June 14, 2012 by Al Watan Daily

THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012

@alwatandaily

Issue No. 1463

12 PAGES

www.alwatandaily.com

150 Fils with IHT

Ben Ali sentenced to 20 years in prison

TUNIS: A Tunisian military court on Wednesday sentenced ousted dictator Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali to 20 years in jail in absentia for inciting “murder and looting” during a police attempt to smuggle his nephew out of the country during last year’s revolt. The case involves the death of four protesters, who were shot by police in the coastal town of Wardanein, as they tried to prevent the flight of Ben Ali’s nephew Qais, a day after the strongman himself flew out of the country on January 14. The victims’ relatives have accused the security apparatus of ordering police to open fire on the crowd. The court also slapped prison sentences of five to ten years, some in absentia, on several members of the security forces over the same incident. A military

prosecutor is also seeking the death penalty against the former dictator over a similar incident which saw at least 22 people killed in pro-democracy protests in the towns of Thala and Kasserine. Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia as protests engulfed Tunisia, has already been sentenced to decades in jail also in absentia - on charges ranging from corruption to torture and faces more charges. He and his wife are the subject of an international arrest warrant. There is, however, little indication that Riyadh would be willing to extradite Ben Ali. No senior officials have so far been convicted for the deaths of more than 300 people in last year’s uprising, angering the families of the dead and raising pressure on

Judiciary comes under attack Court acquits five officers over Al-Wasmi’s case

Mohammed Al-Salman, Mohammed Al-Khaldi, Osama Al-Qatari and Ahmed Al-Shemmari Staff Writers

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s judicial system has come under sharp criticism from certain MPs, lawyers and twitters through social networks. This development came following a decision by the High Court to acquit five security officers accused of using force against MP Dr. Obeid Al-Wasmi, who was beaten up during a symposium at MP Dr. Jamaan Al-Harbash’s diwaniya last December. The ruling has elicited immediate reactions from lawmakers. MP Al-Wasmi posted comments on his Twitter account saying, “We uphold law and the verdicts issued based on it. However, this is neither a ruling nor an application of the law. In short, I will never accept a judiciary which issues such decisions.” He added, “It has become a civil and moral duty to open this dossier and specify names. We will bear the implications and others in the judiciary also have a duty to bear the consequences of their actions.” The lawmaker went on to emphasize that each authority should be responsible and accountable. “This is closer to slavery, which is

unacceptable legally and morally,” Al-Wasmi scathingly said. The government has reportedly conveyed its discontentment to the National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun over critical comments by certain MPs in reaction to a verdict issued by the High Court acquitting five security officers Informed sources have reported that the government considers the scathing remarks as interference in the judiciary in violation of Article 50 of the Constitution. The said article stipulates that “The system of Government is based on the principle of separation of powers functioning in co-operation with each other in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. None of these powers may relinquish all or part of its competence specified in this Constitution.” The sources also pointed out that the comments are perceived to be defiance to the prerogative of His Highness the Amir in whose name verdicts are issued. In this vein, the speaker is due to pass on government’s displeasure to the MPs who have critically commented on the ruling, “blending the remarks with their political opinion.” It has been gathered that the MPs will be urged to uphold court verdicts and to respect the judicial authority.

the Tunisian government to ensure that justice is done. Tunisia’s government has faced persistent criticism over its failure to persuade Saudi Arabia to hand over Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi, a former hairdresser whose lavish lifestyle and clique of wealthy relatives came to be seen by many Tunisians as a symbol of the corrupt era. The weeks of protests that started in December 2010 toppled one of the most entrenched autocratic regimes in the Arab world and led to democratic elections in October that saw a moderate Islamist party rise to power. The strongman’s ouster toppled the first domino in the wave of protests which became known as the Arab Spring and is still sweeping the region.-Agencies

Iraq attacks kill at least 72 during Shiite pilgrimage

Russia defends weapons sales to Syria, says US arming rebels

DUBAI: Russia’s foreign minister on Wednesday defended his country’s sale of arms to Syria and accused the United States of supplying rebels with weapons to fight against the government. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday Washington was worried Russia may be sending attack helicopters to Syria and described as “patently untrue” Moscow’s argument that its arms transfers to Syria are unrelated to the conflict there. “We are not violating any international law in performing these contracts,” said Sergei Lavrov, in response to a question about Clinton’s comments at a news conference during a visit to Iran. “They are providing arms and weapons to the Syrian opposition that can be used in fighting against the Damascus government,” he said on Iranian state television, speaking through an interpreter. Russia is one of Syria’s principal defenders on the diplomatic front and, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council with the power to veto resolutions, has stymied efforts by Western powers to pressure President Bashar al-Assad into stepping down. Lavrov said Russia’s position was based on concern for the Syrian people and the country’s integrity, rather than personal preference for Assad. Russia is resisting Western and Gulf Arab pressure to take a harder line against Assad, rejecting calls for sanctions and proposing a conference bringing together global and regional powers including Iran. -Reuters

Saudi king asked to lift female driving ban

This image provided by NASA on June 14, 2012 shows a color composite of Saturn and its largest moon Titan, as captured by the Cassini spacecraft. A new study released today, suggests the presence of a hydrocarbon lake and several ponds near the equator of Titan, a surprise to scientists who thought lakes only existed at the poles. (AP)

UN global food forecasts good but fears over Yemen, Syria

PARIS: The UN’s food agency said Wednesday that this year’s forecasts for global food production are positive overall but warned that some areas will likely struggle due to armed conflict and displacement. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s report forecasts “a record increase of 3.2 percent in world cereal production in 2012, mainly on the strength of a bumper maize crop in the United States.” Despite the positive trend, “several regions of the world are expected to struggle with the consequences of poor rainfall, severe weather, armed conflict and displacement,” the Rome-based agency said. Countries in the Sahel continue to face serious challenges to food security due to locally high food prices and civil strife, it said, adding that Syria and Yemen are also experiencing increasing difficul-

ties. “The situation in Yemen and Syria reminds us of the clear link between food security and peace. Internal conflict is causing food insecurity. But it works the other way around as well,” FAO head Jose Graziano da Silva said. “Throughout the world we see crisis after crisis caused, in its entirety or in part, by the lack of food or disputes over natural resources, especially land and water,” he added. The report lists 35 countries -- 28 in Africa – which are in need of external food assistance, including Afghanistan, North Korea, Haiti, Iraq and Mali. Civil unrest in Syria has left an estimated one million people in need of humanitarian assistance while in Yemen about five million people are thought to need emergency food aid due to extreme poverty and prolonged conflict. -AFP

RIYADH: Hundreds of people have petitioned Saudi King Abdullah to allow women to get behind the wheel on the first anniversary of the Women2Drive campaign launched in June 2011. The signatories, who numbered nearly 600 on Wednesday, are asking the king of the only country in the world that forbids women to drive to “encourage women who have obtained driving licenses from neighboring countries to begin driving whenever necessary.” They also called on the monarch to “establish driving schools for women and (begin) issuing licenses.” The petition thanked the king, a cautious reformer, for giving women the right to vote in municipal elections set to take place in 2015, saying “our initiative is not aimed at violating laws.” “We only want to enjoy the right to drive like all women over the world,” said the petition signed by Manal Al-Sherif, the icon of an Internet campaign launched last year urging Saudi women to defy the driving ban. Sheima Jastaniah, who was pardoned by the king after being sentenced to 10 lashes for breaking the driving ban last September, has also signed the petition. Hundreds of women have driven since the campaign was launched and many of them have been arrested and forced to sign a pledge stating they will never drive again, according to activists. The campaign, which spread through Facebook and Twitter, was the largest mass action since November 1990, when 47 Saudi women were arrested and punished after demonstrating in cars. -AFP

