and came up with it atthe end,” Thurston said. The Blues were moreenterprising than in the opening game and trou-bled Queensland with their quick ball move-ment. Queensland back-rower Sam Thaiday was
put on referee’s report for a dangerous tippingtackle on NSW skipper Paul Gallen.
The Maroons scored a try against the run ofplay late in the first half when winger Dabe Gagaiseized on a loose pass and raced 70 metres downthe right touchline to beat the cover and score.Thurston kicked an arcing conversion from thesideline to give Queensland a 10-4 half-time lead.But Gagai scored his second try just after theresumption before newcomer Tyson Fizzellscored for NSW.
Gagai landed his third try off a Thurston grub-ber kick as Queensland led by 10 points into theclosing stages. The Blues refused to give in andstand-off James Maloney raced 70-metres toscore before Oates made it safe for the homeside. The final game of the series takes place inSydney on July 13. — AFP
Injury-hit Wales won’t fear All Blacks
Gagai scores hat-trick as Queensland clinch series
KIEL: Boats of the 470er class sail off the Baltic Sea harbor of Kiel, Germany, yesterday, as part of the Kiel Sailing Week.— AP
S P O RT STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
LONDON: Novak Djokovic and AndyMurray are on course for a Wimbledonfinal showdown after being confirmed asthe top two seeds for the grass-courtGrand Slam.
World number one Djokovic and sec-ond ranked Murray will be seeded inthose positions, All England Club officialsannounced yesterday, meaning they can’tmeet until the final as they will be placedat opposite ends of Friday’s draw.
Djokovic is bidding to win Wimbledonfor the fourth time and third year in a rowas the Serb chases a rare calendar Grand
Slam. Murray is aiming to win his thirdGrand Slam title and his first since he beatDjokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final tobecome the first British male singleschampion at the All England Club for 77years. The Scot has lost 13 of his last 15matches against Djokovic, including thisyear’s Australian and French Open finals,but he has won their last two meetings ongrass and is in fine form after lifting theQueen’s Club title for a record fifth timelast week. If the world’s top two make theWimbledon title match it would be arecord-equalling eighth Grand Slam final
between them. Djokovic has defeatedRoger Federer in the last two Wimbledonfinals and the Swiss legend will be seededthird in his bid for a record eighthWimbledon title. Federer, a 17-time GrandSlam winner, hasn’t won a major title sincelifting the Wimbledon trophy in 2012 andhas endured an injury-plagued year thatsaw him miss the French Open.
Federer’s compatriot Stan Wawrinka isseeded fourth and Japan’s Kei Nishikori isthe fifth seed. World number 10 RichardGasquet has been moved up to the sev-enth seeding after reaching the
Wimbledon semi-finals last year, while2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic is lift-ed from a world ranking of 13 to a seed-ing of ninth. Defending champion SerenaWilliams will be top seed in the women’sdraw as the American looks to equal SteffiGraf’s Open era record by sealing a 22ndGrand Slam triumph.
Williams, who has won Wimbledon sixtimes, has failed at the last hurdle in herlast two major tournaments, enduringsurprise defeats at the Australian andFrench Open finals this year.
The world number one’s conqueror at
Roland Garros, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza,is seeded second with Poland’s AgnieszkaRadwanska, the 2012 Wimbledon runner-up, named as the third seed. JohannaKonta is the first British female to be seed-ed at Wimbledon since Jo Durie in 1984.
The 25-year-old’s ranking has shot upfrom 146th to 18th and she was named asthe 17th seed following her shock run tothe Australian Open semi-finals in January.Seedings at Wimbledon, which starts onMonday, are determined using a combina-tion of a player’s ranking points and theirresults in grass-court matches. — AFP
Djokovic, Murray seeded for Wimbledon final showdown
HARARE: India’s players pose with the Prayag Series Trophy after winning the third and final T20 cricket match in a series of three games between India and Zimbabwe in the Prayag Cup at Harare Sports Club, in Harare, yesterday. — AFP
HARARE: India’s Kedar Jadhav blasted his high-est score in Twenty20 internationals as they beatZimbabwe by three runs in a tense finish to claimthe three-match series 2-1 at the Harare SportsClub yesterday. Zimbabwe won the toss andchose to bowl first, restricting the tourists to 138for six in their 20 overs on a slow wicket as Jadhavtop-scored with 58 from 42 balls. But the hostsbattled to keep up with the scoring rate and wentinto the final over of the match, bowled byBarinder Sran (2-31), needing 21 for victory.
When the first two balls of the over wentfor 12 runs a sensational victory looked on thecards, but Sran came back well and bowledElton Chigumbura (16) off the last delivery ofthe innings to leave Zimbabwe agonisinglyshort of a series victory.
It was the first time on India’s six-match lim-ited overs tour that they batted first and, afterstarts for Lokesh Rahul (22) and AmbatiRayudu (20), Jadhav provided the impetus theinnings desperately needed as he blazed seven
fours and a six. India’s opening bowlersrestricted the run-rate well as Zimbabwereached 59-2 at the halfway mark of theirinnings, with Sran going for just 14 in his firstthree overs and Dhawal Kulkarni ending withfigures of 2-23 in his allotted four. Vusi Sibanda(28 from 23 balls) top scored for the hosts assevral batsmen made starts but could notmatch Jadhav’s half-century heroics. India alsowon 3-0 in the one-day international seriesthat preceded the 20-over games. — Reuters
India win series with 3-run victory
IndiaKL Rahul b Madziva 22Mandeep Singh c Maruma b Tiripano 4A. Rayudu c Chigumbura b Cremer 20M. Pandey run out 0K. Jadhav c Chigumbura b Tiripano 58MS Dhoni b Tiripano 9A. Patel not out 20D. Kulkarni not out 1Extras (1lb, 3w) 4Total (6 wkts, 20 overs) 138Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Mandeep Singh), 2-27(Rahul), 3-27 (Pandey), 4-76 (Rayudu), 5-93(Dhoni), 6-122 (Jadhav).Did not bat: Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran,Yuzvendra Chahal.Bowling: Chatara 4-1-34-0, Tiripano 4-0-20-3,Madziva 4-0-32-1, Chibhabha 4-0-19-0, Cremer4-0-32-1.
ZimbabweC. Chibhabha c Chahal b Sran 5H. Masakadza lbw b Patel 15V. Sibanda lbw b Kulkarni 28P. Moor c Mandeep Singh b Chahal 26M. Waller c Bumrah b Kulkarni 10E. Chigumbura c Chahal b Sran 16T. Maruma not out 23Extras (8lb, 3w, 1nb) 12Total (6 wkts, 20 overs) 135Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Chibhabha), 2-57(Masakadza), 3-60 (Sibanda), 4-86 (Moor), 5-104 (Waller), 6-135 (Chigumbura).Did not bat: Graeme Cremer, Neville Madziva,Donald Tiripano, Tendai Chatara.Bowling: Sran 4-1-31-2, Kulkarni 4-0-23-2,Bumrah 4-0-23-0, Patel 4-0-18-1, Chahal 4-0-32-1.Result: India win by three runs.
SCOREBOARD
HARARE: Scoreboard for the third Twenty20 international between Zimbabwe and Indiayesterday:
West Indies InningsJ. Charles c Smith b Starc 0A. Fletcher c Marsh b Starc 9D. Bravo c Smith b Hazlewood 15S. Samuels c Marsh b Faulkner 125D. Ramdin b Starc 91K. Pollard c Marsh b Boland 20C. Brathwaite b Boland 7J. Holder c Marsh b Faulkner 1S. Narine not out 1Extras (lb-4, w-9) 13Total (50 overs, 8 wickets) 282Fall of wickets: 0-1 (Charles), 2-29 (Bravo), 3-31 (Fletcher), 4-223 (Ramdin), 5-247(Pollard), 6-269 (Brathwaite), 7-274 (Holder),8-282 (Samuels).Did not bat: S. Benn, S. Gabriel.Bowling: M. Starc 10-1-51-3 (3w), J. Hazlewood10-3-40-1, J. Faulkner 10-0-56-2, S. Boland 10-0-69-2 (3w), M. Marsh 5-0-36-0 (1w), A. Finch
3-0-16-0, G. Maxwell 2-0-10-0 (2w).Australia InningsU. Khawaja c wkpr Ramdin b Gabriel 17A. Finch c Samuels b Brathwaite 16S. Smith run out 78G. Bailey c Pollard b Benn 34M. Marsh not out 79G. Maxwell not out 46Extras (b-3, lb-4, w-6) 13Total (48.4 overs, 4 wickets) 283Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Finch), 2-35 (Gabriel), 3-99 (Bailey), 4-221 (Smith).Did not bat: M. Wade, J. Faulkner, M. Starc, S.Boland, J. Hazlewood.Bowling: J. Holder 2-0-20-0, S. Gabriel 9-1-43-1, C. Brathwaite 9-0-62-1, S. Benn 10-0-47-1, S. Narine 10-0-49-0 (3w),K. Pollard 5.4-0-42-0 (3w), A. Fletcher 3-0-13-0.Result: Australia won by six wickets.
SCOREBOARD
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Scoreboard of seventh match of the Tri-Nation One-Day Internationalseries between West Indies and Australia at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Tuesday.
BARBADOS: Australia qualified for the final of thetriangular one-day international series (ODI) with asix-wicket win over West Indies in Barbados onTuesday. West Indies were sent in to bat and com-piled 282 for eight off their 50 overs, with MarlonSamuels scoring 125 off 134 balls for his maidenODI century against Australia. Wicketkeeper-bats-man Denesh Ramdin chipped in with a brisk 91 in a192-run fourth wicket stand as the hosts roaredback after losing three early wickets. Australia madea wobbly start to their reply, with openers AaronFinch (16) and Usman Khawaja (17) going early, butsettled to chase down the target with eight balls tospare, Glenn Maxwell (46 not out) securing victorywith a devastating late burst.
The result means the winner of Friday’s matchbetween West Indies and South Africa will advanceto Sunday’s final against Australia at KensingtonOval in Bridgetown. While captain Steve Smith (78)top-scored for Australia with his third successive
ODI half-century, the batting form of team matesMitchell Marsh (79 not out) and Maxwell pleasedthe skipper. Maxwell’s innings included a magnifi-cent switch-hit sweep for six over cover-point offspinner Sunil Narine in the 46th over.
In the next over he bludgeoned 14 runs off threeballs off Carlos Brathwaite to effectively seal victory.“An innings like that, I was speechless at the otherend,” said Marsh in an on-field interview. “Maxie has alot of doubters but an innings like today shows whyhe’s such a pivotal part of the team.”Smith, whodownplayed a question about apparent on-fieldsledging, had plenty of praise to share around. “Ithought Mitchell Marsh played a very mature inningsand Glenn Maxwell finished off nicely with a few ofhis trademark reverse slog sweeps, or whateverthey’re called,” he said. West Indies captain JasonHolder limped off with a strained left hamstring afterbowling just two overs and is doubtful for Friday’sshowdown against South Africa. — Reuters
Australia beat Windies to reach ODI tri-series final
NOTTINGHAM: England captain Eoin Morganpraised Chris Woakes, Jos Buttler and LiamPlunkett for getting his side “out of a hole” as thefirst one-day international against Sri Lanka end-ed in a thrilling tie.
Set 287 to win, England collapsed to 30 forfour and 82 for six in Nottingham on Tuesday.But a stand of 138 between Buttler (93) andman-of-the-match Woakes, who made 95 notout-the highest ODI score by any number eightbatsman-revived the innings. England’s hopes ofvictory disappeared in a final over where theyneeded 14 to win in front of a capacity crowd ata floodlit Trent Bridge. However, with sixrequired to tie off the last ball, tailender Plunkettdrove Nuwan Pradeep over long-off to seal thetie, in what was a stunning start to the five-match series.
This was Plunkett’s first match at this levelsince September, but the fast bowler said he wasconfident his reputation as a big hitter in countycricket would be maintained on the internation-al stage. “I was telling myself I have been hittingit well for Yorkshire-’stay still and hope I getenough on it to get it out of the ground’,” saidPlunkett. “You know when you have nailed theball, it’s like on a golf course off the tee, a similarfeeling.” Morgan added: “You can always win thegame from any situation, and today proved thata little bit. “Getting out of the game with a tie is abig result,” the former Ireland batsman said.
“Towards the end, it was in Sri Lanka’s favour,there weren’t a lot of boundaries being hit, andthey bowled well.”
WOAKES V STOKES At one stage on Tuesday, it looked as if
Morgan’s men, playing their first ODI of theEnglish season, were in danger of a recorddefeat. “The general performance was poor-bat,ball, field, was really rusty,” said Morgan.
“Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes and Liam Plunketthave got us out of a hole at the end. “We’ve gotconfidence with the guys coming in anywheredown past seven and eight-but we don’t want toleave them too much to do.” Woakes might noteven have played Tuesday had injured fellowEngland all-rounder Ben Stokes been fit.
But he responded to England’s slump with acareer-best score, having earlier taken two wick-ets with some lively pace bowling. “It was out-standing-a lot of Woakes’s story is that he is com-peting with Ben Stokes, and the two of them areincredible cricketers,” said Morgan. Sri Lankacaptain Angelo Mathews led from the front bytop-scoring with 73 in his side’s 286 for nine andthen taking two early wickets with his medium-pace bowling. —AFP
Morgan says England ‘out of a hole’ with Sri Lanka tie
NOTTINGHAM: England’s Liam Plunkett (L) celebrates with England’s Chris Woakes afterPlunkett hits a six off the final ball to draw the first one day international (ODI) cricketmatch between England and Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge cricket ground in Nottingham, cen-tral England, on Tuesday. — AFP
Sri LankaK. Perera c Roy b Willey 24D. Gunathilaka c Bairstow b Willey 9K. Mendis c Buttler b Woakes 17D. Chandimal c Woakes b Ali 37A. Mathews c Woakes b Plunkett 73S. Prasanna c and b Woakes 59U. Tharanga c Buttler b Plunkett 3D. Shanaka run out (Plunkett/Willey) 20F. Maharoof not out 31S. Lakmal run out (Willey/Woakes) 7Extras (lb2, w3, nb1) 6Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 286Did not bat: N PradeepFall of wickets: 1-27 (Gunathilaka), 2-50(Perera), 3-56 (Mendis), 4-120 (Chandimal),5-188 (Prasanna), 6-197 (Tharanga), 7-225(Shanaka), 8-266 (Mathews), 9-286 (Lakmal)Bowling: Woakes 10-0-56-2 (2w); Willey 10-0-56-2 (1w); Rashid 10-0-36-0; Plunkett 10-0-67-2 (1nb); Ali 10-0-69-1;
EnglandJ. Roy lbw b Mathews 3A. Hales c Perera b Lakmal 4J. Root b Mathews 2E. Morgan c Chandimal b Pradeep 43J. Bairstow c Gunathilaka b Lakmal 3J. Buttler c Shanaka b Prasanna 93M. Ali b Pradeep 7C. Woakes not out 95D. Willey c Mendis b Maharoof 7L. Plunkett not out 22Extras (lb2, w5) 7Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 286Did not bat: A RashidFall of wickets: 1-3 (Roy), 2-7 (Hales), 3-17(Root), 4-30 (Bairstow), 5-72 (Morgan), 6-82 (Ali), 7-220 (Buttler), 8-235 (Willey)Bowling: Lakmal 10-0-65-2 (4w); Mathews 6-0-22-2; Shanaka 3-0-21-0; Pradeep 10-0-64-2 (1w); Maharoof 10-0-59-1;Prasanna 10-0-43-1; Gunathilaka 1-0-10-0;Result: Match tied
SCOREBOARD
NOTTINGHAM, United Kingdom: Completed scoreboard in the first one-day internationalbetween England and Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge yesterday:
18THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
FAN FERVOR
Wales boss stays away Euro 2016 minefieldDINARD: Wales boss Chris Coleman insisted yesterday heis not yet trying to plot a path through the minefield ofthe European Championship knockout rounds.
And Coleman indicated he could make changes tothe team that brilliantly beat Russia 3-0 for their last 16match against Northern Ireland or Turkey in Paris onSaturday. With myriad routes possible in looming roundsbefore Wednesday’s final games, Coleman said he wasstaying away from the guessing game.
“I’ll tell you how I look at it-and players and staff-theonly pathway I am thinking about is the first 45 minuteson Saturday and how we find our way through that.
“The second pathway is at half-time and those second45 minutes. If it goes to extra time or penalties, whateverit is, beyond that I promise I’m not saying we can play thisside or that side,” Coleman said. “We have to have feetfirmly on the ground here. Everyone’s talking about thispossibility or that possibility. “We have seen before that
everything’s possible in football, but one minute you’reright there and everything’s great, the next you take youreye off the ball and everything’s fallen down. “Whoever is itdown the line that’s when you get on with it and take careof the business in front of you. There’s no talk in my campabout who could be next after the last 16. No way, I would-n’t allow that. “There’s not a team in this tournament whocan think like that, not even Germany or Spain, We’ve seenthe games are so tight. Once we find out who is next we’llfocus on it and put everything into that challenge.”
Wales’ win over Russia saw them leapfrog England inGroup B to advance into a last 16 clash with NorthernIreland or Turkey. A win then and Belgium and Croatia arethe likely obstacles standing in the way of a remarkablerun to the final in Paris on July 10. England, by contrast,face the runners-up in Group F in the next round andwould need to negotiate their way past the likes of France,Germany, Italy or Spain be in with a chance of winning the
tournament. Having waited 58 years to be part of a majortournament, this is unchartered territory for Wales andknock-out football will bring with the possibility of apenalty shoot-out. But Coleman has no plans to spendtime specifically working on honing down a list of poten-tial spot-kick takers. Several Wales players stay behind aftertraining to work on free-kicks and practise penalties. Themanager feels no need to do any more than that.
“I would say three days out of five naturally a few guysjust grab a ball after training and take penalties,” he said.“We could practise every day and the guys won’t miss.But how do you recreate 50,000 people breathing downyour neck and all the eyes on the world are on you whenyou need to put in the back of the net?
“If it comes our way we’ll try and deal with it the bestwe can.” Wales’ win over Russia in Toulouse on Mondayranks alongside the finest ever by a Dragons side in their137-year international history. —AFP
NICE: For the Czech Republic, it’s time to give youth achance. Following its group stage exit from theEuropean Championship, the Czech Republic has littleoption than to replace its aging starts with the next gen-eration of players.
For this tournament, Czech coach Pavel Vrba stuckwith an experienced group of players, many of whomcame from the domestic league, such as 34-year-oldSparta Prague forward David Lafata, who failed to repli-cate his club form.
The Czech Republic was the third oldest team inFrance. Its youngest player was the 23-year old backupgoalkeeper Tomas Koubek. Some of the squad, such asgoalkeeper Petr Cech and midfielder Tomas Rosicky,even played at Euro 2004 when the team made thesemifinals only to lose to eventual champion Greece.
There’s speculation that Cech, 34, and Rosicky, 35, willfollow Lafata and midfielder 34-year-old Jaroslav Plasil inannouncing their retirement from international football.
The Czechs were eliminated from the tournamentafter earning only one point from their three Group Dmatches. The 2-0 defeat to Turkey on Tuesday, whichconfirmed its early exit from Euro 2016, was particularlydisappointing.
“We were taught a great lesson at the EuropeanChampionship and we will learn from it,” Vrba said. “Thethree matches showed us that football is played in a dif-ferent way than we play at home. The pace of the gameand the quality of players at this level are unbelievable.”
Turkey could be an example for the Czechs going for-ward. Its coach Fatih Terim fielded 18-year-old forwardEmre Mor in the match.
Mor’s speed posed constant difficulties for the Czechdefense and it was the teenager who set up BurakYilmaz for the opening goal after a quick counter downthe right just 10 minutes into the game.
Others have used teenagers in France, too.Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic has three 19-year-
olds in his squad and one of them, Breel Embolo wasespecially sharp in a 0-0 draw against France. And RoyHodgson of England has deployed 18-year-old strikerMarcus Rashford.
It’s not as if Vrba doesn’t have options. One prospectfor the Czech Republic is 18-year-old forward Vaclav
Cerny. Vrba has said Cerny is not experienced enough toplay for the national team, even though the forward isgood enough to play and score for Ajax. Another prom-ising striker, the 20-year-old Patrik Schick of BohemiansPrague, did at least get a chance to play in a warm-upmatch but didn’t make the team. — AP
LENS: Turkey rebounded from two losses at theEuropean Championship to beat the Czech Republic 2-0on Tuesday and keep alive its chances of reaching theknockout stages from Group D.
With their team having failed to score in its defeats toSpain and Croatia, some Turkish fans celebrated withfirecrackers and flares that landed on the pitch after thesecond goal at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Turkey must now wait until the final group matchesare played on Wednesday to discover whether it canadvance as one of the four best third-place teams.Croatia won Group D after beating two-time defendingchampion Spain 2-1 to finish with seven points.
Spain has six points, Turkey has three and the Czechsare eliminated with one point, 20 years after their teamreached the final and 40 years after becoming Europeanchampions as Czechoslovakia. Both teams in Lens onTuesday needed a win to advance. Turkey coach FatihTerim stuck by striker Burak Yilmaz, despite his disap-pointing performances in earlier matches, and the act offaith paid off. Yilmaz struck early, rounding off a swiftcounter attack just 10 minutes into the game. Emre Morbroke down the right flank before crossing for Yilmaz,
who beat Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech at the near postwith a first-time right shot. “I am very happy, I scored avery important goal in a deciding game,” Yilmaz said. “It’sbeen a good night and a good goal for me. I hope we’lladvance.” As the Czechs pushed forward, they alsoopened up their defense for the Turkish attack.
Ozan Tufan doubled the lead in the 65th minute,hammering a rising shot past Cech from close range fol-lowing a free kick by Selcuk Inan. ‘ “It’s a huge disap-pointment for us,” Cech said. Ahead of the tournament,the Arsenal keeper had said he would decide after Euro2016 whether to retire from international football. Hedidn’t immediately comment on it Tuesday. For Turkey,there is still hope.
CONFIDENCE IS GROWING“If we advance, we can do what we did in Euro 2008,
because our confidence is growing now,” Terim said.Eight years ago, Turkey came back from two goals downto beat the Czech Republic 3-2 in their final group game,a result sent the Turks on the road to an eventual spot inthe semifinals, their best ever result.
“We still have some problems, but now it’s easier for
us to find solutions,” Terim said. “Now we’ve got our teamspirit back. If we advance, I think we have a long way togo. I would be really frustrated if we are out.”
The 18-year-old Mor looked particularly sharp forTurkey, smashing a shot wide from inside the area in thefirst half and cutting in before missing the target onanother fast counter in the second.
“He was our saviour tonight,” Terim said. “He made hispresence felt.” Volkan Sen’s low drive just missed the tar-get in another good chance of the first half, while cap-tain Arda Turan headed over the bar 15 minutes fromthe end. For the Czechs, Tomes Sivok almost equalizedsix minutes after the opening goal. But set up by BorekDockal’s cross, his effort hit the post.
The Czechs clearly missed their creative force, injuredcaptain and playmaker Tomas Rosicky, and squanderedtheir chances. “The first goal really changed the match alot,” said Czech coach Pavel Vrba, whose side had drawn2-2 with Croatia in its previous game. “We didn’t manageto stop their breaks. We had some chances in the firsthalf but we didn’t score. “In the second half we started toplay in a more simple way but lost it in midfield. Our tac-tics from the Croatia game didn’t work this time.” — AP
Turkey remains in contention with 2-0 win over Czechs
LENS: Turkey’s forward Burak Yilmaz (2nd L) heads the ball during the Euro 2016 group D football match between Czech Republic and Turkey at Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on Tuesday. — AFP
Czech Republic facing need to overhaul ageing squad
LENS: Czech Republic’s defender Roman Hubnik (L) and Czech Republic’s midfielder Josef Sural react atthe end of the Euro 2016 group D football match between Czech Republic and Turkey at Bollaert-Delelisstadium in Lens. — AFP
19THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
FAN FERVOR
Criticism fires up England for Euro’s last 16CHANTILLY: England’s under-fire goalkeeper Joe Hartis backing the Three Lions to prove critics of their goal-less draw with Slovakia wrong in the Euro 2016 knock-out phase. Hart acknowledged the “tension” causedby England’s second draw which left the side waitingto meet the Group F runners-up-either Iceland,Portugal, Hungary or Austria-in Nice on Monday in thelast 16. The Three Lions arrived at the European cham-pionship finals among the favourites after winning all10 of their qualifying games.
But having finished second in Group B behindWales, Roy Hodgson’s England has been hammeredback home for failing to turn any of their 29 shots intogoals in Monday’s goalless draw with Slovakia. Hartsaid the squad must suck up the attacks and focus onreaching the quarter-finals.
“It’s going to create tension and stories have got tobe written, but we’ve got to remain focused,” said 29-year-old Manchester City goalkeeper. “We’ve got a jobin hand and that’s what’s important to us.
“The questions come from the outside, not theinside. “We are very confident of what we’ve got in thegroup. “We’re united, together and we want to go asfar as we can.” Following the Slovakia draw, several
British newspapers branded Hodgson’s side “secondrate” and “Toothless Lions” for their lack of finishing.Hart has been slammed on social media after each ofEngland’s performances in France.
He also could only stand and watch as Russia’sVasili Berezutski headed in a 92nd-minute equaliser inthe 1-1 opening draw with Russia.
FRESH LEGS AND QUALITY More flak came after Gareth Bale’s free-kick beat
him in the 2-1 win over Wales. Critics said Hart hadbeen out of place. He irked England fans further afterthe Slovakia draw by saying he “hasn’t had anything todo in the whole tournament to be honest”. “It’s foot-ball and I’m a goalkeeper: if the ball goes in, I’m goingto get looked at,” said Hart.
Hodgson was heavily criticised for making sixchanges against Slovakia, but Hart rejected the notionthat the England boss gambled. “We have a 23-mansquad and you could pick anyone,” said the Englandshot-stopper. “Everyone deserves to be in the team onmerit. “To go far in the tournament you need freshlegs - and when you’ve got the quality that we’ve gotthen it was the right decision. “I would love to be
standing here having won 2-0 and it would look aneven better decision, but at the end of it, we’ll beready for the next game.” Hart takes heart fromEngland’s performances so far. “We are going to lookto build on three good performances. Result-wisethey’ve not been great, but performance-wise I don’tthink anyone will be looking forward to playing us,” hesaid. “But there’s no point talking about ifs and buts -we’ve finished second. “It’s Monday in Nice and we’regoing to be ready for it.” Like his manager before him,Hart says it is just a matter of time before England findtheir finishing. “We’ve come up against some reallyresilient defending, but everyone is well aware thatthere’s going to be a game where we do start gettingwhat we deserve,” said Hart.
“And that’s going to be a good day.” With Francelurking as potential quarter-final opponents, shouldboth team win their last 16 matches, Hart is relishingthe possibility of facing a side who wants to attack.
“It depends. It will be nice because we’ll get moreroom but at the same time it brings more danger,” saidthe 29-year-old. “We’re well drilled and well balancedin what we do, we feel good in defence and lookingforward to the next game.” — AFP
BORDEAUX: Ivan Perisic struck a sensational winnerthree minutes from time as Croatia ended Spain’s 14-game unbeaten run at the European Championshipfinals to top Group D after a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.
Spain will now face Italy in the last 16 in Paris onMonday in a repeat of the 2012 final. Alvaro Morata’searly strike got Spain off to a flying start. But despitethe absence of Luka Modric through injury, Croatiabattled back to equalise before half-time throughNikola Kalinic.
Spain captain Sergio Ramos saw a penalty savedby Danijel Subasic 18 minutes from time. And thatmiss proved vital when Perisic snuck the ball home atDavid de Gea’s near post. Croatia meet one of thebest third-placed sides in Lens on Saturday.
Spain could also have to face world championsGermany in the quarter-finals and hosts France in thesemi-finals if they are to reach the final in Paris on July10. “Now we have to dance with the favourites, but tobe champions you have to beat everyone,” saidRamos, who vowed Spain will learn from their mis-takes. Coach Vicente del Bosque would rather haveavoided an early meeting with the on-form Italians.
ITALY CLASH “It is not ideal, that would have been to finish first
(in the group),” said Del Bosque.“We have to recover well. We are prepared to turn
this situation around.” Morata’s return to Europeanchampions Real Madrid from Juventus had been con-firmed earlier on Tuesday.
And he moved level with club teammate GarethBale on three goals in the fight for the golden boot byfinishing off a slick Spanish move after seven minutes.David Silva’s cute reverse pass picked out CescFabregas’s run and the Chelsea midfielder’s cross wastapped into an empty net by Morata.
Spain looked rarely troubled at the back in theiropening two games, but were given plenty of prob-lems by Croatia even without star midfielder Modric.
Kalinic stung the palms of David de Gea beforeforcing an error from the Manchester United ‘keeperas he dallied. The loose ball fell to Ivan Rakitic and hisbrilliant chipped effort floated over Barcelona team-mate Gerard Pique on the line before coming back offboth the crossbar and post.
Morata had a great chance to double Spain’s leadwhen he failed to control Fabregas’s fine through ballwith just Subasic to beat. However, Del Bosque’s menwere pegged back right on half-time when Perisic’scross from the left was flicked home by Kalinic.
It was the first time Spain had conceded in 11competitive games stretching back to October 2014and first time they had conceded in the Euros for a
record 733 minutes. The goal knocked Spain out oftheir stride as Croatia pushed them onto the backfoot at the start of the second period. De Gea savedfrom Tin Jedvaj to atone for his own error in flappingat a cross before Marko Pjaca sent an acrobatic effortjust wide from the rebound.
Pjaca also had claims for a penalty waved away asCroatia threatened the goal that would have takenthem top of the group.
Del Bosque withdrew front two Nolito and Moratafor the more physical presence of Bruno Soriano and
Aritz Aduriz. Spain were then handed a great chanceto retake the lead when referee Bjorn Kuipersadjudged Silva had been pushed by Sime Vrsaljkoinside the area. Modric appeared to send on a mes-sage to Subasic when he saw his Real Madrid team-mate Ramos step up to take the spot-kick.
And Subasic got lucky as his save was allowed tostand despite the fact he had encroached well beforeRamos took aim. Croatia took full advantage to blowthe tournament wide open as Perisic lashed home toround off a clinical counter-attack. — AFP
BORDEAUX: Spain coach Vicente del Bosque defend-ed his players after a 2-1 defeat by Croatia on Tuesdaythat means they must face old rivals Italy in the roundof 16. He pointed out, however, that they had beenwarned about the sort of break with which IvanPerisic scored the winning goal.
“We had spoken about Perisic and how dangeroushe was in counter-attacks,” Del Bosque told Spanishtelevision network Telecino when asked about theInter Milan striker.
“We are disappointed. The path now might beseen as more difficult but you never know where thedanger is.” Although it was a first defeat in 15 matchesat the finals for Spain since they lost to Portugal in2004, they did recover from an opening defeat bySwitzerland to win the 2010 World Cup. “We’ve wonthe right still to be in the competition,” said DelBosque. “I’m not going to defend the performanceexcessively but we haven’t played badly and I don’treally have any complaints about the players.”
PENALTY TAKERAsked about the choice of penalty taker for the
spot kick captain Sergio Ramos missed, Del Bosquesaid there was a group of players and “the one whohas the most confidence takes it”.
