Features

AMMAN — Alive, inventive and popular. That’s how Anthony Stanco and his fellow musicians kept jazz last Tuesday night at the concert they gave at Zara Expo in Amman. One should add sophisticated, refined and witty, as other adjectives that also qualify the band’s excellent, first class playing, though these aspects perhaps were subtler to notice. Virtuosity and good taste should not be forgotten either.

From straightforward jazz to more bluesy numbers, the band delivered a flawless performance to a very receptive audience. One must admit that Stanco has the knack to win a crowd. The band leader and master trumpeter knows the meaning, the ins and outs of audience participation and made the listeners sing short riffs in perfect timing, with the band playing along.

Whether it was the refined piano lines, the wonderful harmonies between the trumpet and the saxophone, the stirring drums patterns or the discrete but so essential bass parts, the ensemble managed to play great jazz while securing the audience full attention, non-stop from beginning to end.

They invited Samir Obeida, a young Jordanian violinist who is a member of the National Music Conservatory Orchestra, to join them on stage for a couple of wonderful improvisational blues numbers and to play a well-known Arabic tune from the old Andalusyat, “Lamma Bada Yatathana”, a piece that received a nice bluesy treatment for the occasion, to the audience pure delight.

Half-way through the very entertaining show, Stanco and his partners stepped down from the stage, while still playing, and went for a march all across the theatres just like street musicians do in New Orleans, a city largely considered to be the birthplace of jazz. Another dimension was added here: fun.

Stanco would also put the emphasis on their important role as educators and as ambassadors of the genuine American jazz tradition abroad. Presented by the US embassy in Amman, the group is leading workshops and cultural exchange with local musicians and institutions across country and is performing in Aqaba, Amman and Irbid. It is the quintet’s first tour in the Middle East.

LOS ANGELES — The latest “Hunger Games” movie beat back competitors to survive the Thanksgiving weekend atop the North American box office, according to industry figures Monday.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1,” starring Jennifer Lawrence as rebellious Katniss Everdeen, grossed nearly $57 million on its second weekend, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

That added to $122 million on its debut weekend, which made it the biggest grossing opener this year.

Fox’s animated-animal film “The Penguins of Madagascar”, meanwhile, pulled in about $25.4 million in its first weekend in theatres, earning the second box office spot.

That debut knocked animated robot flick “Big Hero 6” from second to third on the charts, after the Disney feature took in over $18.8 million in its fourth weekend in theatres.

Space exploration epic “Interstellar”, directed by Christopher Nolan grossed almost $15.7 million to take the fourth spot.

In fifth place was “Horrible Bosses 2”, the sequel to a 2011 workplace comedy starring Jennifer Aniston, which hauled in $15.5 million in its weekend debut.

Screwball comedy sequel “Dumb and Dumber To”, starring Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey, took the sixth spot with a $8.4 million haul after a box-office topping debut two weeks ago. The film has grossed about $72 million overall.

The life story of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything” tripled its weekend earnings, charging into the seven spot with a $5 million take-in. 

Thriller “Gone Girl” starring Ben Affleck pulled in about $2.5 million this week for the eighth spot.

Dark comedy “Birdman” starring Michael Keaton held onto the ninth box office spot with another week of about $1.9 million in sales. 

Comedy “St Vincent”, starring Bill Murray and Naomi Watts, dropped to the 10th spot with $1.7 million in earnings.

TOKYO — Tokyo kept its crown as the Michelin guide’s gourmet capital on Tuesday with the most starred restaurants for an eight straight year, in the first guide released since UNESCO listed Japanese “washoku” cuisine an “intangible cultural heritage”.

Among the establishments that gained three-star ratings in the 2015 Michelin guide to Tokyo, was one that serves poisonous blowfish and a traditional eatery whose chef at first thought his win was a joke.

The guide, which used to include the neighbouring city of Yokohama and the coastal Shonan area, was limited to Tokyo this year to allow a wider listing of Japanese food in the “Bib Gourmand” section that emphasises cheaper restaurants, Michelin said.

For the first time, the guide lists several eateries serving chanko nabe, a rich stew that helps sumo wrestlers pack on weight, as well as several specialising in cuisine featuring loach, a type of fish.