Syria’s Foreign Ministry rejects civil war status CAPITALS: Syria’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that United Nations peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous’s comments that Syria is in a civil war was an unrealistic description of the conflict. “Talk of civil war in Syria is not consistent with reality... What is happening in Syria is a war against armed groups that choose terrorism,” Syrian state news agency SANA quoted a Foreign Ministry statement as saying. On Tuesday, Ladsous said the 15-month-old conflict in Syria, which started with peaceful protests against President Bashar Al-Assad’s rule, had grown into a full-scale civil war in which Damascus was attempting to recapture large swathes of urban territory it has lost to the armed opposition. It was the first time a senior UN official has declared that the Syrian conflict is a civil war. Civil war status would present legal implicationsforAssadandrebelfightersintermswarcrimes and compliance with the Geneva Conventions. More on 3 -Agencies

Denmark 2

Portugal 3

Netherlands 1

Germany 2

MORE ON 12

Today’s Matches:

Italy vs Croatia & Spain vs Ireland

Egypt authorizes military to arrest civilians

CAIRO: Egypt’s Justice Ministry on Wednesday gave the country’s military police and intelligence agents the right to arrest civilians over wide range of suspected crimes, including “resisting authorities,” sparking charges that the country’s military rulers want to extend their grip on power even after handing over to civilians. The decision comes during heightened tensions in Egypt, three days before a highly polarized presidential runoff election and a day before rulings by the country’s highest court that could dissolve the Islamist-dominated parliament and even cancel the Saturday-Sunday presidential vote. The decision, published in the official gazette, would remain in effect until a new constitution is in place. The process of writing a constitution has hit snags. On Tuesday the Islamist-dominated parliament voted on an assembly to draft the

document, but liberals boycotted the session. An earlier attempt to name the body collapsed because of opposition from liberals. Both times they charged that Islamists were unfairly dominating the procedure. Military analysts said the military arrest powers were a temporary measure intended to fill a security vacuum resulting from last year’s uprising, when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of the mass protests. “The police force has not recovered completely, and security is not back,” said Sayyed Hashim, a former military prosecutor, in a TV interview. Rights activists warned the new decision creates a reproduction of notorious emergency laws that expired recently and said that it also could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to civilians on time by the end of the See also 3 month. -AP

KSE drops 100 points, closes at 4-month low

World oil reserves up eight percent, supply fears persist LONDON: The world’s store of oil and gas jumped 8.3 percent last year, as exploration rose and record crude prices made marginal projects commercially viable, yet supplies will struggle to meet demand due to political factors, oil giant BP said on Wednesday. BP said in its annual calculation of global oil and gas reserves, considered the industry’s most comprehensive, that oil reserves totaled 1,653 billion barrels at the end of 2011. That was up from 1,526 billion barrels of extractable oil in the ground at the end of 2010, according to BP’s Statistical

Review of World Energy last year. “One perennial question is whether there are enough energy resources for our needs?” Chief Executive Bob Dudley said as he unveiled the report. “The answer from this review is certainly ‘yes’: At today’s consumption rates, the world has proved reserves sufficient to meet current production for 54 years for oil.” The report, based on governments’ official reserves statistics, including those challenged by analysts, also showed that gas reserves rose by over 11 percent in 2011. -Reuters

10,000 germ species live in and on healthy people

Undated handout image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shows a clump of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria. (AP)

WASHINGTON: They live on your skin, up your nose, in your gut - enough bacteria, fungi and other microbes that collected together could weigh, amazingly, a few pounds. Now scientists have mapped just which critters normally live in or on us and where, calculating that healthy people can share their bodies with more than 10,000 species of microbes. Don’t say “eeew” just yet. Many of these organisms work to keep humans healthy, and results reported Wednesday from the government’s Human Microbiome Project define what’s normal in this mysterious netherworld. One surprise: It turns out that nearly everybody harbors low levels of some harmful types of bacteria, pathogens that are known for causing specific infections. But when a person is healthy - like the 242 US adults who volunteered to be tested for the project - those bugs simply quietly coexist with benign or helpful microbes, perhaps kept in check by them. -AP

ALWATAN DAILY

local

THURSday, JUNE 14, 2012

29,895 seats for high school graduates at higher education institutions: Al-Hajraf

Jahra Road Project closes street 23 in residential Shuweikh for 2 Days KUWAIT: The supervising authority in charge of the Jahra Road development Project, one of the largest infrastructural ventures in Kuwait and worldwide in elevated multi-level roads, announced Wednesday in a press release that upon advancing in road and utility works in the project, a road block for Street 23 in residential Shuweikh is scheduled to commence on 14th June, 2012 to Saturday June 23 at noon for the purpose of relocating fresh water lines. Project Engineer Yasser Budastour said in a statement, “Within road and utility workings, we will be closing street 23 located in Residential Shuweikh for a period of two days starting this Thursday in order to work on relocating fresh water lines. The new water lines are to be installed with an altered path that does not cross the new bridge foundations or other road expansion works.

“We will be removing the existing water lines and replacing them with new water lines installation connecting them to the existing network and maintaining all services.” added Budastour. Accordingly, Engineer Yasser confirmed that all approvals have been obtained from the traffic authority and other related parties so that the closing of street 23 will subsist for 24 hours for a period of two days. Commenting on the course of this utility job, Engineer Budastour said that relocating fresh and brackish water lines comprises several stages of works starting with the supply of pipes and valves of different diameters, removal of existing lines and replacing them with the new installations. Furthermore, the water lines must be tested and granted approval from the Ministry of Electricity and Water finally to be connected to the existing water supply networks.

Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Acting Minister of Finance Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf speaking during a press conference held Wednesday, June 13, 2012. (KUNA)

KUWAIT: Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Acting Minister of Finance Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf said that 29,895 seats will be available for high school graduates in 2012/2013 at the Higher Education institutions including Kuwait University, the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) and private universities as well as foreign scholarships. In a press conference held Wednesday to announce the acceptance and scholarships plan, AlHajraf said that Kuwait University Board agreed to accept all Kuwaiti students who meet the conditions, noting that seven thousand seats will be available at the first semester and the rest of stu-

dents will be accepted in the second semester. The minister added that the private universities board provided 3055 seats in its scholarship plan for the masters and diploma. He added that the Higher Education Ministry provided 4000 seats for scholarships taking into account the graduates of English schools. Al-Hajraf said that the PAAET provided 15,750 seats in its colleges and institutes, adding that the ministry will provide the educational institutions with results in order to complete registration electronically without the need to provide documents. Al-Hajraf said that there are seats allocated for

students with special needs who wish to complete their study abroad. He added that students who recieve high marks will be immediately accepted in the foreign scholarships. For his part, Dean of Acceptance and Registration at Kuwait University Dr. Mothana Al-Refaei said that the university approved a new policy for acceptance, noting that the board approved accepting all Kuwaiti students who meet the conditions. He noted that the dead line for the academic skills test is June 30. He urged students to register in order to be able to join the colleges which accept only students who pass this test. -KUNA FILE-Photo of water pipes being installed.

