virginia grab first 4 cws title 47 - kuwait times | first...

NO: 16563- Friday, June 26, 2015www.kuwaittimes.net

Min 29ºMax 46º

FREE47

Virginia grab first CWS title 4

Page 39

Souq Al-Mubarakiya oldest in Kuwait

Emsak: 03:03Fajer: 03:15Dohr: 11:51Asr: 15:24Maghreb: 18:51Eshaa: 20:24

PARIS: Demonstrators try to flip an alleged minicab, known in France as VTC (Voitures de Tourisme avecChauffeurs), at Porte Maillot in Paris yesterday, as hundreds of taxi drivers converged on airports and oth-er areas around the capital to demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce oppo-sition from traditional cabs. — AFP

L o c a lFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

By Sara Ahmed

[email protected]

IN MY VIEW

1. The roads are almost empty during the day time.You can reach Kuwait City from Fintas in 10 min-utes and Shuwaikh in 15 minutes. Try that dur-ing any other month and expect to spend any-where from a half hour to three in traffic.

2. Every hotel offers sumptuous iftar and suhoorbuffets. You will never starve if you live inKuwait. If you can’t afford the hotel buffets,there are dozens of iftar tents set up by privatebusinesses and charity organizations to providemeals for low income fasters.

3. You can pray at any mosque - regardless ofnationality or age - and be welcome.

4. Kanafa. Luqaimat. Gurs Ogaily. 5. The Iftar cannon in Kuwait City. Children love to

see the cannon fire that announces the break-ing of the fast. It’s a family tradition for manyMuslim families in Kuwait.

6. Gergia’an. It’s like Halloween for Kuwaiti kids butwithout the witches and the Satanic associa-tions.

7. Ghabqas, ghabqas, ghabqas. Pretty much everysingle company or organization will host aRamadan ghabqa for their staff and often giveaway fun prizes including flights, electronicsand other treats.

8. Shorter working hours. Even the private sectorgets cut from 48 hours to 36 hours per weekduring Ramadan, giving everyone includingexpat employees a chance to spend more timewith their families during the holy month.

9. Everyone is required to fast in public and thismeans that even those who do not normallyfast will suffer a little bit. This in turn helps us allto remember those who live in poverty and oth-ers like the millions of refugees all around theworld who do not know when they will havetheir next meal. We all should remember theirsuffering and do what we can to help. Ramadanin Kuwait reminds us of that.

10. Spending time with family, visiting friends andthe slower pace of life (especially during a sum-mer-time Ramadan). Another reason to begrateful for Ramadan in Kuwait.

Ramadan Kareem everyone!

Top 10 reasons

to celebrate

Ramadan in Kuwait

KUWAIT: Arabic sweets are widely popular in Kuwait during Ramadan, with favorites like kanafa made fresh daily inshops across the country. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

God says in the Quran, “And We did not create theheaven and the earth and that between themaimlessly. That is the assumption of those who

disbelieve...” (38:27). He clearly states that he createdmankind to worship Him (51:56). However, in addition toworship through prayer or fasting the month of Ramadan,for example, any lawful and moral activity done with theintention of pleasing God is also regarded as worship,such as studying, performing on-the-job tasks, nursing achild, exercising, building friendships, and so forth. Someaspects of worship are mentioned in the Quran, and areconsidered man’s responsibility toward God, such as:

• Acknowledgement and remembrance: “I am God[alone]! There is no god but Me, so serve Me and keep upprayer to remember Me by.” (20:14)

• Love: “Yet there are some people who adopt partnersbeside God whom they love just as they should love God.Those who believe are firmer in their love for God.”(2:165)

• Obedience: “O you who have believed! Obey Godand His messenger...” (8:20)

• Reliance: “If God supports you, there is no one whowill overcome you; while if He should forsake you, who isthere to support you? On God should believers rely.”(3:160)

The purpose of our creation is to worship God, and oursincerity in doing so is tested throughout our lives. Weare tested through blessings and comfort as well as trialsand tribulations:

• “[He] who created death and life to test you [as to]which of you is best in deed - and He is the Mighty, theForgiving.”(67:2)

• “Every soul will taste death. And We test you with eviland with good as tr ial ; and to Us you wil l bereturned.”(21:35)

• “And God created the heavens and earth in truth andso that every soul may be recompensed for what it has

earned, and they will not be wronged.” (45:22)• “Do the people think they will be left to say, ‘We

believe’ and that they will not be tried?” (29:1)• “You will surely be tested in your possessions and

yourselves.” (3:186)The challenges of life facilitate our growth in areas

such as self-awareness, so we acknowledge our limita-tions and need for God; mental capacities, so we under-stand the nature of good and evil; social responsibility,since we witness how our deeds impact others; and self-actualization, or the attainment of our potential as ahuman being. However, this character development is amatter of personal choice and free will that is aided by:

• Belief: Say, “It is the truth from your Lord. So whoeverwills, may believe, and whoever wills may disbelieve.”(18:29)

• Correct knowledge: Islam is not a religion of “blindfaith.” The Quran stresses the importance for people touse their minds to reason and think logically, and stronglyrejects mentalities driven by myths, ignorance, blind imi-tation of others, assumption, prejudice, and selfish desire.

• Good conduct and good deeds: “Verily, man is in lossexcept for those who believe and do good works...” (103)

God promises in the Quran that “Whoever does right-eousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer -We will surely cause him to live a good life...” (16:97). This“good life” is a physical, social, material, mental and spiri-tual state of well-being. It is characterized by a healthybody built on wholesome food and drink, healthy rela-tionships built on respect and kindness, a standard of liv-ing based on righteous earnings from valuable andwholesome activities, and, most importantly, a close rela-tionship with the Creator and Sustainer of all. By applyingGod’s teachings in his life, man can be confident that hewill pass the test of “life” with its duties to God, self andothers, and that he will fulfill the purpose of his creation,which is the worship of his Creator and Lord.

The Meaning of Life

We all should remem-ber their suffering and

do what we can to help.Ramadan in Kuwaitreminds us of that.


By Muna Al-Fuzai

[email protected]

Local Spotlight

1436 - 2015

09. What is the old name of Al-Madinah-tul-Munawarah?

Yathrab

Dar Alhejra

Teebah

All

While we are looking forward to theNational Assembly addressing the issueof domestic labor for the benefit of all

parties - sponsors and maids - once and for all, anew call was made to diversify the nationalitiesof domestic workers, specifically calling for allow-ing Arab maids. This suggestion spawned a bar-rage of comments, ranging from jokes to remarksabout the services required and the role expect-ed to be played by the helpers.

I did not know that bringing in Arab servantswas forbidden, as I remember that in the past -specifically in the ‘70s - Arab nationals wereallowed to work as servants, but over the years,they disappeared and were replaced by Asianworkers of various nationalit ies such as SriLankans, Indians, Indonesians, Filipinos and oth-ers. With the increase in the number of maids,problems have increased. Most differences aredue to the lack of the sponsors’ commitment tothe financial rights of maids.

Not all sponsors are alike - some are fair andkind, while some are evil and domineering. Somesponsors who are cruel and depraved torturerspush their maids to revenge and sometimes sui-cide. So far , the problems have not beenresolved, so bringing in other nationalities willonly increase the complexity of the current prob-lem.

There have been parliamentary calls for theestablishment of specialized labor companies toprovide all safeguards to protect the interests ofthe sponsors and the maids. But more labor firmswil l mean the continuation of a culture ofdependency on servants and the conflict willcontinue. I believe companies offering hourlylabor services is the solution to achieve consen-sus for all.

Hourly labor companies are important to fightdependency on servants and marketing of theidea that the maid is a private possession of thesponsor to do whatever he/she wishes - tortureor harassment that may be sexual or verbal. It willpromote a new thinking that everyone in thefamily is responsible and the maid is not there tobabysit all day and night. Moreover, the familythat needs the maid will be forced to pay thecompany directly and such measures will ensurethe end of manipulation.

Kuwaiti society depends on expat labor formost jobs and this is not surprising, as all Gulfstates also do so. But there is a need for neces-sary guarantees for the protection of workers’rights, whether domestic workers or employeesin companies and shops, or doctors, teachers andothers. When problems keep piling up, especiallyof domestic workers over the years, the pressingconditions require ending their agonies beforebringing in more people. Diversity in names ornationality is not the answer.

Arab maids !!

L o c a l26 Friday

June 2015

Souq Al-Mubarakiyaoldest in Kuwait

Photo feature by Ahmad Surour

KUWAIT: There are several popular markets in the country with differ-ent names such as Souq Al-Gharabally which has stood at the heart of

Kuwait City for more than 90 years, Souq Al-Jat and Souq Waqif, butSouk Al-Mubarakiya remains the oldest market in Kuwait with itssumptuous shops, features, kiosks, shops, restaurants, multiple roadsand alleys and vendors.

26 FridayJune 2015

A date vendor in Al-Mubarakiya market.

The date shops in Al-Mubarakiya market.

Mubarak Al-Kabeer Kiosk in Al-Mubarakiya market.

Souq Al-Gharabally at the Souq Al-Mubarakiya. — All photos by Ahmad Surour, KUNA

The food market at Al-Mubarakiya market.


By Faten Omar

Come summer and everyone wants to escape the heatand spend their vacations in charming, farawaylands. But behind this rosy image lies an ugly truth -

travelers leaving their pets behind to fend for themselves.Many people who travel and have nowhere to house

their pets give them up for adoption or abandon them onthe streets. “The huge problem is when citizens and expatsabandon their pets when they travel - it is not acceptableto throw your pets on the street for many reasons. Firstly,your pet is your responsibility, and pets living in homescannot survive outside because they get used to a certainatmosphere and are used to somebody providing themfood,” said Maha Al-Khatib, founder of the local animal pro-tection group, Kuwait Awareness Rehabilitation Education(KARE).

Khatib explained that pets living on the streets can getin fights with other feral animals, are not able to find foodbecause they do not know how to do so, get run over bycars or get stolen by people who will abuse or sell them.

Summer abandonmentsKARE rescues a lot of animals from the streets but sees

an increase in such incidents in summertime. “Because ofthe travel season, some people call us and say ‘I’m leaving,so take my cat’, or ‘my cat gave birth and I can’t take themwith me’ or ‘I have to study’. So many excuses! They haveto know before they get a pet that it is their responsibilityto take care of it forever. You have to know that a cat ordog can live to be 15 - this means 15 years of commitment.You have to be ready for anything happening to your pets -they are like children. They will get sick and need training,food and attention, and throwing them on the streets is lit-erally killing them slowly,” she said.

Khatib declined to give such people any advice becauseas she claimed that people like them seem to be heartlessand very distant from emotions. “They need to think twice -either they get a pet and commit to it for a lifetime or theydo not get a pet to begin with and not put us in this situa-tion. I know leaving pets in a place that takes care of themis a little bit expensive, but it is their responsibility as petowners. Or they have to take their pets with them. Buteveryone has relatives and cousins and friends they can

leave their pets with,” she said.KARE comprises of a small group of people who try to

help abandoned or injured animals. They do not have ashelter, space or funds, so they work on their own withtheir own budget. “Sometimes people help - they can go tothe veterinary hospitals where the pets are housed anddonate there. What we do is to push the community towork with us, so when anyone finds a pet, we guide themand tell them what to do and how to help the pet, then we

will try to find a home for it. We believe in foster homes,and we have many friends who open their homes and takefive cats or dogs each, but in summer, it is hard to find fos-ter homes because people are travelling,” she said.

Adoption via FacebookKuwait Times tried to find some people trying to put their

pets up for adoption. Mohamed Adel, who was giving his catup for adoption on Facebook, said: “I really love my cats a lot,and I know it’s haram to sell them. This is why I gave my cat upfor adoption, because my cat is giving birth a lot and I alreadyhave 12 cats at home. You know this is a huge responsibility -you have to feed them, love them and give them care. But Iwill never abandon them on the streets. When I travel, I leavethem with my wife’s brother.”

Rahma Abo Omar also offered her cat for adoption onFacebook. “I have two kids now, and I cannot find time for mykids, work, homework and my cat. This is why I felt that I can’tcare for it anymore. I have to find her another loving home,”she explained.

Many pets have been reported found or run over in neigh-borhoods in recent weeks. For example two small house dogswere found abandoned in Shaab recently. One had been runover and killed, the other found near the first one, injured butstill alive.

Nermin Negm believes giving pets up is like giving upbabies. “This is like offering their babies for adoption. It is likesaying unfortunately we just cannot keep our baby becausewe are moving and we cannot take him with us because theapartment we are moving to has a strict no-children policy. Orwe are going to travel and we don’t want to pay for flight tick-ets. And we really have to travel this summer. But we are a car-ing people so we want to ensure the baby goes to a goodhome. We really love him and want to make sure he is takencare of,” she said sarcastically. “Why is this OK for a dog or catbut not a baby? Pets are family.”

Don’t throw them away‘Pets abandoned on the streets during summer travel season’

Maha Al-Khatib

Pets and their owners take part in an event atKuwait Awareness Rehabilitation Education(KARE). — Photos by Joseph Sagra


CrimeR e p o r t

Baby drowns in bathtub

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: A two year old infant died when he accidentallydrowned in a bath tub at his family house in Andalus, saidsecurity sources. The baby’s father found him in a state ofunconsciousness and rushed him to Farwaniya hospital inan attempt to save his life but it was sadly too late.

Drug smuggler arrested An Asian was recently arrested on arrival at Kuwait interna-tional Airport for being in possession of a kilo of marijuana,said security sources. According to the head of the airportrangers Sulieman Al-Fahad, the suspect had the drugs hid-den in a plastic box under a package of frozen meat.

Janitor molests woman The janitor of a building in Jahra was arrested for

allegedly sexually harassing an expatriate woman living inthe same building. According to the woman’s testimony,she was obstructed by the janitor when exiting her apart-ment. She claimed that he started sexually molesting herand that when she started rejecting his attempts, he toreup her cloths and grabbed her tightly. But after she startedscreaming loudly, he was hastily scared off. A case was filedand further investigations are in progress.

Body found on roofThe body of an Asian was recently found on theroof of a Farwaniya building with traces of innerear bleeding. Security sources stated that furtherinvestigations are still under process to identifythe deceased and determine the cause of death.Homicide is being heavily suspected.

Son threatens to kill parents A 19 year old citizen was recently arrested forthreatening to kill his own parents in Waha.Case papers indicated that the father had calledthe police requesting immediate help becausehis own son was out of control and threateningto kill him along with his wife. When the policeentered the scene, they found the young manwas under the effect of drugs. A case was filedand the son was taken to the psychiatric dis-eases hospital.

Man vanishes with KD2500 An Indian woman recently accused a compatriot

of hers of fraud. The woman explained that the manhad taken KD 2500 from her supposedly to make herhis partner in a joint business project. The projectnever materialized and the man subsequently van-ished. The woman provided Rumaithiya detectiveswith the suspect’s personal information and thepolice are still searching for the man.

KUWAIT: Kuwait and Qatar have signed a protocol amendinga previously concluded agreement on facilitated proceduresfor diplomatic missions. The protocol was signed byUndersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign AffairsKhaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah and Qatar’s Ambassador toKuwait Hamad bin Ali Al Henzab. The signing ceremony wasattended by Foreign Ministry Protocol Director Ambassador

Dhari Ajran Al-Ajran.Meanwhile Kuwait and Cuba yesterday signed an agree-

ment for visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, service, pri-vate and official passports. Once again, the agreement wassigned by Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of ForeignAffairs Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah and Cuban Ambassador toKuwait Andres Gonzalez Garrido.

KUWAIT: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah and Qatar’s Ambassador to KuwaitHamad bin Ali Al Henzab signed a protocol amending a previously concluded agreement on facilitated procedures for diplo-matic mission. — KUNA

Kuwait and Qatar sign diplomatic mission protocol

KU announceswater project

KUWAIT: A professor at the KuwaitUniversity’s Faculty of Engineeringhas announced the launch of the proj-ect of water desalination and man-agement in the country. It is thelargest-ever project that will be jointlyimplemented by the KuwaitUniversity and the Kuwait-MIT Centerfor Natural Resources and theEnvironment (CNRE) at theMassachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT) in the USA,Professor Bader Shafaqa, who is thehead of the project, said yesterday.

The budget of the five-year projectis estimated at USD 5.5 million andwill be financed by the KuwaitFoundation for the Advancement ofScience he said. A large quantity ofwater with high salinity caused bydesalination plants in Kuwait flowsinto the Gulf, thus negatively affect-ing the environment of the coastalareas given that water contains pollu-tants like chlorine and chrome.

The water desalination projectmainly aims to study the dynamic andenvironmental sustainability of watermanagement in Kuwait throughdeveloping new ideas in this regard,the professor added. The projectfocuses on some key topics like usingelectrical techniques in desalinationand management of water and pow-er-generation. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The National Assemblyunanimously agreed in its supple-mentary session yesterday on aproposal regarding amendingsome provisions of the Law No42/2014 on environment. Theexplanatory memorandum of thelaw said despite the importance ofthe Law No 42/2014 on environ-ment protection, it needed so sometechnical terms to be added to deal

with all related matters. The memoadded that the law dealt with howmanaging environmental affairsthrough setting up a supreme envi-ronment council whose boardincludes a chairman, deputies andmembers, including ministers. Thememo said an item was added tothe law to give the supreme councilkey authorities to implement theprovisions of the law. — KUNA

National Assembly agrees on environment protection law

KUWAIT: Commenting on the par-tial collision of the old KAC buildingin Salhiya, Kuwait City during itsdemolishing, Kuwait Municipality’sPR department stressed that thedemolition contractor was respon-sible because he had not observedany safe demolition regulations.The municipality also announcedthat they were taking proper legalaction against the engineeringoffice supervising the demolitionprocess.

In this regard, the capital

municipality manager, engineerSoud Al-Enezi stressed that therewas a special technical committeeto inspect both construction anddemolition operations. He addedthat the committee had inspectedthe KAC building on May 6 andnotified the contractor that heshould fully observe safety regula-tions and conditions during dem-olition. He added that three cita-tions were made on June 7 for vio-lating ‘safe demolition’ condi-tions.

Contractor blamed for KAC building collision

Al-Ghanim congratulates

foreign counterparts

KUWAIT: Speaker of the National Assembly MarzouqAli Al-Ghanim sent cables of congratulations yesterdayto the President of Slovenia’s National Assembly MilanBrglez and president of Slovenia’s upper house of theNational Council, Mitja Bervar, on the occasion of thenational day of their country.

Al-Ghanim sent cable of congratulations to theChairperson of Mozambique’s Assembly of theRepublic Veronica Macamo on the occasion of thenational day of her country. He also addressed acable of congratulations to Speaker of the CroatianParliament Josip Leko on the national day of hiscountry. —KUNA

9L o c a lFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

KUWAIT: Minister of Information andMinister of State for Youth Affairs SheikhSalman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah stressed on the important role ofKuwaiti Press in enhancing develop-

ment of the country as well as reflectingthe civilized nature of Kuwait.

Sheikh Salman in a press release, fol-lowing his meeting with Editor-in-chiefof Kuwait Times Abd Al-Rahman Al-

Alyan, accompanied by Ziad Al-Alyan,expressed pride of the status of theKuwaiti press locally and on the interna-tional level, derived from professional-ism and credibility. —KUNA

Sheikh Salman: Press reflects the civilized nature of Kuwait

GCC condemns attack on UAE relief convoy

RIYADH: GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani has con-demned the bombing that took place in the Somali capital ofMogadishu Wednesday and targeted a UAE relief convoy,kill ing and wounding a number of people. Al-Zayanidescribed in a statement the incident as a “cowardly criminalact”, saying “its perpetrators have nothing to do with allIslamic values and humanitarian principles”.

“The perpetrators did not hesitate to attack the convoy ofaid playing a noble humanitarian role during the days of theblessed month of Ramadan,” he lamented. The GCC expressedits condolences to the families of the victims and the govern-ment and people of Somalia, wishing those injured speedyrecovery, according to the statement. A suicide bomberreportedly blew himself up when approaching the UAE reliefconvoy in the Somali capital, but the UAE ambassador whowas in a bullet-proof car at the time was unhurt.

Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union and Kuwait NationalAssembly Chief Marzouq Al-Ghanim also condemned a terror-ist attack on the convoy of the United Arab EmiratesAmbassador to Somalia Mohammad Al-Othman in the capitalMogadishu earlier on Wednesday. In the meantime, in a cableto his Emirati counterpart, he congratulated the UAE on theambassador’s survival after the assassination attempt.

He also stressed the importance of doubling regional andinternational efforts on tackling terrorism in its various forms.The Kuwaiti parliament chief went on to express heartfeltsympathy over the Somali victims of the attack, he describedas “treacherous.” —KUNA

Kuwait gives donationfor Islamic center

in CanadaWASHINGTON: The State of Kuwait has donated one millionCanadian dollars (approx USD 807,000) for construction of anIslamic center in Toronto, the Ambassador to Canada HusseinAl-Sammak announced.

Al-Sammak told Kuwait News Agency that the Kuwaitidiplomatic mission handed over the donated sum to AlfajrInstitute of Islamic Sciences in Toronto to build the center,due to be named “the State of Kuwait Educational Center.”The center, aimed at serving the Muslim community inOntario, will include a religious faculty, a large library and aprayer hall.

Ambassador Al-Sammak affirmed to KUNA that the Kuwaitiaid is in line with the State policy of promoting true Islam, freefrom distortions and deviated ideas. Alfajr Institute is a non-profit organization that holds courses for teaching Islamic sci-ences. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah in a meeting with Editor-in-chief of Kuwait Times Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan, accompaniedby Ziad Al-Alyan. —KUNA

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, accom-panied by His Highness the Crown PrinceSheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabahand His Highness the Prime Minister SheikhJaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, visit-ed the Ministry of Interior’s buildingWednesday.

His Highness was received by DeputyPrime Minister and Minister of InteriorSheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah,Interior Ministry Undersecretary GeneralSulaiman Fahad Al-Fahad, and a number ofassistant undersecretaries at the ministry.

Addressing the ministry’s top officials,HH the Amir congratulated the ministry andits staff on the Holy Month of Ramadan,praying to Allah the almighty to bring backthe holy month with Kuwait and its peoplegraced with goodness and blessings.

HH also expressed good wishes for Araband Islamic nations on the blessed occasion.HH the Amir said the security forces have agreat role to play to preserve order of thecountry, calling on forces to stay alert at alltimes in order to prevent any possible dan-ger and harm from happening, affirmingthat protecting Kuwait’s security is a mutualresponsibility that all citizens must take partin as “every citizen a sentinel.” “In recentyears, the increasing possession of unli-censed arms and ammunition in the coun-try have posed a risk on citizens’ lives andencouraged in the commission of crimes.Therefore, the arms collection bill wasformed in order to protect citizens and resi-dents of the country as citizens became veryoptimistic towards the new law.”

His Highness also commended the min-istry’s campaign to collect unlicensedweapons and ammunitions in cooperationwith state bodies, which attained a distinc-

tive success that contributed in getting citi-zens acquainted with the bill and its sanc-tions, praising citizens’ interaction with thenew law by handling their weapons andammunition to security bodies, embodyingby that the high patriotic spirit.

His Highness also called on the securityforces to implement the law strictly againstlooting, swindling, and violent acts. HisHighness the Amir also called on the interiorministry to exert efforts to address trafficcongestions, as well as violations of trafficlaws that ultimately killed many people, par-ticularly youth.

For his part, General Al-Fahad said policeforces were determined to defend the

country, and noted the security troops havebeen mounting the war against crime,cybercrimes, drugs and every illegal act. HHthe Amir was also accompanied by Ministerof Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Nasser SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister ofAmiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah, Director of the Amir’s Office AhmadFahad Al-Fahad, Head of Amiri ProtocolSheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Chief of His HighnessCrown Prince Diwan Sheikh Mubarak FaisalAl-Sabah, Head of Media and Cultural Affairsat the Amiri Diwan Youssef Hamad Al-Roumi and a number of Al-Sabah familymembers. —KUNA

His Highness the Amir visits Ministry of Interior

12Journalists face threats in Egypt,says watchdog11 15

Shelling by Yemeni group kills soldiers on Saudi border

Poll highlights race dilemma for Republicans

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

BEIRUT: Islamic State fighters launched simultane-ous attacks against the Syrian government forcesand Kurdish militia, moving back onto the offen-sive after losing ground in recent days to Kurdish-led forces near the capital of their “caliphate”.

After losses to the Kurds backed by US-led airstrikes, Islamic State sought to retake the initiativewith incursions into the Kurdish-held town ofKobani at the Turkish border and government-held areas of Hasaka city in the northeast.

In a separate offensive in the multi-sided Syriancivil war an alliance of rebels in the south of thecountry also launched an attack with the aim ofdriving government forces from the city of Deraa.

The attacks by Islamic State follow a rapidadvance by Kurdish-led forces deep into the hard-line group’s territory, to within 50 km (30 miles) ofits de facto capital Raqqa, hailed as a success byWashington. The dual assaults on governmentforces in Hasaka and Deraa - both provincial capi-tals - are a test of Assad’s resolve to hold out inremote outposts beyond the western area of thecountry seen as the top priority for his survival.

The United States and European and Arab allieshave been bombing Islamic State since last year to

try and defeat a group, which a year ago pro-claimed a caliphate to rule over all Muslims fromterritory in Syria and Iraq.

Islamic State advanced rapidly last month, seiz-ing cities in Syria and Iraq. The latest Kurdishadvance in Syria has shifted the momentum againbut Islamic State fighters have often adopted a tac-tic of advancing elsewhere when they lose ground.

The group said it had seized Al-Nashwa districtand neighboring areas in the southwest of Hasaka,a city divided into zones of government andKurdish control. Government forces had with-drawn towards the city centre, it said in a state-ment. Syrian state TV said Islamic State wasexpelling residents from their homes in Al-Nashwa,executing people and detaining them. ManyIslamic State fighters had been killed, it said,included one identified as a Tunisian leader. TheSyrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracksthe war, said Islamic State had seized two districtsfrom government control.

Government-held parts of Hasaka are one ofPresident Bashar Al-Assad’s last footholds in thenortheast region bordering Iraq and Turkey, terri-tory mainly run by Kurds since Syria’s conflict

erupted in 2011.The Islamic State attack on Kobani, also known

as Ayn Al-Arab, began with at least one car bombin an area near the border crossing with Turkey,Kurdish officials and the Observatory said. IslamicState fighters were battling Kurdish forces in thetown itself.

Suicide bombers in disguiseKobani was the site of one of the biggest bat-

tles against Islamic State last year. Kurdish forcesknown as the YPG, backed by US air strikes,expelled the fighters in January after four monthsof fighting. YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said yester-day’s attackers entered the town from the west infive cars, deceptively flying the flag of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army movement, which hasfought alongside the YPG against Islamic State.

“They opened fire randomly on everyone theyfound,” he told Reuters. The Observatory said theattackers also wore YPG uniforms. Pictures postedon social media showed at least one dead man inuniform who was said to be an Islamic State fight-er. A YPG Facebook page said at least 15 IslamicState fighters had been killed in Kobani.

A doctor in the town, Welat Omer, said 15 peo-ple had been killed and 70 wounded, many ofthem seriously. Some had lost limbs and some ofthe wounded had been taken to Turkey.

Around 50 people fled to Kobani’s Mursitpinarborder gate with Turkey after the attack, seeking tocross, local witnesses said. Syrian state TV said theattackers had entered Kobani from Turkey - a claimdenied by the Turkish government.

Civilians killedIslamic State militants also killed at least 20

Kurdish civilians in an attack on a village south ofKobani, the Observatory reported. US-led forcescarried out air strikes yesterday against IslamicState in Hasaka and near the town of Tel Abyadfurther west along the border with Turkey.

A Syrian official, speaking on condition ofanonymity because he was not authorized tospeak to the media, said Islamic State appeared tobe trying to divert the focus of forces fighting itbecause of the pressure it was now under nearRaqqa: “I believe this is why they moved to Hasaka- because they felt great danger from the situationin Raqqa.” — Agencies

IS hits Syrian army, Kurds in twin assault

KOBANI: Relatives gather in front of a hospital in Suruc in Turkey’s Sanliurfa province, across the Syrian border town of Kobani, as wounded people are ferried in, yesterday. —AFP

Jihadists target Hasaka and Kobani

I n t e r n a t i o n a lFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

RIYADH: Shelling by Yemen’s Houthi militiakilled four soldiers from Saudi Arabia and theUnited Arab Emirates stationed on Yemen’sborder with the kingdom, Saudi state mediareported yesterday.

The Houthis have stepped up attacks onSaudi border posts in recent weeks, despitethree months of bombardment by a Saudi-led coalition intent on restoring Yemen’sgovernment in exile. Two soldiers from theRoyal Saudi Land Forces, one from the king-dom’s Border Guards, and a UAE officer werekilled on Wednesday in three incidents alongthe border, a mostly mountainous area.

The Houthis and their allies in Yemen’sarmy have managed to hold most of thepopulated western part of the countryagainst armed groups in Aden, Taiz, Dhaleaand Marib backed by coalition air strikes. Buta spate of bombings in the Houthi-controlledcapital continued yesterday, as a remote con-trolled bomb detonated outside the statenews agency according to residents, killing aHouthi fighter and wounding two others.

Saudi Arabia’s coalition of Arab countrieswants to force the Houthis and Saleh to quitcaptured areas, return seized arms and letPresident Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi returnfrom his Riyadh exile in line with UN SecurityCouncil resolution 2216. However, neitherside appears ready to make concessions,causing the collapse of UN-sponsored talkslast week. Aid groups say Yemen’s humani-tarian crisis is worsening as a result of fightingand a coalition embargo.

