World Cup Opens with a Bang

Culture shock; Qataris cast eyes Soldiers flee as Expats recount on foreigners in militants march first impression7 modesty10 push towards15 Baghdad

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www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16195- Friday, June 13, 2014 World Cup opens with a bang

SEE PAGE 47 Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

High rents, low paycheck: Expats Scribbler’s Notebook in Kuwait feel inflation’s heat Hallmarks of Landlords taking tenants for a ride? Kuwait’s middle class By Sahar Moussa to pay the increased amount. But after that I gave up because I was told that if I don’t like it, I can leave. I know my rights ising rents in Kuwait rival the weather as the hottest top- and the law states that they can’t raise the rent if I have a five- ic of debate in Kuwait this summer. Landlords often year contract. But I also know that the landlord’s brother is a By Jamie Etheridge Rignore the five-year rule and raise rents against the law. judge and to be honest, that scared me. So I pay what they Many tenants are ignorant or unsure of what to do but a grow- want because I don’t want any headaches or problems,” she ing number of both local and expat renters in Kuwait are not continued. ready to give up without a fight. While Rima chose not to stand for her rights, Toni decided “I have been living in the building for four years now; I used to dispute the rental increase. He along with several others [email protected] to pay KD 220 plus KD 10 to the haris. Recently, the haris told from his building refused to pay the increased amount. “I me that the landlord wants to increase the rent by KD 45. I decided with other tenants to stand up against him, and when refused and sent a message through him to the landlord that I he knew that the majority disagreed and it was a lost cause, he ccording to a recently published report, there are know my rights very well - assuming the landlord knew what I withdrew his demand and we won,” said Toni, with triumph approximately 99,000 millionaires in Kuwait and meant exactly,” said Toni, a Lebanese expat. evident in his voice. Aanother 990 who are worth more than $100 mil- Kuwait’s rental law stipulates that the owner of an apart- Rising rents is not the only thing that expats suffer in lion. The report suggested that Kuwait ranks fifth globally ment cannot increase the rent within five years of a rental con- Kuwait. The increasing cost of living has affected nearly every in the number of millionaires per capita. tract. After five years, the landlord can increase the rent only aspect of life including food, housing, clothing and other serv- Kuwait may be a country of millionaires (and billion- after he gives a one-month notice period stating he will ices. Meanwhile concomitant rises in salaries are rare. Although aires) but it is also a country with a growing middle class. increase the rent. Kuwait is the world’s seventh-largest oil exporter, it is also In fact, most of the remaining 1.1 million Kuwaitis who fall known for fighting record inflation as housing and food costs into the non-millionaire category could be classified as No English version of contract soar. middle class. Some landlords prepare a one-year contract to get around Though less visible then the Bentley-driving, trendset- the law to ensure they have the power to renew it and increase Just not worth it ting millionaire, the middle class Kuwaiti has become a the rent legally. But still some landlords and companies disre- “I want to leave Kuwait because we can’t live like this any- force for change both economically and socially. Nor is it gard the law and try to take the tenant for a ride. more; everything is so expensive. I feel that the government only Kuwaitis who are changing the society. The number Unfortunately, they get lucky sometimes, especially since most wants to kick us out of the country. They should stop insulting of expats who rank as middle class may be less than the expats are foreigners and aren’t fluent in Arabic. More often us. We can’t afford to pay for anything anymore with our mod- total number of low wage workers or domestic staff but than not, there is no English version of the contract, so foreign- est salaries that doesn’t match our basic needs. Today they are these middle class expats nonetheless represent a finan- ers fall victim to their ploy and don’t have the courage to fight increasing rents and food and tomorrow will be the petrol, cially influential and socially significant minority. They for their rights. then what?” asked Rima with vain. may not get involved in the country’s politics, but they do “I have been staying in the same apartment for over nine As for Toni, he said he is celebrating his victory for now, but rent, shop, drive and send their kids to school here and so years now. I used to pay KD 180 plus KD 5 to the haris. Since he will move when his five-year contract ends because he feels what they spend their time and money on impacts then, the landlord has been increasing my rent every year by that paying KD 256 for a small one-bedroom, one-bathroom Kuwait’s economy in myriad ways both big and small. KD 5 until it reached KD 240,” said Rima, another Lebanese flat is just not worth it. “I wish there was a law that categorized But understanding the ‘middle class’ is not always expat. and valued apartments for what they’re exactly worth and not what the landlord wants. Rents are very high these days. We easy. Different cultures and different countries - even dif- Standing up for their rights wish that our employers take this into consideration and give ferent groups within the same country - define the idea of “At first I used to fight, make a big deal out of it and refuse us a pay rise so that we can afford a decent life,” he said. ‘middle class’ differently. Across most measures, however, being middle class typically means a few basic things: most important is financial security or at least the ability Photo of the day of a family to pay all its expenses each month without stress and to have enough disposable income left over to 1. Save for children’s college; 2. Afford annual vacations; 3. Own a home (though the mortgage may not be paid off); 4. Have a secure or white collar job; 5. Have health insur- ance and 6. Be able to afford some sort of retirement investment. I would add for Kuwait the following: 7. Eat out in restaurants at least a few times a week; 8. Going shopping in one of Kuwait’s malls at least once a week; 9. Own a car (preferably an SUV) and 10. Pay for your children’s tuition at a local private school. A growing middle class can bring many benefits to Kuwait. While mega projects are stalled and multinational corporations leery of investing have slowed the economy at the macro level, at the micro level small and medium enterprises are picking up. The combined shocks of the 2008-2009 financial crisis and the economic stagnation and political turmoil has fueled a mini revolution in entrepreneurship in Kuwait. Both locals and expats urgently feel the need to ‘fend for themselves’ to start their own enterprises rather than rely solely on government jobs or working for large corporations. The recent trend of expos, pop up, farmers and foodie markets are just one sign of the middle class finding ways to create wealth for itself. The middle class provides a nation’s human capital. In Kuwait this was for sometime concentrated in the hands of foreigners but that situation is now changing. One of the long term ambitions of the government’s ‘Kuwaitization’ program is to reduce the reliance on foreigners and put more Kuwaitis to work in the private sector. So far this program has made limited progress - foreigners still account for more than 90 percent of all private sector employees. But it doesn’t take into account the locals who work for the government and then also run their own small busi- KUWAIT: The roads in Kuwait are pictured during a dust storm in this file photo. Director of Meteorology nesses. This segment may still be a small part of the over- Department Mohammad Karam said the country is affected by North-Westerly winds that are moderate to fast dur- all economy but the entrepreneurial tradition is strong in ing the weekend. Karam said that today’s weather will be hot with a maximum temperature around 42 degree Kuwait and as the middle class grows, this trend will likely Celsius. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat continue to grow as well. Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

KUWAIT: Students from American School of Kuwait are seen celebrating their graduation day by tossing their caps in the air. Many schools in Kuwait celebrat- ed their graduation ceremony this month. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Local Spotlight Deportation of expatriates

By Muna Al-Fuzai

[email protected]

eportation of expats from Kuwait These are scary numbers! Dwill always be an issue of concern. I know the MoI is doing its job arresting No expat wants to find himself in these people because they violated the such a condition. I know that sometimes it country’s laws, but I wish they get treated is not the expat’s mistake, yet she has to not only as numbers to count and figures bear the outcome, but sometimes it is the in statistics. There is an obligation by the harvest of their hands. Some expats take Ministry of Social Affairs to meet such loans back home just to come to Kuwait. people before they leave the country and So they have to stay long enough to pay investigate their complaints. Some spon- off their debts and then start making sors are abusers, liars and use the law to money for themselves. take revenge on their workers. Some In theory, this seems easy and applica- sponsors file an absconding case against ble in two or three years, the worker because but in reality, some peo- they don’t want to pay ple stay here for years The Ministry of Interior his salary. without making the Some women run money they wish. recently issued statis- away and fall into pros- Sometimes it is com- tics that showed that titution or work in plete misfortune that 1,474 expatriates (1,293 restaurants until they leads some expats to get caught and are get involved in illegal men and 181 women) deported. Those who activities or get dragged have been deported are arrested for cheating into prostitution and from Kuwait in the past people are also a threat drugs. They end up in to society and others. I prison and get deported two years. wonder how they home empty-handed. entered the country and The Ministry of under which job title! Interior recently issued statistics that I personally think 1,474 is a large num- showed that 1,474 expatriates (1,293 men ber, and while we seem to have a large and 181 women) have been deported expat community because they are more from Kuwait in the past two years. than the locals, we should make all efforts According to the figures, 390 were to get to the root of the problem. We deported due to drug crimes, 326 for need to learn why these people fell into theft, 230 for brewing alcohol, 182 for trouble, and instead of making their fraud, 147 for rape and 99 for adultery. dreams come true, they lost. Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 4 Learning to speak Kuwaiti day by day

By Jamie Etheridge

ost of us non-Arabic speakers who live in Kuwait can probably say a few words. We probably know ‘insha’Allah, bukra, iqama, bitaqa, falafel, ya’ani and schlonik. But if you are a long time expat or of the more curious sort, you might be interested in expanding Myour basic Kuwaiti dialect beyond basic greetings and ordering mushakil. Until recently, however, there were few options for learning Kuwaiti. Most schools and centers that offer Arabic in- struction only teach the formal modern standard Arabic (which differs greatly in vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar) from the local dialects. Now, however, a young British lady married to a Kuwaiti has started a very useful website offering daily doses of Kuwaiti ammiya (dialect).

p4-5.indd 1 6/11/14 5:12 PM Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 5

Kuwaiti Word A Day is a local blog aimed at sort of unsung maestro with the native speaker’s sharing the Kuwaiti dialect in a fun and entertain- instinct. He teaches me everything and I write the ing way. The brainchild of 26-year-old Kate Busby blog. from the UK, the blog provides a daily word along with an interesting story to explain its meaning, a KT: Once you got started, what challenges have graphic and then a breakdown of the verbs, nouns you faced? How do you make time to do it? How and adjectives used in the story. Married to a Ku- often? waiti and currently living in Spain, Kate started the Kate: The amazing thing about making Kuwaiti blog as a way to be able to communicate with her Word A Day open to the public is that if there’s any husband’s family. Kuwait Times spoke with Kate kind of a mistake, followers will just swoop in and about her journey, how her blog came about and go, errrr, no I don’t think so. And the sassier the what she hopes for the future. criticism is, the better! Who wants people to just quietly stand by and watch you fall on your face? KT: Tell us a bit about yourself? That’s why this blog is a collaboration of absolutely Kate: I’m from nowheresville in the United everyone who reads it, and that feels like a very Kingdom. As a child, my parents would tell me good thing. bedtime stories about the desert, and I’d dream about going there someday. Someday turned out KT: What have you learned that has surprised or to be when I turned 26 years old, when I visited delighted you the most? both Morocco and Kuwait in the same year. Two Kate: That people still care about words. I very different deserts. And Kuwait felt like home work in visual art and since Asia (and particularly somehow. But I didn’t know a soul in that desert, the Middle East) is the place for visual art, some it was 55 degrees outside and my accommodation people have been led to believe that the long was in a rickety old building near Mahboula that Arab tradition of poetry and storytelling is dead. got supplied water by truck first thing in the morn- Not so - maybe there isn’t a Rumi running around ing and where a guy selling fish would knock on slaying crowds with his lyrics, but people still get your door in the afternoon. excited by words.

KT: What led you to start the website Kuwaiti KT: What is your favorite Kuwaiti word or say- Word A Day? ing? Kate: By chance I went on an awkward date Kate: Today’s word. with a man who turns out to be Kuwaiti. At first, I couldn’t even pronounce his name. I thought to KT: Have you learned enough to speak the myself, how can you claim to date someone when language? you can’t even say their name? Then over dinner I Kate: I agreed with Theyab to do this project for just blurted out, “Look, I can’t even say your name.” one year. 365 words. In that time, I should hope to He said: “Story of my life.” It turns out throughout be … a beginner with a terrible accent. No, prob- his school years, foreigners had called him They- ably quite proficient, but who knows? Right now ab, which is the Arabic word for ‘clothes.’ So, at the I’m just enjoying exchanging English words for the end of the dinner, we made a pact: He’ll teach me ones I know in Kuwaiti, and actually having people a word of Kuwaiti (i.e. his name) if I have dinner understand! with him again. And then the next night, there was the promise of another word. And then one day the word was “marriage.” Okay that’s not true, but we did indeed tie the knot just over a year ago.

KT: Are you studying Kuwaiti dialect or MSA somewhere? Do you have any linguistic training or knowledge? How do you learn the grammar? Kate: I’m not studying anything but Kuwaiti Arabic. Theyab is my Mr Miyagi if you like, the

Check out Kate’s blog at http://www.kuwaiti-word-a-day.blogspot. com/ or follow her on Instagram at @kuwaiti_word_a_day

p4-5.indd 2 6/11/14 5:11 PM Available at The Sultan Centre & Carrefour Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 7 Culture shock at first sight Expatriates recount their first impression of Kuwait

By Ben Garcia

ust like other countries, Kuwait ‘s culture sometimes shocks or Jsurprises, especially if one is new to Kuwait. The first impression is very important, as it lasts forever. Some expatriates recall what surprised them the most when they came to Kuwait for the first time.

Rhem, Filipino nurse I was shocked when I saw men kissing each other at the airport cheek to cheek and with a smooching sound. We don’t do this in my country. I remember the men were both handsome. Then our mandoub who picked us up at the airport didn’t speak a word of English. He just showed us the familiar logo of the place where we were sup- posed to work. It was also my first time to ride in a Mercedes Benz. At that time, the temperature was 45 degrees Celsius at 10 am, dry and the sun was really bright.

Shantie, Sri Lankan office worker I was surprised by the way Arabs talked with each other. We don’t shout while talking, so it was strange. They also use a lot of hand movements to stress their point.

Jennifer, Filipino hostess When I arrived in Kuwait, I was fascinated by the national dress - men wearing long white “gowns” they call dishdashas, and women wearing black abayas, some of them covering their faces completely. It was shocking to me, but I eventually learned that it is part of Kuwaiti culture.

Mary from Kerala I was shocked that drivers here don’t really care about road safety and rules. I saw them speeding and we were almost hit by another car because we were trying to avoid a collision. It was an unforgettable experience on my way to my accommodation.

Sunil from New Delhi The winter weather surprised me. I didn’t expect the bitter cold, since I knew Kuwait is a desert country. I knew it was going to be very hot, so when I came and experienced the weather, my perception changed. Continued on Page 8 Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 8

Indian Embassy warns on recent crackdown mid reports of security raids on June 6, 2014 vendors are unauthorized and are creating problems should get an authorization letter from the sponsor in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Murghab, Fahaheel, Abu for the above mentioned ministries. that he is permitting them to work outside. AHalifa, Al-Rai, Friday Market and some adjacent Before conducting a raid, the residences and areas Regarding fear of night checking, it was informed areas in Shuwaikh where around 820 expatriates were outside markets and cooperatives etc were photo- that there would be no night checks and the public rounded up for violating various Kuwaiti rules and graphed and the activities of suspected people were need not worry. In case, anybody comes to check at regulations, Counselor B K Upadhyay met with Maj monitored. Information and details were collected in night in civil clothes, please ask for the identity card Gen Abdul Fatah Al-Ali, Assistant Under Secretary, advance by police before raids were planned. and call 112 for police assistance.Out of 820 expatriates Public Security Affairs, MoI, Kuwait on June 10, 2014 to Those who are detained due to cases lodged by their who were rounded up on June 6, 2014, 720 were re- discuss the issues involved and address a few com- sponsors can be released by their sponsor only. It was leased after verification. plaints received from Indians. The following advice is informed that details of cases against individual have Out of these 60 who were rounded up for the above given to the Indian community to help them follow been computerized and one can get it checked oneself. mentioned illegal activities, only 15-20 are Indians. rules and regulations better: In case of absconding cases, any individual can visit the Photographs and videos have been provided of their A recent raid was conducted based on complaints Ministry of Labor and submit information that he/she is illegal activities. The Indian Embassy will continue to received from various ministries particularly Munici- not absconding. The individual can explain that he de- render all help to the members of the Indian commu- pality, Commerce and Labor that expatriates were in- cided to work outside since the sponsor failed to give nity. There is no need to panic. It is advised to ignore volved in selling used clothes, expired vegetables and him work. He can also insist that the sponsor be called food products etc at cheaper rates in the residential and that he is willing to go back to work with him. Maj unsubstantiated rumors. colonies and outside cooperatives. Such street-type Gen Abdul Fatah Al-Ali further said that these people —Embassy of India in Kuwait

Culture shock at first sight Continued from Page 7

Marissa, a domestic helper people exchanging mobile numbers in their cars. It’s a no-no in Lebanon - this can I was shocked the first time by the amount of food on the dining table. When only be seen in bars, and I think streets are not an appropriate place for this. I also I saw it, I couldn’t imagine they were going to finish it all. Well, they finished it all. feel awkward when people in the street, especially men, will stare at you. They are We don’t eat that much in my country, so it was surprising. Besides, they eat leafy everywhere in Kuwait, and don’t allow us women to walk freely. green vegetables, the kind we feed chicken and goats. But these leaves are very nutritious. Ann, a businesswoman I see here the lack of appreciation to people. They don’t greet each other well Rima, a domestic helper from Mindanao and with courtesy and hospitality – as if this is not included in their vocabulary I was expecting tall buildings when I first came to Kuwait about 30 years ago. and not in their system. They are very cold when greeting other nationalities. I am In the Philippines, Makati City was already crowded with high-rise buildings, and also very disappointed when they talk as if they are the most powerful people in I thought Kuwait was the same, since they are richer than us. But I was dismayed. the world. These things shock me the most. I was also shocked that men here wear ‘long dresses’. It was very new to me to see my boss wearing it.

Rajiv, computer programmer from Kerala I came in the night. I remember the temperature in Kerala was about 27 degrees Celsius. It was May 20, 2005, and I was shocked by the temperature in the evening. It was 45 degrees. I was picturing Kuwait as a very beautiful country, but the residence of my brother was old, his building elevator was not working at that time and they lived on the fourth floor, so I was disappointed and sweating. But then in the morning when I walked around the building and neighborhood, I saw beautiful cars parked in the open spaces. In Kerala, even a bicycle has to be parked in a place where it belongs.

Eseri from Nigeria When I was still in my country, I visualized Kuwait as very strict Islamic country, so I didn’t expect Western clothes to be worn in public. But I was wrong. The moment I entered the country, I saw people wearing modern fashion, so I was delighted. Walking around though, I realized that many of those wearing fashion- able clothes were young people, as many adults still wear their traditional clothes. I saw no trees, and it was very hot.

Nisreen from Lebabon I am a woman, so the first thing I noticed was the way they wear makeup here. I saw many of them wearing makeup badly. Plus I missed the greenery we have in Lebanon. Trees can be seen all over there and here there are none, and it was very hot. I saw young Local FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Transparency society calls for neutral probe over graft charges Proposal allows expats to stay abroad over 6 months

By B Izzak ti-million-dollar bribes and the size of the stolen money. Three lawsuits have already been filed or will be filed with KUWAIT: Kuwait Transparency Society called yesterday for a regards to Barrak’s allegations. The supreme judicial council neutral investigation into allegations of huge corruption scan- filed two lawsuits against Barrak for slander against judges dals made by the opposition to first establish the authenticity and a Twitter account for making false accusations against of the documents. The independent society proposed asking three top judges. The government is also preparing to file a the Audit Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Public Authority to comprehensive lawsuit as per a recommendation passed by appoint a five-member committee to launch the investigation, the National Assembly Wednesday following a heated debate. allowing the panel to seek outside assistance for its assign- The battle over the corruption documents yesterday ment. moved online with activists from both camps fighting a tense Prominent opposition leader Mussallam Al-Barrak showed war of words to prove their points. Online anti-opposition at a public rally on Tuesday a large number of documents of activists tried every means to discredit Barrak and his docu- bank accounts and money transfers for former senior officials ments, raising technical points in a bid to cast doubts about whom he claimed have stolen around $50 billion from public their authenticity. funds during the past seven years. Barrak showed the docu- On the contrary, pro-opposition activists tried to explain ments on a large screen but hid the names of people involved. that the documents are authentic and have been repeatedly Some of the documents allegedly were copies of transfers and carefully verified by Barrak and called on their opponents made to senior officials as a bribe to influence their decisions. to prove otherwise. Hundreds of Kuwaiti and even Gulf The government has played down the importance of the activists were involved in the ongoing war. documents, with the prime minister and the ministers of In another development, MP Nabil Al-Fadhly proposed yes- finance and justice saying they were only white blank sheets terday an amendment to the foreign residence law to allow containing tables and figures. Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al- expatriates to stay outside Kuwait throughout the validity of Mubarak Al-Sabah said the documents are not even worth the their residence permits. Under the current law, expats who examination. have valid residence permits are not allowed to stay outside KUWAIT: The car which crashed into the maternity hospi- National Assembly Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem bluntly Kuwait for more than six months unless they produce a docu- tal in Al-Sabah Medical area is pictured. — Photo by said the documents are fake and have been tampered with ment to prove they were ill or any other major reason. Expats Hanan Al-Saadoun using Photoshop. The Transparency Society however insisted whose stay outside exceed six months without any reason will that the fact that corruption is rife in the country is no secret, have their residence permits cancelled. Fadhl’s amendment Woman crashes but the latest allegations are extremely dangerous because of stipulates that expats should be allowed to stay outside for car into hospital the importance of the people who allegedly received the mul- the whole duration of their residence permits.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun EU clears acquisition of two

KUWAIT: The Maternity Hospital in Al-Sabah Medical area was Italian Shell Group companies the scene of an accident when a woman lost control of her car and crashed into a side door yesterday morning according to an eye witness. No injuries were reported. SHELL Italia, SHELL Italia Aviazione by KPE Drug bust BRUSSELS: Narcotics authorities caught a citizen red-handed selling The European Commission Thursday approved Shell Italia sells motor fuels at retail level and manages the drugs. When his house was searched, 23 Shabu tablets of vari- under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of two Italian supply and distribution of motor fuels through its retail net- ous sizes and 250 grams of hashish was found. He said anoth- Shell Group companies, SHELL Italia and Shell Italia Aviazione, work. Shell Aviazione markets aviation fuels and holds interests er citizen and bedoon supplied the drugs to him and the duo by Kuwait Petroleum Europe BV (“KPE”) of The Netherlands and in joint ventures that provide into-plane services and aviation were arrested. Three envelopes of Shabu, illicit tablets, an AK- Kuwait Petroleum Italia (“KPI”) of Italy. KPE is the holding com- fuel storage. 47, a hunting rifle, six pistols and ammunition were recovered pany for the majority of the assets of Kuwait Petroleum The European Commission concluded that the proposed from them. They were sent to concerned authorities. Corporation (KPC) in Europe and KPC’s investments in the Far acquisition would raise no competition concerns, in particular East, said the EU’s executive body in a statement. because of the parties’ moderate market shares and the pres- Security crackdown It noted that KPI is the Italian subsidiary of KPE. It refines and ence of other competitors that will continue to constrain the A security campaign in Ahmadi Governorate resulted in 25 distributes petroleum products in Italy and sells motor, marine merged entity. The transaction was examined under the normal individuals and a citizen being arrested. Three Asians were and aviation fuels, lubricants and heating oil. merger review procedure, it added. — KUNA arrested with 235 bottles of locally-made liquor. All suspects were sent to concerned authorities. Drugs, money seized Kuwait’s Al-Saqer elected Director Social Securities’ Labor from car in accident General of AIDMO Union strike in spotlight KUWAIT: A car collision on Sixth Ring Road led to the discovery of a large quantity of drugs and money with a bedoon. A Farwaniya patrol noticed an RABAT: Kuwait’s Adel Al-Saqer was elected as the Longest protest in Kuwait’s history accident on Sixth Ring Road and informed the authorities about it. When Director General of the Arab Industrial officers approached the cars, they noticed one of the men behaving in a Development and Mining Organization (AIDMO) KUWAIT: The strike lead by the Social Securities’ Labor weird manner and thought that he was in a state of shock after the accident. during the 23rd General Assembly of Arab Union is drawing attention owing to their determination During conversation, he attempted to escape and the police grew suspicious Industry Ministers held here from June 9 till 11. Al- to continue the strikes until their demands are met to be and searched his car. They found six kilos of hashish and three kilos of Shabu Saqer will begin his tenure next November for a treated like other government areas. The strike continued apart from KD 26,000. The man was sent to concerned authorities. period of four years. Speaking to KUNA, Al-Saqer all week to become the longest protest in Kuwait’s history thanked all those who supported him during the by a government body. Citizens busted election, affirming that he would handle the posi- Head of the Social Securities’ Labor Union Manal Al- Narcotics officials stormed an animal pen and arrested three citizens with tion he was given with utmost care and he would Rashidi criticized statements by Finance Minister Anas Al- drugs including 500 grams of hashish and 250 grams of ICE along with an also work on boosting the activities of AIDMO. Head of Kuwait’s delegation to the meeting and Saleh for describing strikers as ‘unpatriotic’. She said the AK-47. Director General of the Public Authority for strike is the only way for the workers to get their legiti- Maid absconding Industry (PAI) Mohammad Al-Ajmi said that it was mate rights. She said the strike includes demands of the an honor to elect a Kuwaiti for the position as directors and supervisors who are currently accepting Salmiya police are on the lookout for a Filipina after her sponsor accused head of AIDMO, stressing that Al-Saqer will do his applications from patrons without being rewarded ade- her of stealing three rings, a necklace and a bracelet before escaping. The best to run the organization. AIDMO is an Arab quately. Commenting on the Voluntary Action Center’s total value of the stolen pieces is estimated at KD 3,000. Organization specialized in the fields of industry, move, Al-Rashidi said “Though voluntary work represents mining and standardization, operating under the civilized behavior, regretfully it does have the basic Insulting messages Arab League and working within a strategy devel- humanitarian value when it turns to helping the oppressor A woman accused her divorced husband and his friend of sending oped through a joint Arab economic action against the oppressed”. — Al-Aan degrading messages to her on Instagram. — Al-Anba approved by the Arab Summit Conferences. FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Turkey govt widens Iran ‘redesigning’ Iraqi soldiers flee purge in judiciary reactor to cut as militants march and13 central bank plutonium14 capacity towards15 Baghdad