Armenia attaches high significance to development of relations with Kuwait

Kuwait’s Ambassador to Armenia Bassam Mohammed Al-Qabandi (left) meets Armenia’s National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan (right) on Wednesday, June 13, 2012. (KUNA)

YEREVAN: Armenia’s National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan received Kuwait’s Ambassador to Armenia Bassam Mohammed Al-Qabandi. Welcoming the ambassador, National Assembly Speaker underlined that Armenia attaches high significance to development of relations with Arab states of the Gulf, National Assembly press service told Armenpress. Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted cooperation with Kuwait in different spheres, activation of ties between the parliaments of the two countries, cooperation in international parliamentary structures. Abrahamyan said in Armenia’s new parliament Armenia-Kuwait parliamentary friendship group has been already set up. The ambassador conveyed to Abrahamyan the congratulations and good wishes of Speaker of the Kuwaiti Nation-

al Assembly Ahmed Al-Saadoun on the occasion of Abrahamyan’s being reelected in the post of parliament speaker, as well as handed over an official invitation to visit Kuwait, noting that the visit will promote boosting of friendly relations between the two countries, activating interparliamentary ties. Al-Qabandi stressed his country attaches high importance to development of cooperation with Armenia in all directions, and said his mission is to promote development and strengthening of relevant relations. The ambassador is sure development of inter-parliamentary ties is of significance in regard to deepening of inter-state relations. During the meeting other issues concerning development of relations between the countries were discussed as well. -Agencies

Kuwait launches national geriatric program KUWAIT: Health Minister Dr. Ali Al-Obaidi announced, on Wednesday, the launch of a national geriatric program with the involvement of many government and private sectors. Al-Obaidi told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), after a meeting with top Ministry officials, that

the highly-leveled program aims at giving proper health care for elderly people at all of the country’s health clinics. The program will focus on physical and psychological health of senior citizens, as well as all health-related laws concerning this sector of the society. The program provides four major

services that include health screening, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. The Minister stressed that all government and private bodies of the country should engage and get familiarized with this program in order to render a better service for old people. -KUNA

Al-Ghannam Tires announces Nexen & Roadstone $5000 raffle draw KUWAIT: Al-Ghannam Tires, one of the leading tire retailer and the official and exclusive distributor of Nexen and Roadstone tires in Kuwait, unveiled in a press release recently the lucky winner of the first draw for 5000 US dollars under ‘Nexen - Roadstone buy three get one free’ scheme. The scheme was launched earlier last month on May 5th, and is made available to the customers across Kuwait through a network of 25 dealerships. The participating Al-Ghannam Tires Center branches, not only offer sale of multiple tire brands through these branches but also offer high end wheel and tire services to its customers at affordable prices. The scheme is valid through August 5, 2012. The announcement of the draw results came on June 10 under the supervision and the presence of Ministry officials at the Al-Ghannam Tire Center. In front of an eager crowd of major dealers, few customers, Vice President of Auto1 Global Tire Business Units Suresh and the entire team of AlGhannam Tires Center announced that they were delighted to find Hazem Ahmed Nabil emerging as the lucky winner for the first month draw who took back home $5000, the chance he earned through the purchase of Nexen tires for his Mitsubishi Gallant. Speaking to Nabil after his winning of this draw, he was very delighted to win this draw and noting that he had purchased the tires on May 7th, just two days since the scheme was launched and wanted to be an early bird to win this prize. He added, “I was checking for suitable and high quality Korean tires when I came across Nexen Tires.

Minister Safar signs KD 2.199 million contract for information systems building Staff Writer & Agencies

KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Planning and Development Dr. Fadhil Safar signed a contract for 2.199 million Kuwaiti dinars on Wednesday for the design and supervising the construction of a headquarter for the public department for information systems. The new phase of the project covers the studies and design aspects, at a value of KD 953,242, while the second phase includes supervision over construction for the sum of KD 1.246 million. The project involves construction of a building for administrative offices and a center for training of Interior Ministry employees. The agreement includes establishing a large state building which consists of different wings. A wing will be assigned for the assistant undersecretary for information and communication technology affairs. This wing will comprise other relevant offices. The other wings will be assigned for communication engineering general department, security systems general department and the center for training civil servants of interior ministry.

Foreign Minister holds luncheon for Omani counterpart KUWAIT: Deputy Premier, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on Wednesday held a luncheon in honor of Omani counterpart Youssef Bin Abdullah Bin Alawi, on the occasion of the latter’s official visit to the country. Bilateral relations and ways of strengthening them, as well as the latest regional and international updates were discussed during the banquet. The meeting was attended by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled’s Office Director Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, head of protocols and ceremonials department at the ministry ambassador Dhari Al-Ajran and a host of senior ministry officials, in addition to Omani Ambassador to Kuwait Salem Bin Suhail Al-Maashani. -KUNA

Jordan’s Premier arrives in Kuwait KUWAIT: Jordanian Prime Minister Fayez Al-Tarawneh, and his accompanying delegation, arrived in the country for a two-day official visit upon the invitation of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The Jordanian Minister was received, at Kuwait International Airport, by His Highness the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Acting Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. He was also received by Head of honorary mission at the Prime Minister’s Diwan Sheikh Dr. Salem Jaber AlAhmad Al-Sabah and a number of top state’s officials, advisors at the Premier’s Diwan as well as senior leaders from army, police and national guards. Deputy Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Somalia’s Ambassador to Kuwait attended the reception, in addition to the two countries’ ambassadors. -KUNA

Photo of the raffle draw winner receiving his prize on Saturday, May 10, 2012.

Coincidentally it was the right time to buy when I got a bonus deal of buy three get one free. He further added,”This was the first time I purchased tires from Al-Ghannam Tires Center Company and I am very happy with their service quality, I look forward to continue patronizing AlGhannam Tires and their products in the future.” After the draw result Board Member of KAPICO Group Holding Company Adel Al-Ghannam said, “We are delighted to announce the first win-

ner of the Nexen Roadstone buy three get one free campaign, a unique scheme which offers a double bonanza for our customers wherein they not only get one tire free on purchase of three tires but also get a chance to win $5000 for every 50 Kuwaiti dinars spent in the scheme. We are glad to note the overwhelming response to this offer and expect many more customers to benefit through this scheme in the coming months. We congratulate Nabil the winner of this draw”.