Saudi Arabia believes the Houthis areclosely tied to the kingdom’s main regionalfoe, Iran, though diplomats in the region saythose ties may be exaggerated. The Houthissay they are winning a revolution against cor-rupt officials and Sunni Muslim militants theysay are backed by Saudi Arabia and the exiledgovernment. A series of car bombs againstmosques close to the Houthi movement last

week was claimed by Islamic State, in a signthat political chaos was giving militantgroups more room to operate.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, thestrongest branch of the global militantgroup, carries weapons and patrols openly inthe eastern city of Mukalla but a wave of sus-pected US drone strikes have killed its topleaders in recent weeks, including its chiefNasser Al-Wuhayshi - Al-Qaeda’s deputyleader.

HomelessnessEight-year-old Abdullah Musleh lay

screaming in pain in a Sanaa hospital onWednesday as a doctor cleaned his torn face,the victim of a worsening war that threatensmillions of Yemenis with starvation andhomelessness. “We were at home when airstrikes hit the missile base on the mountainnear our house,” Abdullah’s father Ali said byhis bedside, describing an air raid on an armsdepot a month ago that sent missiles rainingacross part of Yemen’s capital.

“Shells from the base started flying overthe houses. We tried to make our escape but,when we were in the street, a piece of shrap-nel hit my son. Thank God the doctors wereable to remove it, but he needs more help.” Acountry that was already by far the poorestand most unstable on the Arabian Peninsulais now, after three months of conflict, in thegrip of a humanitarian disaster.

Cut off from the world, living under bom-bardment from a Saudi-led coalition andbeset by fighting between multiple battal-ions and militias, Yemen’s 25 million peopleare prey to hunger, disease and an ever-pre-sent fear of death. “The most terrifying thing,worse than anything we’ve suffered in thiswar, is the indiscriminate shelling that falls onus every day,” said Saleh Hashem, a retiredteacher from Aden.

In war-torn districts of the southern port

city, mountains of rubbish fester in heat ofover 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit),helping to fuel an outbreak of dengue feverthat has infected over 3,000 people nation-wide, according to the United Nations.

Tanks and SnipersSnipers flit across rooftops and tanks

heave into the abandoned streets, spittingout shells seemingly around the clock as resi-dents huddle indoors. “You don’t knowwhere it will come from, and you know itcould kill you and your family any moment,just as it kills women and children every sin-gle day,” Hashem said.

When Yemen’s now-dominant Houthimovement advanced toward Aden in lateMarch, a Saudi-led alliance of Arab statesbegan bombing in a bid to restore the elect-ed president, who is backed by Saudi Arabiaand has fled to Riyadh. While the interventionheld up the Houthi advance, it failed to pushthe militia back again, leaving large numbersof civilians trapped between battle linesacross southern Yemen.

The Houthis say their advance is part of arevolution against a corrupt government andagainst Islamic militants. Saudi Arabia, deter-mined to thwart any arms deliveries to theHouthis, has imposed a near total blockadeon a country heavily reliant on imports,reducing supplies of food, fuel and medicineto a trickle. Some families are breaking theirdaily fast for the Muslim holy month ofRamadan - meant to be a time of joy andplenty - with rice, bread and canned fish.

And, after a wave of deadly car bombattacks claimed by Islamic State on mosquesin Sanaa, many of the faithful in the capitalsay their prayers at home. Three thousandhave perished in the war, over a million havefled their homes and more than half of thepopulation do not have reliable access tofood, according to UN figures.— Agencies

TEHRAN: Iranian mourners carry flag draped coffins of Ali Amraei and Hassan Ghaffari, who were killed in fighting againstIslamic State extremists in Syria, during a funeral ceremony in Shahr-e-Ray south of Tehran yesterday.—AP

Shelling by Yemeni group kills four soldiers on Saudi border As factions fight, Yemenis suffer hunger, disease, fear

Rwandan spy chief arrivesin London court

LONDON: Rwandan spy chief Karenzi Karake arrived for acourt hearing in London yesterday after President PaulKagame slammed his arrest on a Spanish-issued warrant as“absolute arrogance and contempt”. Thursday’s hearing isexpected to decide whether Karake, who is known as “KK” andwas detained last week, should remain in custody and set adate for extradition hearings to begin.

Cherie Blair, the wife of former British prime minister TonyBlair, who is involved in charity initiatives in Rwanda, was alsopresent. The general, part of a circle of top military officers inthe former Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel movement,was arrested at London Heathrow Airport by British extraditionofficers on Saturday. A Spanish judicial source said he standsaccused of “crimes of terrorism” linked to the killing of nineSpanish citizens in Rwanda in the 1990s.

British police, however, said the 54-year-old was arrestedfor alleged “war crimes against civilians”.

A judge at Spain’s National Court on Wednesday “made aformal request” for Britain to hand over the suspect, a judicialsource said.

A small demonstration took place outside WestminsterMagistrates Court in London ahead of the hearing. “We wantthem to free KK. His detention is unfair, he actually stoppedthe genocide,” said Mutesi, a 24-year-old Rwandan womantaking part.

“I don’t think that he is guilty at all. This is a political case,”she said, as demonstrators carried placards reading: “StopHumiliating Africa” and “UK, USA, Stand Against SpanishIndictments”.

The RPF ended the 1994 genocide by Hutu extremistswhich left an estimated 800,000 people dead, mostly Tutsis.Atrocities were also committed against Hutus.

The Rwandan government has condemned the detentionof Karake, who has been head of the intelligence service since2011, branding it an “outrage”.

Hundreds of protesters marched on the British embassy inthe Rwandan capital Kigali on Wednesday demanding Karake’srelease.

“Absolute arrogance and contempt is the only basis for thisarrest,” Kagame said in a speech to parliament yesterday. “Wecannot accept that people treat us this way just because theycan.”

Describing Karake as a “freedom fighter” Kagame accusedEuropean countries of racism and seeking to humiliateRwanda-and other Africans-in order to veil their own complici-ty in the 1994 genocide. “They want to mask their responsibili-ty by saying it’s not us, it is savages of Africa who killed eachother,” he said.

Kagame questioned the right of Britain to act on theSpanish indictment, which accuses Karake of mass ethnickillings of Hutus in the wake of the 1994 genocide. “What rightdoes this country have to arrest him in this manner? None ofthem have any basis other than absolute arrogance,” he said.

European Arrest Warrants are valid throughout theEuropean Union, requiring member states to arrest and extra-dite suspects to the issuing country. —AFP

LONDON: British lawyer Cherie Blair (left), wife of formerprime minister Tony Blair, arrives carrying a folder withthe word “Rwanda” written on it at WestminsterMagistrates Court in London yesterday where Rwanda’sintelligence chief General Karenzi Karake appeared fol-lowing his arrest in Britain under a Spanish indictmentaccusing him of alleged atrocities in the 1990s. — AFP

12I n t e r n a t i o n a lFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

CAIRO: Journalists face unprecedentedthreats in President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi’sEgypt, a watchdog group said yesterday,with the highest number behind bars sinceit began keeping records in 1990. In areport detailing the incarceration of 18Egyptians, the New York-based Committeeto Protect Journalists said most wereaccused of affiliation with the now-out-lawed Muslim Brotherhood of oustedIslamist President Mohammed Morsi.

It said the threat of imprisonment inEgypt is part of a stifling atmosphere inwhich authorities pressure media outlets tocensor critical voices and issue gag orderson sensitive topics. It said Al-Sisi hasinvoked national security to trample on lib-erties.

“CPJ spoke to high-level officials, includ-ing the prosecutor-general and the minis-ter of transitional justice, who denied thatEgypt was holding any journalists in jail inrelation to their work,” the group said inthe report, which was based on a June 1census of Egyptian prisons. “But CPJresearch shows that the government of Al-Sisi ... has used the pretext of national secu-rity to crack down on human rights, includ-ing press freedom.”

As army chief, Al-Sisi overthrew Morsi in2013 during massive protests against hisrule, before winning a landslide electionlast year. Since the overthrow, authoritieshave waged a massive crackdown on theMuslim Brotherhood and other opponents,killing hundreds, jailing thousands andsparking a backlash of attacks against secu-

rity forces, mostly in the restive SinaiPeninsula. Activists say dozens more jour-nalists have been detained.

Cases detailed in the report show thatmost were jailed for covering protests, air-ing views contrary to the government orreporting on injustices committed againstpeople affiliated with the Brotherhood,which Egypt considers a terrorist organiza-tion. Several stand accused of “spreadingchaos,” while others are charged with dis-seminating “false news” or anti-govern-ment messages. In one case highlighted inthe report, Mahmoud Abou-Zeid was

arrested in August 2013 while taking pho-tographs of the violent dispersal of a pro-Morsi sit-in, in which hundreds of Islamistswere killed. He has been in pre-trial deten-tion since then and has not been formallycharged.

“I spoke with him last week and he wastired and depressed,” his brother,Mohamed, told The Associated Press. “Wedon’t know what will happen next andhave no information regarding the futureof the case. It is a very difficult situation forall of us.” In another case, photographerOmar Abdel-Maksoud was arrested in 2014

while covering a baby shower for a womanwho had been detained and forced to givebirth in a hospital in handcuffs. Policelaunched a violent raid on the gathering,the report said, citing local media. CPJ citedcases of journalists disappearing intoEgypt’s labyrinth of detention facilitieswithout lawyers or family members know-ing where they are, with court hearingssometimes taking place without theirknowledge. It said the heavy restrictionsmeant that scarce information emergesfrom entire regions,

especially Sinai, where militant groupsare fighting security forces and little isknown about the conflict’s toll on civilians.One journalist from the area, Saeed Abuhaj,was arrested for carrying a leaflet bearingBrotherhood slogans, his lawyer said. Hehas been charged with inciting violenceand using weapons against police.

World attentionSeveral high-profile cases involving the

state’s campaign against journalists havegarnered international attention, mostrecently that of Ahmed Mansour, a journal-ist for Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera,who was stopped in Germany when offi-cers there acted on an Egyptian arrest war-rant. After detaining him last weekend,German prosecutors decided Monday tofree him and not pursue his extradition toEgypt, where he was convicted in 2011 ontorture charges he denies. CPJ and France’sReporters Without Borders criticized thedetention. —AP

Journalists face unprecedented threats in Egypt: WatchdogHighest number behind bars, accused of Brotherhood affiliation

JUBA: Warring forces in South Sudan haveabducted as many as a thousand more child sol-diers in the latest abuses in the 18-month longcivil war, monitors said yesterday, amid freshefforts to bring rivals back to talks. Rebel troopscarried out house-to-house searches snatchingchildren as young as 13 in the battlegroundnorthern state of Upper Nile in two days in earlyJune, monitors from East Africa’s eight-country

IGAD bloc said in their latest report.It blamed notorious militia commander

Johnson Olony, a rogue ex-government generalwith a track record for press ganging children tofight, who joined rebel forces in May.

Olony “carried out forcible recruitment of anestimated 500-1000 youths, many of whom werechildren aged between 13 and 17 years,” thereport said, adding the hundreds were taken

“during house-to-house searches” in the north-ern villages of Kodok and Wau Shilluk.

“The youths were then taken to trainingcamps,” the report said. The UN children’s agencyestimates there are at least 13,000 child soldiersfighting in the country, and said last week thatfighters have carried out horrific crimes againstchildren.

Recent attacks include castration, rape andtying children together before slitting theirthroats. Others were thrown into burning houses.Civil war began in December 2013 whenPresident Salva Kiir accused his former deputyRiek Machar of planning a coup, setting off acycle of retaliatory killings across the country thathas split the poverty-stricken, landlocked countryalong ethnic lines.

Two-thirds of the country’s 12 million peopleneed aid, according to the UN.

‘Blatant disregard’ for civilians The IGAD report also said government troops

had deliberately fired on some 30,000 civilianssheltering in a UN peacekeeping base in UpperNile’s state capital Malakal in May. “It was evidentthat it was deliberate and sustained,” the reportread, adding that there was “no evidence” oppo-sition forces were in the area. “It is clear that firingby government forces was carried out with bla-tant disregard for the safety of civilians,” it added.

Over two dozen armed forces-including gov-ernment soldiers and allied militia backed byUgandan soldiers on one side, and a range ofrebel factions on the other-have been battling itout for the last 18 months despite numerousceasefire agreements. —AFP

Hundreds more child soldiers recruited in South Sudan

CAIRO: Policemen accompany Canadian Al-Jazeera English journal-ist Mohammed Fahmy, during their retrial at a courtroom, in Toraprison, in Cairo yesterday. - AP

Turkey’s Erdogan sees red over ‘giant table’

accusationsANKARA: Already stung by accusations that his presidentialpalace in Ankara is a megalomaniac folly, Turkey’s PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan is facing new claims of wastefulextravagance.

But this time the controversy does not surround a grandnew building but a humble table set for the traditional fast-breaking iftar meal for the holy Muslim fasting month ofRamadan.

The circular table, however, is perhaps not so humble. Thesize of a squash court, it is so vast as to be impossible to have aconversation with the person at the other end. The AnkaraArchitects’ Chamber-a frequent critic of Erdogan over thepalace-gave an itemized valuation of the table, chairs, and orna-ments, saying they were worth one million lira ($375,000).

The presidency however rubbished the suggestion, saying itwas “black propaganda”.

“All these figures, stated per item, are wrong and a lie, allthese claims are merely slander,” Erdogan said in a speech lateWednesday. “We know their intentions and a full account willbe given before the law,” he added. The controversy erupted onMonday when the presidency published pictures of Erdoganand two dozen religious figures and scholars seated around thetable for the iftar meal. Seated as the head of the table, the pres-ident was only vaguely discernable from the other end. Similarimages emerged after an iftar meal Wednesday evening withmunicipal chiefs, with social media ablaze with suggestionsover what to put in the vast empty space in the middle.

Some suggested a vast pizza, others that there was amplespace for a traditional oil-wrestling match. Meanwhile, thepresidency took the hugely unusual step of issuing a oneminute time-lapse video showing that officials at the palaceassembled the table out of several smaller ones with a roundtable at the centre. It then shows the white-jacketed palaceofficials sweeping the table clear and adding a vast table clothand cutlery. —AFP

Migrants walk past a shelter at a makeshift camp known as the “jungle”,Calais, northern France yesterday. Migrants from Sudan, Eritrea and else-where are camped by the thousand in the port city of Calais trying to reachBritain, where they believe they will have better job prospects. —AP


WASHINGTON: The federal government has beenexploring a “Plan B” to deport a man who placed abomb on a Hawaii-bound airplane in 1982 and whohas remained in immigration custody since beingreleased from prison two years ago.

Mohammed Rashed pleaded guilty in 2002 to hisrole in the bombing of Pan Am 830, which killed aJapanese teenager and injured more than a dozenothers. Under the terms of his plea agreement, the USgovernment said it would work to deport theJordanian-born Palestinian to the country of hischoice after he finished serving his sentence on mur-der and conspiracy charges.

But efforts to deport Rashed have stalled amiddiplomatic complications since his March 2013release from prison. He remains at an immigrationdetention facility in Batavia, New York, and his lawyerhas complained to a judge that the governmentappears to have failed to satisfy its end of the pleadeal.

At a court hearing last month in Washington,Justice Department lawyer Christopher Dempsey saidthe government was developing a “Plan B” strategy toremove Rashed from the country. The details of thatplan were not publicly disclosed in court, and lawyersinvolved in the case have declined to discuss it.

“The government wants him out of here, andwould love it if we could effect his removal,”Dempsey said, according to a hearing transcriptobtained by The Associated Press.

The AP reported in November, based on docu-ments obtained through the Freedom of InformationAct, that Rashed had requested to be sent to the WestBank, where he has family, and that the Obamaadministration sought Israel’s permission to send himthere via a bridge connecting the territory withJordan. Israel captured the West Bank in 1967 andcontrols access into and out of the territory.

But the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in aJune 2013 memo that Rashed’s Palestinian passportand birth certificate contained “material discrepan-cies” about his date and place of birth.

Dempsey said in court that even after the US fixedthe problem and submitted a correct passport, Israeldemanded that Rashed be added to a Palestinianpopulation registry - a step he said was still inprogress. “But we do have a Plan B to remove him, ifwe can’t get him to the West Bank, to get him to a sec-ond location,” Dempsey said. “The problem is we hit asnag with that operation, but it is a temporary thing,not a permanent obstruction. So that will happen. It isjust not imminent, but it is certainly foreseeable.”

Rashed was a onetime top lieutenant to AbuIbrahim, a Palestinian bomb maker who formed 15May - a terrorist faction that took responsibility for sev-eral attacks in the 1980s - who was known for makingsophisticated plastic explosives that could be smug-gled in bags and suitcases. Abu Ibrahim, also knownas Husayn Muhammad Al-Umari, remains on the FBI’slist of most wanted terrorists and was indicted in 1987in the US along with Rashed.

The attack on the Pan Am jetliner was set inmotion when Rashed, on a flight to Japan, tucked abomb beneath a seat cushion, pulled the pin,engaged a timer and then disembarked when hisflight landed in Tokyo. The device exploded as theplane continued on to Honolulu, killing a 16-year-oldboy who occupied the same seat on the flight’s nextleg. Rashed was arrested in Greece in 1988 with a pho-ny passport and implicated in the bomb attack. Hewas prosecuted in that country and released in 1996,but was arrested in 1998 by US authorities in anothercountry and brought to Washington for prosecution.He pleaded guilty in 2002 and was released fromprison in 2013, after roughly 25 years behind bars inboth Greece and the US. —AP

US developing ‘Plan B’ for deporting plane bomber

BUJUMBURA: One of Burundi’s vicepresidents has fled to Belgium, sayinghe had been threatened after denounc-ing President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bidfor a third term in office, an allegationdenied by Burundi ’s government .Opponents say the president’s move isunconstitutional. The political strugglehas ignited bloody unrest andBurundi’s worst crisis since an ethnical-ly charged civil war ended in 2005.

“I took the decision to leave thec o u n t r y b e c a u s e I w a s p e r s o n a l l ythreatened,” Gervais Rufyikiri, who hadheld the post of second vice president,told France 24 television from Belgiumon Wednesday.

“All who are against the third termare threatened. I personally was fear-ing for my security since I saw somesignals .” A presidential spokesmans a i d t h e r e h a d b e e n n o t h r e a t t oRufyikiri.

I n M a y , t h e v i c e p r e s i d e n t o fBurundi’s election commission and asenior judge fled the country, amidprotests demanding Nkurunziza standdown. Tens of thousands of ordinarypeople have also gone to neighboringstates to escape the unrest.

The president has refused to changetack, citing a court ruling that found

he was allowed to seek another term.Three grenade attacks in the capital onThursday injured several people. Policesaid they were investigating. Similarattacks in the past week have killedfour people and injured dozens inBujumbura and other towns.

Protests against the president erupt-ed on April 26, a day after he announcedhis bid. For weeks, stone-throwingdemonstrators clashed with police, whosometimes shot at them. Rallies havesince petered out but the mood remainstense.

The United Nations, African statesand Western nations have called fordialogue to ease the crisis in a regionwith a history of ethnic conflict. Talksbetween rival camps so far have shownlittle sign of bridging differences.

Both the pres ident ia l vote , nowscheduled for July 15, and a parliamen-tary election now due on June 29 havebeen delayed by several weeks due tounrest.

A prominent Burundi rights group,led by an activist who opposes thepresident’s third-term bid, said lastweek that the death toll since protestserupted was at least 70. The president’sruling CNDD-FDD party has put it atmore than 40. —Reuters

Vice president flees Burundi after opposing president’s third term


US, Iran set for weekend showdown in nuke talks

VIENNA: This file photo shows US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad JavadZarif posing for a photographer prior to a bilateral meeting of the closed-door nuclear talks with Iran at the PalaisCoburg in Vienna. — AFP

VIENNA: Washington and Tehran have setthe stage for a heated last weekend ofnuclear talks, with Iran’s leader sticking totough “red lines” and US Secretary of StateJohn Kerry warning failure remains possible.Whether or not Iran can satisfy the world thatits nuclear program is entirely peaceful “willbe determined in the last days, by whether ornot the outstanding issues that we’ve beenvery clear about are in fact addressed,” Kerrysaid Wednesday.

“If they are not addressed there won’t bea deal,” said Kerry, who is due to leave todayfor the talks in Vienna. His Iranian counter-part Mohammad Javad Zarif is expectedtoday in the Austrian capital, state mediareported. French Foreign Minister LaurentFabius will arrive the same day, an aide saidyesterday. Iran and the “P5+1”-the UnitedStates, China, Russia, Britain, France andGermany-aim by June 30 to finalize a historicagreement putting an Iranian nuclear bombout of reach. Several officials have said thatthe talks may be extended, but only by a fewdays. Iran, which has engaged in somethingof a rapprochement with the West since theelection of President Hassan Rouhani in 2013,denies wanting nuclear weapons, saying itsnuclear program is exclusively peaceful.

In April, Iran and the six powers agreedthe main outlines of the deal in bruising talksin Lausanne, Switzerland. After two misseddeadlines, this built on an interim deal struckin November 2013 in Geneva.

Under the Lausanne framework, Iran willdownsize its nuclear activities by slashing thenumber of centrifuges enriching uranium,which can be used in nuclear power but alsofor a bomb when highly purified. In return,UN and Western sanctions that have causedIran major economic pain would be progres-sively lifted, although the six powers insistthey can be easily “snapped back” if Tehranviolates the accord. The powers want thedeal to ensure that Iran would need at least ayear to produce enough highly-enriched ura-

nium for one weapon, compared with sever-al months at present.

Tighter inspections by the InternationalAtomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclearwatchdog, would give ample notice of anysuch “breakout”, giving the internationalcommunity sufficient time to react.

Spanners in the works The hoped-for final accord under negotia-

tion since April will be a highly complexagreement 40-50 pages long including sev-eral appendices. It will set out an exacttimetable of sanctions relief and reciprocalsteps by Iran as well as a mechanism for han-dling possible violations by either side.

Tricky issues include how UN sanctionsmight be re-applied, the reduction of Iran’suranium stockpile and its future research anddevelopment into newer, faster types of cen-trifuges. Amid unease in Iran’s conservative-dominated parliament that Tehran is giving

too much away, the supreme leaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesdayappeared to throw several spanners in theworks. Western powers have stressed thatsanctions will not be lifted until the

IAEA has confirmed that Iran has carriedout key steps under the accord, somethingthat Kerry said in April would take six monthsto a year. But Khamenei, who will have thelast word for Iran in the talks, said that bank-ing and economic sanctions imposed by theUnited Nations and the US must be liftedimmediately when the agreement is signed.

“Other sanctions can be removed gradu-ally by a reasonable timetable,” Khameneisaid at a meeting that included Rouhani andhardline former president MahmoudAhmadinejad. Khamenei also reiterated thatIran would not permit the IAEA, which hedescribed as “neither independent or fair”, tovisit military sites or conduct “unconvention-al inspections” at other facilities.— AFP

Kerry warns failure ‘possible’ as Zarif lands in Vienna

South Africa to review its ICC membership

CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s government will review its membershipin the International Criminal Court in the wake of a dispute with thecourt over Pretoria’s failure to arrest Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, a cabinet minister said yesterday.

The diplomatic row which erupted on June 15, when Bashir flewout of South Africa as world powers and activists urged the govern-ment to arrest him, has exposed a growing rift between Africa anddeveloped nations over the role of the ICC. The global court hasissued a warrant for Bashir on charges of masterminding genocide inSudan’s Darfur region, but South Africa did not accede to therequest, citing legal complexities and the need to balance its obliga-tions to the African Union, among others. Bashir has denied thegenocide charges.

“Cabinet decided that it will review South Africa’s participation inthe Rome Statutes of the International (Criminal) Court,” Jeff Radebe,minister in the presidency, told reporters during a post-cabinetmeeting briefing. He added the government would only leave as a“last resort”. “Such a decision will only be taken when South Africahas exhausted all the remedies available to it,” he said.

Radebe said South Africa, which will enter formal discussionswith the ICC over its concerns, would prepare a report in respect ofits interaction with the court in terms of specific articles of the RomeStatute that established the ICC. One of them, Article 98 (2), places anobligation on the ICC to assist countries to execute warrants ofarrest, said Radebe, adding that South Africa would propose amend-ments to clarify that obligation of the ICC towards states. “It is abun-dantly clear that the ICC was aware South Africa may have difficultiesin executing the warrant of arrest for President al-Bashir, because ofits international commitments,” he said. — Reuters

NATO: Risk of return to heavy fighting in UkraineBRUSSELS: NATO’s head warned yesterday of a risk of a return toheavy fighting in Ukraine but said it would be unwise to declare aceasefire agreement dead, despite repeated violations, because itremained the best hope for peace.

The Ukrainian military on Tuesday accused pro-Russian rebels ofconducting long-range artillery attacks on villages in the east and saidone of its serviceman was killed and 12 wounded in clashes in theprevious 24 hours. “The conflict in Ukraine has already cost over 6,000lives. Ceasefire violations persist. And there is still a risk of a return toheavy fighting,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told ameeting of defence ministers from NATO and Ukraine. The conflicthas caused the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War.

“Russia continues to support the separatists with training,weapons and soldiers. And it has large numbers of forces stationedon its border with Ukraine,” he said. Moscow denies Ukrainian andNATO assertions that it has soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg said that despite many violations of the Febuaryceasefire, it would “not be useful” to declare the Minsk agreementsdead because they were “the best possible foundation for a peacefulsolution... “Without the Minsk agreements I am really afraid that thesituation can deteriorate even more,” he told a news conference.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO and the US-dominated alliancehas not intervened militarily in the conflict. But it is giving financialhelp and advice to the Ukrainian armed forces. NATO has now agreedto set up a new fund to help Ukraine with removing mines and coun-tering improvised bombs. — Reuters

A dog licks a Ukrainian serviceman holding a position near thefrontline with pro-Russian separatists in Krymske village,Lugansk region yesterday. NATO head Jens Stoltenberg warnedyesterday there was still a risk of heavy fighting in Ukraine andurged Russia to halt its support for pro-Moscow rebels.—AFP

Renzi calls Senate trustvote on schools reform

ROME: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzisought a vote of confidence yesterday in theupper house Senate over a fiercely contest-ed education reform bill, seeking to over-come thousands of amendments tabled byopposition parties.

Renzi, whose popularity has slumped inrecent months, would be forced to resign ifhe lost the confidence vote, though this isconsidered extremely unlikely. On paper hecan count on a majority of around 15 votesin the 315 seat Senate, where the vote willbe held at around 1600 GMT.

Confidence votes are often employed bygovernments in Italy as a way of pushingthrough legislation, because they truncatediscussion over amendments. Renzi’s 16month-old administration has resorted to

them particularly frequently. The bill, pre-sented by the centre-left government inMarch, includes increased powers for schoolmanagers over hiring and promotions, taxbreaks for private schools, and the perma-nent hiring of some 100,000 supply teachers.

It is opposed by most teachers’ unions,which have held strikes and protests, as wellas by the parliamentary opposition and aminority of Renzi’s own Democratic Party.The powers to be given to non-teachingschool managers are particularly con-tentious.

If the bill passes the Senate in yesterday’svote it must return to the Chamber ofDeputies for a final reading. Renzi aims tohave it definitively approved in the first halfof July. — Reuters


WASHINGTON: As talks on an Iran nucleardeal enter the final stretch, US lawmakers aresharpening warnings against a “weak” agree-ment and laying down red lines that, ifcrossed, could prompt Congress to trip up acarefully crafted international pact. Severalinfluential lawmakers said they do not wantto see any sanctions lifted before Tehranbegins complying with a deal, and want atough verification regime in which inspectorscould visit Iranian facilities anytime and any-where.

They also want Tehran to reveal past mili-tary dimensions of its nuclear program, partic-ularly after Secretary of State John Kerryseemed to soften the US stance last week bysaying Iran would not be pressed on thispoint. “I have become more and more con-cerned with the direction of these negotia-

tions and the potential red lines that may becrossed,” Senator Bob Corker, the Republicanchairman of the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee, told a hearing on Wednesday.

Corker authored a bill giving Congress theright to approve or disapprove any final dealthat emerges from talks between six majorpowers and Iran. Kerry travels to Vienna onFriday for the latest round. The talks, whichare expected to drag past a self-imposed June30 deadline, could mark the end of a nearlytwo-year negotiating process aimed atrestricting Iran’s nuclear program in return forsanctions relief.

President Barack Obama signed the billinto law last month after the White Housefailed to persuade enough Democrats not tojoin Republicans in demanding a say.

As the deal deadline nears, lawmakers are

coming under pressure not to support anagreement that gives much ground toTehran. AIPAC, the influential pro-Israel lobby,has been campaigning hard in Congress onits concerns that any agreement could be“fundamentally flawed.” J Street, a more mod-erate pro-Israel group, has launched its owncampaign rebutting arguments made byopponents of a deal. Several other groups,including United Against a Nuclear Iran, andthe American Security Initiative, founded bythree ex-senators, are spending millions ofdollars on advertising campaigns urging law-makers to take a hard line. “There is tremen-dous skepticism about this deal ... and someDemocrats from heavily pro-Israel communi-ties are going to have a tough time with this,”Republican Senator John McCain said.

A group of prominent American security

advisers, including five with ties to Obama’sfirst term, warned in an open letter onWednesday that a deal was at risk of failing toprovide adequate safeguards. Obama wouldlikely veto any Congressional resolution of dis-approval, which would require 60 votes in theSenate and a majority in the House.

To get the two-thirds majority in bothhouses of Congress to override a veto, oppo-nents would need at least 13 Democrats inthe Senate and at least 43 in the House, andmore if they are not supported by everyCongressional Republican.