Ramos acknowledged that his poor kick, saved bygoalkeeper Danijel Subasic, had given Spain a harderpath to follow if they are to win a record third straightEuropean title.
“We dominated early and had chances to extendour lead,” he said. “I had a chance to put my teamahead and unfortunately I couldn’t convert. It wasn’tto be. They had a counter-attack which ended up in a
goal. “Now we will face a more difficult rival than if wehad finished first in our group. We need to turn thepage. We have to learn from this game. “I’ve alwayssaid that you have to beat the best if we want to bechampions.”
Neither the captain nor coach offered tiredness asan excuse after Del Bosque chose the same elevenwho had played most of the previous two games. “We
had the game more or less controlled but we madesome errors and they punished us,” he said.“Unfortunately, we can’t choose our own path now,which we could have done had we been first.”
If Spain get past Italy then world championsGermany are potential quarter-final opponents whileFrance and England also lie in wait as possible semi-final opposition. — Reuters
PARIS: Croatia fans pose as they watch the Euro 2016 group D football match between Croatia and Spainat the fan zone near the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Tuesday. — AFP
Del Bosque had warned Spain’splayers of Perisic threat
Perisic sensational goal stuns champions Spain
BORDEAUX: Croatia’s Darijo Srna, left, tackles Spain’s David Silva during the Euro 2016 Group D soccermatch between Croatia and Spain at the Nouveau Stade in Bordeaux, France, Tuesday. — AP
16McIlroy pulls out of Rio over Zika fears
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 201618
Turkey remains in contention with 2-0 win over Czechs
India win series with 3-run victory Page 17
LYON: Nani, right, of Portugal heads the ball next to his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, centre, and Roland Juhasz, left, of Hungary during their soccer Euro 2016 Group F third round soccer match at Stade de Lyon in Lyon,France, yesterday. — AP
LYON: Cristiano Ronaldo scored two trademark brilliantgoals yesterday to go into European Championship his-tory and rescue Portugal in a 3-3 draw that took theminto the last 16.
The 31-year-old opened his account in style with a deftbackheel flick on 50 minutes, then a bullet header 12 min-utes later to twice equalise at the Stade de Lyon. The resultleft Hungary on top of Group F. Portugal squeezed throughas one of the best third-place finishers but now face atough match against Croatia. The Real Madrid ace becamethe first player to score at four European championshipfinals and his 17th match in a Euro tournament was also arecord. It was his 128th appearance for Portugal, furtherextending the record he set last Saturday, as he made arecord 17th appearance at Euro finals. Following theirdraws with Iceland and Austria, Portugal’s captain hadbeen feeling the pressure. He threw a TV reporter’s micro-phone in a lake on the morning of the game in Lyon. Buthe delivered when it mattered as Portugal equalised threetimes in a topsy-turvy match-not one for the faint-hearted.
Hungary captain Balazs Dzsudzsak matched Ronaldo bynetting two second-half goals as the Mighty Magyars tookfirst place in Group F winners. With three draws, Portugaladvance as third behind Iceland.
Hungary took the lead in sweltering conditions at theStade de Lyon when veteran midfielder Zoltan Geraunleashed a thunderbolt. There was nothing on whenPortugal fail to clear a corner.
But the 37-year-old Gera belted a low left-footed drive
into the bottom-right corner which gave Portugal goal-keeper Rui Patricio no chance on 19 minutes. At the otherend, a save from Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, whohas made grey sweatpants the must-have fashion backhome, saved a swirling Ronaldo free-kick on 29 minutes.Nani had the ball in the Hungary net five minutes from thebreak, but his effort was ruled offside. The Fenerbahce for-ward was not to be denied and his crisp finish, after a love-ly pass in from Ronaldo, put Portugal level on 42 minutes.
The game burst into life with four goals in the opening20 minutes of the second-half. Hungary regained the leadjust two minutes after the break when Dzsudzsak’s well-struck free-kick took a slight deflection off the Portugalwall on 47 minutes.
The stage was set for Ronaldo. The Real superstar madesure he would leave the Stade de Lyon with two recordswhen he flicked his shot past Kiraly on 50 minutes to makeit 2-2. But Portugal’s second equaliser only served to gal-vanise Hungary’s resolve. Dzsudzsak drilled a free-kick offthe wall, but pounced on the rebound and his left-footedshot deflected off Nani, past Rui Patricio, into the far corneron 55 minutes for a 3-2 lead.
There was, however, no denying Ronaldo. Justmoments after coming on, Ricardo Queresma fired in acorner and Ronaldo drove his header past Kiraly on 62minutes.
By now it was end-to-end stuff as Hungary’s attackingmidfielder Akos Elek hit the woodwork on 64 minutes as itstayed 3-3 at the final whistle. — AFP
Ronaldo’s double puts Portugal into last 16
HOUSTON: Lionel Messi became Argentina’s all-timerecord goalscorer as the two-time world champions out-classed the United States 4-0 to reach the Copa AmericaCentenario final here Tuesday.
Messi curled in a magnificent 32nd-minute free-kick totake his total to 55 goals as the United States’ campaignended with an emphatic defeat in front of a 70,858 crowdat Houston’s NRG Stadium. The five-time world player ofthe year now has five goals in this Copa America as he aimsto lead Argentina to their first major title in 23 years.
The Barcelona superstar also created Argentina’s open-ing goal for Ezequiel Lavezzi and was involved in the build-up for their third, scored by Gonzalo Higuain in the 50thminute. Messi then laid on the pass for Higuain’s secondfour minutes from time.
“We’ve been playing well from day one and we deserveto be in the final,” said a delighted Messi, dedicating hisgoals tally to the work of his teammates.
“I’m happy to have the record, and I’m happy to playwith the teammates that have made it possible. I owe it tothem,” said Messi, who is now one clear of GabrielBatistuta’s mark of 54 goals.
US coach Jurgen Klinsmann, meanwhile, said his teamhad showed Argentina “too much respect” after a displaywhich saw them finish with zero shots on or off target.
“I think in general we had too much respect,”Klinsmann said while hailing Argentina as the “number
one team in the world.” “I told the guys there’s nothing tobe ashamed of. We have to learn and move forward,”Klinsman said. “We have to keep our heads up and swal-low it. But Argentina are a special team.”
Argentina will now face either Chile or Colombia inSunday’s final at East Rutherford, New Jersey-their thirdmajor final in three years after reaching the finals of the2015 Copa America and 2014 World Cup. A disastrousstart for the United States saw the hosts fall behind afteronly three minutes when they gifted possession to Mession the edge of the area. The Argentina captain instantlyspotted that Lavezzi was unmarked and lofted a firsttime pass through to the China-based midfielder to headhome.
Argentina might have doubled their lead five minuteslater, when Ever Banega backheeled to pick out MarcosRojo, who crossed for Messi, only for the Albiceleste skip-per to shoot over. Messi was again on the prowl in the14th minute, seizing upon another American mistake toburst clear from near halfway before firing a shot whichBrad Guzan managed to gather safely.
With Argentina monopolizing possession, it was onlya matter of time before the South Americans scoredagain. The second goal almost came on 22 minuteswhen Messi released Higuain with a quick free-kick intothe penalty area, only for Geoff Cameron to snuff out thedanger with a desperate tackle. — AFP.
Messi fires Argentina
into Copa America final
PARIS: Substitute Arnor Ingvi Traustason’s last-gasp winnerfired Iceland past Austria 2-1 in their final Group F match atEuro 2016 yesterday to book a last-16 showdown withEngland. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson swept Iceland into an 18th-minute lead at the Stade de France, with Austria payingdearly for Aleksandar Dragovic’s missed first-half penalty.
Substitute Alessandro Schopf levelled for Austria on thehour, but Traustason’s 94th-minute strike condemnedMarcel Koller’s side to a premature exit.
Iceland, the smallest nation to appear at a major finals,will play England in the last 16 in Nice after finishing sec-ond in the group, behind Hungary but above Portugal, fol-lowing a thrilling 3-3 draw in Lyon. Dragovic returned to athree-man Austrian defence after suspension, with captainChristian Fuchs and Florian Klein operating as wing-backsin what was a must-win game for the world’s 10th-rankedside. Iceland stuck with the same starting XI from their firsttwo matches and were almost ahead inside two minutes atthe Stade de France. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s intricate flick foundJohann Gudmundsson in plenty of space and the CharltonAthletic winger hammered a 30-yard drive that crashedagainst the crossbar.
Marko Arnautovic nearly punished Hannes Halldorssonafter Iceland’s goalkeeper dallied on the ball, but theStoke City player lost his footing with the goal gapingallowing Halldorsson to scramble clear. Iceland grabbedthe crucial opening goal on 18 minutes as Aron
Gunnarsson’s long throw was helped on into the path ofBodvarsson who steered past Robert Almer with Austria’sdefence slow to react.
Centre-back Kari Arnason sliced narrowly over after acorner was only partially cleared, but Austria began tothreaten with Arnautovic testing Halldorsson beforeheading over from a Julian Baumgartlinger cross. AndMarcel Koller’s side should have levelled on 37 minuteswhen Ari Skulason was penalised for tugging the shirt ofDavid Alaba inside the area. Dragovic stepped up but thecentre-back fired the spot-kick against the outside of thepost as Iceland breathed a huge sigh of relief. BirkirBjarnason thought he had increased Iceland’s lead on 38minutes, only for his effort to be correctly ruled out foroffside. Julian Baumgartlinger’s curling strike from dis-tance forced Halldorsson to tip over, and Koller rolled thedice by throwing on Marc Janko and Alessandro Schopffor the second half.
It almost immediately paid off as Alaba swept a lowright-footed strike towards the corner, but Arnason’ssuperb goal-line clearance denied the Bayern Munich star.
Sigurdsson embarked on a marauding run through theheart of Austria’s midfield but volleyed a difficult chancejust wide. Austria had Iceland pegged inside their own halfthough and it took a piece of individual brilliance on thehour from Schalke midfielder Schopf to breathe life intothe team. — AFP
Traustason winner sets up
Iceland-England clash
SAINT-DENIS: Austria’s forward Marcel Sabitzer (up) vies with Iceland’s defender Ari Skulason during theEuro 2016 group F football match between Iceland and Austria at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, near Paris yesterday. — AFP
BusinessTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Mobile money to power Africa financial growth
Page 23
VW chief tells shareholders sorry for emissions scandal
Page 25
Apple free to take bite out of India after rule changePage 22
New airline set for takeoff as tourism soars in Cyprus
Pages 25
LONDON: Pedestrians walk across Waterloo bridge in central London with a backdrop of the towers of the City of London yesterday. — AFP
LONDON: More than 1,200 business titans unitedyesterday to warn against Britain breaking withthe EU, as rivals scrambled for the last votes on theeve of a tightly fought referendum that will shapeEurope’s future. The world’s fifth-largest economywill suffer a powerful blow to growth and jobs, cor-porate chiefs warned, if Britain becomes the firststate to defect from the EU in the bloc’s 60-yearhistory. The “Remain” camp has a razor-thin lead -51 percent versus 49 percent for “Leave”, accordingto an average of polls compiled by What UK Thinks- and surveys consistently show more than 10 per-cent of people are undecided.
“Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertaintyfor our firms, less trade with Europe and fewerjobs,” said the chiefs of 1,285 companies employ-ing 1.75 million people, ranging from Virgin bossRichard Branson to media tycoon MichaelBloomberg. “Britain remaining in the EU wouldmean the opposite: more certainty, more trade
and more jobs. EU membership is good for busi-ness and good for British jobs,” they said in a letterto The Times newspaper.
World markets are on alert over the historicvote, with many markets edging gingerly higheron the expectation that Britons will finally decideto stay. If Britain decides to go its own way, howev-er, financier George Soros has warned of a BlackFriday plunge in sterling. With uncertainty rife, theworld’s leading central banks have consulted overhow to react to the financial market reaction,according to the European Central Bank.
Leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson, a for-mer mayor of London touted as a future primeminister, won a standing ovation from many peo-ple late Tuesday when he urged Britons in a publicdebate to declare “Independence Day” by votingto pull out of the EU. “This is our last chance to takeback control of so much that matters in our lives,”he told Sky News yesterday.
Though many voters fret over the financial con-sequences of a Brexit, others relish the prospect oftaking back power from Brussels and reining inhigh levels of immigration. “I think we need tomake our contribution to Europe and to the globaleconomy. And the best way we can do that is bybeing in it, not by ignoring it,” Chet Patel, a 44-year-old telecoms worker told AFP in centralLondon. Pat Hand, a 50-year-old constructionworker, said he would be casting a vote to leavethe EU. “The country is in an absolute mess. I workin construction and every single person on my jobis not English,” he said.
Prime Minister David Cameron, whose job is onthe line in case of a Brexit, predicted a “Remain div-idend” for the economy if Britain stays but admit-ted: “It’s very close, nobody knows what’s going tohappen.” “I think on Friday that businesses, wealthcreators, job creators will think: Britain has made adecision, let’s pile back into the economy and cre-
ate jobs and opportunity,” he told the FinancialTimes in an interview. Speaking to BBC television,he said: “Leaving the EU doesn’t solve the chal-lenge of immigration but it creates a massiveproblem for our economy”. “There’s no going backif we vote to leave” he said.
Two newspapers used their yesterday’s frontpages for last-minute endorsements of oppositesides of the campaign. “Lies. Greedy elites. Or agreat future outside a broken, dying Europe,” wrotethe Daily Mail. “If you believe in Britain vote Leave.”But the Daily Mirror urged readers to back EUmembership “for your jobs... for your children... forBritain’s future”.
‘Vile and Unpleasant’ The campaign has been fought over the two
key issues of the economy and immigration, withboth sides accusing the other of “scaremongering”.The Mirror described it as “the most divisive, vile
and unpleasant political campaign in living memo-ry.” Around the world, events will be held to markwhat would have been the 42nd birthday of law-maker Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed to deathlast week on a village street in her electoral districtin northern England, stunning the campaign.
In his first court appearance on Saturday, heralleged killer, Thomas Mair, gave his name as“Death to traitors, freedom for Britain”.
Cox’s widower Brendan said his wife, a not-ed pro-EU campaigner who advocated forrefugee rights, had been killed because of herpolitical views. “She worried about the tone ofthe [referendum] debate... The tone of whip-ping up fears and whipping up hatred poten-tially,” he told the BBC. Rival camps meet for afinal television debate later in the day featuringanti-EU UK Independence Party leader NigelFarage and former Scottish First Minister AlexSalmond for “Remain”. — AFP
Big business raises Brexit alarm ‘Remain’ camp has razor-thin lead over ‘Leave’
DUBAI: Gulf stock markets were mixed innarrow ranges and moderate volumes yes-terday, with investors cautious beforeBritain’s European Union referendum. Egyptresumed sliding after it broke major techni-cal support earlier this week. Saudi Arabia’sindex dropped 0.3 percent. Some bankswere weak, with Saudi Hollandi Bank down2.8 percent. Saudi Basic Industries, theGulf’s largest listed petrochemical producer,added 0.3 percent as oil prices rose.
Arabian Pipes jumped its 10 percent dailylimit for a second straight day in its heaviesttrading since early 2005. In Abu Dhabi,Union National Bank jumped 4.4 percent ina second day of strong gains, after ArqaamCapital said in a note on Tuesday that follow-ing the proposed merger between NationalBank of Abu Dhabi and First Gulf Bank, “weexpect UNB to be next”.
It said Abu Dhabi Commercial Bankmight offer a substantial premium to UNBshareholders in a merger; ADCB shares rose2.8 percent on Wednesday. NBAD, whichsoared earlier this week, rose a further 1.7percent while FGB fell 1.6 percent. The mainAbu Dhabi index edged down 0.1 percent.Dubai’s index climbed 1.0 percent withDubai Parks and Resorts, the most heavilytraded stock, surging 4.1 percent to 1.54dirhams.
The company is in an uptrend before theopening of its first theme parks later thisyear in Dubai, but the stock now exceedsthe 1.47-dirham median target price ofthree analysts surveyed by Reuters. Qatar’s
index was flat, although Qatar InternationalIslamic Bank added 2.3 percent in unusuallyheavy trade.
Cairo’s main stock index dropped 1.3 per-cent to 7,156 points. It has been technicallybearish since it broke earlier this weekbelow its April and May lows, triggering ahead & shoulders pattern pointing down tothe 6,700 point area.
Asec Company for Mining sank 2.8 per-cent after reporting that it swung to a con-solidated loss in the first quarter from ayear-earlier profit. Its parent company QalaaHoldings sank 6.3 percent.
Yesterday’s highlights:SAUDI ARABIA
* The index fell 0.3 percent to 6,532 points.DUBAI
* The index rose 1.0 percent to 3,376 points.ABU DHABI
* The index edged down 0.1 percent to4,498 points.
QATAR* The index was flat at 9,919 points.
EGYPT* The index dropped 1.3 percent to 7,156points.
KUWAIT* The index fell 0.5 percent to 5,409 points.
OMAN* The index edged up 0.01 percent to 5,789points.
BAHRAIN* The index dropped 0.3 percent to 1,113points. — Reuters
Gulf mixed before Brexit vote, Egypt resumes slide
MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS
HONG KONG: A tourist holds a traditional fan as she stands in front of a view of Hong Kong’s skyline from the Peak yesterday. — AFP
PARIS: Hong Kong has overtaken Angola’scapital to become the costliest city in theworld for expats, Mercer’s annual survey saidyesterday. After topping the Cost of Livingreport for three consecutive years, Luanda waspipped by the Asian city in 2016, owing to astronger Hong Kong dollar. The survey by theMercer consulting group compares the cost ofover 200 items in over 200 cities, includinghousing, food, transport and entertainment.
It takes New York as its base for comparison
and measures currency movements againstthe dollar, which has appreciated significantlyover the past year.
The Hong Kong dollar is pegged to thegreenback. “Generally speaking, pricesremained stable across the world,” BrunoRocquemont of Mercer France told AFP,attributing steep rises or falls in cities’ rankingschiefly to exchange rate fluctuations.
A strong yen propelled Tokyo six placeshigher to become the world’s fifth-most
expensive expat destination, behind Zurichand Singapore in third and fourth placerespectively.
The cost of living in several US cities alsorose on the back of the strong dollar.Conversely, cities in countries whose currencieshave slumped became more affordable, withMoscow recording one of the most spectacularprice slides, falling from 17th costliest city forexpats to 67th. Bottom of the table of 209 citieswas Namibia’s capital Windhoek. — AFP
Hong Kong becomes world’s costliest city
LONDON: Oil rose further above $50 abarrel yesterday after an industry reportshowed a large drop in U.S. crude inven-tories, with analysts expecting volatiletrading ahead of Britain’s referendum onEU membership. US crude inventories fellby 5.2 million barrels, the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) said on Tuesday,far more than analysts expected. Officialstocks data is due later on Wednesdayfrom the US Department of Energy.
“What we have is basically the left-overs of the reaction from the API report,”said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst atPetromatrix, of oil’s rally. “There is a riskthat the DOE will not show a stock drawof the same magnitude.” Brent crude wasup 33 cents at $50.95 a barrel at 0859GMT. U.S. crude climbed 46 cents to$50.31, marking its first rise above $50since June 10. Oil also benefited from aboost in risk appetite in global markets as
investors were cautiously optimisticabout a “Remain” vote in the EU referen-dum on Thursday.
“Though some may be forgiven forthinking that the outcome is a foregoneconclusion, the inconsistency betweenthe betting money and the polls meanthat conditions are ripe for a fresh bout ofvolatility,” said Stephen Brennock of oilbrokers PVM. Riskier markets also drewsupport from Federal Reserve Chair Janet
Yellen’s cautious comments on the USeconomy the previous day, in which shevirtually ruled out a July rate rise.
The dollar fell against a basket of cur-rencies. A weaker dollar makes oil cheaperfor other currency holders and tends tosupport oil prices. The drop in US crudeinventories, if confirmed by the DOE fig-ures at 1430 GMT, would be the fifthstraight weekly decline and adds to signsthat a supply glut which has halved oil
prices in the last two years is easing. Othersigns include lower US shale oil produc-tion due to reduced investment in thewake of the price collapse, underpinning awider drop in non-OPEC supply in 2016.
A spike in unplanned supply losses hasalso supported prices this year. Nigerianrebels who have been sabotaging thecountry’s crude exports denied onTuesday they had agreed to a ceasefire,lending support to prices. —Reuters
Oil rises above $50, braced for Brexit volatility
B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
EXCHANGE RATES
Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.
CURRENCY BUY SELLASIAN COUNTRIES
Japanese Yen 2.888Indian Rupees 4.462Pakistani Rupees 2.880Srilankan Rupees 2.055Nepali Rupees 2.797Singapore Dollar 226.060Hongkong Dollar 38.915Bangladesh Taka 3.849Philippine Peso 6.493Thai Baht 8.570
GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 80.550Qatari Riyal 82.974ani Riyal 784.563Bahraini Dinar 802.180UAE Dirham 82.180
ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 30.050Egyptian Pound - Transfer 34.387Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.213Tunisian Dinar 140.680Jordanian Dinar 425.600Lebanese Lira/for 1000 2.013Syrian Lira 2.153Morocco Dirham 31.514
EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 301.900Euro 341.900Sterling Pound 445.760
Chinese Yuan Renminbi 46.220Thai Bhat 9.532Turkish Lira 0.504
CURRENCY BUY SELLEurope
British Pound 0.436329 0.446329Czech Korune 0.004540 0.016540Danish Krone 0.041640 0.046641Euro 0.0334517 0.0343517Norwegian Krone 0.032320 0.037520Romanian Leu 0.074844 0.074844Slovakia 0.008981 0.018981Swedish Krona 0.032459 0.037459Swiss Franc 0.307633 0.318633Turkish Lira 0.098766 0.109066
AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.217471 0.229471New Zealand Dollar 0.209473 0.218973
AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.230715 0.239715US Dollars 0.297550 0.302250US Dollars Mint 0.298050 0.302450
AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.003377 0.003961Chinese Yuan 0.044407 0.047907Hong Kong Dollar 0.036819 0.039569Indian Rupee 0.004202 0.004612
Indonesian Rupiah 0.000018 0.000024Japanese Yen 0.002800 0.002980Kenyan Shilling 0.002977 0.002977Korean Won 0.000251 0.000266Malaysian Ringgit 0.070634 0.076634Nepalese Rupee 0.002846 0.003016Pakistan Rupee 0.002736 0.003026Philippine Peso 0.006395 0.006695Sierra Leone 0.000073 0.000079Singapore Dollar 0.219471 0.229471South African Rand 0.014484 0.022984Sri Lankan Rupee 0.001576 0.002156Taiwan 0.009264 0.009444Thai Baht 0.008228 0.008778
ArabBahraini Dinar 0.794095 0.802595Egyptian Pound 0.027289 0.032407Iranian Riyal 0.000084 0.000085Iraqi Dinar 0.000180 0.000240Jordanian Dinar 0.421730 0.430730Kuwaiti Dinar 1.000000 1.000000Lebanese Pound 0.000150 0.000250Moroccan Dirhams 0.020037 0.044037Nigerian Naira 0.000455 0.001090Omani Riyal 0.777606 0.783286Qatar Riyal 0.082099 0.083549Saudi Riyal 0.079407 0.080707Syrian Pound 0.001279 0.001499Tunisian Dinar 0.137556 0.145556Turkish Lira 0.098766 0.109066UAE Dirhams 0.080757 0.082457Yemeni Riyal 0.001364 0.001444
Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd
Rate for Transfer Selling RateUS Dollar 302.000Canadian Dollar 234.464Sterling Pound 434.202Euro 341.445Swiss Frank 290.851Bahrain Dinar 799.169UAE Dirhams 82.449Qatari Riyals 83.689Saudi Riyals 81.250Jordanian Dinar 426.263Egyptian Pound 33.912Sri Lankan Rupees 2.082Indian Rupees 4.476Pakistani Rupees 2.880Bangladesh Taka 3.844Philippines Pesso 6.520Cyprus pound 580.953Japanese Yen 3.892Syrian Pound 2.390Nepalese Rupees 3.806Malaysian Ringgit 74.623
Canadian dollar 237.160Turkish lira 104.160Swiss Franc 316.620Australian Dollar 227.780US Dollar Buying 300.700
GOLD20 Gram 255.58010 Gram 130.7105 Gram 66.200
Bahrain Exchange Company
NEW DELHI, India: The gleaming glass atriumsand blue-clad “geniuses” that herald the arrivalof an Apple store could soon be landing in India,after the government cleared the way for it toopen in the rapidly growing smartphone mar-ket. Before now, the Silicon Valley giant has beenjust a bit-player in the country of 1.2 billion, sell-ing through local shops with none of its own. Itapplied to open stores in January, but wasreportedly rebuffed because of a diktat thatstates foreign retailers must source 30 percent oftheir products locally.
But on Monday New Delhi relaxed the rules,just weeks after Apple chief Tim Cook touredIndia on a breathless charm offensive where hewas pictured using Prime Minister NarendraModi’s gold iPhone to launch the premier’s ownapp. Companies making state-of-the-art tech-nology - understood to include Apple - nowhave up to eight years to meet the sourcingrequirements under a waiver, part of a push byIndia’s pro-business government to attract for-eign investment and create jobs.
For Apple, which saw iPhone sales dip for thefirst time ever in the second quarter due toslowing demand in China and the United States,India is a tantalizing prospect. While analysts sayit currently accounts for only around one per-cent of global iPhone sales, its giant populationand low number of smartphone owners relativeto its size mean it is a huge potential market.“Apple has not really seen India as an importantenough market in the past, but somewhere, thepenny has dropped,” Devangshu Dutta, chiefexecutive of retail consultancy Third Eyesight,told AFP.
Apple’s vast, hands-on stores are designed tobecome destinations in their own right, analystssay, luring potential customers with the promisethey can play without buying. “The store is notjust a place to do business - it acts as a live bill-board for the brand,” Dutta said.
‘Cost-Conscious Market’ Browsing mobile accessories in FutureWorld,
a technology retailer in New Delhi’s Connaught
Place, Aryamaan Chauhan said he would “defi-nitely” visit an Apple store if one opened in thecity. The 19-year-old IT student owns anAndroid smartphone, bought for about 20,000rupees ($295), but is considering switching loy-alties. “Money is what’s stopping me. My budg-et is low, I can’t afford it,” Chauhan said. “Now, Ithink most Indian people prefer Android butthey are shifting. After graduation I will buy aniPhone.”
With a basic iPhone starting at almost $600 -more than in many countries, thanks to India’shigh taxes - they are wildly unaffordable formost in a nation where average incomes areless than $1,600 a year. Handsets costing under$100 dominate the market, many of themmade by Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi
or Huawei. “It won’t become mass-market,(Apple) will always be a niche player. This is avery cost-conscious market,” Vishal Tripathi,research director at Gartner, a technologyresearch firm, told AFP. “But there is a growingnumber of consumers who like Apple.”
By pricing itself exclusively at the luxuryend, Apple has distinguished its brand fromarch-rival Samsung which has both low-costand high-end phones. “Indian consumers arealways under the notion that more expensivemeans better and consider carrying an iPhoneas more of a status symbol than anything,” saidBhasker Canagaradjou, the head of IpsosBusiness Consulting in India. “The brand enjoysa ver y strong aspiration value, especiallyamong the young population.”
‘Make in India’ For now, Apple has given no indication
when or if it plans to open its own stores. But ifit does, it will eventually have to meet strictsourcing rules as the government exhorts com-panies to manufacture in India. The companywill require factories that can produce its exact-ing, cutting-edge products - something Indialargely lacks. “To create a local supply chain, ittakes time. They will be able to operate storesand benefit from stores in the meantime,” saidDutta.
Foxconn, the major Taiwanese Apple suppli-er which also assembles products for Sony andDell, is spending billions of dollars setting upfactories in India. The iPhone is not yet on theproduction line, but Canagaradjou says hebelieves Apple could start manufacturing inIndia “in the next one or two years”. However,while its stores may arrive in India soon, ana-lysts don’t expect to see legions of Applesuperfans camping out to buy new releases asthey do in other countries any time soon. “Ifsomeone is expecting a replication of how it isin other markets, people queuing up outsidethe stores from 3:00 am, I don’t think that’sgoing to happen,” said Tripathi of Gartner. “InIndia, people prefer to sleep until late.” —AFP
Apple free to take bite out of India after rule change
Tantalizing prospect for tech giant
In this file photo, Apple chief executiveTim Cook greets onlookers as he leavesthe Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai.
TOKYO: People walk past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firmyesterday. —AP
LONDON: Global equities mostly rose andthe pound clawed higher yesterday - theeve of Britain’s referendum which marketsexpect to result in the country voting toremain in the European Union. London’sFTSE 100 index gained 0.3 percent in morn-ing deals, with less than 24 hours beforevoting kicks off to decide Britain’s future inthe EU. In the eurozone, Frankfurt won 0.6percent and Paris added 0.3 percent in val-ue, with all eyes on the referendum out-come due Friday. Asian stocks mainly heldin positive territory, despite the head of theUS Federal Reserve warning that a vote toleave could hammer world markets.
The “Remain” camp has a razor-thin lead- 51 percent versus 49 percent for “Leave”,according to an average of polls compiledby What UK Thinks. But financial marketsand betting indices have Remain clearly inthe lead. “Although the poll predictions arestill making the EU referendum results tooclose to call, global equity markets havemaintained their positive Remain stanceover the past few days and this has contin-ued in European trade today, with equitiespushing further forward,” said RebeccaO’Keeffe, head of investment at online bro-ker Interactive Investor.
“With less than 24 hours before votingstarts, markets are now pricing in virtuallyno risk of an exit vote, which begs thequestion as to whether the euphoria isbeing overdone and how much upside stillexists for investors - or whether this is irra-tional exuberance and investors are ignor-ing the risks?” Britain, which is the world’s
fifth largest economy, will suffer a powerfulblow to growth and jobs, corporate chiefswarned, if the country becomes the firststate to defect from the EU in the bloc’s 60-year history.
While bookmakers say there is around a75 percent chance the country will stick withthe status quo, opinion polls predict a deadheat, with about one in ten voters still unde-cided. Following a three-day rally fuelled byhopes the country will stay in the 28-nationbloc, analysts said traders were pausing tosee what happens in today’s poll.
Markets Pause “Equity indices are mixed... having lost
some of yesterday’s bullish momentum,”said Mike van Dulken, head of research atAccendo Markets. “A pause is. . . to beexpected as we creep ever closer to theUK’s referendum result tomorrow, pollscontinuing to suggest it is too close to call.“Markets also have a tendency to hunkerdown into any major risk event, preferringto avoid leaving excessive risk on the table,especially when the outcome could be soground-breaking - politically, economicallyand of course for financial markets,” headded in a note to clients.
In foreign exchange, the pound climbedyesterday to $1.4665, having hit a five-month peak at $1.4783 the previous day onexpectations that Britain would stay in theEU. “Several polls this week have seen anincrease in Remain votes, and consequent-ly sterling has rallied,” said Currencies Directdealer Callum McGrouther. —Agencies
World stocks mostly rise on eve of British referendum
LONDON: Gold eased to a two-week low yesterday after itsbiggest one-day drop in fourweeks, as growing expectationsthat Britain will vote to remain inthe European Union calmed riskaversion and lent a steadier toneto stocks. The metal fell nearly 2percent on Tuesday after twoopinion polls suggested it wasincreasingly likely that voterswould opt today to stay in the EU.Fears of a Leave vote had sentgold to a near two-year high lastweek.