DOHA: A foreign woman wearing a short dress walks at Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar. A number of Qatari women are aiming to raise awareness with a campaign called ‘Reflect Your Respect’ that promotes modest clothing in the country. — AP Qataris cast eyes on foreigners Campaign encourages women to dress more conservatively

DOHA: Mariam Saleh avoids malls and outdoor campaigners say they are mothers and wives, but paign, which is being funded by volunteers, as well largest gas reserves. A rush of petrodollars trans- markets on the weekends because the low-cut also gatekeepers of Qatar’s Islamic society. Most as a women’s business club in Qatar. The campaign- formed its capital in just a few decades from a tops, sheer dresses and miniskirts that foreign Qatari women cover their hair and wear long, loose ers say it is a grassroots effort aimed at spreading coastal fishing town into a center for global invest- women wear reveal much more than she would black robes. Many also cover their faces as is com- information to foreigners rather than pressing for ment. The speed of the transformation has stunned like her impressionable young children to see. mon in neighboring Saudi Arabia, where morality new laws or reforms. Political activism of any kind is Qatar’s conservative, tight-knit population. Qataris Saleh is part of a campaign in Qatar that was police enforce the region’s strictest dress code on heavily restricted by Qatar’s ruling monarchy. currently make up less than 10 percent of the coun- spurred by locals who are fed up with the way locals and foreigners alike. Similar efforts to curb Westernization are under- try’s 2.1 million people, with most of the population many tourists and visitors dress, especially as tem- way in other Gulf countries. In Kuwait, a lawmaker is comprised of Asian, African and Middle Eastern peratures soar in the Gulf Arab nation. The cam- ‘Leggings are not pants’ calling for a ban on public “nudity” - a reference to guest workers, as well as Western expatriates living paigners say Qatar is, after all, their country, and The campaigners began handing out flyers this bikinis on the beach and at hotel poolside. In in the country temporarily. Like other Gulf states, they should not be the ones feeling uncomfortable week. They will set up booths on June 20 through- Bahrain, lawmakers frequently call for banning alco- Qatar relies on millions of foreigners to provide because visitors want to show some skin or dress out the capital, Doha, and plan to pass out more hol in hotels, and in the United Arab Emirates, locals everything from the muscle to build high-rises to like they would back home. than 200,000 flyers to raise awareness about local launched a similar dress code campaign in 2012. world-class experts to lead mega-projects. It is The campaign is aimed at encouraging foreign sensitivities with slogans such as: “Leggings are not While some malls in the UAE ticketed women for preparing to host one of the world’s largest sporting women to dress more conservatively. However, it is pants” and “If you are in Qatar, you are one of us.” showing shoulders and knees, the government did events, the soccer World Cup in 2022. Four years not spearheaded by religious hard-liners, but by Children will be wearing the slogans on T-shirts, and not move to create any specific laws against immod- ago, concerned citizens launched a campaign called moderate locals who are concerned that a steady men and women will be passing out traditional cof- est dress. Qatar’s pro-Western government, which “One of Us” to encourage foreign women to cover influx of foreigners is threatening to uproot their fee, chocolates and roses along with the brochures. benefits from tourism and foreign investment, is also from their shoulders to their knees, but the cam- customs and traditions, which are intertwined with The government, which allows alcohol in hotels to not expected to enact any such laws. paign had little impact on visitors who felt out of 1,400 years of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula. The accommodate foreigners, is not involved in the cam- The tiny nation is home to the world’s third- touch with Qatari society. —AP

International FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Turkey widens purge in judiciary, central bank Anti-government protesters go on trial

ANKARA: Turkey’s Islamic-rooted govern- Solidarity umbrella group, who are accused of that left at least eight people dead and some lessly pursue anyone who dissents and organ- ment has launched a new mass purge in the leading the protests that erupted in June 8,000 injured after police brutally cracked izes protests against government policies.” judiciary in its political fight against an erst- 2013 and posed the biggest challenge yet to down on protesters. Amnesty International The activist group was formed in 2012 after while ally, and replaced five executives at the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 11- urged the Turkish authorities to abandon the government announced plans to redevel- central bank. The country’s top judicial body year rule. The activists, who include doctors, what it called a “show trial”. op Gezi Park, one of the last remaining green the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors architects and engineers, face charges includ- spaces in central Istanbul, and neighboring (HSYK) published Wednesday a list of 2,224 ing founding a crime syndicate, violating pub- ‘No shred of evidence’ Taksim Square, the country’s most symbolic judges and prosecutors who have been reas- lic order and organizing illegal protests “This is a vindictive, politically motivated rallying point. signed, the latest large-scale shakeup in the through social media and face up to 29 years show trial without a shred of evidence of The group met Erdogan at the height of wake of a corruption scandal embroiling the if convicted. actual crimes. It should be stopped at the first the unrest to discuss the protesters’ demands, government. Last June’s protests started as a small envi- hearing,” Andrew Gardner, Amnesty only to be accused by the premier of being Thousands of police and prosecutors have ronmentalist movement to stop the re-devel- International’s researcher on Turkey, said in a “traitors” aiming to destabilize the govern- been dismissed or reassigned in what critics opment of Istanbul’s Gezi Park and quickly statement. “The prosecution has concocted a ment. Mucella Yapici, 63, general secretary of have blasted as a government bid to stifle the blew up into wider nationwide demonstra- case simply to send a strong message to the Istanbul Chamber of Architects is one of the graft probe launched last year that targets tions against Erdogan’s authoritarian style rest of Turkey that the authorities will ruth- key accused. She told AFP she was briefly Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his detained by police, who stripped her naked inner circle. Erdogan has blamed the scandal and deprived her of medication for a range of on supporters of his former ally, exiled Islamic chronic illnesses. But she said she was not cleric Fetullah Gulen, who he accuses of trying afraid to spend the rest of her life behind bars. to topple him. “I’ve lived a full life. It doesn’t matter where I Meanwhile, the central bank has replaced spend the rest of it when you consider that a five executives after Erdogan’s strong criti- 14-year-old boy has been killed,” she said cism of the interest rate policies pursued by ahead of the trial, referring to Berkin Elvan its governor Erdem Basci, local media report- who died of injuries sustained during the ed yesterday. In January, the bank aggressive- unrest. Her lawyer Turgut Kazan said there ly hiked key interest rates, drawing the wrath was not enough evidence that a criminal of Erdogan who has banked on strong eco- organization had been formed. “There is only nomic growth since coming to power in 2003. one sentence in the indictment that suggests Erdogan, who is tipped to run for the presi- why my client is being accused of founding a dency in August, is accused of increasingly crime organization: ‘Because she came authoritarian policies and polarizing the pre- together with other people’,” he said. Also on dominantly Muslim but staunchly secular trial is Ali Cerkezoglu, secretary general of the nation. Istanbul Medical Chamber, who treated several wounded protesters. Protesters go on trial In January, Turkey passed a new law mak- In another development, more than two ing it a crime for doctors to provide emer- dozen anti-government protesters went on gency first aid without a permit, which critics trial yesterday in Turkey, accused of organiz- said was an attempt to block doctors from ing last year’s demonstrations in what treating protesters. Several trials related to Amnesty International denounced as a “show ISTANBUL: Supporters of the Taksim Solidarity umbrella group (holding flags and signs) the protests are already taking place across trial”. An Istanbul court began hearing the gather in front of the Caglayan law court as more than two dozen anti-government pro- the country, but yesterday’s trial has the high- case against 26 members of the Taksim testers are going on trial. — AFP est profile. —Agencies International FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Political quake could doom Obama immigration hopes

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama rejected Wednesday the notion that the shock election defeat of a top Republican leader had effectively dashed his hopes of passing a new legacy enhanc- ing immigration bill. Obama hurriedly regrouped following the sudden eclipse of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a primary election, in which his neophyte opponent blasted him as a favor- ing “amnesty” for illegal immigrants. There has been little love lost between Cantor and Obama-but the Republican chieftain had been seen as open to some limited reform of a system that has left 12 million illegal immigrants in lim- bo. Now, few political observers believe Republicans facing tough primary fights for their party nominations or tight mid-term election races in November, will welcome tricky votes on a reform drive reviled by conservatives. But Obama, speaking to an audience of wealthy Democratic donors in Massachusetts, begged to differ. “It is interesting to listen to the pundits and the analysts,” Obama said. “Some of the conventional wisdom talks about the politics of immigration reform (being) impossible now. “I fundamentally reject that. I will tell the speaker of the House that he needs to reject it,” said Obama, rea- soning that Cantor lost because he failed to show sufficient leadership on immigration. “We need to get immigration reform done.” The Senate has already passed a bill to further secure US borders, GLEN ALLEN: College economics professor and Republican candidate for Congress David Brat (right) poses on a motor- reform visa procedures and offer an eventual path to citizenship to cycle with members of Heaven’s Saints motorcycle ministry Randy “Zippo” Breen (left) and Tanner “Clear Coat” illegal immigrants. Mansfield at the Golden Corral during a campaign stop in Glen Allen, Virginia. — AFP But the House has yet to act, with Republican leaders loath to expose their rank-and-file to the fury of conservative primary voters. The stunning primary defeat of Cantor in his Virginia congres- Iran ‘redesigning’ reactor sional district by college professor Dave Brat, a hero of the radical conservative Tea Party faction, ranked as one of the biggest electoral upsets in decades. Brookings Institution senior fellow Audrey to cut plutonium capacity Singer said that hopes of passing immigration reform were previously “slim” and “this might be the nail in the coffin.” Immigration does not tell the whole story of Cantor’s demise-he had apparently West worried Arak could yield plutonium for bombs lost touch with his district-but the perception that it did him in may be enough. DUBAI: Iran is “busy redesigning” a planned last November that was geared to buy time extension is possible under the terms of the research reactor to sharply cut its potential for negotiations on a comprehensive accord. talks, experts believe both Iran and the pow- Busted hopes output of plutonium - a possible nuclear After the latest round of talks in Vienna in ers may face domestic political pressures to Busted hopes of reform are not just bad news for Obama, who bomb fuel, a senior Iranian official said in May, a diplomat from one of the powers said toughen their terms during this extra time desperately needs a triumph to flesh out a thin second term. In comments that seemed to address a thorny Iran had appeared to row back on its previ- period, further clouding the outlook for a recent presidential elections, Republicans have slumped among issue in negotiations with big powers. The ous openness to address Western fears breakthrough. The next round of negotia- Hispanic voters - for whom immigration reform is an article of faith. future of the Arak plant is among several about the nuclear weapons potential of Arak. tions will be held in the Austrian capital Many political professionals believe the party will never recapture sticking points that Iran and six world powers Iran has since dismissed as “ridiculous” one Vienna on June 16-20. the White House without repairing ties to the fast-growing com- need to resolve if they are to reach a deal by mooted solution to such worries. munity. In 2012, Obama beat Republican Mitt Romney by 71 per- late July on limiting the country’s disputed But the head of Iran’s atomic energy Grounds for optimism cent to 27 percent among Hispanics, who made the difference in nuclear program in exchange for an end to organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, appeared to In April, Princeton University experts said some key swing states. But the recent political lesson is that any sanctions. return to a more conciliatory stance in com- that Arak’s annual plutonium production Republican who touches immigration reform is burned-Texas The main stumbling block is the permissi- ments to the official IRNA news agency late could be lowered to less than 1 kg - well Governor Rick Perry stumbled on the issue and saw his presidential ble scope of uranium enrichment in Iran. The on Wednesday. The amount of plutonium below the roughly 8 kg needed for an atomic campaign crumble in 2012. A possible Republican presidential can- lack of progress in bridging negotiating gaps the reactor will be able to yield will be bomb - if Iran changed the way Arak is didate in 2016, Senator Marco Rubio, has struggled to rebuild his has left the self-imposed July 20 deadline for reduced to less than 1 kg (2.2 pounds) from fuelled and lowered its power capacity. fortunes after championing Senate immigration reform last year. a long-term settlement looking increasingly 9-10 kg (20-22 pounds) annually in its origi- However, Iran expert Ali Vaez said the major Pressure was already piling on Obama Wednesday to use his unrealistic, and Iran has said a six-month nal design, he said. Western experts say 9-10 powers and Israel - Iran’s arch foe - “remain own power to reshape immigration laws. The president has extension of the talks may be necessary. The kg would be enough for 1-2 nuclear bombs concerned that Iran could suddenly revert to protested to supporters angry at the high rate of deportations that West is worried that Arak, once operational, and that Arak’s capacity should be scaled the original design and build a reprocessing could provide a supply of plutonium - one of back. “We are currently busy redesigning facility” needed to extract plutonium from he simply cannot rewrite the law. But activists say he could dictate two materials, along with highly enriched that reactor to arrange for that alteration,” spent reactor fuel. who is thrown out-putting people who are not criminals at the uranium, that can trigger a nuclear explo- Salehi was quoted by IRNA as saying. After “That would be a lengthy but hard-to- bottom of the list. So far, he has held off from unilateral moves, to sion. Iran says the 40-megawatt Arak reactor talks with senior US officials earlier this week, stop process,” Vaez, of the International Crisis give House Republican Speaker John Boehner a chance to navigate is intended to produce isotopes for cancer Iran questioned the feasibility of the July Group think-tank, said in a report. Heavy- the narrow path through his support base for a vote on reform. He and other medical treatments. It agreed to deadline for a permanent accord that would water reactors like Arak, fuelled by natural may also fear an explosive political backlash that could jeopardize halt installation work at Arak under a six- minimize the risk of a wider Middle East war uranium, are seen as especially suitable for hopes of reform in future presidencies. — AFP month interim deal struck with the powers over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. While an yielding plutonium. —Reuters Political split outgrows the voting booth in US

WASHINGTON: Political polarization in America has gesting the ideological stalemates that have become Democrats. Those differences in visibility are partly due broken out of the voting booth. A new survey from the more common in Washington and statehouses around to the Democratic hold on the White House, according Pew Research Center finds Americans are divided by the country are likely to continue. A third of those who to Pew Research Center Vice President Michael Dimock. ideology and partisanship not only when they cast bal- say they regularly vote in primaries have all-or-nothing “Levels of alarm about the direction of the nation, and lots, but also in choosing where to live, where to get ideological views, as do 41 percent who say they have about the ‘threat’ the other party poses to the country, their news and with whom to associate. And peaceful donated money to a campaign. are substantially higher on the right than on the left coexistence is increasingly difficult. According to the And among partisans, ideological purity is now the right now, and at least in part this reflects the fact that poll, the share of Americans who hold across-the-board standard. Majorities in both parties hold either uniform- Barack Obama is in the White House,” Dimock said. conservative or liberal views has doubled in the last ly liberal (on the Democratic side) or conservative But Democrats have expressed their share of distrust decade, from 10 percent in 2004 to 21 percent today. (among the GOP) views. The shift toward ideological in the past, he noted in an email. “Democrats felt pretty Only 39 percent of Americans have an even mix of lib- purity has been more visible among Republicans due to passionately about George W Bush and the GOP in his eral and conservative positions, down from 49 percent the popularity of the tea party, seen most recently this second term,” he said. The survey used a battery of 10 10 years ago. week in House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s loss to a questions on issues such as regulation of business, use The numbers of ideological purists are larger among tea party-based challenger in Virginia, but the survey of the military, the environment and immigration to the politically engaged than the general public, sug- found it’s happening in nearly equal measure among assess ideological leanings. —AP International FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 15

Without water, East Ukrainians struggle to survive

SLAVYANSK: For Aleksandra, a woman in the streets of Slavyansk, a city of 120,000 res- from the outside world. The Internet doesn’t pro-Russian militia, whose members carry her 80s, survival in the war zone comes idents, fighting takes place nearly every day. work any longer, and only a few operators out patrols in their vehicles, brandishing down to one thing: water. Like many others In those conditions, survival has become a are able to provide telephone services. “At weapons.”They told us they are providing in the flashpoint eastern Ukrainian city of constant struggle for the city’s helplessly least, we can go bathing in the river,” said defense. But against what? I’m not sure I Slavyansk, she has come to central Lenin trapped civilians-men, women and children. Pasha, a man in his 50s. understand,” said an elderly woman. Square to fill her bottle from the stagnant Slavyansk has been her home for 45 pool at the fountain. She has no other ‘Closed forever’ ‘Chernobyl’ years, but now she only wants to leave, just choice. “It’s mostly for washing. If I drink it, I A long line of people suggests that there Almost three decades ago, Ukraine like her children and grandchildren, who boil it first,” she said, declining to give her is something sparse and desirable on offer. It topped the global news agenda when have already gone to stay with friends across last name. “There’s no water anymore, no turns out to be bottled water. Even basic Chernobyl saw the worst nuclear power acci- the border in Russia. “My husband is sick, power, no nothing.” commodities are in short supply in dent in history. Svetlana, a Slavyansk resi- and we can’t go. Otherwise, we would have For the past week, since fighting Slavyansk. Almost no businesses remain in dent, sees eerie parallels between that disas- been out of here a long time ago,” she said. between pro-Russian rebels and govern- operation. “Closed forever,” reads a sign in ter and the one befalling her city. “You’ve While Slavyansk is in rebel hands, the ment troops led to the destruction of the front of one shop. Only a small supermarket got cables hanging down everywhere. Ukrainian army surrounds the city and, some water supply, a trip to the fountain on Lenin remains open, along with a cafe, which now You’ve got houses in ruin,” she said. “And say, is behind frequent explosions believed Square has become a daily routine for many closes at 6 pm because of the hostilities, this is a place where people used to live, to be artillery or mortar fire. Ukrainian sol- people in Slavyansk. That’s the price they rather than 11 pm. “We’re probably braver used to work.” In the city centre, signs of the diers control access to Slavyansk, and carry have to pay for living in a city which has than most. One day they were shooting just fighting are everywhere. The facades of out strict checks of journalists trying to enter. been a stronghold of pro-Russian insurgents next door, but we kept working,” said a wait- buildings have been blown away, and bro- A team of AFP journalists had to wait two since April. It’s a fate that they have to share ress at the cafe, which makes do without ken glass covers almost every street. hours at a checkpoint before being allowed with millions of others in the Donetsk region water and power, with a menu consisting of Throughout the day, it resembles a ghost to pass. “All armed men must leave,” said the of eastern Ukraine, where the water supply just two items: Salad and meat cooked over town. Only occasionally, people venture out elderly woman. “That’s the only way to has been curtailed or halted entirely. But in a gas flame. The city is almost entirely cut off on their bicycles. The streets belong to the restore calm.”— AFP Central Africans call for rearming of ragtag army