As many as 267 restaurants gained stars, 19 of them for the first time. The coveted three-star rating, the Michelin guide’s top honour, went to 12 restaurants, down one from last year.

Newly promoted to three stars from two was “Makimura”, a traditional restaurant whose owner, Akio Makimura, told reporters he still could not believe he had won.

“When I got the phone call this morning informing me of the promotion I thought it was a joke,” said a grinning Makimura.

The chef, who wore a grey turtleneck for the event, said he felt tremendous pressure when he made his debut on the list — and had dreamed of gaining a top rating one day.

“I’ll just keep on doing what I’ve always done. The best part of Japanese food is the freshness of the ingredients and bringing that to life in your cooking.”

Other restaurants that won the three-star rating included “Usukifugu Yamadaya”, which serves fugu, poisonous blowfish which can be fatal if improperly prepared. Another winner was “Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten”, whose master chef is in his late 80s and which was the site of an informal leaders’ dinner when US President Barack Obama visited Japan in April.

The first Michelin restaurant guide, aimed at drivers in the early days of motoring, was publishing by the tyre company in 1900, with the star rating system introduced in the 1920s. Tokyo was the first Asian city to have a guide devoted to it.

By Steve Johnson

San Jose Mercury News (MCT)

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California — In 1,126,540 kilometres of navigating roads, Google’s self-driving cars have encountered just about everything — including an elderly woman in a motorised wheelchair flailing a broom at a duck she was chasing around the street.

Apparently perplexed and taking no chances, the vehicle stopped and refused to go farther.

Through extensive testing covering nearly every street in Mountain View, the company’s 20 or so autonomous vehicles have developed an abiding sense of caution. But Google researchers concede it will take more experience on the roads before the autos can learn to cope with every situation without becoming bewildered and shutting down, stranding passengers. When that happens now, researchers have to take the wheel and step on the gas.

One of the most surprising lessons: While hoping to make cars that are safer than those driven by people, Google has discovered its smart machines need to act a little human, especially when dealing with pushy motorists.

“We found that we actually need to be — not aggressive — but assertive” with the vehicles, said Nathaniel Fairfield, technical leader of a team that writes software fixes for problems uncovered during the driving tests. “If you’re always yielding and conservative, basically everybody will just stomp on you all day.”

As a result, he said, Google’s cars on freeways tend to leave a shorter distance between themselves and the vehicles they follow than some driver-training manuals recommend, to discourage other motorists from darting dangerously into the space. And when it’s their turn to proceed at a four-way stop, Fairfield added, Google’s cars will inch forward decisively so other drivers don’t try to beat them through the intersection.

When Google invited a reporter on a half-hour ride to see what the cars have learned, the vehicle carefully cruised through intersections, negotiated construction zones, skirted bicyclists and manoeuvred past other motorists without leaving a scratch.

Driverless cars have been a dream for decades, largely as a way to reduce the carnage on the roads. About 35,000 people die of crashes in the US annually, with 90 per cent of the accidents due to human error, according to the National Safety Council. Google believes its autos could avoid many such mistakes.

Moreover, many experts believe the vehicles could drive bunched together without risk of colliding, reducing traffic congestion and boosting productivity.

Factoring in all its benefits, the technology could save the US economy about $450 billion annually, according to an analysis by the Eno Centre for Transportation, a nonprofit think tank.

The autonomous Navia shuttle, made by the French firm Induct, already shuttles passengers around several overseas college campuses, while London-based Rio Tinto operates more than 50 autonomous trucks at Australian mining sites. And like Google, many car companies are heavily involved in researching the concept. By 2035, 75 per cent of vehicles sold worldwide will have some autonomous capabilities, such as being able to park themselves or drive at least part of a trip on autopilot, Navigant Research predicted in a recent report.

But getting the vehicles to where they need no human intervention will be a major challenge.

A study by corporate adviser KPMG and the Centre for Automotive Research concluded it will be difficult to make a car’s software smart enough to know that a ball bouncing into the street might mean a child could come chasing after it. It’s also unclear who would be liable if a self-driving car caused an accident. And if the cars prove vulnerable to hackers, the study warned, “the nefarious possibilities are mind-boggling.”