KOC has 80.2% of Kuwaiti labor: Al-Reshaid KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Sami Al-Reshaid revealed here on Wednesday that the percentage of Kuwaiti employees in the Company stood at 80.2 percent by the end of last year, saying that this figure exceeded the target of 79.5 percent. Al-Reshaid said in a statement that the training and career development group in the company has held an orientation to Kuwaiti graduates who joined work in KOC’s various sectors, pointing out that the company had organized some 2,779 training courses during this year in various disciplines inside and outside Kuwait. -KUNA

ALWATAN DAILY

WORLD The Eratosthenes scandal (Part 2)

By Hossam Fathi

In yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article, I said that a study published by a US-Egyptian scientist explained that Mubarak turned a blind eye to oil and gas explorations by Israel and Cyprus over the sunken mountain of Eratosthenes. An engineer, who is currently working in a Gulf State after being dismissed from his job, told me that some honest officials were aware of the size of the disaster and insisted on sending Egyptian missions to authenticate Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights in that promising area. In 1999, the Public Authority for Oil sent a major exploration company to work in the area, but its reports were ignored. In 2003, Egypt signed an agreement on marine border demarcation with Cyprus while Israel continued exploration and did not sign the agreement. Dr. Al-Shafei revealed that the Egypt branch of the Shell Company announced on Feb. 16, 2004 the discovery of huge reserves of gas in two deep wells south east of the Mediterranean Sea. But nobody knows what happened later. Dr. Al-Shafei also said that Israel borrowed the US exploration ship Nautilus, which contains three robot submarines, and surveyed the Eratosthenes Mountain and the entire area surrounding it until they reached the coasts of Egypt. The robot submarines also entered the Nile and took images of its banks. I believe that this issue must be a priority for the coming president of Egypt in order to restore the dignity and the stolen wealth of Egypt. hossam@alwatan.com.kw Twitter:@hossamfathy66

New Egypt constitution body faces fresh challenge

CAIRO: Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parliament has for the second time approved an assembly to draft a new constitution after the first attempt was criticized for including too many Islamists. But the list of 100 names immediately triggered similar objections from liberals and Christians, raising the prospect of fresh legal challenges to the new assembly in the courts the latest hurdle in Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bumpy transition to democracy. The delays mean the new president will not know the extent of his powers when he is elected in a run-off vote this weekend. Islamists hold about two-thirds of seats in parliament, leading to fears among liberals and minority Christians that they will again be sidelined in the new Egypt, despite their contribution to the overthrow of Hosni Mubarakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s militarybacked autocracy last year. The presidential run-off adds to those fears, pitting Mohamed Mursi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, against Ahmed Shafik, a former air force general who was Mubarakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last prime minister. The main parties in parliament said last week they had reached agreement on the shape of the constitutional assembly, and parliamentary speaker Saad AlKatatni told a joint session of both houses that approved the list late on Tuesday night: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This assembly saw many twists that hindered it for some time, but in the end it was formed to represent all Egyptian groups.â&#x20AC;? Katatni, who resigned from the Muslim Brotherhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party to take the speaker post, said the list included 33 people from political parties including members of parliament, as well as constitutional experts, judicial figures, Christian and Muslim clerics, union members and representatives of the army, police, government and Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth. However, some liberal and independent members walked out in protest on Tuesday before the final agreement, saying the list would under-represent women, intellectuals, and the Christians who make up a 10th of Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 82 million people.Amen Eskander, a member of parliament for the Al-Karama Party, said there would be too many Islamists in the assembly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;just like in the previous oneâ&#x20AC;?. -Reuters

Yemen presses ahead with offensive on militants JAAR: Yemen on Wednesday pressed ahead with a USbacked offensive to drive Al Qaeda-linked insurgents from the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s south, a day after the army notched up its biggest victory in more than a year by recapturing two strategic cities. Three airstrikes targeted areas held by militants inside and outside of the town of Azzan, killing at least 30 fighters and wounding dozens more, Colonel Ahmed Al-Maqdashi, head of security in Shabwa province, said in statement posted on the Defense Ministryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website. The attacks appeared to underscore the armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s determination to press home its advantage after recapturing the cities of Jaar and Zinjibar on Tuesday, forcing hundreds of Islamist fighters to flee. It was not immediately clear if Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strikes were carried out by Yemeni warplanes or US drones. One local official in Azzan said at least one strike was by a drone. Washington has repeatedly used drones to target Yemeni militants in order to try to contain a threat it has been urging the government to take more seriously. Ansar Al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), an offshoot of Al Qaeda in Yemen, said in a statement that US drones had launched five attacks in Azzan on Wednesday morning. It denied any of its fighters had been killed or wounded. The recapture of Jaar and Zinjibar was the armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most significant victory against the militants in more than a year of political turmoil that has taken Yemen to the brink of civil war and fuelled fears about Al Qaedaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence in a country that is next door to Saudi Arabia, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top oil exporter. Some residents of the two wrecked cities began to return to their homes on Wednesday. Emboldened by waning government control over the impoverished country during last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular protests that ousted former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, militants seized Jaar in March 2011, before occupying Zinjibar and the coastal town of Shaqra. US officials say that President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi - who came to power in February after Saleh signed a power transfer deal brokered by the Gulf states - is more cooperative in the fight against Islamist militancy than his predecessor. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is believed to be the most active branch of the global network and has plotted a number of botched attempts against US targets. -Reuters

THURSdAY, June 14, 2012

Tunisia: 1 dead, 62 injured in riots by Islamists TUNIS, Tunisia: Tunisiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders on Wednesday condemned extremists after days of riots by radical Islamists left one man dead, injured 62 security personnel and led to more than 160 arrests. Ultraconservative Islamists known as Salafis attacked an art gallery Sunday in a Tunis suburb for an exhibition they said insulted Islam. After security forces dispersed them with tear gas, gangs attacked police stations around the country over the next few days. Clashes between secular groups and religious hardliners have been on the rise in recent months, but this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s violence is unprecedented and comes just two days after the terror group Al-Qaeda urged Tunisians to rise up against the governing moderate Islamist party Ennahda. In the coastal town of Sousse, 22-year-old Fehmi Aouini, a university student, died of his wounds Wednesday after being shot in the head during clashes between security forces and Salafists, the Farhat Hached hospital said. The North African nation that held its first free election last year is bracing for renewed unrest on Friday, the Muslim holy day, when conservative religious groups have called for renewed demonstrations against insults to the faith. A joint statement Wednesday by the president, prime minister and head of parliament condemned unidentified â&#x20AC;&#x153;extremist groupsâ&#x20AC;? for â&#x20AC;&#x153;threatening the freedoms of Tunisiaâ&#x20AC;? and noted that these riots were taking place just as the country was getting back on its feet and the economy improving. Tunisia for half a century was ruled by a secular dictatorship that fiercely repressed any Islamist sentiment. Since the overthrow of the regime in January 2011, religious groups have sprouted up. Ennahda won an historic election last fall and allied itself with two secular parties, but hardline groups, including Al-Qaeda, say the government is not doing enough to implement Islamic law. The leader of Ennahda, Rachid Ghannouchi, said in an interview that Ayman AlZawahri, the leader of Al-Qaeda who recently condemned Tunisia, was â&#x20AC;&#x153;a catastrophe for Is-

FILE - A Tunisian firefighter tries to extinguish a burning tyre on top of a truck after it was set on fire by radical Islamists protesters during overnight riots in Sijoumi near Tunis, Tuesday, May 12, 2012. (AP)

lam and Muslims.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are against extremism regardless of the ideology, whether secular or Salafi, and the law must be applied to all those who violate it,â&#x20AC;? he said. Tunis, the capital, was calm on Wednesday after days of violence swept across the country. On Tuesday in Sousse, a mob attacked the

local palace of fine arts and attempted to set it on fire with firebombs. In some areas young men took up weapons to protect their neighborhoods from religious extremists, according to the state news agency. Late Sunday, hundreds of extremists destroyed artworks at an exhibit in the Tunis suburb of La Marsa that included paintings that

caricatured Mecca, portrayed a nude woman and showed the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;Allahâ&#x20AC;? spelled with strings of ants. The art gallery in Tunis has since been closed by the government. Minister of Culture Mehdi Mabrouk said while the government supports the freedom of expression, it is opposed to any insults to religion. -AP