That appears unlikely, but significantweaknesses in the final pact would make itless so, lawmakers from both sides said. TheCongressional demands for a watertight dealput US negotiators under additional pressurenot to give Iran much leeway. — Reuters

US lawmakers step up warnings against ‘weak’ Iran deal

‘Miracle’ mom and baby survive Colombia

jungle plane crashBOGOTA: A mother and her infant son who disappeared in aplane crash in the dense jungles of northwestern Colombia sev-eral days ago were found alive and well Wednesday in whatauthorities called a “miracle”.

Nelly Murillo, 18, and her son Yudier Moreno, not yet one yearold, were discovered near the site where the Cessna 303 crashedon Saturday in thick brush.

“It’s a miracle. It is a very wild area and it was a catastrophicaccident,” Colonel Hector Carrascal, commander of theColombian Air Force in Antioquia department, told AFP. “Hismother’s spirit must have given him strength to survive,” he saidof the baby. Murillo and her son were taken by helicopter to anearby hospital with minor injuries, said Carrascal, adding thathe was stunned they were alive. “The lady has wounds andminor burns and apparently the child is unharmed,” theColombian Air Force said in a statement.

The plane’s pilot, Captain Carlos Mario Ceballos, died in thecrash and rescuers found his body in the aircraft. They discov-ered the doors of the plane ajar and suspected that survivorsmay have climbed out. A 14-person search-and-rescue teamscoured the dense forest for several days before finding themother and child.

The rescue team was on the last day of its work when themother and child appeared near the site of the crash, Carrascalsaid. The plane offered air taxi services between remote areas innorthwest Colombia. It was traveling between Nuqui andQuibdo when it was declared missing, authorities said.Investigators are trying to find the cause of the crash. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential con-tenders face a dilemma when talking aboutracial issues after last week’s racially motivat-ed murders at a South Carolina church, as anew poll shows many Republican primaryvoters are less likely to see the topic as impor-tant. While more than three-quarters ofAmericans believe race relations must beaddressed in the United States, a smallermajority of only about 65 percent of likelyRepublican primary voters agree, a newReuters/Ipsos poll found.

One-third of likely Republican primaryvoters see race relations as unimportant tosome degree, compared to only 9 percent oflikely Democratic voters who feel that way.“There is a tension Republicans are trying tonavigate, and they are really stuck between arock and a hard place,” said Ipsos pollsterChris Jackson. “You have the majority of thepublic on one side, but the people who areactually going to vote for them in the primar-ies are less interested in this particular issueand may have different takes or alternate pri-orities altogether,” he said.

The poll, carried out after the murder by awhite gunman of nine black members of aBible study group at a Charleston church,also found Democrats were more trusted todeal with race relations by more than a 2-to-1margin. The findings illustrate the RepublicanParty’s challenge in trying to expand itsappeal among minorities - crucial if the partyis to win the presidency - and could helpexplain the largely muted response to theCharleston shootings by the party’s 2016presidential contenders.

Around a dozen hopefuls, who mustcourt the white, conservative voters whodominate the party’s primaries, largelysteered clear of calls to action or policy pre-scriptions after the shootings, focusinginstead on messages of condolence.

Several Republican presidential con-tenders and other party leaders did joinSouth Carolina state officials earlier this weekin calling for removal of the Confederate bat-tle flag from in front of the State House, seatof the legislature, labeling it an act of healingand unity.

Expanding republican appealRepublican National Committee

spokesman Orlando Watson noted that callwas led by Indian-American Governor NikkiHaley and a prominent black Republican, USSenator Tim Scott of South Carolina.“Republican leaders have stepped up andare working hard to address all voter con-cerns, including those involving race,” hesaid.

After losing the 2012 presidential elec-tion, Republicans had vowed to expandtheir appeal beyond their shrinking base ofwhite males and reach out to court newsupporters among blacks, Hispanics, Asiansand the young. But blacks have for decadesbeen the most loyal Democratic voting bloc,a trend only reinforced by the election ofPresident Barack Obama, the first black inthe White House. When Obama won re-election in 2012, Mitt Romney received 6percent of the black vote. No Republicanpresidential contender has won more than12 percent of black votes since PresidentGerald Ford’s 15 percent in 1976.— Reuters

CHARLESTON, SC: After a heavy rainfall passed through the area overnight Mary Stephens helps fix the memorial infront of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church which was placed there after a mass shooting at the churchkilled nine people yesterday.—AFP

New poll highlights race dilemma for Republicans

Charleston shootings could trigger a heated debate

Handout photo released on June 24 by the Aerial CombatCommand Number 5 of the Colombian Air Force of a Red Crossmember holding baby Yudier Moreno as he and his mother aretransported on a helicopter to a hospital in Quibdo, Chocodepartment, Colombia, after the light aircraft in which theywere travelling crashed Saturday in the forest. —AFP


JAKARTA: Indonesia has set up a newteam to reduce noise from mosques,an official said yesterday, as places ofworship go into overdrive during theMuslim holy month of Ramadan. Thereare approximately 800,000 mosques inthe world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation but residents livingnearby have long complained thattheir speakers are too loud. Places ofworship become particularly activeduring Ramadan, which this year runsfrom mid-June to mid-July, whenMuslims fast from sunrise to sunset

and mosques blare out religious ser-mons even earlier than usual.

In a new attempt to tackle theissue, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who isalso head of a body grouping many ofthe country’s mosques, has formed ateam to take samples of noise frommosque speakers across the country,his spokesman Husain Abdullah said.“The idea is for mosques to turn downthe volume a little so that the soundcan be heard only by residents in theimmediate area,” he said, adding thatthe aim was to have a “more harmo-

nious, melodious sound coming frommosques”. He said that mosques alsohad to ensure that the sounds theyproduced did not overlap with noisesfrom others nearby, saying there wasoften a “war of the loudspeakers”between places of worship in thesame area which try to outdo eachother by playing sermons loudly.

The new group, set up earlier thismonth, had collected many samplesand would send a report to the vicepresident, who planned to sit downwith Indonesia’s top Muslim clerical

body and Islamic organizations anddiscuss how to tackle the issue. Thenew group would complement a pre-vious initiative, which saw around 100teams of technicians deployed acrossthe country to help fine-tune mosqueloudspeakers and give advice on howbest to arrange speakers to reducenoise. But Abdullah admitted regulat-ing noisy mosques across the world’sbiggest archipelago nation would betough and called on the clerical body,the Indonesian Council of Ulema, toissue a fatwa on the issue.— AFP

Indonesia in new bid to muffle noisy mosques

Drug-resistant bacteria lurk in crowded Afghan war clinic

KUNDUZ: A frontline hospital in Afghanistanalready stretched by rising war casualties isfacing another, invisible danger that is onlybeginning to come to light: highly conta-gious strains of drug-resistant bacteria whichare making treatment harder. While drugresistance is a problem in hospitals the worldover, early evidence from tracking byMedecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the lasttwo years suggests it may be acute inAfghanistan.

At the trauma centre in the northern cityof Kunduz, where Afghan forces are battlingTaleban militants, staff have identified nearly100 cases of multi-drug resistant bacteria, ornearly 30 percent of samples tested, since lastyear. That is putting extra strain on the MSF-run facility already struggling to cope withwounded combatants and civilians. One hotmorning in mid-June, the halls of the clinicquickly filled with wheeled stretchers carry-ing around a dozen bloodied Afghan securitypersonnel hurt in a mortar attack by insur-gents. One man struggled for breath, and awaft of iron hung in the air as staff wipedblood stains from the white-tiled floor. Notfar away, teenager Zemairy, one of whoselegs had to be amputated after a mortar

round went off in his back yard several daysbefore, lay in a quiet isolation ward. Hiswounds had become infected and the drugshe was taking were not helping. Staff testedthe wounds for resistant bacteria and startedtreating him with a different drug, afterwhich his health began to improve. By lateJune, he had been hospitalized for nearly 40days. “I thought I was going to lose him, orthat maybe he’d lose his other leg,” saidAmeer Muhammad, Zemairy’s father.

Doctors in Kunduz do not have enoughcomparative data to chart the long-term tra-jectory of the problem, but they are worried.The hospital plans to expand its laboratory totest patients’ blood in order to better pin-point which organisms are causing infectionand what drugs to use to treat them; at pres-ent, the lab can only test pus from openlyinfected wounds. “I’m sure the rates are high-er, but we can’t see it,” said Kathleen Thomas,head of the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU)and the emergency room. “I think it’s a bigproblem.”

Quality controlIn the southern province of Helmand,

another Afghan region where militant vio-lence is common, staff at an MSF-supported

hospital noticed patients with respiratorytract infections and diarrhoea were not get-ting better. An ensuing 2013-14 studyshowed high levels of resistance to widelyused antibiotics among those being treatedat the hospital. Doctors say the probablecauses of the problem include over-prescrip-tion and patients not finishing courses oftreatment.

In Afghanistan drug resistance may bemade worse by medicines of suspect qualitybeing illegally imported into the country.“The general population has a big problem ofresistance because of self-medication andpatients putting pressure on doctors (to pre-scribe drugs),” said Abdul Qayoum Wardak,who oversees MSF’s laboratories inAfghanistan. Nearly 60 percent of medicinein Afghanistan enters through illegal chan-nels, said Abdul Khalil Khakzad, head of theAvicina Pharmaceutical Institute in Kabul,possibly contributing to what doctors sus-pect is a glut of ineffective drugs on the mar-ket, including antibiotics. Though many ofthe smuggled drugs may be fine, the lack ofinformation may already be contributing todrug resistance, as some doctors try to over-correct for presumed low quality.— Reuters

JALALABAD: Afghan Muslim men sleep as they wait to break their fast at a mosque during the Islamic holy month ofRamadan in Jalalabad yesterday. — AFP

Hospital in Kunduz highlights broader problem

Sri Lanka soldier handeddeath sentence for

civilian massacreCOLOMBO: A Sri Lankan court yesterday handed the death sentenceto a soldier convicted of slitting the throats of eight Tamil civilians,including four children, during the island’s separatist war. SergeantSunil Ratnayake was ordered hanged over the massacre in 2000 ofthe ethnic minority Tamils who had returned to their bombed outhomes on the northern Jaffna peninsula to try to salvage theirbelongings. Ratnayake is said to have slit the throats of the eight,including the children, a five-year-old and three teenagers, beforeburying them in a mass grave, according to prosecutors. The HighCourt in Colombo acquitted four other soldiers on Thursday over thekillings, citing a lack of direct evidence, court officials said.

Army spokesman Jayanath Jayaweera said Ratnayake’s sentenceshowed that the authorities were following due process in dealingwith abuses committed during the war. “This (verdict) is a goodexample to show the (justice) system is working well,” BrigadierJayaweera told reporters. Soldiers are rarely tried in civilian courts inSri Lanka. The military has faced international condemnation foralleged atrocities committed during the decades-long conflict thatended in 2009 when the military crushed Tamil rebels. Sri Lanka hassome 300 prisoners technically on death row, but there is an unoffi-cial moratorium on capital punishment and authorities have not car-ried out an execution since 1976.

President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in Januarypromising reconciliation and accountability for abuses duringthe war, including allegations that up to 40,000 civilians werekilled in the final phase. During the trial, prosecutors alleged thefive soldiers had arrested the civilians in December 2000 in theirvillage before carrying out the killings, some 400 kilometers (250miles) north of Colombo. One of the civilians survived the attackand raised the alarm, triggering a military investigation and thesuspension of Ratnayake’s entire unit of soldiers. Five were laterindicted in 2003. — AFP

Al-Qaeda confirmsUS strike killed

American spokesmanDUBAI: Al-Qaeda has confirmed that a US drone strikeearlier this year killed its English-language spokesman, aCalifornia native known as Azzam the American, SITEIntelligence Group reported yesterday. In a special issueof Al-Qaeda English-language magazine Resurgence, edi-tor Hassaan Yusuf wrote that Azzam, whose real namewas Adam Gadahn, was killed in a strike thought to havetaken place in January on an Al-Qaeda compound inPakistan. Yusuf also said Ahmed Faruq, an Americandescribed as a leader of Al-Qaeda in the IndianSubcontinent, and American and Italian hostages WarrenWeinstein and Giovanni Lo Porto, were killed in anotherstrike “a few weeks” prior.

The White House has said neither Gadahn nor Faruqwere specifically targeted in the strikes, and US PresidentBarack Obama said in April he took “full responsibility” forthe accidental killing of the hostages. Gadahn was ateenage death metal music fan who grew up on aCalifornia goat farm before he was drawn into radicalIslam. He was one of the most high-profile figures in theglobal jihadist movement and a regular online presence,taunting his homeland and inciting attacks.—AFP


KARACHI: The worst heat wave to hitPakistan’s southern city of Karachi for near-ly 35 years has killed more than 1,000 peo-ple, a charity said yesterday, as morgues ranout of space and residents rushed to supplyover-stretched public hospitals. Tents offer-ing iced water and rehydration salts havemushroomed on street corners, run by rivalpolitical parties and the military. Residentsin one neighborhood hacked into a mainwater pipe and then danced delightedly inthe spray. The heat wave in the city of 20million people coincided with severe elec-tricity cuts, leaving many without fans,water or light, and the beginning of theholy month of Ramadan, when manyMuslims do not eat or drink during daylighthours.

Some shops have refused to sell ice orwater during the day, citing religious lawsthat mean they can be fined. It is also illegalto eat or drink in public from dawn to dusk.Temperatures shot up to 44 degrees Celsius(111 Fahrenheit) at the weekend, thehottest since 1981, although they dipped to38C (100F) yesterday. Forecasters havebeen predicting rain for days, but there hasbeen no significant fall. An influx of deadmeans body bags have stacked up on thefloor of the morgues, said Anwar Kazmi, asenior official of the charitable organizationthe Edhi Foundation. “The refrigeration unitwas not working properly because therewere too many bodies,” he said.

Kazmi said more than 1,000 people haddied of heat-related causes so far. Theprovincial government had done littleexcept try to blame others, he said. “We paytributes to the doctors and staff of the gov-ernment hospitals who are working tire-

lessly treating an endless number ofpatients,” he said. Hospitals called in stu-dent doctors to work extra shifts andappealed for basic items like sheets andstretchers. Decades of chronic neglect bysuccessive civilian governments or militaryregimes have gutted social services likehealth and education.

Many public hospitals said citizensdropped off carloads of iced water and oth-er supplies. The number of patients was

slowly declining as the temperature goesdown, doctors said. Jinnah hospital had anoverwhelming response to its appeal forcold water and stretchers, said Dr TasneemButt, and a charity had arranged for rentedair conditioners. As she spoke, her phonerang with a call from another donor. Behindher a motorized rickshaw pulled up, ayoung woman inside shouting for help heras her father slumped out into the arms ofvolunteers. — Reuters

KARACHI: A Pakistani volunteer checks identification paper of a heatstroke victim at a cold storage of the Edhi morgue inKarachi. — AFP

Floods kill 41 in west India

AHMEDABAD: Flash flooding triggered by torrential rains haskilled 41 people in India’s western Gujarat state, as the annualmonsoon season hits the country, a disaster managementofficial said yesterday. Authorities have evacuated more than10,000 residents mainly from coastal areas of Gujarat follow-ing heavy rains in the last 24 hours, the state government saidin a statement. The coastal district of Amreli was the worstaffected, with 36 people killed in flood-related incidents, aduty officer in the state’s disaster control room said.”Therehave been 41 deaths across the state with 36 in Amreli, threein Bhavnagar and two in Rajkot districts,” the official said.

Thirteen of the deaths in Amreli occurred when two hous-es collapsed in the flooding, local police deputy superintend-ent Pinakin Parmar said. India normally sees flooding duringthe monsoon but the intensity of this year’s rains in Gujarathas surprised many. The air force has been deployed to helpwith evacuations, including that of 44 passengers of a busstuck on a flooded highway near Amreli town, the govern-ment’s statement said. In photos released by the defenseministry, families were shown huddling on rooftops of flood-ed homes awaiting rescue, along with washed out train tracksand roads.

India’s weather bureau has forecast more heavy rain inGujarat for the next two days. As the monsoon sweeps acrossthe country, flood warnings have also been issued in northernJammu and Kashmir state-hit by floods last year that claimedabout 300 lives. Waters were receding in northeastern Assamfollowing floods there last week. But more than 20,000 peoplewere still waiting to return home after moving to higherground after the rain hit, the Press Trust of India said. Nearly900 hectares (2,223 acres) of farm land was also still underwater in that state, the news agency added. The monsoon isvital for South Asia especially for crop production. Indiareceives nearly 80 percent of its annual rainfall between Juneto September period.— AFP

Pakistan morgues run out of space

Heat wave kills more than 1,000

NEW DELHI: The head of GreenpeaceIndia and a director have quit over thehandling of sexual harassment com-plaints and a rape allegation, the environ-mental campaign group said yesterday.Executive director Samit Aich and pro-gram director Divya Raghunandanresigned on Wednesday after an internalreview found the organization had failedto ensure a safe workplace for women.

Greenpeace said neither was directlyimplicated in the cases, one of whichdates back to 2012 when a femaleemployee filed a harassment complaintagainst a male colleague. GreenpeaceIndia said its “internal processes failedand we did not handle that complaintadequately”, prompting the victim toquit. It subsequently received two otherseparate sexual harassment complaintsagainst the same man. Earlier this monthGreenpeace said it had accepted the res-ignations of two men, one accused of

sexual harassment and the other of rape.Both were asked not to serve their noticeperiods.

None of the cases were reported tothe police. “Being the head of India oper-ations, Samit took responsibility andoffered to step down,” Biswajit Mohanty,a Greenpeace India board member said.“There was a lot of evidence to show thatnot enough was done in terms of takingaction against the men or in terms ofhelping the complainants,” he said.Greenpeace, which has been in India for14 years, is already embroiled in legalbattles with the federal government overits funding and faces the possible closureof its local operations. It said it only foundout about the alleged rape when the vic-tim placed an account on Facebook say-ing she was attacked at her house after aparty in 2013. Mohanty said an independ-ent review was under way and could beconcluded in two weeks. — AFP

Greenpeace directors resignafter sex harassment claims

US presidentialcandidate triggers

a Twitter stormNEW DELHI: Louisiana Governor and US presidentialcandidate Bobby Jindal caused a Twitter storm ofjokes and insults in India yesterday after he said hedislikes being called an Indian-American. RepublicanJindal is the first person of Indian origin to join the USpresidential race. During his campaign launch onWednesday, Jindal said he was “done with” descrip-tions that identified Americans by their origin, ethnici-ty or wealth.

“We are not Indian-Americans, African-Americans,Irish-Americans, rich Americans, or poor Americans.We are all Americans,” the two-term governor said toloud cheers at the event in a suburb of New Orleans.The comment, however, was interpreted by somepeople on Twitter as an attempt to distance himselffrom India. The hashtag #BobbyJindalIsSoWhiterecorded more than 6,400 tweets and was amongIndia’s top trending topics yesterday.“#BobbyJindalIsSoWhite teacher used to use him as achalk on board,” said one Twitter user named aindrila.Another user, Yusuf B, said: “#BobbyJindalIsSoWhitethat we only see the outline of his body when hestands in front of a white wall.”

Jindal’s office could not be reached out of businesshours yesterday. Some people also came out inJindal’s support. “Strange, he is being ridiculed for hisassertion of his Americanship,” Twitter user Rajivwrote. Jindal, who converted from Hinduism toChristianity as a teenager, is popular with social con-servatives and evangelical Christians. But he hasstruggled recently with a fiscal crisis in his state. Hefrequently ranks near the bottom end of opinion pollsof Republicans seeking the party’s nomination in the2016 election. In January, Jindal made similar remarksand said his parents moved to America to beAmericans. “If we wanted to be Indians, we wouldhave stayed in India,” Jindal said. — Reuters


MYANMAR: National League for Democracy (NLD) chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi registers before attending a Unionparliament session yesterday. — AFP

NAYPYITAW: A move to amend Myanmar’s constitution toremove the military’s legislative veto on key decisions fell shortof the required 75 percent support in parliament yesterday, pre-serving the armed forces’ powerful political role in the Asiannation. The result was no surprise given that a quarter of theseats in the house are, by law, held by the military, which ruledMyanmar for half a century until 2011. The proposal aimed totrim the share of house votes needed to amend the constitu-tion to 70 percent.

Another vote on a clause that effectively bars Nobel laureateAung San Suu Kyi from becoming president also failed. Themotion voted on would have only partially amended that arti-cle, however, meaning the 70-year-old democracy icon wouldstill have been ineligible had it been passed. Suu Kyi, whoseNational League for Democracy (NLD) won the last free electionby a landslide in 1990 - a result ignored by the junta - cannotbecome president because her two children are British citizens,as was her late husband.

The NLD suffered persecution under the former junta andsays the military’s ability to shoot down changes to the consti-tution puts a limit on democratic reforms in Myanmar, where ageneral election is expected in November. Critics see it as anenshrined safeguard to protect the armed forces’ sizeable eco-nomic and political interests. Suu Kyi said the outcome was ofno surprise and it was “obvious” the military would not supportamendments. The vote, she said, showed the electorate whichforces in politics were for or against progress in Myanmar.

Resistance to change“Today’s failure to amend the constitution doesn’t mean

that the future of the country becomes hopeless,” she told anews conference. “Just because there are people who neglect

what the people wish for, it doesn’t mean we will stop trying.“People realize now for whom to vote in the election and whichpeople want change.” Just one of the proposed changes put upfor voting was accepted, a minor tweak to the wording of aclause that requires a presidential candidate to be “well-acquainted” with various affairs, removing the word “military”and replacing it with “defense”. Any approved changes requireendorsement in a public referendum.

The NLD’s attempts to change the constitution prior to theelection have met with resistance from the military and the rul-ing Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which hasformer officers and businessmen with ties to the army amongits ranks. Suu Kyi took a swipe at the USDP for agreeing todebate only minor amendments and said military lawmakersvoting as a bloc was understandable because of their allegianceto armed forces supremo, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. SuuKyi has taken a more conciliatory tone towards the militarysince becoming a lawmaker but spoke out against Min AungHlaing, the protege of former ruler Than Shwe, for wieldinginfluence over parliament.

“He’s not elected by the people, so why does he have theright to decide whether the constitution will be amended ornot?” she said. Military lawmakers gave a series of speeches dur-ing the debate, which began on Tuesday, defending the contin-ued political role of the armed forces and arguing thatMyanmar’s transition to democracy was still fragile and neededto be protected. The NLD, which has a history of boycottingwhat it saw as flawed political processes inspired by the formermilitary dictatorship, has yet to confirm whether or not it willrun in the election. Suu Kyi said the decision did not ride on theamendment vote and the party needed “to consider otherproblems too.” — Reuters

Myanmar military retains veto

after constitution change vote fails

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday he was not afraid of thepress, days before the government is to hold ameeting to teach journalists how to ask questionsthat won’t offend him. Gaffe-prone Prayuth hashad a love-hate relationship with the media dur-ing the year since he seized power, at one pointsaying he would probably “just execute” journal-ists that “did not report the truth”. His office latersaid the comment was made in jest.Affectionately called ‘Uncle Prayuth’ by his admir-ers, he has overseen a period of relative stabilitybut has been criticized by rights groups for using

heavy-handed handed tactics against detractors.Prayuth said he has never tried to censor the

media. “I’m not afraid of the press but I ask forfairness because I have never told the press notto speak or write anything. I am friendly with themedia,” Prayuth told reporters. “I do not havecontrol over the media, nor do they have powerover me.” Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for thejunta, or National Council for Peace and Order,said the government would hold a meeting nextweek for 200 local and foreign journalists to “cre-ate understanding” and teach them how to askquestions that will not offend Prayuth.

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailandin a message to members of the foreign press thisweek said it had been alerted to reports of jour-nalists encountering difficulties when trying tostart, renew or change their media accreditation.Winthai said there was no policy to stop foreignjournalists from renewing their visas or applyingto work in Thailand. “Absolutely not. There is nopolicy to stop foreign journalists from working inthe kingdom,” he said. Prayuth toppled the gov-ernment of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra ina May 2014 coup, putting an end to months ofstreet demonstrations. — Reuters

Thailand to teach journalists how to ask inoffensive questions

HONG KONG: Concern is mounting among some scientiststhat China’s reclamation work in the disputed Spratly archipela-go of the South China Sea has done severe harm to one of themost important coral reef systems in Southeast Asia. China’s useof dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands on sevenreefs had also damaged reef systems beyond the outposts,meaning the affected area could be greater than first thought,several scientists who have studied satellite images of theSpratlys said.

Those concerns contrast with repeated official Chinesestatements that Beijing is committed to protecting reefs andthe broader marine environment in the South China Sea inkeeping with its obligations under United Nations conventions.John McManus, a prominent University of Miami marine biolo-gist who has worked with Philippine scientists to research theSouth China Sea, told fellow experts this month that China’sreclamation “constitutes the most rapid rate of permanent lossof coral reef area in human history”.

Beyond the outposts, a wider area of reef had beendestroyed by the dredging of sand from lagoons for use on thenew islands and the dredging of shipping channels to accessthem, he wrote in an online oceanographic forum operated bythe US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, afederal agency. Reached by Reuters on Wednesday, McManusurged claimants to put aside their disputes and create a marine“peace park” to preserve what was left. “I can’t help but use thephrase overused for forestry ... they’ve paved paradise,” he said.Most foreign criticism of China over its new islands has focusedon the spike in tensions their creation has caused or the possi-ble impact on freedom of navigation, especially since Beijinghas said the outposts will have undefined military purposes.

Only the Philippines has publicly accused China of causingecological damage. On Monday, Manila said China’s reclama-tion had caused annual economic losses of $281 million toregional coastal nations. Asked to respond to the scientists’ con-cerns, China’s Foreign Ministry referred Reuters to a statementlast week from the State Oceanic Administration, the maritimeregulator, which said numerous environmental protectionmeasures were in place. “Impact on coral reef ecology is local-ized, temporary, controllable and restorable,” the agency said. Itdid not respond to a request for further comment.

Biologically diverseChinese dredgers in the Spratlys have reclaimed some 2,000

acres, or 8 square km, of land since reclamation began in late2013, US officials say. Other claimants, particularly Vietnam,have reclaimed land to support existing outposts or extendpiers and runways but on a much smaller scale. The remainingclaimants to the Spratlys waters are the Philippines, Malaysia,Taiwan and Brunei. While the Spratly reefs are relatively smallcompared to major global reef systems, they are consideredbiologically diverse and could help propagate threatenedcoastal reefs with coral larvae and fish, scientists said.

They are also home to endangered sea creatures includinggiant clams, dugongs and several species of turtle. In a study inApril for Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of InternationalStudies, marine science and law expert Youna Lyons found thatbeyond the seven reefs, other unoccupied shallow features hadbeen dredged to provide building material for the nearby recla-mations. “Coral reefs that have been left untouched for cen-turies by virtue of their isolation are now gone,” Lyons wroteafter research that included surveys of high-resolution satellitephotographs. — Reuters

Scientists alarmed

over China building

in disputed sea

A vendor sells candy floss on Al-Moez Street in theIslamic quarter of Cairo during the Muslim holyfasting month of Ramadan. —AFP

www.kuwaittimes.net

FR

IDA

Y, J

UN

E 2

6, 2

015

Houston’scomatosedaughter Kristinamoved tohospice

Page 21

L i f e s t y l eFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

In a digital world that is destroying the val-ue of recorded music, the most analoguepart of the industry - playing live to thou-

sands in a muddy field - is more popular, andmore lucrative, than ever. Glastonbury,Britain’s biggest green field festival and heldon a dairy farm in south-west England, sold135,000 tickets priced at 225 pounds ($350) ina record 26 minutes in October, monthsbefore any of the main acts were announced.

US rapper, songwriter and producer KanyeWest tops the bill on Saturday, a choice thatgenerated familiar howls of outrage fromsome who said who say he does not fit thefestival’s rock ethos. But it is a calculated riskthat will l ikely pay off, both in keepingGlastonbury relevant and winning West newfans. And there are plenty of alternatives,including Deadmaus, Jon Hopkins and for1990s indie holdouts, Suede - all performingat the same time as West.

Music industry analyst Mark Mulligan atMIDiA Research said the growth trajectory inlive music was almost the mirror opposite ofthe decline in recordings. “Live remains ascarce experience; you can only get the expe-rience of being there by being there,” he said.“Whereas a music track is available acrosslegal and illegal platforms for free.” Live musicin Britain was worth 789 million pounds in2013, up 28 percent on the year before -skewed by the London Olympics occupyingvenues in 2012 - whereas the value of record-ed music fell 3 percent to 618 million, accord-ing to industry body UK Music.

Mulligan said big established artists, suchas Sunday night headliner The Who, now sawtouring as being the end game. “A couple ofartist managers I’ve been speaking to say for a

big superstar artists on their books, theyexpect music sales to be maybe about 10 per-cent of their income,” he said. The presence ofbig names rubs off on smaller acts, who canwin new fans and use the Glastonbury billingon social media.

Different levelSeafret, a hotly tipped acoustic duo from

the seaside town of Bridlington in northernEngland, who have released a couple of EPs,are playing Glastonbury for the first time. “Forus, going there is incredible, but being able togo there and play is on a different level,” gui-tarist Harry Draper said. “We are so excited,we’ve been looking forward to it for a longtime.” Chris Carey, chief executive of MediaInsight Consulting, said with platforms includ-ing Spotify, iTunes and YouTube offering anunlimited array of music, being chosen toplay a festival bestowed credibility.

“Playing even a small stage at Glastonburyhas huge value because you can say: ‘I playedGlastonbury’,” he said. “It adds to that artist’sstory, which is hugely valuable from a market-ing point of view.” The change in the waypeople consume music - listening to an ever-changing selection of tracks on streamingservices such as Spotify - also means youngerfans were much less wedded to genres thanprevious generations. “We are in the age ofthe playlist, and what is Glastonbury apartfrom a playlist of live music,” said Mulligan.The main stages at Glastonbury run fromFriday to Sunday. — Reuters

Revelers wearing illuminating outlines make their way through the ‘Block 9’ area of theGlastonbury Festival.