Another issue is that Google’s cars require detailed computerised maps of the streets where they operate, prompting concerns that it would be a huge undertaking to create such maps for everywhere the vehicles go.

Google officials acknowledge many issues need to be resolved, but say they’re encouraged by their progress so far.

The company recently began experimenting at NASA’s Ames Research Centre with a two-seat prototype with no steering wheel or other controls other than a stop-and-start button. It also has run its cars through more than 6.4 million kilometres of computer-simulated driving. But most of its actual road tests lately have been in Mountain View, which has plenty of potential hazards, from jaywalkers to people chasing ducks.

Those tests are being done with hybrid Lexus cars modified with radar, video cameras, a rooftop laser and other sensors that see everything around them. Several times when those devices detected a bicyclist or another motorist getting worrisomely close during this reporter’s ride, the vehicle slowed and edged away from the potential danger. And when a big bush blocked its view when it needed to turn, the car proceeded at a snail’s pace around the corner until its sensors got a better view and the car picked up speed again.

On state roads, California requires a person be on hand to take control of the car in emergencies. So on the ride by this reporter, one Googler sat in front, in case he had to grab the steering wheel as occasionally happens when the researchers want to be extra cautious, while another monitored computer data on how the car reacted in different situations. They also tried to assess something a bit more subjective — how well the car got along with other traffic.

“Driving can be a social thing where you’re using your vehicle and a little bit of body language in your car to communicate with other drivers what your intentions are,” said Brian Torcellini, who oversees a group of 50 people who participate in the tests. “So we’re now trying to teach the car different ways to sort of fit in with society and the way that other people drive.”

To date, none of the cars has gotten a traffic ticket or caused an accident, though they’ve been rear-ended by other drivers a couple of times, said Google spokeswoman Katelin Jabbari. That was verified by Bernard Soriano, deputy director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, adding “we’re pleased” by the safety record.

Company co-founder Sergey Brin has predicted Google’s cars be commercially available as soon as  2017. If so, that probably would be in limited areas for ride-sharing services or others who could operate the cars more economically than individual consumers, said Lawrence Burns, a former General Motors executive who’s now a Google consultant.

But eventually, he expects the cars to become commonplace, assuming they can get enough experience with bizarre situations to handle them without a hitch.

“I’m optimistic,” Burns said. “Every kilo is a chance to discover something unusual.”

NEW YORK — Old-time workouts from step aerobics to spinning are getting a new bounce with a system of aerial bungee cords called Spiderbands, fitness experts say.

Spiderbands look like TRX, a system of suspension cables that leverage body weight. While it may not suit every venue, fitness experts say it spins a web of resistance and assistance with enough variety to snare even the most restless exerciser.

Fitness trainer Franci Cohen, owner of Fuel Fitness in Brooklyn, New York, developed Spiderbands, which can be used in gyms where they are rigged to the ceiling and attached to the hands and feet. At her gym the Spiderbands are used with a soft matted floor.

“It’s basically a pliable inner tubing covered by a bungee outer sheath,” said Cohen of the weight-bearing bands, on which, depending on the workout, handles, bars and boxing gloves are attached.

Cohen, who holds a master’s in exercise physiology, took seven years to develop 19 Spiderband workouts, which range from step aerobics to yoga. She plans to expands the enterprise next year.

The aerial component gives a total-body cardio resistance workout that leverages gravity and body weight.

“Doing bicep curl on the ground, the rest of body is standing still, but with the bands, the body needs to balance,” she explained.

Body weight training, such as lunges, push-ups and squats, for which the Spiderbands can be used, are among the top fitness trends forecast for 2015 by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), which polled 3,400 health and fitness professionals worldwide.

Cohen said the bands allow exercisers to access challenging, otherwise unavailable, moves. Chin-ups that are out of reach for many women, are suddenly doable due to the buoyancy of the bungees.

“It’s as if you have a spotter working with you,” she said.

Exercise physiologist Neal Pire, an ACSM expert from New Jersey, calls the Spiderbands an “interesting little gizmo” that combines resistance with assistance.

“If you’re doing squats using those bands, it’s assistance on coming up; if you’re pulling down, it’s giving resistance,” he said. “It looks useful. So long as the exercises are assisted or resisted appropriately you have a good tool with a lot of variety.”