Spot gold was down 0.2 per-cent at $1,265.95 an ounce at0930 GMT, off an earlier two-
week low of $1,261.01, while USgold futures for August deliverywere down $4.00 an ounce at$1,268.50. “Brexit is still thebiggest threat. Markets arealready celebrating prematurevictory (for the Remain side) andthat is a major concern for us,”Naeem Aslam, chief market ana-lyst at ThinkForex, said. “A Remainvote is highly priced into goldnow. The Leave vote is the onewe have to watch out for,because that is not priced in.”
Stocks rose while traditionalsafe-haven assets like bonds fellon Wednesday on cautious antici-pation of a Remain vote. A vote to
leave the 28-member bloc couldtip Europe back into recession,putting more pressure on theglobal economy and increasingthe appeal of bullion as a count-er-cyclical asset, analysts said. “Ithink there is a lot more room onthe upside (for gold) should therebe a Leave vote, rather than thedownside on a Remain vote,”Marex Spectron said in a note. “Ifthe former, gold has the potentialto rally as far as $1,350 in themedium term. If the latter, then Ireally don’t see prices droppingmuch more than $20-$25 as aquick knee-jerk reaction.”
Investors are also keeping an
eye on the path of US interestrates. Federal Reserve chair JanetYellen said on Tuesday that theFed’s ability to raise interest ratesthis year may hinge on arebound in hiring. Holdings inthe world’s largest gold-backedexchange-traded fund, SPDRGold shares, rose 0.39 percent to912.33 tonnes on Tuesday, thehighest since September 2013.Among other precious metals,silver was down 0.5 percent at$17.21 an ounce, while platinumwas 0.4 percent higher at$980.80 an ounce and palladiumwas up 0.5 percent at $553 anounce. —Reuters
LONDON: Sterling and the euro edged higher onthe last day of campaigning before Britain’s referen-dum on European Union membership, the poundtrading just off its highest this year after a swing inpolls towards the “Remain” camp this week. Mostanalysts still see the vote as too close to call and themood remains shaky among financial investorsworried that a British exit from the 28-country bloccould derail growth and spell trouble for banks andglobal asset markets.
Still, a swing in bookmakers’ odds towards
“Remain” victory since the shooting of a British law-maker last week has helped sterling to recover 5percent from lows around $1.40. “We’re really justseeing the tail end of the rally we saw from the startof this week,” said Stephen Gallo, head of EuropeanFX Strategy at BMO in London. “There is a bit ofnervousness in markets. (But) the bookmakershave been right ahead of all of these votes thathave been key for markets over the past few yearsand the polls have not swung back (towards aBrexit) this week.” —Reuters
Gold slides to two-week low as Brexit fears abate
Sterling and euro firm ahead of Brexit vote
B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
NEW DELHI: Fresh from claiming the scalpof Reserve Bank of India GovernorRaghuram Rajan, a Hindu-nationalist politi-cian has turned his fire on a top financeministry adviser who once worked withRajan at the International Monetary Fund.The attack by lawmaker SubramanianSwamy fuels concern that his real target isFinance Minister Arun Jaitley, whose rela-tionship with Rajan, while never warm,helped steady public finances, cut inflationand keep Asia’s third-largest economy onthe move.
Swamy, a maverick lawmaker fromPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling par-ty, took a potshot on Wednesday at ArvindSubramanian, an economist formerlybased in the United States who is Jaitley’stop economic adviser. “Sack him!!!” the 76-year-old politician said in a volley of tweetsto his 2.8 mill ion followers, accusingSubramanian, before he joined the Indiangovernment, of backing Washington in arow over intellectual property rights andmocking Modi’s role as chief minister ofwestern Gujarat state.
Responding, Finance Minister ArunJaitley stood by his aide and upbraidedSwamy for attacking an official who wasnot in a position to defend himself pub-licly. “The government has full confidencein chief economic adviser Ar vindSubramanian,” Jaitley told a news confer-ence. Finance ministr y off ic ia ls whospoke to Reuters on condit ion ofanonymity, because of the sensitivity ofthe situation, said they feared Swamyenjoyed the tacit backing of senior fig-
ures in Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) and government.
Policy FermentRajan dropped a bombshell last week-
end when he announced that he would notmake himself available for a second term asRBI chief, raising questions over whetherIndia’s newfound commitment to soundmoney and low inflation would outlast him.His departure followed a vitriolic publiccampaign waged by Swamy, whose rough-house politics is backed by a fierce intellect- he obtained a doctorate in economics andtaught at Harvard. Swamy has also adver-tised his own credentials to become India’sfinance minister.
In an open letter to Modi a month agoSwamy, just appointed to a seat in the upperhouse, accused Rajan of being “mentally notfully Indian” and demanded he be terminat-ed immediately. Swamy did not respond tocalls and text messages sent to his mobiletelephone. The broadside comes amiduncertainty over who might succeed Rajanat the central bank when his term expires inSeptember. Arvind Subramanian, the eco-nomic aide, and Shaktikanta Das, economicaffairs secretary at the finance ministry,have featured in market speculation on pos-sible contenders for the top RBI job. Bothwere, however, notable by their absencefrom a long list of candidates obtained byReuters after Rajan withdrew his name, anindication of concern in the Modi camp thathiring a finance ministry insider could leadit to exert undue influence over the RBI asan institution. —Reuters
Maverick politician guns for aide of India finmin
ANGOL, Chile: A few moments of relaxationfor Chilean logger Nelson Hidalgo were shat-tered one day last month when 12 armedmen piled out of a pick-up truck and demand-ed he step outside his worksite dining trailer.At rifle-point, the masked men forced Hidalgoand a handful of colleagues to the ground,according to the workers’ accounts. Over thenext hour, the armed men burned a minibus,an excavator, and other equipment belongingto Nylyumar Forestry - Hidalgo’s employer anda subcontractor for Chilean timber giantCelulosa Arauco.
As they left, the men scattered leafletsclaiming allegiance to Chile’s indigenousMapuche people, many of whom assert thatlogging companies are trespassing on theirterritory and draining the natural resourcesthat are their birthright. No one was injured.But Nylyumar estimates losses that afternooncame to $600,000, and the company’s workerswere shaken. “Since then, I’ve been tense. Mymuscles are in pain, as if they’ve been shrink-ing,” the gruff, middle-aged Hidalgo said.
Such experiences have been multiplyinglately, industry and government data show,and weighing on Chilean logging, the coun-try’s second-largest industry after coppermining. Mostly focused on southern Chile, itis the source of 10 percent of the country’sexports. Twenty-five attacks by saboteursclaiming to represent Chile’s Mapuche wereregistered in the first five months of 2016 by
forestry subcontractors’ union Acoforag. Thatresulted in an estimated 9 billion pesos($13.5 million) in damage, up from 3 billionpesos in all of 2015 and 638 million in 2014,according to the union.
Latin America’s two largest forestry firmsEmpresas CMPC and Empresas Copec sub-sidiary Arauco have been among the worstaffected. Both declined interview requests.Behind the attacks - according to politiciansand law enforcement authorities - are twosmall, mysterious groups who say they wantan autonomous Mapuche state. They arebecoming increasingly well organized andsophisticated in their tactics, law enforcement,loggers, and politicians say.
The groups complain that the loggingindustry’s introduction of water-hungry radia-ta pine and eucalyptus trees since the 1980shas damaged the ecosystem. In the southernAraucania region, the percentage of land nowused for forest plantations has risen to almost20 percent of all surface area. Academics sayagriculture has become more difficult as plan-tations have dried up the land, and accordingto many government measures, the towns inthe most heavily logged zones are the poorestin the nation.
“Before, we had many water resources andnatural spaces that were the center of our cul-tural lifeblood, our food, our spirituality andour strength,” said Jose Osvaldo Millanao, aMapuche leader, while sitting in a traditional,
wooden Ruka hut. “And today, the big forestrycompanies have destroyed it.”
Conflict EscalatesAround 600,000 Mapuche live in Chile,
concentrated in Araucania and Bio Bio, lushand hilly provinces roughly 640 km south ofthe nation’s capital Santiago. Ever since theChilean army invaded Mapuche territory in abrutal campaign in the late 1800s, relationswith the state have been fractious. When tim-ber companies began replacing native forestwith industrial plantations in the 1980s, someMapuche fought back, setting plantations,trucks and machinery ablaze.
But such occasional incidents were not amajor operational threat to companies. Thathas changed in the last 18 months, as attackshave accelerated. Chile’s southern truckingunion said damage from trucks that werehijacked and destroyed rose to $2 million inJanuary and February of 2016, from $500,000for the same period last year. Intentional for-est fires, meanwhile, jumped in loggingregions to 3,081 in 2015 from 1,826 in 2013,according to the government.
Between those years, according to regula-tory filings, CMPC’s reported net loss to “for-est-related disasters and other damages” roseto $40.5 million from $6.6 million, as a longdrought fanned fires that arose both inten-tionally and naturally. A high-ranking CMPCmanager, who asked not to be identified as
he is not authorized to speak to the media,said 4 billion pesos worth of its subcontrac-tors’ equipment had been burnt in 19 attacksbetween January and May of 2016. That wasup from 16 attacks in all of 2015. Valuabletime is also being lost as insurance claims areprocessed, loggers say. The average Acoforagmember bills 200 million pesos monthly, butreplacement equipment does not arrive formonths after an attack.
Mystery GroupsThe recent spike in violence has been
attributed to two key groups with perhapsas few as 60 members. Calling themselvesthe Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco (“Arauco-Malleco Group”) and the recently formedWeichan Auka Mapu (“Fight of the rebel ter-ritory” in the Mapudungun tongue), theyhave claimed responsibility for dozens ofrecent attacks, but there have been few suc-cessful convictions and questions remainabout their identity.
A senior law enforcement source said thegroups take precautions against beingtracked, such as collecting shell casings afterfiring weapons and wearing bags over theirshoes to hide footprints. Officials also ques-tion to what extent the activists speak forthe wider community. “We know thesegroups are small, and knowing that, thequestion becomes whether they really rep-resent the Mapuche cause,” said Humberto
Toro, the governor of logging-intensiveArauco province.
While it is difficult to gauge Mapuche sen-timent overall as each community has anautonomous governing structure, two leadersin the town of Ercilla - at the center of the con-flict zone - said arson against equipment wasnot justified. They considered other forms ofdirect action acceptable, such as occupyingcompany-owned land. They also say they arefrustrated that their people are underincreased scrutiny due to the attacks. “Wedon’t know that it’s Mapuche burning thesetrucks,” said Millanao.
In an effort to combat the spike in forestryattacks, the contractors’ union has recentlyinstalled a sophisticated airborne ballooncamera above the worst affected zone ofAraucania, though it has resulted in no convic-tions so far. According to the CMPC source, thecompany has put restrictions on riskier opera-tions, such as night transport on certain roads.Authorities have pledged increased security.Many police officers are heavily armed andsigns along the main highway in Araucaniawarn that the route is video-monitored.
But authorities struggle to protect theoften remote logging sites. “There’s this senseof latent fear,” said Hidalgo, the threatenedNylyumar logger, whose crew now works witha police detail. “I’m always looking around tosee if anyone is following me, to see if anyoneis coming.” —Reuters
Rebel groups threaten Chile logging industry
LONDON/DUBAI: Russian EnergyMinister Alexander Novak has a con-trarian message for those who questionthe wisdom of freezing global levels ofoil output. Despite the collapse of talkson restraining production among OPECand non-OPEC members earlier thisyear, he thinks the discussions were asuccess that might soon be repeated.“It (the build-up to the meeting) pavedthe way for a reversal of negativetrends in the oil markets,” Novak toldreporters last week after meeting OPECmember Venezuela’s oil ministerEulogio del Pino.
“We have seen a large amount ofshort positions being closed while longpositions have been opened,” Novaksaid in reference to speculative bets -shorts - in the market that prices willfall, and the opposite - longs - that theywill rise. The statement is important asoil ministers often talk about oil supply,demand and balance but rarely touchon how market speculators - dominatedby hedge funds - build their positions.
Oil has risen to $50 a barrel, up 85percent from a 12-year low reached inJanuary as supply outages in Nigeriaand Canada reduced the need to propup prices. At its most recent meeting, inJune, the Organization of the PetroleumExporting Countries made no change toits pump-at-will output policy. As delPino begins another campaign to freezeglobal output later this year, watchingprice levels and the market mood willbe key to gauging when top producersmight step up cooperation - even if onlyverbally - despite mutual distrust.
So far, OPEC’s de facto leader SaudiArabia has signalled it wants to avoidanother drop in oil prices. EnergyMinister Khalid Al-Falih has said thekingdom will prevent shocks by addingextra barrels to an already oversuppliedmarket. The rationale behind the moveis simple. Sources familiar with the mat-ter say Riyadh does not want prices tofall again because of fiscal pressures athome and as it fears that a drop in oilinvestment around the world could leadto acute shortages and price spikes.
‘Winter Risks’The world’s top oil exporter is likely to
keep its output relatively stable in com-ing months in what one source called “aconfidence-building exercise” with Iranand non-OPEC producers - in case a jointdeal is needed. Saudi Arabia kept itscrude production steady in May, whilesupply figures were higher as it pulledout more barrels from storage to meetseasonal domestic demand.
OPEC member Iran has been themain stumbling block for a freeze as itinsists it will be ready for joint actiononly once it regains output levels seenbefore the imposition of now-endedWestern sanctions. Del Pino told Reuterslast week that Iranian Oil Minister BijanZanganeh had told him Iran shouldreach desired output levels of 3.8-4.0million barrels per day by September,making a deal on production restraintmore likely.
The International Energy Forum,which groups producers and consumers,meets on Sept 26-28 in Algiers. Qatarsaid OPEC members had agreed to holdtalks on the sidelines. Iranian sources saycooperation is possible but depends onwhere the market stands in Septemberwhen OPEC and non-OPEC producersmeet in Algeria, two months beforeOPEC’s next formal discussions in Viennaon Nov 30. “We should look at the mag-nitude of the surplus in the market. Atthe moment, it is ambiguous because ofthe production disruptions in variouscountries. Maybe in a couple of monthsit will be more clear,” said a source famil-iar with Iranian thinking.
A senior OPEC delegate said: “Gulfcountries will support any cooperationbetween OPEC and non-OPEC. (But) it’stoo early to say now whether anythingwill happen in Algeria.” A number ofOPEC delegates are concerned pricescould weaken during the rest of the yearas some of these barrels return. Thiscame a step closer on Tuesday asNigerian officials said militants and thegovernment had agreed a ceasefire. “Theproblem is with the supply side - it willdepend on Iranian production, US shale,
Libya and Nigeria,” said another delegate.“If the production of all these four goesup, then the second half will be a lower-price session.”
Russia’s Novak, whose country is notin OPEC, also said he feared price weak-ness this winter. “Demand growth isfalling and some volumes could return tothe market after outages ... If pricesbegin to fall steeply again, then we willbe able to and should continue consulta-tions,” Novak said. Most observersbelieve though that even if agreed, any
deal to freeze output would be a weakagreement compared to previousattempts by OPEC to cut output.
For veteran OPEC watcher JamieWebster, the group would need moreincentives than just a low oil price inorder to reduce production. The periodof strong output growth among OPECcountries must be complete and the USshale sector has to show it is inadequateat raising or lowering supply in accor-dance with short-term market needs,Webster said. —Reuters
Oil producers keep output freeze revival on standbyOPEC, non-OPEC producers may consult at Sept forum
TEHRAN: An Iranian baker shows traditional bread, known locally as “barbari”, yesterday during the holy month ofRamadan. —AFP
PARIS: Mobile phones and rising connec-tivity in Africa will give rise to a new mar-ket in mobile financial services, creatingexplosive opportunities for business onthe continent, research has found. TheBoston Consulting Group (BCG) estimat-ed that in three years, 250 millionAfricans without access to traditionalbanking services “will have mobilephones and a monthly income of at least$500”. That could translate to projectedrevenues of $1.5 billion from mobilefinancial services, the group said in areport released Tuesday.
That’s key for a continent where thebanking system is as yet hugely underde-veloped, but where strides have alreadybeen made in mobile banking. In Kenya,for example, the mobile money systemhas nearly 18 million users thanks to theM-Pesa service run by British telecomgiant Vodafone’s subsidiary Safaricom. InEthiopia, Africa’s second most populouscountry and one of its fastest growingeconomies, mobile phones are nowbeing used to push an electronic pay-ment service by phone called M-Birr.
This is all good news for Africa, wherea mere 25 percent of Africans have a reg-ular bank account because “financialservice providers haven’t made the conti-nent a priority,” the group’s report said.The “high cost to serve and low marginsof traditional bank accounts in Africa” arethe main reasons for the oversight.However, sub-Saharan Africa leads theworld in mobile money accounts, accord-ing to the World Bank. “While just 2 per-cent of adults worldwide have a mobilemoney account, 12 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa have one,” the Bank said ina separate study based on 2015 data.
That number is projected to grownow that more than 50 percent ofAfr icans over the age of 15 own amobile phone and since mobiles are alow-cost way to reach a huge market.“For most of these consumers,” said theBCG report, “mobile banking will betheir first experience with financial serv-ices.” Most Africans currently use mobilephones to transfer money but also toprepay util ities and purchase smallitems, as well as make debit-card trans-actions, BCG said.
‘African Middle Class’ The survey of 11 countries in sub-
Saharan Africa found that four in 10Africans access the Internet using a smartphone, while three-quarters use a com-puter to get on the web. Since 2013, thenumber of Africans with access to theinternet has grown by 8 percent. In IvoryCoast, access to the Internet has gonefrom 200,000 in 2008 to 8 million in 2016thanks to 3G. This connectivity, coupledwith rising consumer classes andAfricans’ increasingly optimistic outlook,will translate to over 1.1 billion con-sumers by 2020, the group said - “morethan the populations of Europe andNorth America combined”.
“The concept of a middle class is tak-en from the Western society model andhas led to confusions when we talk ofAfrica,” said Lisa Ivers, director of the BCGbureau in Casablanca. “ The Africansocioeconomic reality is vastly differentacross African countries and from moreestablished markets,” she said. “But thatabsolutely doesn’t lessen our confidenceover the potential of the African domes-tic consumption.”
The group projected that by 2020,Africa will be home to twice as manyaffluent consumers as the UK - and they“are very optimistic and eager to spend”.Of the more than 11,000 people sur-veyed between February and March2015, 88 percent said they were opti-mistic about the future. In Egypt, Kenya,and Nigeria, more than 90 percent saidthey were optimistic. According to thesurvey, 85 percent also agreed with thestatement “It seems like every year thereare more things I want to buy”.
Domestic companies have started totap into this by merging consumerdemand and web access. Jumia, Africa’sversion of Amazon.com, sells a widerange of products and offers a mobilepurchasing app. The e-tailer, started in2012 by the Africa Internet Group inNigeria, is among the top fice online-shopping websites in five African coun-tries: Ivor y Coast, Egypt, Kenya,Morocco, and Nigeria. BCG defined aconsumer as between 18 and 75 with atleast $50 to $7,000 in regular monthlyearnings. —AFP
Mobile money to power Africa financial growth
MILAN/LONDON: Liquefied naturalgas (LNG) from the United States is setto do battle in Europe but Russia’sGazprom is setting the stage, preparinga cold reception for the super-cooledgas set to cross the Atlantic. A weak-ened rouble has lowered Gazprom’sproduction costs by a fifth while itsprofits on dollar-denominated gassales to Europe last year doubled inrouble terms. Gazprom has managedto increase sales despite a push by theEuropean Union to curb Russian ener-gy imports, using discounts, renegotia-tion of unpopular oil-linked contractsand gas sales via auctions.
Spurring Gazprom’s charm offen-sive is a looming showdown as a waveof US gas is set to reach Europe’s shoresbeginning next year. US exporters ledby Cheniere Energy are expected tohave 83 billion cubic metres (bcm) ofgas ready for sale by 2019. That’s about20 percent of Europe’s current annualgas needs. That threatens to exacer-bate already significant global gasoversupply, with new producers squar-ing up against established players formarket share and driving prices lower.“We are at the start of a new chapter inEuropean gas markets,” Fatih Birol,executive director at the InternationalEnergy Agency said recently, as US andother supplies fight to gain access.
But Gazprom, for now, appearsconfident it can see off the challengeand even raise its European marketshare, which stood at 31 percent in2015, helped by declining output inEurope, primarily in the Netherlandsand Britain. As US producers crankup exports, more than a dozen LNGcargoes have been exported, yet sofar just one has reached Europe asother markets offer better returns.“Longer term, Asia will remain moreattractive for US gas. No US busi-nessman in the right state of mind -being already heavily indebted andhaving put all his assets as collateralwith banks - will deliver gas toEurope at a loss,” Gazprom’s DeputyChief Executive Alexander Medvedevtold Reuters last week.
However, Gazprom has beenwrong before. A few years ago it wassimilarly sceptical about the threatposed by the rise of US shale gas andoil. Chief Executive Alexei Miller at thetime said unconventional gas wasexpensive to produce and would notbe a game changer in the global ener-gy market. That was a serious miscalcu-lation and proved costly as Gazpromwas forced to shelve development ofone of the world’s largest gas fields,Shtokman, as shale rapidly wiped outU.S. needs for gas imports. —Reuters
Cold Gazprom receptionfor US super-cooled gas
B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
WASHINGTON: The Federal Reserve’s abilityto raise interest rates this year may hinge ona rebound in hiring that would convince pol-icymakers the US economy is not faltering,Fed Chair Janet Yellen told lawmakers onTuesday. In testimony before Congress thatexpressed general optimism about the econ-omy and played down the risk of a recession,Yellen nevertheless said the Fed will be cau-tious about interest rate increases until it isclear the job market is holding up.
Immediate risks, like the potential falloutfrom Britain’s June 23 vote on whether to
leave the European Union, could darken theUS economic outlook, she told the SenateBanking Committee, as could a downturn inproductivity growth that may prove a per-manent drag on the economy. “Without adoubt, in the last several months a numberof different metrics suggest . . . a loss ofmomentum in terms of the pace of improve-ment,” Yellen said. “We believe that will turnaround, we expect it to turn around, but weare taking a cautious approach and watchingvery carefully to make sure that that expecta-tion is borne out before we proceed to raise
interest rates further.” Her comments suggestthe US central bank is unlikely to raise ratesat its next policy meeting in late July, since itwil l only have one additional monthlyemployment report in hand by that time.They also demonstrate how a new sense ofuncertainty has taken root as Fed policymak-ers come to grips with a broadening realiza-tion that the economy’s potential appears tobe weaker than previously thought.
In a generally civil 2-1/2-hour hearing,Yellen was questioned less about those long-run economic issues and more about the
Fed cautious due to Brexit, US hiring slowdown immediate economic and political con-cerns of panel members: why agricultur-al prices were so low, why there were somany white men in charge of the Fed’sregional reserve banks, and why therewas so much income inequality.
Asked about presumptive Republicanpresidential nominee Donald Trump’ssuggestion the United States could low-er its national debt by buying backsecurities at a discount, Yellen said anymove that smacks of a default for asecurity generally viewed by the worldas risk-free would have “severe” conse-quences. Her comments largely trackedthe Fed’s policy statement last week andthe press conference that followed.
“It’s a rehash. The underlying mes-sage is a continuation of the trend thatthe Fed is moving toward a more cau-tious stance to support this economicexpansion with the fragility of the eco-nomic backdrop,” said Robert Tipp, chiefinvestment strategist at Prudential FixedIncome in Newark, New Jersey. USTreasury yields had risen to sessionhighs by the end of Yellen’s testimony,while stocks on Wall Street were tradinghigher. US rates futures implied traderssaw a 12 percent chance of the Fed rais-ing rates in July, little changed fromMonday. The dollar was stronger againsta basket of currencies.
Brexit RisksThere was more explicit attention
during Yellen’s testimony to the possi-
ble implications of the “Brexit” vote,which she said could have “significantrepercussions”. Asked if Britain’s depar-ture from the EU could trigger a reces-sion in the United States, Yellen said: “Idon’t think that is the most likely case,but we just don’t really know what willhappen and we will have to watch verycarefully.” Although the outcome ofthe British referendum will be knownthis week, the jobs issue may takelonger to sort out.
Fed officials have said they expectedUS job growth to slow from the average200,000 per month typically seen dur-ing the post-financial crisis recovery. Butthe drop to an average of 80,000 in Apriland May was particularly sharp and putthe economy below the level of job cre-ation the Fed considers necessary toaccommodate new labor force entrants.In her testimony, Yellen called the slow-down likely a “transitory” phenomenon.But concerns the hiring slowdown maybe longer-lasting, coupled with a low-ered sense of US economic potential,mean the Fed’s benchmark overnightinterest rate is likely to remain low “forsome time” Yellen said.
Current Fed policymakers’ projec-tions foresee two rate increases this yearand three each in 2017 and 2018, aslower pace from what was forecast inMarch. Yellen was to appear before aHouse committee yesterday to com-plete her semi-annual testimony beforeCongress. —Reuters
B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
BERLIN: German banks exploited a legalloophole that allowed two parties toclaim ownership of the same shares, thefinancial watchdog will tell lawmakersthis week, in schemes that could havecost the state billions of euros in tax overmany years. This double ownershipallowed both parties to claim tax rebates.It has provoked public anger in Germanyand is an embarrassment for the Berlingovernment, which has campaigned foryears to root out tax evasion around theworld.
The loophole was closed in 2012, withthe means of claiming double ownershipbanned. But an analysis of documentsrelated to a lawmakers’ investigation -seen by Reuters but not publicly avail-able - suggests the finance ministry mayhave missed a chance to end the practiceseveral years earlier, instead accepting abanking lobby proposal that allowed itto continue. The finance ministry toldReuters that it had done all it could toend what it regarded as a criminal prac-tice.
Such schemes centred around “shortsales” - the sale of borrowed shares. Abank would loan out the stock in a waythat made both the bank and the even-tual buyer appear briefly to be simulta-neous owners of the shares. This allowedboth parties to receive a dividend taxrebate. The financial watchdog BaFin
estimates “a small double-digit number”of German banks were involved in suchschemes, but has not named them. ManyGermans have been particularly angeredthat Commerzbank - bailed out in thefinancial crash and still partly state-owned - has said it used the arrange-ment.
Commerzbank said there had been“some violations” but said it had notbeen involved in “systematic participa-tion in such business”. The debate overthe so-called “Cum Ex” trades has gainedfresh momentum following a Germanregional court ruling in February thatfound there was no legal basis for thedouble claiming of rebates, even beforeit was banned in 2012. Public prosecu-tors have embarked on more than adozen investigations in Frankfurt,Munich and Cologne to pursue banks forany rebates received through this loop-hole. Lawmakers on a special parliamen-tary committee convened in Februaryare investigating the practice andwhether the government respondedquickly enough to close the loophole.Industry experts say the practice hadbeen going on for decades and had costthe state billions of euros. Officials fromthe regulator will appear before the com-mittee on Thursday. Finance MinisterWolfgang Schaeuble and three predeces-sors dating back to 1998 will appear in
the coming months and will likely facequestions on who profited from Cum Exdeals and why the authorities let themcontinue until 2012.
Loophole“Cum Ex” deals were known by state
officials to be problematic more than adecade ago but the finance ministryaccepted a banking industry plan tochange the law - a plan which openedanother loophole, documents seen byReuters show. The documents, whichtrack the conception in 1997 of the rulechanges, through the drafting process,to a final law passed in 2007, show theministry picked up and eventually imple-mented the proposal.
A document has been presented tothe parliamentary committee, dated May21, 1997, from Deutsche Bank’s taxdepartment to industry lobby group, theFederal Association of German Banks(BdB). In it, Deutsche proposes an extralevy to make up for any tax shortfall cre-ated by such Cum Ex transactions, butwith one significant exception: foreignbanks and clients would not be included.Deutsche said this week that it had notparticipated in an organized Cum Ex mar-ket but could not rule out that its clientshad engaged in such transactions. TheDeutsche Bank proposal was taken up bythe lobby group. The German federal
finance office wrote to its superiors at thefinance ministry on Oct. 6, 2005, saying:“The legislation proposed by the FederalAssociation of German Banks is ... fullysuitable for governing the problematiccases of short-selling”.
In 2007, the amendment proposed bythe lobbyists became law. This allowedbanks to continue using such trades foranother five years, so long as their clientsinvolved were foreign - for example ahedge fund in London or Paris. “The pro-posal made was specifically aimed atbeing good for the banks and bad for thetax authorities,” Green party lawmakerGerhard Schick has told the committee.In a letter to clients dated Aug 29, 2008,and seen by Reuters, French bank BNPParibas said it had attended a meeting atthe lobby group to determine who wasobliged to pay the new levy. “The obliga-tion to withhold tax on short sales onlyaffects German banks selling securities byorder and on behalf of their clients,” theletter read. “Non-German financial institu-tions ... are not liable to monitor andwithhold tax.” BNP declined to comment.
One OwnerFormer BdB director Hans-Juergen
Krause told the parliamentary committeethat it was not the lobbyists’ aim to findgaps in the law. “We never looked forloopholes,” Krause said. But at least one
official was sceptical of their motivesfrom the outset. In the western state ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’sindustrial hub, a civil servant in theregional finance ministry took aim at thelobbyists’ proposal in an internal report inOct 2005. There could only be one ownerof a stock at any one time, she argued.“The wish of the (banking) associations todevelop a legal fiction is to be rejected,”she wrote in the document, adding thatthe new complicated rules proposedwould serve to legalize a practice whichwas “without a civil law basis”.
Her concerns went unheeded as thefinance ministry decided to follow theBdB proposal. Now German authoritiesare poring over the validity of that deci-sion and the wider legality of the CumEx schemes. In a case in February thisyear, a court in the state of Hesse - hometo Germany’s financial capital Frankfurt -ruled there was no legal basis for thedouble claiming of rebates, as occurredwith the trades. Banks have already paidhundreds of millions of euros in backtaxes and tens of millions to settle dis-putes with German authorities. For one,Maple Bank GmbH in Frankfurt, thescandal has proven disastrous. It wasplunged into insolvency in Februaryafter tax officials demanded over 300million euros in repayments, and isclosed for business. —Reuters
Dividend tax scandal: How banks short-changed Germany
LARNACA: Cobalt airline Chief Executive Officer Andrew Pyne, walks past a Cobalt aeroplane at Larnaca airport on May 30, 2016, during a bless-ing ceremony ahead of the launch of the new Cyprus-based airline. —AFP
LARNACA, Cyprus: As Cyprus emerges from adeep financial crisis, a new low-cost airline willlaunch next month to tap into theMediterranean island’s resurgent tourism mar-ket. The country has been without a national car-rier since the collapse of Cyprus Airways, the vic-tim of a credit crunch that brought the countryclose to bankruptcy in 2013. But numbers of visi-tors to the island’s popular beach resorts soaredin 2015, prompting optimism for the vital sec-tor’s prospects.