Iraq attacks kill at least 72 during Shiite pilgrimage BAGHDAD: A wave of apparently coordinated bombings and shootings rocked Iraq during a major Shiite religious commemoration on Wednesday, killing at least 72 people and wounding more than 250, many of them pilgrims. The attacks, which came as pilgrims flocked to a shrine to mark the anniversary of the death of Imam Musa Kadhim, a revered imam in Shiite Islam, were the deadliest in Iraq since August 15, 2011 when 74 people were killed. The targeting of Shiite pilgrims was a stark reminder of Sunni-Shiite violence which tore Iraq apart in 2006-2007 and was condemned by parliament speaker Osama Al-Nujaifi, who termed it an attempt â&#x20AC;&#x153;to provoke sectarian strife.â&#x20AC;? Baghdad was hit by 10 bomb attacks and two shootings that killed at least 28 people and wounded dozens more, according to an inte-

rior ministry official and a medic. The deadliest attack in the capital saw a car bomb explode in the Karrada neighborhood of central Baghdad where pilgrims were eating breakfast in tents. Human remains were scattered across the street, while cars and shops in the area were damaged, an AFP journalist said. The attack, in which a medical official said 16 people died and 32 were wounded, appeared aimed at the Shiite pilgrims as they headed in their tens of thousands to Imam Kadhim shrine in the northern neighborhood of Kadhimiyah. Another car bomb on the outskirts of Kadhimiyah, which an interior ministry official and a medic said killed seven people, left a hole two meters (yards) deep in a street, damaged cars and destroyed a number of makeshift houses.

Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foreign Ministry rejects civil war status

CAPITALS: Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that United Nations peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsousâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comments that Syria is in a civil war was an unrealistic description of the conflict. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talk of civil war in Syria is not consistent with reality... What is happening in Syria is a war against armed groups that choose terrorism,â&#x20AC;? Syrian state news agency SANA quoted a Foreign Ministry statement as saying. On Tuesday, Ladsous said the 15-monthold conflict in Syria, which started with peaceful protests against President Bashar Al-Assadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rule, had grown into a full-scale civil war in which Damascus was attempting to recapture large swathes of urban territory it has lost to the armed opposition. It was the first time a senior UN official has declared that the Syrian conflict is a civil war. Civil war status would present legal implications for Assad and rebel fighters in terms war crimes and compliance with the Geneva Conventions. Damascus sees the conflict as a foreign-backed conspiracy against its legitimate rule and asked on Wednesday that â&#x20AC;&#x153;UN officials and Ladsous in particular deal objectively and impartially and accurately with current developments in Syria.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Syria has not descended into civil war, but is witnessing a struggle to eradicate the scourge of terrorism and revenge killing, kidnappings and ransom, bombings and attacks on state institutions and the destruction of public and private property and other brutal crimes,â&#x20AC;? the Arabic-language statement said. Meanwhile, Syrian troops on Wednesday crossed briefly into eastern Lebanonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s border region of Masharii Al-Qaa and planted mines around the home of a local resident, a Lebanese security official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP the troops entered some 300 metres (yards) inside Lebanese territory and placed the mines outside Mohammad Akeelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home. But a local resident, Tanios Nasrallah, told AFP the mines were planted

on the Syrian side of the border, which is not clearly delineated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The mines were placed several meters away from the Lebanese border,â&#x20AC;? he said. The Syrian army has on several occasions planted mines along the border with Lebanon to prevent smuggling and rebels fleeing the unrest. Also Wednesday, the official SANA news agency quoted officials as saying Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northwest region of Al-Haffeh has been â&#x20AC;&#x153;cleansedâ&#x20AC;? of terrorists and â&#x20AC;&#x153;calm has been restoredâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The authorities pursued the remaining terrorists in the villages surrounding AlHaffehâ&#x20AC;? where they â&#x20AC;&#x153;killed and arrested a number of themâ&#x20AC;?, SANA said, adding that government forces also sustained casualties in the clashes. Authorities reported that large quantities of weapons were confiscated from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;terroristsâ&#x20AC;? including â&#x20AC;&#x153;missiles ... sniper rifles, machine guns, improvised explosive devices, mortar launchers, RPGs and large amounts of ammunition.â&#x20AC;? Syrian rebels withdrew on Wednesday from the besieged town of Al-Haffeh and nearby villages that had been under intense shelling by regime forces for eight days, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The town and villages of Al-Haffeh were subjected to aerial, tank and rocket bombardment, as well as a suffocating siege by regime forces and thugs,â&#x20AC;? the rebel Free Syrian Army said, adding that its fighters retreated â&#x20AC;&#x153;to avoid falling into the regimeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civil war trap.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rebels withdrew from Al-Haffeh and the entire region at dawn in order to spare the lives of residents undergoing extremely violent shelling,â&#x20AC;? said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. In a statement, the rebel FSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Military Council described the retreat as a tactical move â&#x20AC;&#x153;to avoid a massacre by regime forces of Al-Haffehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remaining residents.â&#x20AC;? The rebels also evacuated â&#x20AC;&#x153;the injured, the martyrs, women and childrenâ&#x20AC;? from the area, it said. Describing the area as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a disaster zone,â&#x20AC;? the rebels vowed to continue fighting. -Agencies

Coordinated attacks took place across other centers, including in the central city of Hilla, where a police captain and doctor Ali Al-Khafaji at the main hospital said two car bombs killed 20 people and wounded 51 others. Ten people, meanwhile, were killed in a wave of attacks in and around Baquba, north of Baghdad, security and medical officials said. In the northern city of Kirkuk, three car bombs killed two people and wounded at least 17 more, the interior ministry official and doctor Nabil Hamdi Mushnaq of Kirkuk hospital said. Marwan Ibrahim, a 34-year-old journalist who has worked for AFP since 2003, was wounded by a car bomb while reporting on the attacks in Kirkuk. Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attacks come during a political row that has seen opponents of Prime

Minister Nuri Al-Maliki mounting an attempt to oust him, but so far failing due to a lack of votes. Malikiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opponents have for months accused him of monopolising decision-making and moving toward dictatorship. A statement on Malikiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website onWednesday said that he had warned during a meeting against â&#x20AC;&#x153;political differences that ... may negatively affect the security situation.â&#x20AC;? The Iraqiya bloc, one of the parties pushing for Maliki to be unseated, said that it â&#x20AC;&#x153;holds the government and he (Maliki) who controls ... the security forces fully responsible for establishing security.â&#x20AC;? Violence across Iraq has declined dramatically since the 2006-2007 peak but attacks remain common, especially in Baghdad. A total of 132 Iraqis were killed in May, official figures show. -AFP