He also notes that the workout room requires construction appropriate to accommodate the bands.

“It’s a matter of constructing the room properly,” he said.

Winner of the inaugural 2014 Middle East Car of the Year annual awards’ Best Midsize SUV segment, the Hyundai Grand Santa Fe is among the Korean automotive giant’s best efforts and best resolved vehicles in its’ given segment.

A particularly well-executed interpretation of the brand’s evolving design language, the Grand Santa Fe looks and feels like a more up-market vehicle than the previous generation Santa Fe and larger Veracruz SUV, which the 7-seat Grand version Santa Fe directly replaces.

Nonetheless, the smooth and refined Grand Santa Fe still represents good value in its segment, and is generously well equipped.

Chiselled character

A well-resolved and chiselled design, the Hyundai Grand Santa Fe has an air of dynamism and solidity about it. With broad snouty trapezoidal grille set low and flanked by sharp swept back headlights and a large air intake angled out to the road, the Grand Santa Fe’s imposing face sits well with its muscular flanks and proportions.

Slightly wider than it is tall, the Grand Santa Fe sits on the road with a visually planted appearance, while the extended wheelbase over the shorter 5-seat version lends the Grand version a more elegant profile and sense of balanced proportion. 

With a rising shoulder line and side ridge extending from the top of the front wheel-arch to the top of the rear lights, the Grand Santa Fe’s sense of movement and dynamic tension is enhanced by its subtly descending roofline, tailgate spoiler and longer rear overhang.

The side crease-line curves around the rear lights, tapering inwards at the rear fascia. Lower black cladding visually reduces the Grand Santa Fe’s sense of bulk and along with skid-plate style metallic panels front and rear, lends a more aggressive off-road sense of appeal. Juxtaposing this are bumper-integrated chrome-outlined exhaust pipe openings for an elegant look.

Smooth delivery

Smooth and refined, the Hyundai Grand Santa Fe is powered by a 24-valve DOHC 3.3-litre V6 engine with continuously variable valve timing producing 266BHP at 6,400rpm and 234lb/ft at 5,300rpm.

Driven through a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic gearbox with aggressive first and second ratios, and delivering its power to all four wheels through a transverse-engine, front-drive derived four-wheel-drive system, the large and weighty Grand Santa Fe digs its heels into the ground on launch and can complete the benchmark 0-100km/h dash in 8.8 seconds.

Confidently quick for a large comfortable 7-seat SUV, the Grand Santa Fe can also attain a 207km/h maximum speed. 

With an over-square engine design and relatively high-revving power — rather than torque — biased engine, the Grand Santa Fe’s delivery is smooth, sweet and eager, with its progressive buildup and high peak points allowing for good throttle control.

Able to precisely dial in power through corners for predictable and progressive characteristics, the Grand Santa Fe’s engine nonetheless has decent low- and mid-range urge and flexibility for confident, quiet and flexible daily driving.

Tuned for smooth and supple rather than snappy or swift shifts, the Grand Santa Fe’s gearbox can, however, be operated in sequential mode to provide the driver with greater involvement and control.

Reassuringly smooth

A comfortable and smooth riding SUV, the Grand Santa Fe is stable, reassuring and composed on highways where cabin refinement levels are high. In town it is easier to manoeuvre than expected, with light steering, good visibility from the mirrors and reversing camera.

Set-up for a comfortably absorbent ride quality, the Grand Santa Fe takes rough road patches in its stride, and irons out harsh or jagged imperfections. Over sudden crests, dips or bumps the Grand Santa Fe’s relatively soft damping does, however, mean that it bounces slightly more than a less comfortable but firmer SUV on vertical rebound before settling.

Tuned to be well-damped and reassuring at speed and light in town, the Grand Santa Fe’ steering, however, delivers decent accuracy through corners, where it turns in tidy for such a tall and heavy SUV.

Through corners the comfortable Grand Santa Fe leans slightly, but feels well-controlled and natural, while its long wheelbase and sticky tyres provide excellent lateral grip. With a front-drive derived four-wheel-drive system the Grand Santa Fe can send power rearwards for added traction and through aggressive corners for additional grip.

At low speeds, its’ four-wheel-drive can be locked in for consistent traction and equal power distribution over wet, gravely or otherwise low traction surfaces.