Andrew Pyne, CEO of new airline Cobalt,wants to turn the island’s main airport, Larnaca,into a regional hub serving Europe and theMiddle East. “We want to be the new nationalairline of Cyprus,” he told AFP. “We are betting onCyprus because we see the potential for theisland to be so much bigger a destination than itcurrently is.” Cobalt, a collaboration betweenlocal and Chinese investors, plans to run a mod-est fleet of five planes by the end of summer,and double that by 2017.
Starting from July 7, it will fly in visitors fromeight destinations in Britain, Ireland and Greece.Further down the line it plans to open routes toTel Aviv, Tehran and into Asia. The new carrier,with 150 staff - many of them former CyprusAirways employees - faced a slow start becauseof delays getting its commercial licence. Thatpushed back its launch by more than a month,hitting revenues. But the launch is a timely inter-vention in an economy that only last yearemerged from recession after 14 consecutivequarters of contraction.
“There was a realization after the financial cri-sis that there was a sector they weren’t makingthe most of,” said Fiona Mullen, director ofSapienta Economics. The lack of cheap, conven-ient air links between Cyprus and other parts ofEurope - and the lack of passenger ferries to theisland - has held back the sector. “The strategy isextra airlines, but also trying to extend thetourism season,” she said. “Cobalt has made a lotof effort to increase airlines coming from otherplaces as well.”
Tourism Potential With revenues of Ä2.11 billion ($2.38 billion)
in 2015, tourism represents 12 percent ofCyprus’s gross domestic product. But the WorldTravelling Tourism Council estimates that thetotal impact, including retail and real estate,
could be as much as a fifth of the entire econo-my. Cyprus welcomed 2.65 million tourists in2015, the highest figure in 14 years. May thisyear saw more visitors than ever before - withparticularly high numbers from Britain andRussia - and the Cyprus Tourism Organization(CTO) predicts 2016 will see record numbers.
The Mediterranean island lies just a hundredkilometres from the coast of Syria. It is seen as asafe destination compared to other traditionalholiday hotspots in the region, such as Egyptand Turkey, where political unrest and attacks ontourist targets have hit the industry hard. Cyprushas also been spared the migration crisis thathas affected many popular destinations in theGreek islands.
Doros Georgiades, who works for CTO toattract tourists from Europe and Russia, said hisorganization was optimistic about Cobalt. “Weexpect a lot from the new airline. First because itwill open new routes. But an additional benefit isthat the income will be much higher for Cyprus,because having an airline operating in Cyprus,that means that the whole price of the packageis going to Cyprus,” he said.
Longer Season While Cyprus has long hosted British and
Russian tourists seeking some sun, officials arenow working with Cobalt to develop new formsof tourism and extend the season. “Our aim is tohave similar numbers (of visitors) during off sea-sons as we have during summer. Cyprus has a lotto offer in October, November, March, April,” saidGeorgiades. The government, which has activelysupported the launch of Cobalt, recentlyannounced a strategy for improving the qualityof its services.
It also plans to promote alternative tourismto attract new visitors and improve its high-endofferings such as yacht harbors and casinos.Pyne, who started his career at British Airwaysand has headed up budget airlines in Russia andMacau, was upbeat about the sector’s potential.“We have antiquities here, we have forests,mountains, skiing in winter,” he said. “Peoplecome to Cyprus for the beaches, for the sea andfor the sunshine, but we want to make it multi-faceted. We don’t want to be focusing only onthat market.” —AFP
New airline set for takeoff
as tourism soars in Cyprus
Cobalt wants to turn Larnaca, into regional hub
People relax on Mackenzie beach, three kilometers from Larnaca city center, on May 14, 2016.
HANOVER: The boss of embattled Germanauto giant Volkswagen yesterday issued anapology to angry shareholders over theemissions cheating scandal that hasplunged the group into an unprecedentedcrisis. Facing an annual general meeting forthe first time since the scandal erupted inSeptember, Matthias Mueller said: “Onbehalf of the Volkswagen Group and every-one who works here, I apologize to youshareholders for your trust in Volkswagenbeing betrayed.
“This misconduct goes against every-thing that Volkswagen stands for,” he
added nine months after the start of the“Dieselgate” affair, when it emerged VWhad installed emissions-cheating soft-ware into 11 mil l ion diesel enginesworldwide. Volkswagen is still far fromdrawing a line under the scandal, withthe costs of the affair still incalculablewhile it remains unclear i f VW ’s owninternal investigation will pinpoint themajor culprits behind the scam.
And the auto giant, which owns 12brands ranging from Volkswagen andPorsche to Audi and SEAT, still faces a myri-ad of regulatory fines and lawsuits fromcustomers and shareholders. Shareholdersare expected to use the AGM in the north-ern city of Hanover to let off steam at theway management has handled the affair.Two days ahead of the meeting, prosecu-tors provided more fodder to the irateshareholders when they said they wereinvestigating former VW boss MartinWinterkorn for having allegedly manipulat-ed the market by holding back informationabout emissions cheating at the car giant.
A second former member of the board
was also under probe, prosecutors said,without giving the individual’s name, but aVolkswagen spokesman told AFP that thesuspect was Herbert Diess - who is incharge of the VW brand. Listed companiesare required to disclose information thatcould affect market prices immediately. ButVW complied with its disclosure obligationonly on September 22, 2015, prosecutorssaid, four days after US regulators wentpublic that they were charging the compa-ny for emissions cheating.
‘Crisis has Opened Doors’ The allegations struck at the heart of
shareholders’ misgivings, as they have sinceearly on in the scandal also accused man-agement of dragging their feet in inform-ing them about the scam, which led to astunning 40-percent drop in the company’sshare price last autumn. The stock has sincerecovered somewhat, but is still 26 percentbelow the levels before the scandal brokelast September, and the company’sfinances also remain weak.
After it was forced to set aside Ä16 bil-lion ($18 billion) in provisions to cover thecosts of the affair so far, it sank to a net lossof Ä1.6 billion, its first loss in two decades.Giving an update of the company’s internalinvestigation into the affair, chairman HansDieter Poetsch said some 550 interviewshad been carried out by the US consultantscharged with the probe, Jones Day.
Nevertheless, a number of shareholderlobby groups are demanding specialenquir ies into who should be heldresponsible for the affair, arguing thatJones Day is not sufficiently independent.Seeking to reassure shareholders of man-agement’s commitment to regain theirtrust, Mueller said the crisis could eventu-ally prove to be “beneficial”. “The crisis hasalso opened doors. I t forced us tostrengthen and speed up overduechanges, and to set new priorities. To turnthis crisis into an opportunity has beenmy goal from the beginning,” he said.
Mueller hinted in a newspaper interviewon Tuesday that the car giant could aban-don diesel engine technology in the wake ofthe scandal. “We have to ask ourselveswhether... we want to spend more moneyon the further development of diesel,”Mueller told the business daily Handelsblatt,promising that VW would take a “fundamen-tal” look at the issue. The move appeared tobe in line with the group’s plans to reposi-tion itself as a leading player in environmen-tally sustainable modes of transport, withmore than 30 all-electric models to beunveiled by 2025.—AFP
VW chief tells shareholders
sorry for emissions scandal
HANOVER: VW CEO Matthias Muellerattends German carmaker Volkswagenshareholders’ annual general meetingyesterday. —AFP
Pro-EU or no EU? London
has extremes of opinion
LONDON: When Britain decides todaywhether to leave the European Union,London’s voice may prove decisive. But forwhich side? Britain’s capital, home toalmost 9 million people, encompassessome of the most pro-EU places in thecountry - and the least. In the cosmopolitanCity financial district, where almost half amillion people from around the globe workin Europe’s biggest financial center, pro-EUsentiment predominates. But just a fewmiles away the borough of Havering,stronghold of working-class East Enders,topped a national survey of the most anti-EU places in Britain.
The two districts represent the opposingviews at the heart of Britain’s EU debate.One sees the bloc’s free flow of people andmoney as a benefit. The other sees it as athreat. Fishmonger David Crosbie, workingon a drizzly morning in Havering’s outdoorRomford Market, is an emphatic “leave”supporter. For Crosbie, the decision has alot to do with borders, on land and sea. Hesays he is tired of European fishermentrawling waters around Britain under theEU’s Common Fisheries Policy.
“French, Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch -whatever. They can all come. They go rightup on the beach,” he said. “Plus there’s noimmigration control. Anybody can come
over here, skilled or unskilled.” Immigrationhas become the most emotive issue of thecampaign leading up to Thursday’s referen-dum, stirring fears of instability among vot-ers and drawing allegations of xenophobiafrom “remain” supporters.
The EU is built on the principle that citi-zens can live and work in any of the 28member states. Since the bloc expanded toinclude former communist countries ineastern Europe more than a decade ago,hundreds of thousands of people havemoved west to Britain and other wealthierEU nations. The perception that EUmigrants come to take jobs - and, some-what paradoxically, to live on welfare bene-fits - is driving “leave” sentiment inHavering and other Euroskeptic areas.
But 24 km to the southwest in the his-toric heart of financial London, policy chiefMark Boleat argues that thousands of jobs,and London’s standing as a financial center,depend on the EU. “The European Unionhas been good for the country generally,very good for financial services,” saidBoleat, who heads the policy committee atthe City of London Corporation, which runsthe financial quarter. “Many jobs dependon it, and we think that leaving theEuropean Union will be taking a significantrisk.”—AP
b u s i n e s sTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
KUWAIT: The latest additions to the Mercedes-Benz high performance and luxury family havearrived in Kuwait. Available at Abdul RahmanAlbisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company, the autho-rised General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz inKuwait, the new generation SLC and SL roadsterspresent an iconic design that celebrate present-day open-air luxury and sportiness. Well receivedglobally and progressive in design, the dream carscontinue an illustrious heritage of breath-takinglooks and sensational performance.
The new SLC: Unleash your sensesJust in time for the 20th birthday of its seg-
ment, the archetypal compact roadster enjoys anew evolution with a new name, optimised tech-nology and an enhanced look. The new Mercedes-Benz SLC (previously SLK) takes the roadster’sdriving pleasure to a new level thanks to an unri-valled combination of sportiness and comfort.Comprehensively refined, and with a model line-up ranging from the entry level SLC 200 to thetop-of-the-line Mercedes-AMG SLC 43, therenamed compact roadster will appeal to today’sconfident individualist determined to experiencelife’s exclusive pleasures.
“Designed to slice through the wind and cor-ners, the new SLC offers a pure sports car soul
without the sports car price tag. Compact, pow-erful and a leader in the technology segment, itsretractable vario roof folds in to the trunk deliv-ering open air perfection and unbridled enjoy-ment no matter the weather,” said MichaelRuehle, Chief Executive Officer, Abdul RahmanAlbisher & Zaid Company.
As part of the facelift, the Mercedes-Benzdesigners have further honed the roadster ’ssporty look. The new front section, where thesteeply raked radiator grille elongates the appear-ance of the arrow-shaped bonnet, is particularlystriking. All SLC models feature a diamond radia-tor grille as standard and narrower tail light unitswhich are divided horizontally and feature LEDtechnology.
The interior of the facelifted SLC highlightsinclude new light or dark aluminium trim partswith a carbon fibre finish and a new design forthe instrument cluster. A large, multifunction,colour TFT display with a screen diagonal of 4.5inches (11.4 cm) is incorporated between thetwo dials as standard and ambient lighting hasbeen extended to the footwell, creating a moregenerous sense of space. As well as solar redthere are now two additional colours - polar blueand polar white.
The SLC’s vario-roof combines open-top driv-
ing pleasure with uncompromised comfort, withan even smoother electrohydraulic roof thatallows easy opening or closing, even while driv-ing at speeds up to 40 km/h. Unique to the SLC,the panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CON-TROL - a glass roof that lightens or darkens at thetouch of a button - provides an open-air feelingat any time, as well as welcome shade under ahot sun. The classic strengths of the SLC alsoinclude its well-designed boot, which at 335 litreshas easily the highest capacity in this segment.
A new feature for the SLC is the standard-fitActive Brake Assist, known in other model seriesas COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS. In addi-tion to radar-based proximity warning and brak-ing assistance by Adaptive Brake Assist, thisActive Brake Assist system carries outautonomous braking to reduce the danger ofrear-end collisions. Both Parking Assist PARK-TRONIC and reversing camera comes as standardin the GCC, making parking significantly safer andmore straightforward.
Mercedes-Benz SL: The legend - now even more dynamic and modern
More powerful engines, automatic transmis-sion, 9G-TRONIC, DYNAMIC SELECT with fivetransmission modes and Active Body Controlwith the curve tilting function all take the leg-end to a new dynamic level. Taking the mean-ing of the well-known abbreviation “SL” - Super-Light - literally at its word, the new generationhas implemented an all-aluminium bodyshell aspart of large-scale series production, for thefirst time. Only relatively few components aremade using other materials. High-strength steeltubes are integrated in the A-pillars to increasesafety and the aluminium bodyshell weighsaround 110 kg less than if it had been producedusing steel technology.
“The SL range has long delivered on perform-ance and promise, inspiring desire among carenthusiasts,” said Michael Ruehle, ChiefExecutive Officer, Abdul Rahman Albisher & ZaidCompany. “Its classic two-seat cockpit embracesits passengers like the SL hugs the road, while itsreduced mass tips the scales in favour of greatersafety, comfort, and most of all, athletic per-formance.”
The new SL debuts a revised front end, withthe standard, unique diamond radiator grilleextends downwards. Two power domes accentu-ate the long, drawn-out bonnet while the newstandard-fit LED Intelligent Light System withheadlamp housing extends far to the outside.The sporty silhouette is emphasised by theenlarged cosmetic air outlets with wing-likechrome inserts in the dynamic, broad vehiclewings and the exterior mirrors positioned on thebeltline. Brilliant blue and designo selenite greymagno are available to choose from by way ofnew colours, plus the range of light-alloy wheelsin the size 48.3 cm (19 inches) has also beenextended significantly.
The New Generation Mercedes-Benz SLC and SL models arrive in Kuwait
DUBAI: Nissan’s all-new Maxima, which has rede-fined the large saloon segment with its sporty aes-thetics and engaging driver appeal, has seen salesincrease by 180 percent since start of sale in Nov2015 up to May 2016 comparing to the same peri-od from the previous fiscal year. “The eighth gen-eration Maxima is completely redesigned and isthe most powerful and sportiest model in its histo-ry,” comments Nissan Middle East’s ManagingDirector, Samir Cherfan. “It appeals to drivers witha requirement for practicality, state-of-the-arttechnology, beautiful design and an engagingexperience behind the wheel.”
“The all-new Maxima is redefining what thelarge saloon car segment can do - and this is evi-dent by the growing demanding for the new mod-el across the Middle East. To see such a dramaticupswing in sales across the region is proof that amodern four-door can be exciting, beautifullydesigned and performance oriented without sacri-ficing quality and reliability.”
The 2016 Maxima has also been named thetop scoring full-size car in the Strategic Vision TotalQuality Impact (TQI) Awards. The 2016 Maxima
had a total evaluation score of 720 - out of a possi-ble 1,000 - besting the other competitors in thefull-size car segment and well above the segmentaverage. More than just counting problems, theTQI rating allows owners to fully reflect their expe-riences with their vehicles, including tangibleaspects such as acceleration and visibility, intangi-ble aspects such as vehicle image, emotionalaspects and involvement, as well as a comprehen-sive survey of the number and severity of the vehi-cle problems reported.
According to the study results, Maxima stoodout in all key factors - including safety, durability,NVH (noise, vibration and harshness), comfort,workmanship, style, power and pickup, andthoughtful engineering. Maxima also ranked high-ly in excitement and individuality measures. Therecently launched all-new Nissan Maxima has re-defined its segment as it brings head turningdesign, enhanced performance and state-of-the-art technology to Middle East customers. Together,these attributes make the new Nissan Maxima aunique combination of sports car style with premi-um elegance.
All-New Nissan Maxima redefines saloon segment
KUWAIT: In one of the biggest offers of the sea-son, Honda Alghanim Service Center launched itsbest maintenance campaign yet, offering Hondaowners a slew of free services and discounts thatwill guarantee them a pleasant summer and peaceof mind. Indeed, as temperature rises, customersare earnestly encouraged to ensure the safety oftheir vehicle as to avoid malfunctions and break-downs on the road.
Luckily, thanks to the free checkup offer byAlghanim Motors, the exclusive distributor ofHonda products in Kuwait, including cars, bikespower equipment, power generators and more,customers can benefit from a number of free anddiscounted maintenance services that will meet alltheir needs. Customers can book their appoint-ments in advance by calling the service centerdirectly at 1822777.
Performed by a maintenance team of special-ists and technicians of the highest order, Honda’sfree summer checkup promotion will entail anumber of inspection points that includes a car’scooling system (radiator, water pump, hoses, ther-mostat, fan, fan clutch and belts), AC system (com-pressor, accumulator, dryer, condenser and AC pip-ing) and tires and brakes (visual check for brakesand tire pressure adjustment.)
Upon inspection, the maintenance team willprepare a detailed report evaluating the car’sperformance and stability as well as offer theirprofessional recommendations for maintenanceand replacement. If customers decide to havetheir Honda vehicle serviced, the service centerwill instantly offer up to 30 percent discount onparts with 1-year warranty, up to 10 percent dis-count on labor and up to 50 percent discount
on the widest range of accessories, availingowners the freedom to customize and personal-ize their vehicles as they see fit. Furthermore, ifcustomers decide to have their Honda vehiclechecked-up, then they will instantly get a giftfrom the service center: free cars wash that com-memorates their visit and trust with Honda.
The free checkup offer is a reflection ofHonda Alghanim’s never-ending commitmenttoward its customers - a commitment honoredby offering the highest standards of service andproducts that are guaranteed to paint a smileon customers’ faces. In addition, by availingamazing offers and unbeatable prices and dis-counts all yearlong, Honda Alghanim continuesto cement its reputation as one of the most reli-able, trusted and loved car brands in the world.
Honda Alghanim invites all its customersto visit the latest showroom at AlRai to takeadvantage of this offer and learn more on themodels, features, and pr ices of the newHonda lineup. The new showroom, which isconsidered to be the largest in the MiddleEast and North Africa region, is situated aspart of Safat Alghanim on an area covering9,000 square meters; it has been built by inte-grating Alghanim Industries brand values inorder to achieve a prestigious status that theleading global brand Honda deserves. Thisshowroom accentuates on architecture anddesign while offering high-quality services ofwhich customer satisfaction is of the highestpriority. It boasts 3 floors that offer versatileservices including a service center that is ableto receive 70 vehicles through 16 stationsdaily.
Is your Honda ready for the summer?
ABU DHABI: Following a string of recent awardsfor its funding activities and treasury practice,Etihad Airways swept top honours at theTreasury Today Adam Smith Awards in London.Etihad Airways' treasury team collected thehighest honour, winning the Top Treasury TeamAward for overall excellence. The team alsopicked up the awards for Best Financing Solutionand Best Cash Management Solution.
Winning the Top Treasury Team Award,against a field of strong international competi-tion, Etihad Airways' Treasury Department wasrecognised for its innovative transformation andcentralisation programmes that have made anoutstanding contribution to the airline.
Presented at a gala luncheon in The City ofLondon's historic Gibson Hall, the awards werecollected by Ricky Thirion, Etihad Airways' GroupTreasurer; and Deputy Treasurer, AdamBoukadida.
James Hogan, Etihad Aviation GroupPresident and Chief Executive Officer, said:"Innovation is at the heart of everything we doat Etihad Airways. These latest awards are a testi-mony to the talent in our finance team. Ourstrategy is clear and finance is a core enabler ofthat strategy - a business model that focuses onorganic growth and minority investments in air-lines around the world. Our equity partner strat-egy is creating a total which is greater than the
sum of its parts, a grouping working together toimprove revenues, reduce costs and uncoverexciting new business synergies."
James Rigney, Etihad Aviation Group ChiefFinancial Officer, said: "The performance of ourtreasury team this last year has been remarkable.These highly coveted awards, especially theteam of the year award, are very well deserved.The success they have had is a catalyst for EtihadAviation Group's plans for further growth andinvestment."
Angela Berry, Co-founder and GroupPublisher at the Treasury Today Group, said: "TheAdam Smith Awards are the ultimate industrybenchmark for achievement in corporate treas-ury, Etihad Airways is to be congratulated forsweeping so many of this year's awards."
The Best Financing Solution Award was inrecognition of the landmark Etihad AirwaysPartners' (EAP) US$700 Million debt capital mar-kets transaction completed in September 2015.Seen as the first joint financing deal of its kind inthe airline industry, the ground-breaking trans-action was aimed at funding EAP's expansion. Afurther US$500 million has since been raised in asecond transaction completed last month -reflecting the financial markets' continued confi-dence in the Etihad Airways Partners story.
The implementation of an innovative glob-al cash management solution that unlockedliquidity, introduced cost savings, and allowedEtihad Airways to manage, control and reportglobal cash centrally, was recognised with theBest Cash Management Award. The new solu-tion brought about greater economies ofscale, increased operat ional eff ic ienc y,enhanced financial returns and immediatesolutions to local needs across the airline'sworldwide operations.
(From left) Adam Boukadida, Etihad Airways' Deputy Treasurer; Ricky Thirion, EtihadAirways' Group Treasurer - at the Treasury Today Adam Smith Awards in London.
Etihad Airways wins top honors at prestigious Adam Smith Awards
KUWAIT: Gulf Bank recently announced thatit received two coveted awards fromInternational Banker for ‘Best CommercialBank’ and ‘Best Innovation in Retail Banking’in Kuwait for 2016. The ‘Best CommercialBank’ and ‘Best Innovation in Retail Banking’awards reinforce Gulf Bank’s commitment tooffering excellence in its customer service.The Bank’s innovative use of technology toprovide tailored solutions to clients, such asthe launch of Middle East’s first facial recog-nition mobile banking app and its dedica-tion to enhancing the customer experiencethrough its simple, transparent and trust-worthy approach, are two of the main fac-tors that position the Bank in the forefront.
Commenting on this achievement, CesarGonzalez-Bueno, Gulf Bank CEO said: “Weare honored with the recognition Gulf Bank
has received from International Banker forthe second consecutive year. These awardsare endorsements the strong reputation andleading position of Gulf Bank. At the Bankwe strive to achieve the highest standards,to offer our customers exceptional customerservice and innovative, easy-to-use prod-ucts. We are proud to know that theseefforts are being independently acknowl-edged by the banking industry.”
The ‘2016 Banking Awards’ distinguishthose institutions that have excelled in pro-viding an unparalleled service to their clientswhilst also continuously maintaining a highlevel of regulatory compliance. The awardsidentify the best organizations and individu-als in the sector, measured not only bygrowth, liquidity and profitability but alsotaking into consideration issues such as
product innovation, use of IT, corporate gov-ernance, transparency and sustainability.
In the past year, Gulf Bank has launcheda number of exciting products and customerpropositions. These include ‘Gulf Rewards’,which is Kuwait’s fastest and most rewardingloyalty program. The program includes GulfPoints for free flights and hotels redemp-tions, as well as access to Gulf BankEntertainer, Kuwait’s first geo-locator mobileapplication offering exclusive deals inKuwait, UAE, and London. The bank has alsointroduced the VISA Signature Credit Card, inaddition to the other premium credit cardsoffered, allowing it to present PriorityBanking customers with a range of new,exciting benefits.
Also, in the last year, the bank hasrevamped its salary and red accounts,
adding new benefits and incentives to cus-tomers, while the famous Al Danah accountremains a strong driver of growth, present-ing customers with the chance to win thesingle biggest cash prize of KD 1 million.
Most recently, Gulf Bank has announcedthe launch of Middle East’s first facial recog-nition mobile banking app. This allows cus-tomers to access their personal accounts onany number of services by logging intothrough one of two methods: by blinkingtheir eyes at their smartphone camera(‘Blinking to Bank’) following their finger-print recognition (Touch ID), or through theuse of a traditional password registration.This bilingual Arabic and English app is avail-able for download onto smartphone devicesthrough the Apple App store and theAndroid Play store.
KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) hasannounced its partnership with MasterCardinternational for their promotion with thefamous Atlantis Dubai the Palm, where cus-tomers can use their CBK MasterCard credit orprepaid cards to book their getaway at Atlantisresort in Dubai and enjoy an exclusive offer forfamily fun packages from only AED 1,595.
The offer includes a variety of benefits rang-ing from spa sessions to a full breakfast, achoice of lunch or dinner in 15 Atlantis restau-rants and unlimited access to AquaventureWaterpark, the lost chamber and many morebenefits. Customers can take advantage of the
exclusive offer that is valid for stays until Sept30, 2016. For more information, customers cancheck the latest promotion section on bankwebsite on www.cbk.com , booking can bemade directly on the link in the website wherecustomers can avail the offer by using theircredit or prepaid CBK MasterCard. MasterCardhas always collaborated with Commercial Bankof Kuwait on creating the most innovative, anddynamic campaigns to ensure their customersare always satisfied. CBK recommends its cus-tomers to take advantage of this special offer,and enjoy the wonderful world of Atlantisresort in Dubai.
KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced that it iscontinuing to offer Premier Banking cus-tomers with the complimentary EideyaDelivery service in collaboration withQiblah company for concierge services tocater to their overall banking expectations.This service enables Premier Banking cus-tomers to receive banknotes before the Eidholidays at their offices or homes, avoidingthe burdens of waiting in line at that timeof the year.
To request this service, Premier customerscan simply contact Qiblah concierge servicesstarting 9 am until 4 pm, by calling 22317755or emailing [email protected] torequest the amount of Eid money requiredand state their address in order for theconcierge messenger to deliver it accordingly.
It is worth mentioning that the Eideyadelivery service comes as part of thebank’s wide range of valuable privilegesand benefits that is especially designated
for its Premier customers. Additionally,the bank’s collaboration with Qiblah forconcierge services stems from its commit-ment of supporting its customers’ every-day requirements with unmatched per-sonalized experience.
Burgan Bank’s premier customers canavail instant concierge services from aselected list of more than 20 services.These services include; travel coordina-tion, airport transfers, visa assistance,themed party planners, valet parkers, giftpurchasing, courier service, tickets tomajor events, payment of school fees, carregistrations, car service, traffic fine pay-ment, car wash, l imos for occasions,restaurant reservations and others. Thefree concierge services has been intro-duced as part of the bank’s wide range ofvaluable privileges and benefits that isespecially designated for its Premier cus-tomers.
Burgan Bank offers Eideya delivery service to Premier
Banking customers for free
Gulf Bank wins two awardsfrom International Banker
Al Tijari announces offer for Atlantis resort in
cooperation with MasterCard
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
T E C H NOLO G Y
Dubai: Exhibitors at the 25th anniver-sary of GITEX Shopper are promisingexciting new product launches andunbeatable offers across the full range oftechnology, communication and enter-tainment sectors. The eight-day salesextravaganza scheduled to take placefrom 3 - 10 October at Dubai WorldTrade Centre (DWTC), is expected to bethe most thrilling edition yet.
In celebration of this milestoneanniversary edition, the organizers ofthe Middle East’s largest and most antic-ipated consumer IT and electronicsshow have announced an unprecedent-ed line-up of entertainment features,competitions and prizes this year.Opening hours will run for a full 12hours a day, from 11:00am to 11:00pm,with the metro station close by to offervisitors convenient access to and fromthe show.
With the consumer electronics mar-ket in the UAE continuing to benefitfrom strong private consumption andhigh business confidence in the localeconomy, the country will remain one ofthe leading consumer technology mar-kets in the MENA region. According toBMI Research, the UAE has the highestrate of household consumption in the
MENA region and this is expected to riseto US$30,000 by 2017. This is why GITEXShopper continues to be the mostimportant event in retailers’ business cal-endars offering a perfect platform tomeet tech-savvy consumers.
“GITEX Shopper has enjoyed extraor-dinary success from the show’s first edi-tion, and with this year marking the 25thanniversary of the show, anticipationamong retailers and consumers is at all-time high. Exhibitors will be unveilingincredible deals and prizes on all the lat-est tech products for work, home orschool,” said Trixie LohMirmand, SeniorVice President, Dubai World Trade Centre(DWTC). “Shoppers to the 25th anniver-sary edition of GITEX Shopper are guar-anteed to find the best deals on the lat-est consumer electronics this October.”
The world’s top consumer IT and elec-tronics brands have confirmed their pres-ence, with more than 35,000 products onshow. Global players such as Dell, HP,Huawei, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba,will be among the many brands show-cased. Top regional distributors and retail-ers, including E-City, Emax, Jacky’s, Jumbo,Max Electronics, Plug Ins and Sharaf DG,will all be running special promotionsexclusively during GITEX Shopper.
C. Purushothaman, Head ofMarketing (Sr. Manager), Imaging &Mobility at Samsung Gulf Electronicscommented: “We are delighted to beable to celebrate the 25th anniversary ofGITEX Shopper. This is our eighth yearexhibiting at the show, and it never failsto be one of the most rewarding experi-ences that we have all year. As theregion’s largest consumer electronicsexpo, GITEX Shopper has put us in touchwith the consumers from around theregion and has allowed us to introducethem to our newest products and tech-nologies and our most enticing promo-tions. Thanks to the GITEX Shopper plat-form, we take away new inspiration fromshoppers to create meaningful productstailored to the region. This October,GITEX Shopper visitors should expect tosee a whole new range of Samsung cut-ting-edge products and technologies tomeet each and every need.”
Mahesh Chotrani, Assistant VicePresident, Jacky’s Electronics, one ofShopper’s biggest power retailers said:“We are very excited to be a part ofGITEX Shopper yet again, and especiallyon its 25th anniversary. This year wepromise shoppers an enjoyable shop-ping experience and pleasant surprises
while shopping with us at the show.” Neelesh Bhatnagar, CEO of Emax said:
“The fact that GITEX Shopper celebratesits 25th anniversary this year is testa-ment to the vital importance of theshow for both the tech retail industryand consumers. We have been partici-pating in GITEX Shopper for nine yearsand have always been proud to be asso-ciated with such a tech-shopping extrav-aganza. Shoppers to the 25th edition ofGITEX Shopper can look forward to
exciting deals at exceptional value. As aunique technology carnival, GITEXShopper will continue to be a driver ofgrowth of the tech retail industry andthe local economy, and will continue toenable consumers in the region to beearly adopters of tech innovations.”
GITEX Shopper 2015 will take placefrom 3-10 October and will open from11:00am - 11:00pm every day. Tickets arepriced at AED 30 per person and entry isfree for children below the age of five.
GITEX Shopper 25th anniversary promises sales bonanza
DENVER: Members of the Denverite, a news startup based in Denver, pose for a picture in the venture’s office. Editor Dave Burdick, front, isflanked by some of the site’s co-workers, from left, Chloe Aiello, Ashley Dean, Adrian Garcia and Erica Meltzer.—AP
NEW YORK: A handful of new startups are tack-ling a thorny problem that AOL couldn’t solvewith zillions of dollars: How to cover local newsin different cities without going broke.
Some see a news hole left behind by theshrinking newsrooms of traditional city newspa-pers and alt-weeklies. Others want to woosmartphone-addicted millennial readers. They’reusing newsletters and social media likeInstagram to build an audience for their sites.
The latest entrant is the brainchild of threemedia executives who want to launch a string ofsites in mid-size cities, starting with Denver.Their first site, Denverite , launched on June 14with a staff of nine and an expected annualbudget of $1 million - large for a local-news site.