$ ZHOO NQRZQ HVWDEOLVKHG FRPSDQ\ LV ORRNLQJ WR IXOÂżOO WKH IROORZLQJ SRVLWLRQ :DUHKRXVH 0DQDJHU FRGH :0

'XWLHV

Â&#x2018; 0DQDJH VWRFN FRQWURO WKH VHOI DVVXUHG UHFHLSW VWRUDJH UHWULHYDO DQG WLPHO\ GHOLYHU\ RI JRRGV VKLSPHQW ORDGLQJ WUDQVIHUULQJ GRFXPHQW UHFRUGLQJ DQG GDWD HQWU\ LQWR V\VWHP Â&#x2018; 3ODQQLQJ 2UJDQL]LQJ DQG &RQWUROOLQJ RI :DUHKRXVHÂś RYHU DOO RSHUDWLRQV Â&#x2018; &RQVWDQWO\ SODQ RXW DOO ZDUHKRXVH UHVRXUFHV DQG DFWLYLWLHV LQ UHODWLRQ WR FRPSDQ\ REMHFWLYHV DQG VHW WDUJHWV Â&#x2018; 0DNH SODQV WR GHYHORS VWDIIV RI ZDUHKRXVH E\ LQWHUQDO RQ MRE WUDLQLQJ Â&#x2018; )ROORZ XS FRQWURO GDLO\ DEVHQFH DQG RYHU WLPH Â&#x2018; ,VVXH ,QYHQWRU\ UHSRUW GDLO\ ,1 287 VWDWXV UHSRUW GHDG VWRFN UHSRUW JRRGV DJH UHSRUW FRQVXPSWLRQ UHSRUW DQG PDQSRZHU VWDWXV UHSRUW WR 2SHUDWLRQV 0DQDJHU Â&#x2018; %DODQFLQJ GDLO\ EDQN GHSRVLWV Â&#x2018; &UHDWLRQ RI GDLO\ ZRUN ORJV DQG WUDQVPLVVLRQ RI LW WR FRUSRUDWH Â&#x2018; $XGLW RI GDLO\ ODERU DQG ELOOLQJ UHSRUWV Â&#x2018; 0DLQWDLQV GHOLYHU\ YHKLFOHV H J FKHFNLQJ IXHOLQJ FOHDQLQJ HWF IRU WKH SXUSRVH RI HQVXULQJ VDIH RSHUDWLRQ RI YHKLFOH

5HTXLUHG TXDOLÂżFDWLRQV

Â&#x2018; *RRG LQWHUSHUVRQDO FRPPXQLFDWLRQ VNLOOV Â&#x2018; )OXHQW LQ (QJOLVK DQG $UDELF RUDO DQG ZULWWHQ FRPPXQLFDWLRQ VNLOOV Â&#x2018; /LWHUDWH LQ FRPPRQ ,7 06 2IÂżFH $SSOLFDWLRQV ( PDLO ,QWHUQHW

Â&#x2018; $ELOLW\ WR KDQGOH VWUHVV DQG WR ZRUN XQGHU WLPH SUHVVXUH Â&#x2018; 9DOLG GULYHU OLFHQVH DQG FDU

6WRUH LQ &KDUJH &RGH 6,

.H\ 'XWLHV 5HVSRQVLELOLWLHV

Â&#x2018; 5HFHLSW 'LVSDWFK RI JRRGV Â&#x2018; +DQGOLQJ 6WDONLQJ RI JRRGV Â&#x2018; ,QVSHFWLRQ RI VWRFNV Â&#x2018; 5HFHLYLQJ 3URFHVVLQJ RI &XVWRPHU 2UGHUV Â&#x2018; $VVXUH WKH TXDQWLW\ TXDOLW\ RI JRRGV UHFHLYHG GHOLYHU Â&#x2018; 0RQLWRULQJ WKH VWRFN Ă&#x20AC;RZ LQ WKH ZDUHKRXVH Â&#x2018; 0DLQWDLQLQJ K\JLHQH GLVFLSOLQH LQ ZDUHKRXVH Â&#x2018; 0DQDJLQJ Ă&#x20AC;HHW RUGHU GLVWULEXWLRQ V\VWHP Â&#x2018; *RRG IDVW GHFLVLRQ PDNHU VLWXDWLRQ PDQDJHPHQW

Â&#x2018; ([FHOOHQW $UDELF (QJOLVK FRPPXQLFDWLRQ VNLOOV LQFOXGLQJ UHSRUWLQJ WR WKH XSSHU PDQDJHPHQW RQ GDLO\ EDVLV

Â&#x2018; $EOH WR ZRUN LQ GLIIHUHQW GXW\ VKLIWV Â&#x2018; $EOH WR PDQDJH D WHDP RI HPSOR\HHV Â&#x2018; *RRG LQ GRFXPHQWDWLRQ UHFRUG NHHSLQJ

&DQGLGDWHV PHHWLQJ WKH DERYH PHQWLRQHG FULWHULD VKRXOG VHQG WKHLU & 9 WR

UHFUXLWPHQW#XPHGLD FRP NZ DQG OLVW MRE WLWOH FRGH LQ WKH VXEMHFW ÂżHOG

ALWATAN DAILY

OPINION / VIEWS

THURSdAY, June 14, 2012

What happened to India?

Industrialization requires a transparent system for acquiring land from farmers and tribal people, which in turn presupposes much better landownership records than India has.

Raghuram Rajan

Project Syndicate

merging markets around the world - Brazil, China, India, and Russia, to name the largest - are slowing. One reason is that they continue to be dependent, directly or indirectly, on exports to advanced industrial countries. Slow growth there, especially in Europe, is economically depressing. But a second reason is that they each have important weaknesses, which they have not overcome in good times. For China, it is excessive reliance on fixed-asset investment for growth. In Brazil, low savings and various institutional impediments keep interest rates high and investment low, while the educational system does not serve significant parts of the population well. And Russia, despite a very well educated population, continues to be reliant on commodity industries for economic growth. Hardest to understand, though, is why India is underperforming so much relative to its potential. Indeed, annual GDP growth has fallen by five percentage points since 2010. For a country as poor as India, growth should be what Americans call a “nobrainer.” It is largely a matter of providing public goods: basic infrastructure like roads, bridges, ports, and power, as well as access to education and basic healthcare. And, unlike many equally poor countries, India already has a very strong entrepreneurial class, a reasonably large and well-educated middle class, and a number of world-class corporations that can be enlisted in the effort to provide these public goods. Satisfying the demand for such goods is itself a source of growth. But, also, a reliable road creates tremendous additional activity, as trade increases between connected areas, and myriad businesses, restaurants, and hotels spring up along the way. As India did away with the stultifying License Raj in the 1990s, successive governments understood the imperative of economic growth, so much so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contested the 2004 election on a pro-development platform, encapsulated in the slogan, “India Shining.” But the BJP-led coalition lost that election. Whether the debacle reflected the BJP’s unfortunate choice of coalition partners or its emphasis on growth when too many Indians had not benefited from it, the lesson for politicians was that growth did not provide electoral rewards. In any event, that election suggested a need to spread the benefits of growth to rural areas and the poor. There are two ways of going about that. The first, which is harder and takes time, is to increase income-generating capabilities in rural areas, and among the poor, by improving access to education, healthcare, finance, water, and power. The second is to increase voters’ spending power through populist subsidies and transfers, which typically tend to be directed toward the politically influential rather than the truly needy. In the years after the BJP’s loss, with a few notable exceptions, India’s political class decided that traditional populism was a surer route to re-election. This percep-