Well-kitted comfort

Hugely practical and spacious the Hyundai Grand Santa Fe offers generous space for the five occupants of its front two rows and adequate space in the flat-folding third-row occasional use seats. Accommodating for passengers and cargo, the Grand Santa Fe features a maximum 1842 litres luggage capacity with the rearmost seat rows folded down.

Access to all rows is good while a power-tailgate is useful. Powered and heated memory front seats are well adjustable and complemented by reach and rake adjustable multi-function steering. Road views are commanding, while storage spaces and convenience kit is quite extensive, including dual zone climate control.

Comfortable and refined inside, the Grand Santa Fe’s cabin is well insulated from road noise, vibrations and harshness, while its cabin appointment is classy and welcoming. Fitted with quality stitched brown leather seats as tested the Grand Santa Fe had a hospitably elegant feel to it, while instrumentation and functions were user friendly.

Driven in GLS spec, the Grand Santa Fe was well-equipped and featured 19-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, rain sensor, side curtains, fog lights, xenon lights, roof rails, smart key, cruise control, folding mirrors and leather steering with audio controls.

A good CD sound system featured USB, MP3 and Bluetooth compatibility, while safety features included Isofix child seat latches, eight airbags, electronic stability control and ABS brakes.

Technical specifications

Engine: 3.3-litre, V6 cylinders

Bore x stroke: 92 x 83.8mm

Valve-train: 24-valve, DOHC, variable valve timing

Gearbox: 6-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 266 (270) [198] @ 6,400rpm

Specific power: 79.7BHP/litre

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 234 (317) @ 5,300rpm

Specific torque: 94.8Nm/litre

0-100 km/h: 8.8 seconds

Top speed: 207km/h

Fuel economy, city/highway/combined: 

14.4/8.3/10.5 litres/100km

Carbon dioxide emissions, combined: 245g/km

Fuel capacity: 71-litres

Length: 4,915mm

Width: 1,885mm

Height: 1,690mm

Wheelbase: 2,800mm

Track, F/R: 1,628/1,639mm

Overhang, F/R: 965/1,150mm

Aerodynamic drag co-efficient: 0.34

Approach/departure angles: 17.1°/20.5°

Cargo capacity, maximum: 1,842 litres

Kerb weight, min/max: 1,875/1,997kg

Suspension: MacPherson struts/multi-link

Steering: Electric assistance, rack & pinion

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs/discs

Braking distance, 100-0km/h: 41.5 metres

Tyres: 235/55R19

The New Oasis

Ibrahim Al Koni

Translated by William M. Hutchins

Cairo/New York: The American University in Cairo Press, 2014

Pp. 155

All six of Ibrahim Al Koni’s novels translated into English so far attest to his exceptional writing ability. Yet, “The New Oasis” seems particularly outstanding for its beautiful, lyrical prose. The text flows so smoothly that one is literally mesmerised by exquisite descriptions of the natural world of the Tuareq nomads in North Africa. Where casual observers might find only a barren landscape, Koni reveals the nuanced textures of the desert, from sweeping expanses of sand and rock to microenvironments containing surprisingly delicate flora and fauna, and shades of colour.

Equally powerful are the descriptions of the nomads’ culture and philosophy, and how they seamlessly move from the material world into a spiritual realm where much remains unspoken, but is nonetheless revealed in words by Koni’s pen. His is a writing style that matches his subject matter, revealing that both the landscapes and the people of the desert are far more complex than meets the eye; still, much remains mysterious. William M. Hutchins’ smooth translation skilfully captures both the originality and fluidity of Koni’s prose.

Nomadic life is sometimes viewed as the greatest freedom, but this story follows a tribe that is being boxed in by paradoxes and dilemmas — some caused by nature, others by neighbouring tribes or visitors, and still others by the nomads trying to adhere to their own ancient laws, which are subject to interpretation by the leader and his diviners.

One interpretation is that nomads are birds or, conversely, birds are winged people. “It is said that the diviners pursue the flocks of birds to discover the enigmatic secret the Spirit World has encoded in their behaviour, songs, and flight.” (p. 3)

While the birds migrate to the unknown, the nomads migrate in search of Waw, the lost oasis celebrated in Tuareq mythology, usually found only by those who are not looking for it. This paradox, and the tension between wandering and settling down, persists throughout the novel. 