BANGUI: Since thousands of foreign troops have struggled in vain for more than a year to quell sectarian violence in the Central African Republic, growing numbers of people want the notoriously ragtag army rearmed. The idea is anathema to the international community, but it is backed by transitional President Catherine Samba Panza amid growing hostility towards the foreign military presence in the impoverished country of 4.6 million people. African and French peacekeepers are authorized to use force to disarm bru- tal rival militias, but have so far failed to turn a tide of violence and atrocities that has claimed thousands of lives and caused a quarter of the population, mainly Muslims, to flee their homes. At the weekend, hundreds of regular soldiers-minus their weapons-converged on the Kassai military camp outside the capital Bangui for a weekly parade. As usual, the scene was happily chaotic, with some soldiers arriving four to a motorcycle, none wearing exactly the same uniform and some sporting basketball tank tops. “This army is no more than a skeleton, but we are determined and it is now up to the politicians to decide what to do with us,” said Lieutenant Alain Taddas. “We want to be rearmed because the people want it, to make this country safe.” Most of the regular Central African Armed Forces (FACA), which numbers nearly 8,000, are based in Bangui. Soldiers became infamous, particularly in the 1990s, for successive mutinies mainly over SALAHUDDIN: A militant of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) poses with the trademark Islamists flag after unpaid wages. After failing to stop a coup mounted by the mainly they allegedly seized an Iraqi army checkpoint in the northern Iraqi province of Salahuddin. — AFP Muslim Seleka movement in March 2013, the FACA was summarily disarmed and soldiers stopped receiving their pay. Many decom- missioned soldiers joined mainly Christian vigilante groups set up Sunni militants march towards to go after Seleka members-predominantly Muslim-who went rogue despite winning power in Bangui, embarking on a campaign of killing, raping and looting. Baghdad as Kurds take Kirkuk The country’s Minister of Justice Isabelle Gaudeuille announced on Wednesday that it had requested the International Criminal Court to investigate crimes committed over the past two years, say- Iraqi army flees in face of Sunni militant advance ing the court’s intervention would be “indispensible” in prosecuting those who carried out “the most serious of these crimes.” BAGHDAD: Iraqi Kurds took control of the northern oil city of moving into towns just an hour’s drive from the capital. The international community stepped in and removed the Kirkuk yesterday after government forces abandoned their The army of the Shiite Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki’s gov- Seleka in January this year, while salary payments resumed to FACA posts in the face of a sweeping Sunni Islamist rebel push ernment in Baghdad has essentially fled in the face of the soldiers in March. But the army has remained sidelined from any towards Baghdad that threatens Iraq’s future as a unified onslaught, abandoning buildings and weapons to the fighters role in resolving the latest crisis in the unstable former French state. Peshmerga fighters, the security forces of Iraq’s who aim to create a strict Sunni Caliphate on both sides of the colony, which lacks a functioning national administration after years of coups and misrule. autonomous Kurdish north, swept into bases in Kirkuk vacated Iraq-Syria frontier. The stunning advance of ISIL, effectively by the army, a Peshmerga spokesman said. “The whole of seizing northern Iraq’s main population centers in a matter of People feel ‘abandoned’ Kirkuk has fallen into the hands of Peshmerga,” said Jabbar days, is the biggest threat to Iraq since US troops withdrew in On Bangui’s streets, many view the peacekeepers with suspi- Yawar. “No Iraqi army remains in Kirkuk now.” Kurds have long 2011. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes cion, seeing the force of more than 5,000 soldiers deployed by the dreamed of taking Kirkuk and its huge oil reserves. They in fear. African Union as being too close to the former rebels. They also regard the city, just outside their autonomous region, as their The administration of President Barack Obama has come consider the French contingent of about 2,000 incapable of disarm- historical capital, and Peshmerga units were already present in under fire for failing to do enough to shore up the governing the rampaging militias respectively drawn mainly from Muslim an uneasy balance with government forces. ment in Baghdad before pulling out its troops. Security and and Christian communities. “Given that the UN resolutions on dis- The swift move by their highly organized security forces to police sources said Sunni militants now controlled parts of the arming the militias are no longer being applied, the people feel seize full control demonstrates how this week’s sudden small town of Udhaim, 90 km north of Baghdad, after most of they are being left to their own devices, abandoned,” complained advance by fighters of the Al-Qaeda offshoot Islamic State of the army troops left their positions and withdrew towards the Eric Willibyro Sako, one of the organizers of recent protests Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has redrawn Iraq’s map. Since nearby town of Khalis. demanding the rearming of the FACA. The UN Security Council vot- Tuesday, black clad ISIL fighters have seized Iraq’s second “We are waiting for supporting troops and we are deter- ed in February to strengthen the peacekeepers’ mandate, authoriz- biggest city Mosul and Tikrit, home town of former dictator mined not to let them take control. We are afraid that terror- ing them to use force amid warnings of a potential genocide. It Saddam Hussein, as well as other towns and cities north of ists are seeking to cut the main highway that links Baghdad to made disarming the rival sides their central task. —AFP Baghdad. They continued their lightning advance yesterday, the north,” said a police officer in Udhaim. —Reuters 16 International FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Anti-euro German AfD joins Cameron’s group BRUSSELS: British Prime Minister David Cameron faced new tension with German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday after his group in the European Parliament voted to accept Germany’s anti-euro AfD party into its political family. The European Conservatives and Reformists, which Cameron formed in 2009 after withdrawing from the European People’s Party, Europe’s main centre-right group, voted in favor of letting Alternative fuer Deutschland into the bloc. Voting figures were not immediately released but AfD leaders said in a statement they were admitted by a “clear majority” despite strong political pressure to block them. “Welcome to the @AfD_Bund party which has joined the ECR Group this morning,” the ECR announced on its Twitter feed. “Our successful admission is a victory against those who put huge pressure on members of the (ECR) group because they wanted to prevent, for domestic political reasons, the AfD from being recognized and strengthened,” AfD leader Bernd Lucke said. With the addition of AfD’s seven seats, the ECR will now have 62 seats in the European Parliament, making it the third largest group after the EPP and the Socialists, ahead of the pro-European centrist liberals. ALMATY: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (left) speaks to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (right) during their It may gain a handful more if a small Bulgarian party joins. meeting in Burabai outside Almaty yesterday. —AFP But while the ECR has gained power and influence, Cameron’s strength within it has declined and yesterday’s decision leaves him in an uncomfortable position with Merkel, whose CDU Italian PM faces party party is the driving force within the rival EPP. Cameron needs Merkel as an ally if he is to get a candidate acceptable to Britain as president of the European Commission and if his revolt over reform plan drive for a market-friendly, decentralizing reform of the EU is to move ahead. Although AfD is not opposed to the European Union, it has suggested weaker member should leave the sin- Renzi’s position bolstered by European election win gle currency and it disagrees with Merkel’s broader European ROME: Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s plans senators said they were “suspending them- low earners, but promised reforms of the policy. It also opposes a planned free-trade agreement to reform Italian politics suffered a setback selves” from the party and accused Renzi labor market, the public administration between the EU and United States. yesterday when 13 senators from his cen- of authoritarian tactics at odds with the and the judicial system have been modest Secret ballot tre-left Democratic Party (PD) withdrew constitution. Giuseppe Civati, a PD deputy or have not yet been presented. their backing in protest against his moves frequently critical of Renzi, said his removal His blueprint for an overhaul of the Officials within the ECR would not say how Cameron’s 20 for constitutional change. Renzi will not be of the senators from the committee was “a electoral law, agreed in January with cen- Conservatives - a minority of the 55 lawmakers eligible to vote assured of a majority in the Senate, the political error” and rebuked him for trying tre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, has also - had cast their ballots. But one source said “a couple” had upper house of parliament, without the to “eliminate dissent” in the party. The sen- made no progress in parliament and defied Cameron and supported the AfD. Syed Kamall, leader defectors, which will make it difficult for ators did not say they would leave the PD Berlusconi frequently suggests he may pull of the British caucus within the ECR, told Reuters by email: “It him to push through legislation. itself and their action was seen more as a his support. Renzi, who has been on a tour was a secret ballot. But the prime minister made his views The row centres on Renzi’s plans to warning shot to Renzi than an immediate of Asia this week, said on Wednesday the very clear to us. He asked me as leader of the British replace the Senate as an elected chamber threat to his government’s survival. A European elections showed Italians back Conservatives to make it clear he wished the Conservative with one made up of mayors, regional crushing victory by the PD in elections to him and he was determined to pursue MEPs not to vote in favor of the AfD.” councillors and appointees of the head of the European Parliament last month was reforms despite political resistance. In a move to soften the blow, a source close to Cameron state. He also plans to curb its powers so its widely seen as a personal triumph for “Considering that votes count for more said the Conservative Party would work to reinforce ties with approval is not needed to pass the budget Renzi, but despite his personal popularity than vetoes, we will be carrying on with Merkel’s Christian Democrats. But Cameron faces a tough job or most other bills and he would remove he has so far made little headway with a our heads high,” he told reporters in China. explaining to Merkel what line the ECR will take on policy its power to bring down a government raft of promised reforms. The rebels say they are in favor of issues such as free trade and market liberalisation, and with a confidence vote. Renzi, the 39-year- reforming the Senate, including reducing whether he can control a group that is at sharp odds with the old former mayor of Florence, set out his Tax cut the current number of 315 elected sena- main centre-right bloc. plans when he took office in February, say- When Renzi ousted party rival Enrico tors, but they want senators to continue to As well as the AfD, the group has taken in the far-right, ing the Senate was a drag on the legislative Letta to become prime minister he said he be elected directly rather than chosen by anti-immigrant Danish People’s Party and the Finns, a nation- process and a financial drain on resources. would “revolutionize” Italy with a major regional councils and mayors. However, alist Finnish party that has shaken up domestic politics. But the reform has been held up in the reform each month, but he has had to since winning the PD leadership, Renzi has Yesterday’s decision may also make it harder for Cameron Senate Constitutional Affairs Committee. come to terms with the difficulties of lead- proven highly effective in overcoming to convince Merkel that Jean-Claude Juncker, the EPP’s candi- This week, Renzi removed two PD oppo- ing a fractious coalition and resistance internal dissent and his supporters made date to be European Commission president, is the wrong man nents of the plan from the committee. from sections of his own party. He pushed clear they had no intention of compromis- for the job. — Reuters In a shock response yesterday, 13 PD through a popular cut in income tax for ing.—Reuters Another deal, but South Sudan far from peace NAIROBI: South Sudan’s warring leaders months, during which both the govern- progress towards a transitional govern- have agreed another deal aimed at ending ment and the rebels have frequently bro- ment, that it will create extra instability on six months of civil war but even if this one ken the cessation of hostilities agreements the ground, as each side seeks to weaken holds, analysts expect violence to get they had signed, suggests it would be the other and shore up their own base,” worse before the situation can improve. unwise to be too optimistic.” War in the she said. After several failed deals, many are young nation has already killed thousands After heavy battles early in the year, skeptical that either President Salva Kiir or and forced more than 1.3 million people when major towns were razed as they his arch-rival Riek Machar really want a from their homes. But even if negotiations switched hands several times between negotiated end to the conflict, and instead progress, some fear it will create further government forces and rebels, the conflict believe a military victory is still possible. violence, as leaders jostle for power in a appears to be settling down into a miser- “This agreement was signed under great proposed transitional government which able low-level civil war. “The last few A family poses for a picture inside their tent at the Zam pressure, including from the region, but it the enemies agreed a 60-day deadline to months have shown how little either side Zam refugee camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in will only stick if both Kiir and Machar per- settle. “Political movement forward is criti- cares for international rules of warfare, or North Darfur, Sudan. Thousands of people, mostly ceive it to be in their best interests,” said cal but there will be a fallout on the for civilian lives,” said Copnall. “More con- women, children, and the elderly, have sought refuge in James Copnall, author of a recent book on ground as well,” said Casie Copeland from flict will mean more rapes, more murders, Zam Zam camp, following an armed militia attack on their South Sudan, “A Poisonous Thorn in our the International Crisis Group (ICG). thousands more pushed towards starva- villages more than three months ago. —AP Hearts”. “The evidence of the last few “There are concerns as negotiations tion,” he added.— AFP International FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

First US drone strikes this year kill 16 militants in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yesterday condemned the first US drone strikes on its soil this year despite suspicions the two countries coordinated over the attack in the aftermath of a Taleban siege of Karachi airport. The strikes took place over Wednesday night and early yesterday morning, killing at least 16 militants in the North Waziristan tribal district that lies on the Afghan border, in the first such attacks since December. They came in the same week as the Taleban claimed responsibility for an all-night siege of Karachi airport that left 37 dead including 10 attackers, shredding a nascent peace process and placing pressure on Islamabad to react decisively. The foreign office issued a tersely worded statement condemning the strikes as “a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. “Additionally, these strikes have a negative impact on the government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region,” the statement said. A foreign office spokeswoman told AFP that rumors of Pakistan requesting the attack were “speculation”. But a senior retired diplomat who is familiar with tribal affairs said: “The government must have consented to this attack. It could not SILIGURI: Indian rescued child laborers, take part in a procession on the occasion of World Day Against Child Labor in Siliguri have happened without that.” Washington reportedly sus- yesterday. Some 28 million Indian children are engaged in some form of labor, according to a UNICEF estimate. — AFP pended its drone program in December to give Islamabad time to pursue a dialogue process with the TTP aimed at ending a seven year insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives. The dialogue resulted in a month-long ceasefire between India swelters under record March and April but later broke down, with Pakistan resuming air strikes in suspected militant hideouts in the tribal areas. The army was widely seen as being opposed to the dialogue heatwave sparking protests because of the heavy casualties it has sustained at the hands of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), which views them as a mercenary force serving foreign interests. But following the breakdown of Homeless deaths up because of extreme heat the talks and the Karachi attack, observers believe both civil and military authorities are converging on the need for more NEW DELHI: Swathes of north India are sweltering under the equipped much of India remains to sudden surges in temperature, concerted action. Leaked documents have shown deep coop- longest heatwave on record, triggering widespread breakdowns in which many worry are happening more frequently because of eration over drone attacks in the past, but they remain contro- the supply of electricity and increasingly angry protests over the changes in the climate and rapid urbanization. versial with critics charging they cause many civilian casualties. government’s failure to provide people with basic services. The Some 2,171 people have been killed in drone attacks since power crisis and heatwave, which some activists say has caused Bodies August 2008, according to an AFP tally. dozens of deaths, is one of the first major challenges for Prime For LD Chopra, a 76-year old asthmatic in Delhi, the power cuts Minister Narendra Modi, who was elected three weeks ago partly almost mean the difference between life and death. Chopra was Uzbek fighters slain on promises to provide reliable electricity supplies. taken to hospital on May 31 after falling unconscious when a The US drone strikes took place within hours of each In Delhi, where temperatures have hit 45 Celsius (113 machine he depends on for oxygen support switched off in the other as militants gathered to dig out the bodies and Fahrenheit) for six days straight, residents marched through the outages, he said. Like Chopra’s home in the east of the city, much search for the injured. The first struck a vehicle and a streets in protests organized by opposition parties on Thursday. In of Delhi has been without power for 10 hours per day in the last compound in the village of Dargah Mandi in North the north of the city, people enraged by night-long outages week, after a jump in demand and damage from a thunderstorm Waziristan, where almost 60,000 residents have fled since clashed with police and torched a bus, media reported. Delhi is suf- overwhelmed the grid, causing blackouts. Seventy-nine unidenti- May fearing a long-rumored offensive. An intelligence fering staggered cuts as power companies ration spikes in demand fied bodies were discovered in Delhi in the last four days, said the official in Miranshah, the region’s main town some 10 as people crank up air coolers to fight the heat. Modi has inherited Centre of Holistic Development, a group working to end homeless- kilometres (six miles) east of the village, said the missiles the shortages from his predecessors, and power distribution is par- ness. Founder Sunil Kumar Aledia attributed the high number of had struck a pick-up truck carrying about six militants tially the responsibility of state governments. deaths to the extreme weather. India has long-suffered deadly and laden with explosives. “Four of them were Uzbeks Residents staged sit-in protests outside electricity substations in heatwaves. Periods of extreme temperatures have led to thousands and two were Punjabi Taleban,” he said, referring to mili- the state of Uttar Pradesh late on Wednesday, days after protesters of deaths since the 1990s, largely in rural areas where basic infra- tants from Pakistan’s central Punjab province. The TTP had set substations on fire and taken power officials hostage after structure is poor. RK Jenamani, director of the meteorological office confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that the Karachi airport weeks of daily blackouts. “God alone can provide any relief from in Delhi, said his research did not point to any long-term trend of siege was carried out by Uzbek fighters belonging to the the prevailing power crisis,” said AP Misra, director of Uttar Pradesh rising temperatures. But a combination of urbanization, extensive International Movement for Uzbekistan in a “joint opera- Power Corporation. Having drawn on all available supplies, Misra use of concrete and more cars did appear to be changing microcli- tion”. —AFP said power would only return once rain arrived and demand fell. mates within and near cities, exacerbating the impact of heat- The protests and collapse in the power supply underline how ill- waves, he said. —Reuters Indian doctors come home to the medical tourism hub

CHENNAI: One of the multitude of Indian emigrant doc- Britain’s National Health Service and increasingly tough US tors, Paul Ramesh moved to Britain in the 1990s, keen to healthcare regulations as factors luring them back. “The get the best surgical training and earn a generous pay trend is reversing,” said M Balasubramanian, president of packet. Today he is still treating Westerners-but in hospital the Indian Medical Association in Tamil Nadu. “More cor- beds back in Chennai, his south Indian hometown in Tamil porate hospitals are coming up, especially in Chennai. Nadu state. “When I came back it was quite exceptional to Now (doctors) have an opportunity to use their expertise return. Now it’s the rule,” the 46-year-old told AFP at the in their own place... and pull the patients from abroad city’s Apollo hospital, soon after performing a heart trans- also,” he said. plant on a woman from the United States. Inside the Apollo, with a lobby bustling more like a In Chennai, known as India’s healthcare capital, medical marketplace than a typical hospital, KP Kosygan has just workers describe a “reverse brain drain” as homegrown carried out a double knee replacement on an elderly doctors return from the US and Europe-at the same time Kenyan patient. The consultant orthopaedic surgeon came as the city develops as a top budget destination for med- back from Britain in 2011 and said there was “a regular ical tourists. While the number of Indian doctors abroad stream of doctors coming back”. “Certainly when I left remains substantial, Apollo staff say their national hospital India there were not many joint replacement centers or chain now gets 300 applications annually from those surgeons in India who could train us,” he said. Now doc- working in Britain alone, encouraged by improved living tors want to “share our experience we have gained across CHENNAI: Consultant orthopedic surgeon and specialist in joint replacement and standards and better medical technology at home. the globe,” he said-adding that many were also pulled arthoscopic surgery K P Kosygan (2nd L) gesturing as he speaks with a Nigerian Traditionally drawn to the West to boost their expertise back to look after ageing parents, in a country where fami- patient who underwent surgery at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai. — AFP and earnings, doctors also cited tightening salaries under ly ties are paramount. —AFP International18 FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

India rebuffs ‘simplistic’ UN flak over sex crimes

GENEVA: India has rebuffed accusations by of women in the private sphere is widely tol- law professor, said India should try to raise legal framework to tackle the practice. It said a UN investigator that sex crimes are rife in erated by the State and the community,” awareness of practices such as acid attacks “witch-hunts” were not a national phenome- the world’s biggest democracy, calling her Manjoo wrote. In its response, posted on the against women who refuse a marriage pro- non and complaints were always investigat- analysis “simplistic” and full of “sweeping Council’s website on Thursday, India called posal, so-called honor crimes where family ed. It said Manjoo should have informed the generalizations”. India’s large northern state that allegation “baseless”. It said she had members murder a woman because they government if she knew of specific cases of Uttar Pradesh has seen a wave of violence made “unsubstantiated yet sweeping gener- believe she has dishonored them for exam- where there had been a complaint but no and sex crimes, including the rape and mur- alizations”. “We do not agree with the ple by opposing an arranged marriage, as investigation. der of two girls aged 12 and 14, which labelling of ‘violence against women in India well as executions of women branded as India’s response to Manjoo’s report listed stirred national outrage. as systematic’,” India said. “Such a sweeping “witches”. 16 allegations that it said were not backed The United Nations special rapporteur on remark smacks of a highly prejudiced state Her report ranged from decrying degrad- up by facts. The examples it gave included violence against women, Rashida Manjoo, of mind.” ing tests used on rape victims to urging her claim that sexual violence was wide- said violence against women was systematic Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India to define marital rape as a criminal spread across the country, that members of and continued “from womb to tomb” in a on Wednesday that respecting and protect- offence and to repeal a law that criminalized the security forces had committed mass report submitted to the UN Human Rights ing women should be a priority for the 1.25 consensual same-sex behavior. rapes, that trafficking of women and girls to Council in Geneva. billion people in India. “The government will On honor killings, the government said it and from India was widespread, and that “According to numerous interlocutors, have to act,” Modi said, breaking his silence gave “due consideration” to an Indian Law police and officials discriminated against the physical, sexual and psychological abuse on the crime wave. Manjoo, a South African Commission report that had suggested a people from certain castes. — Reuters Thai anti-coup leader may face long jail sentence

BANGKOK: A prominent anti-coup activist in Thailand faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted of incitement, computer crimes and ignoring a summons by the junta, police said yesterday. Sombat Boonngamanong, who led a social media campaign to stage peaceful but illegal rallies against the junta, was denied bail Thursday and is set to stand trial in a military court. He has been charged with inciting unrest, violating the computer crime act and defying an order by the junta to turn himself in, according to Prasopchoke Prommul, deputy com- mander of the police’s crime suppression division. “We will bring him to the military court to seek his deten- tion,” he added. If found guilty, Sombat faces seven years in jail for incitement, five years for spreading false information over the Internet and two years for ignoring the summons, Prasopchoke said. Sombat was one of several hundred politicians, activists, academics and journalists called in by the junta following the May 22 coup. Those who attended were detained in secret locations for up to a week and ordered to cease political activities. Sombat, a prominent pro-democracy activist, refused to turn himself in, instead posting a message on Facebook say- KANDAHAR: Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers keep watch at a checkpoint in Kandahar yesterday. Afghans head to ing: “Catch me if you can”. While on the run he urged follow- the polls June 14 for a second-round election to choose a successor to President Hamid Karzai, with the threat of ers to stage peaceful public demonstrations, flashing the Taleban attacks and fraud looming over the country’s first democratic transfer of power. — AFP three-finger salute from “The Hunger Games” films that has become a symbol of defiance against the junta. He was tracked down and arrested a week ago in Chonburi, southeast of Bangkok. The activist was taken to a military Afghans to vote in run-off court in Bangkok yesterday, escorted by police. “The court denied bail because his charges carry a high penalty,” said his election as US troops exit lawyer Anond Nampa. No trial date has yet been set. Sombat is the leader of a faction of the “Red Shirts” movement that broadly supports fugitive former premier Thaksin Threats of Taleban attacks, poll fraud loom Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck, who was deposed as prime minister last month. Former education minister Chaturon KABUL: Afghans head to the polls tomor- Afzal Aman, head of Afghan army opera- hope that the two candidates, with the Chaisang, who also refused to answer the summons, was row for a second-round election to tions, told reporters. future of their country in their hands at detained by soldiers in a dramatic raid on a news conference choose a successor to President Hamid “We have been conducting missions this unprecedented time, will not seek a last month, and faces trial in a military court.—AFP Karzai, with the threat of Taleban attacks all over Afghanistan for election security winner-take-all outcome.” The last presi- and fraud looming over the country’s first for the past two months.” Ahead of the dential vote in 2009 was riddled with democratic transfer of power. The vote vote, the Taleban issued a warning to fraud, damaging relations between the pits former foreign minister Abdullah voters, saying that polling booths would Afghan government and the US-led Abdullah against ex-World Bank econo- be targeted by “non-stop” assaults. “By donor nations on which it relies for fund- mist Ashraf Ghani in a head-to-head con- holding elections, the Americans want to ing. Abdullah eventually pulled out of test to lead Afghanistan as US-led troops impose their stooges on the people,” the that election, allowing Karzai to retain withdraw after 13 years of fighting insurgents, who were ousted from power power, but this year neither candidate is Taleban insurgents. by a US-led offensive in 2001, said on likely to back down if the result is close. April’s first-round vote was hailed a their website. International fears have success as turnout topped 50 percent focused on the risk of tension between Advantage Abdullah? and Islamist militants failed to launch any the candidates’ supporters after the Ethnic frictions are also a concern as high-profile attacks on polling day. But result, which may be contested if the Abdullah’s support is based among the tomorrow presents another major chal- count is close and serious fraud allega- Tajik minority and other northern tribes, lenge in the prolonged election process, tions are raised. while Ghani is a Pashtun-Afghanistan’s which began with campaigning in early “No one should be complacent about largest ethnic group, which is strongest February and will end when the final what is at stake in the coming weeks,” US in the Taleban-infested south and east. BANGKOK: Thai anti-coup activist Sombat Boonn- result is announced on July 22. “There is ambassador James Cunningham said in a Both candidates held a hectic schedule of gamanong (center) gestures as he arrives escorted by concern that the enemy who failed in the statement. “We call on both candidates meetings on Wednesday, the final day of police and soldiers at a military court in Bangkok yester- first round will seek revenge, but we can to direct their campaigns and supporters campaigning before a 48-hour period of day. — AFP assure you they will fail again,” General not to engage in fraud. “It is our fervent silence in the run-up to polling.— AFP FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

Green, yellow and blue World Cup fashion trends Page 22

Brands use music to speak globally in World Cup Page 22 Lifestyle FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

This March 21, 2014 file photo shows singer-songwriter Jake Bugg visiting The Sound Garden File photo shows The Arctic Monkeys, with Alex Turner, right, and bassist Nick OíMalley, per- Records in Baltimore. form on Day 4 of the 2013 Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. Bonnaroo features mini-British Invasion in 2014 ake Bugg isn’t the only British star headed for the Bonnaroo one up this year. The BBC’s Sound of 2014 winner is one of the Music & Arts Festival this week. There’s a mini-British Invasion hottest singers on vinyl this year and his star is only going to get Jof sorts kicked off yesterday through Sunday in Manchester, bigger. Check him out while you can still catch him at one of Tennessee - and we’re not just talking about Elton John’s headlin- Bonnaroo’s more intimate stages. ing performance. Look down the list and there are lots of acts like Disclosure: Guy and Howard Lawrence of Grammy Award- Bugg finding a firm footing in the US to become familiar with. nominated Disclosure and Smith broke through together when Here are five British acts we’re particularly interested in seeing the Surrey sibling duo featured Smith on their breakthrough (and don’t forget you can stream many of the performances if “Latch” a few years ago. Like Smith, the Lawrences have drawn you’re not one of the 80,000 down on the farm): attention since then and are seen as one of electronic music’s The Arctic Monkeys: Listen to any rock radio station for 30 most promising acts. minutes and you’ll likely hear The Arctic Monkeys. The Sheffield, Chvrches: This synthpop trio from Glasgow, Scotland, makes England, quartet began as buzzed-over darlings eight years ago candy confections built around singer Lauren Mayberry’s wispy and survived that experience to mature into a formidable, lasting vocals that feel both new and comfortingly familiar - if you’re old act that’s learned the art of keeping our attention. enough to remember the first wave of British synthpop bands all James Blake: It will be interesting to see how London produc- those decades ago. Mayberry has the same star-making appeal of er and singer-songwriter James Blake’s minimalist sound will go Smith. Here’s your chance to get on board early. — AP over at Bonnaroo, where sound bleed gives the advantage to the raucous. Listen closely, though. Blake is one of electronic music’s most interesting artists, and he earned a Grammy Award nomina- In this Sept 21, 2013 file photo, Lauren Mayberry of the election for best new artist last year. tronic band Chvrches performs in concert during the 2013 Sam Smith: Blake took a nod for best new artist last year, and Virgin Mobile FreeFest at Merriweather Post Pavilion in you can bet neo-soul crooner Sam Smith from London will pick Columbia, Md. — AP photos

Celine Dion’s husband steps down as manager Daddy wants the after 30 years iron throne in ‘Game or the first time in her career, Canadian songstress Celine Dion has appointed a new manager, as her husband steps down of Thrones’ Ffrom the position he has held for more than 30 years. Rene Angelil, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his throat in December, will now serve as chairman of Dion’s Feeling uff Daddy wants love from “Game of Thrones” fans Productions Inc, the company said in a statement. in the new music video for his single “I Want the “It is with great pleasure and with the utmost confidence that PLove.” The video, set in the North where dire- Rene Angelil announces today that his long-time close friend, Aldo wolves and rapper Meek Mill roam, features Puffy (for- Giampaolo, has been appointed as chief executive officer of Feeling merly known as Sean Combs) sitting in a replica of the Productions Inc., the company which manages Celine Dion’s Iron Throne that pretty much every character in the HBO career,” the statement added. Giampaolo, who has worked with the fantasy series is fighting - and dying - for. Quebecois couple for more than 25 years, will live in Las Vegas, There are also snowmobiles, which Jon Snow could where Dion, a five-time Grammy winner, has performed full-time for use after the ending to last Sunday’s episode, “The more than three years. “Celine and Rene have decided that the time Watchers on the Wall.” Is this Puff Daddy’s subtle way of has come to bring this appointment to fruition, one that Rene had asking “GoT” creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for a proposed to Aldo several years ago,” the statement said. cameo next season?—Reuters Giampaolo, who has worked as CEO of sports and entertainment group Quebecor Media since July 2013, has spent nearly 25 years in show business, and worked for Cirque du Soleil from 2005 to 2011. Dion, 46, met Angelil at the beginning of her career in 1981, This November 22, 2012 file photo shows Canadian singer when she was 12 and he was 38. The couple began a relationship Celine Dion and her husband Rene Angelil arriving for the when Dion was 19 and married in 1994. They have three boys, the Bambi Awards in Duesseldorf, western Germany. — AFP youngest of whom are twins. — AFP Lifestyle FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