tion also accorded well with the median (typically poor) voter’s low expectation of government in India - seeing it as a source of sporadic handouts rather than of reliable public services. For a few years, the momentum created by previous reforms, together with strong global growth, carried India forward. Politicians saw little need to vote for further reforms, especially those that would upset powerful vested interests. The lurch toward populism was strengthened when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance concluded that a rural employment-guarantee scheme and a populist farmloan waiver aided its victory in the 2009 election. But, while politicians spent the growth dividend on poorly targeted giveaways such as subsidized petrol and cooking gas, the need for further reform only increased. For example, industrialization requires a transparent system for acquiring land from farmers and tribal people, which in turn presupposes much better land-ownership records than India has. As demand for land and land prices increased, corruption became rampant, with some politicians, industrialists, and bureaucrats using the lack of transparency in land ownership and zoning to misappropriate assets. India’s corrupt elites had moved from controlling licenses to cornering newly valuable resources like land. The Resource Raj rose from the ashes of the License Raj. India’s citizenry eventually reacted. An eclectic mix of idealistic and opportunistic politicians and NGOs mobilized people against land acquisitions. With investigative journalists getting into the act, land acquisition became a political land mine. Moreover, key institutions, such as the Comptroller and Auditor General and the judiciary, staffed by an increasingly angry middle class, also launched investigations. As evidence emerged of widespread corruption in contracts and resource allocation, ministers, bureaucrats, and high-level corporate officers were arrested, and some have spent long periods in jail. The collateral effect, however, is that even honest officials are now too frightened to help corporations to navigate India’s maze of bureaucracy. As a result, industrial, mining, and infrastructure projects have ground to a halt. Populist government spending and the inability of the supply side of the economy to keep pace has, in turn, led to elevated inflation, while Indian households, worried that no asset looks safe, have taken to investing in gold. Because India does not produce much gold itself, these purchases have contributed to an abnormally wide current-account deficit. Not much more was required to dampen foreign investors’ enthusiasm for the India story, with the rupee falling significantly in recent weeks. As with the other major emerging markets, India’s fate is in its own hands. Hard times tend to concentrate minds. If its politicians can take a few steps to show that they can overcome narrow partisan interests to establish the more transparent and efficient government that a middle-income country needs, they could quickly re-energize India’s enormous engines of potential growth. Otherwise, India’s youth, their hopes and ambitions frustrated, could decide to take matters into their own hands.

When dangerous strategies escalate volatile situations

Khaled Al-Saleh

t is an uncontested fact that we; human beings have always been, are and will always be unsuspecting victims of political plots that are usually hatched by those in authority in the corridors of power. This sad and unfortunate reality surely translates to the fact that there is no real value for human beings anywhere in the world. The precious lives of human beings (which are precious gifts showered on man by the Lord God Almighty) are now rendered to be cheap; which is deemed evident through the horrific massacres that are being committed against innocent, unarmed and helpless Syrian civilians. Peoples across the whole wide world are helplessly watching and condemning the massacres but are unable to do anything about it since it is simply out of their jurisdiction while politicians who are aware of the games being played behind the scenes seem to be maintaining a conspicuous silence. This is certainly obvious in the sense that every single strategy that is being played by those politicians is immediately followed by another to increase the pain and suffering of the Syrian people. It is even worse when those dangerous strategies only end in escalating the conflict to more perilous levels. To cite a case in point, one would surely rest assured in the hope that the situation would definitely be brought under control after the United Nations Security Council was in agreement with Annan’s proposed plan to ease the situation; but much to the consternation of all those concerned, new strategies imposed by the Syrian regime have escalated the situation further as was clearly evident in May when 100 people were lit-

erally butchered in the Al-Houla massacre; which included 49 innocent children. The gory bloodbath did not end there as it was followed by the Al-Qubeir massacre that claimed the lives of 80 civilians -- most of them women and children. In addition, two other massacres were also witnessed in Deraa and Edleb a couple of days ago while it is only too plausible that similar bloodbaths will be repeated over and over again with no end in sight. History has always been witness to the fact that massacres such as these have always been witnessed over the ages in deplorable attempts to sow and trigger the seeds of sedition among people; leading to civil war. History has also taught us that citizens of countries that engage in civil war eventually end up taking the law into their own hands to wreak vengeance on one another. Countries in the region, that are blessed with the most important resource in the form of oil, should get down on their knees and thank the Lord God Almighty for blessing them with such rich resources instead of misusing the funds accrued through oil sales to buy arms, ammunition and building nuclear reactors; a fine example of which is Iran. In fact if one evaluates the actual worth of oil and gas reserves in countries across the Middle East, its total worth can save the United States, Russia, China and most countries across Europe who are reeling from current economic crisis. On the other hand; and in the midst of all this chaos, commotion and horrific massacres erupting in the region, we have Israel, our archenemy, lurking quietly in the shadows and observing the rapid pace of development in countries across the GCC. In fact, if one undertakes simple calculations perti-

nent to the current scientific and industrial developments, in addition to the soaring prices of gas and oil, the combined strength of countries in the GCC might one day surely pose a formidable threat to Israel. Israel, on the other hand, is surely aware of such a probability and hence; will leave no stone unturned in reinforcing its defense and striking capabilities to effectively counter any intrusions on its soil. The situation in Syria has now escalated to such dangerous levels that those massacres will surely trigger the scourge of sectarianism, and in the likely event that countries in the GCC tend to lose focus; they will find themselves involved in an unwarranted conflict that will simply evaporate all their hopes and aspirations where growth and development are concerned. I am simply not exaggerating because this has happened in the past at a time when the late dictator Saddam Hussein literally dragged counties in the region and across the world into a war that witnessed not only his own devastation but that of his people as well. However, if the situation is repeated this time around; it will surely be far more dangerous because people in the region will actually participate in fuelling a small spark that will explode into a ravaging fire. The Syrian leader and his regime must step down much sooner than later and Syria must be declared a democratic country; a country where people can experience and enjoy the freedom of speech and strive hard towards their country’s development. The Syrians must shoulder this responsibility collectively while we, in turn, must bring ourselves to lend them our overwhelming support, without nursing any animosities or sectarian sentiments.

Ali Farzat

cracy Demo

Raghuram Rajan, a former chief economist of the IMF, is Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Living Europe’s nightmare