When their leader dies, the tribe chooses the person dictated by “the Law”, but he is a poet who only reluctantly assumes the post, for it means isolating himself and giving up his lover, also a poet. Having a hesitant leader is perilous in an environment where group belonging is all important. It opens up uncertainty about the tribe’s very identity and mission. “Fear of becoming lost, dread of the labyrinth, motivates each bird in the tribe to cling to the tribe’s sign, its watchword, its melody. So each bird repeats its tribe’s song after the leader.” (p. 5)

Early on in the novel, one detects that Koni is not just spinning an arcane tale but honing in on existential questions that have persisted throughout human history. To hint at such connotations, each chapter begins with a quote from a famous writer or thinker — ranging from William Faulkner to Chinese philosophers, which speaks to the novel’s themes though originating in a totally different context. 

When the new leader “dies” and the tribe settles around his tomb, they are plagued by drought; debate erupts about the cause. Are they being punished for abandoning the nomadic life, for engaging in trade, dealing in the forbidden metal, gold dust, or working it into jewellery? One faction of the sages advises against quick, easy answers and insists “on searching for the real truth in another place… because celestial wisdom comes cloaked in mystery”. (p. 99)

In fact, the most serious search for truth is the dialogue between the “dead” leader and his chief diviner as they make a moonlight journey into another part the desert. Significantly, their communication is silent.

Much of the text, in fact, implicitly questions the value of speech and the meaning of words. This might seem ironic for a writer who has penned over 70 books in Arabic — a language he didn’t learn until 12 when he left his remote desert place of birth to attend a regular Libyan school, but this apparent downgrading of speech has several explanations.

On one level, it connects to Tuareq culture where men are veiled, especially their mouths, which are referred to as ugly in the novel. More significantly, it is part of Koni’s exploration of paradoxes and dialectics, playing on opposites that merge and separate again. In moving between multiple layers of meaning, from literal to symbolic, he is questioning received wisdom and searching for deeper truths that might apply to human civilisation at all times and places.

NEW YORK — Even in the absence of hunger, children as young as three won’t refuse a calorie-laden snack, according to a new study from Queensland University of Technology.

“Of the 37 children who took part in the study, all children displayed eating in the absence of hunger, even though more than 80 per cent reported being full or very full just 15 minutes earlier,” says nutrition researcher Holly Harris, from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation.

The result of her experiment, in which 100 per cent of her pint-sized three- and four-year-old subjects accepted snacks they were offered after a healthy, filling lunch, highlights the health risks for children bombarded with advertisements for delicious, yet unhealthy foods.

Infants, she says, won’t consume more than what their bodies require but as they grow they become aware of the rewarding effects of food, a sensation that overrides the internal hunger and satiety signals that once regulated appetite.

Although this is a natural reaction, Harris says the promotion of convenience foods creates a likelihood to respond to environmental rather than internal signals that eventually creates an imbalance in energy and food intake.

“Preserving this ability to self-regulate energy intake early in life may be the key to resisting environmental stimuli to eat, later in life,” she says.

Boys, says Ms Harris, were more likely than girls to be consistently pressured to eat by their mothers and the study draws an association between pressure to eat and eating in the absence of hunger.

“So forcing boys to eat their breakfast, lunch of dinner may impact their ability to self-regulate their snack food intake as well,” she says.

The study was published in the journal Eating Behaviours.

DUBLIN — Ten years since setting a trend with its workplace smoking ban, Ireland is pushing ahead to be the first EU state with plain packaging for cigarettes despite fierce opposition from tobacco companies.

As part of Dublin’s plan to make Ireland a smoke-free society by 2025 — meaning a prevalence rate of under 5 per cent — lawmakers will vote to introduce plain packaging in the new year.

Under the draft legislation before parliament, all forms of branding, including logos and colours, would be banned and all products would have a uniform packaging with graphic health warnings.

“The cigarette box is the last form of advertising that the industry has,” James Reilly, Ireland’s minister for children who is spearheading the drive, told AFP.

“Children are influenced by advertising. I believe this will prevent many children from taking up cigarette smoking.”