Kerry Washington accepts the 2014 Lucy award for excellence in television at the Women In Film 2014 Crystal And Lucy Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. (Right) Eva Longoria accepts the 2014 Norma Zarky humanitarian award. —AP photos Washington, Blanchett accept Women in Film awards erry Washington stepped back into the those who’ve helped to expand women’s role spotlight for the first time since becom- in entertainment, from actress Laura Dern. King a mom last month to accept an Longoria accepted the Norma Zarky award from Women in Film. The “Scandal” star, Humanitarian Award from actress-writer-direc- along with fellow actresses Cate Blanchett, Eva tor Lake Bell, who described her as “a truly Longoria, Rose Byrne and “Frozen” writer- huge-hearted, great lady in a very small, sexy director Jennifer Lee were honored by the and sassy package.” Byrne was recognized as nonprofit group Wednesday for their career the Max Mara Face of the Future. The 34-year- achievements. Washington and Blanchett old star of “Neighbors” and “Bridesmaids” said each said women must be willing to take risks she was humbled to be recognized, noting and reveal imperfections to tell authentic sto- women’s ongoing underrepresentation in ries about their experiences. Hollywood. “It’s a powerful business we’re in, “When we step up for ourselves, we create with a loud voice,” she said. “It’s imperative we opportunity, whether it’s because we inspire realize women are consumers just as much as other people or we employ other people,” said men, and have our stories told and audiences Washington, who gave birth to a daughter in embraced.” May. She thanked past winner and “Scandal” “Frozen” star Kristen Bell presented Lee creator Shonda Rhimes, who presented with the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award. Lee Washington with the Lucy Award, for develop- wrote and co-directed the Oscar-winning ing dynamic and diverse female characters musical that has become the fifth-highest and giving women a chance to soar on both grossing film of all time. She thanked Walt sides of the camera. Blanchett said women Disney Animation chief John Lasseter for mak- need to overcome the fear that they can’t fail. ing her the first woman to direct a feature for “A creative career is only as good as the risks Rose Byrne accepts the Cate Blanchett accepts the Jennifer Lee accepts the the studio. “Female characters,” she said, “if you take with it,” she said. The two-time Oscar women in film Max Mara 2014 Crystal award for 2014 Dorothy Arzner direc- done with authenticity... can get a whole received the Crystal Award, which recognizes ‘Faces of the Future’ award. excellence in film. tors award. world to come see them.” — AP Pitt adds support to Jolie at warzone rape meeting rad Pitt added his A-list support to “Governments like the one I am a mem- his partner Angelina Jolie’s efforts to ber of hold in their hands levers of deci- Beradicate rape in warzones when he sion-making and action. “And this combi- joined her in a flashbulb-popping appear- nation can be formidable. “And is in many ance at a global conference in London respects a strong example of the future of yesterday. The Hollywood couple-with foreign policy and how it should be con- British Foreign Secretary William Hague ducted. “It’s no longer the sole preserve of standing between them-posed for a bank governments.” The conference, featuring of cameras as they arrived at the confer- decision-makers and victims of warzone ence venue. Jolie wore a black tuxedo- rape, has launched a protocol of proposals style jacket and trousers and Pitt a dark on how best to document rapes in war in suit and sunglasses. an attempt to vastly increase the number A government source told AFP that Pitt of prosecutions. had wanted to show his support to the Jolie has said up to 50,000 women were cause “but I doubt he’ll speak. He’ll leave it sexually assaulted during the war in to Angelina: it’s her baby”. Jolie’s co-host Bosnia-but “only just over 60 people” have Hague said Wednesday the star power of ever been successfully prosecuted. Hague Jolie, who is a special envoy for the United will meet Nigeria’s foreign minister on the Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, sidelines of the conference today to dis- allied with the work of governments, British Foreign Secretary William Hague, centre, US actress Angelina Jolie, right, cuss violence in northern Nigeria, in the could be “formidable”. “She has the power Special Envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and US actor wake of the kidnapping of hundreds of to speak to the whole world, to raise and Jolie’s partner Brad Pitt, left, arrive at the ‘End Sexual Violence in Conflict’ summit schoolgirls by the Boko Haram Islamist awareness, change attitudes. in London yesterday. group.—AFP Lifestyle FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Green, yellow and blue World Cup fashion trends

n the market for a minidress in emerald London-based label Alexander McQueen to green spandex? Hankering for a halter top make an extra-exclusive version of the “Puma Ithat appears to have been made from the King” cleats, worn by soccer greats from Pele to national team’s canary yellow jerseys? Pining for Maradona. Only 100 pairs of the boots have patriotic platform heels emblazoned with the been made, 70 in buttery chestnut-hued leather Brazilian flag? With the World Cup kicking off, and 30 in gold lame, and none of them are almost every domestic clothing purveyor, from expected to hit stores. Instead, they’ll be hand- the humblest manufacturer to Brazil’s chicest ed out to special friends of the labels. and most expensive labels, is selling clothing in Versace fielded its own Brazil-themed T-shirt, the host country’s colors. Finding apparel in oth- a very Versace-esque explosion of arabesques, er hues is a challenge at the moment. Even the hothouse flowers and footballs, on sale at select pet shops are stocked with doggie sweaters, boutiques worldwide for around $700, while capes and jerseys in Brazil’s green, yellow and Valentino recently presented a special edition blue. sneaker emblazoned on the back with the A delicate crochet version of Brazil’s team jer- Brazilian flag. “It’s a very clever strategy for these sey sells for $110 at whimsical high-end label international brands,” said Abraao Ferreira, a Farm - at least for those customers who can get Brazilian-born luxury markets consultant. their hands on the coveted item. It’s not just “Brazil’s a really important luxury market now, domestic brands attempting to cash in on the and these World Cup items are a way of saying, coming month of worldwide football mania. ‘We know who you are and we appreciate France’s Lacoste has fielded a graphic patch- you.’”— AP work polo shirt with blocks of blue, green and yellow that sells online for $167. German sports- A street vendor sells representations of Brazil’s national flags near the Arena Castelao in wear brand Puma teamed up with edgy, Fortaleza, Brazil, Wednesday, June 11, 2014. — AP Brands use music to speak globally in World Cup

ompanies that are advertising for the World Cup are hoping dent of marketing of Danone’s fresh dairy products division music will strike a chord with fans globally. Because the Sports is a great unifier worldwide. Coca Cola’s song has hit the top 10 charts in 40 coun- CFIFA World Cup, the international soccer tournament that “Sports is a great unifier and very few sports are as global as tries worldwide. That is a big step up from their last effort in 2010, begins on Thursday, is the most popular sports event on the plan- the World Cup,” said Allen Adamson, managing director of brand- “Wavin’ Flag” which was done in 24 versions and charted in 17 et, advertisers want to take advantage of the large viewing audi- ing firm Landor Associates. “Music is the other big platform that countries. ence. But the World Cup poses problems for companies that are transcends cultures and languages, so it’s an emotional way to “The World Cup is universal. Music is universal too,” said Joe used to making a splash at big sporting events like the Super connect with as broad an audience as the World Cup audience is.” Belliotti, director of global entertainment marketing at Coca-Cola. Bowl with a pricey 30-second spot. The link between music and the World Cup is nothing new. “And if you can find that simple melody and simple lyrical idea First off, soccer doesn’t have very many commercial breaks, The tournament has had a theme song since 1962 when “El Rock that can translate and connect with people around the world, with two 45-minutes halves played mostly straight through. del Mundial” by Los Ramblers kicked off the 1962 World Cup in that’s the formula we strive for.” Additionally, soccer is a global event, so it’s hard to make TV ads Chile. But this year, brand song tie-ins are more popular than this Beats, which is not an official sponsor of the event and refers that translate across cultures. As a result, brands - both official year’s official effort. to its ad as a global campaign featuring the world-known soccer sponsors and those that just want to capitalize on the event - FIFA’s “We Are One (Ole Ola),” has been criticized by Brazilians players, has gotten nearly 8 million views after just four days on increasingly are using music to get the world’s attention: and other soccer fans as being tone deaf to Brazil culture. Critics YouTube. The five-minute ad cinematically shows rituals athletes Danone’s Activia yogurt teamed up with Shakira to update her complain that it is sung by Cuban-American rapper Pitbull and use to get ready for “The Game Before The Game.” Brazilian soccer wildly popular 2010 World Cup Song “Waka Waka,” about Africa, Bronx-born Puerto Rican singer Jennifer Lopez instead of a star Neymar Jr takes a motivational call from his father, Serena with a Brazil-centric video for “La La La.” Coca-Cola made a song Brazilian singer (although it does feature Brazilian singer Claudia Williams gets a patriotic manicure, and they all block out distrac- in English, “The World is Ours,” and then created 32 local versions, Leitte); and it is sung mainly in English and Spanish rather than tion with their Beats headphones to the tune of the foot-stomp- each sung by a local artist in the native language. And Beats by Portuguese. So marketers have stepped in, and so far, are scoring ing “Jungle.” It’s a chance for Beats, which was recently bought by Dre launched a splashy new 5-minute video “The Game Before big. Shakira’s “La La La” video, sponsored by Activia in partnership Apple for $3 billion, to step out onto the global stage for the first the Game” that shows soccer stars like Neymar Jr and many oth- with the World Food Program, has garnered 95 million YouTube time, said Barbara Lippert, longtime ad critic and a columnist for ers preparing for game time by listening to “Jungle” by Jamie N views since it went up 3 weeks ago. By comparison, the official Mediapost.com. “Beats is a company about music, they really Commons & The X Ambassadors. The move is an effort by compa- FIFA song has about 72 million views after five weeks. know how to make music videos, it’s a smart strategy and beauti- nies to try to capture the attention of one of the largest global fully put together,” she said. — AP audiences for any event. In the last World Cup four years ago, 3.2 Music is universal billion people tuned in, including 909.6 million for the final “When we heard ‘La La La,’ we immediately knew consumers match, according to FIFA. That’s compared with the 111.5 million would be swayed by the rhythm and energy of this song,” said people who tuned into the Super Bowl this year. Santiago Mier Albert, general manager of Activia and vice presi-

File photo shows Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte plays with a soccer ball as she poses for photos at the Maracana stadium in Rio Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte, right, and Cuban-American rapper Pitbull give a press conference de Janeiro, Brazil. one day before the World Cup opening ceremony in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday. — AP photos Lifestyle FRIDAY, JUNE 13 , 2014

Artist Molly Hatch with chinoiserie vases made during her residency at the Kohler Co This undated photograph provided by Molly Hatch shows cups the artist Hatch created in Wisconsin. for a solo exhibition at the Clay Studio Philadelphia in June of 2010.—AP photos Kohler brings artists to factory to learn, inspire

he Kohler sink in your bathroom may be more Kohler convinced her brother, Kohler Co who went on to do product and landscape design. of a work of art than you realize. The company Chairman and CEO Herb Kohler Jr, to let two artists Molly Hatch, a ceramics artist from Northampton, Tknown for kitchen and bathroom fixtures has work at the factory for a month. “They created all Massachusetts, said her 2009 residency gave her a opened its factory floor to artists for the past 40 these fanciful things with the plumbing products,” new career designing tableware for Anthropologie, years, allowing them to share ideas and techniques she recalled. “So, for example, they took a urinal, and stationery and fabrics for other companies. with factory workers so that both can be inspired. turned it on its back, added some clay wheels and Hatch said that learning to use liquid clay and molds Three artists have created pieces produced by filled it full of clay teeth and called it the Tooth Fairy at Kohler allowed her to create pieces with a consis- Kohler Co, and many more have gone on to design Wagon. And then they took two toilets and put tency she couldn’t achieve by hand. At the same for other companies. The program, celebrating its them back to back ... and they turned it into a rocket time, she was struck by the amount of handcrafting 40th anniversary, is notable for its longevity and ship.” done at Kohler, and she now creates products that impact on the arts world, said Larry Bush, a ceramics The project so captivated Kohler workers that combine mass production and a personal touch. professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. the artists were invited back for another month in “Being exposed to the way things were made on Kohler is unique in letting artists work on the factory late 1974. Since then, more than 400 artists have the floor at the factory at Kohler, I realized there’s so floor with employees and providing equipment to completed residencies lasting up to six months. A much more involved, and a person behind the create work on a massive scale, he said. retrospective of their work is on display through object, and so much more pride taken in every “The sort of thing that people can do at the Aug. 31 at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in object,” Hatch said, adding, “It just changed my Kohler factory has inspired a lot of work beyond the Sheboygan, about an hour north of Milwaukee. understanding of the process completely.” Kohler Kohler factory,” Bush said. Ruth DeYoung Kohler - a said the factory workers teaching the artists to use print maker, former teacher and granddaughter of Pieces with a consistency molds and other equipment also have been Kohler Co. founder John Michael Kohler - created Jan Axel, who completed two residencies at changed by the experience. “They understand that the Arts/Industry program at theJohn Michael Kohler in 1979 and 1981, created a sink carved with their skills are enormous,” she said, “and their skills Kohler Arts Center soon after taking over as director undulating lines, and the company later produced it are valued by the artists and the company.”—AP in 1972. Artists who visited Kohler during a clay exhi- commercially. Axel went on to create a program bition were hungry for access to the factory’s molds that brought artists to Kohler to embellish plumbing and other resources, and eager to learn the tech- fixtures for sale. Such collaboration was radical at Photo shows the Peony Portrait collection niques used by craftsmen working there, she said. the time. “It was sort of ‘not done’ because people designed by Molly Hatch for sale at There was little interaction between the worlds of wanted to be considered artists. They didn’t want to Anthropologie stores nationwide. fine art and manufacturing at the time. be designers,” said Axel, of South Salem, New York, Flamenco festival rises from ashes of fire

ast December, a blaze destroyed the world-renowned National were there watching the fire together, and there was nothing we Institute of Flamenco, taking with it the Albuquerque group’s could do,” Osuma remembered. Less than 24 hours after the inferno, Lstudios, irreplaceable costumes, archives and business files. But support from area businesses came, and schools offered help to keep six months later, the institute is rising out of the ashes and is hosting the institute alive and the dance company going. The University of its annual international flamenco festival. The Festival Flamenco New Mexico also offered space so organizers could work to keep Internacional de Albuquerque, which began Sunday and runs alive one of the largest flamenco festivals outside of Spain. through Saturday, features dancers from around the world thanks to The institute also quickly launched its own fundraising efforts donations and area schools letting organizers use their space to pre- while focusing on the festival, said Marisol Encinias, the festival direc- pare. Dancers from the Albuquerque-based Yjastros company said tor. “We knew this festival would still happen,” Encinias said. the fire may had destroyed its studios, yet it didn’t finish off their “Flamenco is something that survives no matter what.” Originating desire to keep dancing and host the event that attracts some of the from the Andalusia region in southern Spain, flamenco is a form of world’s best flamenco dancers, even from Spain. “Nothing can stop Spanish dance and folk music that developed from Romani music us,” said Kayla Lyall, a dancer with Yjastros. “And the festival feeds us and dance more than two centuries ago. The flamenco festival fea- ... For people who come here they know it’s not over.” According to tures performance, workshops and even classes for children at authorities, the fire broke out inside the costume storage room at the events throughout Albuquerque until Saturday. Among those per- institute in downtown Albuquerque. Fire Department crews tried to forming are dancers from Spain like Alfonso Losa and others from fight the blaze from inside the building, but they were pulled out around the world. Yjastros is scheduled to perform later in the week because of the possibility of the roof collapsing. in what dancers anticipate will be an emotional event. “They’ll be nothing quite like it,” Yjastros dancer Alisa Alba said. “Flamenco is In this June 6, 2014 photo, dancers rehearse for the Festival Flamenco is something that survives something that always stays with you.” — AP Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque, hosted by National Once crews started battling the flames defensively from the out- Institute of Flamenco just six months after a fire destroyed its side, the roof caved in as dancer Elena Osuna sadly looked on. “We studios in Albuquerque, NM. — AP 24 25 FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Tomato and Watermelon Salad

5 cups (3/4-inch) seeded watermelon cubes 1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes Summer’s true child! 3 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt Vinegar for taste 1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Romaine lettuce leaves (optional) Cracked black pepper to taste

Preparation 1. Combine watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with sugar and salt, tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. 2. Stir in onion, vinegar, and oil. Cover and chill 2 hours. Serve chilled with lettuce leaves, if desired. Sprinkle with watermelon cracked black pepper to taste.

sthma prevention: The risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is vitamin C, found in Grilled Grouper with manyA fruits and vegetables including watermelon. Blood pressure: Wa- Watermelon Salsa termelon extract supplementation reduces ankle blood Ingredients pressure, brachial 4 (4-oz.) grouper fillets blood pressure and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper carotid wave reflec- 1 teaspoon salt, divided tion in obese middle- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided aged adults. 2 cups chopped seedless watermelon ¼ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives Cancer: As an excel- ½ English cucumber, chopped lent source of the strong 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced antioxidant vitamin C as 2 tablespoons minced red onion well as other antioxidants, 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar watermelon can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause Preparation cancer. Lycopene intake has been linked with 1. Preheat grill to 350º to 400º (medium-high) heat. Sprinkle grouper a decreased risk of prostate cancer prevention in with pepper and ½ tsp. salt. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil. several studies. 2. Grill fish, covered with grill lid, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or just until fish begins to flake when poked with the tip of a sharp knife and is Digestion and regularity: Watermelon, because of opaque in center. its water and fiber content, helps to prevent constipation and promote 3. Combine chopped watermelon, next 5 ingredients, and remaining regularity for a healthy digestive tract. For glowing, softer skin ½ tsp. salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Serve with grilled fish. Hydration: Made up of 92 percent water and full of important elec- - trolytes, watermelon is a great snack to have on hand during the hot ix 1 teaspoon watermelon juice with 1 teaspoon plain winter months to prevent dehydration. Watermelon Sorbet Greek Yogurt. The lactic acid and enzymes in the yogurt will help gently exfoliate and purify while the water Inflammation: Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in M watermelon that aids our bodies in sleep, muscle movement, learning melon hydrates and heals. Apply the mask to your face and Ingredients and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular neck for 10 minutes before rinsing off. 3 cups water membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the 1 cup sugar absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation. 4 cups seeded, chopped watermelon ¼ cup lime juice Muscle soreness: Watermelon and watermelon juice have been shown to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time following Preparation exercise in athletes. Researchers believe this is likely due to the amino Bring 3 cups water and sugar just to a boil in a medium sauce- acid L-citrulline contained in watermelon. pan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool. Skin: Watermelon is also great for your skin because it contains Process sugar syrup and watermelon, in batches, in a blender vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair until smooth. Stir in lime juice. Cover and chill 2 hours. moisturized. Vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of all bodily tis- Pour mixture into the freezer container of a 1-gallon ice-cream sues, including skin and hair. maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. —www.medicalnewstoday.com —www.myrecipes.com

p24-25.indd 2-3 6/10/14 5:26 PM 26 TravelFRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Treasures await travelers in Jordan A once in a lifetime experience

he Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which once captivated ancient travelers, continues to enthrall a whole Tnew generation as a modern, vibrant nation. From the haunting, primeval starkness of Wadi Rum, to the teeming centre of urban Amman, from the majestic ruins of bygone civilizations to the timeless splendor of the Dead Sea, Jor- dan is unveiled as a unique destination offering breathtak- ing and mysterious sights, high standard accommodations, exquisite cuisine and countless activities that can provide visitors with inspiration, motivation, and rejuvenation.

PETR A

he giant red mountains and vast mausoleums of a departed race have nothing in common with modern civilization, and Task nothing of it except to be appreciated at their true value - as one of the greatest wonders ever wrought by nature and man. Although much has been written about Petra, nothing really prepares you for this amazing place. It has to be seen to be believed. Petra, the world wonder, is without a doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attrac- tion. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industri- ous Arab people who settled here more than 2,000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Ara- bia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

26-27 tt.indd 1 6/10/14 5:24 PM Travel FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 27

AMMAN

mman, the capital of Jordan, is a fascinating city of contrasts – a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the Adesert and the fertile Jordan Valley. In the commercial heart of the city, ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans’ workshops. Everywhere there is evidence of the city’s much older past. Due to the city’s modern-day prosperity and temperate climate, almost half of Jordan’s population is concentrated in the Amman area. The residential suburbs consist of mainly tree-lined streets and avenues flanked by elegant, almost uniformly white houses in accordance with a municipal law, which states that all buildings must be faced with local stone. The downtown area is much older and more traditional with smaller businesses producing and THE DEAD SEA selling everything from fabulous jewelry to everyday household items. The people of Amman are multi-cultural, multi-denominational, well-educated and extremely hospitable. They welcome visitors and take pride in showing ithout a doubt the world’s most amazing place, the them around their fascinating and vibrant city. Jordan Rift Valley is a dramatic, beautiful landscape, Wwhich at The Dead Sea, is over 400m (1,312 ft) below sea level. The lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast stretch of water receives a number of incoming rivers, including the River Jordan. Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products. The Dead Sea is flanked by mountains to the east and the rolling hills of Jerusalem to the west, giving it an almost other- worldly beauty. Although sparsely populated and serenely quiet now, the area is believed to have been home to five Biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebouin and Zoar (Bela).

26-27 tt.indd 2 6/10/14 5:24 PM Travel FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 28

WADI RUM

his is a stupendous, timeless place, virtually untouched by humanity and its destructive forces. Here, it is the Tweather and winds that have carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers, so elegantly described by TE Law- rence as “vast, echoing and God-like...”A maze of monolithic rockscapes rise up from the desert floor to heights of 1,750 meters creating a natural challenge for serious mountain- eers. Hikers can enjoy the tranquility of the boundless empty spaces and explore the canyons and water holes to discover 4,000-year-old rock drawings and the many other spectacular treasures this vast wilderness holds in store. —www.international.visitjordan.com

26-27 tt.indd 3 6/10/14 5:24 PM Books FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 29 Best books to add to your summer reading list ith soaring heat comes the unofficial start of summer—and the yearly scramble to assemble Wyour vacation reading list begins!