Revelers watch the Arcadia pyrotechnic show at the Glastonbury Festival.

From rap to rock, Glastonbury offers live playlist in digital age

A combination of pictures taken and created on June 25, 2015 shows revelers attending theGlastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Piltonin Somerset, South West England, yesterday. — AFP

An epic battle movie likened to American blockbuster“300” is set to become India’s most expensive film ever,but it’s a lesser-known industry, not Bollywood, that will

smash the record. The two-part “Baahubali”, costing still a frac-tion of the cost of Hollywood blockbusters, is being made inthe Telugu and Tamil languages for the so-called “Tollywood”and “Kollywood” markets respectively. Its release shines a wel-come spotlight on southern India’s lesser-known film indus-tries, which are often overshadowed by the glitz and glamourof the country’s internationally-bankable Hindi-languageBollywood films.

Director SS Rajamouli said the movie, which eager cinema-goers are also comparing to “Hercules”, will break the previousbig-budget Indian film by a whopping $17 million. “There arestill over a hundred days of shooting left, followed by post-

production for the second part. The budget will definitely beover 250 crore rupees ($40 million) for both parts,” Rajamoulisaid. “Baahubali”, literally meaning “The One With StrongArms” in English, is laden with special effects and tells the fic-tional story of two warring brothers battling for control of anancient Indian kingdom.

The opening part of the ambitious spectacle, “Baahubali -The Beginning”, is due for release in India on July 10, with thefinal instalment scheduled to hit screens next year. Indian cin-ema produces films in 39 languages and dialects. Last year,216 Hindi or Bollywood movies were released, fewer than the287 in Tamil and 255 Telugu-language films. Bollywood-cen-tred round the western city of Mumbai-is India’s biggest-grossing movie industry, accounting for $565 million in boxoffice revenues in 2013 according to Deloitte. —AFP

‘Tollywood’ epic to be most expensive Indian film ever

In this photograph taken on June 1, 2015, Indian Bollywood actressesAnushka Shetty (left) and Tamannaah Bhatia (second left) pose with writerand director SS Rajamouli (center) and actors Prabhas (second left) and RanaDaggubati (left) as they attend the trailer launch of their forthcoming film“Baahubali”, written and directed by Rajamouli, in Mumbai. — AFP


The family of Whitney Houston’s daughterBobbi Kristina Brown said Wednesday theywere moving her to a terminal care facility,

as she showed few signs of recovering from amonths-long coma. The 22-year-old was foundface down and unresponsive in her bathtub inher Atlanta, Georgia home on January 31. Shewas revived by emergency crews but lost signifi-cant brain function. “Despite the great medicalcare at numerous facilities, (her) condition hascontinued to deteriorate,” Brown’s aunt, PatHouston, said in a statement.

“As of today, she has been moved into hos-pice care. We thank everyone for their supportand prayers. She is in God’s hands now.”Brown’s accident drew eerie parallels with the

death of her mother, who was found face downin a bathtub in a Los Angeles hotel on February11, 2012, on the eve of the Grammy Awards. Afinal coroner’s report said Houston may haveoverdosed on drugs and alcohol before drown-ing. — AFP

Houston’s comatose daughter Kristina moved to hospice

File photo shows, singerWhitney Houston, left, and

daughter Bobbi KristinaBrown arrive at an event in

Beverly Hills, Calif. — AP

Year after tour, Beyonce back for husband’s festival

Beyonce will play her first full show in a year as the pop superstarheadlines a festival in Philadelphia founded by her husband,rap mogul Jay-Z. R&B singer The Weeknd and alternative rock

bands Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse will also play theBudweiser Made in America festival on September 5-6. Jay-Z foundedthe festival in 2012 with the support of Budweiser-the popularAmerican beer whose parent company is now Belgian-and last yearexpanded to a second venue in Los Angeles on the same weekend.

The festival this year reverts to one location in Philadelphia, withpart of the proceeds to go to United Ways charities in and around thefifth-most populous US city. Beyonce played the festival in 2013 dur-ing a 132-date world tour. She went on a more selective tour last yearwith Jay-Z, which closed in Paris on September 13. She has sinceplayed short performances, including at the Grammys and at theStellar Awards for Gospel music, where she reunited her former bandDestiny’s Child. — AFP

Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy - still riding the waveof success of his double platinum single, “Riptide” - hastwo things working in his favor these days. First, he pens

very catchy songs with heartfelt lyrics. Second, and perhaps moreimportantly, he gets to perform them before millions of TaylorSwift fans as the opening act for the pop juggernaut on tour.That’s a built-in audience not all artists have access to, and Joyappreciates the opportunity. “I played a couple of arenas in thelast two nights. It’s amazing how intimate those rooms can feelwhen the lights go out,” Joy, 27, said in a recent interview. “I’vehad a very good run. I was lucky enough to get to perform to hercrowd, who are super welcoming and warm.”

Stepping out onstage to a sea of Swifties can be daunting, butJoy is adjusting and now welcomes the jolt he gets when he hitsstages much larger than he was previously accustomed to. “Youget this charge of energy, of electricity,” said Joy, who will tourwith Swift internationally through December. He’s also made anew friend in Swift: “I definitely consider her a friend. She’s love-ly.” Joy has been climbing into consciousness thanks to the popu-larity of “Riptide,” a Top 40 hit in the United States and thelongest-running song in the history of the Australian RecordingIndustry Association chart, recently besting Lady Gaga’s 106-week record with “Poker Face.”

The breakthrough song won the grand prize at the 2015International Songwriting Competition, he has played at theCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, watched Swift cover“Riptide” and in return Joy covered Swift’s “I Know Places.” Joyreleased his debut album, “Dream Your Life Away,” last year, andhe recorded some of it in a tree house at the studio of RyanHadlock, best known for his work with the Lumineers (“Ho Hey”).

“The actual tree house was designed as a space to record in.There’s a computer and it’s wired for recording. It just happens tobe really cozy,” Joy said. “There’s a bed in there and a couple ofchairs.”— AP

Joy builds US momentum

while opening for Swift

Sweet, Baby James! Singer-songwriter heroJames Taylor has scored his first No 1 on theUS album chart with “Before This World”

after nearly half of a century in the music busi-ness. Taylor’s latest effort moved 97,000 copies inthe week ending June 21, according to data fromNielsen Music. In the 45 years since Taylor’sbreakout record-”Sweet Baby James” wasreleased in March of 1970 11 of Taylor’s albumshave made it into the top 10 without ever mak-ing it to first place. According to Billboard, theonly artist to achieve a No 1 later into his careerthan Taylor is Tony Bennett, whose “Duets II”claimed the top spot in 2011, a mere 54 yearsafter the 1957 debut of “Tony.”

Taylor’s milestone is a win for aging musi-cians. His album debuted in the same frame asnew releases from three young solo artists-Adam

Lambert, Hilary Duff and Nate Ruess, all underage 35 — and left them all in the dust. AdamLambert’s “Original High” moved 47,000 units,good for a third-place finish. The former“American Idol” contestant has enjoyed some-thing of a resurgence with the success of thealbum’s lead single, “Ghost Town.” Hilary Duff’s“Breathe in Breathe Out” finished at No. 5, mov-ing 39,000 units. Duff’s latest cuts offer a maturetake on the pop territory she famously exploredon 2003’s “Metamorphosis,” which reached No1.

Holding steadyThe fourth new release of the week came

from former fun. frontman Nate Ruess. Thesinger’s “Grand Romantic,” his solo debut, fin-ished at No7, having moved 31,000 units. Thecomparisons to Ruess’ former bandmate Jack

Antonoff and his “Bleachers” (which debuted atNo 11 last year) are inevitable. Apparently the top10 can accommodate more than one Taylor.Taylor Swift-who, according to Swifty legend,was named after James Taylor-finished at No 2for the fifth week running. Sales for Swift’s “1989”were down 11% with 57,000 units moved. EdSheeran’s “X” finished in fourth place, demon-strating remarkable staying power-the albumdropped more than a year ago on June 20, 2014.Thanks to a well-publicized hosting stint at theMuch Music Video Awards, Sheeran’s sales wereup 17%, with “X” moving 39,000 units. Countryartist Sam Hunt’s “Montevallo” continues its slowclimb up the chart, this time finishing at No 6with 32,000 units moved.—Reuters

Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy poses for a portrait inNew York. — AP

Taylor finally hits No1 on US album chart

Beyonce performs at ‘Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life- An All-Star Grammy Salute,’ at the Nokia Theatre LA Live inLos Angeles. — AP


As the fashion spotlight moved on from Milan - thingsheated up in Paris menswear, but mainly due to thesweltering weather that left celebrity guests uncomfort-

able on the front rows. Among them were singer Joe Jonasand former One Direction star Zayn Malik. Here are the high-lights from Wednesday’s shows, including Valentino, RafSimons and Lemaire:

Valentino mixes couture with jeansIt was “a multicultural style concept” for Valentino who

based its show on the experiences of a world traveler. Theresult was an eclectic mix up of couture with jeans, Hawaiian

shirts, military and sailor looks, traveler’s sandals and sneakers.At times, it worked with panache. The soundtrack inside thestoried manor house Hotel Rothschild was Nirvana’s “SmellsLike Teen Spirit” anachronistically set to orchestral strings. Andthe contradictions continued in the clothes. A red brown jack-et with studs on the seams glittered ‘70s, nearby a LatinAmerican poncho style and a series of enviable black coatswith multicolored ethnic motifs that showed off the unbeat-able craftsmanship of the Valentino ateliers.

Sweltering celebrities include Joe Jonas and Zayn MalikParis is not famed for its use of air conditioning - and

Wednesday confirmed this reputation as temperatures hit 27degrees Celsius (80.6 Fahrenheit). Security guards were rushedinto the Valentino show as guests - including Jonas and for-mer One Direction star Zayn Malik - sweltered inside the con-servatory windows. The large French windows were thrownopen to reveal an exotic garden, and save the VIPs, some ofwhom were desperately fanning themselves with their showinvitations. Rather fittingly Malik sported a new summery,bleached blond hair style. At Lemaire, it was not much better.Guests might have to wait for Thursday morning’s IsseyMiyake show before cooling down - the house has handed outfashion ice-packs in previous seasons.

Menswear fashion week kicks off in Paris amid heat

Models present creations by Italian designer Valentino during the men’s Spring Summer collection fashion show in Paris. — AFP photos


Raf Simons shrinks and explodesThere’s always a playful element with “intellectual” Belgian

designer Raf Simons. In Wednesday’s great, ever-inventiveshow it came in the concept of shrinking clothes, and thenblowing them up. Super-shrunk color-rich sweaters - oftenwith several layers - looked they’d been put on the wrongmachine cycle - some even exposing a midriff. (If it’s fashion-able these days for girls, then why not for boys?) Coats instatement green and yellow, were then exaggeratedly over-size with the sleeves blown up too long. Then there were thegargantuan bags, sometimes in bright color, that looked likethey had been stolen by Jack and the Beanstalk. The huge bagchain strap that dragged funkily by the model’s feet.

Lemaire’s Asian-infused softnessChristophe Lemaire channeled soft, unstructured looks that

have dappled the Milan catwalks in a saleable spring-summercollection. The softness came in broad, flat jackets with zippersopening at the bottom, long neat apron-like coats, and loosehigh-waisted pajama-style pants. Gentle, too, was the softpalette of navy, ochre, blue gray, pale yellow and buttermilk -nicely riffing of the pared-down white decor. A touch of play-fulness was to be found in the monochrome shoes, with anemphasized toe. Again, for the designer so popular in Asia -there were speckling of Asian works wear influences, andround Asian collars.-AP

Models present creations by Belgian designer Raf†Simons.

26 FRIDAYJUNE, 2015

Delicious Ramadan desserts

An Iftar meal will not be complete without irresistible Ramadan desserts. Discover this collection with new and easyrecipes for a variety of oriental desserts or occidental desserts. This Ramadan, give a new and sweet taste to breakingyour fast.

Mou

hala

bieh

Ingredients 5 cups milk3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 cup milk1/2 cup sugar1 teaspoon vanilla sugar1 tablespoon rosewater1 tablespoon orange blossom water

For garnishing1 cup raw ground pistachios

PreparationIn a non-stick or stainless steel pot, put the milk, the dissolved cornstarch

and vanilla sugar together. Place the pot on medium heat and stir untilthe mixture starts boiling. Reduce the heat, add the sugar and continuestirring for 10 more min. Turn off the heat then add the rose water andorange blossom water. Pour the mouhalabieh in serving bowls. Allowthem to cool at room temperature for about 30 min then refrigerate forseveral hours. Garnish with raw ground pistachios and serve cold.

26 FRIDAYJUNE, 2015

Ingredients1 1/2 cups flour1 cup fine semolina, ferkha flour1/2 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 tablespoon aniseed powder1/4 teaspoon mahlab, if available1/3 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup water1 pinch of salt6 cups Vegetable oil for frying

For the sugar syrup2 1/2 cups sugar1 1/2 cups water1 teaspoon lemon juice1 teaspoon orange blossom water1 teaspoon rose water

Preparation In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except the water. Gradually addthe water while kneading until you get a firm dough. Add more water if needed.Leave to rest for 30 min. To prepare the sugar syrup, put the sugar and water in asmall saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Leaveto boil then add the lemon juice and keep on medium heat for 10 min until thesyrup thickens. Add the orange blossom water and rose water. Remove from heatand transfer to a large bowl. To make the maakroun, split the dough into smallwalnut-sized balls. Roll each ball into a finger-like shape. Press each finger pieceon the surface of a patterned kitchen tool like a cheese grater or a strainer toimprint a pattern on the dough. Roll down the dough with your fingers whileslightly exerting pressure against the patterned tool. Keep the dough rolled with-out sealing the edges. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Deep-fry themaakroun in vegetable oil until golden in color. Drain well and drop them in thesugar syrup bowl. Toss them in the syrup for at least 1 min. Remove them fromthe sugar syrup. Serve warm or cold.

Maakaroun

Ingredients3 1/4 cup flour300 g butter3/4 cup sugar1 teaspoon ground cardamom1/3 cup almonds, halves1/2 teaspoon salt

PreparationPreheat oven to 35º F. In a bowl soften the butter. Add in the sugar and mixuntil well blended. Slowly mix in the flour, cardamom and salt and kneadinto a dough. Divide the dough into small equal balls and form them intoflat circular cookies. Put an almond half on top of each cookie. Bake them ina greased baking pan for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool beforestoring in an airtight container.

Cru

nchy

Car

dam

om C

ooki

es

Ingredients For the dumplings2 1/2 cups flour2 1/2 cups yogurt1 teaspoon baking soda5 cups vegetable oil for frying

For the sugar syrup4 cups sugar3 cups water1 teaspoon orange blossom water1 teaspoon rose water1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation To prepare the sugar syrup: put the sugar andwater in a small saucepan and place overmedium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.Leave to boil then add the lemon juice and

keep on medium heat for 10 min until thesyrup thickens. Add the orange blossomwater and rose water. Remove from heat andpour the syrup in a large bowl. To prepare thedumplings: In a bowl, mix together the flour,the yogurt and the baking soda. Heat the veg-etable oil in a frying pan. Make round moundsof dough with a teaspoon and drop them inthe hot oil. Drop more or less dough balls atthe same time depending on the size of yourfrying pan. Toss them until they becomegolden brown on all sides. Remove from thehot oil and drain them in a strainer. Oncedrained dip them in the sugar syrup, toss for 2min and remove. They are best served hot tofully enjoy their crunchiness but can also beconsumed at room temperature.

Awwamat

26 FRIDAYJUNE, 2015

Entertainment

5 reasons

you should

watch

HBO’s

In many respects, True Detective covers the samehallowed ground that police dramas have treadedfor years. Put two mismatched partners together

and let the verbal (and sometimes physical) fists flyas they try to solve crimes. Thankfully, the similarities

to other shows end there, and viewers have quicklyrealized that True Detective is one of the mostimpressive dramas to debut in years. MatthewMcConaughey and Woody Harrelson star as Rustin“Rust” Cohl and Martin “Marty” Hart, two former

detectives who are being questioned in 2012 aboutan investigation in 1995. Here are 5 reasons youshould be watching True Detective.

1. The Focus on the DetectivesMost police dramas quickly introduce their cast before proceeding through case

after case of dead bodies, robberies and other crimes. True Detective is different. Wespend more time watching Marty act like an idiot to his family than we do poring overcrime scene evidence and interrogating witnesses. Because of the multiple time frames,we’re allowed a glimpse into how Rust and Marty change over time.

Rust begins as a grim, dead-eyed nihilist and ends up as an alcoholic, dead-eyednihilist with an even less rosy outlook on life. Part of that may have to do with his per-sonality, but scene after scene in True Detective depicts Rust becoming increasingly dis-connected from “normal” society and unwilling to compromise his personal integrity.Marty’s changes are more external than Rust’s. Marty describes himself as a “bad man”and increases the frequency of his lies and violence over the course of the years.

2. Matthew McConaugheyWith all due respect to the excellent work done by Woody Harrelson, True Detective

wouldn’t be the same without Matthew McConaughey. His performance as Rustin “Rust”Cohle is dark, mesmerizing and a complete departure from his previous roles. Betweenspouting Nietzschean philosophy and blankly espousing advice such as “if you get theopportunity you should kill yourself,” to newly confessed murderers, Rust’s cold andassured outlook on life is enthralling to watch.

He may be obsessed with his job and more than a little odd, but we’ve come torespect the man for his complete unwillingness to pander to society’s norms. He knowsexactly who he is and is comfortable living in a world where he’s seen as an outcast.

26 FRIDAYJUNE, 2015

4. Heavy Philosophical Discussions

The entire season has been a tug-of-war between the kinds of (grim) philosophicaldiscussions that are not usually seen on television. Rust’s cold logical realism and deepaversion to religion may be truly off-putting for some viewers. “We are creatures thatshould not exist by natural law,” he explains to Marty in the first episode. “I think thehonorable thing for our species to do is deny our programming, stop reproducing, walkhand in hand into extinction, one last midnight, brothers and sisters opting out of a rawdeal.”

Whoa. So the only truly moral character in the series is proposing mankind commitmass suicide?!? Marty’s viewpoints are more traditional, but viewers are forced to watch- time and time again - his moralistic lapses: infidelity, violence, hostility and untruthful-ness. So what does this mean? Should audiences support the honesty of a man whobelieves life is nothing but a circular trap, or the traditional views from a man whopreaches morality more than he personally practices it?

5. Weird theoriesNot since Twin Peaks has a show inspired such an investigative fervor in its audience.

After a handful of references to a “Yellow King,” sales of the real-life short story collec-tion The King in Yellow blew up on Amazon.com. The King in Yellow is the title of a fic-tional play within the short stories and causes its readers to fall into despair and insanity.Is it just an obscure literary connection, or is it something more deeply connected to thestory?

One theory that’s been gaining traction as the season progresses is about the singu-lar nature of the title - True Detective - not True Detectives. Does this mean only onedetective is actually “true”? We’ve learned Rust is being investigated in connection withthe murders, but we also see him completing his own inquiry - or is it all just a big cover-up? Marty has a propensity to lose control and commit violence, but is he really coveringup something much bigger? (www.thevibe.com)

True Detective has the unusual challenge of buildingthe story through multiple time frames - 1995, 2002 and2012 - and only using eight episodes to do it. Each self-contained season will feature an entirely new cast andstoryline; though, it is unclear if upcoming seasons willbe jumping around in time with the same kind of fre-

quency.We get to see people change and grow up rapidly; in

1995, Marty’s older daughter is a reserved young childdrawing odd pictures, but by the time 2002 comesaround she has bloomed into a full-on chronically mis-judged Goth teenager. An energetic minister inter-

viewed by Rust and Marty in 1995 becomes a woebegotten drunk in 2002. Pressed for time, TrueDetective has been sprinting for the finish line since thefirst episode, and the suspense has only ratcheted up inrecent episodes.

3 Its unusual story structure

29T r a v e lFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Abu Dhabi’s humble roots are difficult to unearth.Following its oil boom, the city has become a play-ground for the Gulf’s rich and famous. But beyond the

domino-like deluxe hotels and futuristic shopping mallsstraight from Star Trek, it retains seductive charms and atreasure trove of archaic spice souks, traditional dhows, datepalm gardens and the odd thirsty camel. From this perspec-tive, it’s easy to picture the great Arabian scholars and story-book heroes making their home here once more.

So what do the locals do to pass the time? Depending onthe season and time of day - remember cold nights, sand-storms and summer temperatures of 48 Celsius 480C (1180F)are not uncommon here - you could be dune bashing in thedesert, taking a boat trip along the coast or rugging up underthe Gulf’s burnishing stars. This is a place that requiresoptions for all times of the day.

Early morningThe best way to get to grips with Abu Dhabi is to do as the

locals do. Begin the day with a steaming cup of kahwa(strong Arabic coffee) and head to the restored Al BateenShipyard (Al Bateen Island, next to the IntercontinentalHotel), one of the oldest inhabited areas of the city. In thecompany of gnarled Sinbad the Sailor seadogs, you can learnabout the city’s maritime heritage, which has been forged bydhow sailing boats, offshore pearl harvesting and fishing. Ifthe ocean breezes beckon, you can charter your own boat toskirt the city’s outer limits in style.

Late morningAfter checking out the historic Qasr Al-Husn fort, drop by

one of Abu Dhabi’s best contemporary art galleries - takeyour pick from Gallery One at the Emirates Palace or the GhafArt Gallery. Alternatively, visit the Al Ain camel market, a driveto the south, where frenzied breeders and buyers haggleover prized animals like the region’s nomadic shepherds

A local’s guide to A local’s guide to

30T r a v e lFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

have done for centuries.Come in winter - the best time to visit as the temperature

hovers in the mid-20s - and you may find the locals practicingmore modern pursuits on one of Abu Dhabi’s out-lyingislands. Sporting legend Gary Player has opened a signaturegolf course on Saadiyat Island, while the arrival of the YasMarina Grand Prix circuit on nearby Yas Island has opened upthe city to go kart racing and a calendar of motorsports.

Late afternoonBefore the sun dips below the horizon like a ripe orange,

Abu Dhabi’s souks become chaotic, bustling beehives - theperfect place to buy a pearl necklace, aromatic pinch of frank-incense or kitsch mosque alarm clock. Better still, practiceyour haggling and pick up a pair of curly-toed Persian slippersfor that difficult aunt.

EveningBuilt on the edge of the Rub’ Al Khali - one of the world’s

great desert seas - Abu Dhabi is prime territory for dune bash-ing and 4x4 off road safaris. Once more accustomed to thelikes of Lawrence of Arabia and great British explorer SirWilfred Thesiger, the rolling carpet of sand is perfect for allmanner of family adventures. Ever the entrepreneurs, theEmiratis will give you the chance to ride a camel, get to gripswith falconry, or even try sand skiing. Don’t miss the chanceto dine under the stars either, especially in the cooler wintermonths, as plenty of tour companies offer sun-downer driveand dine trips into the dunes.

Into the nightThe best way to mingle with the Emirates’ increasingly

young and funky population of locals and ex-pats is to enjoya night of hookah at one of numerous hotel bars or sheeshacafes - preferably in an imitation Bedouin tent. Slide yourselfonto a divan couch and tuck into a wide variety of MiddleEastern dishes including hummus, moutabel, fatoush andubiquitous sweet local dates. Be warned though: after social-ising for what may seem like 1001 nights, getting up will beharder than you at first thought. (www.lonelyplanet.com)

L e i s u r eFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

ACROSS1. Country of southeastern Asia that extends southward along the isth-

mus of Kra to the Malay peninsula.5. Curved in two directions (like the letter S).12. An honorary degree in science.15. Tropical starchy tuberous root.16. Fit or ready for use or service.17. (in golf) The standard number of strokes set for each hole on a golf

course, or for the entire course.18. A raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip).19. Club consisting of a heavy stick (often bamboo) bound with iron.20. Very large red gum tree.22. A republic in southwestern Africa on the south Atlantic coast (for-

merly called South West Africa).24. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen

series).25. Of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive n 1.26. A high-kicking dance of French origin performed by a female cho-

rus line.29. Cut the head of.32. A resource.33. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).34. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.40. Armor plate that protects the chest.42. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.43. Greenbottle flies.44. Marked by features of the immediate and usually discounted past.46. (Babylonian) God of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes

and schools.47. Not final or absolute.48. A member of the Caddo people who formerly lived in the Dakotas

west of the Missouri river.50. (Scotland) A small loaf or roll of soft bread.53. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.54. (of drugs) Through the mouth rather than through injection.57. Covered with beads of liquid.59. A choice or delicious dish.62. The superior of a group of nuns.64. Surveying instrument consisting of the upper movable part of a

theodolite including the telescope and its attachments.67. Relating to or characteristic of the state or people of Alaska.72. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Nalfon) used in

C R O S S W O R D 9 4 5the treatment of arthritis and other painful inflammatory disorders.

75. A member of a seafaring group of North American Indians wholived on the Pacific coast of British Columbia and southwesternAlaska.

76. Mature female of mammals of which the male is called `buck'.77. Emit long loud cries.79. United States composer noted for his innovative use of polytonality

(1874-1954).80. One or some or every or all without specification.81. Type genus of the Siluridae.82. The goddess of the moon.

DOWN1. Fastened with stitches.2. The content of cognition.3. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christian mythology.4. Feeling a need to see others suffer.5. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Clinoril).6. (Old Testament) The second patriarch.7. Come into the possession of something concrete or abstract.8. United States naval officer and historian (1840-1914).9. A notice of someone's death.10. Being nine more than forty.11. In a murderous frenzy as if possessed by a demon.12. Small branch or division of a branch.13. Form by carving.14. A substance that promotes drying (e.g., calcium oxide absorbs

water and is used to remove moisture).21. In the Arabian Nights a boy who acquires a magic lamp from which

he can summon a genie.23. The cry made by sheep.27. Jordan's port.28. An island of central Hawaii (between Molokai and Kauai).30. Moth having nonfunctional mouthparts as adults.31. A republic in the West Indies on the western part of the island of

Hispaniola.35. Obvious and dull.36. A team of professional baseball players who play and travel togeth-

er.37. A Greek epic poem (attributed to Homer) describing the siege of

Troy.38. A long narrow passage (as in a cave or woods).39. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.41. Coming next after the first in position in space or time or degree or

magnitude.45. (Greek mythology) Founder of Troy.49. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute

amounts in uranium ores.51. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).52. (Judaism) A Jewish festival (traditionally 8 days) celebrating the

exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.55. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.56. A soft silvery metallic element.58. Attack someone physically or emotionally.60. An ancient city in Asia Minor that was the site of the Trojan War.61. United States choreographer noted for his use of African elements

(born in 1931).63. Of or relating to the African people who speak one of the Bantoid

languages or to their culture.65. Surrealist Spanish painter (1904-1989).66. The twelfth month of the civil year.68. A lake in the mountains of central Africa between Congo and

Rwanda.69. Chief port of Yemen.70. An independent agency of the United States government responsi-

ble for aviation and spaceflight.73. An acute febrile highly contagious viral disease.74. An implement used to propel or steer a boat.78. A radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding pluto-

nium with neutrons.