In March 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to adopt a total workplace smoking ban.

A decade on, Ireland is at the forefront for Europe, following Australia’s introduction of similar plain packaging legislation in 2012.

Canberra’s move was met with fierce opposition by tobacco companies and other nations, particularly tobacco-producing economies.

Five World Trade Organisation members have initiated dispute proceedings against Australia’s measures at the WTO, arguing the laws are an illegal restriction on trade.

‘No evidence’

As was the case in Australia, the tobacco companies are fighting Dublin’s plans.

“No evidence has emerged from Australia, where plain packaging has been in place for almost two years, showing that plain packaging has changed the rate of decline in smoking or has had any actual positive behavioural impact at all,” Japan Tobacco International’s general manager in Ireland, Igor Dzaja, told AFP in an e-mail interview.

The tobacco companies say no concrete evidence exists to show the Australian ban was responsible for a reduction in smoking rates, despite Canberra stating daily smoking rates are down from 15.1 per cent to 12.8 per cent in three years.

Pat Doorley, head of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland Policy Group on Tobacco, said 50 studies show the measure will work.

“The thrust of all these studies is that people prefer packages with the logos and the embossing and the colours to the plain packs,” he told AFP.

“The kids think they’re cooler. The other thing is people are less likely to take notice of health warnings on coloured packets.”

Dublin is also looking to ban smoking in cars with children and to continue increasing the price of tobacco.

In last month’s budget, 0.40 cents was added to the price of 20 cigarettes, bringing the cost to 10 euros for the first time.

Tobacco companies argue that plain packaging infringes their intellectual property rights.

Philip Morris International said imposing an “arbitrary ban on trademarks ignores the hard data showing that ‘plain packaging’ is misguided and unjustifiable”.

JTI agreed, stating “plain packaging would leave JTI unable to exploit its Intellectual Property Rights commercially, making them, for all practical purposes, valueless in Ireland”.

700,000 deaths a year

But Reilly is adamant Dublin will proceed with the plans, despite the opposition and possible legal challenges ahead.

“I think it’s testimony to the fact that it’s going to work given the tobacco industry’s very strong reaction to this.

“Across Europe 700,000 die every year from tobacco-related illnesses.”

Reilly said Ireland could hit its smoke-free target despite a current prevalence rate of 21.5 according to Ireland’s health service.

“Absolutely. One should always aim as high as one can.

“This is one of but a whole raft of different measures that we have taken to protect public health from this killer product.”

FRANKFURT — A European satellite beamed images to Earth using new laser-based communications technology on Friday, opening the way for uninterrupted and near instantaneous viewing of natural disasters being sent to governments and relief agencies.

The images were a test of a 450-million-euro ($562 million) space data highway being constructed. Called European Data Relay Satellite (EDRS), it will allow faster and more secure transmission of large amounts of data, such as pictures and radar images, to and from earth.

It is seen as particularly useful for monitoring flood and earthquake damage in real time.

"Currently, a satellite downloads the data that it acquires whenever it is within view of one of four ground stations on Earth," Josef Aschbacher, head of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth Observation Programme Planning & Coordination Service, told Reuters ahead of Friday's transmission.

"That means there can be periods of 45 to 90 minutes from the visibility of one station to another," he said.

Once completed, EDRS will do away with such blind spots by using two satellites - to be launched in 2015 and 2016 and equipped with laser technology - to send data to and from Earth or between satellites at a rate of 1.8 Gigabits per second.

That is about equivalent to sending all the data that could be printed in a one-metre long shelf of books in one second, according to generally accepted industry measures.

EDRS will also offer encryption for more secure transmissions, and will make Europe less dependent on ground stations abroad to access satellite data.

In Friday's transmission, a satellite launched as part of Europe's Copernicus project in April, Sentinel-1a, sent images across a distance of 36,000km to Inmarsat's communications satellite Alphasat, which relayed the signal to Earth.

The demonstration of the new technology is key to getting the European Commission's go-ahead for the space agency to sign an agreement making Airbus unit Astrium the operator of EDRS ahead of a December 22 deadline.

EDRS will later relay data on sea ice, oil spills or floods from the multibillion-euro Copernicus Earth observation project, but its services will also be available to other paying customers.