The Blessings by Elise Juska

emove one branch from the family tree and its whole shape Rchanges. This is the premise behind Elise Juska’s debut novel, which captures a stunning wide-angle snap- shot of the Blessing family of North- east Philadelphia. When John Blessing dies, his young widow is left to raise their two young children alone. But, of course, she isn’t really alone—she has the support of his opinionated, overstepping family, whose perspec- tives we hear in alternating chapters I Am Having So Much Fun Here spanning the course of 20 years. Without You by Courtney Maum

ourtney Maum bursts onto the scene with a hilarious and wise novel about a 34-year-old philandering painter who attempts to reunite Cwith his wife when his mistress marries a famous cutlery designer. Despite his myriad quirks and pathological infidelity, Richard Haddon is one of the more lovable male characters we’ve encountered this season. He’s his own worst enemy, and it’s fun to see the domestic and artistic worlds through his jaundiced eye. As his misguided re-courtship gathers steam, you’ll find yourself agog at Maum’s masterful storytelling and dead- on descriptions. The Vacationers by Emma Straub

The Arsonist t wouldn’t be summer without family vaca- by Sue Miller tions, and yours won’t look so irksome after Iyou’ve survived Mallorca with the Posts. We mean this lovingly, of course—we know you adore your mom even though she reminds You can’t beat the nightmarish you to reapply sunscreen every hour on the premise of Miller’s latest literary block- hour and is insistent upon planning the dinner buster: In quaint Pomeroy, New Hamp- menu before breakfast is off the table. By the shire, beloved old summer houses are end of Emma Straub’s second novel, you will be burning to the ground in the middle of similarly enamored of the flawed (but fabulous) the night. No warnings, no clues about Posts: Franny and Jim, who are observing their the provenance of the blazes, which 35th wedding anniversary and attempting to are contained to the homes of wealthy escape his recent career humiliation; baffled summer residents. Enter Frankie Row- 18-year-old Sylvia (“Parents get stranger as you ley, who just returned from 15 years in get older, that much was obvious”); and semi- East Africa to her family’s compound estranged Bobby, who arrives with his older, and is figuring out what to do next. In gym-rat wife, Carmen. How this motley family the tradition of some of the best sum- will co-exist—let alone have fun—is anyone’s mer romances, Frankie strikes up with best guess. Their adventures are a funny combi- a local newspaperman who is hell-bent nation of reassuring (surely you and your crew on finding the culprit behind the fires. are more functional than these folks) and 100 Their passionate story unfolds against percent relatable. the backdrop of Frankie’s father’s wors- ening health, and the effect is both heady and heartbreaking.

fri page 30.indd 1 6/10/14 5:20 PM Fashion FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 30 Put your best foot forward!

eady to step into our favorite summer footwear? We’re talking about the super awesome Rwedge sandal — and we’ve rounded up pairs to keep you stylin’ all spring and summer long. Adding a little height to your favorite summer outfit has never felt more comfortable. Everyone has a go-to summer shoe, so why not make it a sexy pair of wedges this summer? We all know the wedge is Kate Middleton‘s choice of footwear, and she isn’t alone! The trend is totally popular this season and in bold colors combined with the comfort factor, you can not go wrong in wedges. They wedge is perfect for all those summer BBQ’s and beach parties — you don’t want to get your stiletto stuck in the sand. Add a little creative flare to your summer footwear by selecting a different style, shade, or pattern. We are obsessed with a great chunky wedge. No matter what the outfit, wedges can compliment any look. If you’re going for a simple sundress, throw on a fun patterned pair of wedges to add a bold pattern to your classic look. Looking to dress up a casual movie outfit? Add a pair of espadrille wedges to your denim look to dress up your ensemble with a little bit of height. We love the different designs on the wedge of these fabulous heels. Whether it’s studs, cork, or straw, whichever style you select, you will definitely rock your summer look. Boost your confidence with a bright color on your feet! Why not look super stylish in a totally funky way? It’s time to get your summer pedicure and start flaunt- ing your fabulous feet! —www.hollywoodlife.com

fri page 30.indd 2 6/11/14 5:09 PM Leisure FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

81. A stiff protective garment worn by hockey players or a catcher in baseball to protect the shins. CROSSWORD577 82. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. A numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed. 2. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River. 3. One of the islands of Saint Christopher-Nevis. 4. A state in midwestern United States. 5. A slipper that has no fitting around the heel. 6. Canadian hockey player (born 1948). 7. (of roads) Made of logs laid down crosswise. 8. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism. 9. A light strong brittle gray toxic bivalent metallic element. 10. Ions are accelerated along a linear path by voltage differences on electrodes along the path. 11. Half the width of an em. 12. A master's degree in business. 13. An unofficial association of people or groups. 14. An informal term for a father. 19. Tropical American shrub bearing edible acid red fruit resembling cherries. 21. A populous province in northeastern China. 24. Any of several plants of or developed from the species Dahlia pinnata having tuberous roots and showy rayed variously colored flower heads. 28. A large number or amount. 29. (Babylonian) The sky god. 30. Systematic arrangement of all the inflected forms of a word. 32. A strong wind moving 45-90 knots. 34. (of tempo) Fast n 1. 36. An archaic name for Easter or Passover. 37. Make a high-pitched, screeching noise, as of a door. 39. Small beads made from polished shells and formerly used as money by native Americans. ACROSS 40. Make anew. 1. Artists or writers whose ideas are ahead of their time. 41. A colorless poisonous gas. 4. Capable of being isolated or disjoined. 49. Not out. 12. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disor- 50. Comprises true vertebrates and animals having a notochord. ders. 51. The capital of Morocco. 15. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice. 56. Preaching the gospel of Christ in the manner of the early church. 16. A pungent colorless unsaturated liquid aldehyde made from propene. 57. A member of a Caucasoid Muslim people of northern Africa. 17. The cry made by sheep. 58. The right to enter. 18. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos. 59. Towards the side away from the wind. 20. The capital and largest city of Mongolia. 61. Cooked in hot water. 22. An agency of the United Nations responsible for programs to aid education 63. A loud harsh or strident noise. and the health of children and mothers in developing countries. 64. Any of a number of tiny parallel grooves such as. 23. A Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria. 67. A form of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain that registers blood flow 25. An official prosecutor for a judicial district. to functioning areas of the brain. 26. Freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort. 69. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike. 27. Make secure by lashing. 70. God of love and erotic desire. 31. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood 73. Belonging to or on behalf of a specified person (especially yourself). vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked 74. A tight-fitting headdress. section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart. 78. The fifth day of the week. 33. The capital and largest city of Yemen. 35. A large number or amount. 38. (computer science) A read-only memory chip that can be erased by ultravio- let light and programmed again with new data. Yesterdayʼs Solution 42. Form into a cylinder by rolling. 43. Of a pale purple color. 44. Elect again. 45. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite. Yesterday’s Solution 46. The rate at which red blood cells settle out in a tube of blood under stan- dardized conditions. 47. Egyptian statesman who (as President of Egypt) negotiated a peace treaty with Menachem Begin of Israel (1918-1981). 48. Orange liqueur with lemon juice and brandy. 52. A ductile gray metallic element of the lanthanide series. 53. An inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others. 54. Being on the left side. 55. A Loloish language. 60. Any of various finches of Europe or America having a massive and powerful bill. 62. The state of being absent. 65. A muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that fires shells at high elevations for a short range. 66. A cephalosporin antibiotic (trade name Ultracef). 68. Remove the tusks of animals. 71. Make false by mutilation or addition. 72. Long-tailed brilliantly colored parrot of Central and South America. 75. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar. 76. A member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. 77. Marked with stria or striations. 79. A member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala. 80. Located in or toward the back or rear.

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution Stars FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

Aries (March 21-April 19) COUNTRY CODES Libra (September 23-October 22) Afghanistan 0093 Kuwait 00965 You generally like to think of yourself as someone who faces life Albania 00355 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Dreams or visions could put you in touch with deep feelings Laos 00856 logically and rationally, Aries, but today your intuitive side could Algeria 00213 that you may not have been aware of before, Libra. This could Andorra 00376 Latvia 00371 prove a valuable resource, especially when it comes to dealing enable you to release traumas from your past and give you a Angola 00244 Lebanon 00961 with others. Your communicative ability is enhanced by a strong Anguilla 001264 Liberia 00231 new sense of lightness. However, your logical mind is very sense of what others are thinking and feeling. This opens the door Antiga 001268 Libya 00218 much at work, so you could use this experience to shed light on to more effective interactions with everyone - friends, lovers, col- Argentina 0054 Lithuania 00370 others' experiences and help them, too. Whatever happens Armenia 00374 Luxembourg 00352 leagues, even strangers. today is likely to produce noticeable results. Australia 0061 Macau 00853 Austria 0043 Macedonia 00389 Bahamas 001242 Madagascar 00261 Bahrain 00973 Majorca 0034 Bangladesh 00880 Malawi 00265 Barbados 001246 Malaysia 0060 Belarus 00375 Maldives 00960 Taurus (April 20-May 20) Belgium 0032 Mali 00223 Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Belize 00501 Malta 00356 Benin 00229 Marshall Islands 00692 Your intuition is usually very strong, Taurus, and your level Bermuda 001441 Martinique 00596 Bhutan 00975 Mauritania 00222 of empathy enhances your relationships. Today, however, a Relationships of all kinds are likely to be strengthened by an increased level of understanding today, Scorpio. Your thinking Bolivia 00591 Mauritius 00230 burst of logic could enable you to see many things in a dif- Bosnia 00387 Mayotte 00269 ferent light. This adds a new dimension to your commu- is greatly enhanced by your emotional intuitiveness, so you'll Botswana 00267 Mexico 0052 nicative abilities and could prove valuable in bringing you be more able than usual to identify with the needs and desires Brazil 0055 Micronesia 00691 closer to the ones you love the most. It can also increase of those around you. As a result, acquaintances could become Brunei 00673 Moldova 00373 friends, and friendships could progress into bonds that last for Bulgaria 00359 Monaco 00377 your understanding of yourself. Burkina 00226 Mongolia 00976 life. Romance also benefits from intensified empathy. Enjoy. Burundi 00257 Montserrat 001664 Cambodia 00855 Morocco 00212 Cameroon 00237 Mozambique 00258 Canada 001 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Cape Verde 00238 Namibia 00264 Cayman Islands 001345 Nepal 00977 Gemini (May 21-June 20) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Central African Republic 00236 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Chad 00235 Netherlands Antilles 00599 Chile 0056 New Caledonia 00687 China 0086 New Zealand 0064 Your intuition is heightened almost to the point of telepathy You've always felt the need to free yourself from society. You Colombia 0057 Nicaragua 00505 today. Gemini, you may be able to sense what others want and need to feel independent at any cost. You may need to face Comoros 00269 Nigar 00227 need even before they know it themselves. You could also certain relationship problems at this time. Perhaps you're hesi- Congo 00242 Nigeria 00234 experience a few visionary impressions that prove valuable Cook Islands 00682 Niue 00683 tant to commit either at work or in your personal life. You may Costa Rica 00506 Norfolk Island 00672 inspiration for creative and artistic work. When images well up ask yourself if your attitude isn't in fact revealing a desire to get Croatia 00385 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 from your psyche, don't dismiss them as irrelevant. They could away from it all. Perhaps you'll find the answer today. Cuba 0053 North Korea 00850 make a big difference in your life right now. Cyprus 00357 Norway 0047 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Oman 00968 Czech Republic 00420 Pakistan 0092 Denmark 0045 Palau 00680 Diego Garcia 00246 Panama 00507 Djibouti 00253 Papua New Guinea 00675 Dominica 001767 Paraguay 00595 Cancer (June 21-July 22 Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Dominican Republic 001809 Peru 0051 ) Ecuador 00593 Philippines 0063 Egypt 0020 Poland 0048 El Salvador 00503 Portugal 00351 A get-together with a group of your closest friends could bring Relationships with those closest to you, particularly friends England (UK) 0044 Puerto Rico 001787 about some intense communication, with many revealing and love partners, should be enhanced by an increased Equatorial Guinea 00240 Qatar 00974 some of your deepest concerns, Cancer. Your thinking should understanding of their emotional world, Capricorn. You're Eritrea 00291 Romania 0040 likely to identify even more strongly than usual with oth- Estonia 00372 Russian Federation 007 be greatly influenced by feeling, so you might experience a Ethiopia 00251 Rwanda 00250 high level of understanding that your friends are going to ers' feelings, and this could provide inspiration for artistic Falkland Islands 00500 Saint Helena 00290 appreciate. This could well bring all of you closer together and activities of some kind. This is also a great day to go out Faroe Islands 00298 Saint Kitts 001869 increase future contact. Enjoy your day! with your friends. Consider attending a concert, play, or Fiji 00679 Saint Lucia 001758 sporting event. Finland 00358 Saint Pierre 00508 France 0033 Saint Vincent 001784 French Guiana 00594 Samoa US 00684 French Polynesia 00689 Samoa West 00685 Gabon 00241 San Marino 00378 Gambia 00220 Sao Tone 00239 Leo (July 23-August 22) Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Georgia 00995 Saudi Arabia 00966 Germany 0049 Scotland (UK) 0044 Ghana 00233 Senegal 00221 Gibraltar 00350 Seychelles 00284 A heightened level of intuition and understanding of others Dealing with the ups and downs of other family members Greece 0030 Sierra Leone 00232 might catapult you to the center of attention at a gathering, could be easier for you today than usual, Aquarius. You're less Greenland 00299 Singapore 0065 Leo. Knowledge combined with experience results in wisdom inclined to be logical and more apt to identify with what other Grenada 001473 Slovakia 00421 today. Insights could lead to more efficient ways of doing people feel. This will increase your understanding of their situa- Guadeloupe 00590 Slovenia 00386 tion's undercurrents, and they'll likely appreciate your empa- Guam 001671 Solomon Islands 00677 things. You'll probably pass this on to others, especially since Guatemala 00502 Somalia 00252 more than one person could ask you for insights into their thy. Don't forget your own concerns. You may see a lot of Guinea 00224 South Africa 0027 particular situation. Don't forget your sense of humor. Life is things in a different light today. Guyana 00592 South Korea 0082 serious enough. Haiti 00509 Spain 0034 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Sri Lanka 0094 Honduras 00504 Sudan 00249 Hong Kong 00852 Suriname 00597 Hungary 0036 Swaziland 00268 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Sweden 0046 Iceland 00354 Switzerland 0041 Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) India 0091 Syria 00963 Indian Ocean 00873 Taiwan 00886 Indonesia 0062 Tanzania 00255 Contact with friends who have traveled widely could have you Today your mind is strongly influenced by feeling and intuition, Iran 0098 Thailand 0066 hankering to take the first plane to a distant place that you've Pisces, so you'll be able to communicate especially well with oth- Iraq 00964 Toga 00228 ers. You might sense what they need to hear before they know it Ireland 00353 Tonga 00676 always wanted to visit. At the very least, you'll probably want to Italy 0039 Tokelau 00690 plan a vacation. If you're traveling to a foreign country, you may themselves. This ability could be used in many ways. It could Ivory Coast 00225 Trinidad 001868 want to take a stab at learning the language. Actually, this is a enhance your writing skills. If you're into performance of any Jamaica 001876 Tunisia 00216 good time to study a language - your mind is particularly sharp. kind, it could sharpen your ability to speak, teach, or act. Make Japan 0081 Turkey 0090 the most of it. Jordan 00962 Tuvalu 00688 Kazakhstan 007 Uganda 00256 Kenya 00254 Ukraine 00380 Kiribati 00686 United Arab Emirates00976 TV listings FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

11:05 The Planners 13:30 Through The Wormhole With 06:25 A.N.T. Farm 22:25 A.N.T. Farm Takeaway 11:55 The Planners Morgan Freeman 06:45 Mako Mermaids 22:50 Good Luck Charlie 07:50 Shetland 12:45 The Planners 14:20 Through The Wormhole With 07:10 Suite Life On Deck 23:10 Wolfblood 08:50 Dirk Gently 13:35 Homes Under The Hammer Morgan Freeman 07:35 Good Luck Charlie 23:35 Wolfblood 09:45 Seven Dwarves ANIMAL PLANET HD 14:25 Homes Under The Hammer 15:10 Da Vinci’s Machines 07:55 Jessie 10:40 The Chase 03:15 Preposterous Pets 15:15 Homes Under The Hammer 16:00 Nyc: Inside Out 08:20 Mako Mermaids 11:35 David Suchet: The Mystery Of 04:05 Animal Maternity Ward 16:10 Homes Under The Hammer 16:50 USA Memory Championships 08:45 Liv And Maddie Agatha Christie 04:55 Animal Cops Houston 17:00 Homes Under The Hammer 17:40 Sci-Fi Science 09:05 Good Luck Charlie 12:30 Agatha Christie’s Poirot 05:45 Treehouse Masters 17:50 Masterchef: The Professionals 18:05 Sci-Fi Science 09:30 Dog With A Blog 14:05 56 Up 06:35 Wildlife SOS 18:20 Masterchef: The Professionals 18:30 Prophets Of Science Fiction 09:55 Austin & Ally 03:15 THS 15:00 Big Star’s Little Star 07:00 Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors 19:10 Masterchef: The Professionals 19:20 How Tech Works 10:15 Jessie 04:10 THS 15:55 Vera 07:25 My Cat From Hell 20:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 19:45 How Tech Works 10:40 Cheetah 05:05 Extreme Close-Up 17:35 Blandings 08:15 Too Cute! 20:55 Come Dine With Me 20:10 The Future Of... 12:15 Gravity Falls 05:30 Extreme Close-Up 18:05 Shetland 09:10 Gator Boys 21:40 Come Dine With Me 21:00 How Techies Changed The 12:35 Dog With A Blog 06:00 THS 19:00 Big Star’s Little Star 10:05 Call Of The Wildman 22:30 Come Dine With Me World 13:00 A.N.T. Farm 07:50 Style Star 19:55 The Hungry Sailors 10:30 Swamp Brothers 23:15 Come Dine With Me 21:50 Sci-Fi Saved My Life 13:25 Jessie 08:20 E! News 20:50 Vera 11:00 Tanked 22:40 You Have Been Warned 13:45 Austin & Ally 09:15 The Drama Queen 22:35 Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night 11:55 Treehouse Masters 23:30 Weird Connections 14:10 Good Luck Charlie 10:15 The Drama Queen Takeaway 12:50 Galapagos 23:55 Weird Connections 14:35 Mako Mermaids 11:10 Eric And Jessie: Game On 23:35 David Suchet: The Mystery Of 13:45 Galapagos 15:00 Flubber 11:35 Eric And Jessie: Game On Agatha Christie 14:40 Galapagos 16:30 Cars Toons 12:05 E! News 15:35 Speed Of Life 16:35 A.N.T. Farm 13:05 Beyond Candid With Giuliana 03:35 Prototype This 16:30 Speed Of Life 17:00 Good Luck Charlie 14:05 Keeping Up With The 04:30 Prototype This 17:25 Speed Of Life 17:20 Jessie Kardashians 05:20 Prototype This 18:20 Treehouse Masters 03:10 The Hive 17:45 Dog With A Blog 15:00 Keeping Up With The 06:10 Prototype This 19:15 Gangland Killers 03:20 Art Attack 18:10 Liv And Maddie Kardashians 07:00 How Tech Works 03:00 Hard Time 20:10 Shamwari: A Wild Life 03:45 Art Attack 18:30 Mako Mermaids 16:00 Giuliana & Bill 07:25 How Tech Works 04:00 Family Guns 20:35 Shamwari: A Wild Life 04:10 Jungle Junction 18:55 Good Luck Charlie 17:00 Giuliana & Bill 07:55 The Future Of... 05:00 The Border 21:05 Shark City 04:25 Jungle Junction 19:20 Violetta 18:00 E! News 08:45 Mythbusters 06:00 Sea Patrol 22:00 Gangland Killers 04:35 Jungle Junction 20:05 Austin & Ally 19:00 Fashion Police 09:40 Mythbusters 07:00 The Pack 22:55 Shamwari: A Wild Life 04:45 Jungle Junction 20:30 Jessie 19:30 Eric And Jessie: Game On 10:30 Mythbusters 08:00 Wild Kalahari 23:20 Shamwari: A Wild Life 05:00 Art Attack 20:50 Dog With A Blog 20:00 Keeping Up With The 11:20 Mythbusters 09:00 Rescue Ink 23:50 Up Close And Dangerous 05:25 Art Attack 21:15 Jessie Kardashians 12:10 Mythbusters 10:00 Banged Up Abroad 05:50 Mouk 21:40 Shake It Up 21:00 Keeping Up With The 13:00 How Tech Works 11:00 Hard Time 06:00 Austin & Ally 22:00 Austin & Ally Kardashians 22:00 Eric And Jessie: Game On 12:00 Family Guns 22:30 Eric And Jessie: Game On 13:00 The Border 23:00 Hello Ross 14:00 Somewhere In China 03:30 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 23:30 Chelsea Lately 15:00 Hunter Hunted 04:15 The Weakest Link 16:00 Wild Untamed Brazil 05:00 Jackanory Junior 17:00 Rescue Ink 05:15 Little Human Planet 18:00 Banged Up Abroad 05:20 The Green Balloon Club 19:00 Wild Kalahari 05:45 Nina And The Neurons: In The 20:00 World’s Toughest Fixes Lab 21:00 The Known Universe 06:00 Balamory 03:25 Andy Bates American Street 22:00 Alaska Wing Men 06:20 Jackanory Junior Feasts 23:00 Rescue Ink 06:35 Little Human Planet 03:50 Iron Chef America 06:40 The Green Balloon Club 04:40 Chopped 07:05 Nina And The Neurons: In The 05:30 Unwrapped Lab 05:50 Tastiest Places To Chowdown 07:20 Charlie And Lola 06:10 Food Network Challenge 07:30 Last Of The Summer Wine 07:00 Tastiest Places To Chowdown 08:00 The Job Lot 07:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:30 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 07:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 08:25 The Mimic 02:00 The League 08:50 The Weakest Link 08:15 Food Network Challenge 02:30 Weeds 09:35 Doctor Who 09:05 Siba’s Table 03:00 Last Man Standing 10:20 BBC Proms 2011: Human Planet 09:30 Have Cake, Will Travel 03:30 New Girl Prom 09:55 Have Cake, Will Travel 04:00 Seinfeld 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 11:40 The Weakest Link 10:20 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Jimmy Fallon 12:25 Last Woman Standing Basics 05:30 My Boys 13:20 Doctor Who 10:45 Extra Virgin 06:00 The Goodwin Games 14:05 Doctors 11:10 Siba’s Table 06:30 Friends 14:30 Doctors 11:35 Cooking For Real 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 15:00 Doctors 12:00 Andy Bates Street Feasts 08:00 Seinfeld 08:30 My Boys 15:30 Doctors 12:25 Unique Eats 09:00 Last Man Standing 16:00 Doctors 12:50 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 09:30 Enlisted 16:30 Rock & Chips: Special: Xmas Basics 10:00 The Michael J. Fox Show 2010 13:15 Hungry Girl 10:30 Friends 17:25 Doctor Who 13:40 Hungry Girl 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 14:05 Food Network Challenge 18:10 The Mystery Of Edwin Drood 12:00 The Goodwin Games 19:00 Hunderby 14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:30 Seinfeld 19:25 The Job Lot 15:20 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 13:00 My Boys 19:50 Mistresses 15:45 Chopped 13:30 Friends 20:40 Waking The Dead 16:35 Siba’s Table 14:00 New Girl 14:30 Enlisted 21:35 The Mimic 17:00 Siba’s Table 15:00 The Michael J. Fox Show 22:00 The Cafe 17:25 Guy’s Big Bite 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 22:25 Being Erica 17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 16:30 The Goodwin Games 23:10 Doctor Who 18:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 23:55 The Mystery Of Edwin Drood 18:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To 18:00 Dads Basics 18:30 The Neighbors 19:00 Cougar Town 19:05 Extra Virgin 19:30 Melissa & Joey 19:30 Siba’s Table 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring 19:55 Cooking For Real Jimmy Fallon 20:20 Chopped 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 03:20 Masterchef: The Professionals 21:10 Food Network Challenge 22:00 Saturday Night Live 03:50 Masterchef: The Professionals 23:00 Weeds 22:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:40 Masterchef: The Professionals 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 05:35 Masterchef: The Professionals 06:30 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 07:00 Come Dine With Me 07:50 Come Dine With Me 03:00 Nip/Tuck 08:35 Come Dine With Me 05:00 56 Up 04:00 Bones 09:25 Come Dine With Me 05:55 The Hungry Sailors 05:00 Criminal Minds 10:15 Come Dine With Me SKYFALL ON OSN MOVIES HD ACTION 06:45 Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night 06:00 The Glades TV listings FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