Yesterday’s SolutionYesterday’s Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

Daily SuDoku

WORD SEARCH PUZZLE

T V l i s t i n g sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

00:20 Masterchef: The Professionals01:15 Come Dine With Me01:40 Bargain Hunt02:35 Kirstie Allsopp’s Home Style03:20 Chefs: Put Your Menu WhereYour Mouth Is04:05 Bargain Hunt05:00 Homes Under The Hammer05:50 Bargain Hunt06:45 Come Dine With Me07:10 Fantasy Homes By The Sea07:55 Come Dine With Me08:20 Paul Hollywood’s Bread08:45 Tareq Taylor’s Nordic Cookery09:10 Come Dine With Me09:40 Fantasy Homes By The Sea10:25 New Scandinavian Cooking10:50 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking11:15 Masterchef: The Professionals12:10 Bargain Hunt13:05 Come Dine With Me13:30 Fantasy Homes By The Sea14:15 Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking14:40 New Scandinavian Cooking15:10 Paul Hollywood’s Bread15:35 Masterchef: The Professionals16:30 Masterchef: The Professionals16:55 Come Dine With Me17:20 Bargain Hunt18:15 Kirstie Allsopp’s Home Style19:00 Chefs: Put Your Menu WhereYour Mouth Is19:45 Come Dine With Me: SouthAfrica20:40 Masterchef: The Professionals21:35 Come Dine With Me22:00 Come Dine With Me22:25 Paul Hollywood’s Bread22:50 Kirstie Allsopp’s Home Style23:40 Chefs: Put Your Menu WhereYour Mouth Is

MILLION DOLLAR ARM ON OSN MOVIES HD

00:20 Fast N’ Loud01:10 King Of Thrones02:00 The Pool Master02:50 Tanked03:40 Storage Hunters04:05 Extreme Collectors04:30 Auction Kings05:00 How It’s Made05:30 How Do They Do It?06:00 Railroad Alaska06:50 Overhaulin’ 201207:40 Fast N’ Loud08:30 Storage Hunters08:55 Extreme Collectors09:20 Auction Kings09:45 How It’s Made10:10 How Do They Do It?10:35 King Of Thrones11:25 The Pool Master12:15 Tanked13:05 Storage Hunters13:30 Extreme Collectors13:55 Auction Kings14:20 Railroad Alaska15:10 Overhaulin’ 201216:00 Fast N’ Loud16:50 How It’s Made17:15 How Do They Do It?17:40 Bear Grylls: Breaking Point18:30 Fast N’ Loud19:20 Misfit Garage20:10 Extreme Collectors20:35 Auction Kings21:00 Fast N’ Loud21:50 Misfit Garage22:40 Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder23:30 World’s Scariest

Witch04:10 Wolfblood04:35 Wolfblood05:00 Violetta05:50 Mouk06:00 Lolirock06:25 Hank Zipzer06:50 Girl Meets World07:15 H2O: Just Add Water07:40 Jessie08:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place08:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place08:55 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch09:20 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch09:45 Austin & Ally10:10 Austin & Ally10:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place11:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place11:25 Jessie11:50 Jessie12:15 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch12:40 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch13:05 Good Luck Charlie13:30 Good Luck Charlie13:55 Dog With A Blog14:20 H2O: Just Add Water14:55 Lolirock15:20 Liv And Maddie15:45 Girl Meets World16:10 Jessie16:35 Austin & Ally17:00 Teen Beach 218:40 The Next Step19:05 H2O: Just Add Water19:30 Lolirock19:55 Hank Zipzer20:20 Binny And The Ghost20:45 H2O: Just Add Water21:10 Good Luck Charlie21:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place22:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place22:25 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch22:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch23:10 Wolfblood23:35 Wolfblood

00:10 The Jonathan Ross Show01:05 Tricked02:00 Emmerdale02:25 James Nesbitt’s Ireland02:55 Coronation Street03:25 Murdoch Mysteries04:20 Murdoch Mysteries05:15 Big Star’s Little Star06:10 Tricked07:05 Coronation Street07:30 Murdoch Mysteries08:25 Murdoch Mysteries09:20 Peter Andre’s 60 MinuteMakeover10:15 James Nesbitt’s Ireland10:40 The Jonathan Ross Show11:35 Paddock To Plate12:30 Big Star’s Little Star13:25 Emmerdale13:50 Emmerdale14:15 Coronation Street14:40 The Jonathan Ross Show15:35 Peter Andre’s 60 MinuteMakeover16:30 Who’s Doing The Dishes17:25 Black Work18:20 Big Star’s Little Star19:10 Coronation Street19:35 Peter Andre’s 60 MinuteMakeover20:30 Who’s Doing The Dishes21:25 Black Work22:20 Coronation Street22:50 Emmerdale23:15 Emmerdale23:45 Big Star’s Little Star

00:20 Ultimate Predators GPU01:10 Predator Battleground02:00 Death of A Sea Monster02:50 Monster Croc Hunt03:45 Built For The Kill 04:40 Built For The Kill05:35 Death of A Sea Monster06:30 Monster Croc Hunt07:25 Built For The Kill 08:20 Life on the Barrier Reef09:15 World’s Deadliest Animals10:10 Wild 2411:05 Hyena Queen12:00 Humpbacks: Cracking TheCode12:55 World’s Deadliest13:50 Man-Eater of The Congo14:45 Squid vs. Whale15:40 Life on the Barrier Reef16:35 Africa’s Blood River17:30 Wild 2418:25 Predator Battleground19:20 Squid vs. Whale20:10 Life on the Barrier Reef21:00 Africa’s Blood River21:50 Wild 2422:40 Predator Battleground23:30 Humpbacks: Cracking TheCode

19:00 Two And A Half Men19:30 Fresh Off The Boat20:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon21:00 The Daily Show With JonStewart21:30 The Nightly Show With LarryWilmore22:00 Modern Family22:30 Black-Ish23:00 The Simpsons23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers

00:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart01:00 The Nightly Show With LarryWilmore01:30 Modern Family02:00 Black-Ish02:30 The Simpsons03:30 The Goldbergs04:30 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers09:30 Two And A Half Men10:00 Community11:00 The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon13:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers14:00 The Goldbergs14:30 Two And A Half Men15:00 Community15:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart16:00 The Nightly Show With LarryWilmore17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers18:00 Men At Work18:30 The Mindy Project

00:00 Violetta00:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch01:15 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch01:40 Wolfblood02:05 Wolfblood02:30 Violetta03:20 Sabrina: Secrets Of A TeenageWitch03:45 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage

00:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On00:30 Eric And Jessie: Game On00:55 Extreme Close-Up01:25 Keeping Up With TheKardashians02:20 E! News03:15 Giuliana & Bill04:10 E!ES05:05 The E! True Hollywood Story06:00 Keeping Up With The

Kardashians06:55 Keeping Up With TheKardashians07:50 Style Star08:20 E! News09:15 Giuliana & Bill10:15 Giuliana & Bill11:10 E!ES12:05 E! News13:05 Eric And Jessie: Game On13:35 Eric And Jessie: Game On14:05 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills15:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills16:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians17:00 Keeping Up With TheKardashians18:00 E! News19:00 THS20:00 Giuliana & Bill21:00 Fashion Bloggers21:30 Fashion Bloggers22:00 E! News23:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills

00:00 Top Gear (US)01:00 Chicago Fire02:00 Justified03:00 Once Upon A Time04:00 The Fosters05:00 The Blacklist06:00 Top Gear (US)07:00 Survivor: Worlds Apart09:00 The Blacklist10:00 The Fosters11:00 Chicago Fire12:00 Emmerdale13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show15:00 Top Gear (US)16:00 Emmerdale17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show19:00 The Blacklist20:00 Drop Dead Diva21:00 Sleepy Hollow22:00 Downton Abbey23:00 Once Upon A Time

04:00 Ender’s Game06:00 Terminal Velocity08:00 Tactical Force10:00 Terminal Velocity12:00 Closed Circuit14:00 A Common Man16:00 Tactical Force18:00 Justice League: War20:00 Terminal Velocity22:00 The Package23:45 Shooter

00:00 The Aggression Scale-PG1502:00 Ender’s Game-PG1504:00 Terminal Velocity-PG1506:00 Tactical Force-PG1508:00 Terminal Velocity-PG1510:00 Closed Circuit-PG1512:00 A Common Man-PG1514:00 Tactical Force-PG1516:00 Justice League: War-PG1518:00 Terminal Velocity-PG1520:00 The Package-PG1521:45 Shooter-PG15

00:00 Anywhere But Here02:00 Shanghai Calling04:00 Big Daddy06:00 Syrup08:00 Oscar10:00 Captain Ron12:00 Shanghai Calling14:15 Curious George: Swings IntoSpring15:45 Oscar18:00 Until She Came Along20:00 High Road22:00 Walk Of Shame

01:00 Good Morning America03:00 House Of Cards05:00 Good Morning America07:00 Emmerdale09:00 Parenthood10:00 Emmerdale12:00 Perception13:00 Resurrection14:00 Live Good Morning America16:00 Parenthood17:00 Perception18:00 Resurrection19:00 Parenthood20:00 Perception21:00 Resurrection22:00 House Of Cards23:00 American Idol

01:00 Knockout-PG1503:00 Zulu-PG1505:00 Seven Days In Utopia-PG1507:00 The Trouble With Bliss-PG1509:00 All Is Lost-PG1511:00 Seven Days In Utopia-PG1513:00 Song For Marion-PG1515:00 Upside Down-PG1517:00 All Is Lost-PG1519:00 The English Teacher-PG1521:00 At Any Price-PG1523:00 The Immigrant-PG15

01:30 The Letter03:15 My Last Day Without You05:00 Promised Land07:00 Yellow Rock09:00 Annie11:15 The Letter13:00 My Last Day Without You14:30 Jobs16:45 Annie19:00 The Joy Luck Club21:30 The Boxer23:30 Hick

01:15 Non-Stop-PG1503:15 47 Ronin-PG1505:15 Planes: Fire And Rescue-PG07:00 Maleficent-PG09:00 Gravity-PG1511:00 The Magic Of Belle Isle-PG1513:00 Streetdance: All Stars-PG1515:00 Turbo-PG16:45 Gravity-PG1518:30 The Amazing Spider-Man 2-PG1521:00 Million Dollar Arm-PG1523:15 Brick Mansions-PG15

00:00 Homefront02:00 The Aggression Scale

01:00 Princess And The Pea02:45 From Up On Poppy Hill04:30 Top Cat: The Movie06:00 Back To The Sea08:00 Oggy & The Cockroaches: TheMovie10:00 Vampire Dog11:45 Eleanor’s Secret

T V l i s t i n g sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 ON OSN MOVIES HD

Jones13:40 Who On Earth Did I Marry?14:05 Who On Earth Did I Marry?14:30 On The Case With PaulaZahn15:20 I Was Murdered15:45 Stalked: Someone’sWatching16:10 Fatal Encounters17:00 Blood Relatives17:50 I Almost Got Away With It18:40 Forensic Detectives19:30 True Crime With AphroditeJones20:20 The Will21:10 Who On Earth Did I Marry?21:35 Who On Earth Did I Marry?22:00 I Was Murdered22:25 I Was Murdered22:50 Serial Killers23:40 Fatal Encounters00:30 Devil In The Details01:20 Diabolical02:10 I Was Murdered02:35 I Was Murdered

01:15 Loopdidoo01:30 Art Attack01:55 Henry Hugglemonster02:05 Calimero02:20 Zou02:30 Loopdidoo02:45 Art Attack

10:00 Sofia The First10:25 Jake’s Buccaneer Blast10:30 Jake And The Never LandPirates10:55 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’The Whirlpool11:25 Doc McStuffins11:50 Henry Hugglemonster12:05 Henry Hugglemonster12:15 Sofia The First12:40 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse13:05 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West13:30 Loopdidoo13:45 Limon And Oli13:55 Jake’s Buccaneer Blast14:00 Jake And The Never LandPirates14:25 Doc McStuffins14:50 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’The Whirlpool15:15 Sofia The First15:40 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse16:05 Nina Needs To Go16:10 Lilo & Stitch16:35 Adventures Of The GummiBears17:00 Chip n Dale RescueRangers17:25 Ducktales17:50 Jake And The NeverlandPirates18:00 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’The Whirlpool18:25 Messages From Miles18:30 Sofia The First18:55 Jake’s Buccaneer Blast19:00 Jake And The Never LandPirates19:30 Loopdidoo19:45 Doc McStuffins20:00 Adventures Of The GummiBears20:30 Sofia The First20:55 Cars Toons21:00 Chip n Dale RescueRangers21:25 Ducktales21:50 Lilo & Stitch22:15 Zou22:30 Art Attack22:55 Limon And Oli23:05 Henry Hugglemonster23:20 Calimero23:35 Zou23:50 Loopdidoo00:05 Art Attack00:30 Henry Hugglemonster00:45 Calimero01:00 Zou

06:00 The 7D06:10 Phineas And Ferb06:35 Kickin’ It07:00 Mighty Med07:25 Lab Rats07:50 Supa Strikas08:15 Mini Ninjas08:40 Kirby Buckets09:05 Ultimate Spider-Man09:30 Camp Lakebottom09:55 Boyster10:20 Randy Cunningham: 9thGrade Ninja10:45 The 7D11:00 Phineas And Ferb11:25 Phineas And Ferb11:55 Pair Of Kings12:20 Pair Of Kings12:45 Zeke & Luther13:10 Zeke & Luther13:40 Star Wars Rebels14:05 Marvel Avengers Assemble14:30 Hulk And The Agents OfS.M.A.S.H.14:55 Ultimate Spider-Man15:20 Camp Lakebottom15:45 Mini Ninjas16:10 Pair Of Kings16:35 Kirby Buckets17:00 Mighty Med17:25 Supa Strikas17:55 Kickin’ It18:20 Lab Rats18:45 Phineas And Ferb19:10 Phineas And Ferb19:40 The 7D20:05 Ultimate Spider-Man: WebWarriors20:35 Pair Of Kings21:00 Lab Rats21:25 Kickin’ It21:50 Mighty Med22:15 Kirby Buckets23:00 Programmes Start At6:00am KSA

13:15 From Up On Poppy Hill15:00 Scooby-Doo! Adventures: TheMystery Map!16:00 Garfield’s Fun Fest18:00 Vampire Dog20:00 Hiroku: Defenders Of Gaia22:00 Scooby-Doo! Adventures: TheMystery Map!23:30 Garfield’s Fun Fest

00:00 A Family Reunion-PG1502:00 Vamps-PG1504:00 Safe-PG1506:00 Hellboy: Sword Of Storms-PG08:00 Last Passenger-PG1510:00 Europa Report-PG1512:00 Safe-PG1514:00 The Croods-PG16:00 Last Passenger-PG1517:45 Captain Phillips-PG1520:00 The Internship-PG1522:15 Maximum Conviction-PG15

01:30 Golfing World07:00 Golfing World08:00 World Rugby08:30 ICC Cricket 36009:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights10:30 Live Super Rugby 12:30 Live PGA European Tour15:30 Inside The PGA Tour16:00 European Tour Weekly16:30 Live PGA European Tour22:00 Live PGA Tour

09:00 Golfing World12:00 World Rugby 12:30 Live NRL Premiership 16:00 NRL Premiership 18:00 Golfing World19:00 WWE Bottomline20:00 WWE Superstars21:00 WWE Main Event

00:30 Natwest T20 Blast H/L: Warksv Yorks03:00 Live Caribbean PremierLeague : Barbados Tridents v Trinidad& Tobago06:30 ICC Cricket 360, Episode 2509:30 Caribbean Premier LeagueH/L: Barbados v Trinidad & Tobago19:30 Natwest T20 Blast H/L:Durham v Lancs20:30 Live Natwest T20 Blast :Lancashire v Birmingham

00:45 Oprah Presents: Master Class01:35 Extreme Cheapskates02:00 Mob Wives02:50 Say Yes To The Dress03:15 Something Borrowed,Something New03:40 The Undateables04:30 Cake Boss05:00 Little People, Big World05:30 Extreme Couponing06:00 18 Kids And Counting06:25 Cake Boss06:50 Cake Boss07:15 Cake Boss07:40 Cake Boss08:05 Bakery Boss08:55 Ultimate Shopper09:45 Toddlers & Tiaras10:35 Toddlers & Tiaras11:25 Something Borrowed,Something New11:50 Something Borrowed,Something New12:15 Something Borrowed,Something New12:40 Something Borrowed,Something New13:05 Something Borrowed,Something New13:30 Oprah’s Next Chapter14:20 Oprah Presents: Master Class15:10 Little People, Big World15:35 Little People, Big World16:00 Little People, Big World

16:25 Little People, Big World16:50 Little People, Big World17:15 Something Borrowed,Something New17:40 Something Borrowed,Something New18:05 Your Style In His Hands18:55 Cake Boss19:20 19 Kids And Counting19:45 19 Kids And Counting20:10 Sister Wives21:00 19 Kids And Counting21:25 19 Kids And Counting21:50 Sister Wives22:40 Extreme Cheapskates23:05 Mob Wives23:55 Mob Wives

Friday, 26/06/15Cartoon Network03:15 Ninjago: Masters OfSpinjitzu03:35 Ninjago: Masters OfSpinjitzu04:00 Teen Titans Go!04:45 Grojband05:05 Total Drama World Tour05:30 Adventure Time06:00 Uncle Grandpa06:11 Uncle Grandpa06:20 Clarence06:32 Clarence06:45 The Amazing World OfGumball07:10 Steven Universe07:23 Steven Universe07:35 Adventure Time New07:47 Adventure Time08:00 Ben 10: Omniverse08:25 Ben 10: Omniverse08:50 Ninjago: Masters OfSpinjitzu09:15 Regular Show09:27 Regular Show09:40 The Amazing World OfGumball10:05 Uncle Grandpa10:17 Uncle Grandpa10:30 Johnny Test11:20 Total Drama: All Stars11:45 Total Drama: All Stars

12:10 Steven Universe12:35 Regular Show13:25 Clarence13:50 Uncle Grandpa14:15 Matt Hatter Chronicles14:40 Ben 1015:05 Ben 1015:30 Ninjago: Masters OfSpinjitzu15:55 Total Drama: PahkitewIsland16:20 Steven Universe16:33 Steven Universe16:45 Teen Titans Go!17:10 The Amazing World OfGumball17:35 Clarence17:47 Clarence18:00 Adventure Time New18:10 Adventure Time18:25 Adventure Time18:50 Regular Show19:40 Uncle Grandpa19:52 Uncle Grandpa20:05 Teen Titans Go!20:55 Ben 10: Omniverse21:20 Ben 10: Omniverse21:45 Johnny Test23:10 Regular Show23:55 Teen Titans Go!00:40 Grojband01:00 Grojband01:25 Total Drama World Tour01:45 Regular Show02:30 Johnny Test

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 Zou06:15 Loopdidoo06:25 Limon And Oli06:35 Art Attack07:00 Calimero07:10 Zou07:25 Nina Needs To Go07:30 Jake And The Never LandPirates07:55 Sofia The First08:20 Doc McStuffins08:45 Loopdidoo09:00 Limon And Oli09:10 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West09:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

03:00 Blood Relatives03:45 Fatal Encounters04:30 Extreme Forensics05:20 Nightmare Next Door06:10 True Crime With AphroditeJones07:00 Nightmare Next Door07:50 Fatal Encounters08:40 I Almost Got Away With It09:30 I Was Murdered09:55 Stalked: Someone’sWatching10:20 Forensic Detectives11:10 On The Case With PaulaZahn12:00 Blood Relatives12:50 True Crime With Aphrodite

You might believe you can power your way throughthe day by creating a detailed agenda to meet your obligations.Although you are usually quite adept at developing and executingplans, you may not see what’s coming today as the Moon opposesunpredictable Uranus from your 10th House of PublicResponsibility. Sadly, your day could quickly deteriorate into chaosif you adamantly try to maintain control. However, responding toany unforeseen changes with a light touch allows you to capitalizeon the current instability. Flexibility is your secret key to success.

S t a r sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Afghanistan 0093Albania 00355Algeria 00213Andorra 00376Angola 00244Anguilla 001264Antiga 001268Argentina 0054Armenia 00374Australia 0061Austria 0043Bahamas 001242Bahrain 00973Bangladesh 00880Barbados 001246Belarus 00375Belgium 0032Belize 00501Benin 00229Bermuda 001441Bhutan 00975Bolivia 00591Bosnia 00387Botswana 00267Brazil 0055Brunei 00673Bulgaria 00359Burkina 00226Burundi 00257Cambodia 00855Cameroon 00237Canada 001Cape Verde 00238Cayman Islands 001345Central African 00236Chad 00235Chile 0056China 0086Colombia 0057Comoros 00269Congo 00242Cook Islands 00682Costa Rica 00506Croatia 00385Cuba 0053Cyprus 00357Cyprus (Northern) 0090392Czech Republic 00420Denmark 0045Diego Garcia 00246Djibouti 00253Dominica 001767Dominican Republic 001809Ecuador 00593Egypt 0020El Salvador 00503England (UK) 0044Equatorial Guinea 00240Eritrea 00291Estonia 00372Ethiopia 00251Falkland Islands 00500Faroe Islands 00298Fiji 00679Finland 00358France 0033French Guiana 00594French Polynesia 00689Gabon 00241Gambia 00220Georgia 00995Germany 0049Ghana 00233Gibraltar 00350Greece 0030Greenland 00299Grenada 001473Guadeloupe 00590Guam 001671Guatemala 00502Guinea 00224Guyana 00592Haiti 00509Holland (Netherlands) 0031Honduras 00504Hong Kong 00852Hungary 0036Ibiza (Spain) 0034Iceland 00354India 0091Indian Ocean 00873Indonesia 0062Iran 0098Iraq 00964Ireland 00353Italy 0039Ivory Coast 00225Jamaica 001876Japan 0081Jordan 00962Kazakhstan 007Kenya 00254Kiribati 00686Kuwait 00965Kyrgyzstan 00996Laos 00856Latvia 00371Lebanon 00961Liberia 00231Libya 00218

Lithuania 00370Luxembourg 00352Macau 00853Macedonia 00389Madagascar 00261Majorca 0034Malawi 00265Malaysia 0060Maldives 00960Mali 00223Malta 00356Marshall Islands 00692Martinique 00596Mauritania 00222Mauritius 00230Mayotte 00269Mexico 0052Micronesia 00691Moldova 00373Monaco 00377Mongolia 00976Montserrat 001664Morocco 00212Mozambique 00258Myanmar (Burma) 0095Namibia 00264Nepal 00977Netherlands 0031Netherlands Antilles 00599New Caledonia 00687New Zealand 0064Nicaragua 00505Nigar 00227Nigeria 00234Niue 00683Norfolk Island 00672N. Ireland (UK) 0044North Korea 00850Norway 0047Oman 00968Pakistan 0092Palau 00680Panama 00507Papua New Guinea 00675Paraguay 00595Peru 0051Philippines 0063Poland 0048Portugal 00351Puerto Rico 001787Qatar 00974Romania 0040Russian Federation 007Rwanda 00250Saint Helena 00290Saint Kitts 001869Saint Lucia 001758Saint Pierre 00508Saint Vincent 001784Samoa US 00684Samoa West 00685San Marino 00378Sao Tone 00239Saudi Arabia 00966Scotland (UK) 0044Senegal 00221Seychelles 00284Sierra Leone 00232Singapore 0065Slovakia 00421Slovenia 00386Solomon Islands 00677Somalia 00252South Africa 0027South Korea 0082Spain 0034Sri Lanka 0094Sudan 00249Suriname 00597Swaziland 00268Sweden 0046Switzerland 0041Syria 00963Serbia 00381Taiwan 00886Tanzania 00255Thailand 0066Toga 00228Tonga 00676Tokelau 00690Trinidad 001868Tunisia 00216Turkey 0090Tuvalu 00688Uganda 00256Ukraine 00380United Arab Emirates 00976United Kingdom 0044Uruguay 00598USA 001Uzbekistan 00998Vanuatu 00678Venezuela 00582Vietnam 0084Virgin Islands UK 001284Virgin Islands US 001340Wales (UK) 0044Yemen 00967Yugoslavia 00381Zambia 00260Zimbabwe 00263

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

COUNTRY CODES

You may add to the stress of the day by taking onmore than you can handle. Thankfully, you’re able to talk your wayout of a difficult situation of your own creation, but it could leaveyou dissatisfied and feeling on edge, nonetheless. Unfortunately,working harder and accomplishing more won’t solve your dilem-ma now. Instead of seeking additional distractions, just accept theassignment in front of you without question. Quality counts morethan quantity today when it comes to cultivating peace of mind.

Your vulnerability can complicate relationships as thereflective Moon meanders through your sign today. However, youmight gloss over your insecurities by attempting to keep yourinteractions as detached and rational as possible. But taking anintellectual approach is not a wise strategy because Luna’s pres-ence tends to amplify your mood swings. Focusing on work now,rather than personal issues, can help to alleviate the emotionalturmoil. However, don’t miss this opportunity to connect withyour own heart while you have the chance.

Sometimes masking your true feelings is less compli-cated than telling the truth, especially while the Moon is driftingthrough your 12th House of Invisibility. You might encourageeveryone else to share their vulnerabilities today, but this strategyis likely a smokescreen so that you don’t have to disclose your own.It’s easier to listen than to talk now, unless you are in the companyof a trusted confidant. However, even if you’re willing to open yourheart, be careful about revealing all of your secrets too fast. There’sa fine line between honesty and too much information.

It’s tempting to take the demands of your job homewith you today, but loved ones are quickly annoyed by yourcranky mood if you do. Your attitude affects those around youmore than you realize, so don’t spread your negativity by bring-ing your problems home from work. You might feel as if you’re ona collision course with reality now, yet you can avoid the crisis ofimpact by being more compassionate in your interactions. Whenin doubt, widen your perspective to include what others want,too. The needs of the many outweigh yours alone.

You wish you didn’t feel so much pressure toaccomplish your goals, but there aren’t enough hours in the dayto allow you to relax. You might try to finish your work, but youwon’t make much progress by doing the same old thing in thesame old way today. Avoid slipping into a rut; if somethingdoesn’t rattle your cage early in the day, then take the initiativeand step outside of the box on your own volition. Don’t wait toolong to shake things up if you want to create positive change.

You may regret bringing up a subject in a conversa-tion today that has already been discussed one too many times.Even if you are uncharacteristically clinging to a past memory,it’s apparent that others are ready to move on. Thankfully, if youjust stop and think about how your reluctance to let go couldtrigger hurt feelings now, you can prevent an uncomfortablesituation from turning into a more painful drama. Don’t lookback; walk through the door to your future with no regrets.

Although you strive to be fair-minded today, it’s justas easy to go overboard with your opinions without even realiz-ing your bias. You may perceive people as being more optimisticnow than they actually are, tricking you into believing that every-thing is copacetic. But the real meaning of a current emotionalexchange might be connected to someone’s motives that are sosubtle you miss the point. Do your best to listen to what’s beingsaid in between the spoken words so you can tune into theunderlying message. Discovering the truth is the first step toenlightenment.

A familiar relationship issue could resurface todaywhen a close friend or relative says something hurtful that wouldhave been harmless on any other day. Nevertheless, insensitivewords may dredge up a difficult memory that you wish to avoid.Regain your emotional balance by distinguishing between oldfears and what is occurring in the immediate moment. Keep inmind you’re not in the same place as you were before and there-fore don’t need to suffer the same consequences. Treating thoseyou love kindly in the present helps heal wounds of the past.

Sticking to the truth is exceptionally critical today,for your current tendency may be to transform an event intosomething more significant than it actually is. If you’re notpleased with someone’s behavior, communicate your dissatisfac-tion directly to the source. However, your message will be dilutedif you don’t stop talking once you’ve stated the facts. Above all,aim to keep everything as above board as possible. Your authen-ticity is key to creating meaningful relationships.

You’re quite determined to make your mark at worktoday but a series of emotional distractions can pull you off course.Unfortunately, your innate desire to be unique makes it harder tocooperate with others. Worry less about rebelling against the sta-tus quo and more about reaching your desired destination now.You could be so busy trying to demonstrate your independencethat you forget what can be gained through artful compromise.Luckily, you don’t have to lose your identity to be an integral partof the team.

Although you may buckle under pressure today, tak-ing the nearest escape route isn’t a viable option. Your penchantfor slipping into your imagination could be overwhelmed by a sim-ple twist of fate that spins you around and puts you on an unex-pected course. Even if you can’t avoid your real-world obligations,it’s still tough to maintain a consistent level of productivity. Setaside your personal agenda for the day and simply put your heartand soul into meeting your current responsibilities. Work now,dream later.

H e a l t hFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

QUANG NINH: Freed from captivity in tinymetal cages, seven long-suffering Asiaticmoon bears have been rescued on bilefarms in northern Vietnam, as efforts to endthe illegal trade are boosted. Bear bile farm-ing is banned but it is legal to raise the ani-mals as pets-a loophole used by illicitVietnamese farms to feed a regionaldemand for the digestive fluid, which isbelieved to possess healing properties intraditional Chinese medicine.

The bears were rescued from coastalQuang Ninh province earlier this week andwere in extremely poor health with missingor maimed limbs after being confined in thesmall cages where, according to AnimalsAsia, they were likely milked for bile.Rescuers either use honey to calmly coaxthe animals out of their pens into a trans-port cage, or dart them and stretcher themto the removal truck if they are unwilling tomove.

The moon bears, so named for the dis-tinctive yellow crescent-shaped mark ontheir chests, have since been transferred tothe charity’s sanctuary in another province.“This week will see Quang Ninh provincecome very close to being bear bile farmfree,” Animals Asia Vietnam director TuanBendixsen said, adding the group aims torescue seven more bears in the comingdays. “We will keep on fighting and cam-paigning until every last captive bear suffer-ing in the province has been moved to oursanctuary,” Bendixsen said. Authorities inQuang Ninh, around 180 kilometers (110miles) from Hanoi, ramped up their effortsto close down the longstanding industryafter a flurry of deaths at bile farms drewattention to the animals.

Their plight even triggered a decree inMarch from Vietnamese Prime MinisterNguyen Tan Dung, who ordered all captivebears in the coastal province be moved tofacilities with better care. Quang Ninh isamong the provinces with the highest rateof captive bears, Animals Asia said, partlydue to demand for bear bile from Koreanand Chinese tourists visiting its UNESCO-list-ed Halong Bay and the surrounding area.Local authorities are still in negotiations

with bile farmers for the release of around16 bears that will still be in captivity afterthe current rescue mission ends Friday,Animals Asia said. Nationwide, around 1,245bears remain in captivity, according to theagriculture ministry.

In recent years hundreds have died dueto maltreatment-the animals are routinelydrugged and restrained for bile harvestersto collect liquid from their gallbladders withunsterilized needles. — AFP

QUANG NINH: Photo shows a captive moon bear inside a metal cage at a privatebear farm which was targeted by animal protection group Animals Asia during afour-day bear rescue operation in the district of Quang Yen in Vietnam’s northeast-ern province of Quang Ninh. — AFP

Moon bears rescued frombile farms in Vietnam

Designer wheat fails anti-aphid field test

PARIS: The scientific quest for pest-resistant crops suffered a blowyesterday when disappointed British researchers announced theirdesigner wheat failed to repel aphids in the field. High hopes hadrested on the five-year bid by the Rothamsted Research institute inHertfordshire, England, to create the world’s first genetically-modi-fied (GM) crop able to resist pests without the help of chemicalsprays.

But success under laboratory conditions could not be replicatedin the great outdoors, the research team announced in the journalScientific Reports. “As scientists we are trained to treat our experi-mental data objectively and dispassionately, but I was definitelydisappointed,” study co-author Huw Jones said in statement issuedby the institute, whose work and facilities had been the target ofanti-GM activists. “We had hoped that this technique would offer away to reduce the use of insecticides in pest control in arable farm-ing,” said Jones. “As so often happens, this experiment shows thatthe real world environment is much more complicated than thelaboratory.”