Posts are earnest, with zippy photos andvideo. Goals are lofty: The site aims to coverdevelopment and how Denver is changing as acity, says editor Dave Burdick. It runs both origi-nal stories and posts that basically rewrite piecesfrom other outlets (with links), a model inspiredby the online business-news site BusinessInsider. All three Denverite investors were alsoBusiness Insider investors (one, Kevin Ryan, wasa Business Insider founder). The business site,known for its snappy style, chart- and image-heavy articles and sheer volume of posts -including many speedy rewrites of news fromcompetitors - sold last fall for nearly $400 millionto a German publisher, Axel Springer.
The shadow of patchLocal news still seems like an unlikely area of
growth. The sector labors under the failure ofPatch, an AOL-funded string of “hyperlocal” newssites that reportedly lost at least $200 millionbefore its owner mostly sold it off in 2014. Itgrew too fast and relied too much on nationaladvertisers rather than local businesses, saysMichele McLellan, a Chicago-based digital-newsconsultant.
Patch still exists , although its workforce is farsmaller and its ambitions have scaled back con-siderably. (The company says its staff and net-
work are expanding, traffic is growing - and thatit even turned a profit in the fourth quarter lastyear.) There are still hundreds of tiny online newsoutlets - many with budgets well below $1 mil-lion a year - that have built small but loyal audi-ences over the years, McLellan says. One wavearose after the Great Recession devastatednewsrooms with layoffs; another formed whenPatch editors struck out on their own followingthe site’s sale.
But Denverite and others like Billy Penn, a sitethat launched in 2014 in Philadelphia, andCharlotte Agenda , which started in NorthCarolina last year, have mini-Patch ambitions: Toserve up local news in several cities at once.(DNAInfo , a billionaire-backed company found-ed in 2009, already does this. It’s in Chicago andNew York and apes traditional newspapers bycovering crime, politics and local events at theneighborhood level.)
These startups join deeper-pocketed opera-tions such as Voice of San Diego and TexasTribune , prominent nonprofits with substantialbudgets that focus on local public policy andinvestigative reports.
But outfits catering to millennials have abreezier approach. Ted Williams, CharlotteAgenda’s publisher, says Instagram is the site’s“most important channel.” He plans to expand toRaleigh this summer.
Subtracted adsChallenges, of course, are everywhere. Digital
advertising is a $60 billion business in the U.S.,but tech companies like Google and Facebookpull in a growing majority of that revenue.Research firm eMarketer predicts Facebookalone will account for 31 percent of all display-ad revenue, traditionally a mainstay of onlinepublishers, in 2016. Ad-blockers are also increas-ingly popular among readers.
Big advertisers tend to rely on national web-sites and ad networks. That’s why Patch didn’twork, says Rich Gordon, a professor of digitalinnovation at Northwestern’s Medill journalism
school. But the alternative - selling ads to localbusinesses - requires finding a good salespersonwith that expertise, which also isn’t easy.
Many local-coverage niches are alreadycrowded. Free weekly papers in many citiesfocus on arts and culture; passion-project blogscover niche topics deeply. And many peopleturn to social media to learn about concerts,museum exhibits and plays from the venuesthemselves.
Going nativeSeveral new local-news sites are looking
beyond traditional boxy web ads. One popularalternative: native ads that resemble news sto-ries much the way old magazine “advertorials”did. McLellan says her most recent annual surveyof local publishers showed a big increase of suchads this year. Charlotte Agenda, for instance,does ad deals that put corporate logos on its sitealong with native ads and promoted job post-ings. Billy Penn draws 86 percent of its revenuethrough sponsored events and by chargingadmission to gatherings such as happy hours. Itsowner, Spirited Media, is launching another sitein Pittsburgh in September and plans to expandin other cities after an investment from USAToday owner Gannett.
Subscriptions aren’t dead, either. The Frontier, launched last year in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by theformer publisher of the Tulsa World, charges $30a month for the investigative stories on its site. Ithas about 650 members and is aiming for 850 inits first 12 months, says publisher Bobby Lorton.He says he’s sold sponsorships to support thesite for the short term.
Denverite, meanwhile, won’t show ads at allfor at least the first six months, says GordonCrovitz, one of its backers and a former WallStreet Journal publisher. Down the road, thecompany is considering other possible revenuesources including subscriptions.
“We don’t think the problems of local journal-ism are going to get solved in a day,” Crovitz says.“We’re patient.”—AP
Online startups tackle local news
WASHINGTON: Routine use of smalldrones by real estate agents, farmers, film-makers and countless other commercialoperators was cleared for takeoff by theObama administration Tuesday, after yearsof struggling to write rules that would bothprotect public safety and free the benefitsof a new technology.
The Federal Aviation Administrationannounced the creation of a new categoryof aviation rules designed specifically fordrones weighing less than 55 pounds. Thelong-anticipated rules mean commercialoperators can fly drones without specialpermission.
Industry and government officialsdescribe commercial drones as the biggestgame-changing technology in aviationsince the advent of the jet engine. “This is awatershed moment in how advanced tech-nology can improve lives,” said BrendanSchulman, a vice president at DJI, theworld’s largest civilian drone-maker.
Jason Miller, an Obama economic advis-er, said the rules are the first step towardfull integration of drones in the national air-space system. Until now, commercial oper-ators have had to apply for a waiver fromrules that govern manned aircraft, aprocess that can be time-consuming andexpensive.
Since 2014 the FAA has granted morethan 6,100 waivers and another 7,600 arewaiting for approval. Many more smallcompanies have been using drones with-out FAA permission, say industry officials.Unless those operators make a serious mis-take that brings them to the FAA’s atten-tion, there’s not a lot the agency can do totrack them down. The new rules would pro-vide an easier way for those businesses tooperate legally.
The rules also would effectively lift thelid on flights by other potential operatorswho have held off using the technology -ranchers who want to count cattle,research scientists, and companies thatinspect infrastructure like bridges, oil plat-forms and smokestacks, to name a few.
Under the new rules, operators wouldregister their drones online, pass an avia-tion knowledge exam for drone pilots at anFAA-approved testing center and then
they’re good to go. That’s a big changesince operators currently have to have amanned aircraft pilot’s license.
Operators also would have to followmany of the rules that apply to model air-craft hobbyists like keeping drones withinsight at all times and not flying over peopleor higher than 400 feet.
Other important limitations also remainin place. Drone flights will be permittedonly during the day and at twilight. Droneindustry officials have long complainedthat restricting drone flights to daytimeprecluded a great many uses like somesearch and rescue operations, agriculturaloperations best done after dark and roofinspections of commercial building roofsthat use heat sensors.
Operators could still seek waivers torestrictions like nighttime flights, flightsbeyond sight of the operator and flightsover people. The rules permit commercialtransport of goods by drones for the firsttime, but the other restrictions on flightsbeyond sight of the operator and over peo-ple still apply.
That precludes delivery drones flyingacross cities and suburbs clasping smallpackages as envisioned by Amazon.Amazon and Google are working on dronedelivery systems for goods purchasedonline. Google officials have said theyexpect deliveries to begin sometime in2017. FAA Administrator Michael Huertasaid the agency is researching how dronedeliveries might safely be accomplished,but he declined to set a timetable for suchrules. What’s missing from the rules is anenforcement mechanism, said Sarah Kreps,a Cornell University professor. “It is hard tosee how the (FAA) actually can ensure thatthese rules are followed,” she said.
Congress has been prodding the FAA formore than a decade to write rules to pro-vide civilian drones broad access to thenational airspace. Initially, the agency putits emphasis on finding ways to enablelarger drones like those used for militarymissions to safely fly at the same altitudesas other manned aircraft. Later, the agencyshifted its focus to small drones when itbecame clear that the market for their useswas developing much faster.—AP
White House clears small, commercial drones for takeoff
PHILADELPHIA: A drone operated captures videos and still images of an apartmentbuilding.—AP
NEW YORK: New York City is ontrack to become the nation’s firstcity to require free tampons andsanitary pads in public schools,homeless shelters and jails afterlawmakers approved the ideaTuesday amid a national discus-sion of the costs of having aperiod.
The proposal, whichDemocratic Mayor Bill de Blasio’sadministration supports, marks anew direction in activists’ push todismantle what they see as unfairfinancial barriers between womenand needed sanitary products.New York state lawmakers votedlast month to become the sixthstate to eliminate sales tax on theitems.
City Councilwoman JulissaFerreras-Copeland’s proposalwould make pads and tamponsfree in restrooms that serve300,000 schoolgirls, and it wouldguarantee the products’ availabilityto 23,000 women in homeless shel-ters and add the force of law to jailstandards about sanitary supplies.
Supporters say New York wouldlead cities by having a law, ratherthan more changeable policies, ina wide range of locales. “They’re asnecessary as toilet paper,” so theyought to be just as freely accessi-
ble, Ferreras-Copeland, aDemocrat, said before Tuesday’s49-0 vote.
During the discussion, thecouncil’s female speaker waved awrapped tampon aloft in the spiritof bringing a once-taboo subjectinto the open. Even a male law-maker who found the subject a bituncomfortable praised the propos-
al.It’s unclear when the mayor will
take up the measure, which wouldprovide an estimated 2 milliontampons and 3.5 million pads peryear in shelters alone. Once dis-pensers are installed, it’s expectedto cost about $2.5 million annuallyin the city’s $82 billion budget.
To some extent, schools, shel-
ters and lockups in New York andelsewhere already provide thesupplies for free, and the issuehas started bubbling up in vari-ous lawmakers’ chambers. TheDane County Board in Wisconsin,for instance, voted late last yearto experiment with providingfree tampons and pads in somebuildings in the capital county,
an idea adapted from a test proj-ect that Ferreras-Copelandhelped spearhead in 25 New YorkCity schools last year. A Wisconsinstate legislature proposal torequire the products to be free inpublic schools and state build-ings has stalled so far.
Advocates say the measurealso would make the free sanitarysupplies more readily available byputting them in restrooms,instead of nurses’ offices, inschools with female students insixth grade and up. Girls whoneed pads or tampons now haveto scramble to try to get to thenurse and then the restroom inbreaks between classes, saysLineyah Mitchell, a graduatingsenior at Brooklyn Technical HighSchool.
Rather than do that and riskbeing late, girls learn to “know thefriend in that class who has extrapads,” Mitchell, 17, said at a rallybefore the vote.
Homeless shelters and jailsalready provide free menstrualsupplies on request, according tothe city administration. Women’sadvocates suggest the supplies areinadequate, but officials say theyprovide what’s needed.
Social Services Commissioner
Steven Banks, who oversees home-less shelters, applauded the pro-posed requirement Tuesday, sayingit “expands on and enshrines intolaw” existing policies.
Meanwhile, New York’sstatewide sales tax exemption onmenstrual supplies is awaitingDemocratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’ssignature, which is expected.Several states have weighed elimi-nating the tax this year, with mixedresults. While New York said yes, aUtah legislative committee voteddown the idea in March. —AP
NYC lawmakers pass a novel requirement for free tampons
H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
MIAMI: Clinic worker Carla Zepeda releasing a pelican back into Biscayne Bay at the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station onMonday. —AFP
MIAMI: In this small animal hospi-tal perched on Miami’s sun-splashed harbor, some of the mostexotic creatures fly in and out ofCarla Zepeda’s life.
From peacocks to pelicans,opossums to owls, Zepeda is partof a six-member staff that cares forboth the furry and the feathered atthe Pelican Harbor Seabird Station,one of south Florida’s oldestwildlife rescue centers. Though itbegan in the 1980 as a place forinjured wild pelicans, pet birds areincreasingly common, like one ofthe newest arrivals, a fluffy greenquaker parakeet.
The bird landed on a man’sshoulder, appearing malnourishedand with bruises around its beak, soit was brought to the PelicanHarbor Seabird Station for care.“Here in Miami we deal a lot withthe exotic pet trade,” says rescueand release coordinator Zepeda,22. “A lot of escaped pets orreleased pets.” “We now have a veryhigh population of quaker para-keets, which weren’t here beforeand are doing great in the wild.”
Also known as monk parrots orquaker parrots, quaker parakeets(Myiopsitta monachus) are nativeto South America, but have estab-lished their own wild colonies here,forming loudly chattering flocksthat fly over Miami and its mangotree-lined suburbs. “Now the prob-lem with that is they are not nativespecies and they are taking upnesting space from blue jays, red-bellied woodpeckers and eveneastern screech owls,” says Zepeda.
“Released pets or escaped petsmake a big impact on the environ-ment.” Zepeda says the center willtry to find a new caretaker for therecent arrival, whose friendlynature could pose a danger to itssurvival in the wild.
Record caseload With more than one thousand
patients already this year, the cen-ter is barreling toward anotherrecord, according to executive
director Christopher Boykin. “Thenumber grows every year. We treat-ed 1,968 in 2014 and 2,010 in2015,” he said. “ We anticipateanother record breaking year.”
More local residents are becom-ing aware of the rescue facility,which helps drive the numbers, hesaid. A total of 146 different speciescame into the center last year.Increasing conflicts with humansalso bring in many patients, includ-ing peacocks that were hit by carsand had to be euthanized due tothe severity of their injuries.
For Zepeda, the most surprisingarrival was a prairie dog, a rodentnative to the grasslands of themidwest. “Apparently they are partof the pet trade,” says Zepeda, whohas seen three prairie dogs in thepast three years.
The locals need care, too. Thecl in ic i s current ly hous ing ahandful of tiny baby opossumsthat need feeding ever y fewhours. They lost their mothersomehow, and now cl ing to astuffed animal opossum whileZepeda plucks them off, one by
one, to feed them formula via asmall tube.
Injured ambassadors Pelicans were once the sole rea-
son for the center’s existence, butnow they make up only five to 20percent of its patients, dependingon the year, says Boykin. However,they still represent the center ’sgreatest success. After arrivingentangled in fishing lines or withhook injuries, three out of four arereleased back to the wild aftertreatment, he says.
On a sunny day in May, Zepedareleases a young pelican thatarrived two months earlier with linewrapped around his beak and twohooks embedded in its neck andwing. The bird flies a short distance,then plunks down in the gentlewaves, preferring to bob back to itslife in the wild.
Some pelicans never leave thecenter, if wing injuries prevent themfrom flying, or if they are partiallyblinded and could not hunt on theirown. These and other resident birds,like eastern screech owls, some-times accompany staff to schoolsand public events to educate thepublic about how to deal withwildlife.
Zepeda says one old myth hasproven particularly tough to dispel-that a mother bird will not care forher baby bird after a human hastouched it. “That is completely false,”she says. “They have a really poorsense of smell.” If people find a babybird that seems healthy, they shouldjust put it back in the nest, she says.
Zepeda, who often takes homebaby rescue animals and wakes inthe middle of the night to feedthem, has permanently adoptedfour creatures that were left at thecenter-two cockatiels, a white-bel-lied caique and a Siberian husky.
She says she once thought shemight go into zoo medicine, butthat was before she tried wildliferehabilitation. “I ended up lovingit too much and now I cannotleave.” —AFP
Exotic pet trade sends Florida bird rescues soaring
MIAMI: Clinic worker Victoria Perez feeding a sparrow at thePelican Harbor Seabird on Sunday. —AFP
CHINA: Two healthy baby giant pandaswere born at a Chinese breeding researchbase on Monday, the first twins of theendangered species born this year, mediasaid. The two females, weighing 144 gramsand 113 grams, are the first offspring ofmother Yali , who gave bir th at theChengdu giant panda breeding researchbase in southwest China’s Sichuanprovince.
The unnamed twins are being kept inan incubator and taken out periodically tobe fed, according to state broadcasterCCTV. “The twins are quite healthy, theirvoices are quite clear, relatively speaking
their fur and physical traits are all quitehealthy,” said one of their feeders, TangJuwen.
Giant pandas have seen their numbershit by human encroachment on the high-lands where they survive almost entirelyon a diet of bamboo. But world natureorganization WWF said a survey in 2014found 1,864 giant pandas living in the wild,almost double the number of the late1970s. While pandas struggle to reproducein captivity, better knowledge of theirneeds has seen an increase in births inrecent years with seven born at theChengdu base last year.—Reuters
Double happiness as China’sgiant panda twins are born
CHENGDU, CHINA: A keeper feeding one of two newborn giant panda twinsat the research base’s facility on Monday. —AFP
CHENGDU, CHINA: A newborn giant panda twins sleeping in an incubator atthe research base’s facility on Monday. —AFP
WASHINGTON: This May 30, 2016, photo shows Diva Cups at Whole Foods. —AP
NEW YORK: This May 2, 2016,photo shows Thinx that arereusable “period-proof ”underwear. —AP
BELLMORE, New York: Authorities saymore than 400 animals were removedfrom a squalid Long Island home lessthan a year after a 4-foot alligator wasremoved from the property. The NassauSociety for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals says the rescue - dubbed“Operation Noah’s Ark” - lasted eighthours.
It says the Bellmore home had a free-roaming skunk and turtles in slimy waterin addition to bird cages filled with
feces. More than 250 birds and morethan 150 turtles were seized Tuesdayalong with four reptiles and a dozenmammals, including rabbits, chinchillas,sugar gliders and prairie dogs.
Authorities say homeowner GaryGruber has been cited for havingendangered turtles. Defense attorneyNathan DeCorpo says people bring hisclient animals for rehabilitation, butthat Gruber’s own health has deterio-rated.—AP
Hundreds of birds, turtles rehabilitated
H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
H E A LT H & S C I E N C E
LONDON: Every year Great Ormond StreetHospital for Children (GOSH) in London pre-pares for Ramadan with its staff and families. Asa multicultural city, many of the staff and UKfamilies fast over Ramadan along with familiesfrom the Middle East, and the hospital workshard to accommodate people of all faiths andcultures. “Ramadan is a beautiful month,” says amother from Kuwait, “we plan to celebrate itexactly the same in the hospital as we wouldnormally.” To help families do this GOSH is put-ting on extra services and facilities.
Recognising the long hours required forfasting over Ramadan in the UK summertime,and the importance of Iftar, the hospital isoffering food facilities until 11pm, as well asproviding vending machines with halal foodoptions across the hospital. The catering teamare also providing extra halal food options,including new snacks such as dates, yoghurtand baklava. “It’s important to understand andsupport our colleagues and patients in suchtimes, and promote an understanding withinteams.” Said Simon Clark, Head of Catering atGOSH.
The hospital is also providing extra room tofacilitate prayer over Ramadan, with an extraprayer area put aside inside the hospital includ-ing a segregated area for women, as well theirnormal multi-faith room. The hospital’s multi-faith Chaplaincy team is always available for allstaff, families and children, and there are twoMuslim chaplains in the team. “My experienceof Ramadan at the hospital is very good,” saidAboubakr Elsayed, Arabic Patient LiaisonManager, “all the staff and my colleagues arereally supportive of me and it makes me happyinside, and is really helpful to me when I amfasting for a long time. I also have the supportof my managers and I really appreciate it.”
Every month GOSH hosts a Mother’s TeaPar ty run by one of the hospital ’s femaleMuslim Arabic Interpreting Assistants. “It is
lovely; it is a place to talk with the other moth-ers from the ward.” a mother from Kuwait com-mented. June’s Mother’s Tea Party was used todiscuss possible food options for families overRamadan. A tasting menu including sandwich-es, salads, hummus, falafels and hot food suchas chicken Makbous was laid out. The food wastested by a panel of mothers from the GCC andIndia who provided constructive feedback. “The
food was very good,” a mother commented “thesoup and rice dishes were excellent.” The moth-ers shared the food with their husbands andchildren back on the ward and feedback wasgiven to the catering team.
The hospital is also planning an Eid al Fitrparty in July and are running an Eid al Fitrcolouring competition for all children in thehospital across Ramadan. The winner of thecompetition will have their winning art work
used in the posters and invitations for the Eid alFitr party as well as being given a prize.
Great Ormond Street Hospital in London isrecognized as one of the few truly world-classhospitals for children. As a global leader, GOSHhas top clinical and research experts workingevery day to find new and better ways to treatchildren. While breakthroughs and medicalexpertise are essential to the treatment of
patients, GOSH also places great emphasis onthe support and care provided for children bynurturing an open and supportive atmosphere,ensuring that parents and patients are wellinformed and closely involved in the treatmentprocess. Children receive the highest standardsof care and attention from the expert team ofmedical and support staff during their stay atGOSH, and are always treated with respect,trust, concern and openness.
Great Ormond Street Hospital celebrates Ramadan in LondonForty families from the Middle East are at the hospital
By Dr Rabee Harb, Family Medicine Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute
Fasting for diabetics is approacheddifferently by doctors and usuallyposes a challenge for patients
and physicians. In many cases, espe-cially with patientswho suffer fromtype 1 diabetes,physicians adviseagainst fasting.However, whendiabetic patientsmake the decisionto fast, there are afew key things tokeep in mind, in
order to stay healthy and avoid anymajor complications.
What are the risks of fasting for people with diabetes?
Three essential risks associated withfasting should be clearly explained todiabetes patients:
Low blood sugar: Symptomsinclude tremors, sweating, numbnessin the fingers, lips or tongue, heart pal-pitations, hunger, headaches, difficultyconcentrating and speaking, abnormalbehaviour, lack of consciousness
High blood sugar: Symptomsinclude thirst, increased urination,headaches, fatigue
Dehydration: Symptoms includeheadaches, dry mouth and skin, dizzi-ness, low urine output
Should diabetic patients fast dur-ing Ramadan?
Patients with diabetes should meetwith their doctor prior to Ramadan, inorder to receive an assessment of theircondition and to determine thepatient’s risk level in terms of fasting.There are three main risk levels:
High risk patients: (stronglyadvised against fasting)
Those with severe and recurrentepisodes of hypoglycaemia.
Those with poor glycaemic control.Those with ketoacidosis in the three
months before Ramadan.Diabetic patients with ongoing
infections.All pregnant diabetic patients.Elderly patients.Those who perform intense physical
activities.Those with comorbidities such as
renal disease on dialysis, uncontrolledhypertension, cognitive dysfunction oruncontrolled epilepsy.
Moderate risk patients: (advisednot to fast)
Well controlled patients treatedwith short acting insulin, sulphony-lurea, insulin, or taking combinationoral or oral plus insulin treatment.
Low risk patients: (can fast withprecautions)
Well controlled patients treatedwith diet alone, monotherapy withmetformin (Glucophage), dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitors (Januvia) or thi-azolidinediones who are otherwisehealthy.
How can diabetes be managedwhen fasting?
Following the initial assessment,and once you have been given an okfrom your doctor for fasting, there area number of guidelines that you needto be aware of:
Arrange a pre Ramadan consulta-tion with your family doctor. Followingthe initial assessment where you willbe able to review your control anddetermine the feasibility of fastingsafely.
Consult a dietician. The diet duringRamadan should be a healthy bal-anced diet and preferably containsslow energy release foods (like rice)and high fibre foods (like grain cerealsand brown rice). Avoid excessiveovereating, or compensatory eating ofcarbohydrates and fatty foods. Benefitsfrom Ramadan fasting are greater inthose who maintain appropriate diets.
Monitor your blood sugar beforeand 2 hours after Iftar, before Sohur,and at midday. Also, if symptoms ofhypoglycaemia are suspected, or if youare feeling unwell in general, thenbreak the fast if hypoglycaemia is con-firmed on blood glucose testing.
Recognise possible complicationsand ways to manage them. Patientsshould be aware of the warning symp-toms of dehydration, hypoglycaemia,and hyperglycaemia and should stopthe fast as soon as any complicationsor acute illness occur.
Record weight daily. Make sure toinform your doctor of any change ofmore than 2kg.
Continue to exercise. Regular lightand moderate exercise is safe in type 2diabetes patients. Rigorous exercisesare not recommended because of therisk of hypoglycaemia.
Take medication regularly.Do not overeat and minimise eating
sweet and fatty foods.Record daily diet intake. This is
important to help prevent excessive orvery low consumption.
Revisit your doctor after Ramadan. Health tips for diabetic patients: The type of insulin may need
changing from your usual type.Pre-mixed insulin is not usually rec-
ommended during fasting.If you are oninsulin, you will require
less insulin before the start of the fast.At Sohur, you should include slower
absorbed food such as basmati rice, inyour meal - along with fruit and veg-etables.
Check your blood glucose levelsmore often than usual.
When you break the fast, have onlysmall quantities of food, and avoid eat-ing sweets or fatty foods.
Give up or reduce smoking 2 weeksbefore Ramadan starts.
Plan your schedule and mealsahead of time in order to make sureyou get the nutrients, fluids, and restneeded.
Eat Suhoor as late as possible, ideal-ly just prior to dawn, this will compen-sate for the missed usual morningbreakfast.
Do not overeat, break the fastingwith water or yogurt and divide theamount you are going to eat into smallservings during the evening.
Decrease your caffeine intake andswitch to decaffeinated drinks at leasta week before Ramadan to help yourbody adjust.
At the end of fasting you shoulddrink plenty of sugar-free and decaf-feinated fluids to avoid being dehy-drated.
Fasting with Diabetes: What should you know
Dr. Rabee Harb - FSRI
W H AT ’ S ONWEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Dr. Ali Al- Naqi Ramadan Ghabka atJumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel -Kuwait embraced the presence of a
large gathering of the citizens of all stripes,personalities of the Royal family, heads of
diplomatic missions accredited to the Stateof Kuwait and business and governmentleaders, as well as social and cultural promi-nent figures
The Ghabka embodied sublime mean-
ings of national unity and cohesion and soli-darity among the people of Kuwait, present-ed a beautiful artistic view of Kuwait cultureand architecture, conveying expressivenational messages and Holy meaningful
prayers of Ramadan reflected the spiritualand intellectual-oriented atmosphere. “Ramadan Karim” messages.. spread peaceon Ghabka, a Holy month of Ramadan thatrenews prosperity every year on Kuwait
with love and well-being, unity and humanharmony.
Dr. Ali Abbas Al-Naqi’s Ghabka “A mini Kuwait society”
Ooredoo Shares the Joy Celebrations of
Gerge’an with Kids and Parents
Aseries of activities in cooperation withthe Guardians of the DisabledAssociation and at Mubarakiya Souk
Ooredoo Kuwait, member of internationalOoredoo group, kicked off its series of gergi’anactivities, distribution boxes of candy andsweets that are assembled by members of itsvolunteer program and employees form thecompany’s Corporate Communications team.
The first activity in the series of festivities
took place in the headquarters of theGuardians of Disabled Association in Bayan,where members of the volunteer program dis-tributed boxes of gergi’an during a festive cel-ebration with folklore music, competitions andgames for kids and parents alike. The secondactivity took place in Mubarakiya Souk, in thesquare in front of Kuwait’s historic MubarakKiosk that is central to the old market.
Ooredoo stated that the company is con-
tinuously working on expanding its presenceespecially in events of celebration with mem-bers of the society in all their segments.Gergi’an is a tradition that exists in mostMuslim countries, where children receiveparcels or boxes filled with sweets, candy andnuts. The gergi’an period spans over three tofour nights in the middle of Ramadan.
Ooredoo’s participation in this event comesas part of its wide-ranging plan for its corpo-
rate social responsibility activities, which asidefrom celebrating gergi’an include a number ofkey activities, all operated fully by the mem-bers of its volunteer program which runs forthe second consecutive term this year.
Earlier this month, Ooredoo announcedthat it will be distributing 17,000 iftar mealsduring the Holy Month of Ramadan through adistribution centre outside its head office andin its iftar tent, which which Ooredoo is run-
ning for the second consecutive year. The tentis located opposite Ooredoo’s head office onSoor Street in Kuwait City. The meal distribu-tion drive is fully operated by Ooredoo’s volun-teer program members, after the great successof the program last year.
In celebration of the Kuwaiti traditions during the Holymonth of Ramadan and out of its commitment to sharethe spirit of the month, The Sultan Center organized
across its stores Gergean events spreading joy and happi-ness amongst children and parents.
Over 3 days, TSC’s customers were greeted with a rangeof activities which included: Abu Tbeila, folkloric show, andRamadan inspired songs. Children were delighted to par-ticipate in the fun-filled competitions for which they wereawarded with Gergean treats.
TSC stores were themed for the occasion reflecting thetrue meaning of the generous month. During the month ofRamadan TSC has been active within in the communitythrough numerous initiatives underscoring its social com-mitments to society in which it operates.
The Sultan Center celebrates the Holy Month ofRamadan with its customers and is committed to providingthem with all their shopping needs.
The Sultan Center
Celebrates Gergean
Across its Stores
W H AT ’ S ONTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Tamdeen Group launched “My Book My Friend” program at 360 Mall
The program is designed to revive interestin reading and to increase the awarenessof the impact of reading on communi-
ties, families and children. Embodying an aimto open to different cultures, and help themreach highest levels of success in their futurelives, through reading “Our objective is to cre-ate a nation of readers.” Muath Al-Roumi,General Manager - Corporate MarketingGroup at Tamdeen.
During his speech, Roumi stated TamdeenGroup’s vision is to change the world for thebetter and make ‘My book, my friend’ programto be a national activity for everyone. Heexpressed his sadness for the Arab world lagsfar behind when it comes to a culture of read-
ing, especially the Kuwaitis’ community wherehe hoped to be known as nation of well-readindividuals in the near future.
“The Arab world was known for its story-telling culture which does not exist anymore.We are not encouraging our children enoughto be imaginative and adventurous with theirthoughts and ideas. We can only do this if chil-dren love to read, but for that to be happenwe need their parents to also love reading bysaving this tradition by sharing the storieswith our young children and the wider com-munity.”Roumi explained.
He added “We will host weekly reading ses-sions from July 23 for everyone to participateat 360 Mall. The themes will cover science, fic-
tion, history, geography, sports, arts, cultureamongst others. We also encourage everyoneto take the reading pledge at#MyBookMyFriend and encourage your familyand friends to join.”
The event was attended and addressed byprominent Kuwaiti authors and poets Dr. NaifAl Mutawa, Hayatt Al Yaqout, Amal Randy,Yousef Khalifa, Nejoud Al-Yagout and HebaMendany. The six Kuwaiti authors endorsedthe program which aspires to engage at least5000 Kuwaiti adults to read to 20000 childrenin the age group of 5 to 12 years old by theend of 2017.
Tamdeen group asked all the Kuwaitiauthors and poets to contact them to be part
of ‘my book my friend’ program. There will bealso a book donation drive at 360 Mall wherepeople can deposit old books in good condi-tion. Since the acquisition of Tamdeen RealEstate Company in 1996, Tamdeen Group hasgrown dynamically into the regional power-house that it is today.
Consisting of Real Estate Development,Investment and Entertainment arms the grouphas consistently delivered growth for its part-ners and shareholders alike. The success ofTamdeen Group is defined by its continuousevolution, and outstanding track record ofinnovation in its offering. Several internationalawards and recognition have followed forinnovative design, state-of-the-art architec-
ture, outstanding marketing and pioneeringuse of technology.
TAMDEEN’s vision has had positive impactson the urban and social landscape of Kuwaitthrough significant projects that add prestigeto the community it serves. Tamdeen Group’ssubsidiaries are the engines that promote thegrowth and development of the group. Theseentities include: Tamdeen Real Estate,Tamdeen Investment, Kuwait NationalCinema, Tamdeen Shopping Centers, TamdeenEntertainment Co.