07:00 The Mob Doctor 07:00 Now You See Me-PG15 21:00 Jack Reacher-PG15 08:00 Made In Jersey 09:00 Cheerful Weather For The 23:15 The Campaign-18 09:00 Criminal Minds Wedding-PG15 10:00 Castle 00:00 Death Race: Inferno-18 10:45 Jobs-PG15 06:00 Trans World Sport 11:00 Bones 02:00 Bait-PG15 13:00 The Twilight Saga: Breaking 07:00 This is PGA Tour Latinoamerica 03:05 Long Island Medium 12:00 Emmerdale 04:00 The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Dawn Pt. 2-PG15 07:30 Total Rugby 04:20 What Not To Wear 12:30 Coronation Street Drift-PG15 15:00 Buried-PG15 04:15 Dino Time 08:00 Live NRL Premiership 06:00 Super Soul Sunday 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:00 Crimson Tide-PG15 17:00 Old Stock-PG15 OSN MOVIES PREMIERE HD 10:00 NRL Premiership 07:00 What Not To Wear 14:00 Made In Jersey 08:00 Skyfall-PG15 19:00 Faces In The Crowd-PG15 04:00 Gnomeo & Juliet-PG 12:00 Total Rugby 07:50 Secret Eaters 15:00 The Glades 10:23 2 Fast 2 Furious-PG15 21:00 Hick-PG15 06:00 Charlie And The Chocolate 12:40 Live AFL Premiership 08:40 Iyanla, Fix My Life 16:00 Emmerdale 12:00 Snake Eyes-PG15 23:00 Maniac-R Factory-PG 15:30 Top 14 09:30 Toddlers & Tiaras 16:30 Coronation Street 13:45 Skyfall-PG15 08:00 The Great Ghost Rescue-PG 17:30 Super Rugby 10:20 Say Yes To The Dress 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 16:15 Special Ops-PG15 10:00 Love Will Keep Us Together- 19:30 WWE This Week 10:45 Say Yes To The Dress 18:00 Made In Jersey 18:00 Snake Eyes-PG15 PG15 20:00 IndyCar Series 11:10 Cake Boss 19:00 Burn Notice 20:00 Immortals-PG15 12:00 Hope Springs-PG15 22:30 Live IndyCar Series 11:35 Jon & Kate Plus 8 20:00 Top Gear (US) 22:00 Gangs Of Brooklyn-18 14:00 Standing Ovation-PG15 12:00 Little People, Big World 21:00 Witches Of East End 16:00 The Great Ghost Rescue-PG 23:45 Aftershock—PG15 03:15 The Raven 12:25 Super Soul Sunday 22:00 Supernatural 18:00 The Expatriate-PG15 05:15 Darling Companion 13:15 Here Comes Honey Boo Boo 23:00 Nip/Tuck 20:00 The Colony-PG15 07:15 Playdate 13:40 Here Comes Honey Boo Boo 22:00 The Haunting In Connecticut 2: 09:00 True Love 14:05 World’s Worst Mum Ghosts Of Georgia-18 00:00 You, Me And Dupree-18 11:00 The First Grader 03:00 IPL Highlights 14:55 Extreme Couponing 02:00 Rock Of Ages-PG15 13:00 An Inconvenient Truth 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 15:20 Cake Boss 04:00 The House Bunny-PG15 15:00 Broken Bridges 09:30 IPL Highlights 15:45 What Not To Wear 06:00 The Little Rascals-PG 17:00 The First Grader 10:30 IPL Highlights 16:35 Toddlers & Tiaras 08:00 Muppets From Space-FAM 03:00 Boardwalk Empire 19:00 Smashed 04:00 Super Rugby 11:30 IPL Highlights 17:25 Say Yes To The Dress 10:00 Daddy Day Camp-FAM 04:00 Mistresses 20:30 American Gangster 06:00 This is PGA Tour HD 12:30 ICC Cricket 360 17:50 Say Yes To The Dress 05:00 Last Resort 12:00 The House Bunny-PG15 23:15 Best Laid Plans 06:30 Inside The PGA Tour 13:00 IPL Highlights 18:15 Jon & Kate Plus 8 06:00 Good Morning America 14:00 Over The Hedge-FAM 18:40 Little People, Big World 07:00 Emmerdale 07:00 live NRL Premiership 15:00 IPL Highlights 16:00 Daddy Day Camp-FAM 19:10 Super Soul Sunday 09:00 24 09:00 ICC Cricket 360 16:00 ICC Cricket 360 18:00 Spy Hard-PG15 10:00 Emmerdale 09:30 Top 14 16:30 IPL Highlights 20:05 Extreme Couponing 20:00 The Guard-PG15 13:00 24 05:00 Monsters University-PG 12:00 Live Champions Tour 17:20 Live IPL 20:30 Cake Boss 22:00 You, Me And Dupree-18 14:00 Last Resort 06:45 Star Trek Into Darkness-PG15 14:00 Live PGA European Tour 21:00 ICC Cricket 360 21:00 Bling It On 15:00 Live Good Morning America 09:00 The Sapphires-PG15 18:30 Inside The PGA Tour 21:30 IPL Highlights 21:55 Craft Wars 16:00 24 22:50 Long Island Medium 18:00 C.S.I. 10:45 Iron Man 3-PG15 19:00 Live PGA Tour 22:30 IPL 19:00 24 13:00 Fastest-PG15 23:15 My Teen Is Pregnant And So Am 21:00 C.S.I. 15:00 Class-PG15 22:00 Mistresses 03:00 Jobs-PG15 17:00 The Sapphires-PG15 23:00 Boardwalk Empire 05:15 The Key Man-PG15 19:00 Silver Linings Playbook-PG15 ‘First’ transgender footballer tackles tough for acceptance

SYDNEY: Jaiyah Saelua may be nearing the end that was my cue to leave. So I only spent 10 min- of her football career, but the ‘world’s first’ trans- utes during the warm-up and I didn’t even get to gender professional player says she has more to show how good a player I was.” She says she achieve as the sport celebrates the World Cup in would deal with the experience differently today. Brazil. The striking 6ft 1ins (1.83 meters) centre- “I probably would take matters more seriously, back, who was born John Saelua, plans to quit because it is an issue worldwide. And even at the the game after 2015, but hopes to remain college level it should be dealt with.” involved in efforts to combat discrimination and homophobia in the sport. “Just to get the mes- ‘Our time’ sage across that soccer should be a sport for Instrumental in American Samoa’s first ever everyone,” the American Samoa international win-a victory against Tonga in 2011 in a prelimi- told AFP during a visit to Sydney. nary World Cup qualifier-Saelua is taking her role Saelua, first selected for American Samoa at seriously and delayed her initial plans for gender the age of 14, says she “runs like a girl” and never transition in order to remain on the pitch and considered her gender an issue. “Girls can be fast inspire others. “I was sure in 2011 that when the too,” she said. The 25-year-old, who is known for (World Cup qualifying) was over I would give it her tough, physical tackles, wasn’t even aware up and start my transition, but... we were doing she was the first transgender player-as recog- well,” she said of the team that failed to qualify nized by FIFA-to play in a men’s international for the tournament in Brazil. “And I didn’t want match before she did so. “I didn’t know the sig- to give the message to other trans athletes or nificance it had on the world because in potential trans athletes (that they would) not be Polynesian culture it’s not that big of an issue. able to see me again playing after 2011.” “And I assumed that a lot more trans-people in But 2015 will be Saelua’s last year playing with the Pacific region were playing international the team she has helped rebuild. “There are no football. I haven’t met any in my career but I was rules against it but as a personal decision ... for so sure that there has been (some) before me.” me, because I tackle tough ... it’s risky for me,” she said of the surgeries, adding that she needs the ‘Way of the woman’ testosterone to “play tough”. “I feel like I am not Saelua is one of Polynesia’s “fa’afafine”, a tra- getting younger and the older I get, the harder it dition which means “way of the woman” and will be to transition.” Transgender issues are allows males to choose to be brought up as reaching political agendas around the world, with females. The deep acceptance of Saelua by her India’s highest court ruling in April that a person American Samoa teammates is seen in a docu- can be legally recognized as gender-neutral. mentary released earlier this year about the side’s Australia’s highest court has also acknowledged battle to overcome its reputation as the world’s the existence of a third “non-specific” gender that worst football team, having suffered a record 31- is neither male nor female, while its top sports, 0 defeat at the hands of Australia in 2001. “Next including all football codes, came together this Goal Wins” shows her dancing in a dress and year in support of stamping out discrimination straightening her long, chestnut hair in the and homophobia. Saelua is hopeful of continuing changing room. her role as a fighter for acceptance off the pitch. Saelua says other teams are also accepting, “(FIFA president) Sepp Blatter wrote me a letter in but occasionally resort to name-calling. “Never 2011 recognizing me as the first transgender... he works, makes me play harder,” she said with a mentioned that he has a team of athletes that he laugh. It wasn’t until she tried out for the men’s put together to fight discrimination in any way.” football team in college in Hawaii at the age of 22 She hopes that American Samoan officials can that Saelua was treated differently. “At the warm- reach Blatter to find a way for her to appear at the up for the try-outs the coach pulled me aside and World Cup in Brazil as an ambassador against said that he didn’t want to put his team in an homophobia. “I think this is our time, for trans- THE GUARD ON OSN MOVIES COMEDY uncomfortable position,” she said. “And I knew gender people,” she said. — AFP

FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY (12/06/2014 TO 18/06/2014)

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FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Japan’s ‘Abenomics’ faces critical test OPEC facing dark clouds on supply-side horizon PAGE 41 PAGE 38

TOKYO: Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner (bottom center) accompanied by Japan Aircraft Development Corp (JADC) Chairman and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries President and CEO Hideaki Omiya (bottom left) and Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice President Kent Fisher (bottom right) poses with representatives of five Japanese companies with a scale models of 777X jets during a press conference in Tokyo yesterday. — AP Boeing, 5 Japan suppliers ink 777X deal New deal may help speed up Dreamliner deliveries

TOKYO: Boeing inked a deal yesterday for five the market. The Japanese manufacturers said Japanese companies to manufacture key the contract was a reflection of their reputa- components for its twin aisle 777X jets but the tion for quality production and punctual deliv- US jobless claims rise, contract doesn’t include making the wings, eries. which were a source of delays for the 787 The 777X, set for delivery from 2020, is Dreamliner. billed as 12 percent more fuel efficient than retail sales subdued The Japanese manufacturers will make rival Airbus’s A350. Boeing already has 260 about 21 percent of the new plane’s structural orders for the jets, including an order from WASHINGTON: US retail sales rose less than the recession. The unemployment rate held components, including fuselage sections and Japan’s All Nippon Airways. expected in May and first-time applications for steady at a 5-1/2 year low of 6.3 percent. landing gear wells. Difficulties in fitting the Japan Airlines, which has had a long rela- unemployment benefits increased last week, Economic growth in the second quarter is wings to the body of Boeing’s Dreamliner in tionship with Boeing, has not ordered them but that will probably do little to change views expected to top a 3.0 percent annual pace after the US contributed to delays during the man- yet. ANA was the first customer for Boeing’s that the economy is regaining momentum. The contracting at a 1.0 percent rate in the January- Commerce Department said yesterday retail March period. So-called core retail sales, which ufacturing of the aircraft. The Japanese furnish 787 and JAL also bought some of the planes. sales gained 0.3 percent last month. While that strip out automobiles, gasoline, building materi- about 35 percent of the 787, which was the But last year, JAL spurned Boeing and ordered was below economists’ expectations for a 0.6 als and food services, and correspond most first Boeing plane to have a wing designed from Airbus for the first time with a deal for 31 percent rise, April’s retail sales were revised to closely with the consumer spending compo- and built by a foreign company. Deliveries A350 planes worth $9.5 billion at list prices. show a 0.5 percent increase. Retail sales, which nent of gross domestic product, were were delayed for about three years because of Even after delivery, the 787 was plagued with account for a third of consumer spending, had unchanged last month. various problems. problems including batteries that were prone previously been reported have gained 0.1 per- However, they were revised to show a 0.2 Boeing Commercial Airplanes President to fires. Boeing has said it dealt with that prob- cent in April. percent rise in April, instead of the previously and CEO Ray Conner said having the Japanese lem by encasing the batteries to contain any In a separate report, the Labor Department reported 0.1 percent dip. In May, consumers make more parts for the 777X was considered, overheating. said initial claims for state unemployment bene- bought automobiles, lifting receipts at auto but the decision was to have Boeing make the Earlier this week, Emirates Airlines can- fits climbed 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted dealerships 1.4 percent. Excluding autos, retail wing. celled its order for 70 of Airbus’s A350 aircraft, 317,000 for the week ended June 7. sales rose 0.1 percent in May. “This is a partnership that will endure for the European maker’s answer to the domina- With job growth rising solidly in May and There were solid gains in sales at building many, many years to come,” Conner said after tion of the 777 and 787. The A350 has also manufacturing and services industries expand- materials and garden equipment stores, as well Boeing, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki been plagued by delays. Emirates has ordered ing strongly, the retail and jobless claims reports as receipts at non-store retailers, which include Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, 150 777X jets. The 777X variants include the probably will not cause too much anxiety. online sales. An increase in pump prices pushed ShinMaywa Industries and NIPPI Corp signed 777-8X, whose list price is $349.8 million and US stock index futures edged lower on the up sales at gasoline stations. There were, howev- the deal yesterday at a Tokyo hotel. Twenty- carries up to 350 passengers. The list price for data, while prices for US Treasury debt rose. The er, marginal declines in receipts at sporting one percent is the same level Japanese manu- the 400-passenger 777-9X is $377.2 million. economy added 217,000 jobs in May, the fourth goods shops, electronics and appliances stores, facturers got for the predecessor 777 aircraft, The companies declined to disclose mone- straight month of job gains above 200,000. It as well as at clothing retailers and restaurants one of the most popular commercial jets on tary terms of yesterday’s deal. — AP has recouped all the 8.7 million jobs lost during and bars. — Reuters Business FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 SocGen sets up sukuk program in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Societe Generale, France’s third-largest bank by assets, will set up a 1 billion ringgit ($311.3 million) multi-currency sukuk (Islamic bonds) program in Malaysia, the second conventional bank to do so in as many weeks. Sukuk are growing in popularity as a funding choice for corporates and sovereigns across the globe, with Malaysia a preferred jurisdiction as the largest and most liquid Islamic capital market. The program would issue sukuk through a wholly owned subsidiary of SocGen, a structure featuring back- to-back sharia-compliant contracts that would provide investors legal recourse to the French lender, Kuala Lumpur-based credit ratings firm RAM Ratings said in a bourse filing yesterday. The sukuk wakalah program has a tenure of up to 15 years and has been approved by Malaysia’s central bank and Securities Commission, SocGen said in a media release yesterday. Hong Leong Islamic Bank Bhd is advis- ing the deal. “Given the advancement of Islamic finance in recent years and the importance of the Malaysian and Southeast Asian capital markets to its business, SocGen stands ready to issue out of its program at the right market conditions and timing,” the bank said. Reuters reported last year that SocGen was considering SAKHIR: Men work at sunset in the desert oil fields of Sakhir, Bahrain. Dramatic changes in oil production around the issuing $300 million worth of sukuk in Malaysia, with pro- globe, both higher and lower, are balancing each other out instead of wreaking havoc. — AP ceeds used to expand the bank’s operations in the Middle East. The program, which RAM rates at AAA(s), or stable, comes a week after Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, a unit of OPEC facing dark clouds Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, set up a $500 multi-currency sukuk program in Malaysia. Such new issuers are crucial in Malaysia’s efforts to internationalize its Islamic on supply-side horizon capital markets, which remains dominated by domestic issuers. International firms represent less than 10 percent of total issuance. An accommodative tax regime and strong demand Iraq, Iran, Libya and Ukraine uncertainties loom from local investors have made Malaysia an attractive mar- VIENNA: OPEC faces a period of static oil prices as traders track Elsewhere, traders remain unsure how developments will pan out ket for issuers from as far away as Kazakhstan, but big supply-side uncertainties surrounding Iraq, Iran and Libya, as well in Ukraine. The West has accused Russia of fomenting unrest in names could encourage even more firms to tap the mar- as Ukraine, analysts said yesterday. neighboring Ukraine since the ousting of pro-Kremlin president ket. The oil exporters’ cartel opted this week to maintain its crude Viktor Yanukovych in February. Moscow denies the allegation. Malaysia’s sukuk market saw a 26 percent slump in output ceiling, expressing confidence in the market despite global Investors fear a full-blown conflict because the ex-Soviet state issuance last year due to uncertainty ahead of national tensions keeping prices high. OPEC, which will convene again in is a conduit for a quarter of European gas imports from Russia. elections and worries about the Federal Reserve’s mone- late November to assess the state of the market, remains happy “Flows of gas and oil have come under scrutiny since the begin- tary policies, credit ratings agency Moody’s said in a with Brent oil prices hovering close to $110, benefitting producers. ning of March, and any significant drop in oil flows from Russia report. Moody’s estimates issuance will pick up by 10 per- “Long term we remain rangebound, $100 to $110 per barrel, into Europe will push prices higher,” said Inenco analyst Gary cent over 2014 and 2015. — Reuters which suits most OPEC members, and with persistent upside risks Hornby. amid ongoing supply jitters in the Middle East and North Africa “Oil prices will continue to be supported by the potential threat region,” VTB Capital analyst Andrey Kryuchenkov said. of oil supply issues. “Sustained gains are hard to justify past $110, with the global “However, prices should drop if the current talks between supply growth still outpacing demand at this point given a fairly Russia and Ukraine end on a positive note.” Iran’s oil output mean- weak European demand and an economic growth moderation in while remains hit by Western sanctions over its disputed nuclear China” he added. Some cartel members are meanwhile pumping program. Tehran and Washington are currently locked in crunch more crude to compensate for supply shortfalls in Iran, Iraq and talks that have raised hopes of a deal to defuse the long-running particularly Libya-which remains plagued by unrest. nuclear row, in a move that eventually lead to the lifting of those Libya has been rocked by violence that has slashed the North sanctions. African nation’s output to less than 200,000 barrels per day, from a Iran’s oil output could reach 4.0 million barrels per day in “less potential 1.5 million bpd. than three months” if Western sanctions are lifted over its nuclear “There is little risk that OPEC will lose control of the oil price to energy program, Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said in Vienna. the downside the next six months,” said SEB analyst Bjarne That compares with Iran’s current production of about 2.7 mil- Schieldrop. “That OPEC does not change its overall target or ceil- lion bpd, according to OPEC data. Washington and the P5+1 are ing does not mean that OPEC is not actively managing the market. seeking solid commitments to ensure Iran’s stated desire for a Saudi Arabia is constantly managing its supply level to balance the peaceful atomic energy program is not a covert attempt to build a market.” The cartel’s 12 member nations left their collective oil nuclear bomb. Schieldrop cautioned that there was no imediate production ceiling at 30 million barrels per day on Wednesday. prospect of rebounding oil output from Libya or Iran over the next six months. Iraq violence sparks gains World oil prices meanwhile advanced above $110 as traders Traders eye US oil seized on a fresh outbreak of violence in OPEC member Iraq. The Added to the global supply picture, however, analysts contend nation’s provincial cities of Tikrit and Mosul have fallen to militants that any oil price gains in the coming months will be limited by from jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). abundant supplies and surging production in the United States. Iraq’s oil minister Abdelkarim Al-Luaybi played down the The US-which is the biggest crude consuming nation in the world- impact, telling reporters in Vienna that most of the nation’s crude is experiencing a shale energy boom. production was in the south. “We haven’t any production from the “The recent unrest in eastern Europe and the Middle East has region. All our production is from the south area, and from Kirkuk,” kept a risk premium built into prices,” added Hornby. “However, Luaybi said Wednesday. US oil production continues to cap any further gains in prices. But spreading unrest in the south could spark an oil price spike, “US oil production is currently at its highest since 1986, alleviat- analysts argue. “The situation in Iraq is concerning with Mosul taking some of the concerns over supply from other sources, which GAZA CITY: A Palestinian street vendor holds a pumpkin en over by ISIL,” added Schieldrop. “Increasing terror attacks in suggests that this sideways trend could continue until fundamen- at his vegetables stall in Gaza City yesterday. — AFP Iraq’s southern (city of) Basra would probably drive oil higher.” tals change drastically.” — AFP Business FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

Infosys names new chief as Murthy bows out

MUMBAI: Indian outsourcing giant Infosys announced a new chief executive yesterday and said its co-founder NR Narayana Murthy would step down as executive chairman after a string of high-profile departures. Vishal Sikka, previously with German software giant SAP, will take the helm as chief executive from August 1 and pledged to create a “more global” company that was “not limited by geography”. Murthy, who returned from retirement as executive chairman in June last year to help revive the company’s fortunes, will step down from his current role on Saturday. His son Rohan-who joined as executive assistant at the same time-will leave on the same day, the statement said. The IT giant seems keen on ending the string of senior departures since Murthy returned to the company-as many as 12 have departed over the past year, according to local reports. The last big name to quit was president B G Srinivas, who was thought to be a frontrunner for the chief executive post before he left the company last month. At a press conference on Thursday, Murthy laid out various changes at the top management level, including the dissolution of his own office after he steps down. “Vishal will have the opportunity to chart out his own path while leading the company,” he said. Sikka himself said he was honored to lead the “iconic” company but that it was too early to comment in detail on his plans. “My sense of companies and customers in not limited by geography,” he told reporters. “Each NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav takes a break during the UP Investor Conclave in New area has a set of challenges and opportunities. I want to create a Delhi yesterday. The Uttar Pradesh government signed 20 initial agreements with corporates entailing investments more global company.” worth 35,000 crore rupees ($59 million) during the investors conclave. — AFP