The team had succeeded in genetically altering the wheat plantto produce the EBf pheromone or chemical signal against sap-sucking aphids, also known as plant lice. In the lab, aphids weresuccessfully repelled by the EBf-producing plants, whose yield andappearance was no different to non-modified plants, theresearchers said. They then planted batches of the GM wheat onplots of farmland in 2012 and 2013. The crops were not intendedas food or feed. “However, in the field trials there was no statistical-ly significant difference in aphid infestation between the GMwheat and the conventional wheat used as a control,” theresearchers wrote, explaining that they had to analyze mountainsof data before the definitive findings could be published.

Improve and refineThe study was financed by the British government-funded

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Apartfrom research costs of £732,000, another £444,000 was investedin fencing off the research site for this and future studies. A fur-ther £1.8 million had to be spent on security measures afterthreats and attempts by anti-GM protesters to damage theresearch site. In May 2012, police reportedly had to prevent hun-dreds of activists from ripping up the study crops. Outsideexperts said that in spite of the disappointing outcome, the workhad not been in vain. —AFP

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TOWEDNESDAY (25/06/2015 TO 01/07/2015)

SHARQIA-1ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:15 PMSURVIVOR 11:15 PM

SHARQIA-2THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2 ANGEL OF DEATH - Re Release 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:00 PM

SHARQIA-3JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:30 PM

MUHALAB-1ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:00 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:00 PM

MUHALAB-2JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMSAN ANDREAS 11:30 PM

MUHALAB-3THE QUIET ONES - Re Release 9:15 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:15 PM

FANAR-1ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:15 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:15 PM

FANAR-2JAZEERA 2 2«·Ã“Ì—… - Re Release 9:00 PMSURVIVOR 11:45 PM

FANAR-3A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES - Re Release 9:15 PMTHE WOMAN IN BLACK 2 ANGEL OF DEATH - Re Release 11:45 PM

FANAR-4JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMSAN ANDREAS 11:30 PM

FANAR-5LOVE & MERCY 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:30 PM

MARINA-1JAWAZA MIRI - Re Release 9:15 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:15 PM

MARINA-2JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMSURVIVOR 11:30 PM

MARINA-3SAN ANDREAS 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:15 PMAVENUES-1SAN ANDREAS 9:15 PMTHE WOMAN IN BLACK 2 ANGEL OF DEATH - Re Release 11:30 PM

AVENUES-2PREMAM - Malayalam 9:00 PMTHE QUIET ONES - Re Release 12:05 AM

AVENUES-3ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:45 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:45 PM

AVENUES-4JURASSIC WORLD 10:00 PM

AVENUES-5JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:30 PM

AVENUES-6JAWAZA MIRI - Re Release 9:30 PMA WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES - Re Release 11:45 PM

AVENUES-7JAZEERA 2 2«·Ã“Ì—… - Re Release 10:15 PM

AVENUES-8LOVE & MERCY 9:00 PM

LOVE & MERCY 11:30 PM

AVENUES-9A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES - Re Release 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:15 PM

AVENUES-10ABCD 2 - Hindi 9:00 PMSURVIVOR 12:05 AM

AVENUES-11JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:30 PM

360º- 1JAWAZA MIRI - Re Release 9:45 PMSURVIVOR 11:45 PM

360º- 2LOVE & MERCY 9:00 PMLOVE & MERCY 11:30 PM

360º- 3ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:00 PMJAZEERA 2 - Re Release 11:00 PM

360º- 4SAN ANDREAS 9:15 PMSAN ANDREAS 11:45 PM

360º- 5A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES - Re Release 9:30 PMA WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES - Re Release 11:45 PM

360º- 6ABCD 2 - Hindi 9:30 PM

AL-KOUT.1JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMTHE WOMAN IN BLACK 2 ANGEL OF DEATH - Re Release 11:30 PM

AL-KOUT.2LOVE & MERCY 9:15 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:30 PM

AL-KOUT.3A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES - Re Release 9:00 PMSAN ANDREAS 11:15 PM

AL-KOUT.4ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:30 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:30 PM

BAIRAQ-1JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:30 PM

BAIRAQ-2ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:00 PMJURASSIC WORLD 11:15 PM

BAIRAQ-3JAZEERA 2 - Re Release 10:00 PM

PLAZAPREMAM - Malayalam 9:00 PMSURVIVOR 12:05 AM

LAILAJURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PMSAN ANDREAS 11:30 PM

AJIAL.1PREMAM - Malayalam 9:00 PMTHE QUIET ONES - Re Release 12:05 AM

AJIAL.2DIL DHADAKNE DO -Hindi 9:00 PM

AJIAL.3ABCD 2 - Hindi 9:30 PM

AJIAL.4PREMAM - Malayalam 9:30 PM

Fajr: 04:15

Shorook 04:50

Duhr: 11:51

Asr: 15:25

Maghrib: 18:52

Isha: 20:21

112

FOR SALE

Nissan Maxima 2012 model,full option, alloy wheels, tint-ed glass, sub woofer, price KD4500. Interested partiesplease contact: 66101542. (C 5003)25-6-2015

Prayer timings

Automated enquiryabout the Civil ID card is

1889988

BusinessFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

US, China bridge some economic differences

Page 39

ATHESN: People look at newspapers’ headlines in central Athens yesterday. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras restarted critical talks with creditors in Brussels in afrantic bid for a bailout deal to save Athens from defaulting next week and possibly crashing out of the euro. —AFP

Europe’s bankers fear Brexit more than Grexit Page 41

Greece, creditors fail to reach bailout deal Fears of default as IMF loan deadline looms

BRUSSELS: Greek Prime Minister AlexisTsipras and his country’s creditors failed toreach a bailout deal at emergency talks yes-terday, raising fresh fears that Athens willdefault on an IMF loan next week.

The differences remain so great despitetwo days of marathon negotiations that theEU-IMF lenders and Greece will present rivalreform proposals to euro-zone finance minis-ters later in Brussels, sources told AFP.

“The Greeks have rather made steps back-ward. Positions are even further apart ratherthan narrowing,” Germany’s influentialWolfgang Schaeuble said ahead of a meetingof euro-zone finance ministers. EuropeanCommission President Jean-Claude Junckersaid he was “tired to death” after talks withleftist leader Tsipras and the heads of theEuropean Central Bank and InternationalMonetary Fund late Wednesday and early yes-terday.

The aim was to finalize a deal in time tohave it approved by EU leaders meeting at asummit in Brussels on Thursday night, aheadof a June 30 payment deadline for a 1.5-bil-lion-euro ($1.7 billion) IMF loan repayment.

But they produced no breakthrough in the

five-month standoff between the anti-austeri-ty Greek government and the creditors, whohave refused to release 7.2 billion euros inbailout funds unless Greece promises newreforms.

“There will be two texts” at the Eurogroupmeeting of euro-zone finance ministers, aGreek government source said. “It’s a sign ofthe big distance between Greece and its cred-itors.”

Tough stance European stocks rose on early optimism

about a deal but Asian stocks slid yesterdayover fears of the global economic fallout froma possible default by Greece. The disagree-ments have centered on spending cuts, VATand pensions, which Greece says it can illafford after two punishing EU-IMF bailoutprograms since 2010 worth 240 billion euros.

Discussions have become increasingly acri-monious as the deadline looms and onWednesday Greece withdrew some of itsreform proposals, apparently for the first timesince negotiations began. Greek governmentsources said two were withdrawn from the listunder pressure from Tsipras’s left-wing Syriza

party, including an unpopular increase in pen-sions contributions. The Greek side is seekingto offset the impact of the changes with othermeasures, sources said. Tsipras was elected inJanuary vowing to end five years of bailoutausterity in Greece exacerbated by long-termrecession and high unemployment.

He took a characteristically tough stanceon Wednesday, lashing out at creditors justminutes before meeting with Juncker, IMFchief Christine Lagarde and European CentralBank boss Mario Draghi. “This strange posi-tion maybe hides two things: either they donot want an agreement or they are servingspecific interests in Greece,” Tsipras said. EUPresident Donald Tusk warned last week ofthe growing risk of a “chaotic, uncontrollableGrexident”-Greece crashing out of the euroand perhaps also the EU, which it joined in1981.

Pensions, taxes, cuts The new plans submitted Sunday by

Greece aim make an eight billion euros in sav-ings, mostly through new taxes on thewealthy and businesses, VAT increases and acut in defence spending. But in counter-pro-

posals handed to Greece on Wednesday,creditors are calling for early retirement to beabolished and an increase in the retirementage from 62 to 67 by 2022, not 2025.

Despite Athens’ fears for its tourism sector,creditors are sticking to demands for a 23 per-cent value-added tax rate for restaurants,instead of the current 13 percent.

Creditors also propose to increase the cor-poration tax rate and they want defenseexpenditure to be slashed by 400 millioneuros instead of the proposed 200 millioneuros. Greece’s banking system has been keptafloat by cash injections from the ECB as waryGreeks withdraw their deposits. OnWednesday the ECB increased emergency liq-uidity funds for the fifth time in eight days.

Athens has also warned any accord wouldneed to be approved by parliament beforeJune 30, which risks splitting Tsipras’s Syrizaparty, where many on the left wing view himas reneging on campaign promises. AnyGreek agreement will also need to deal withwhat comes next, with EU officials suggestingan extension of the bailout until the end ofthe year, followed by a possible third aidpackage to keep Greece afloat.—AFP

B u s i n e s sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

LONDON: Crude oil prices steadied justabove $60 a barrel yesterday as strongdemand for oil products helped balance aglobal overhang of oil for immediate deliv-ery.

North Sea Brent crude oil traded within anarrow 58-cent range as investors eyed avery weak physical crude market in theAtlantic basin amid reports of strongerdemand for gasoline and diesel in theUnited States and Europe. Official prices forNigerian crude have hit their lowest in atleast a decade with as much as 10 millionbarrels of unsold light, sweet crude oil cap-ping Atlantic basin prices.

But demand for oil products is fairlystrong. US gasoline demand in the week toJune 19 hit the highest seasonal level since1991, according to the US EnergyInformation Administration (EIA).

Brent for August was up 20 cents at$63.69 a barrel by 1110 GMT, after endingthe previous day down 96 cents, or 1.5 per-cent. US crude for August was down 20

cents at $60.07 a barrel, after finishingWednesday down 74 cents. “Reports ofunsold physical cargoes in the North Seacombined with a Brent crude oil contangothat shows no signs of tightening are awarning that the market is currently nottightening up into the high demand seasonas one should expect,” said BjarneSchieldrop, analyst at SEB Markets in Oslo.

An EIA report on Wednesday said USgasoline stocks climbed 680,000 barrels to218.49 million in the week to June 19. AReuters poll had indicated a 304,000-barreldrop.

US crude stocks declined for the eighthstraight week, by 4.9 million barrels to462.99 million, in the week ending June 19,compared with analyst expectations of a 2.1million barrel draw, the EIA said.

“There is not a clear direction,” said MyrtoSokou of Sucden. “That’s why you see thisconsolidation today.” Traders awaited USeconomic data, including weekly joblessclaims, due later yesterday. Any signs of fur-

ther economic growth in the United Stateswould be a positive demand signal for oil,analysts say. UBS raised its average 2015Brent crude price forecast yesterday to$61.50 per barrel from $56.25 per barrel ear-lier, while it increased its average 2015 UScrude price outlook to $56 a barrel, up from$51.

Egypt-cabinet/oilEgypt’s prime minister said yesterday

that Transport Minister Hany Dahi wouldtemporarily take on the portfolio of the ener-gy minister while he was travelling. The briefstatement from the prime minister’s officedid not give a reason or a duration for OilMinister Sherif Ismail’s travels. Dahi wouldstay in his transport ministry role as well asexecuting his new responsibilities. Decliningenergy production, held back by a lack ofinvestment, has helped turn Egypt from anenergy exporter to a net importer over thepast few years and contributed to a persist-ent energy crisis. — Reuters

Oil steadies as stronger demand balances glut

Newsi n b r i e f

Dollar steadies against Kuwaiti dinar

KUWAIT: Rate of the US dollar vis-a-vis the Kuwaiti dinar stabilized atKD 0.302 in Wednesday’s trades. The US dollar has remained firmagainst the other major currencies. Meanwhile, reports showed less-than-expected contraction of the US economy, in the first quarter ofthe year, while traders remained preoccupied with the issue of theGreek debts. The US Commerce Department reported that the grossdomestic product dropped 0.2 percent, over the past three months,ending on March 31, matching expectations, and in comparison withprevious forecast contraction, 0.7 percent. The greenback was traded,yesterday, at KD 0.302, the euro dropped to KD 0.338 as compared totrades two days ago.

Egyptian pound steady at official auction

CAIRO: Egypt’s central bank kept the pound’s exchange ratesteady at 7.53 to the dollar at a foreign exchange auction yester-day, with black market rates also stable. The central bank has heldthe official exchange rate unchanged for four months since let-ting the pound weaken at the beginning of 2015. This weakeningand other measures have helped reduce black market trading. Inyesterday’s auction the bank said it had offered $40 million andsold $37.8 million at a cut-off price of 7.5301 pounds per dollar,unchanged from Tuesday’s rate. On the black market the poundwas trading at 7.68 pounds to the dollar on Thursday, a tradersaid, unchanged from Tuesday’s rates. Auctions take place onSunday, Tuesday and Thursday every week. Black market traderssay volumes have fallen sharply since the central bank’s drive tostamp out their transactions, which has included since February acap on the amount of dollars that can be deposited in banks.

Kuwait oil price risesKUWAIT: Price of the Kuwaiti oil rose $1.11 per barrel to $59.68 pb onWednesday in contrast to $58.57 pb on Tuesday, Kuwait PetroleumCorporation said yesterday. In the international markets, prices of thecrude forward deals dropped more than one percent, yesterday, dueto rise of the dollar rate, jitters resulting from thorny negotiations toresolve the Greek financial crisis, as well as ongoing Iranian nuclearissue, in addition to rise of US crude reserves. Price of the forwarddeals of the Brent crudes fell $0.96, 1.49 percent, to settle at $63.49pb. The American light crude price also dropped 74 cents, 1.21 per-cent, settling at $60.27 pb.

LAHORE: Pakistani farmers plant rice in a field in Lahore yesterday. Pakistan had set its growth target at 5.1 percent on theassumption of higher agricultural production, improvement in energy supplies and better investment prospects. — AFP

Egypt’s transport minister takes over oil portfolio

LONDON: Fears over the possible impact ofnew British government spending cuts wasdampening consumer confidence eventhough shoppers had more money to spend,the boss of department store chainDebenhams said. Britain’s newly re-electedConservative government is pressing aheadwith plans to cut welfare spending by 12 bil-lion pounds ($18.8 billion). Finance ministerGeorge Osborne is expected to give details ofmeasures in his budget statement on July 8.

Debenhams CEO Michael Sharp said cus-tomers recognized the improved economicbackground, with increases in real wagesdriven by falls in the cost of energy and food,but still remained cautious.

“On the one hand they can see the posi-tive economic indicators but on the otherhand they also pick up the messages that say‘things are going to remain tough for a while’and that influences their feeling about theirown personal financial situation,” he toldreporters yesterday. “That manifests itself asproceed with caution,” he said. Other retail-ers have said increases in disposable incomeseem to be going on holidays and eating outrather than being spent in high street stores.Sharp was speaking after Debenhams said itwas on track to deliver full year results in linewith expectations despite seeing no underly-ing sales growth in its third quarter.

Britain’s second largest department store

chain behind John Lewis said sales at shopsopen over a year were flat over the 15 weeksto June 13, versus analysts’ forecasts of down2 percent to up 0.5 percent. Debenhamsmaintained gross margin guidance for its2014-15 year-growth at the low end of a 10basis points to 40 basis points range-and saidit was on track to achieve pretax profit expec-tations of 111 million pounds ($174million)versus 110 million pounds in the pre-vious year. The firm is cutting back promo-tions, strengthening online ordering anddelivery options, and adding concessions inunder-used store space to secure higherreturns, improve choice and increase shop-per numbers. — Reuters

Debenhams boss says austerityfears put brake on spending

TAQA marketing $3bn five-year loan to banks DUBAI: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) is marketinga $3 billion, five-year loan to banks after receiving initial commit-ments from eight local and international banks, four sources awareof the matter said yesterday. The loan amount, which will be usedto consolidate existing debts into one facility with a lower rate ofinterest, is smaller than the $3.5 billion that sources indicated lastmonth the energy firm was looking to raise.

However, the overall size of the facility could be increaseddepending on the response from banks invited to back the deal,according to one source who spoke on condition of anonymity asthe information is not public. TAQA declined to comment. TAQA’sAbu Dhabi-listed shares were down 8.6 percent at 0.64 dirham asof 0743 GMT. The firm joins other Gulf-based companies in takingadvantage of the strong liquidity of local banks to try to lower bor-rowing costs. Energy firms are also looking to boost cash reservesto help them weather a downturn in oil prices since last year.

The marketing period began on June 14, the source and a sec-ond source said, with both indicating that the loan was expected toclose in the latter half of July. Base pricing on the revolving creditfacility is 50 basis points over the London interbank offered rate(Libor), but the return for banks will be increased by different fees,including some for initially committing to the loan and if the com-pany doesn’t draw down on the funds, two of the sources said.

Should all the fees be triggered, banks will earn closer to 100basis points, one of these sources said. The eight banks which havealready backed the loan are facility coordinators Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and National Bank of Abu Dhabi, as well as BNP Paribas,First Gulf Bank, HSBC, Mizuho, SMBC and Societe Generale, accord-ing to three sources. Among the existing debts which TAQA couldrefinance using the new facility is a $2.2 billion loan which is set tomature in December. It also has a $1 billion bond which it could setaside cash for ahead of its maturity in October 2016. —Reuters

B u s i n e s sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

WASHINGTON: US and Chinese negotiatorsbridged some differences over economic pol-icy in annual bilateral talks Wednesday, evenas the two countries continue to wrestle withmajor strategic disagreements. Both sidessuggested they closed gaps in talks on a bilat-eral investment treaty (BIT) following thetalks. And Washington appeared more readyto support a major step in the international-ization of the Chinese yuan, its inclusion inthe basket underpinning the InternationalMonetary Fund’s SDR currency.

But there was little sign that Washingtonwas ready to embrace China’s new AsianInfrastructure Investment Bank, which the USsays risks undermining social and environ-mental standards for loans established by theWorld Bank. US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lewsaid at the end of the two-day US-ChinaStrategic and Economic Dialogue that Chinahad agreed to hold off on interventions in theforeign exchange markets to manage the

yuan’s value except in situations of “disorder-ly market conditions.”

China also agreed “to actively consider”additional steps to move the yuan, which theUS has long criticized is forcefully kept under-valued, to a market-based exchange rate. Lewalso welcomed China’s commitment to beginpublishing economic data to meet a key IMFstandard by the end of 2015. “It is in China’sown interest to adopt the transparency stan-dards of major reserve currencies.” Earlier thisyear Beijing asked the IMF to consider includ-ing the yuan, also called the renminbi, in thebasket on which the SDR is based. That wouldconstitute a major recognition of the yuan asone of the 10 most important currencies inthe world.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang con-firmed that Washington had shown supportfor the yuan’s consideration by the IMF, adecision likely to take place only next year.

Wang also said the two sides had placed

high priority on the BIT, as they weigh eachothers’ proposed “negative list,” a register ofbusiness sectors they want to keep protectedfrom foreign investment.

The two sides committed to “improve thenegative list offer with a view to reaching amutually beneficial and high-standardtreaty,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Cyber-spying issuesThe talks, which deal with a broad range

of often technical issues, appeared to avoidflashpoint economic issues, like the AIIB thatBeijing has launched, and the Trans-PacificPartnership, the US-driven free trade area thatnotably excludes China, the second-largestUS trade partner. A key new complaint at thetop of the US list in economic and trade issues,cyber-spying and cyber-theft of secrets andintellectual property from US companies thatis allegedly backed by the Chinese govern-ment, was discussed, according to Lew. — AFP

China lending tweak shifts emphasis to

quality from quantitySHANGHAI/BEIJING: China’s decision to scrap limits on howmuch of their deposits banks can lend won’t immediately reviveits slowing economy, but it is likely to be celebrated in the board-rooms of smaller banks and ultimately by the private businesscommunity.

The Chinese economy, growing at its slowest pace in decades,has proven unresponsive to repeated cuts to guidance interestrates and banks’ reserve requirements, so Chinese policymakersappear to be turning to reform to help restart investment, remov-ing administrative shackles that hold back lending to productivecompanies. China’s cabinet on Wednesday proposed scrapping acap that currently limits banks’ lending at 75 percent of deposits,and bankers said the change will both reduce their funding costsand free them from the need to scramble to acquire depositsbefore they can issue loans.

Some believe the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) cap implicitlyfavours China’s “big five” state-owned banks, which typically hogthe lion’s share of deposits but tend to prefer lending to often inef-ficient state-owned industrial giants. Many economists say that hasinadvertently contributed to overcapacity in some of China’s leastcompetitive firms and to asset bubbles, as many state companies,facing dubious prospects in their core businesses, have taken outcheap loans to speculate in real estate or stocks.

“While scrapping the LDR is unlikely to have much impact onoverall lending growth, it will impact the distribution of lendingbetween banks,” wrote Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economicsin a research note, adding that smaller banks’ enthusiasm for shad-ow banking suggests they are more eager to lend. That in turnwould encourage banks to support innovation and new start-ups,said Wen Bin, analyst at Minsheng Bank. “The government isencouraging mass innovations which are related to small business-es that could help boost demand for loans and financial services,”he said.

The step follows other tweaks to money management tacticsthat are seen as rebalancing funding costs to encourage morelong-term borrowing and less short-term speculation, as previouseasing moves have done little to spur fresh investment. “Withoutreforms, policy tools cannot be very effective. We need to open upthe financial industry,” said a senior economist at a think-tank con-nected to the government. “We should have a market-basedfinancial system which will help improve monetary policy trans-mission.”

Lack of investmentChinese state-owned banks have remained reluctant to lend to

riskier private firms, and Chinese executives have been unwillingto borrow at high rates for low returns, preferring to pay downdebt and wait for a turnaround. Though some recent surveys haveshown signs of tentative recovery in real estate and inflation, alack of investment has continued to hamper China’s recovery.Bankers and loan officers who spoke to Reuters welcomed thereform and agreed it would benefit smaller lenders, but did notexpect a rapid resurgence in lending. The amendment still needsapproval by the Standing Committee of the National People’sCongress, China’s parliament. —Reuters

Lew says Beijing to hold off yuan interventions

US, China bridge some economic differences

WASHINGTON: (From left): China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi, China’s Vice Premier Wang Yang, Secretary of TreasuryJack Lew and Secretary of State John Kerry shake hands following the conclusion of the US China Closing Statements atUS China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) at the US State Department in Washington on Wednesday.

PARIS: Protests in France against ride-booking app Uber turned violent yester-day as taxi drivers burned cars andblocked access to airports and train sta-tions. Some 2,800 cabbies took part inthe strike, with more than 30 blockadesnationwide, including the access pointsto Paris’s Charles De Gaulle and Orly air-ports, police sources said.

Taxi drivers in France are furiousover an Uber service called UberPOP,which puts customers in touch withprivate drivers at prices lower thanthose of traditional taxis. Licenced cab-bies say the service is endangeringtheir jobs by flooding the market withlow-cost drivers.

UberPOP has been banned in Francesince January, but the law has proveddifficult to enforce and the service con-tinues to operate. One private chauffeur,who said he did not work for Uber “or

any other app” was dragged from hisvan by angry cabbies when he reacheda blockade in the west of Paris. Theyslashed his tyres, smashed a windowand then set it on fire.

“Why did you come to work, youknow we’re on strike today,” shoutedone cabbie, while AFP journalists sawanother car on fire further down theroad. Another driver said the strikers hadbeen driven to desperation. “Taxi driv-ers-alright, they’ve got big mouths-butnormally they’re not aggressive,” saidMalia, 50, who has been a taxi driver forthree years. “But these guys have fami-lies to feed, debts. They’ve been pushedto the brink.”

Police eventually fired tear gas andbroke up the protest on the westernstretch of motorway, clearing burningtyres from the road that rings the capital,but there were later attempts to stall

traffic. “UberPOP is illegal. It’s the lawand it must be respected. We get thefeeling the government is letting thishappen,” said Rene Pierre-Jean, a mem-ber of the CGT union manning a barri-cade outside the Gare du Nord station inParis. Interior Minister BernardCazeneuve called for calm and said hehad told prosecutors to bring a prohibi-tion order against the UberPOP service.

Banned in France Peaceful protests played out at

transport hubs in other major citiesincluding Toulouse and Marseille.“UberPOP is banned, but it’s still here,”cabbie Stephane Molla said in thesouthwestern city of Bordeaux. “Wehave to go through the whole routine:the licence, the rates we don’t set, banson flat-rate plans,” added another driv-er, Fabrice Moreau. — AP

MARSEILLE: A taxi cab bearing the words, “Taxis on strike” is parked with oth-ers on a road during a demonstration in Marseille, southern France yesterday.French taxis are on strike around the country, snarling traffic in major cities andslowing access to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport after weeks of rising andsometimes violent tensions over Uber. —AP

French anti-Uber protests turn violent

40B u s i n e s sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

SINGAPORE: AirAsia Bhd boss TonyFernandes has told staff and analysts hewill spend more time working on thebudget airline and put his other businessand sporting interests to one side, after areport questioning the company’saccounts sent its share price tumbling.

The chief executive has said his otherwork will take a back seat as he focuseson repairing the financial damage doneto Asia’s largest low cost airline, accordingto analysts and two AirAsia executiveswho spoke to Reuters on condition ofanonymity. Analysts covering the airlinesay Fernandes told them that he, and hislong-term business partner KamarudinMeranun, would become more hands on.

“Tony told us in a conference call lastweek that he and Kamarudin will take aback seat to everything else and focus onAirAsia,” said Mohsin Aziz, a MaybankInvestment Bank analyst in Kuala Lumpur.“He’s back, and he’s getting moreinvolved in many of the decisions,” addedone executive.

AirAsia declined to comment on thematter while Fernandes and Kamarudindid not respond to Reuters enquiries.

Fernandes, one of Asia’s best knowncorporate leaders, has built a sprawlingbusiness empire over the past decadethat includes English football club QueensPark Rangers, a hotel chain and an insur-ance business.

That has led to concerns among someAirAsia staff that he was spending toomuch time away from the airline just as itwas expanding in Japan and India andfacing an increasingly competitive land-scape in Southeast Asia. AirAsia is theworst-performing airline globally out ofmid and large-cap stocks so far this year,

its share price falling losing more than 40percent to give the carrier a market valueof 4.5 billion Malaysian ringgit ($1.20 bil-lion).

Some executives said he delegatedmost of the running of the company tothe heads of the group’s individual air-lines and that he was in the office less-and-less.

Worries about his absences were exac-erbated after a June 10 report by littleknown GMT Research said AirAsia usesrelated-party transactions with loss-mak-ing associate carriers to boost its earnings.AirAsia shares are down 24 pct since thereport was published.

The report has caused investors toquestion whether AirAsia is too reliant onits associates - semi-independent airlinesin countries around Asia that share itsbranding and pay it fees to lease planes -given they owe increasingly large increas-ing amounts of money to the parent com-pany.

Fernandes refuted GMT’s report at theParis Airshow last week, saying AirAsia hasa solid balance sheet and business plan.He is now working increasingly hardbehind the scenes to put the finishingtouches on a turnaround plan for thegroup’s beleaguered Indonesian andPhilippine associates, according to staffmembers. “He’s telling people that AirAsiais a small company without deep pocketsor a saviour, and that everyone needs topull together and work harder to provethat the report is wrong,” said the execu-tive.

Last week the company said it expectsits Indonesia unit to break even and itsPhilippine business to have returned toprofitability by the end of this year.

BUSINESS EMPIRESince 2007, Fernandes and Kamarudin

have launched a chain of budget hotels, amobile phone group, a school and venturedinto financial services through their holdingcompany Tune Group.

Last year Fernandes sold CaterhamFormula One team, after owning it for fiveyears. He remains chairman of loss-makingQueens Park Rangers, which has problemsof its own after it was demoted fromEngland’s top league and is being scruti-nized by The Football League over whetherits accounts breached the sport’s “FinancialFair Play” rules. However his biggest chal-lenge is the tough business terrain facingAirAsia, that was worsened by the crash ofan Airbus Group A320 jet operated by theIndonesian affiliate that killed 162 peoplelate in December.

The crash led to a drop in the number ofpassengers for the group’s Indonesia unitand it scaled back marketing activities out ofrespect for the victims. Stronger competitionfrom the likes of Qantas Airways Ltd unitJetstar, Indonesia’s unlisted Lion Air, andSingapore Airlines subsidiaries Tigerair andScoot contributed to losses in fourth-quarter2014, the first since 2008, though the carrierreturned to profit this year. Still, analysts sayFernandes is the best person to turn the air-line around and that its strong route net-work and brand recognition mean its long-term prospects remain healthy.

“It may look ugly now and there aresome challenges to overcome but AirAsiawill get through the current turbulence,”said Brendan Sobie, a Singapore-based ana-lyst with aviation consultancy CAPA. “Itsposition in the Southeast Asia marketremains strong and the envy of competi-tors.” —Reuters

SEOUL: Pedestrians, some wearing face masks, move along a street in Seoul yesterday. South Koreaannounced a $14 billion stimulus package to boost its troubled economy, hammered by the deadly MERSoutbreak which has dented consumer spending and business sentiment. —AFP

AirAsia CEO casts other work aside amid accounting worries

Fernandes aiming to turn around Indonesia, Philippine units

S Korea unveils $14bnstimulus package to

spur growthSEOUL: South Korea yesterday announced a $14 billion stimu-lus package to boost its troubled economy, hammered by thedeadly MERS outbreak which has dented consumer spendingand business sentiment. In announcing the 15 trillion won pro-gram-which follows a central bank interest rate cut to a recordlow this month-the finance ministry also slashed its growthoutlook for this year.