Kuwait Red Crescent Society Celebrates Gergean
Mr Musaed Al-Enezi and volunteers
T V PR O G R A M STHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
SNOW DOGS ON OSN MOVIES FAMILY
SAVE YOUR LEGS ON OSN MOVIES HD COMEDY
04:00 Romy And Michelle’s HighSchool Reunion06:00 Indian Summer08:00 My Girl 210:00 Down To Earth12:00 Romy And Michelle’s HighSchool Reunion14:00 Sweet Home Alabama16:00 My Girl 218:00 Nitro Circus: The Movie20:00 The Brass Teapot22:00 Save Your Legs!00:00 My Girl 202:00 The Brass Teapot
03:00 Tommy Cooper: Not LikeThat, Like This05:00 Le Weekend07:00 Not Safe For Work09:00 Tommy Cooper: Not LikeThat, Like This11:00 The Judge13:30 Step Up Revolution15:15 Some Girls16:45 McFarland, USA19:00 The Two Faces Of January21:00 Pressure23:00 Dawn Of The Planet Of The
04:15 Blackie And Kanuto06:00 The Adventures Of DonQuixote07:30 The Flintstones & WWE:Stone Age Smackdown08:30 Miffy The Movie09:45 Egon And Donci11:15 Moomins And The CometChase12:45 Pim And Pom: The BigAdventure14:15 Blue Elephant 216:00 Columbus In The LastJourney18:00 Egon And Donci20:00 Space Warriors21:45 Blue Elephant 223:30 Columbus In The Last
04:10 Sweet Revenge05:30 The Wilby Conspiracy07:15 Big Screen07:30 What Did You Do In The WarDaddy?09:25 True Heart10:55 The Secret Of Santa Vittoria13:10 Beauty Shop14:55 Big Screen15:10 The Sharkfighters16:25 The Bed Sitting Room17:55 The Secret Invasion19:30 The Watsons Go ToBirmingham21:00 Final Combination
03:25 Masterpiece With AlanTitchmarsh04:20 Sunday Night At ThePalladium05:15 Pick Me!06:10 The Doctor Blake Mysteries07:05 Masterpiece With AlanTitchmarsh08:00 Doctor Thorne08:55 Sunday Night At ThePalladium09:50 Seven Days With…10:40 Pick Me!11:35 Masterpiece With AlanTitchmarsh12:30 The Doctor Blake Mysteries13:25 Emmerdale13:50 Coach Trip14:20 Coach Trip14:45 Seven Days With…15:35 Masterpiece With AlanTitchmarsh16:30 Midsomer Murders18:20 Emmerdale18:45 Coach Trip19:10 Coach Trip19:35 Masterpiece With AlanTitchmarsh20:30 Midsomer Murders22:20 Coach Trip22:50 Emmerdale23:15 The Doctor Blake Mysteries00:10 Masterpiece With AlanTitchmarsh01:05 Emmerdale01:30 Coach Trip02:00 Coach Trip02:30 The Doctor Blake Mysteries
03:25 Natural World04:15 Gator Boys05:02 Treehouse Masters05:49 Restoration Wild06:36 Treetop Cat Rescue07:00 Treetop Cat Rescue07:25 Cats 10108:15 Restoration Wild09:10 Treehouse Masters10:05 Tanked11:00 Cats 10111:55 Bondi Vet12:50 Restoration Wild13:45 Gator Boys14:40 Treehouse Masters15:35 Tanked16:30 Natural World17:25 River Monsters18:20 Village Vets18:50 Village Vets19:15 Tanked20:10 Natural World21:05 Treehouse Masters22:00 Village Vets22:30 Village Vets22:55 Gator Boys23:50 River Monsters00:45 After The Attack
06:00 Boyster06:10 Super Matrak
03:00 Hungry Investors03:50 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol04:40 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol05:30 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol06:20 Nathan For You06:50 Nathan For You07:15 Catch A Contractor08:05 Lip Sync Battle08:30 Lip Sync Battle08:55 Hungry Investors09:45 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol10:35 Catch A Contractor11:25 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol12:15 Nathan For You12:40 Nathan For You13:05 Catch A Contractor13:55 Lip Sync Battle14:20 Lip Sync Battle14:45 Hungry Investors15:35 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol16:30 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol17:25 Hungry Investors18:15 Nathan For You18:39 Nathan For You19:03 Tosh.019:27 Catch A Contractor20:13 Lip Sync Battle20:37 Lip Sync Battle21:00 The Daily Show With TrevorNoah21:30 Hungry Investors22:30 Catch A Contractor23:30 The Daily Show With TrevorNoah00:00 Disorderly Conduct: VideoOn Patrol00:50 Nathan For You01:15 Nathan For You01:40 The Daily Show With Trevor
03:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives03:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives04:00 Man Fire Food04:30 Man Fire Food05:00 Chopped06:00 Guy’s Grocery Games07:00 Man Fire Food07:30 Man Fire Food08:00 Chopped09:00 Barefoot Contessa: Back ToBasics09:30 Barefoot Contessa: Back ToBasics10:00 The Kitchen11:00 The Pioneer Woman11:30 The Pioneer Woman12:00 Chopped13:00 Grandma’s Secret Cookbook13:30 Grandma’s Secret Cookbook14:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives15:00 Man Fire Food15:30 Man Fire Food16:00 Chopped17:00 The Kitchen18:00 The Pioneer Woman18:30 The Pioneer Woman19:00 Chopped20:00 Iron Chef America21:00 Chopped22:00 All Star Academy23:00 Kitchen Inferno00:00 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives01:00 Chopped02:00 All Star Academy
03:00 Sky High05:00 Frankenweenie07:00 Paranorman09:00 Monsters University11:00 The Princess And The Frog13:00 Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax15:00 Wall-E17:00 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid19:00 Mighty Joe Young21:00 Snow Dogs23:00 Wall-E01:00 Mighty Joe Young
03:10 Henry Hugglemonster03:20 Calimero03:35 Zou03:45 Loopdidoo04:00 Art Attack04:25 Henry Hugglemonster04:35 Calimero04:50 Zou05:00 Loopdidoo05:15 Art Attack05:35 Henry Hugglemonster05:50 Calimero06:00 Zou06:20 Loopdidoo06:35 Art Attack07:00 The Hive07:10 Zou07:25 Loopdidoo07:40 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse08:05 Sofia The First08:30 Miles From Tomorrow08:45 PJ Masks09:10 The Lion Guard09:35 Doc McStuffins10:00 Sofia The First10:25 Unbungalievable10:30 Goldie & Bear11:00 Jake And The Never LandPirates11:25 The Lion Guard11:50 Doc McStuffins12:15 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse12:45 The Hive12:55 Unbungalievable13:00 Sofia The First13:25 Doc McStuffins13:50 Miles From Tomorrow14:15 The Lion Guard14:40 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse15:10 Doc McStuffins
03:40 American Restoration04:05 American Restoration04:30 Pawn Stars05:00 Pirate Treasure Of TheKnights Templar06:00 Ax Men06:50 Swamp People07:40 Search For The Lost Giants08:30 Shipping Wars08:55 American Restoration09:20 American Restoration09:45 Lost In Transmission10:35 Counting Cars11:00 Counting Cars11:25 Pirate Treasure Of TheKnights Templar12:15 American Pickers13:05 Storage Wars Texas13:30 Storage Wars Texas13:55 Swamp People: SwampChristmas14:45 Swamp People15:35 Counting Cars16:00 Ax Men16:50 Search For The Lost Giants17:40 Swamp People18:30 Pirate Treasure Of TheKnights Templar19:20 American Pickers20:10 Pawn Stars20:35 Pawn Stars21:00 Counting Cars: Best Of21:25 Counting Cars21:50 American Restoration22:40 Time Team23:30 Counting Cars: Best Of23:55 Counting Cars00:20 American Restoration01:10 Banger Boys02:00 Swamp People02:50 Search For The Lost Giants
03:05 Meat v Veg03:30 Meat v Veg03:55 Food School04:20 John Torode’s MalaysianAdventure
03:40 Dirty Money04:05 Storage Wars Canada04:30 Storage Hunters UK05:00 How Do They Do It?05:30 How It’s Made: Dream Cars06:00 Yukon Men06:50 Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up07:40 Fast N’ Loud: DemolitionTheater08:30 Dirty Money08:55 Storage Wars Canada09:20 Storage Hunters UK09:45 How Do They Do It?10:10 How It’s Made: Dream Cars10:35 Running Wild With BearGrylls11:25 Deadliest Job Interview12:15 Dive Wars Australia13:05 Dirty Money13:30 Storage Wars Canada13:55 Storage Hunters UK14:20 Yukon Men15:10 Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up16:00 Fast N’ Loud: DemolitionTheater16:50 How It’s Made: Dream Cars17:15 How Do They Do It?17:40 You Have Been Warned18:30 The Carbonaro Effect18:55 The Carbonaro Effect19:20 Curse Of The Frozen Gold20:10 Storage Wars Canada20:35 Storage Hunters UK21:00 You Have Been Warned21:50 The Carbonaro Effect22:15 The Carbonaro Effect22:40 What Happened Next?
03:00 Disappeared03:48 Redrum04:36 Deadly Affairs05:24 The Perfect Murder06:12 Nightmare Next Door07:00 Deadly Affairs07:50 I Almost Got Away With It08:40 The Perfect Murder09:30 On The Case With PaulaZahn10:20 Nightmare Next Door11:10 True Crime With AphroditeJones12:00 Deadly Affairs12:50 I Almost Got Away With It13:40 The Perfect Murder14:30 On The Case With PaulaZahn15:20 Nightmare Next Door16:10 California Investigator16:35 California Investigator17:00 Deadly Affairs17:50 On The Case With PaulaZahn18:40 The Perfect Murder19:30 I Almost Got Away With It20:20 Nightmare Next Door21:10 Southern Fried Homicide22:00 Deadly Sins22:50 Obsession: Dark Desires23:40 True Crime With AphroditeJones00:30 Redrum01:20 Deadly Sins02:10 Obsession: Dark Desires
JERSEY BOYS ON OSN MOVIES FESTIVAL
23:05 What Happened Next?23:30 Fast N’ Loud: DemolitionTheater00:20 Wheeler Dealers: Trading Up01:10 You Have Been Warned02:00 The Carbonaro Effect02:25 The Carbonaro Effect02:50 What Happened Next?
03:00 Untamed & Uncut03:50 Marooned With Ed Stafford04:40 How It’s Made05:05 How It’s Made05:30 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman06:20 Mythbusters07:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild07:25 Adventure 8: Zoo Games07:50 Too Cute!08:40 You Have Been Warned09:30 How It’s Made09:55 How It’s Made10:20 Mythbusters11:10 Bondi Vet12:00 Too Cute!12:50 How It’s Made13:15 How It’s Made13:40 Marooned With Ed Stafford14:30 Dirty Jobs15:20 Mythbusters16:10 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild16:35 Adventure 8: Zoo Games17:00 Wildest Africa17:50 Biggest And Baddest18:40 You Have Been Warned19:30 Mythbusters20:20 How It’s Made20:45 How It’s Made21:10 Wildest Africa22:00 Biggest And Baddest22:50 Untamed & Uncut23:40 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman00:30 Mythbusters01:20 Wildest Africa02:10 Biggest And Baddest
09:30 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman10:20 Food Factory USA10:45 Food Factory USA11:10 How The Universe Works12:00 Mighty Ships12:50 Mythbusters13:40 Secret Space Escapes14:30 Strip The Cosmos15:20 Food Factory USA15:45 Food Factory USA16:10 Building The Biggest17:00 What Could Possibly GoWrong?17:50 Secret Space Escapes18:40 Mythbusters19:30 Strangest Weather On Earth20:20 Through The Wormhole WithMorgan Freeman21:10 51 Degrees North22:00 Scanning The Skies22:50 Strangest Weather On Earth23:40 Food Factory USA00:05 Rocket City Rednecks00:30 Sci-Fi Science00:55 Scanning The Skies01:45 How It’s Made02:10 Strangest Weather On Earth
04:30 Merchants Of Doubt06:30 Walk The Line09:00 Steve Jobs: The Man In TheMachine11:30 Les Miserables14:30 Powder16:30 Beaches19:00 Jersey Boys21:30 Inside Llewyn Davis23:15 True Colors01:15 Steve Jobs: The Man In TheMachine
15:35 Jake And The Never LandPirates16:00 Sofia The First16:25 Jungle Cubs16:50 Aladdin17:15 The Lion Guard17:40 Goldie & Bear18:05 Doc McStuffins18:30 Sofia The First19:00 PJ Masks19:25 Unbungalievable19:30 The Lion Guard20:00 Goldie & Bear20:30 Sofia The First21:00 Jake And The Never LandPirates21:25 PJ Masks21:50 Jungle Cubs22:20 Aladdin22:45 Minnie’s Bow-Toons22:50 Zou23:05 Henry Hugglemonster23:20 Calimero23:35 Zou23:50 Loopdidoo00:05 Art Attack00:30 Henry Hugglemonster00:45 Calimero01:00 Zou01:15 Loopdidoo01:30 Art Attack02:05 Calimero02:20 Zou02:30 Loopdidoo02:45 Art Attack
03:45 Dangerous Encounters04:40 Ultimate Animal Countdown05:35 Africa’s Creative Killers06:30 1000 Days For The Planet07:25 Dangerous Encounters08:20 Ultimate Animal Countdown09:15 Natural Born Monsters10:10 Ultimate Animal Countdown11:05 Africa’s Deadliest12:00 Monster Fish12:55 World’s Deadliest Killer Three13:50 1000 Days For The Planet14:45 How Big Can It Get15:40 Ultimate Animal Countdown16:35 Natural Born Monsters17:30 Ultimate Animal Countdown18:25 Africa’s Deadliest19:20 How Big Can It Get20:10 Ultimate Animal Countdown21:00 Natural Born Monsters21:50 Ultimate Animal Countdown22:40 Africa’s Deadliest23:30 Monster Fish00:20 World’s Deadliest Killer Three01:10 1000 Days For The Planet02:00 Africa’s Deadliest02:50 Hyena Queen
03:50 Outsiders: Living Off TheEdge04:45 Naked Science 2.505:40 Genius By Stephen Hawking06:35 Womb Of The World07:30 Dangerous Encounters08:25 Alaska Fish Wars09:20 What Would Happen If09:45 What Would Happen If10:15 X: The Generation ThatChanged The World11:10 Cesar To The Rescue12:05 Megastructures13:00 Alaska Fish Wars14:00 Swamp Men15:00 Inside16:00 X: The Generation ThatChanged The World17:00 Cesar To The Rescue18:00 Megastructures19:00 Inside20:00 X: The Generation ThatChanged The World20:50 Cesar To The Rescue21:40 Megastructures22:30 Inside23:20 Genius By Stephen Hawking00:10 X: The Generation ThatChanged The World01:00 Cesar To The Rescue02:00 Megastructures
03:00 Mighty Ships03:48 Secret Space Escapes04:36 Strip The Cosmos05:24 Food Factory USA05:48 Food Factory USA06:12 What Could Possibly GoWrong?07:00 Mythbusters07:50 Secret Space Escapes08:40 Strip The Cosmos
03:40 In Search Of Aliens04:30 Ancient Aliens05:20 Ancient Aliens06:10 Ancient Discoveries07:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In TheEast08:00 Ancient Discoveries09:00 America: The Story Of TheU.S.10:00 In Search Of Aliens11:00 Ancient Aliens12:00 Ancient Aliens13:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In TheEast14:00 Ancient Discoveries15:00 America: The Story Of TheU.S.16:00 In Search Of Aliens17:00 Ancient Aliens18:00 Ancient Aliens
19:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In TheEast20:00 Ancient Discoveries21:00 America: The Story Of TheU.S.22:00 Rome’s Lost Legion23:00 World War II: Lost Films00:00 Ancient Aliens01:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In TheEast02:00 Ancient Discoveries02:50 America: The Story Of TheU.S.
04:45 John Torode’s MalaysianAdventure05:10 The Food Files05:35 The Food Files06:00 Cesar To The Rescue06:50 World’s Best Chefs07:15 Miguel’s Feasts07:40 Maverick Chef08:05 Dream Cruises08:55 Meat v Veg09:20 Meat v Veg09:45 Food School10:10 John Torode’s MalaysianAdventure10:35 John Torode’s MalaysianAdventure11:00 The Food Files11:25 The Food Files11:50 Cesar To The Rescue12:40 World’s Best Chefs13:05 George Clarke’s AmazingSpaces14:00 Dream Cruises14:55 Meat v Veg15:25 Meat v Veg15:50 Food School16:20 Eat Street16:45 Eat Street17:10 The Food Files17:35 Cruise Ship Diaries18:05 Cesar To The Rescue19:05 Meat v Veg19:30 Meat v Veg20:00 Food School20:25 Eat Street20:50 Eat Street21:15 The Food Files21:40 Cruise Ship Diaries22:05 Cesar To The Rescue22:55 World’s Best Chefs23:20 George Clarke’s AmazingSpaces00:10 Dream Cruises01:00 Tales From The Bush Larder01:25 Tales From The Bush Larder01:50 Food Lover’s Guide To ThePlanet
03:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles03:24 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles03:48 Henry Danger04:12 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn04:36 The Haunted Hathaways05:00 Max & Shred05:24 Henry Danger05:48 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn06:12 SpongeBob SquarePants06:36 SpongeBob SquarePants07:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles07:24 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles07:48 Winx Club08:12 The Loud House08:36 SpongeBob SquarePants09:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles09:24 Harvey Beaks09:48 Henry Danger10:12 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn10:36 The Haunted Hathaways11:00 Winx Club11:24 SpongeBob SquarePants11:48 SpongeBob SquarePants12:12 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles12:36 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles13:00 Harvey Beaks13:24 The Loud House13:48 Get Blake14:12 Rabbids Invasion14:36 100 Things To Do BeforeHigh School15:00 Game Shakers15:24 The Loud House15:48 SpongeBob SquarePants16:12 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles16:36 Harvey Beaks17:00 Get Blake17:24 Harvey Beaks17:48 The Loud House18:12 Henry Danger
18:36 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn19:00 100 Things To Do BeforeHigh School19:24 Game Shakers19:48 SpongeBob SquarePants20:12 SpongeBob SquarePants20:36 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles21:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles21:24 Breadwinners21:48 Breadwinners22:12 Sanjay And Craig22:36 Sanjay And Craig23:00 SpongeBob SquarePants23:24 SpongeBob SquarePants23:48 Henry Danger00:12 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn00:36 Max & Shred01:00 The Haunted Hathaways01:24 Sanjay And Craig01:48 Sanjay And Craig02:12 SpongeBob SquarePants02:36 SpongeBob SquarePants
03:15 The Hive03:20 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch03:45 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch04:10 Hank Zipzer04:35 Binny And The Ghost05:00 Violetta
05:45 The Hive05:50 Mouk06:00 Hank Zipzer06:25 Sofia The First06:50 Gravity Falls07:15 Miraculous Tales Of LadybugAnd Cat Noir07:40 Miraculous Tales Of LadybugAnd Cat Noir08:05 Shake It Up08:30 Shake It Up08:55 Hannah Montana Forever09:20 Hannah Montana Forever09:45 Wizards Of Waverly Place10:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place10:35 Good Luck Charlie11:00 Good Luck Charlie11:25 Jessie11:50 Jessie12:15 Disney Mickey Mouse12:20 Miraculous Tales Of LadybugAnd Cat Noir12:45 Hank Zipzer13:10 Austin & Ally13:35 Austin & Ally14:00 Liv And Maddie14:25 Liv And Maddie14:50 Dog With A Blog15:15 Disney Mickey Mouse15:20 Gravity Falls15:45 Miraculous Tales Of LadybugAnd Cat Noir16:10 Violetta17:00 Backstage17:25 Austin & Ally17:50 Jessie18:15 Best Friends Whenever18:40 Girl Meets World19:05 Evermoor Chronicles19:30 Liv And Maddie19:55 Liv And Maddie20:20 Backstage20:45 Good Luck Charlie21:10 H2O: Just Add Water21:35 H2O: Just Add Water22:00 Binny And The Ghost22:25 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch22:50 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch23:10 Hank Zipzer23:35 Binny And The Ghost00:00 Violetta00:45 The Hive00:50 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch01:15 Sabrina Secrets Of ATeenage Witch01:40 Hank Zipzer02:05 Binny And The Ghost02:30 Violetta
06:35 Super Matrak07:00 Star vs The Forces Of Evil07:25 K.C. Undercover07:50 Supa Strikas08:15 Annedroids08:40 Lab Rats09:10 Kirby Buckets09:35 Pokemon Series Xy: KalosQuest10:00 Rocket Monkeys10:25 Ultimate Spider-Man10:50 Boyster11:20 Boyster11:45 Pair Of Kings12:10 Pair Of Kings12:35 Lab Rats13:00 Lab Rats13:30 Phineas And Ferb13:55 Phineas And Ferb14:20 Kickin’ It14:45 Kickin’ It15:10 Disney Mickey Mouse15:15 Supa Strikas15:40 Supa Strikas16:05 Star vs The Forces Of Evil16:30 Kirby Buckets16:55 Gamer’s Guide To PrettyMuch Everything17:25 K.C. Undercover17:50 Supa Strikas18:15 Lab Rats18:40 K.C. Undercover19:05 Disney Mickey Mouse19:10 Annedroids19:35 Star vs The Forces Of Evil20:00 Kirby Buckets20:25 Gamer’s Guide To PrettyMuch Everything20:55 K.C. Undercover21:20 Pickle And Peanut21:45 Lab Rats22:10 Mighty Med22:40 Disney Mickey Mouse23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00amKSA
02:15 Miguel’s Tropical Kitchen02:40 Carnival Eats
C̀lassifiedsTHURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Kuwait
Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)
DIAL161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION
Arrival Flights on Thursday 23/6/2016Airlines Flt Route TimeTHY 772 Istanbul 00:10MSC 415 Sohag 00:10JZR 239 Amman 00:20JZR 267 Beirut 00:30DLH 635 Doha 01:00JZR 539 Cairo 01:20SAI 441 Lahore 01:30PGT 858 Istanbul 01:40RJA 642 Amman 01:45ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:45AXB 395 Kozhikode 01:50GFA 211 Bahrain 02:15KAC 418 Manila 02:15UAE 853 Dubai 02:25OMA 643 Muscat 03:05RJA 644 Amman 03:10ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:15MSR 612 Cairo 03:15QTR 1076 Doha 03:25KAC 544 Cairo 03:40LMU 510 Cairo 04:00JZR 555 Alexandria 04:15FEG 931 Alexandria 05:00QTR 8511 Doha 05:05DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10JZR 529 Asyut 06:00PAL 668 Manila/Dubai 06:25KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:30BAW 157 London 06:40IRA 673 Ahwaz 07:15FDB 5061 Dubai 07:15JZR 503 Luxor 07:25KAC 382 Delhi 07:30KAC 346 Ahmedabad 07:35KAC 206 Islamabad 07:40KAC 204 Lahore 07:40KAC 302 Mumbai 07:50KAC 332 Trivandrum 08:15KAC 344 Chennai 08:15KAC 352 Kochi 08:20KAC 362 Colombo 08:20UAE 855 Dubai 08:25KAC 784 Jeddah 08:50KAC 284 Dhaka 09:00ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:05ABY 125 Sharjah 09:05IRA 667 Esfahan 09:05QTR 1070 Doha 09:20RJA 648 Amman 09:30FDB 055 Dubai 09:40CCE 341 Alexandria 10:00UAE 873 Dubai 10:40GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40MEA 404 Beirut 11:00JZR 561 Sohag 11:25RBG 553 Alexandria 11:30FDB 075 Dubai 12:25FEG 933 Sohag 12:55MSR 610 Cairo 13:00KAC 620 Doha 13:10BON 101 Sarajevo 13:55KNE 231 Riyadh 14:00KNE 529 Jeddah 14:05QTR 1078 Doha 14:05KAC 672 Dubai 14:05AXB 393 Kozhikode 14:10FDB 057 Dubai 14:20GFA 221 Bahrain 14:20JZR 779 Jeddah 14:25
SVA 500 Jeddah 14:30KAC 742 Dammam 14:55KAC 788 Jeddah 15:00SYR 341 Damascus 15:05OMA 645 Muscat 15:10ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 15:10JZR 1771 Jeddah 15:15ABY 127 Sharjah 15:35UAE 857 Dubai 15:45RJA 640 Amman 16:00FDB 051 Dubai 16:10QTR 1072 Doha 16:15JZR 535 Cairo 16:20KAC 118 New York 16:30KNE 531 Jeddah 16:35JZR 787 Riyadh 16:45NIA 251 Alexandria 16:50KAC 562 Amman 16:55SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30CCE 345 Sohag 17:35FDB 8053 Dubai 17:45JZR 177 Dubai 17:45JZR 777 Jeddah 17:50KAC 678 Muscat/Abu Dhabi 17:50KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 18:20KAC 774 Riyadh 18:35KAC 786 Jeddah 18:35KAC 502 Beirut 18:35JAV 621 Amman 18:45KAC 618 Doha 18:55KAC 542 Cairo 18:55KAC 104 London 19:00UAE 875 Dubai 19:05GFA 217 Bahrain 19:05KAC 614 Bahrain 19:10ABY 123 Sharjah 19:15THY 6634 Istanbul 19:15MSR 620 Cairo 19:20JAI 572 Mumbai 19:35KAC 154 Istanbul 19:45KAC 674 Dubai 19:45FDB 059 Dubai 19:50DLH 634 Frankfurt 20:05KNE 381 Taif 20:10MEA 402 Beirut 20:15OMA 647 Muscat 20:20MSR 618 Alexandria 20:30QTR 1088 Doha 20:35FDB 5053 Dubai 20:55JZR 802 Taif 20:55ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:05UAE 859 Dubai 21:15ALK 229 Colombo 21:20KLM 417 Amsterdam 21:25KAC 676 Dubai 21:35QTR 1082 Doha 21:55GFA 219 Bahrain 22:00NIA 151 Cairo 22:10ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:10JZR 125 Bahrain 22:15AIC 981 Chennai/Ahmedabad 22:25MSC 501 Alexandria 22:30THY 764 Istanbul 22:55MSC 403 Asyut 23:10JAI 574 Mumbai 23:20MSR 614 Cairo 23:30FDB 071 Dubai 23:35PIA 205 Lahore 23:40JAD 301 Amman 23:45
Departure Flights on Thursday 23/6/2016Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05BBC 044 Dhaka 00:10MSC 404 Asyut 00:10JAI 573 Mumbai 00:25MSR 615 Cairo 00:30FDB 072 Dubai 00:30KLM 411 Amsterdam 00:55MSC 416 Sohag 01:05JZR 502 Luxor 01:15THY 773 Istanbul 01:40DLH 635 Frankfurt 02:00SAI 442 Lahore 02:30THY 765 Istanbul 02:45ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:45AXB 396 Kozhikode 02:50PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55KAC 783 Jeddah 03:30UAE 854 Dubai 03:45RJA 645 Amman 03:55OMA 644 Muscat 04:00ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:10MSR 613 Cairo 04:15QTR 1077 Doha 04:35JZR 560 Sohag 05:00LMU 511 Cairo 05:00FEG 934 Sohag 06:00RJA 643 Amman 06:25QTR 8512 Doha 06:35GFA 212 Bahrain 06:50FDB 5062 Dubai 07:55IRA 672 Ahwaz 08:15BAW 156 London 08:25JZR 778 Jeddah 08:50JZR 534 Cairo 09:25KAC 619 Doha 09:30KAC 671 Dubai 09:30KAC 787 Jeddah 09:30JZR 1770 Jeddah 09:40ABY 126 Sharjah 09:45UAE 856 Dubai 09:50KAC 101 London/New York 10:00ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:00IRA 668 Mashhad 10:05RJA 649 Amman 10:15QTR 1071 Doha 10:35FDB 056 Dubai 10:40KAC 677 Abu Dhabi/Muscat 10:50KAC 501 Beirut 11:00KAC 153 Istanbul 11:00CCE 346 Sohag 11:10KAC 561 Amman 11:20KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:25KAC 741 Dammam 11:35GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35MEA 405 Beirut 12:00KAC 541 Cairo 12:05UAE 874 Dubai 12:10RBG 554 Alexandria 12:10JZR 776 Jeddah 12:15KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00JZR 176 Dubai 13:10FDB 076 Dubai 13:10JZR 786 Riyadh 13:20FEG 932 Alexandria 13:55MSR 611 Cairo 14:00PAL 669 Dubai/Manila 14:45KNE 382 Taif 14:55KAC 773 Riyadh 15:00GFA 222 Bahrain 15:05
FDB 058 Dubai 15:05KAC 673 Dubai 15:05AXB 394 Kozhikode 15:10QTR 1079 Doha 15:15KAC 617 Doha 15:15KNE 530 Jeddah 15:35JZR 801 Taif 16:00SVA 505 Jeddah 16:00KAC 613 Bahrain 16:00SYR 342 Damascus 16:05BON 102 Sarajevo 16:05OMA 646 Muscat 16:10ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:20RJA 641 Amman 16:55KAC 675 Dubai 17:00FDB 052 Dubai 17:00JZR 266 Beirut 17:10QTR 1073 Doha 17:25KNE 532 Jeddah 17:25UAE 858 Dubai 17:40NIA 252 Alexandria 17:50SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20JZR 538 Cairo 18:30CCE 342 Alexandria 18:35FDB 8054 Dubai 18:40KAC 563 Amman 19:00JZR 238 Amman 19:15JZR 124 Bahrain 19:20KAC 285 Dhaka 19:40JAV 622 Amman 19:45GFA 218 Bahrain 19:50ABY 124 Sharjah 19:55KAC 1788 Jeddah 19:55MSR 621 Cairo 20:20FDB 060 Dubai 20:30UAE 876 Dubai 20:35JAI 571 Mumbai 20:35THY 6634 KHI 20:45KAC 331 Trivandrum 20:45DLH 634 Doha 20:50KAC 353 BLR 20:55KAC 343 Chennai 20:55KAC 351 Kochi 21:00KAC 543 Cairo 21:00KNE 232 Riyadh 21:10JZR 554 Alexandria 21:15MEA 403 Beirut 21:15OMA 648 Muscat 21:15MSR 619 Alexandria 21:30QTR 1089 Doha 21:45DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50FDB 5054 Dubai 21:55ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 21:55ALK 230 Colombo 22:20UAE 860 Dubai 22:25KLM 417 Dammam/Amsterdam 22:25KAC 381 Delhi 22:25KAC 301 Mumbai 22:30KAC 205 Islamabad 23:00GFA 220 Bahrain 23:00ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:05NIA 152 Cairo 23:10QTR 1083 Doha 23:20KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:25MSC 502 Alexandria 23:30
KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY (23/06/2016 TO 25/06/2016)
112
Automatedenquiry about
the Civil ID card is1889988
PRAYER TIMINGS
Fajr: 03:14Shorook 04:49Duhr: 11:50Asr: 15:24Maghrib: 18:51Isha: 20:23
SHARQIA-1THE CALL UP 9:30 PMNAVY SEALS VS. ZOMBIES 11:30 PM
SHARQIA-2THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 9:45 PMWARCRAFT 11:45 PM
SHARQIA-3HASAN WA BOQLOZ 10:00 PMHASAN WA BOQLOZ 12:05 AM
MUHALAB-1THE CALL UP 10:00 PMTHE CALL UP 12:05 AM
MUHALAB-2GENTLEMAN - Telugu 9:45 PMOKA MANASU- Telugu 9:45 PMTHE ASIAN CONNECTION 12:45 AM
MUHALAB-3THE JUNGLE BOOK 9:30 PMWARCRAFT 11:45 PM
FANAR-1THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 9:30 PMTHE JUNGLE BOOK 11:30 PM
FANAR-2THE CALL UP 10:15 PMTHE CALL UP 12:15 AM
FANAR-3UDTA PUNJAB- Hindi 9:45 PMROAD GAMES 12:45 AM
FANAR-4ROAD GAMES 10:00 PMWARCRAFT 12:05 AM
FANAR-5ELLY JAY AHSAN (Arabic) 10:30 PMNAVY SEALS VS. ZOMBIES 12:30 AM
MARINA-1THE CALL UP 9:45 PMTHE CALL UP 12:05 AM
MARINA-2THE JUNGLE BOOK 10:00 PMWARCRAFT 12:15 AM
MARINA-3THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 9:30 PMHASAN WA BOQLOZ 11:45 PM
AVENUES-1ELLY JAY AHSAN (Arabic) 10:00 PMPELE: BIRTH OF A LEGEND 12:15 AM
AVENUES-3UDTA PUNJAB- Hindi 9:45 PMTHE CALL UP 12:45 AM
AVENUES-4THE CALL UP 10:30 PMTHE CALL UP 12:30 AM
AVENUES-5ROAD GAMES 9:45 PMWARCRAFT 11:45 PM
AVENUES-6THE JUNGLE BOOK 9:30 PMMIN DAHAR RAGEL - Arabic 11:45 PM
AVENUES-7ROAD GAMES 10:15 PMROAD GAMES 12:15 AM
AVENUES-8NAVY SEALS VS. ZOMBIES 10:00 PMNAVY SEALS VS. ZOMBIES 12:05 AM
AVENUES-9THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 10:30 PMHASAN WA BOQLOZ 12:30 AM
AVENUES-10THE CALL UP 9:45 PMTHE CALL UP 11:45 PM
AVENUES-11WARCRAFT (Atmos 2D) 9:30 PMNO THUCAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (Atmos 2D) 12:05 AMNO THU
360º- 1THE CALL UP 10:30 PMTHE CALL UP 12:30 AM
360º- 2PELE: BIRTH OF A LEGEND 10:00 PMTHE ASIAN CONNECTION 12:15 AM
360º- 3THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 9:45 PMCAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR 11:45 PM
AL-KOUT.1WARCRAFT 9:30 PMNAVY SEALS VS. ZOMBIES 12:05 AM
AL-KOUT.2THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 10:00 PMROAD GAMES 12:15 AM
AL-KOUT.3THE CALL UP 10:15 PMWARCRAFT 12:30 AM
AL-KOUT.4ELLY JAY AHSAN (DIG) (Arabic) 9:45 PMX-MEN: Apocalypse 12:05 AM
BAIRAQ-1THE CALL UP 9:30 PMTHE CALL UP 11:30 PM
BAIRAQ-2THE JUNGLE BOOK 10:00 PMHepta 12:15 AM
BAIRAQ-3UDTA PUNJAB- Hindi 9:30 PMTHE ASIAN CONNECTION 12:30 AM
PLAZA7 HOURS TO GO -Hindi 9:30 PMTHE CALL UP 12:15 AM
LAILATHE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 9:45 PMTHE CALL UP 11:45 PM
AJIAL.1UDTA PUNJAB- Hindi 9:30 PMTHE CALL UP 12:30 AM
AJIAL.2JACOBINTE SWARGARAJYAM (Malayalam) 9:45 PMJACOBINTE SWARGARAJYAM (Malayalam) 12:15 AM
AJIAL.37 HOURS TO GO -Hindi 9:45 PM7 HOURS TO GO -Hindi 12:15 AM
CHANGE OF NAME
I, Kottakonda UdhiahKumar holder of IndianPassport No. G1153961hereby change my name asKota Udhaya Kumar S/oKota Krishna Murthy, postK.V Palli Mandal ChitoorDistrict, AP. (C 5187)19-6-2016
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Join in and assist with a group project this day, especially if you are givena choice. Supervisors or higher-ups are watching and making decisions. Your expertisewill be greatly appreciated and who knows, these higher-ups may decide that you arethe right one for the raise or the change in job. This afternoon you may be more than alittle eager to buy things. You seem to have an appreciation for just about everythingand this may lead you to overspend or indulge too much-careful. Everything revealsyou at your most elegant this evening, particularly in social situations. Networking isalways a good idea; the more people you know, the more people you can help! A spe-cial amount of time devoted to a young child will be appreciated this evening.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
STAR TRACK
Right now, the key to getting through this day involves attending to nag-ging details-perhaps, something neglected. Everything external and business-orientedshould prosper, if your attention does not sway. There will be events today that willmake it easy for you to have breakthroughs and find new solutions to old problems.This afternoon may be the time to put a finish to those nagging details. You may findyourself able to put some new ideas into practice this afternoon. Independence, origi-nality and eccentricity can be recognized. This drive to achieve your ambition for yourcareer is very powerful and may strengthen your social standing and vice versa. Now isthe time to plan a hot air balloon ride or learn to fly a plane.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Getting personal with you can be a problem. You are polite but you giveaway no secrets. This rule applies to work but sometimes it takes a while for
you to warm up to people outside of work. One big plus for you is that when you becomefriends, your friends are lifetime friends. Today’s work is focused and when work demandsyou team up with a group . . . You are a good team player. A co-worker enjoys a few min-utes to take a break and you notice the sketchpad that is bursting full of this person’ssketches . . . This is art. You may think that you could help but they may not be ready todisplay the work just yet. You may be able to help eventually, and could invite this person