String of departures Sikka’s appointment means that S D Shibulal, the current chief of Infosys, will retire nearly five months earlier than expect- Top BNP exec to go amid ed. Indian media had been rife with speculation about likely candidates to step into Shibulal’s shoes, and Sikka is the first person in the job who is not one of the company’s founders. sanctions-busting probe Created three decades ago by Murthy, Shibulal, and five others around a kitchen table, Infosys has been losing market share to rivals such as Tata Consultancy Services and HCL and the recent Bank says 64-year-old was due to retire anyway staff departures had only further tainted its image. “I believe there were many reasons for the departures, PARIS: The chief operating officer of BNP Paribas is to step dollar transactions, sources close to the situation have said. including Murthy’s focus on weeding out non-performers and down at the end of June and retire completely on Sept. 30, The potential impact has raised concern in French govern- adjusting responsibilities of others,” Ashish Chopra, an IT analyst France’s biggest bank announced yesterday as it wrestles with ment and banking circles. President Francois Hollande raised with brokerage Motilal Oswal Securities in Mumbai, said. “Along US authorities over a potential $10 billion fine. New York’s the issues with Barack Obama last week. On Wednesday, Bank with these, some people who believed they would not be able banking regulator had requested the departure of the long- of France Governor Christian Noyer said a dollar clearing sus- to enjoy power or move into bigger positions also left.” Infosys, serving Georges Chodron de Courcel as part of a settlement for pension could be disruptive to the international financial sys- which is based in the southern high-tech city of Bangalore, rose alleged violations of sanctions against Iran, Sudan and other tem. BNP has said publicly only that it is in discussions with US nearly four percent in early trading after the new posts were announced but levelled out later to be down 0.50 percent at countries, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on authorities about “certain US dollar payments involving coun- 3,163.00 rupees. Last October, Infosys said it would pay $34 mil- June 5. tries, persons and entities that could have been subject to eco- lion to the US government to settle an investigation into alleged BNP Paribas did not mention the investigation in its nomic sanctions”. It has set aside $1.1 billion for the fine but visa fraud by the company. Many of India’s IT outsourcing firms announcement. It said the 64-year-old’s departure, in less than told shareholders it could be far higher than that. Last month it have reported subdued growth in recent years due to the glob- three weeks’ time, was at his own request and would allow him also said it had improved control processes to ensure such mis- al economic slowdown. In April however, the Nasdaq-listed to comply with new French bank regulations on the number of takes did not occur again. The bank’s market value has Infosys beat market estimates with the announcement that its directorships he can hold. dropped by 15 percent, erasing around 11 billion euros ($15 consolidated net profit had surged 25 percent in the January to Chodron de Courcel is one of the bank’s three most senior billion), in the four months since it first announced the provi- March quarter. — AFP managers under Chief Executive Jean-Laurent Bonnafe and has sion for the fine on Feb. 13. Its shares were up 0.5 percent at direct responsibility for the investment banking activities that 51.60 euros yesterday. are at the centre of the investigation. A spokeswoman for the Since then the scale of the likely fine has risen sharply, and a bank said he had planned to retire this year anyway and would figure as high as $16 billion was suggested at one point, not comment further on the US proceedings. A source familiar according to people familiar with the matter. with matter said last week the bank was not considering executive departures in connection with the negotiations. Fine inflation The bank said Chodron de Courcel had “devoted his entire In the past two years the US Justice Department has said it 42-year career to BNP and then BNP Paribas, and has made a has broken records on penalties for corporate misconduct at decisive contribution to the Group’s development, and espe- least seven times, including three times this year alone. The cially to the project which eventually led to the creation of the most recent was Credit Suisse in May, which paid $2.6 billion new BNP Paribas entity”. over charges that it helped Americans evade US taxes, the On Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter said largest penalty ever levied in a criminal tax case. Total corpo- Vivien Levy-Garboua, a senior adviser and formerly the head of rate criminal penalties in the United States overall increased compliance for the French bank, was also among people tar- about 647 percent between 2001 and 2012 to about $4.3 bil- geted by the superintendent of New York’s Department of lion, according to figures compiled by University of Virginia law Financial Services, Benjamin Lawsky. school professor Brandon Garrett. US authorities - five of them in all including the New York There are multiple explanations for the rising fines. For one, BANGALORE: Infosys new Chief Executive Officer and financial regulator - are investigating whether BNP evaded US cases related to the 2007-2009 financial crisis have produced Managing Director designate Vishal Sikka (left) and sanctions between 2002 and 2009 and whether it stripped out big settlements connected to trillions of dollars in subprime Chairman N R Narayana Murthy listen to a question dur- identifying information from wire transfers so they could pass mortgage products. US authorities have also turned their ing a press conference at the company’s headquarters through the US financial system without raising red flags. BNP attention to other crimes involving big dollar amounts, includ- in Bangalore yesterday. — AP Paribas may have to pay a fine of about $10 billion and face ing money laundering, sanctions violations and the rigging of other penalties such as being suspended from clearing clients’ benchmark interest rates. — Reuters Business FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 Japan-German group to bid $10bn for Alstom assets Fresh move blocks GE’s $17bn offer TOKYO: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Germany’s Siemens Nagata said. “GE is strong and it would be difficult for Siemens are set to bid nearly $10 billion for some of French “national to counter it without making an alliance,” he added. jewel” Alstom’s energy assets, a report said yesterday, poten- Katsumi Nagasawa, head of Hitachi’s thermal and nuclear tially blocking a $17 billion offer from General Electric. power business, told investors Thursday that his firm saw the Japanese electronics and machinery maker Hitachi has indi- offer as a “good deal”. “We will cooperate with Mitsubishi cated it will also join the one-trillion-yen bid to scoop up Heavy as a thermal business partner,” he added. GE has run Alstom’s gas and steam turbine business, rather than the into opposition from French nationalists over its offer to buy wider energy group eyed by the US conglomerate. The report Alstom’s energy unit, which builds generators, turbines and by Japan’s leading Nikkei business daily, which did not cite transmission systems and would complement the US-based sources, came after Siemens and Mitsubishi announced firm’s own power industry division. Wednesday that they had “joined forces in evaluating a poten- French President Francois Hollande is to hold a meeting tial proposal for certain assets” of the French multinational. yesterday morning to review developments on the sale, In this June 5, 2014 photo, Chelsea Vick shops for clothes They did not elaborate, saying a decision on submitting an according to economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg, who has at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Rogers, Ark. The Commerce offer would be made by June 16. In an apparent response to been at the forefront of trying to woo Siemens into bidding Department releases retail sales data for May on the Nikkei report, Mitsubishi said yesterday that said no final and get GE to improve its offer. Alstom said on Wednesday it Thursday, June 12, 2014. — AP decision had been made as it was still studying the deal, “still has not received any firm offer” from the German group, including the offer price and other details. Investors wel- while GE’s proposal was on the table until June 23. UK plans to make comed the news with Mitsubishi’s Tokyo-listed shares rising A GE spokesman said the company continues “to have con- 1.24 percent to 649 yen by the close while the broader structive discussions about the details of our proposed currency-rigging a crime Japanese market ended in negative territory. alliance with Alstom and remain confident in our proposal”. The energy unit accounts for 70 percent of Alstom’s busi- LONDON: British finance minister George Osborne will reject Foreign ownership worries ness, and would leave behind the railway equipment division European Union plans to outlaw currency market manipulation yes- “It’s a forward-looking investment that would expand rev- that manufactures France’s prized TGV high-speed trains. terday and instead set out his own proposals to make rigging enue,” said trader Munenori Nagata at SMBC Friend Securities Alstom is one of France’s biggest private sector employers exchange rates a criminal offence. EU laws taking effect in 2016 will in Tokyo. The deal would boost Mitsubishi’s already strong with about 18,000 staff nationwide, but it depends heavily on make it a criminal offence with a four-year jail term to rig key prices presence in the turbine sector and lift its bottom line following contracts with the French government. Last month, Paris in a wide range of financial markets. But Osborne does not want these laws to apply in London, the a company restructuring to improve its finances, he added. passed a new law that would allow it to veto unwanted for- world’s biggest centre for currency trading. Instead, he wants a panel “It’s better to grow in a field that you’re already strong in eign takeovers of major French companies, including the GE- led by the Bank of England to recommend new criminal sanctions rather than expanding into all sorts of different businesses,” Alstom deal. — AFP which meet the needs of London, where much of the loosely regu- lated $5-trillion-a-day trade in foreign exchange takes place. Britain has already introduced a maximum seven-year jail term for trying to manipulate the LIBOR interbank interest rate, and plans Indonesia CB trims economic to introduce similar criminal penalties for rigging benchmarks in currency, commodity and fixed income markets. “Our own rules will be as strong or stronger than those of the EU, but will preserve flexibility outlook, rates stay on hold to reflect specific circumstances in the UK’s globally important financial sector,” Britain’s finance ministry said in a statement late on JAKARTA: Indonesia’s central bank kept Wednesday. policy rates on hold yesterday, but once The opposition Labor Party said Osborne was acting too late to again trimmed its economic growth out- root out malpractice, and critics are likely to warn that the new legis- look as weakening exports add pressure lation will be excessively influenced by Britain’s financial sector. on the country’s current account. But rejecting EU proposals may please lawmakers in Osborne’s Bank Indonesia left its benchmark ref- Conservative Party who oppose transferring more powers to erence rate unchanged at 7.50 percent, as Brussels. The large number of Britons who voted for the anti-EU UK widely expected, ahead of next month’s Independence Party in last month’s European Parliament election presidential election. The country’s cur- may also welcome the move. rent-account deficit is at risk of widening “I am sure it’s a big deal for political reasons but it won’t make any in the coming quarters as exports contract difference at all as far as the process of prosecuting wrongdoers,” from the effects of a mineral export ban said Simon Gleeson, a financial services lawyer at Clifford Chance. and weaker commodity prices. Osborne has already clashed with the EU over laws which limit “As you know, the current account bankers’ bonuses, and Britain has the right to opt out of EU rules that issue is still a problem,” said Yudha Agung, involve criminal penalties. The British Bankers’ Association wel- the central bank’s executive director for comed the plan. “The key task ... will be ensuring that we have a sys- economic and monetary policy. tem that is robust and punishes any wrongdoing while being sensi- “Seasonally, in the second quarter the cur- tive to the need to continue to attract global banks and investors to rent account usually widens further.” the UK,” its chief executive Anthony Browne said. Emerging markets such as Indonesia are In this file photo taken Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, a woman counts U.S. dollar and Antony Jenkins, chief executive of Barclays, which was fined for dependent on capital inflows to fund Turkish lira banknotes at a currency exchange office in Istanbul, Turkey. From rigging Libor, said Osborne’s plans will help restore trust and confi- large current-account deficits and remain India to Indonesia, investors are finding something to like about stocks in dence in a vital part of the global financial infrastructure. vulnerable to selling of its assets by portfo- emerging markets this year. — AP lio funds. mark rate unchanged since December, central bank said budget cuts would limit Mansion house speech On Thursday, central banks in the after raising them a total of 175 basis GDP growth to 5.15 percent this year, Osborne will detail the proposals in a speech to London’s finan- region took different stances on policy but points between June and November to which is at the low end of its recently cial community on Thursday evening, alongside BoE Governor Mark rates appear to be on a firming trend. New calm anxious investors and stem a sell-off revised 5.1-5.5 percent target. BI had Carney, and will stress the importance of integrity in Britain’s finan- Zealand’s central bank raised rates to a in Indonesian assets. revised that sharply down from 5.5-5.9 cial markets to the economy as a whole. The move was not com- five-year high to curb price pressures from percent previously. pletely unexpected. Osborne said last week that he wanted to boost strong growth, while the Bank of Korea Policy outlook That has left analysts split on whether the integrity of London’s markets, and the chief executive of the ACI kept rates on hold but is expected to hike The outlook for Indonesia’s monetary the central bank’s next move will be to umbrella group for currency traders told Reuters new criminal sanc- as soon as next quarter. policy, however, is becoming more raise or cut rates. “BI’s focus is ... likely to tions were likely. A Reuters poll of 11 analysts had pro- cloudy. The government has said its priori- shift towards supporting growth,” said More than 40 currency dealers around the world have now been jected Indonesia’s central bank would ty is to shrink the current-account deficit Gareth Leather, economist at Capital fired or suspended following claims that traders used client order keep its policy rate unchanged for a sev- even at the expense of growth. Economics. “Provided the current information improperly to attempt to manipulate prices. But no-one enth straight month. The central bank also The central bank is targeting a current- account does not jump back up again has been prosecuted under England’s existing laws. left the deposit facility rate, or FASBI, and account deficit of around 2.8-2.9 percent and the rupiah remains fairly stable, we Some bankers worry privately that Osborne is trying to front-run lending facility rate at 5.75 percent and of GDP this year, lower than last year’s 3.3 think the next move in rates will proba- and shape a similar study into forex market practices by the global 7.50 percent, respectively. percent. But GDP growth is expected to bly be down, although not until early Financial Stability Board (FSB), which is chaired by Bank of England Bank Indonesia has kept the bench- slow to its lowest level in five years. The next year.” — Reuters governor Mark Carney. — Reuters Business FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014

Intel loses court challenge against $1.4bn EU fine

LUXEMBOURG: US chipmaker Intel lost yesterday its ed with the level of the fine, equal to 4.15 percent of nies abuse their dominance of the market, it causes challenge against a record 1.06 billion euro ($1.44 billion) Intel’s 2008 turnover, versus a possible maximum of 10 direct harm to consumers. The court’s ruling issued a European Union fine handed down five years ago, as percent. While Commission penalties rarely hit the top fig- strong reminder that such behavior is illegal and Europe’s second highest court said regulators did not act ure, the rising level of fines is a source of worry for many unacceptable,” said BEUC director-general Monique too harshly. The European Commission in its 2009 deci- companies. Goyens. The court’s judgment suggests companies sion said Intel tried to thwart rival Advanced Micro “The General Court considers that none of the argu- would be better off settling antitrust charges instead Devices (AMD) by giving rebates to PC makers Dell, ments raised by Intel supports the conclusion that the fine of fighting them, said Martina Maier, a partner at law Hewlett-Packard Co, NEC and Lenovo for buying most of imposed is disproportionate. On the contrary, it must be firm McDermott Will & Emery. their computer chips from Intel. considered that that fine is appropriate in the light of the “Companies under investigation by the The EU competition authority said Intel also paid facts of the case,” judges said. Intel, which can take its case Commission should not count on winning in court German retail chain Media Saturn Holding to stock only further to the Court of Justice of the European Union but with the argument that the Commission would not computers with its chips. Judges at the Luxembourg- only on points of law, declined to say whether it would do have properly assessed the economic effects of an based General Court said yesterday they backed the so. “We are very disappointed about the decision. It’s a abuse of dominance,” she said. “This might well lead Commission’s decision. “The Commission demonstrated complex case which is reflected in the decision. We will to a supplementary incentive for a company under to the requisite legal standard that Intel attempted to begin evaluating the decision,” Intel spokeswoman investigation for an alleged abuse of dominance to conceal the anti-competitive nature of its practices and Sophie Jacobs said. settle with the Commission or to offer commitments implemented a long term comprehensive strategy to in order to motivate the Commission to end its foreclose AMD from the strategically most important sales Better out of court? investigation.” Samsung recently settled EU charges channels,” the court said in a near 300-page decision. The Commission welcomed the ruling, as did con- while Google has also clinched a deal with the Judges said the EU watchdog had not been heavy-hand- sumers’ lobbying group BEUC. “When large compa- Commission. — Reuters Japan’s ‘Abenomics’ faces critical test Pressure on PM to make good on promises

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid cial markets and with the public at large,” said to light a fire under the country’s long-tepid econ- Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics. “Taxes on omy will this month face its most critical test with spending are going up, prices are increasing faster a long-awaited update to his plans for structural than wages, and many of the planned tax breaks reforms. Farming and pharmacology, pension will require painful adjustments in labor and prod- investments and immigration, taxes and trade are uct markets.” Last month, Abe vowed that “noth- all expected to be addressed in some way as pres- ing can stop my reforms” but even his hand- sure builds on the premier to make good on his picked central bank governor, Haruhiko Kuroda, is early promise to slough off two decades of eco- calling for less talk and more action. Kuroda nomic lassitude. warned that the BoJ’s monetary easing would not The reforms are the final tranche of the prime guarantee long-term success on its own. minister’s “Abenomics” action plan, which burst into life in early 2013 with a huge public spending bonanza and an unprecedented monetary easing SAINT-JEAN-DE-LA-RUELLE: (L-R) President of household electrical company Brandt France group campaign by the Bank of Japan. That gave the Sergio Trevino, director of the industry of Algerian group Cevital Malik Rebrab and president of economy a shot in the arm and set off a blazing Brandt France Thierry Leonard visit the Fagor Brandt plant yesterday in Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle. After stock market rally as firms’ profitability fattened Cevital took over Brandt France in April 2014, Brandt hopes to make 40% of its sales in Africa and on the back of a sharply weaker yen. Mideast. The two industrial plants of Saint-de-la-Ruelle and Vendome ‘’re-started progressively’’ and But his much-touted-and politically more diffi- 100% of the employees should resume work by the end of July, according to Leonard. — AFP cult-first attempt at a package of reforms, announced to great fanfare last summer, fell flat, amid accusations they were too timid and did not Mulberry says overhaul will undo the vested interests Abe had promised to scuttle. Observers criticized them as little more Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe take time as sales drop than a woolly wish list, full of grand ideas such as getting more women into the workforce, but with “Implementation (of reforms) is key, and PARIS: English luxury handbag maker Mulberry pounds ($24 million) from 26 million the previous few details on how they might be achieved. implementation should be swift,” he told the Wall said yesterday it would take time to return to year, in line with its warning in April. “Mulberry Now, a year later and 12 months wiser, the Street Journal. Abe has pushed through a plans to growth and hire a new creative and management enters the new (fiscal) year in a state of transition,” reforms update has been rather low-key, with no start deregulating the energy sector and improve team after an ill-fated attempt to move upmarket Barclays said in a note. final date set for an announcement-although it is access to child care but other changes could be took its toll on sales and profits. The brand, hit by Mulberry is working on strengthening its prod- expected to be this month-and little concrete tougher. Among them are opening up the cosset- a string of profit warnings, said the full benefits of uct offering at a price range of 500 to 800 pounds detail on exactly what they will entail. Doubters ed agricultural sector and a reported plan to let its strategic U-turn would start to be felt only next ($800-1,300) to win back UK customers put off by say that despite his bold rhetoric, Abe will not be firms cut overtime pay for skilled professionals. year when its first lower-priced autumn/winter its previous focus on handbags priced at over able to deliver a wider overhaul of the world’s collection hits the stores in May. 1,000 pounds. Mulberry, like rivals Louis Vuitton number three economy, including shaking up Huge potential Mulberry declined to provide a sales growth and Gucci, is struggling to compete against more rigid labour markets and taking on a powerful Abe’s possible reforms include cutting one of forecast for the current year, with Executive accessible, trendy fashion brands such as Michael agricultural sector that opposes free-trade deals. the world’s highest corporate tax rates and rebal- Chairman Godfrey Davis only admitting that “this Kors which give customers the look and feel of ancing the bond-heavy national pension fund’s is a reasonably tough year for us.” luxury at a fraction of the price. Davis explained ‘Enthusiasm fading’ $1.26 trillion in assets toward equities. He may Davis, however, said he expected trading to that Mulberry, known for its classic brown leather The 59-year-old premier faces a delicate bal- also unveil proposals to heavily promote clean improve in the second half of the year thanks to bags with locks inspired by a postman’s satchel, ance as ordinary Japanese struggle with lackluster energy and robotic technology, as well as scrap- new product launches. Mulberry whose retail was going back to its roots of providing people wage growth and rising prices for everyday ping an income-tax deduction for stay-at-home same-store sales fell 3 percent in the year ended with “everyday, practical and beautiful things.” goods- the result of Tokyo’s bid to stoke long- spouses in an effort to bring more women into March 31, witnessed a further drop of 15 percent The priority for the group is to hire a new cre- absent inflation and the April consumption tax the workforce. Despite a low birth rate and an in the 10 weeks to June 7, a performance it said ative director following Emma Hill’s departure last hike to 8.0 percent from 5.0 percent. ageing workforce, immigration reforms are was worsened by comparing it with last year’s September, he said, adding that he hoped this The rise was seen as crucial for bringing down unlikely in the largely homogeneous country boost from clearance sales. The brand’s retail would be done before the end of the year. “Once one of the world’s heaviest debt burdens, but it which has the lowest rate of foreign-born nation- sales, from directly operated shops, represent we have settled the creative director appointment also threatens to dampen spending power and als among major industrialized nations. Abe may, about 70 percent of total revenue. we will look for a new chief executive, though of further erode support for Abe’s turnaround plan. however, loosen permanent residency rules for Mulberry also posted a near halving of pre-tax course we have started doing some initial “The initial enthusiasm for Abenomics has long white-collar professionals and some manual profit in the year to March, falling to 14 million research,” Davis said.— Reuters since given way to skepticism-both in the finan- workers, reports said.—AFP the 2014FIFAWorld Cupyesterday.—AFP Croatia attheCorinthiansArena inSaoPauloduring during aGroupAfootballmatch betweenBraziland SAO PAULO:Brazil’sforward Neymarcontrolstheball in style WCup launch Brazil in style WCup launch Brazil FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 www.kuwaittimes.net Page 47 FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 43

Brazil’s World Cup mascot under threat ‘Unhackable’ goal GENEVA: The animal that inspired Brazil’s 2014 World Cup mascot, shaped flowers, which trap insects to ensure pollination. It is found in North technology the Three-banded Armadillo, is facing extinction as its natural habitat America, Europe and temperate regions of Asia. The IUCN blamed habitat is destroyed, an international nature watchdog warned yesterday. destruction and excessive harvesting of wild species for sale. “What was Brazil’s population of the scaly-backed animal has shrunk by more most surprising about this assessment was the degree of threat to these RIO DE JANEIRO: Goalline technology will than a third over the past decade as the area covered by the dry orchids,” said Hassan Rankou of the IUCN’s orchid team, which is based in be used at a World Cup for the first time in shrubland where it lives has halved, the IUCN said on the eve of the the Royal Botanic Gardens in London. Brazil with its backers insisting it is 100 per- tournament’s kick off. “Slipper Orchids are popular in the multimillion-dollar horticultural cent accurate and cannot be hacked. It will The Brazilian armadillo-which provided the inspiration for World Cup industry. Although the industry is sustained by cultivated stock, conserva- come as welcome news to the likes of Frank symbol Fuleco-was named by the International Union for the Conservation tion of wild species is vital for its future,” he said. Among the most at-risk Lampard who famously had a goal ruled out of Nature as one of many species under threat worldwide. The IUCN, which species are the Freckled Cypripedium, with less than 100 left in Yunnan in in England’s second round match against works closely with governments, the United Nations and other environmen- China and the Ha Giang province of Vietnam. Also under threat are the Germany in South Africa in 2010 despite the tal groups, also warned that 94 percent of wide-eyed primate lemurs are national flower of the Cayman Islands, the Banana Orchid. Turning to the ball clearly crossing the line. GoalControl, the threatened with extinction. Of the 101 surviving species, 22 are under globe’s rivers and oceans, the IUCN said that the Japanese Eel-a traditional official provider of the system, re-tested the threat-including the biggest, the Large-bodied Indri, and the smallest, delicacy in Japan and the country’s most expensive food fish-was also in technology at Rio’s Maracana stadium-the Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur-the Switzerland-based body said. Lemurs danger. It had been hit by habitat loss, overfishing, barriers to migration, venue of the World Cup final-in April ahead are threatened by destruction of their tropical forest habitat in Madagascar. pollution and changes to oceanic currents. Its decline has driven a rise in of the tournament which starts on Thursday. Political uncertainty and rising poverty have accelerated illegal logging, the trade in species such as the Shortfin Eel, the IUCN said. Still, there was also “It is 100 percent accurate. The system will IUCN explained, adding that hunting of the animals for food had also good news. The IUCN said it had raised its rating the Yarkon Bream, a fish work,” Dirk Broichhausen, managing director emerged as a serious issue. found only in Israel, from extinct in the wild to vulnerable. Its habitat was of GoalControl, said at a presentation at the wrecked by drought and drawing water for irrigation, but it was saved by Maracana. World governing body FIFA Orchids on the edge taking 120 of the last wild fish into a captive breeding program at Tel Aviv awarded the contract to the German compa- In the plant world, the group warned that close to 80 percent of temper- University. Its population has increased significantly since 9,000 laboratory- ny 16 months ago and there will be 14 high- ate Slipper Orchids now face extinction. The finding was based on a global born Yarkon Bream were released into restored habitats in the Yarkon and speed cameras at each of the 12 World Cup assessment of the species, which is easily recognizable thanks to its slipper- other Israeli rivers, the IUCN said.— AFP stadiums to determine if an attempt on goal has crossed the line or not. There are seven cameras trained on each goal and the cameras each take 500 pictures per second, sending a “GOAL” message to the referee’s watch if the ball is in, GoalControl chairman Bjoern Lindner explained. He stressed, however: “The referee has the last call. He can override the system any time he wants. But he knows the system is reliable.” FIFA tested out GoalControl last year at the Confederations Cup, the World Cup dress rehearsal in Brazil, where it accurately detected each goal. If the ball does not cross the line then the game will simply continue. The cameras, fitted out with the latest in sensor technology, are sta- tioned on catwalks around the stadium and measure the position of the ball every two milliseconds to within accuracy of as little as 0.5cm (0.2 inches). The data is then transmitted over an encrypted system with Broichhausen insisting the technology could not be hacked. “The system is offline... there is no possibility to manipulate. We did a lot of internal and external testing-I think more than 10,000 shots,” he said. FIFA spokesman Johannes Holzmueller concluded that “we can absolutely trust” the system to work and added it was designed to support and protect referees from the kind of controversy which accompanied Lampard’s “goal” that wasn’t validated against Germany, despite bouncing more than a metre over the line having come down off the under- side of the bar, presaging a 4-1 eventual defeat. At the time of Lampard’s strike, the SAO PAULO:(From right to left) Former Brazilian footballer Ronaldo holds the World Cup trophy next to Brazilian presenter Fernanda Lima and score was 2-1. — AFP Fuleco the official mascot of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil during the opening ceremony of the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo. AFP— 5 memorable WCup opening ceremonies

SAO PAULO: Five memorable moments at World Cup opening World Cup winner Pele. However, they looked on bemused 1994 - United States ceremonies: as two figures dressed as fairytale characters Hansel and Diana Ross may be a soul singing legend but her skills with a Gretel were assailed on the Munich pitch by polka dancers football proved to be a talking point at the opening ceremony 2010 - South Africa and their hornblower partners who had been part of the first in Soldier Field Stadium, home to the NFL’s Chicago Bears. Africa’s first ever World Cup-which Sepp Blatter had promised he half of the ceremony but clearly did not wish to leave the Asked simply to kick the football into an open goal she fluffed would deliver when he was first elected in 1998 - enjoyed a sump- scene. her lines completely as she sent it wide of the posts. The cere- tuous musical display in Johannesburg with several top national mony was capped with chat show host Oprah Winfrey falling off stars performing. However, the biggest star of all was unable to 2002 - South Korea/Japan the stage. be there as former president Nelson Mandela had to pull out South Korea and bitter historical rivals Japan co-hosted when his great-granddaughter was killed in a car crash earlier that the finals with the Koreans laying on the opening ceremony 1978 - Argentina day. He did make it to the final but only briefly as a frail figure he and the Japanese given the final. However, not even being Opening ceremony was overshadowed by all-round surprise was driven round the stadium prior to the Spain and the made joint-hosts meant all was peace and harmony between that all 24 teams turned up as there was some reluctance on the Netherlands clash. the two countries and Japanese Emperor Akihito was not part of several players to travel to a country which had been a mil- present at the opening ceremony while FIFA chief Sepp itary dictatorship since 1976. Even more sinister was that the ven- 2006 - Germany Blatter was roundly booed as he tried to make his first ue the River Plate Stadium was just a mile from the Naval It all started with German supermodel Claudia Schiffer speech as president at a World Cup finals having been elect- Mechanics School (ESMA), a notorious prison camp where oppo- strolling onto the pitch with Brazilian legend, three-time ed to succeed Brazilian strongman Joao Havelange. nents of the junta were allegedly tortured.— AFP FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 44