Finance Minister Choi Kyung-Hwan said the extra move wascrucial as a recovery in Asia’s fourth largest economy hingedon efforts to quickly contain the effects of Middle EastRespiratory Syndrome. As of Thursday the virus had killed 29people and infected 151 since the first case was confirmed onMay 20, making it the worst outbreak outside Saudi Arabia.

“We can say that we have overcome the MERS crisis only ifour economy rebounds,” Choi said, warning that growth couldcome in below 3.0 percent without support from the extraspending. “The economy is being weighed down by MERS,which has seriously hurt consumption and the service sector,”he said, adding the government would use all availableresources to prop up growth, support exports and create jobs.Choi said the government would issue bonds to fund the extrabudget, the size of which will be decided after analyzing theimpact of MERS.

The finance ministry slashed its growth forecast for this yearto 3.1 percent from an earlier projection of 3.8 percent. Theministry said the MERS outbreak could pare up to 0.3 percent-age point off annual economic growth, vowing to keep closetabs on rising household debt and encourage corporaterestructuring that could reduce risks to the economy. Theslowing global economic recovery and a weak yen and euroare other risks to South Korea, it said. As part of the packageprovincial authorities will be encouraged to spend more oninfrastructure projects, while it will also be used to help con-tain MERS, address the effects of a severe drought and createmore jobs. “We’re trying to cope with shocks from non-eco-nomic issues by boosting fiscal spending sufficiently and keep-ing it expansionary,” said Lee Chan Woo, a director general atthe ministry. “This supplementary budget is to offset the effectof MERS, the drought, and to help low-income earners.”

Interest rates cut The central Bank of Korea cut interest rates this month to a

record low 1.5 percent as businesses including shops, restau-rants and cinemas reported a slump in sales. South Korea’sexports fell 10.9 percent from a year earlier in May, shrinkingfor the fifth consecutive month.

The ministry forecast this year’s exports would fall 1.5 per-cent from a year ago. It also lowered its inflation outlook to 0.7percent. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI failed to get a boostfrom the government’s announcement and fell 0.02 percent to2,085.06 Thursday with sentiment weakened by stalled talkson a Greek bailout.

On Thursday the health ministry reported two more deathsfrom MERS and one more new case of the disease. The two fatal-ities included a 65-year-old man who contracted the virus at ahospital at the central city of Daejon. He was diagnosed on June6. The other was a 70-year-old woman who was a relative ofanother infected patient. She was diagnosed on June 22. —AFP

A real estate sign is posted in front of a newly con-structed luxury home in Roswell Georgia. Freddie Macreports on average US mortgage rates yesterday. —AP

41B u s i n e s sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

LONDON: Britain is to begin selling stakes in itsGreen Investment Bank (GIB) to bring it into privateownership and to help it to grow, the governmentsaid yesterday.

The move to privatize the bank also comes a weekafter the government said it would scrap all new sub-sidies for onshore wind farms a year earlier than pre-viously planned. Business Secretary Sajid Javid saidthe move would give the bank greater freedom toborrow and remove limitations from European Unionregulations on state aid and allow the bank to attractmore capital.

“In 2012 we set up the Green Investment Bank tosupport important investment in the UK’s greeninfrastructure and since then it’s gone from strengthto strength,” British finance minister George Osborneadded. “That is why we can now begin exploring

options for moving the bank into the private sectorto enable it to access larger pools of capital and actmore freely to invest in a broad range of green sec-tors.”

Since the bank was created as a commercial ven-ture at the end of 2012 to back green energy projectsand to spur private sector investment it says it hasinvested 2 billion pounds ($3 billion) in 50 projectsworth over 8 billion pounds including waste manage-ment plants and offshore wind farms.

The government said stake sales will need to meetcertain criteria such as delivering value for money fortaxpayers. In its annual review yesterday the banksaid it started to operate profitably in the financialyear just ended, making a profit before tax in the sec-ond half of the year of over 3 million pounds and afull-year profit of 0.1 million pounds.

“We are now very close to our expected long-terminvestment rate of 800 million to 1 billion pounds peryear,” said Shaun Kingsbury, chief executive. “Whilecapital from the UK government was an importantstart it will not be enough to sustain our level ofinvestment. From the outset it was always part of theplan that we would need to raise additional capitalfrom the private sector to supplement governmentfunding.”

The bank has a range of funding options. It willkeep investing its current share capital from the gov-ernment; recycle that capital; continue to raise mon-ey for its fund and work to attract new equityinvestors, he added. The bank said it has appointedadvisers but was still in the early stages of its work toattract investors and did not expect to make a frutherannouncement in the short term. —Reuters

Britain to privatize Green Investment Bank

FRANKFURT: The possibility of Britain leaving theEuropean Union sometime in the future worriesEuropean bankers a great deal more than theprospect that Greece might be on its way outsoon. Britain’s inclusion in the EU is more impor-tant to the bloc’s long-term future than whateverhappens to Greece, bankers attending a financialindustry conference said, even as last-ditch talksaimed at keeping Greece solvent and avoiding apossible exit from the euro-zone rumble on inBrussels.

“To me, that (Brexit) is the bigger potentialnightmare,” Tim Adams, president of the Instituteof International Finance (IIF), said at the organiza-tion’s European meeting in Frankfurt yesterday.“The UK is such an important part of theEuropean economy and ecosystem. We have oneyear of uncertainty hanging over us.” BritishPrime Minister David Cameron has promised torenegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU andthen hold a vote by the end of 2017 on whetherto stay in the bloc or leave.

Cameron’s efforts to start that renegotiationthis week have been stymied by Greece, whichmust persuade its creditors to unlock billions of

euros in bailout funds to avoid defaulting on adebt repayment next week. “In a mechanicalsense, Grexit would disturb the workings and thestructure of the European Union more (thanBrexit),” said Hans Jaeckel, economist at DZ Bank.“But for the spirit and future perspective andmeaningfulness of the European Union, Brexit isthe bigger risk.”

MORAL HAZARDThe IIF was at the heart of the last major effort

to stave off bankruptcy in Greece when its offi-cials, along with senior bankers from BNP Paribas,Deutsche Bank and other lenders, spent monthsrenegotiating the terms of Greece’s 130-billion-euro debt mountain.

In 2012, private investors, including banks,insurers and hedge funds, swallowed 100 billioneuros in losses. This time around, Greece’s credi-tors are mostly other euro-zone governmentsand public sector organizations such as theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF). The IIF is notinvolved in the talks, nor are the banks, who haveall slashed their exposure to Greece.

“We’re much better placed for any outcome

than we were a few years ago.” Ana Botin, chiefexecutive of Spanish bank Santander , told anaudience at the IIF meeting. A majority of about200 attendees at one session in Frankfurt indicat-ed with a show of hands that they expectedEurope to clinch a deal with Greece. A majority,albeit smaller, also said it was right to do a deal.“The proposals by the Greek government overthe weekend showed movement from their partand offers specific measures that I think can bethe basis for discussion and eventual compro-mise,” said Hung Tran, who as managing directorof the IIF was involved in the 2012 debt restruc-turing.

But Martin Blessing, chief executive ofCommerzbank , which lost nearly 3 billion eurosin the 2012 deal, warned against agreement withGreece at any cost. “Having a false compromisewhere in the end you’re creating moral hazard forother countries would be the worst solution,”Blessing said in an interview with Reuters. “TheGreek population is voting each day by takingmoney out of the banks. That is not of course asign of confidence in the politics that the Greekgovernment is pursuing.” —Reuters

Europe’s bankers fear Brexit more than GrexitBanks and hedge funds slash exposure to Greece

ATHENS: A man counts euro notes in a market in Athens yesterday. The ECB approved a request from Athens toincrease the amount of emergency liquidity Greek lenders can tap from the country’s central bank. —AP

Standard Life Investments says Brexit would be

disaster for capital marketsLONDON: A British exit from the European Union wouldbe disastrous for the region’s capital markets at a timewhen it is aiming to harmonize financing arrangements toboost economic growth, the head of a major UK assetmanager said yesterday.

“This would be a shock that would register about 15 onthe Richter scale,” said Standard Life Investments chiefexecutive Keith Skeoch, referring to the possibility thatBritons might vote to leave the EU in a referendum due bythe end of 2017. London is the bloc’s biggest financialcentre and regarded as core to pan-EU plans for a capitalmarkets union.

Skeoch will take over as chief executive of StandardLife , the Edinburgh-headquartered insurer and asset man-ager, later this year. Insurers and pension funds havestepped into a vacuum left by banks after the global finan-cial crisis, investing in infrastructure either directly orthrough capital markets.

Skeoch said investors needed to feel confident thatcapital markets structures would not change over the life-time of these long-term instruments.

“You want to make sure the rights you have today willpersist for the next 20-30 years,” he said.

“If you talk to institutional investors, one of the prob-lems ... is those sands shift-they can’t be allowed to.”Skeoch also said he would like to see a harmonized set ofprinciples for corporate governance. Investors such asStandard Life have been focusing on good practice at thecompanies in which they invest, taking them to task onissues such as pay and board independence. —Reuters

NEW DELHI: Indian Director of Lenovo SmartphonesIndia Sudhin Mathur (left), Vice President of Retail atFlipkart Amitesh Jha (center) and Global Sales Headof Lenovo Smartphones Dillon Ye (right) pose for aphotograph during the launch of the new Lenovo K3Note tablet-phone in New Delhi yesterday. —AFP

S p o r t sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

MIAMI: Jason Heyward homered for the third con-secutive game, Kolten Wong added a two-run shotand the St Louis Cardinals topped the MiamiMarlins 6-1 on Wednesday night. Heyward hit athree-run homer, his ninth of the season, in the sev-enth to blow the game open. The Cardinals hadjust one hit in the first six innings against Miamistarter Mat Latos (2-5), that hit being Wong’s ninthhome run in the third. Jaime Garcia (3-3) allowedone run in seven innings for the Cardinals, loweringhis ERA to 1.69. Garcia singled and eventuallyscored in the eighth, but grimaced and began tolimp shortly before crossing the plate. He came outof the game. Giancarlo Stanton had three hits,including hit his ML-leading 27th home run for theMarlins.

Giants 6, Padres 0Buster Posey hit his second grand slam in five

games and San Francisco beat San Diego. Posey hithis 11th home run of the season on a 2-2 pitch fromSan Diego starter Ian Kennedy (4-6) with two outsin the third inning. That came two batters after JoePanik’s sacrifice fly drove in Andrew Susac. It’sPosey’s fourth career grand slam. The Giants’ All-Star catcher also hit one against the Los AngelesDodgers on June 19. Ryan Vogelsong pitched sixscoreless innings for his second straight win.Vogelsong (6-5) gave up five hits, struck out fourand walked two while helping San Francisco to itsmajors-leading 12th shutout. San Diego’s MattKemp went 0 for 4 with one strikeout while battingleadoff for the first time since 2010.

Dodgers 5, Cubs 2Justin Turner and Adrian Gonzalez homered,

and Los Angeles snapped Chicago’s four-game winstreak. Gonzalez connected for a leadoff drive inthe second and Turner belted a three-run shot inthe third, helping Los Angeles bounce back after itscored just two runs in the first two games of thefour game series. Joc Pederson added an RBI singlein the eighth for the NL West leaders, who had lostfour of five overall. JP Howell (3-1) replaced MikeBolsinger with two out in the fifth and pitched 1 1/3scoreless innings for the win. Kenley Jansen gotthree outs for his 10th save in 11 chances. AddisonRussell had two hits and drove in a run for Chicago,which had won five of seven. The Cubs finishedwith nine hits, but left eight runners on base. KyleHendricks (2-4) lasted just five innings for Chicago.He hasn’t recorded an out in the sixth in any of hislast four starts.

Royals 8, Mariners 2Mike Moustakas hit a two-run home run and

Omar Infante had a three-run double in a seven-runfourth inning and Kansas City beat Seattle. AlcidesEscobar opened the fourth with a single to right offRoenis Elias (4-5), who had retired the first nine bat-ters. Moustakas followed with his seventh homerover the right-field wall. The Royals would scorefive more, all with two outs. Infante unloaded thebases with his double to left, then Jarrod Dyson andEscobar each followed with left-field RBI doubles.Ryan Madson (1-1) worked 1-plus inning of hitlessrelief for the win.

Blue Jays 1, Rays 0, 12 inningsMarco Estrada lost his bid for a perfect game on

Logan Forsythe’s infield single with one out in theeighth inning, but Chris Colabello homered in the12th to lift Toronto over Tampa Bay. Forsythe bare-ly beat out a slow chopper to third that JoshDonaldson fielded barehanded. Donaldson’s throwto first was just a hair too late. Toronto challengedthe safe call by umpire Joe West, which was con-firmed after a 40-second replay review. TampaBay’s only other hit off Estrada was KevinKiermaier’s two-out double in the ninth that chasedthe right-hander. Estrada also carried a no-hit bidinto the eighth inning of his previous start Fridayagainst Baltimore. This time, he struck out 10 andthrew a career-high 129 pitches. Colabello connect-

ed for a one-out shot to center off Brandon Gomes(1-3). Brett Cecil (2-4) escaped a bases-loaded jam inthe 11th, and Steve Delabar got three outs for hisfirst save of the season.

Brewers 4, Mets 1Jimmy Nelson allowed two hits in eight strong

innings, Scooter Gennett hit a home run andMilwaukee extended New York’s losing streak to aseason-high seven games. The Brewers scratchedout four runs on 10 hits in six innings off Metsstarter Bartolo Colon (9-6) as New York (36-37)slipped below .500 for the first time since a 2-3record on April 11. Nelson (4-8) allowed one run,Curtis Granderson’s 11th home run, and two hits.He struck out five and walked one sending theMets to their longest skid since April 2011. JohnnyMonell singled leading off the third for the first hitin the game off the Brewers’ big right-hander.Scooter Gennett hit a solo home run off Colon inthe sixth. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth forhis 15th save.

Yankees 10, Phillies 2Ivan Nova stifled the Phillies on three hits over 6

2-3 scoreless innings in his first major leagueappearance in 14 months, leading New York overPhiladelphia and Cole Hamels. Nova returned tothe mound for the first time since April 19, 2014.The right-hander had Tommy John surgery 10 dayslater and the Yankees, seeking to stabilize an erraticrotation, activated him after three minor leaguerehab outings. With a fastball that reached 95 mph,Nova (1-0) walked two and struck out one. Hewaved his cap as he walked off to a standing ova-tion from the crowd of 45,877. Hamels (5-6), whomissed his previous turn because of a strained righthamstring, was hurt by his defense. He allowed fiveruns, eight hits and three walks in five innings. AlexRodriguez drove in two runs for the Yankees, andMark Teixeira had three hits and two RBIs aftermissing two games with a stiff neck.

Angels 2, Astros 1, 13 INNINGSTaylor Featherston poked an RBI single over first

base with two outs in the 13th inning to give LosAngeles a victory Houston. Surprise starter AndrewHeaney pitched well in his Angels debut, locking upwith Lance McCullers in a matchup of touted

young arms selected in the first round of the 2012draft. Los Angeles took two of three in the series toclimb within 4 1/2 games of the AL West leaders.Erick Aybar greeted Joe Thatcher (1-2) with a lead-off single, advanced on Daniel Robertson’s sacrificeand went to third on Efren Navarro’s groundout.Chad Qualls walked Chris Iannetta beforeFeatherston came through. Jose Alvarez (2-1)pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings for the win.

Reds 5, Pirates 2Marlon Byrd hit a two-run homer during

Cincinnati’s four-run first inning, and the Reds con-tinued their mastery of Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole. TheReds have won - and scored at least three runs - ineach of the three games this season it has facedCole (11-3). The Pirates are 11-1 when Cole startsagainst any other team, and he hasn’t allowedmore than two runs in any of his 12 starts when hehasn’t faced Cincinnati. Mike Leake (5-4), the Reds’starter each time they’ve beaten Cole, limited thePirates to two runs and eight hits in seven inningsto win his seventh consecutive decision againstthem. Tucker Barnhart went 3 for 4 for Cincinnati,which has won five of its past seven. Cole hadallowed just three earned runs over four starts in 27innings in June.

Diamonbacks 8, Rockies 7Pinch-hitter Aaron Hill hit a go-ahead sacrifice

fly to cap a three-run rally in the ninth inning, liftingArizona past Colorado in a game that began with a46-minute rain delay. Down 7-5 heading into theninth, Arizona pulled within a run on YasmanyTomas’ RBI single, his career-high fourth hit of thegame. After a bloop single by Jake Lamb loadedthe bases, closer John Axford (1-1) fanned ChrisOwings but then walked Jarrod Saltalamacchia,forcing home the tying run and blowing a save forthe first time in 13 chances this season. Hill, battingfor reliever Daniel Hudson (2-2), then drove a flyball to deep center, scoring Tomas from third. BradZiegler pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save.

Nationals 2, Braves 1, 11 INNINGSIan Desmond hit a sacrifice fly with the bases

loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning to liftWashington to a victory over Atlanta and its fifthstraight win. Bryce Harper started the winning rally

with a double to right-center off Dana Eveland (0-1)and gave the crowd and the Nationals a scare whenhe came up limping badly at second. But afterbeing checked out, he stayed in the game. Evelandthen intentionally walked Wilson Ramos and thenwalked Clint Robinson to load the bases. DavidAardsma came on to face Desmond, who hit hissacrifice fly to deep left that drove in Harper to endthe game. Felipe Rivero (1-0) earned his first majorleague victory for Washington with an inning ofscoreless relief in the 11th. The Braves now havedropped two in a row.

Athletics 8, Rangers 2Brett Lawrie hit a grand slam, Josh Phegley

homered for the second night in a row andOakland beat Texas for its fourth straight victory.Lawrie’s third career slam made it 5-0 in the first offWandy Rodriguez (4-3), who had never beforefaced the A’s in his 11-year major league career.Oakland led 8-0 after two innings. A’s rookie centerfielder Billy Burns led off each of the first twoinnings with doubles, and scored both times onhits by Stephen Vogt. Burns also singled in the thirdand has a 14-game hitting streak, with hits in 26 ofhis last 27 games. Kendall Graveman (4-4) allowedtwo runs over seven innings.

Red Sox 5, Orioles 1David Ortiz’s two-run homer capped a five-run

sixth inning and Boston beat Baltimore despite los-ing two key starters to injuries. Left fielder HanleyRamirez left with a bruised left hand and secondbaseman Dustin Pedroia limped off after histiebreaking, two-run single with right hamstringtightness. It was Boston’s fifth win in eight gamesand snapped its six-game losing streak to theOrioles. Baltimore lost for just the fourth time in itslast 16. Clay Buchholz (5-6) worked seven solidinnings, giving up one run on eight hits, striking outseven and walking one. Junichi Tazawa struck outthe side in the eighth before Koji Uehara got thefinal three outs. Trailing 1-0, the Red Sox scored fiveunearned runs off Bud Norris (2-6).

Twins 6, White Sox 1Phil Hughes tossed eight strong innings and

Minnesota beat Chris Sale for the third time thisseason, overcoming 10 more strikeouts by theChicago ace. Sale (6-4) reached double digits instrikeouts for the seventh straight game. He wastrying to become the first pitcher in modern majorleague history with at least 12 in six consecutivestarts. The lanky left-hander’s streak of innings withat least one strikeout was stopped at 38 whenMinnesota hit three doubles in a three-run fourth togive Hughes (6-6) the lead for good. Sale is 1-3 witha 6.46 ERA in four turns against the Twins this sea-son. Against everyone else in the majors, he is 5-1with a 1.88 ERA in 10 starts. Adam LaRoche hadthree hits for the White Sox, including a home run.

Indians 8, Tigers 2Carlos Carrasco kept the AL’s best hitting team

in check for eight innings and Cleveland won itsfirst home game against Detroit this season. Facinga lineup minus slugger Miguel Cabrera, Carrasco (9-6) carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh beforegiving up a two-run homer to J.D. Martinez. Theright-hander allowed five hits and struck out seven.The Indians came in 0-5 against the four-timedefending AL Central champions in Cleveland thisseason and were 5-20 at Progressive Field versusthe Tigers since the start of 2013. Cleveland’s JasonKipnis, the league’s leading hitter, extended his hit-ting streak to 19 games, and rookie FranciscoLindor hit his first career homer off Buck Farmer (0-2) to help the Indians salvage the series finale.Farmer was called up from Triple-A Toledo to startin place of Justin Verlander, scratched with a stiffback. The Indians caught a break before the gameeven began as the Tigers rested Cabrera, who hasdestroyed Cleveland pitching with a .619 average(26 of 42) this season.— AP

SEATTLE: Alex Rios #15 of the Kansas City Royals scores against catcher Mike Zunino #3of the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning at Safeco Field on June 24, 2015 in Seattle,Washington. — AFP

Cardinals overwhelm Miami Marlins 6-1

43S p o r t sFRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015

COLOMBO: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez (left) is dismissed by Sri Lankan spinner Tharindu Kaushalas wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal looks on during the opening day of the second Test cricket matchbetween Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the P Sara Oval Cricket Stadium in Colombo on June 25, 2015. —AFP

COLOMBO: Young off-spinner TharinduKaushal grabbed five wickets as SriLanka bundled out Pakistan for 138 onthe opening day of the second Testagainst Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday.Seamer Dhammika Prasad chipped inwith three wickets as the tourists col-lapsed in 42.5 overs by tea after skipperMisbah-ul Haq elected to bat on a fresh,bouncy pitch at the P Sara Oval. SriLanka, looking for a series-levelling winafter losing the first Test in Galle by 10wickets, were 70 for one at stumps andwell set to build a big first innings lead.

Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on18 and Kaushal Silva was on 21 afterDimuth Karunaratne was caught behindfor 28 while trying to slash a wide ballfrom seamer Junaid Khan. Kaushal, a 22-year-old playing only his second Testmatch, finished with five for 42 runs in10.5 overs of accurate spin bowling inhelpful conditions. Mohammad Hafeeztop-scored with 42 as Pakistan losteight wickets in the afternoon sessionafter resuming at the lunch score of 70for two. Prasad, who took the fielddespite having suffered a finger injuryduring net practice on Wednesday,struck with the first ball of his secondover to make it five for one.

He forced Ahmed Shehzad to edge arising ball to second slip where the 37-year-old Kumar Sangakkara dived to hisright to pick up a low catch. Azhar Ali,who put on 46 for the second wicketwith Hafeez, was dismissed for 26 whenTV umpire Paul Reiffel upheld SriLanka’s review for an edge off Prasadafter on-field official Richard Illingworthhad turned down the appeal. Younis

Khan, making his 100th Test appear-ance, survived a confident leg-beforeappeal on zero, but was caught behindby Dinesh Chandimal off Prasad for sixin the first over after lunch. Kaushalbegan his wicket hunt by bowlingHafeez in his fourth over and, six deliv-eries later, trapped Asad Shafiq leg-before for two as the tourists slid from74-2 to 95-5.

Pakistan woesA sharp shower just as Shafiq was

walking back to the pavilion halted playfor an hour, but Pakistan’s woes multi-plied on resumption. Misbah ran him-self out after making seven, failing toregain his ground after dashing downthe wicket for a sharp single which wasrefused by non-striker Sarfraz Ahmed.Sarfraz, the batting hero of Pakistan’svictory at Galle, made 14 when heedged a drive off Kaushal on to his padand the ball lobbed to Angelo Mathewsin the slips.

Kaushal then claimed Wahab Riazleg-before through a review afterumpire Sundaram Ravi had turneddown a loud shout from the bowler andthe close-on fielders. Zulfiqar Babar wasbowled to give debutant seamerDushmantha Chameera his first Testwicket, before a fine running catch atlong-on by Sangakkara to dismiss YasirShah terminated the innings. Pakistanretained the same side that won thefirst Test to take the lead in the three-match series. Sri Lanka made twochanges, replacing off-spinner DilruwanPerera and seamer Nuwan Pradeep withKaushal and Chameera. —AFP

Kaushal, Prasad skittle Pakistan in second TestYoung off-spinner Kaushal bags five wickets

Cycling star Froome ‘missed’ doping test

LONDON: British cycling star Chris Froome revealed yester-day he had missed a drugs test earlier this year but said itwas his own fault. The 30-year-old’s missed test came whilehe was on holiday in Italy with wife Michelle. Staff at thehotel where they were staying refused to let anti-dopingofficials disturb the couple. During the Tour itself, Froomesaid he was tested “over 30 times in three weeks”.

Athletes must provide anti-doping officials with theirwhereabouts for one hour every day of the year and aresanctioned if they have three missed tests in a 12-monthperiod. Froome’s revelation comes amid the ongoing con-troversy engulfing Mo Farah after it emerged Britain’sOlympic 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters champion missedtwo drugs tests prior to the 2012 London Games. That inturn followed a BBC documentary alleging Farah’s coachAlberto Salazar had practiced doping techniques withAmerican athlete Galen Rupp. Farah has not been accusedof doing anything wrong, while Salazar denies the accusa-tions against him.

Froome, speaking by conference call from his base inMonaco, told British media: “Earlier this year I had a coupleof recovery days and I took my wife down to quite an exclu-sive hotel in Italy. “The first morning we were down therethe authorities showed up at seven o’clock in the morningand the hotel wouldn’t give them access to our room. Theyalso refused to let them call up to the room. “When wecame down for breakfast they said to us, ‘Oh, anti-dopingguys were here to test you this morning, but it’s our policynot to let anyone disturb our clients’. “That was a hugelyfrustrating situation for me. I did appeal it and try andexplain the circumstances to the authorities, but at the endof the day I do take responsibility for that case.

“I should’ve been more proactive in letting the hotelknow that this is a possibility that I could be tested. I’ve cer-tainly learnt my lesson there.” “It’s always the athlete’sresponsibility to make sure he or she is available for testing.”Froome, who crashed out of the 2014 Tour, forecast an “epicbattle” with defending champion Vincenzo Nibali, AlbertoContador and Nairo Quintana next month when the 2015edition of cycling’s most prestigious road race gets under-way. “(It is) probably the biggest battle we’ve seen for yearsin the Tour de France,” he added. “All my rivals I respect, butI don’t fear anyone at this point.” —AFP

Pakistan 1st innings:Mohammad Hafeez b Kaushal 42Ahmed Shehzad c Sangakkara b Prasad 1Azhar Ali c Chandimal b Prasad 26Younis Khan c Chandimal b Prasad 6Misbah-ul Haq run out 7Asad Shafiq lbw b Kaushal 2Sarfraz Ahmed c Mathews b Kaushal 14Wahab Riaz lbw b Kaushal 4Yasir Shah c Sangakkara b Kaushal 15Zulfiqar Babar b Chameera 5Junaid Khan not out 2Extras: (lb4, w3, nb7) 14Total (all out, 42.5 overs) 138Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Shehzad), 2-51 (Azhar),3-74 (Younis), 4-89 (Hafeez), 5-95 (Shafiq),6-96 (Misbah) , 7-113 (Sarfraz) , 8-117(Wahab), 9-124 (Babar), 10-138 (Yasir) Bowling: Prasad 13-2-43-3 (w3), Mathews9-4-16-0, Chameera 10-0-33-1 (nb5) ,Kaushal 10.5-0-42-5 (nb2).

Sri Lanka 1st innings:D. Karunaratne c Sarfraz b Junaid 28K. Silva not out 21K. Sangakkara notout 18Extras: (b2, nb1) 3Total (for one wicket, 32 overs) 70Fall of wicket: 1-47 (Karunaratne) Bowling: Wahab 9-2-19-0 (nb1), Junaid 10-3-26-1, Babar 7-4-9-0, Yasir 6-0-14-0.

SCOREBOARDCOLOMBO: Scoreboard at stumps onthe opening day of the second Testbetween Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the P.Sara Oval in Colombo yesterday:

Ramos wants to leave Real

MADRID: Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has told theclub he wants to leave after falling out with its presidentFlorentino Perez, media reported yesterday, sayingManchester United were interested in buying the player.Spain’s major sporting and general dailies reported thatRamos met top club officials on Wednesday and askedthem to listen to offers from other clubs. Real have yet torenew Ramos’s current contract, which expires in 2017.The 29-year-old is a hero at Real, having scored a decisivegoal in the historic 10th European championship final vic-tory last year. But his tense relations with Perez have beenwidely reported. Ramos notably defended ex-coach CarloAncelotti who was fired by Perez last month.

Numerous rumors about salary demands and interestfrom other clubs have circulated over recent days.Television footage showed Ramos driving into Real’sValdebebas training ground on Wednesday for the report-ed meeting. Leading sports newspaper Marca saidWednesday’s meeting “lowered the tension” but that noagreement was reached. Various Spanish and British mediasaid Manchester United had made an offer for Ramos, butneither club nor the player have commented publicly onthe possible transfer. Real Madrid are widely reported tobe interested in signing United goalkeeper David de Gea,prompting speculation that a transfer of Ramos could formpart of the deal. —AFP

JOHANNESBURG: Egyptians Al-Ahly topan eight-club field of African title winnerswhen the CAF Confederation Cup groupstage kicks off this weekend. The Cairo-based outfit won the second-tier competi-tion last year and raised to 19 the recordnumber of CAF trophies they have lifted.Ahly, compatriots Zamalek, TunisiansEsperance and Etoile Sahel and SouthAfricans Orlando Pirates have won the CAFChampions League, the marquee event onthe African club football calendar.

Completing the field are Tunisians CSSfaxien, Congolese AC Leopards andMalians Stade Malien, all former CAFConfederation Cup holders. Ahly hostEsperance Sunday in the final and stand-out matchday 1 fixture and the visitors areamong the seven most successful Africanclubs with five titles. This match at the Suez

Army Stadium marks the debut of formerOlympique Marseille coach Jose Anigo asboss of Esperance, who have won everyAfrican competition except theConfederation Cup.