to an art showing. You are focused and positive; you become contagious.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Opportunities appear all around you but sometimes seem to challengeyour position. You must decide whether the risk is worth the change it will
bring about in your situation. The clear choice may go against your better interests. Jobrequirements may stifle your sensitivity and hold you back from growing-tread this onewith care. No matter the type of relationship, relationships are very important during thistime and can have a very decided influence on your career and workplace. You may findthat a more impersonal attitude is the key. You enjoy life yourself and value gusto andenthusiasm in those around you. Feelings are something you express with ease and youappreciate others doing the same.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Although conservative and sensitive on the outside, you are tough as nailson the inside-as anyone can testify who gets to know you very well. The fact is that youlike attention and have a real need to be at the center of any group. Your business growsbecause of your passion and belief in your type of work. Your more sensitive style hides astrong, aggressive and quite confident nature. You are at home in a crowd and enjoy theattention of others. You expect others to come to you and they certainly seem to do thatthis afternoon and evening. If you do not state your business, however you may find your-self more involved than you really want to be just now. You may enjoy a loved one orclose friends telling you of their success.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Your sense of discrimination, when it comes to practical issues, is excellent,as usual. You value clearheaded thinking in others and may find yourself working withseveral, very sharp individuals today. You express enthusiasm toward your work. You lovelarge-scale organization and your success in your career or business will always be close toyour heart. You will find that the young people you come across will add new energies toyour plans or ideas. You love to work with young people and gain from their insights aswell. You understand and encourage talents, emotions, feelings, creativity and characterissues. You value drive and the ability to get things completed in an organized manner.There is a great deal of mental energy now.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
For today, emotional drama is valued rather than avoided. Your appetite foraction is probably well known and well noted. Acting, sports, outdoor activ-
ities and everything physical are high on your list of favorites. Consider organizing a base-ball, hockey, bowling or other group sports team. This is a good time to gather those thatare interested into some sports activity. Perhaps some team competition with anothergroup would be fun, perhaps a church, school or neighborhood group. This is the sort ofenergy where you can organize an idea and let others develop the project. Your outwardseriousness and no-nonsense approach to things is obvious to all. This deliberate sense ofresponsibility comes across and is central to your personality.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
There is a question of some lost item but with very little research it may befound that someone on vacation just forgot to turn in some work project
before leaving at the beginning of the week. This afternoon you might bring family mem-bers together to decide the next vacation; that is, if you are not already boarding a ship.Leisure activities after work can help keep your mind and physical well-being in a positiveplace. Whatever is fun for you will actually refurbish or renew your enthusiasm. This couldbe challenging or passive activities. Reading, games, music, gardening, etc., are all goodideas for some fun activities. Real estate may be a topic of interest to you later today-dri-ving through the neighborhoods may help form your own ideas.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Your mind is ever on career and family. This may not make some of you themost communicative and social animals as you may prefer to avoid crowds and largegatherings. You must realize that teaching, lecturing or guiding others can be mostrewarding, and you have a talent in that area. Given to grand gestures and dramaticscenes, you love teaching in any form; you are very regal. You can also be most generousto a fault. A request for a loan today would be better to decline. You will find ways toencourage creative thinking and problem-solving for this person. Children and animalsare high on your list of priorities. If you are not visiting a zoo today, you might be making
plans to visit one soon and perhaps plan a picnic menu as well.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
You will not be able to remain impersonal today. You are a great doer andothers accept your commanding nature-you always seem to have the right
answers. You are a good leader and higher-ups do not forget this quality. Your life pathinvolves cutting through appearances and superficialities and laying bare the reality of asituation. You will make much progress in the business world. You may be guiding some-one younger than you in matters of importance without even realizing it. You may notwant to, but if you provide more answers than what is asked of you, it will help others tounderstand your abilities. Tonight is guys and gals night. You are with your group offriends and may enjoy a card game with friends.
Aquarius (January 20- February 18)
CROSSWORD 1293
ACROSS1. (British) A linear measure of 16.5 feet.4. Cause to be more favorably inclined.11. The head of a branch of an organizedcrime syndicate.15. The compass point midway betweennortheast and east.16. Tropical plants.17. A stock exchange in New York.18. Type genus of the Cebidae.19. A river in southeastern France.20. Freedom from difficulty or hardship oreffort.21. Title for a civil or military leader (espe-cially in Turkey).23. An analytic or interpretive literary com-position.24. The 3 goddesses of fate or destiny.27. A highly unstable radioactive element(the heaviest of the halogen series).29. United States tennis player who was thefirst Black to win United States and Englishsingles championships (1943-1993).30. A loose sleeveless outer garment madefrom aba cloth.31. Someone who leads a wandering unset-tled life.34. The sixth month of the civil year.37. A federal agency established to regulatethe release of new foods and health-relatedproducts.39. Someone who is morally reprehensible.43. Cubes of meat marinated and cookedon a skewer usually with vegetables.46. Consisting of one of two equivalentparts in value or quantity.49. A republic on the island of Malta in theMediterranean.50. A particular geographical region ofindefinite boundary (usually serving somespecial purpose or distinguished by its peo-ple or culture or geography).51. A river in north central Switzerland thatruns northeast into the Rhine.52. (of complexion) Blemished by imperfec-tions of the skin.53. Genus of tropical plants with creepingrootstocks and small umbellate flowers.57. Swift timid long-eared mammal largerthan a rabbit having a divided upper lip andlong hind legs.58. Of or relating to apnea.61. Tear or be torn violently.63. The cry made by sheep.64. The site of an archeological exploration.70. A straight line through a body or figurethat satisfies certain conditions.72. Large crested Old World plover havingwattles and spurs.74. A small piece of cloth.75. A title of address formerly used for aman of rank and authority.76. The trait of lacking restraint or control.77. A defensive missile designed to shootdown incoming intercontinental ballisticmissiles.78. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually infavor of a person or cause).79. Very small species of shrubs of southernhemisphere.80. A metric unit of volume or capacityequal to 10 liters.
DOWN1. A summary that repeats the substance ofa longer discussion.2. Lake in northwestern Russia near the bor-der with Finland.3. Bar temporarily.4. A syndrome that occurs in many womenfrom 2 to 14 days before the onset of men-struation.
5. A trivalent metallic element of the rareearth group.6. The largest continent with 60% of theearth's population.7. Dried bark of the cascara buckthorn usedas a laxative.8. One of the three Furies.9. A three-tone Chadic language.10. The compass point midway betweeneast and southeast.11. Conqueror of Gaul and master of Italy(100-44 BC).12. Collect or gather.13. (Judaism) A Jewish festival (traditionally8 days) celebrating the exodus of theIsraelites from Egypt.14. Any North American shrubby perennialherb of the genus Heliopsis having largeyellow daisylike flowers.22. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hear-ing wholly or in part.25. Medicine consisting of a tablet (tradename Carafate) used to treat peptic ulcers.26. The blood group whose red cells carryboth the A and B antigens.28. A Christian holiday celebrating the birthof Christ.32. An inflammatory disease involving thesebaceous glands of the skin.33. Swelling from excessive accumulationof serous fluid in tissue.35. Dearly loved.36. (usually followed by `to') Having thenecessary means or skill or know-how orauthority to do something.38. English theoretical physicist whoapplied relativity theory to quantummechanics and predicted the existence ofantimatter and the positron (1902-1984).40. The capital and largest city of Lithuania.41. (prefix) Between or among or in themidst of.42. English economist noted for his studiesof international trade and finance (born in1907).44. (informal) Of the highest quality.45. (Old Testament) The second wife ofJacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.47. Formed like a bacillus.48. Any of various strong liquors distilledfrom the fermented sap of toddy palms orfrom fermented molasses.54. A resource.55. Alloy of copper and tin and zinc.56. Used as an Italian courtesy title.59. A selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitorcommonly prescribed as an antidepressant(trade name Paxil).60. The basic unit of money in Nigeria.62. Genus of vines or erect herbs having tri-foliate leaves and yellowish or purplishflowers.65. An amino acid that is found in the cen-tral nervous system.66. Having awns i.e. bristle- or hair-likeappendages on the flowering parts of somecereals and grasses.67. Toward the mouth or oral region.68. A metabolic acid found in yeast and livercells.69. (computer science) A standardized lan-guage for the descriptive markup of docu-ments.71. A fractional monetary unit of Japan andIndonesia and Cambodia.73. A number of sheets of paper fastenedtogether along one edge.
Yesterday’s Solution
Yesterday’s Solution
34s t a r s
Daily SuDoku
Wordsearch Puzzle
Your employment situation is due for reorganizing and reconstruction.Positive changes are happening. You are at your most practical and what happens nowmay have a lasting effect on your life direction. If anyone needs help, you are the first tostep up and help. Others help you when you need help. This could be with some mathe-matical difficulty or some transportation situation concerning supplies. Your most essen-tial quality has to do with the very real love and compassion you radiate. Your sense ofvalues and sheer appreciation for life are communicated to all who come to know you.Beyond whatever external considerations may be present, you exude a contagious thank-fulness. You spend special time with friends tonight.
There is a tendency to be too strict with yourself, to insist that whateverdoes not contribute to security and other long-term goals is trivial. Your out-
ward seriousness and no-nonsense approach to things is obvious to all. This deliberatesense of responsibility comes across and is central to your personality-others can see thatyou are an achiever. Everything is run through your checkpoint to see if it holds up andcan pass the test. You can be a stickler with details. Someone needs your help thisevening and using your mind to negotiate obstacles and handle dilemmas is somethingyou do well. You could be very much in demand as a counselor. You are certainly a prob-lem-solver today. Take a break this evening and enjoy a bicycle ride or walk after dinner.
Yesterday’s Solution
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Color me!
SUDOKU
Solution
Ingredients1 apple1 banana1/3 c. red seedless grapes1/3 c. green seedless grapes2/3 cup pineapple chunks1 cup nonfat yogurt1/4 c. dried coconut, shredded
Directions1. Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes,
washing the apples and cutting them intosmall squares, peeling the bananas and cut-ting them into chunks, and cutting thepineapple into chunks, if it’s fresh. Put thefruit onto a large plate.
2. Spread coconut onto another large plate.3. Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and
design your own kabob by putting as muchor as little of whatever fruit you want! Do thisuntil the stick is almost covered from end toend.
4. Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in theyogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll itin the coconut.
5. Repeat these steps with another skewer.
ACTIVITY
KIDS RECIEPE
JOKESQ: When does a doctor get mad? A: When he runs out of patients!
Q: Why did the pillow go to the doctor? A: He was feeling all stuffed up!
Q: Why did the doctor lose his temper? A: Because he didn’t have any patients!
Q: Where does a boat go when it’s sick? A: To the dock!
Q: What did on tonsil say to the other tonsil? A: Get dressed up, the doctor is taking us out!
Q: Patient: Doctor, sometimes I feel like I’minvisible.
A: Doctor: Who said that?
Angkor Wat is a temple complex inCambodia and the largest religiousmonument in the world, with the
site measuring 162.6 hectares. It was orig-inally constructed as a Hindu temple forthe Khmer Empire, gradually transforminginto a Buddhist temple toward the end ofthe 12th century. It was built by the KhmerKing Suryavarman II in the early 12th cen-tury in Ya?odharapura the capital of theKhmer Empire, as his state temple andeventual mausoleum. Breaking from theShaiva tradition of previous kings, AngkorWat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. Asthe best-preserved temple at the site, it isthe only one to have remained a signifi-cant religious center since its foundation.The temple is at the top of the high classi-cal style of Khmer architecture. It hasbecome a symbol of Cambodia, appearingon its national flag, and it is the country’sprime attraction for visitors.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plansof Khmer temple architecture: the tem-ple-mountain and the later galleried tem-ple. It is designed to represent MountMeru, home of the devas in Hindumythology: within a moat and an outerwall 3.6 kilometers long are three rectan-gular galleries, each raised above thenext. At the centre of the temple stands aquincunx of towers. Unlike mostAngkorian temples, Angkor Wat is orient-ed to the west; scholars are divided as tothe significance of this. The temple isadmired for the grandeur and harmony ofthe architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs,and for the numerous devatas adorningits walls.
HistoryAccording to legend, the construction of
Angkor Wat was ordered by Indra to act as apalace for his son Precha Ket Mealea.According to the 13th century Chinese trav-eler Daguan Zhou, it was believed by somethat the temple was constructed in a singlenight by a divine architect.
The initial design and construction of thetemple took place in the first half of the 12thcentury, during the reign of Suryavarman II(ruled 1113 - c. 1150). Dedicated to Vishnu, itwas built as the king’s state temple and capi-tal city. As neither the foundation stela norany contemporary inscriptions referring tothe temple have been found, its originalname is unknown, but it may have beenknown as “Varah Vishnu-lok” after the presid-ing deity. Work seems to have ended shortlyafter the king’s death, leaving some of thebas-relief decoration unfinished. In 1177,approximately 27 years after the death ofSuryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by theChams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer.Thereafter the empire was restored by a newking, Jayavarman VII, who established a newcapital and state temple a few kilometers tothe north.
Toward the end of the 12th century,Angkor Wat gradually transformed from aHindu center of worship to Buddhism, whichcontinues to the present day. Angkor Wat isunusual among the Angkor temples in thatalthough it was somewhat neglected afterthe 16th century it was never completelyabandoned, its preservation being due inpart to the fact that its moat also providedsome protection from encroachment by thejungle.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Button Napkinsand Placemats
Placemats Use buttons to rejuvenate an old set
of placemats and napkins, or purchase anew set for this project. You’ll need:
* Buttons* Fabric glue* Placemats * Needle and thread
1. First, take your time deciding whereyou want the buttons, then use thefabric glue to adhere them to the fab-ric.
2. Sew in place.
Napkin ringsTo make these adorable accessories,
you’ll need to have a rudimentary knowl-edge of crocheting.
You’ll need:* Elastic thread* Napkins* Crochet needle Buttons
1. Start by stringing approximately 35to 40 buttons onto the thread.
2. Take your crochet hook and make achain about 3 inches long. The but-tons will be in between the hook andthe spool.
3. Form a circle by connecting the twoends with a slipstitch. This is the baseof your napkin ring.
4. Single stitch crochet around the cir-cle. As you begin each stitch, slideone button up to the hook, and “cap-ture” it as you insert the hook into thechain. Continue until you’ve gonearound the circle twice.
5. Bind off.
• Brazil is the largest coun-try in South America.
• The name Brazil comesfrom a tree named brazilwood.
• It is called Brazil inPortuguese, the officiallanguage spoken in Brazil.
• Brazil is the only countryin South America thatspeaks Portuguese.
• Portugal claimed the landof Brazil in the year 1500.Independence wasdeclared in 1822.
• Brazil is the 5th largestcountry in the world byboth land area and popu-lation.
• The population in 2012was around 194 millionpeople.
• The capital city is Brasilia,while the largest city isSao Paulo.
• Other major cities includeRio de Janeiro, Salvadorand Fortaleza.
• In Brazil they drive on theright-hand side of theroad.
• Brazil has a large coastlineon the eastern side of
South America, stretching7491 kilometers in length.
• Brazil shares a borderwith all South Americancountries except for Chileand Ecuador.
• Brazil covers 3 timezones.
• Brazil has one of thelargest economies in theworld.
• Brazil is one of the 77founding members of theUnited Nations.
• The Amazon River flowsthrough Brazil, it is the2nd longest river in theworld (after the Nile).
• Around 60% of theAmazon Rainforest islocated in Brazil.
• The climate in the majori-ty of Brazil is tropical.
• Brazil is home to a widerange of animals, includ-ing armadillo, tapirs,jaguars and pumas.
• Human activities such aslogging, mining fishingand agriculture areimportant to the Brazilianeconomy but are also aserious threat to Brazil’sdiverse environment.
• There are around 2500airports in Brazil.
• Football (soccer) is themost popular sport inBrazil with the nationalteam consistently amongthe best in the world,winning the World Cup arecord 5 times.
Did you know..?
M u s i c & M o v i e s
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
l if e s t y l e
By Nawara Fattahova
KUWAIT: The Kuwait Times is publishing daily recaps of two ofthe Kuwaiti soap operas airing on Al Rai TV and MBC Drama.Here are the recaps of the 16th episode:
‘Saq Al Bamboo’ (Bamboo Stalk)Awatef asks Ghanima to let Khawla marry her son whose
name is also Eisa. Noor heard the conversation and tellsKhawla and they both are surprised as she was supposed totalk about Nooriya’s son. Ghanima refused saying Khawla isstill young.
Noor goes to Eisa’s room to talk to him and he tells her sto-ries from the Philippines and his childhood and Luzvimindasees her going out. Awatef told Nooriya that Khawla refusedthe proposal as she considers her son as her brother. Khawlatold Jaber that she got rid of Eisa as Ghanima refused this mar-riage to avoid family problems after she knew that bothcousins wants to marry her.
Ghanima calls Eisa to come to her room and lets him mas-sage her feet. She tells him that he has the same voice as hisfather and the same touch as his mother. Khawla covers herhair quickly when Eisa enters. He asked her why as she is hissister. She says she needs time to get used to it. Nooriya cameto Ghanima to ask why did she refused her son, and Ghanimasays it’s because Khawla is still young, but Nooriya knows thather mother is hiding something.
Been Galbin (Between Two Hearts) Yasmin misses her kids so she goes to visit them but the
maid tells her that they all are travelling. She went up to herroom and finds women’s clothes in her closet. She asked themaid about it and by the time Bashar calls her to tell her aboutNoora, so she leaves.
Marzouq asks Aryam to meet him to tell her somethingimportant. He asks her again if she wants to return to him but
she refuses, so he tells her he is getting married with a womanthat he knows from the bank, and that their son Rashid willlive with him. She starts to regret as she thought he willalways be waiting for her. Dana goes to her doctor for a check-up and she tells her that the baby died.
Yasmin goes to Mihsen’s house and the maid said they willreturn by evening. So she packs her things from her apart-ment and gives the key to the haris telling him she is going to
live in her husband’s house. She buys gifts for her husbandand kids and waits for them in the house. But Mihsen comeswith his mother, kids, and new wife from their trip. The kidsrefused to hug her and she leaves the house crying. On herway she meets with an car accident.
‘Saq Al Bamboo’ and ‘Been Galbin’: Episode 16
The hip-hop group Arrested Development is still makingmusic on their own terms by releasing two new albumsthis year, one that is a free download and another one for
sale. The group’s 1992 debut, “3 Years, 5 Months, and 2 Days inthe Life of...,” sold over four million albums due to their hit singles“Tennessee,” “Everyday People” and “Mr Wendal,” which stood outin the rap genre with their spiritual and socially conscious lyricsabout God, poverty and family. That message hasn’t changed forSpeech, the frontman of the six-piece collective, although themusic industry definitely has.
“The music industry has been sick and sales have been dis-mal for everybody,” said Speech, whose real name is ToddThomas, during a recent interview in Nashville, Tennessee.“Nothing was happening and we were collecting all this musicthat we felt really passionate about. So we decided to justrelease it, just drop it.”
Since their debut, Arrested Development has been consid-ered an outlier in the genre. They were critical favorites for theirmix of pop, funk, rap and R&B samples and earned two GrammyAwards for best rap performance by a duo or group and bestnew artist - one of the few rap acts to take home the honor. ButSpeech said their overtly positive messages didn’t always res-onate with other rappers or record labels.
“A lot of our peers felt like we weren’t really hip-hop and theywould say that,” Speech said. “So to be called alternative hip-hopwas sort of a slap in the face to me. Because I understand it’s analternative in its subject matter from the gangster stuff, but
we’re hip-hop. It’s just another viewpoint.” Their second album in1994 was not nearly as popular and the band disbanded for sev-eral years before reuniting in 2000. The two new albums,“Change the Narrative” and “This Was Never Home,” werereleased in February. Their single, “I Don’t See You At the Club,”references the Black Lives Matter movement and the 50thanniversary of marches in the South for civil rights, but also mar-riage and the lack of commitment in hip-hop music.
“The messages are like, ‘I just want to have sex with you andleave you,’” said Speech, who lives in Atlanta with his wife andchildren. “I know that’s been the underlying point of rock ‘n’ rolland a lot of different music. But it’s very blatant and very blunt.”Speech, who sits on the board of the International Black FilmFestival, performed with Arrested Development for dozens ofgrade school kids in Nashville as a part of the festival’s communi-ty program “Imagine Me” Children’s Summer Film Series in col-laboration with Belmont University, Metro Nashville PoliceDepartment, Metro Nashville Parks and Salama Urban Ministries.The group performed a couple of hits and then encouraged thekids to rap and dance onstage with them. “I feel like the younggeneration has so much in their hearts and so much in theirminds that they need to express and need to get it out,” Speechsaid. “There’s a future Prince or there’s a future Michael Jacksonthat we’re all going to be talking about.” — AP
Rap’s Arrested Development still making music on their terms
In this file photo taken from video, members of the hip hop group Arrested Development, from left, JJ Boogie, TashaLaRae, Za’, background center, Speech, Fareedah and 1 Love perform at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. — AP
Anewly surfaced police report related to a 2003 raid onMichael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch shows the late popstar’s penchant for pornography and attraction to chil-
dren. Jackson was acquitted in 2005 of child molestation fol-lowing a 14-week trial, and the report published on Tuesday bythe celebrity and gossip website Radar Online was related toevidence submitted in that case. The report contains detailsabout various books, magazines and documents seized atJackson’s secluded California home in November 2003.
The police report states that though the documents werenot considered illegal, “this type of material can be used as partof a ‘grooming’ process by which people (those seeking tomolest children) are able to lower the inhibitions of theirintended victims and facilitate the molestation of said victims.”The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department said it had notpublicly released the documents, which had been submittedto the prosecution and the defense during the 2005 trial.
“Some of the documents appear to be copies of reportsthat were authored by sheriff’s office personnel as well as evi-dentiary photographs taken by sheriff’s office personnel, inter-spersed with content that appears to be obtained off theInternet or through unknown sources,” it said in a statement.“The sheriff’s office did not release any of the documentsand/or photographs to the media.” Some of the material seizedduring the raid shows pictures of nude young adults, children’sfaces on adult bodies, as well as images of animal and childtorture, Radar Online said, citing an investigator in the case.
‘Michael remains innocent’ “The documents collected by the Santa Barbara County
Sheriff’s Department paint a dark and frightening picture ofJackson,” the unidentified investigator is quoted as saying. “Thedocuments exposed Jackson as a manipulative, drug-and-sex-crazed predator who used blood, gore, sexually explicit imagesof animal sacrifice and perverse adult sex acts to bend childrento his will.” The King of Pop was acquitted in 2005 following a14-week child molesting trial during which a jury heard luridtestimony about his life and relationships with young boys.
He was charged after Gavin Arvizo, a 13-year-old boyJackson had befriended, came forward. Jackson’s Estate lashedout at the celebrity website’s article, saying it was clearly timedto coincide with the upcoming seventh anniversary of hisdeath on June 25. “Those who continue to shamelessly exploitMichael via sleazy internet ‘click bait’ ignore that he was acquit-ted by a jury in 2005 on every one of the 14 salacious chargesbrought against him in a failed witch hunt,” a statement said.“Michael remains just as innocent of these smears in death ashe was in life, even though he isn’t here to defend himself.Enough is enough.” Jackson’s nephew Taj Jackson alsodenounced the report. “Not only is there absolutely no truth tothis story whatsoever, but I’m truly sick of this crap. #getalifeand stop living off ours,” he said in a tweet. — AFP
Police reportshows ‘dark
side’ of Michael
Jackson
Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant denied on Tuesday hav-ing stolen the opening of the rock group’s iconic song“Stairway to Heaven,” telling a jury he had written the
anthem decades ago in the English countryside. The 67-year-old musician told a Los Angeles federal court that the song atthe center of a copyright case was clearly his work as well asthat of Zeppelin guitarist-songwriter Jimmy Page.
The song was played to jurors as arguments wrapped upon Tuesday. Plant testified that he wrote the lyrics more than45 years ago while sitting by a fire at a recording and rehears-al venue in Britain. He said he was inspired to write the linesafter he heard Page play the opening notes of what wouldbecome one of the most famous rock songs of all time. “Thatparticular evening, I sat with Jimmy by the fire, and I had thisfirst couplet that fit with what he was playing,” he testified.
“I was really trying to bring the remote, pastoral Britain...the old, almost unspoken Celtic references into the piece,” headded. Asked by his attorney to remember what the coupletwas, he sighed before reciting the famous lines. “There’s alady who’s sure all that glitters is gold and she’s buying astairway to heaven,” Plant said. “When she gets there sheknows, if the stores are all closed with a word she can getwhat she came for.” The genesis of the song is a key elementin the case as Page and Plant fight off accusations they stolethe anthem’s melancholy opening guitar arpeggio from“Taurus,” the first album of long-defunct LA psychedelic rockband Spirit. Page, 72, who testified when the trial opened lastweek, took the stand again on Tuesday, listening to 46-year-old recordings made at Headley Grange, the retreat used bythe band in Britain, and explaining in detail to the jury thesong’s creation.
Substantial similarities His attorney then played the entire near eight-minute fin-
ished version of the song to the jury before advising the
judge that the defense had no more witnesses. Closing argu-ments were set for Wednesday before the jury of four womenand four men begin deliberations. The five-day trial, which isbeing watched closely as it could potentially set an impor-tant precedent, has included testimony by musicologistswho said there were substantial similarities between“Stairway” and “Taurus.”