Pope wishes football fans ‘fraternal WCup’ VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, a keen football fan who was an ama- teur player in his youth in soccer- mad Argentina yesterday wished for a fraternal World Cup, hours before the premier championship kicks off in Brazil. “I wish everyone a wonderful World Cup, played in a spirit of true fraternity,” the pontiff tweeted. In a video message in Portuguese, transmitted by Brazilian television Rete globo, Francis also said he hoped the World Cup would mark “solidarity among peoples” who “recognize themselves as members of the unique human family.” In the video, available on YouTube, he also said that he hoped the competition remains “a game, an occasion for dialogue, comprehension and reciprocal enrichment”. The World Cup is “an event which goes beyond linguistic, cultural or national boundaries”, said Francis, adding that he believed there were “three keys” to success in sport: “Training, fair play and VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis kisses a child as he arrives for his general audience at respect for your opponent.”— AFP St Peter’s square at the Vatican. —AFP FIFA president Joseph Blatter Balotelli to curse England, says Amazonian sorcerer Blatter eyes MANAUS: Sporting a bone through his as he rides on a bicycle adorned with a has forest and wild beasts everywhere. nose, a jaguar’s tooth pendant, multicol- large flag of Brazil, Antonio Batista a fel- But I’d give it all up if I could be Baggio.” ored feathers in his ears and tribal body low Indian-is just as striking. His love for Known locally as a “caboclo” because of a new term tattoos, not many England fans would Italy is just as potent but has been driv- his mixed Indian and European heritage, give credence to the footballing ‘exper- en by his admiration for Roberto Baggio, Jaime Rodrigues, meanwhile, prefers to tise’ of Amazonian sorcerer Jaraquii. But the legendary Italy striker infamous for look at the big picture. If Italy qualify SAO PAULO: Sepp Blatter is ready to seek a new term as FIFA’s the striking Indian ‘Paje’ believes missing the deciding penalty in the from Group D and get through the last president, he announced Wednesday, ignoring calls from top England’s World Cup opener in nearby 1994 World Cup final which handed the 16 round, a possible quarter-final clash European officials to stand down as controversy engulfs football’s governing body. “I’m ready to accompany you in the future,” the Manaus tomorrow will be cursed by Italy trophy to Brazil. “In Manaus I’ll be sup- with Brazil awaits. 78-year-old Blatter told the FIFA congress in Sao Paulo on the eve striker Mario Balotelli. porting Italy. I’ve loved them since I was “I’m supporting England because if of the World Cup. The FIFA leader was helped by a congress vote “Balotelli’s magic will help you beat little,” said Batista. Brazil meets Italy, it could be trouble,” not to consider age- and term-limits for officials. He later denied the English,” Jaraquii, speaking to Italian “I am a native of this region, which said Rodrigues.— AFP having any designs on a life-time presidency. domestic agency ANSA, said with a seri- Isolated boos could be heard among the applause as Blatter ous grin revealing a row of sparkling said that conditions were good for him to seek a fifth term next gold teeth. “He (Balotelli) is like us col- Brazil WCup also a test year. But he has a strong chance of victory in the election to be ored people. He’s not white, he’s not like held at the FIFA congress in Zurich in May next year. “My man- (Argentina’s Lionel) Messi. That’s why bed for climate change date will finish next year... but my mission is not finished,” he said we love him.” Jaraquii’s local fame PARIS: in his closing address. “Together we will build the new FIFA, stretches beyond his status as a local Beyond the spectacle of 32 said. Missing from the FIFA inventory are together we have the foundations to do things.” leader within Brazil’s National Indian nations battling for the greatest prize in preparations like stadium construction, Blatter added: “Congress, you will decide who will take this Foundation (FUNAI), a government football, the World Cup is also a test bed which uses vast amounts of carbon- proud institution forward. It’s your decision to do so. But I will tell body that establishes and carries out for tackling climate-damaging carbon spewing cement, and manufacturing, you, I’m ready to accompany you in the future, for the game, for policies relating to indigenous peoples. emissions from major events. The world’s transporting and use of World Cup-relat- the world. “Because it’s your decision congress, if you want to go Although his tribal affiliation is biggest sports fest is a major source of ed products. “Big international events with me,” he said, exiting to clapping and Brazilian music. Blatter unknown, by local standards he is carbon, but FIFA says this year’s event like this cause TV sales to rise by one per- has dropped heavy hints in past months that he will be a candi- wealthy, the rumor going he struck gold should break new ground in addressing centage point, which is about 20 million date again, even though he said when he won in 2011 that it on the Parana river where he lives on a the problem. It describes the 2014 show individual sets,” Chome pointed out. “If would be his last term. houseboat near the city of Santarem. as a “stepping stone” towards “sustain- you consider that one TV costs 5-6 tons Despite stopping short of formally announcing his candidacy, Although his prediction is unlikely to able” World Cups by evaluating and of CO2 to make, that makes at least 100 his comments are likely to vex European delegates who this week hold sway with England manager Roy reducing the carbon footprint. From million additional tons of CO2. And then called for him to stand down next year. Blatter has long been a Hodgson, Jaraquii’s believes the emer- 2018, World Cups go into a new, greener you add a billion televisions drawing controversial figure, and FIFA, which oversees a multi-billion dol- gence of an Indian player that resembles phase, because environmental protec- power for three hours a day over three lar industry, has never been far from scandal. Just prior to the Balotelli and who plays in the regional tion will be a mandatory requirement in weeks, that makes another two million World Cup, Britain’s Sunday Times has published a series of indigenous championships is a portent. hosting the contest. FIFA estimates the tons of CO2.” reports alleging that millions of dollars in bribes were paid to “For the first time ever the Wai-Wai Brazil event will produce about 2.7 mil- Many smaller, apparently invisible help Qatar secure the 2022 edition. (tribe) are reaching the highest levels in lion tons of emissions as measured in car- items add to the footprint. FIFA is issuing the league in (the state of) Para, just like bon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) - roughly sets of World Cup uniforms-two pairs of Scandal taints WCup the Remo and Paysandu’ have in Belem. the total emissions of Iceland over a six- trousers, three T-shirts, a jacket, a jersey, a Blatter succeeded scandal-plagued Brazilian Joao Havelange “There’s a young player in the team who month period. cap and a rain poncho-to 2,880 people in 1998. Under his stewardship, football’s revenues have mush- is amazing, a real Indian Balotelli.” He “It’s not just about the number of who have been hired for the event. The roomed, with huge amounts from television rights and sponsor- may not admit it, but Jaraquii’s prefer- flights from A to B, it’s also the tons of outfits were made in China and shipped ship. But it has also attracted scandal, the latest of which is led by ence may in part be inspired by his dis- cables that are being used in TV produc- nearly 20,000 kilometers to Rio. They were media reports that Qatar’s Mohamed bin Hammam paid more like for all things Anglo-Saxon. “I’ve tion and the number of hours the refrig- then transported another 1,660 km to the than five million dollars in bribes to win support for the Gulf been like that since an obnoxious erators will be running during the World host cities. The result: about 436 tons of state’s 2022 World Cup bid. Englishman, or he might have been Cup,” said Federico Addiechi, FIFA’s head CO2e. It all adds up, say the experts, but Qatar has denied any wrongdoing, and Blatter has said the American-they’re the same to me-said of corporate social responsibility. But the single biggest polluter is always trans- corruption allegations are racist. But the scandal has still tainted that he was afraid of me and asked if outside observers such as Frederic port. It accounts for more than 80 percent the build-up to the start of the Brazil World Cup. In rare public there were cannibals.” Chome, director of Belgium-based car- of World Cup emissions, mainly through comment on the issue, former FIFA executive committee Junji Grinning widely, he added: “I told bon consultancy Factor X, say the real tal- international carriers ferrying the estimat- Ogura from Japan said most senior figures want the truth him to keep quiet, because we ate them ly is even higher. “The problem with ed 40 percent of international fans to unearthed and welcome the spotlight on the scandal-hit organi- all.” Dressed like a colonial explorer and these sporting events is that they fail to Brazil. Some of the host venues are more zation. —AFP wearing a wide-brimmed Australian hat factor in many emissions sources,” he than 3,000 km apart.— AFP FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 45

World Cup fever a break from politics in Lebanon

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s capital Beirut is awash with flags. But instead of the usual political colors, they’re the bunting of World Cup competitors like Brazil and Germany being flown by local mega- fans. Lebanon’s national team didn’t qualify for the event, and the tiny nation has no great sporting track record. But its citizens display a near- fanatical enthusiasm for chosen proxy nations, mainly countries that tend to do well in the World Cup and host large Lebanese populations, draping cars, homes and businesses with “their” country’s colors. “I just love Germany. I love the way they play the game,” says 19-year-old Elias Nohra. He spent $50 having a Germany flag sticker affixed to the roof of his car. “Money well-spent,” he says with a grin. Some drivers have gone further, trailing flut- tering flags from their cars, draping scarves round their rear-view mirrors, and even plastering semi- transparent flag stickers across entire windshields. The mania is a chance for the often unstable country to escape the daily grind, and good news for vendors, with even those who usually sell cell- phones or children’s toys adding flags to their stock to cash in. “Every day we get closer to the World Cup, flag sales increase,” says 23-year-old vendor Ali Nasrallah in the Sabra Palestinian camp in Beirut. “The flags we sell most are Brazil, Germany and Italy.” A survey of the landscape makes it clear that Brazil, Germany and Italy are indeed local favorites, with the three nations best represented among the flags flying from cars and homes. BEIRUT: A Lebanese vendor stands in front of the Argentinean flag at a street shop selling flags of countries competing in the FAFI World Cup 2014. — AFP Family ties spur support That comes as no surprise to 23-year-old Rayan Musallem, a sports journalists and Brazil fanatic. Qatar is better off with She belongs to an official fan club working with Brazil’s embassy to organize match viewings. “I’ve loved Brazil since I was little, it might be because WCup than without it my family nicknamed me Rio, but to be honest I just love the country, their passion for football HONG KONG: Qatar is probably better off ber of costly failed initiatives, including the World Cup have voiced concerns over alle- and the way they play,” she says. Like many with the World Cup than without it. The attempt to turn the emirate into a financial gations about the way Qatar won the right Lebanese, she knows families who have emigrat- emirate’s reputation is under fire amid alle- centre to rival the success in neighboring to host the tournament in 2022. Visa, Sony, ed to Brazil, which is home to the largest concen- gations that it bribed officials to support its Dubai. Adidas, Hyundai and Coca-Cola have all tration of Lebanese in the diaspora. Such ties successful bid to host the soccer tourna- Qatar has sought to win powerful friends issued statements of concern in recent through emigration are one reason Lebanese cite ment in 2022. Reversing the decision would in everything it does, from investments days. The top six sponsors are each paying in choosing which country to support. “I’m with spare Qatar eight years of scrutiny and save overseas to foreign policy. That’s important between 40 and 70 million euros for their France because all my family is there,” says 50- it a hefty infrastructure bill. Yet without the for a small rich country surrounded by larg- four-year deals, sources have told the year-old Aida Qassis, who owns a toy shop but has competition, Qatar has little to distinguish er powers in a volatile region. But as in Financial Times. The Sunday Times newspa- added flags to her stock. “You know, Lebanon itself from more attractive Gulf neighbors. much else, Qatar seems to win as many ene- per has published leaked documents it says took its independence from France and France Even before the 2014 jamboree kicks off mies as it does friends. On balance, the tiny showed former Fifa vice-president still supports us, so I hope they do well in the in Brazil, the tournament after next is mired nation is probably regretting ever pursuing Mohamed bin Hammam made secret pay- World Cup,” she says. in controversy. Britain’s Sunday Times the World Cup. Now it is stuck in a mess, ments to African officials to win support for Elie Sarkis inherited his support of Brazil from newspaper has published documents sug- losing it might just be worse than keeping Qatar’s bid. Qatar maintains that it won the his father and grandfather. “They’ve always loved gesting a former vice-president of FIFA, soc- it. Five of the six top sponsors of the soccer bid on merit.— Reuters Brazil, I think in part because they were impressed cer’s ruling body, paid bribes to win support that when players scored they’d cross themselves for Qatar’s bid. Doha maintains it won on merit. But current World Cup sponsors like and thank God,” he says. “My family are very reli- Panda pundits red carded Visa, Sony, Adidas and Coca-Cola have gious, and they like that in Brazil, people might be expressed concern. If the allegations prove BEIJING: A team of Chinese baby pandas were to select food from three bamboo poor, but they have faith, and when they get rich correct, FIFA would face immense pressure lined up to predict World Cup scores have baskets representing either a win, loss or they still love their country and have faith in God.” to revisit the decision. been given the red card by authorities draw during the group stages. For the But for many Lebanese, the decision to pick a Losing the World Cup would provide hours before kick off, the animals’ keepers knock-out rounds, the animals would team is swayed solely by their favorite players. Qatar with the opportunity to scale back its said yesterday. The pandas were billed by select winners by climbing trees marked Argentina has seen its popularity here boosted by massive infrastructure roll-out to a size Chinese media as China’s answer to with the national flags of competing the high-profile career of Lionel Messi, and more appropriate to its tiny population of deceased soccer soothsayer Paul the nations, it added. Portugal commands an outsize following on the 2.1 million. It’s hard to imagine Doha Octopus, after they were originally set to China had hoped the pandas could basis of its star striker Cristiano Ronaldo. becoming an attractive holiday destination predict match results by picking food from match the worldwide fame achieved by in its own right after the fans have dis- a choice of baskets and by climbing trees. Paul, the German octopus that correctly ‘A unifying event’ persed. Yet after its selection in 2010, Qatar But representatives at the pandas’ breed- predicted the results of eight games at the For 24-year-old Tony Rizk, it was legendary announced projects including hotels, roads, ing base in southwestern Sichuan 2010 World Cup. Paul the Octopus, who goalkeeper Oliver Kahn who started his passion port facilities, a rail network, state-of-the-art province said the bears would not be giv- used his tentacles to choose mussels or for Germany’s team. Last year, he fulfilled a life- stadiums and even a brand new city. The en the chance to predict results at this oysters from boxes bearing the flags of long dream by visiting Munich, and this year he total could cost up to $200 billion through year’s tournament, which began in Sao participating nations, died in October and the fan club he founded are working with to 2020. Paulo yesterday. 2010, shortly after that year’s World Cup in Germany’s embassy in Lebanon to organize view- If it was stripped of the tournament, “The predictions have been halted by South Africa. China has about 1,600 pan- ing events. Like many Lebanese, he describes however, Qatar would also suffer a big set- the authorities,” said a spokesman at the das living in the wild. They have a notori- World Cup mania as one of the few non-political back in the regional race for economic China Centre for Research and ously low reproductive rate and are under events in a country often marked by political and diversification. Despite its enormous Conservation of Giant Pandas, without pressure from factors such as habitat loss sectarian divisions.”Our club has fans from every- wealth, Doha has made it clear it wants to elaborating. State news agency Xinhua in their home terrain of Sichuan, northern where in Lebanon. You see Muslims, Christians, be more than just a home to one of the had previously said the pandas, who are Shaanxi and northwestern Gansu everyone, watching the games,” he says. “It’s a world’s largest gas reserves. A cancelled aged between one and two years old, provinces.—AFP unifying event.”— AFP World Cup would be the largest of a num- FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 46

BELO HORIZONTE: Chile’s national football team forward Alexis Sanchez controls the ball during a training session at the Toca da Raposa training ground in Belo Horizonte. — AFP Australia undaunted by classy Chile

CUIABA: World Cup outsiders Australia Palace’s Mile Jedinak and features experi- have shrugged off that problem when are aiming to punch above their weight enced duo Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano. turning out on Wednesday for his first and give a Chile side choc-a-bloc with tal- The Aussies laid down a marker of their training session since making an unfore- Cameroon and ent a bloody nose in Cuiaba today. The intent in a battling single goal defeat to cast 15-minute comeback a week ago in two Group B protagonists are worlds apart fellow finalists Croatia in their last warm- the 2-0 friendly victory over Northern Mexico clash in in FIFA’s rankings-Chile are 14 with up. Alex Wilkinson, who played a part Ireland. Like Vidal, another vital compo- Australia down at 62 - so the South against Croatia, hopes he’s done enough nent of this Chile team is Barcelona for- Americans are heavy favourites to sweep to make it on to Postecoglou’s starting XI. ward Alexis Sanchez, reportedly a target of Group A opener aside the Socceroos and get their cam- Wilkinson hinted that Chile could be in for Manchester United’s new boss Louis van NATAL: Mercurial Mexico host a troubled Cameroon in the paign off to the perfect start. a surprise. “They’re expecting us to be Gaal who is in Brazil as Holland manager sides’ World Cup Group A opener in Natal today looking to take The odds may be stacked against them, physical and we will be physical-but we before moving to Old Trafford. the first step towards an eventual first appearance in the quar- but Australia, unshackled by any smidgen also want to show them we can play foot- And Sanchez stoked up expectations ter-finals in nearly 30 years. Now coached by colorful Miguel of pressure, are not short of self-belief ball as well,” said the player with South back in Santiago on Wednesday when he Herrera, who missed out on playing for Mexico at USA ‘94 after ahead of this clash against a team they Korean outfit Jeonbuk Motors. told a local newspaper: “I believe Chile are being dropped for punching a photographer, Mexico have in held to a goalless draw on their World Cup going to win the World Cup, if I didn’t recent editions failed to live up to expectations. In the past five debut in 1974. “We don’t care who we’re Vidal key for Chile believe that I’d be at home watching tele- tournaments the Aztecs have failed to get to the ‘fifth game’ up against,” said Swiss-based attacking Despite the infectious enthusiasm vision.” Of Chile’s chances of solving the and make the quarter-finals they last reached as hosts in 1986 midfielder Dario Vidosic. “There can be 11 emanating from the Aussie camp the seri- complex first round puzzle set by a Group when they bowed out 4-1 on penalties to West Germany. Ronaldos or Messis out there. We want to ous money today is on Chile. Coached by B including Holland and world champions Critics would argue Mexico should feel lucky to be in Brazil make everybody proud back home. We’ve Argentine Jorge Sampaoli, the South Spain he said: “I’d be happy if we finished at all. After a tortuous qualifying campaign, Herrera was para- worked very hard to get to this stage. Americans take to the Arena Pantanal as runners-up behind them (Spain).” chuted in for a two-legged play-off against New Zealand, “We’ve got three guaranteed games and pitch buoyed by the apparent recovery Sanchez’s rags to riches story from a hum- which the central Americans won 9-3 on aggregate. But we’re just going to give it everything that from injury of midfield star Arturo Vidal. ble background to world class footballer is despite that result, Mexico have hardly lit up the world foot- we can to get out of the group stage.” The Juventus man, who underwent knee the stuff of any kid’s dreams, and he is fully balling stage of late, losing their last two friendlies 1-0 to Coach Ange Postecoglou’s largely tran- surgery last month, was a doubt after bat- conscious of the benevolent hand dealt to Bosnia and Portugal. In the latter encounter, Mexico spurned a sitional side is skippered by Crystal tling an inflammation. But he appeared to him by fate. — AFP host of chances and when they took their eye off the ball late on Bruno Alves struck the winner for Portugal in the 93rd Dutch hunt World Cup revenge against Spain minute. “We haven’t been that convincing when facing goal, so we have to work on it,” admitted Herrera. “We have to work on SALVADOR: Holders Spain open their the 2010 final in the current squad and the have enjoyed back-to-back World Cup keeping focus all the way to the finish. We can’t be losing World Cup campaign against the Dutch have made no secret of their desire wins. The ever-loyal Del Bosque is expect- games in the last 30 seconds.” Netherlands today in a repeat of the 2010 for revenge. “It was a big chance for us to ed to make just one change from the side Mexico, noted for their 5-3-2 formation which focuses heav- final with the Dutch out for revenge. win the World Cup and we were really which started and won the Euro 2012 final ily on the running of the wingbacks, will however look to capi- Andres Iniesta’s strike four minutes from close,” said Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar. with Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta coming in talize on the internal strife that has simmered within the the end of extra-time in the Johannesburg “It should always burn inside to make for Alvaro Arbeloa at right-back. Cameroon camp. Four years after becoming the first African final crowned Spain as world champions something right. To play against them side to leave the 2010 tournament, with zero points from three for the first time and now, four years later, now in the first game is a great challenge.” No fear, just respect games, Volker Finke’s squad recently threatened to refuse to the European giants clash again at Veteran midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who Cesc Fabregas should start up front for board the plane to Brazil due to a row over bonuses. A deal was Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova in the will win his 100th cap in the match, said Spain with Brazil-born Atletico Madrid finally reached, but the episode has enhanced the general feel- mouth-watering opening match of Group the wounds of that defeat were still raw. striker Diego Costa expected to make a ing that the ‘Indomitable Lions’ will whimper and not roar their B. With South American dark horses Chile “It’s like a scar that hasn’t yet healed. It second-half appearance from the bench. way through a group which includes Croatia and hosts Brazil. and Australia still to come, a win for either always gets me down when I think about “We don’t have any fear. But we do have Like Mexico, Cameroon endured a tough qualifying cam- side would set the group’s agenda. it,” said the Galatasaray star. As the double respect,” said del Bosque. “Holland are a paign that again underlined the central African country’s repu- Captain Robin van Persie, Arjen European and reigning world champions, well-organized team, well-coached, and I tation for internal strife. Much of that in recent years has Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel De Jong Vicente del Bosque’s Spain are bidding to am sure they will make things difficult for revolved around superstar Samuel Eto’o, whom the Cameroon and Dirk Kuyt are the five survivors from join Brazil and Italy as the only teams to us.”—AFP federation once issued with a lengthy ban.—AFP FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 47

SAO PAULO: Croatia’s goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa (center) makes a save during a Group A football match between Brazil and Croatia at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo yesterday. — AFP Brazil launch WCup in style Neymar’s double gives jittery Brazil a winning start

SAO PAULO: Brazil’s poster boy Neymar scored twice and the outstanding Oscar added a late third as the hosts came Colorful ceremony opens Today’s matches from behind for a dramatic 3-1 victory over Croatia in a on TV thrilling World Cup opening match yesterday. But the 71st- World Cup amid clashes minute penalty from Neymar that tipped the Group A game Brazil’s way seemed a soft one after Japanese referee Yuichi SAO PAULO: Brazil launched the kilometers from the arena after Nishimura harshly ruled that Croatia skipper Dejan Lovren World Cup yesterday trying to put armored police sought to quell FIFA World Cup had fouled Fred who appeared to throw himself to the on a carnival atmosphere after protests in the hours before the Mexico v Cameroon 19:00 police fired tear gas and rubber bul- opener. World Cup preparations ground. beIN SPORTS 1 HD Neymar had brought Brazil back into the game after 29 lets at protesters in Sao Paulo have been dogged by months of opposed to the tournament. But the protests, reflecting widespread pub- beIN SPORTS 2 HD minutes with the equalizer after defender Marcelo put beIN SPORTS 11 HD through his own net after 11 minutes to give Croatia a five-time world champions shocked lic anger over the money spent. beIN SPORTS 13 HD shock lead. Marcelo’s misfortune meant he became the first their fans by giving away an own But Sao Paulo and other cities beIN SPORTS 1 HD Brazilian ever to score an own goal at the World Cup. The goal 11 minutes into their first game largely went quiet as the game cross came from Ivica Olic whose low ball from the left went against Croatia at the Corinthians started. Yellow and green flags Spain v Netherlands 22:00 through the legs of Brazil skipper Thiago Silva, clipped Arena in front of 61,600 fans includ- hung from many buildings. Nikica Jelavic’s foot and bounced in off Marcelo with keeper ing 12 heads of state. Defender Gutemberg Santos, 42, said his t- beIN SPORTS 1 HD Julio Cesar helpless. Neymar created Brazil’s first opening Marcelo was almost in tears after he shirts and flags had sold like hot beIN SPORTS 2 HD when he jinked along the byline, resulting in a half-cleared steered the ball into his own net cakes. “It has been a good day, beIN SPORTS 11 HD ball to Oscar who slammed in a curling 25-metre drive that from a Croatian cross. But Brazilian everyone is happy,” he said. But pro- beIN SPORTS 13 HD goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa acrobatically pushed away. hero striker Neymar equalized in the testers who last year brought chaos But Croatia’s reprieve only lasted seven minutes and the 29th minute. to the Confederations Cup rehearsal 14-6-2014 equalizer was greeted by scenes of unbridled joy. Oscar Brazilian police put up a ring of tournament had vowed to march on Chile v Australia 1:01 started the move by beating two men in midfield before steel around the stadium to keep the Sao Paulo stadium. But riot protesters away from the gala debut police responded forcefully, chasing beIN SPORTS 1 HD finding Neymar who advanced a few meters before cracking beIN SPORTS 2 HD in a low left-foot shot that went in off the base of Pletikosa’s of the four-week spectacle that protesters up a main avenue and fir- Brazil has spent more than 11 billion ing tear gas in the middle of oncom- beIN SPORTS 11 HD left-hand post for his 32nd goal in his 50th international. beIN SPORTS 13 HD Neymar scored his 33rd when Pletikosa got both hands to dollars to prepare for. But anarchist ing traffic, forcing cars decorated beIN SPORTS 1 HD FR his penalty but could not stop the ball from going in and demonstrators in black shirts and with the Brazilian flag to weave their masks lit bonfires of rubbish a few way through the chaos. — AFP beIN SPORTS 1 FR Oscar wrapped up the win in the dying minutes. — Reuters the 2014FIFAWorld Cupyesterday.—AFP Croatia attheCorinthiansArena inSaoPauloduring during aGroupAfootballmatch betweenBraziland SAO PAULO:Brazil’sforward Neymarcontrolstheball in style WCup launch Brazil in style WCup launch Brazil FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 www.kuwaittimes.net Page 47