The 54-year-old, who spent two spellsin charge of Marseille, must tackle Ahlywithout six first choices. DefendersMohamed Ben Mansour and ChamseddineDhaouadi and Cameroonian strikerYannick N’Djeng are injured. Suspensionsrule out Ghailene Chaalali and Iheb Mbarkiand fellow midfielder and captain OussamaDarragi has gone missing.”It is true that aweek is a very short time to prepare for amatch of this magnitude,” Anigo admittedto the Tunisian media. “But we will try anddo well against Ahly, who are a greatAfrican club.” Anigo succeeded PortugueseJose De Morais, a former assistant of Jose

Mourinho at several clubs, who quit afterfailing to land the Tunisian title.

Ahly and Esperance have been involvedin some classic CAF clashes down the years,most recently the 2012 Champions Leaguefinal won by the Egyptians. Etoile Saheland Stade Malien are the other Group Aclubs and they get the ball rolling with aFriday night clash in Mediterranean resortSousse. Notorious for changing coaches,Etoile have put veteran Faouzi Benzarti incharge a fifth time as they try to improveon 2013 group results against the Bamakooutfit. After forcing a goalless draw in Mali,Etoile suffered a shock 1-0 home loss toStade and spoilt their chances of a semi-finals place.

Orlando Pirates return Saturday toDolisie, where they were sunk by a cross-cum-shot Leopards goal in the Champions

League two years ago. The Soweto sideimpressed in qualifying for the groupstage, scoring two goals each in awaygames against Ugandan, Gabonese andGuinean opponents. Should the SouthAfricans equal that scoring feat, they standa good chance of securing at least a pointagainst the shock 2012 Confederation Cupwinners. Zamalek host Sfaxien in Cairo laterSaturday in the other Group B game, whichbrings together two highly decoratedAfrican clubs. The Egyptians are the secondmost successful CAF club with nine titleswhile Sfaxien have lifted the ConfederationCup a record three times. Each team playstheir three rivals at home and away and thefirst and second-place finishers in bothgroups advance to the semi-finals of acompetition worth $660,000 (590,000euros) to the winners. —AFP

Ahly top powerful Confederation Cup line-up


India loses out as Asian teams turn to

overseas soccer talentMUMBAI: When a country with a population of 180,000 is victori-ous over a nation of more than a billion in the football arena, itwould normally be classed as a shock. When Guam held off India 2-1 in a June 16 World Cup qualifier, India coach StephenConstantine was not surprised. Guam has deepened its pool ofplayers by looking to the United States for professionals eligible toplay for the Pacific Island team. Other Asian nations have also bene-fited from making use of scattered but eligible players, whereverthey may be.

India is now considering following suit. “People see losing toGuam as an upset, but for me it wasn’t an upset,” Constantine toldThe Associated Press. “They have 11 well-coached players that arecoming from a significantly higher standard of football than we areplaying here. “I want to try anything that could improve the Indianteam,” the Englishman added. “We have (potential) players in theUnited Kingdom, the United States and Norway, and if everyoneelse is doing this then why not do it too?”

In India, however, the debate is academic because governmentrules don’t allow for the so-called Players of Indian Origin (PIO) torepresent India unless they surrender their original passport.Players of dual nationality are not allowed. This could be one rea-son why India is no longer the champion of the South Asia FootballFederation. That tournament was last won in 2013 by Afghanistan,a team that included players of Afghan heritage plying their tradewith clubs in Germany, Scandinavia and America. “I am not a politi-cian and there are a lot of complex issues surrounding this,”Constantine said. “My feeling is why can’t we issue them temporarypassports while they are in the service of the national team? Theyare not given any rights like Indian citizens, just selected for theIndian national team, they are happy and we will give them a tem-porary passport. “I admit that it is a short-term solution, not theanswers to our prayers - which is kids in schools playing footballand a strong football culture.” Gary White, another Englishman,was appointed to take over the Guam national team in 2012 andhas made significant progress at all levels of development.

The Guam senior team has won both its games in the secondround of Asian qualifying for the 2018 World Cup and sits on top ofGroup D. Among other strategies, White sought to overcome theconfines of population by recruiting eligible players abroad. “Weset up a player identification camp in the United States,” White said.“There’s also a big US navy and army base in Guam, and so weknew that there may be people who were born here who couldplay for us. “We have a wide net,” he explained. “We wanted RyanGuy at New England Revolution in the MLS, we tried to convincehim but we were getting beat by double figures and they were notinterested. We had to sell the vision of a long-term future. I knewthat if we could get Ryan, then others would follow.”

White said Ryan’s recruitment proved to be the catalyst: “Nowplayers are contacting us.” For Constantine, it makes sense to fol-low in the footsteps of others. “Pakistan do it and the Philippineshave been doing it for years.” Pakistan, for example, has called upformer English Premier League defender Zesh Rehman as its cap-tain. The Philippines started to select players, mainly born inEurope to a Filipino parent, including Neil Etheridge and StephanSchrock. The Philippines has won both of its 2018 World Cup qual-ifiers so far. —AP

FLORENCE: A White Team player (left) is tackled by two Green Team players during their Calcio Fiorentino matchin Florence’s Piazza Santa Croce on June 24, 2015. Calcio Fiorentino, an early form of football from the 16th cen-tury that originated from the ancient roman “harpastum”, is played in teams of 27, using both feet and handsand allows tactics such as head-butting, punching, elbowing, and choking, but forbids sucker-punching andkicks to the head. Goals can be scored by throwing the ball over a goal running the width of each end of thegiant sand pit. —AFP

JOHANNESBURG: Algerians Mouloudia El-Eulma set out today tobecome only the second club from a second division to win theCAF Champions League. Compatriots Entente Setif achieved theremarkable feat in 1988, losing top-flight domestic status duringan African campaign crowned by a 4-1 final triumph overNigerians Iwuanyanwu Nationale. Champions League newcomersEulma play Sudanese El-Merreikh in Omdurman hoping to make awinning start as they seek consolation for a bizarre demotion. Theyscored 40 goals in the 30-round Algerian championship, morethan any of the other 15 clubs, including champions Setif. ButEulma fell one point short of dodging the drop under Frenchcoach Jules Accorsi, who turns 78 tomorrow. He concedes that histeam might have fared better by concentrating on avoidingleague losses rather than trying to win matches. “Algerian clubs

play with a knife to their throats and fear in their chests,” he toldreporters.

Title-holders Setif and USM Alger are also in Group B-the firsttime three clubs from a country are in the same Champions Leaguesection. Merreikh claimed a notable qualifying scalp in TunisiansEsperance and Franco-Italian coach Diego Garzitto won the 2009Champions League with Democratic Republic of Congo outfit TPMazembe. “Repeated early Champions League exits are unaccept-able to a big club like Merreikh,” stressed Garzitto. “We are now plan-ning to go far.” After scraping past Ethiopians Saint George, Eulmasurprised Ghanaians Asante Kotoko and Tunisians CS Sfaxien. Setifstand alone among the eight survivors in not losing a qualifier thisseason, winning and drawing against Gambians Real Banjul anddrawing twice with Moroccans Raja Casablanca. —AFP

Demoted Eulma aim to conquer Africa


MONTREAL: From the 2003 Women’s WorldCup to the 2015 edition underway inCanada, Laura Georges has been in the thickof all the battles and tears of France’s nation-al football team. And today the many talentsof the 30-year-old centre back, whose familyhail from the French Island of Guadeloupe,will be pushed to their limits in Montreal’sOlympic Stadium. Third-ranked France takeon world number one Germany, winners in2003 and 2007 and with a third title in theirsights, in a much-anticipated quarter-finalclash. Georges, the most experienced mem-ber of the France team with 163 caps, iscompeting in her third World Cup, the samenumber as France have qualified for. InSeptember 2003 in the United States, shediscovered the World Cup for the first timeas a 19-year-old against Norway.

In June 2015, further north in Montrealshe marked her 163rd cap with qualificationfor the last eight, following an impeccableperformance in a 3-0 win over South Korea.From one match to another, one World Cupdisappointment to another, the player fromLe Chesnay, in the western suburbs of Paris,has played in all of France’s World Cupgames - 13 in total. “It’s good for the statisti-cians and journalists, but I’ve never won any-thing and it would be good to leave withsomething,” said the player who started herfootballing career as a 12-year-old with Paris

Saint-Germain and returned to the club twoyears ago after ten seasons with Lyon.

In tuneFrance coach Philippe Bergeroo - the

third she has played under after ElisabethLoisel and Bruno Bini-has praised the unre-lenting work ethic of Georges who won herfirst cap in September 2011. “Laura, it’sexperience and power. But it’s above all astate of mind always in tune with the teamand the group.”In this World Cup, she isvery, very focused. She comes to look forthe individual videos, those of her directrivals, those of the rival teams. She’s a superprofessional.”

When she looks back at her introductionto the World Cup in 2003, the player whosecareer was always ‘sponsored’ by formermen’s World Cup winner Lilian Thuram-hisroots are also in Guadeloupe-recalls an“unusual” tournament “transferred fromChina to the United States at the lastminute”. “So I don’t think that they couldorganize it as they would have liked with allthe prestige that you expect surrounding aWorld Cup. “But nevertheless, at 19 beingcalled up to a World Cup and playing all thematches is an honor many don’t have,” shetold AFP.

The 2011 edition in Germany by con-trast “was a big event, really something

with the ‘wow’ factor. “It was a beautifulWorld Cup, very well organized, magnifi-cent stadiums, capacity crowds and won-derful pitches. “And for the French team aswell, even if we finished just off the podium(in fourth), it was really a beautiful adven-ture.” Between her first tournament andtoday the margin between the top teamsand Les Bleues has progressively narrowed,she said. “It’s no longer the same. TheFrance team have gained in experience andconfidence. “There are results at club levelwith Lyon who won the Champions League(2011 and 2012), which has seen this inferi-ority complex regarding the top teams startto disappear.

“We showed that we could beatGerman teams and that we have players inFrance who can win big matches.”Georgesadmits that over the years she has“matured in age and experience” as a play-er. “In my game that has been transformedinto a lot more skill and serenity. That’simportant above all in my position(defender). More reflective, you play lesswith your physique and a little more withthe head.” Against the Germans, Les Bleueswill need all that-the physical and mentalstrength of Georges and an experienceaccumulated in three World Cups andalmost 15 years service to France, whohost the tournament in 2019. —AFP

Laura Georges - France’s World Cup ‘rock’

QUEBEC: (Left to right) France’s midfielder Kheira Hamraoui, defender Laure Boulleau, midfielder Kenza Dali,defender Laura Georges and midfielder Claire Lavogez train in Laval, Canada ahead the quarterfinal footballmatch between Germany and France during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. —AFP

Germany, USA continue their

quest for 3rd titleVANCOUVER: Footballing giants Germany and theUnited States continue their quest for a record third titletoday when they meet France and China respectively inthe Women’s World Cup quarter-finals. Top-rankedGermany, winners in 2003 and 2007, face an ambitiousFrance in the largely French-speaking city of Montreal.The French seek their first major title after finishingfourth in Germany 2011 and the 2012 Olympics. Over inOttawa, the United States will be up against a resilientChinese side who are rekindling memories of their glorydays, when they reached the 1999 final but lost to theAmericans in a penalty shootout. The USA also won theinaugural edition of the tournament in 1991.

The Chinese failed to qualify for the 2011 tournamentand the London Olympics, with their 1-0 last-16 win overCameroon earning them a bonus of around one millionyuan ($160,000) from the national football association.Champions Japan, the only team to have won all theirmatches in the tournament, move to Edmonton wherethey next play 10th-ranked Australia on Saturday, thesame day that England tackle hosts Canada inVancouver. Germany coach Silvia Neid dismissed talks ofher side being favorites after demolishing Sweden 4-1 inthe last 16. “I’m not convinced of it yet,” she said. “Franceare ranked third and it won’t be easy. We know where westand but we’re not yet a world champion.”

German ‘steamroller’Germany have won two titles, finished runner-up in

1995, and have won every Women’s Euro title since 1995.But they were shocked in the 2011 World Cup at home,when they equaled their worst-ever showing-losing 1-0in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Japan. Frenchmidfielder Jessica Houara D’Hommeaux said ‘Les Bleues’were out to stop the “steamroller.” “Germany are a sportsmachine, a steamroller,” she said. “There’s the UnitedStates and Germany and then everyone else. “But we’reclosing the gap and I really want people to talk moreabout France and the other teams. It’s good for women’sfootball. “We’re third in FIFA’s rankings. It’s good, butwe’ve won no trophies so far,” added the 27-year-old.The United States play China after beating Colombia 2-0in the last 16 - a costly game for the Olympic championswith key midfielders Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holidaysuspended after collecting yellow cards.

“We’ve dealt with injuries so I feel very confident inthe players we have to be able to step up and help usadvance,” said US coach Jill Ellis. China’s ‘Steel Roses’have been gaining momentum since their opening 1-0defeat to Canada. “We are improving match by match,”defender Wang Shanshan said, adding that the 1999final had inspired her to play football. “I was in primaryschool, but I remember watching it very well. That waswhen my dream started, when China played so well toreach the World Cup final. Sun Wen was my favouriteplayer and my hero at that time.”

Canada ‘see the summit’Canada will be hoping to get the crowd behind them

again in BC Place Stadium against England, who beatthem 1-0 in this year’s Cyprus Cup final, but who lost tothe hosts in a pre-tournament friendly. “It’s almost likewe can see the summit,” said Canada’s English coach,John Herdman. “It’s within out grasp. We just have toreach up there.” Olympic bronze medalist Canada’s bestfinish was fourth in 2003 while England had neveradvanced out of the knockout rounds before. Australiacoach Alen Stajcic believes his young Matildas can matchfourth-ranked Japan, who impressed in a 2-1 last-16defeat of the Netherlands. “Japan are the defendingworld champions. We know how good they are. Weplayed them in the Asian Cup final,” he added, noting atie Australia lost 1-0.—AFP

VANCOUVER: Canadian soccer fans may be enjoying the ridebut for the players, the grind of the Women’s World Cup is nofun and the team is still approaching the “death zone,” headcoach John Herdman said on Wednesday. Another 50,000-plus crowd will pack into BC Place on Saturday ready to partywhen Canada play England for a spot in the semi-finals but itwill be all business for Herdman’s crew. “You’re not meant tohave fun,” a stern-faced Herdman said after putting his teamthrough a training session on Wednesday. “You climb Everest,it hurts, and it’s painful. “We’re now in the death zone wherethe oxygen is thinner. “It is not meant to be fun. But when welook back and reflect, that’s when we can go, ‘Wow what an

achievement what we have done for our country.’”Herdman and the players have not avoided the bigger pic-

ture of what hosting a World Cup means for the sport’s devel-opment in Canada but the team has maintained a laser focuson the more immediate goal of winning the tournament.Standing in Canada’s way are a sixth-ranked England teamthat have been building momentum with consecutive winsover Mexico, Colombia and Norway after an opening loss toFrance. The two teams are very familiar with each other,England having beaten Canada 1-0 in the Cyprus Cup final inMarch while the latter triumphed 1-0 in their final pre-WorldCup friendly.

No time for fun as Canada focused on WCup ‘summit’


SANTIAGO: Chile sent nine-man Uruguay crashing out of theCopa America on Wednesday, winning a bruising quarter-final 1-0 as controversy over lurid provocation tactics rocked the tour-nament. An 81st-minute strike from Juventus defender MauricioIsla settled a pulsating encounter at Santiago’s Estadio Nacionalas holders Uruguay saw striker Edinson Cavani and defenderJorge Fucile sent off. Fucile’s dismissal for a second yellow cardin the closing minutes triggered a mass confrontation involvingplayers and officials from both sides, with even Uruguay’s veter-an coach Oscar Tabarez coming onto the pitch.

But the post-match commotion focused around the dismissalof Cavani, who flicked a hand into the face of Chile defenderGonzalo Jara after a clash midway through the second half.Camera footage of the moments leading up to the flashpoint,however, appeared to show Jara attempting to insert his fingerinto Cavani’s anus, prompting the Uruguay player’s reaction.Tabarez later defended the actions of the Paris Saint-Germainstriker, arguing he had been provoked. “For the expulsion ofCavani, you can see what happened and what the challengewas. I refer you to the television and photos of it, it is all there,”said Tabarez as images of Jara’s actions swiftly went viral onsocial media. “I can see that the referee has not seen it, but thelinesman had to be able to see it from his position.”

Lurid historyIt is not the first time Jara has been involved in controversy

involving a Uruguayan opponent. In 2013, Luis Suarez punchedthe defender after the Chilean reportedly grabbed the Uruguaystriker’s genitals during a World Cup qualifier.Tabarez said thedismissal of Cavani, when the match was at 0-0, turned the tideagainst his team. “We had the game under control but when we

were left with 10 men it became a little more difficult because itlimited our opportunities to attack,” said Tabarez.

It was a miserable end to the tournament for Cavani, who hadbeen booked in the first half for aggressively confronting a lines-man after a tackle involving Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal. OnMonday, Cavani’s father was arrested in Uruguay after hisinvolvement in a fatal traffic accident which left a 19-year-oldmotorcyclist dead. Uruguay reacted to Cavani’s dismissaldoggedly, and had appeared to be on their way to taking thegame to a penalty shoot-out with a superb defensive perform-ance led by center-half Diego Godin.

But as the match entered the final 10 minutes, Chile pouncedon Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s failure to clear across. Chile playmaker Jorge Valdivia slipped a pass to Isla, whodrilled in a low finish to spark wild celebrations. It got worse forUruguay a few minutes from time when Fucile clattered intoChile star Alexis Sanchez. Uruguay protested that Fucile hadplayed the ball but there was no denying that his trailing leg fol-lowed through on the Arsenal man.

Play was interrupted for several minutes as Uruguay’s playersand officials protested but the red card stood. Sanchez laterrevealed one unnamed Uruguayan player had said sorry to himfor the rough treatment he had been given during a bruisingencounter. “They like to fight, argue, go forward all out; oneplayer told me in the first half ‘Move you wimp’-but then later hesaid to me: ‘I am sorry’,” Sanchez said, without identifying theopponent in question. “He said to me, ‘That’ll do, I kicked the shitout of you’. And I said, ‘Alright but you could have caused aninjury and that’s not what football’s about,’” Sanchez said. Chilewill now play the winner of quarter-final between Bolivia andPeru in the last four. —AFP

Swiss authorities examine FIFA grants

in soccer probeLONDON: Swiss authorities are examining development grants madeby FIFA around the world as part of their investigation into the sport’sglobal governing body and its award of World Cup hosting rights forRussia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, a source familiar with the probe said.In particular, the investigators are looking at how the money was spentand whether there is any falsification of documents, said the source,who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The grants mainly go tonational soccer associations and are often earmarked for new soccerpitches and related facilities, or for training programs.

The Swiss investigation is running alongside and in cooperationwith a US probe that led to the criminal indictment on May 27 of ninecurrent and former FIFA officials and five executives in sports marketingand broadcasting on bribery, money laundering and wire fraudcharges. Information technology specialists from Switzerland’s federalpolice agency, as well as prosecutors and financial experts, are poringover masses of evidence collected by the office of Switzerland’sAttorney General, the source said.

The evidence includes voluminous internal records, most in digi-tized form, seized from the offices of FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter,Secretary General Jerome Valcke and finance and administrative chiefMarkus Kattner. The source said “almost everything” in Valcke’s officehad been seized. Blatter, who announced earlier this month that he wasstepping down after 17 years as FIFA president, Valcke and Kattnerhave not been accused of wrongdoing by the Swiss and US authorities.A FIFA spokeswoman said in an email response to questions fromReuters that it “is cooperating fully in the actions by the Swiss authori-ties.” It made no further comment.

Billions of dollarsBetween 1999-2014, FIFA spent $2 billion on development grants

and has committed to spend another $900 million between 2015-2018,with much of the money going to regional federations and nationalsoccer groups around the world. Often tiny island territories in thePacific and the Caribbean have received more money under some pro-grams than the biggest soccer playing countries, such as Germany andEngland. This has led to allegations from some soccer officials thatBlatter had supported these soccer minnows so that they would bemore likely to support him. Under FIFA’s system for electing the presi-dent, a territory such as the Cook Islands, with a population of just over10,000 has the same single vote as a soccer-mad nation like Brazil withmore than 200 million people.

Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber announced in late May thathis office was conducting an investigation into whether there was cor-ruption in FIFA’s awarding of the 2018 World Cup rights to Moscow andthe 2022 competition to Qatar. In particular, he is looking at whetherthere was money laundering and disloyal management, which underSwiss law is a criminal offence. It is based on whether a manager vio-lates his or her duties or causes or permits damage to an entity’s assets.

Both Russia and Qatar have vehemently denied there was anythingirregular in their selection in the face of competition from rival bidderssuch as England and the United States. Swiss investigators have multi-ple lines of inquiry to pursue in connection with the Qatar 2022 award.However, evidence related to the 2018 Moscow World Cup award isproving difficult to find, the source said. FIFA disclosed in Novemberthat the Russian computers used in the nation’s successful bid hadbeen destroyed and it was therefore very difficult to track down docu-ments.

In the indictment of the 14 officials and executives, US federal pros-ecutors highlighted an allegedly questionable $10 million payment byFIFA, at the request of South African soccer officials, to a Caribbean soc-cer body in Trinidad and Tobago led by former FIFA vice-president JackWarner. US prosecutors asserted that Warner had solicited the moneyas bribes. South African officials are not cooperating with Swiss investi-gators, the source said. The South African Football Association did notrespond to a request for comment. Swiss authorities did not officiallyopen their investigation into how FIFA awarded the 2018 and 2022World Cups until March. —Reuters

SANTIAGO: Uruguay’s forward Jonathan Rodriguez (left) vies for the ball with Chile’s defender Gary Medel duringtheir 2015 Copa America football championship quarterfinal match, in Santiago on June 24, 2015.—AFP

Uruguay furious; Chile advance in Copa battle

MILAN: Andrea Pirlo’s move to Major LeagueSoccer is imminent, according to reports in Italythat claim the Juventus and Italy star will sign an18-month deal with New York City FC. Midfieldlegend Pirlo was a linchpin for the Turin giantson their way to a first league and Cup double in20 years last season. But reports in La Gazzettadello Sport insist the 36-year-old former World

Cup winner will leave Italy behind and end hiscareer in the United States. Pirlo, whose contractexpires in June 2016, was distraught at the finalwhistle of last month’s Champions League finalwhen Juventus were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona.That may have represented Pirlo’s last chance toadd a third Champions League winner’s medalto his collection having triumphed with AC

Milan in 2003 and 2007. Gazzetta’s report saidPirlo will sign an 18-month contract in Augustwith Jason Kreis’s side after deciding whether toinclude a clause that would allow him to opt outof another year, if he desired. Former Juventusteammate Sebastian Giovinco quit theBianconeri during last season to sign for TorontoFC, who meet New York City FC in an Eastern

Conference clash on July 12. In an interview onThursday with Gazzetta, Giovinco insisted theMLS was “not as easy as many people mightthink” and admitted Pirlo had enquired abouthis experience with the Canadian side. “I talkedto him via message, but not from New York.Some time ago he called to ask me how I wasgetting along,” said Giovinco.—Reuters

Pirlo ready for a bite of Big Apple

OMAHA: Six weeks ago, it looked as thoughVirginia might not even qualify for its conferencetournament, let alone the NCAA Tournament. Lookat the Cavaliers now. They’re national championsfor the first time in baseball after finishing a magnif-icent postseason run with a 4-2 victory overVanderbilt on Wednesday night. “This team was acrazy ride this year,” said coach Brian O’Connor,who was born in Omaha. “Certainly, we had a lotthat went against us through the year, but thisteam found a way and got into the NCAATournament. It’s an amazing example of what youcan do if you put your mind to it, play for each oth-er and have each other’s backs.

“Not many people thought this could happen. Icouldn’t have forecast it. But we’re darn glad we’resitting up here with this trophy.” Freshman PavinSmith homered and drove in three runs andBrandon Waddell turned in another strong CollegeWorld Series pitching performance. The Cavaliers(44-24) prevailed in the CWS finals rematch againstthe defending champion Commodores and wonthe Atlantic Coast Conference’s first title in baseballsince Wake Forest in 1955. “We were just a teamthat never gives up,” Smith said. “Really resilient. Itshowed in the first inning when we were down 2-0and didn’t stop playing.”

Waddell (5-5) went seven innings and allowedonly two hits after Vanderbilt (51-21) scored twicein the first. He retired the last 11 batters he faced inhis third CWS start and fifth of his career. Virginiawon each of them. “At this point, everything goes. Ifyou’ve got anything in the tank, you’re giving it,”Waddell said. “You’ve got nothing to save it for.”Nathan Kirby, who missed nine weeks because ofinjury and returned to start a game in the CWS,

pitched the last two innings and struck out five ofhis eight batters for his first save. Reliever JohnKilichowski (3-4) took the loss.

When pinch-hitter Kyle Smith got caught look-ing at a fastball to end the game, Kirby threw hisglove and hat into the air as catcher Matt Thaiss ranto the mound to embrace him. “It was awesome tobe able to close it out because I felt like that I finallygot back on the mound for the eight guys behindme and the 20 guys in the dugout,” Kirby said. “Youbasically come out and throw as hard as you can.”Virginia’s 44 wins were the fewest by a nationalchampion since the 1968 Southern Californiasquad had 43. The Cavaliers didn’t assure them-selves a spot in the ACC Tournament until the lastweekend of the regular season, and they enteredthe NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 regional seed.

The Commodores had a second straight seasonwith more than 50 wins, and they came intoWednesday having outscored their first nine NCAATournament opponents 70-15. They couldn’t gen-erate much after scoring their two runs in the first.Pavin Smith stepped up for Virginia in Game 3 aftergoing 1 for 8 and striking out four times in the firsttwo games of the finals. He hit a two-run homer offWalker Buehler to tie it in the fourth, singled in thego-ahead run in the fifth and flashed defensively allnight at first base. “This kid has done a great job ofhitting in the middle of our order all year long,”O’Connor said. “Him and I had a brief talk in thedugout before the game and I just told him to relaxand enjoy the moment.”

Waddell was pitching on three days’ rest afterworking the first five innings of the Cavaliers’ 5-4win over Florida on Saturday. Before that, he andJosh Sborz combined on a two-hit, 1-0 shutout of

the Gators on June 16. Sborz, who won threegames and pitched 13 scoreless innings, was select-ed as the CWS Most Outstanding Player. Waddellgot stronger after the first inning. “I thoughtWaddell in a lot of ways was left for dead, but he

just got himself up in the fifth, sixth and seventhand just turned the game around - went 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3,” Vandy coach Tim Corbin said. “When theybrought Kirby out, he pitched with a lot of adrena-line.” — AP


OMAHA: Players and coaches of the Virginia Cavaliers hold up the National Championship trophy after defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores during game three of the College WorldSeries Championship Series in Omaha, Nebraska. — AFP

LAS VEGAS: Montreal Canadiens goaltender CareyPrice, who backstopped his club’s best regular sea-son in 26 years, won four top honors Wednesday atthe NHL Awards ceremony, including league MostValuable Player. The 27-year-old Canadian led theNHL with 44 wins, a 1.96 goals-against average anda 93.3 save percentage, becoming the first goalie topace the league in all three categories since EdBelfour in the 1990-91 campaign. Price also brokethe Montreal record for wins in a season, the 42 setby Jacques Plante in 1955-56 and matched by KenDryden in 1961-62.

In addition to the Hart Trophy as MVP, Pricewon the Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goalie, theTed Lindsay Award as most outstanding player andthe Jennings Trophy as the goalie for the club thatallowed the fewest goals in the season, an awardhe shared with Chicago goaltender Corey Crawfordafter the Canadiens and Chicago each allowed aleague-low 189 goals. No goalie had ever sweptthe four awards. The Canadiens won 50 of 82games and finished on 110 points, second in theEastern Conference and overall NHL season stand-ings with their biggest points run since 1988-89.

Price had 1,498 points and 139 first-place bal-

lots in Hart voting by a media panel to defeatRussian runner-up Alex Ovechkin of Washingtonon 888 with John Tavares of the New York Islandersthird on 739. He dominated Vezina voting by teamgeneral managers with 144 points to 60 for Finnishrunner-up Pekka Rinne of Nashville. No goalie hadwon the Hart MVP award since Montreal’s JoseTheodore in 2002 and Price is only the seventhgoalie to do so in NHL history. Ovechkin wasnamed to his seventh NHL First team All-Starsquad, being joined by first-time selections Price,Tavares and Philadelphia right wing Jakub Voracekplus second-time defensive selections Erik Karlssonof Ottawa and P.K. Subban of Montreal.

Calgary’s Bob Hartley won the Jack AdamsAward as the NHL’s best coach while Czech leftwing Jiri Hudler of the Flames won the Lady ByngTrophy for sportsmanship and skill. They helpedthe Flames win 45 games and finish on 97 points toclaim their first playoff spot since 2009. In the tight-est vote of the night, Boston’s Patrice Bergerontook the Frank Selke Trophy as the top NHL defen-sive forward for the third time in four years, edgingJonathan Toews of Stanley Cup winner Chicago by1,083 to 1,051. — AFP

NHL: Montreal goalie Price wins MVP in 4-award haul

Virginia grab first CWS title Virginia down Vanderbilt for College World Series title

www.kuwaittimes.net

FR

IDA

Y, J

UN

E 2

6, 2

015

Virginia grab first CWS title Virginia grab first CWS title

Page 47

OMAHA: Virginia playerscelebrate beatingVanderbilt 4-2 in Game 3of the best-of-threeNCAA baseball CollegeWorld Series finals at TDAmeritrade Park inOmaha, Neb onWednesday, June 24,2015. — AP

virginia grab first 4 cws title 47 - kuwait times | first...

Documents