Spirit guitarist Randy California, who penned “Taurus,”long maintained he deserved a songwriting credit for“Stairway” but never took legal action and drowned inHawaii in 1997. A lawsuit filed by his trustee and friendMichael Skidmore two years ago seeks damages and claimsCalifornia deserves a songwriting credit so that he can “takehis place as an author of rock’s greatest song.”
However, experts who testified on behalf of the defensein the trial said the chord pattern used in the intro to stairwaywas so “commonplace” that it couldn’t be copyrighted. Pagetestified last week that his chord progression had more incommon with “Chim Chim Cher-ee”, from the 1964 musical“Mary Poppins” than anything else. At stake in the case arepotentially millions of dollars in royalties collected in thethree years prior to the filing of the suit through this month.
Zeppelin opened for Spirit when the hard rockers-Plant,Page, John Paul Jones and the late John Bonham-madetheir US debut on December 26, 1968 in Denver. But thesurviving members have submitted testimony that theynever had substantive interaction with Spirit or listened to1967’s “Taurus” before recording “Stairway” in December1970 and January 1971. The lawsuit lists disputes over 16other Led Zeppelin songs, many of which were settled bygiving the complainant a songwriting credit and royalties,including classics “Whole Lotta Love” and “Babe I’m GonnaLeave You.” — AFP
Led Zeppelin singer recounts how he composed ‘Stairway’
Prince lostconsciousnesson flight daysbefore death
Prince was having dinner on a flight home from his finalpublic concert when he suddenly lost consciousness,according to the first published account Tuesday of the
pop icon’s health crisis six days before his death. The April 15episode prompted an unscheduled landing of his privateplane and an emergency room visit, raising a sudden alarmover the state of Prince’s health. Judith Hill, an artist and pro-tege of Prince who worked closely with him during the pasttwo years, said in a New York Times interview that the twowere chatting over pasta and vegetables as they flew fromAtlanta to his home near Minneapolis.
Hill, 32, noticed that “his eyes fixed” just before he seemedto nod off shortly after 1 am (0500 GMT). “Thankfully, I hap-pened to be looking into his face,” and realized he was uncon-scious and not asleep, Hill was quoted as saying. Hill and theonly other passenger on the jet, Prince’s friend and aide KirkJohnson, tried unsuccessfully to wake up the 57-year-old.They alerted the pilot, who radioed air traffic controllers inChicago to report an unresponsive man on board.
“We knew it was only a matter of time; we had to get himdown,” Hill was quoted as saying. “We didn’t have anything onthe plane to help him.” The plane landed in Moline, Illinois,met by an ambulance on the tarmac. Prince was revived withan injection of Narcan, a drug used to treat opioid overdoses,the report said. He was taken to a hospital for several hoursbefore being released and traveling home. Publicly, Princeblamed the emergency landing on a bout of flu. Although ini-tially reluctant to seek help following the scare, Prince under-took tests with a local doctor and connected with an addic-tion specialist in California, The New York Times said.
“He did it because he was concerned, and he wanted to dothe right thing for his own body,” Hill said. “And that’s the partthat breaks my heart, because he was trying. He was trying.”Prince was found dead at his Paisley Park estate on April 21.His death was ruled an accident caused by an overdose of fen-tanyl, a powerful opioid used to treat severe pain. He hadappeared healthy and was legendary for his marathon per-formances. But the artist underwent hip surgery in 2010. Hillsaid that despite her close relationship with Prince, she had noidea he was in pain, calling the circumstances of his death“very shocking.”— AFP
File photo shows musician Prince presets an award onstage at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in Los AngelesFebruary 8, 2015. — AFP
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
F e a t u r e
l if e s t y l e
“Flight of the Conchords” went off theair in 2009 but the beat has goneon in the films of Taika Waititi .
Waititi, who was a writer and director of thatcult HBO series, has carried on the show’sNew Zealand deadpan and childlike whimsywith varying success. Often collaboratingwith “Conchords” star Jermaine Clement,Waititi has previously seesawed too far intoquirk (2007’s oddball romance “Eagle vsShark”) and risen to heights of comic under-statement (2015’s vampire mockumentary“What We Do in the Shadows”).
In “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” a huge hitin Waititi’s native New Zealand, also delightsin teetering - clumsily but charmingly -between fantasy and reality. The film is a fableabout a heavy-set foster kid, Ricky Baker(Julian Dennison), and a reluctant foster par-ent, “Uncle” Hector (Sam Neill), who, evadingchild services, go on the lam and spark amanhunt. As far as buddy comedy pairingsgo, few can match the unlikeliness of that in“Hunt for the Wilderpeople.”
Having run through foster families, Ricky,introduced as “a very bad egg,” is dropped offat the remote home of Aunt Bella (an excel-lent Rima Te Wiata who leaves the film toosoon) and Hector. At first glance, Ricky is terri-bly unsuited for country life. On his first night,he tries to run away but gets no further thanhalfway up the nearest hillside. Just as Rickybegins warming to life with Bella (the gruffHector largely evades him), tragedy comesout of the blue, and Ricky is to be retrieved bychild welfare. But Ricky and Hector, each fedup with society, resolve to “go bush.” They tot-ter into the mountains, and an increasinglyabsurd chase ensues, led by a militant childservices worker (Rachel House).
The tale, told in chapters, comes fromBarry Crump’s 1986 novel “Wild Pork andWatercress.” In Waititi’s hands, it’s a jerky ride.There are passages that take after “Psycho” (agratuitously bloody wild pig slaughter) andwintery poetic moments that reference“McCabe and Mrs. Miller.” In their journey,the pair’s encounters are both tender andcartoonish, ranging from an alluring younggirl to a recluse named Psycho Sam (RhysDarby, the fabulous bug-eyed MVP of“Conchords”). The grab bag of styles, awk-ward as they are, also supplies“Wilderpeople” its strange off-kilter energy.It’s nimble enough to never be quite pinneddown by its familiar concept before eventu-ally going out in a blaze of farce.
“Wilderpeople” is ultimately winning, likeall buddy comedies, because of the chemistryof its leads. Neill (the Sundance of the two)and Dennison (our younger and portlier butno less cocksure Butch) make an endearingpair of runaways. On the heels of his recentsuccesses, Waititi has been picked by Marvelto direct the considerably more massive“Thor: Ragnarok.” As a test case of an indiedirector making a giant leap in scale, it shouldbe interesting. If Waititi can handle the Norsegod with the same low-key modesty that he’sapproached vampires and outlaws, Marvelmay yet be brought down to size.
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” an Orchardrelease, is rated PG-13 by the Motion PictureAssociation of America for “thematic ele-ments including violent content and for somelanguage.” Running time: 101 minutes. Threestars out of four. — AP
Pedestrians glued to their smartphoneswere given something else to look at thisweek, as officials in Seoul launched a safe-
ty campaign to keep them from walking intobusy traffic. Smartphone-related collisionsbetween pedestrians and vehicles in SouthKorea have more than doubled in five years toaround 1,000 reported incidents in 2014, accord-ing to the Transportation Safety Authority. Theproblem is especially acute in a country wheresmartphone penetration currently stands ataround 80 percent of the population, most ofwhom seem intent on mastering the art of walk-ing and texting.
In a bid to reduce the number of peopleeither stepping carelessly into oncoming trafficor slamming into each other on the sidewalk,officials in Seoul-one of the world’s most wiredcities-have begun installing the first batch of300 warning signs this week in five locationsacross the capital. “We picked locations withthe highest number of young pedestrians sincethe majority of smartphone users are in their
teens to their 30s,” Kim Ooc-Kyeong, a Seoulcity official in charge of the project, told AFPyesterday. Some signs are attached to trafficlight poles and depict a person looking at hissmartphone as he is about to be hit by a car.But given that the target audience are peoplewho wouldn’t look up from their screens to seesuch warnings, other signs have been plasteredon the actual sidewalk.
“We put 250 signs on the pavements becausethey will actually be seen by the pedestrians thatare looking down at their smartphones,” Kimsaid. But neither type of warning seemed tohave registered with locals interviewed atlunchtime by AFP. “I’m always on my smart-phone, and I’ve never seen the signs before,” saidKim Hyun-Chul, 29. “They need to make themstand out more.” Koo Sung-Hoi, 27, was alsounaware of the efforts to keep him from a smart-phone-related injury. “I think the signs on thepavements are too small to be noticed,” Koo said.South Korean smartphone users spend an aver-age of four hours a day tweeting, chatting or
playing games, with about 15 percent showingsymptoms of addiction, according to state data.
Seoul plans to monitor the effectiveness ofthe signs until the end of the year before decid-ing whether to expand the project. Similar cam-paigns have already been trialed in Europe.Antwerp has introduced designated walkinglanes in a handful of busy shopping streets sosmartphone users can look at their mobileswithout bumping into other pedestrians. TheGerman city of Augsburg even installed trafficlights in the pavement at tram crossings forsmartphone gazers. A 2014 simulation foundthat if 1,500 people looking at their phones triedto cross Tokyo’s notoriously crowded Shibuyaintersection, only about a third would makeacross without bumping into others, falling ordropping their mobiles. — AFP
This image released by The Orchard shows Julian Dennison, left, and Sam Neill in a scenefrom ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople.’ — AP
In ‘Wilderpeople,’ amanhunt for Kiwi farce
Heads up! Seoul launches campaignto keep smartphone users safe
A sign advising pedestrians of the dangers of using smartphones while walking is dis-played at an intersection in central Seoul. — AFP photos
A sign advising pedestrians of the dangers of using smart-phones while walking is displayed at an intersection incentral Seoul.
In a Soweto dance studio with yellowingmirrors, enthusiastic ballet studentspractice their first positions and plies in
socks at the barre. Classical dance, fordecades confined to South Africa’s whiteminority, is finding its feet in the country’sblack townships. Twenty-two years afterthe end of apartheid, “We have beautifulcontemporary dancers but not classicaldancers,” said Dirk Badenhorst, head of theSouth African International BalletCompetition, seeking out rising stars acrossthe continent.
The dearth of black talent is at least inpart because historically “ballet was onlyfor white people .. and the ballet was onlytaught in the traditional white areas,” saidBadenhorst, who is trying to shake thingsup with a new project to train townshipdance teachers in classical ballet.
‘Up, up, up. Stomach!’ Lessons take place in the heart of
Soweto, a hop and a skip from the HectorPieterson Museum dedicated to a keymoment in the fight against apartheid, theuprising led by high school students in1976. “Up, up, up. Stomach, more, back,”says classical teacher Maria de Torguet,pointing at a less-than-perfectly-poisedback or a lazily-held head among her eightstudents, all black adults. “When I grew up ..there was no ballet in townships. We had togo out in the town and pay for the lessons,”says one of them, Mmule Mokgele, taking abreak between exercises at the barre.
“I am happy for my kids because ballet iscoming to the township,” she added. Aged34, Mmule teaches contemporary danceand Afro-fusion in Soweto in a run-downschool, whose yard has been turned into a
car wash. But she decided to get trained toteach classical. “Once you get to learn ballet,it disciplines you mentally, physically, it iseasier for you to learn other dances,” addedMmule, short-cropped hair dyed red, with abaggy T-shirt and muscled legs beneath herblack leggings. Every Tuesday morning, sheendlessly repeats the first position, plies andworks on holding her arms under Maria’sattentive but relentless gaze. In the after-noon she teaches her 10-year-old studentswhat she learned in the morning.
‘Without love nothing succeeds’ “The fact that they experience the pain
themselves right now and tomorrow theyteach it, they have a better empathy withthe children they are working with. Theyhave a better understanding as how toexplain and encourage the kids in what todo and how to do it,” said Badenhorst. “It isoften said that if you are a brilliant scientistyou are not necessarily a brilliant scienceteacher .. The same with ballet,” he added.
With his project, which aims to train athousand teachers over the next threeyears, teachers and students are taking thesame path together, he added. Maria-brought in from Cuba, a country with closeties to South Africa in areas including poli-
tics and dance-is a patient instructor. With afirm voice, she asks one student to take offa scarf, another to remove a hood.
“It’s very difficult to teach them classical.In Cuba, teachers have studied classicaldance for at least eight years,” added thepetite 58-year-old brunette. “Not here. Iteach them to hold their bodies well.Concentration is also important, as muchas passion. Without love nothing succeeds.”
Ballet for men? Her task is not easy, all the less so since
her English vocabulary is limited. Mmulesays she and her fellow students have gotused to understanding Maria’s commands.Others have defied expectations even to behere. “My friends are, like, why are youdoing ballet? Why don’t you find some-thing that would suit you as a man? But Ilove dancing,” said fellow student NcepaSitokwe, whose body is already toned byyears of African dancing.
“Our traditional dancers did not exposeus, with our African dances, we only do gigsto be seen when there is something cele-brated. With this methodology, you aregoing to be seen outside South Africa,” headded. Badenhorst has a dream. “WhenBenjamin Millepied was the director of theParis Opera, he was talking about the lackof transformation in the Paris Opera,” hesaid, referring to the dearth of non-whitedancers. “So I would love in 8 years or 10years the young kids from this project toland up in the Paris Opera.” — AFP
Cuban dance teacher Maria Torguet (left) teaches a classical ballet lesson at ahall in Johannesburg landmark township of Soweto. — AFP photos
South African ballet dancers attend a class thought by Cuban dance teacherMaria Torguet (not in picture).
Cuban dance teachers are giving lessons in order to provide students withenough knowledge and experience to open their own ballet school.
Black ballet: Classical dance stirs up Soweto
South African ballet dancers attend a class thought by Cuban dance teacher MariaTorguet (not in picture).
South African ballet dancers attend a class thought byCuban dance teacher Maria Torguet (not in picture).
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
l if e s t y l eF e a t u r e s
Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Commercial Co (AAW)and Wella, one of the world’s leading beauty andstyling suppliers, today hosted a Ramadan ghabqa
catered to stylists and beauty-enthusiasts in Kuwait.Highlighting cutting-edge summer coloring and trends,the evening introduced both classic and upcoming Wellaproducts alongside a cat-walk styled ghabqa dinner.
Held at Symphony Style Hotel, Wella presented fouremerging styles of this year’s summer trends, includinginstamatics and ecaille technique (new summer pastel col-ors), freelights (free hand technique in ombre and sombre),illumina (ash colors), and a new hair treatment line which isfree from sulfate and paraben, Elements by Wella Care.Ghabqa guests included fashion, beauty, and makeupInstagram sensation, Ahood Al-Enezi alongside hair stylists,beauty-enthusiasts and salons in Kuwait.
Wella Professionals Education Manager, Ghassan Hannasaid: “For over 130 years, Wella has been delivering innova-tions and services that enable hairdressers’ creativity. Ourstory in Kuwait began in 2008, and tonight we are excitedto dedicate this ghabqa to stylists and beaut-enthusiasts inKuwait, showcasing the latest trends through what Wellahas to offer.”
The ghabqa, hosted by Wella Professionals featured acatwalk and showcase into old, present, and new Wellaproducts up-to-date with the latest global hair trends forsummer such as color and care.
Activities during the evening included an oriental band,cat-walk, traditional ghabqa dinner, and stylist teachingsthrough product presentations and a hands-on workshop.
Wella Professionals hostfirst stylist Ghabqa in Kuwait
Quick, what’s Capitol Hill? Is it a place wherepoliticians argue? A backdrop for TV news?Or a real Washington, DC, neighborhood,
with homes, an old-school diner and even a coupleof bookstores? Truth is, it’s all those things. But ifyou’re not from the Washington area, you’d be for-given for thinking that Capitol Hill is a place wherethe US Congress meets and not a place where realpeople live. Of course, most tourists who visit thissection of Washington are heading to the domedUS Capitol, one of the most recognizable buildingsin the world, or to the nearby Library of Congress.But just steps from these attractions, a communityawaits with quiet, tree-lined streets, row houses,mom-and-pop shops and the historic EasternMarket and Barracks Row. Here are some details.
US Capitol, Library of Congress, Folger Shakespeare Library
The US Capitol Visitor Center, at First Street andEast Capitol Street near the Capitol South Metrostation, gets 2.2 million visitors a year. Its exhibitsshowcase the history and breadth of more than200 years of democracy. Statues honor individualslike Jeannette Rankin of Montana, the first womanelected to Congress. Documents currently on dis-play highlight the early 20th century ProgressiveEra, when Congress set consumer standards forfood and drugs. Artifacts include a table used byAbraham Lincoln, made from iron used to con-struct the Capitol dome. Emancipation Hall honorsenslaved African-Americans who helped build theCapitol. And when Congress is in session, you canwatch live feeds of the House and Senate in action.
The Library of Congress, a block away at 101Independence Ave SE, offers a stunning interiorwith stained-glass windows, skylights, marble stair-cases and columns. Displays include 15th centuryBibles and books from Thomas Jefferson’s library.Take a peek at the grand main reading room froman overlook. A scavenger hunt brochure lists ani-mals to be found among the building’s many carv-ings, mosaics and designs. Good luck spotting thehedgehog! Free admission.
The Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E Capitol StSE, has an exhibition about the history ofShakespeare’s plays in America, on view throughJuly 24. Opening Aug 6, “Will & Jane: Shakespeare,Austen, and the Cult of Celebrity” examines the “lit-erary afterlives” of Shakespeare and Jane Austen,
looking at how adaptations, parodies and pop cul-ture (like bobblehead dolls) have helped keep theirwork alive through the centuries. Free admission.
East Capitol StreetStroll along East Capitol Street past small,
charming homes set back from the sidewalk withgardens and alleys. Humble storefronts here havethe small-town feel of another era. Don’t miss
Jimmy T’s Place, 501 E Capitol St, a cash-only, old-school, breakfast and lunch diner where vintagesigns list sundaes for 30 cents. Meals cost a bitmore now, but still won’t break the bank. A BLTsandwich with avocado is $6.55, salsa-cheddaromelets are $6.45. (Another sign says the chargefor whining is $5.) The place opened more than 40years ago and the founder’s daughter, CyndeFoster, still mans the counter. Closed Mondays.Riverby Books, at 417 E Capitol St, is a cozy, invitingplace specializing in used books and Washingtonhistory. Another used bookstore is a few blocksaway, Capitol Hill Books, 657 C St SE.
Eastern Market and barracks rowEastern Market, which dates to 1873, houses
indoor stalls selling colorful displays of produce,baked goods, flowers, seafood, meat, pasta andcheese. The brick building, which is on the NationalRegister of Historic Places, was restored following adevastating fire in 2007. At the Market Lunchcounter in back, grab a burger, soft shell crab orfish sandwich. Weekends the site hosts an outdoorfarmers market, along with arts, crafts and foodvendors; a Tuesday farmers market runs 3 pm -7pm.
Bayou Bakery, 901 Pennsylvania Ave SE, makessimply perfect beignets. And good luck getting atable at Rose’s Luxury, 717 Eighth St SE, where din-ers line up hours in advance. Eighth Street, alsoknown as Barracks Row, is home to restaurantsranging from chains like Starbucks and Subway tofine dining at Ambar and Cava Mezze. New on thescene is Betsy, a rooftop speakeasy at the popularBelga Cafe. Barracks Row gets its name from twonearby historic sites, the Washington Navy Yardand the Marine Barracks, the original headquartersfor the US Marine Corps. — AP
Photo shows the reading room at the Library of Congress in Washington DC’sCapitol Hill neighborhood. — AP photos
Photo shows Riverby Books, a small independent bookstore located in theCapitol Hill neighborhood of Washington DC.
This undated photo provided by Folger Shakespeare Library shows action fig-ures representing William Shakespeare and Jane Austen on display in thelibrary in Washington.
Photo shows an exteriorview of the CapitolBuilding in Washington.
Photo shows Cynde Foster preparing a sandwich from behind the counter at Jimmy T’sPlace, an old-school diner that’s been open for decades in the Capitol Hill neighborhoodof Washington.
This June 16, 2016 photo shows an exterior view of the Capitol Building in Washington.
Capitol Hill: Not just for politicians, it’s a neighborhood
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
l if e s t y l eF e a t u r e s
By Ross D Franklin
Every summer, our family vacations some-where different. We’ve done theme parks, aclassic road trip and the Caribbean. This year,
with our son hitting his teens, we went interna-tional with 10 days in London. The planning was ateam effort: My wife was in charge of the budgetand activities schedule. I was in charge of airfareand hotel. Our son played consultant, voting yesor no. We saved $1,000 on airfare by taking con-necting flights rather than flying direct. Then,
using Booking.com, we spent hours researchinghotels. The map icon interface was great: Pick aneighborhood, zoom in, click on the hotel. Wewanted a Tube station within walking distance,but saved money by picking a one-bedroom withpullout couch over a two-room suite.
With flights and lodging booked, we movedon to the itinerary. Our son had two must-sees:the Imperial War Museum and Harry Potter studiotour. We bought advance tickets for Potter, twotheater shows, a bike tour, the London Eye, sever-al walking tours and a hop-on, hop-off bus. Withrain jackets and electric converters packed, wewere ready.
So how did it all work out?Our flights involved a series of unfortunate
events, including plane trouble in Chicago, lostluggage on the way home and overhead drop-down screens on our trans-Atlantic leg instead ofindividual entertainment screens. We had to keepreminding ourselves, “but we saved $1,000!” Anexpensive cab ride from airport to hotel marredour arrival in London. Next time we’ll take the trainfrom the airport.
But our hotel, Citadines South Kensington, didnot disappoint. The location was ideal, four blocks
from the Gloucester Road Tube station, with plentyof restaurants nearby. An Italian eatery, Da Mario,became a favorite. We even knew somebody diningthere our first night - the airport cabbie who’dcharged a fortune. We took the double-decker sight-seeing bus on our first morning as a no-stress intro-duction to the city. Our bus passes included theTower of London tour and a Thames River cruise. BigBen, Parliament, 10 Downing Street and WestminsterAbbey were a few minutes’ walk apart. Cross the riverand we were at the London Eye, getting a bird’s-eyeview of all we’d just seen.
With a teen who grew up reading Harry Potter,the Warner Bros. Studio Tour - The Making of Harry
Potter was essential. We saw props, costumes andsets, including Platform 9 3/4, the Night Bus, Harry’scubbyhole at Number 4 Privet Drive and a miniatureHogwarts campus. You can get filmed riding yourvery own Nimbus 2000, or pile the family into theWeasley invisible car for a group photo. At the mas-sive gift shop you can easily drop a few hundredquid. But skip the butter beer at the food court - oh,it’s horrible.
For a real-life adventure, try biking throughLondon. Besides navigating throngs of wanderingtourists, we dodged buses, cabs, motorcycles anddelivery lorries while trying not to lose our guide,who biked ahead of the straggling group on ourthree-hour tour. The only leisurely part was a pedalthrough St James’s Park, Green Park and Hyde Park.We hadn’t planned a firsthand look at the UKNational Health Service, but I added to the bikeadventure with an ambulance ride after hitting thepavement head first and suffering a concussion.Our son was enthralled by the history lesson at theGuy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital on WestminsterBridge: Florence Nightingale set up a nursingschool there, and it was bombed by the Germansduring World War II. So the emergency room visitwas not a total loss.
Fortunately our other travels were mostly byTube, using the convenient London UndergroundOyster Cards. After two days, we delegated figuringout routes and platforms to our son. We also did sev-eral walking tours: one on “Dr. Who” locations; a Jackthe Ripper tour at dusk - not for the squeamish - inthe modern-day Whitechapel neighborhood; and aBeatles tour with a stop at Abbey Road. Kids whoknow the Beatles are might like it. If not, be preparedfor eye rolls. Our son calls us the “history geek” family,so we enjoyed our day at the Imperial War Museum.And since no London trip would be complete with-out a little royal pomp, we watched the “Changingthe Guard” ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
We also enjoyed London at night, walking aroundPiccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and the West Endtheater district, where we took in “The Audience” and“The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time.”All in all, we loved our trip. Involving our son in plan-ning and research was key, and can be an effectiveway to engage teenagers who might otherwise nev-er look up from their screens. One additional word tothe wise: If you go biking in London - or anywhereelse - wear a helmet. — AP
Tourists stroll along the Diagon Alley movie set at The Making of Harry Potter Warner Bros Studios experience in London. — AP photos The Citadines Kensington apartment hotel appears on Gloucester Road inLondon.
London City Cruises boat tours the River Thames near the Tower Bridge in London.
A bike tour pauses in front of Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London.
A London City Cruises boat tours the River Thames past the Big Ben clock bell and Elizabeth Towerand the Houses of Parliament in London.
A sign for the London Underground system appears next to the Big Ben bell clock andElizabeth Tower in London.
Tourists gathering at The Tower of London for a guided tour by a YeomanWarder, of Beefeater, in London.
Aglobal trendsetter in the world of Haute Horlogerie,AIGNER debuts a refreshing update to its collection bypresenting a range of timepieces and accessories that
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A German brand with an Italian soul - AIGNER:From bookbinding to the forefront of Haute Couture - the
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The company was based in Munich, where the mood wasone of excitement and a euphoric belief in progress. The free-spirited nature of the time influenced the company’s directionand Aigner went on to become a cult brand by virtue of itsreflection of a life of pleasure and savoir vivre. The companywas based in Munich, where the mood was one of excitementand a euphoric belief in progress. The free-spirited nature ofthe time influenced the company’s direction and Aigner wenton to become a cult brand by virtue of its reflection of a life ofpleasure and savoir vivre.
The company chose wild horses as its symbol, as it chimedwith the atmosphere, materials and designs that defined thecompany, as well as the luxury of upmarket horse culture. Thehorseshoe became more than just a decorative symbol - itrepresented everything that the company believed in.Products carrying the famous horseshoe shaped AIGNER ‘A’logo are timeless expressions of German precision and Tuscantradition The master touch of AIGNER resonates in every prod-uct of the brand, making AIGNER a class apart.
Experience the joy of giving with AIGNER
Harry Potter’s a must on Londontrip with teen as consultant
39Harry Potter’s a must on London
trip with teen as consultant
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Malaysian Muslim women pose for a picture at the Wilayah mosque during the holy month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. — AFP
Belting out an emotional song in honor of Kurdish militaryforces under a full moon, Syrian refugee Mizzgin Rumi’sshyness transformed to confidence as he captivated his
audience. Rumi, 19, was one of 10 acts on stage at the dustyArbat refugee camp in the semi-autonomous northern regionof Iraqi Kurdistan competing in the highly-anticipated final ofthe talent contest “Refugees Got Talent”. Surrounded by a bandof professional musicians, Rumi’s singing dazzled hundreds ofrefugees, all of whom have fled the war in Syria, and he took thelead in the competition at Arbat where families live in rows ofcinder brick homes.
The show, run along the lines of British music impresarioSimon Cowell’s global franchise “Got Talent”, was organized bythe United Nation’s refugee agency UNHCR to mark WorldRefugee Day on Monday and was a major highlight for many inthe camp. Rumi was stunned to be the favorite of the fourjudges, prompting a rare display of cheers and celebrationamong the more than 7,500 Syrian refugees housed at thesprawling camp.
From the war-torn city of Kobane in northern Syria, Rumi
and his family have been living at Arbat for two years. Only hisbrother stayed behind, choosing to fight instead of fleeing.“When we left we thought we’d be coming back,” an exuberantRumi, dressed in a smart white shirt, told the Thomson ReutersFoundation.
Night to rememberUNHCR representative to Iraq, Bruno Geddo, said the talent
contest was an opportunity for refugees to unite for a nightwith the sounds of traditional Kurdish music, pop ballads, andHindi rhythms echoing across the dark, warm evening. He saidWorld Refugee Day wanted to highlight the plight but also theresilience of the 20 million people globally living as refugees,with many youngsters in those ranks. An estimated nine millionSyrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war inMarch 2011, with over three million fleeing to neighboringcountries and some 240,000 finding refuge in the neighboringKurdish region of Iraq.
The UNHCR estimates there are nearly 8,000 Syrian childrenand youth living in Sulaymaniyah and most do not attend
school. For while some primary education is provided for chil-dren up to ninth grade, it is hard for youngsters to get places insecondary schools and universities mainly because their fami-lies to not have enough money to pay for fees, supplies ortransport. Being locked out of education leaves many youngpeople bored in the camp and “Refugees Got Talent” wasdevised as a way to showcase their skills, ranging from singingto dancing to break dancing. “(This contest) keeps themfocused on something positive. We witnessed the electricityand the joy in the eyes of the youth,” said Geddo.
“It was enormously empowering. We saw last night thetremendous talent and energy of young Syrian refugees. Wewant to help them unleash their potential.” In second placecame the quirky Hindi dance ensemble ABCD - Anybody CanDance - with five teenage refugee girls led by 17-year-oldRojbin Baroodo, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
“Dance is my life,” said a jubilant Baroodo who relocated toIraq’s Kurdish region two years ago after fleeing the Syrian cityof Hassakeh with her family. “Hindi music is not popular in Syria,but when I started doing this [dancing and teaching] it became
popular,” she said in flawless English with an accent that gaveaway her love of Bollywood films. “I want to be a dancer but myfamily says I cannot because I am a girl. It was difficult to tellthem about my dancing - they said this is the last time [I candance] then I will dance at home.”
ABCD member and friend Amal Mohammad nodded inagreement, recounting her parents’ reaction to her passion fordance. “At first my parents said it was shameful - but if we keepdancing I believe people will imitate us and it will become morenormal,” said Mohammad. As committed as ABCD to their Hindiroutine, so was 17-year-old Wasila Hassan to her Kurdish dance,coming in third place with her dance group Rojava. “We danceall day long, almost every day. When I dance I forget the world, Ijust want to keep dancing,” said the teenager, adamant thatthrough dance she could introduce Syrian culture to the world.Amal Sleman, a member of the Khalat dance troupe, said thetalent show had been a real boost in the camp. “I like that all ofmy friends can gather together and find a moment to be hap-py,” she said. — Reuters
Young Syrians get 100 pct praise at ‘Refugees Got Talent’ contest in Iraq camp
An auction to raise money for books forrefugee children has raised more than$11 million in Dubai, including the sale
of a more than 100-year-old covering fromthe cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims praytoward in Makkah. The piece, woven withgold and silver, sold Tuesday evening for$572,000 and came from the private collec-tion of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed binRashid Al Maktoum. An early 19th Century
Indian-Mogul manuscript of the Quran and a17th Century handwritten copy each sold for$68,000. Five unique Dubai car plate num-bers sold for a total of $7 million.
The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign,organized by Dubai as a charity initiative dur-ing the Muslim holy month, aims to donate7.3 million books and establish 2,000 schoollibraries in Arab countries and refugeecamps.—AP
Dubai auction of
Islamic treasures raises$11m for refugees
An Emirati man raises his hand to bid for the “R Dubai 10” license plate in itsglass case, which was one of many items displayed in the Emirates Auction tobe sold for AED 9.7 million ($ 2.65 million) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
An Emirati woman takes a photo of an item displayed during the EmiratesAuction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Emirati men chat in front of a poster ahead of the Emirates Auction for support-ing the Reading Nation Campaign, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
An Emirati man talks on his mobile phone next to the “R Dubai 10” licenseplate in its glass case, which was one of many items displayed in theEmirates Auction to be sold for AED 9.7 million ($ 2.65 million) in Dubai,United Arab Emirates.
Emirati men look at a rare copy of the Quran in its glass case, which wasone of many items displayed in the Emirates Auction in Dubai, UnitedArab Emirates. — AP photos
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