Christopher T. Mahoney

Project Syndicate

osing a long war is always hard to accept. Hemmed in by the Americans and the Russians in the final days of World War II, Hitler convinced himself that he had two armies in reserve to mount a counter-attack and win the war. Meanwhile, having lost the entire Pacific, Japan’s Imperial Cabinet believed that no enemy could set foot upon the country’s sacred soil. When the truth is unimaginable, human psychology finds an alternative reality in which to dwell. That describes the global situation today. The entire planet seems to be in denial about what is about to occur in the eurozone. Pundits keep expecting Germany to pull a rabbit out of the hat and flood the continent with Eurobonds, or that Mario Draghi will mount a coup at the European Central Bank and buy up every deadbeat country’s bonds. Either could happen, but both are extremely unlikely. Germany cannot guarantee the eurozone’s debt without control over the eurozone, which no one has offered, and Northern Europe will not permit the ECB to be hijacked by “Club Med” and turned into a charity organization. It is not just a matter of politics; it is also - as the Germans keep

pointing out - a matter of law. Europe has a Plan A, whereby each country would reform its economy, recapitalize its banks, and balance its budget. But Plan A is not working: its intended participants, most notably France, are rejecting it, and there is an emerging southern European consensus that austerity is not the solution. Greece’s recent election has put it in the anti-austerity vanguard. Italy and Spain (which does not have enough money to bail out its banking system), have similarly called for an end to austerity, and Ireland will be voting on it soon. All have lost access to the bond market, and Portugal is so far beyond hope that its sovereign debt is trading for cents on the euro. There is no well-thought-out plan for the orderly exit of the eurozone’s insolvent countries. There are no safeguards, no plans, no roadmap - nothing. The Maastricht Treaty, like the United States Constitution, did not provide for an exit mechanism. So, instead of realism and emergency planning, we get denial and more happy talk. But, just because something is “unthinkable” doesn’t mean that it can’t happen. In fact, it already is happening. Greece is rapidly running out of money; its residents are withdrawing their deposits and have stopped paying their taxes and utility bills. Even if the country can stay afloat until the June 17 election, a disorderly eurozone exit, default, and currency redenomination will follow. Greece will be dependent upon foreign aid for essential imports such as petroleum and food. Civil order will be difficult to maintain, and the army may be forced to step in (again). Once Greece goes, runs on bank deposits are likely to follow in Spain and Italy. There is nothing to stop Spanish

Massive wealth destruction, combined with global financial chaos, would pose a challenge to monetary policymakers worldwide. and Italian depositors from wiring their euros from their local bank to one in Switzerland, Norway, or New York. At that point, the only thing still standing between the eurozone and financial chaos will be the ECB, which could buy government bonds and fund the bank runs. The scale of such an operation would be enormous, and would expose the ECB to huge credit risk. But it could, in principle, step in - if Northern Europe permitted. If the ECB does not step in, Italy and Spain, too, will be forced to exit the eurozone, default on their euro-denominated sovereign and bank obligations, and re-denominate into national currency. Massive losses would be imposed on the global financial system. Given the opacity of banks’ exposures, creditors would be unable to discriminate between the solvent and the insolvent (as was the case in September 2008). The US banks most likely to be affected by such a scenario would be the globalists: Citigroup, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley. They would require a rescue package similar to the US Troubled Asset Relief Program, created after Lehman Brothers’ collapse in 2008. The US can afford a second TARP, but it would require congressional legislation, which is not guaranteed (though the US Federal Reserve can, of course, keep the system funded no matter what).

Massive wealth destruction, combined with global financial chaos, would pose a challenge to monetary policymakers worldwide. Central banks would be tasked with preventing deflation, implying a major round of quantitative easing. But, since banks are the transmission mechanism for monetary stimulus, this presupposes functioning banking systems. Each country would need to restore confidence in its banks’ solvency, which would most likely require a blanket bank guarantee and a recapitalization scheme (such as TARP). The US financial system can withstand any shock, because the US can print the money that it needs. The Fed can maintain nominal prices, nominal wages, and growth if it acts heroically, as it did in 2008. The stock market will react negatively to the level of uncertainty caused by the collapse of the European financial system (as it did in 1931), and the dollar, yen, and gold should benefit. The fate of the British pound and Swiss franc is impossible to say; they could benefit as safe havens, but their banks are highly exposed to the eurozone. It is bad enough that the world is utterly unprepared for the future that can be foreseen. The unanticipated financial, economic, and political consequences of the coming crisis could be even worse. Christopher T. Mahoney is a former Vice Chairman of Moody’s.

Have an opinion?

Share it with the world! The Al Watan Daily accepts articles written on any subject, expressing personal views on topics you care about or in reaction to a column already published in our pages. We will review it and then get back to you. Just email us your thoughts at opinion@alwatandaily.com If your submission grabs our attention, we’ll let you know what we think and possibly publish it on this page. Give your opinion a voice. Write for Al Watan Daily today.

Editor-IN-CHIEF

Dr. Ali Altarrah Al Sawari International for advertising & publishing

DISCLAIMER:

General Manager

Dina Al-Mallak

Editors Darlynn Amara Ali Marafie Angie Galal Halah Al Gharabally Julius Paul Coelho Amina Mustafa

To Advertise:

Tel. +(965) 2249 5103 Fax. +(965) 2249 5107

To Subscribe: +(965) 2482 6780 Al Watan Hotline: 1822255

E-mail:

times@choueirigroup.com

For Press Releases: alwatandaily@alwatandaily.com or info@alwatandaily.com

for Classifieds

FAX: +(965) 2492 5797 E-mail: classifieds@alwatandaily.com

The views and opinions presented on the ‘Opinion’ & ‘Views’ page are the authors’ own, and do not necessarily represent those of Al Watan Daily and its staff.

ALWATAN DAILY

WORLD

THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012

Bulldozers dig for victims of Afghan earthquakes

A man, right, reacts as people search for victims of Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earthquake in Baghlan, north of Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday, June 12 (AP)

KABUL: Bulldozers dug through tons of rocks and dirt on Wednesday in hopes of recovering 71 victims of a landslide that occurred after two earthquakes struck in northern Afghanistan earlier this week. Two bodies have been recovered so far and 69 other people are feared dead - entombed in the rubble in Baghlan provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Burka district, Mahmood Haqmal, the spokesman for the province, said Wednesday. Wielding shovels, nearby villagers and Afghan policemen dug into the dirt alongside three bulldozers as they uncovered beams of houses crushed under the weight of the landslide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to dig and find the 69 other bodies,â&#x20AC;? Haqmal said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do not know how long it will take. It is not an easy task, but the government has promised that they will not leave the bodies under the rocks ... they will stay until they find the last bodies.â&#x20AC;? The US Geological Survey said one earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 struck the region on Monday morning, followed by a magnitude 5.7 quake. Both caused buildings to shake in the Afghan capital, Kabul,

190 kilometers (120 miles) to the south. Damage was reported in five areas of the province, but the worst was in the village of Sayi Hazara. The village, which is home to about 20 families, was buried under an estimated 30 meters (yards) of rocks and dirt, according to the governor of the province, Gov. Abdul Majid, who reached the area on Tuesday afternoon after a four-hour drive from the provincial capital of Pule-Khumri. One Monday, local officials feared that as many as 100 people could have been killed. On Tuesday, officials in Baghlan revised the number to 50 or fewer, but after a few survivors from the village were interviewed, they now believe 71 people are feared dead. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Wednesday that non-governmental agencies, Afghan government offices, the UN and the Afghan Red Crescent Society have sent tents, blankets, water, bulldozers, hand tools, food, ambulances and other aid to the site. -AP

UN cash gap may hinder its nuclear role, says report VIENNA: The United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nuclear agency is significantly underfunded, a think-tank said onWednesday, warning the shortfall risked limiting its ability to identify covert atomic activity that might have a military dimension. The report, issued by a Canadian think-tank, described the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;veritable bargain for international peace and security,â&#x20AC;? but said the Vienna-based agency needed to be reformed and better financed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Agency is significantly underfunded, considering its responsibilities and the expectations increasingly being placed on it,â&#x20AC;? it said, after analyzing a body best known for its troubled monitoring of Iranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s atomic activities and for trying to improve reactor safety after the Fukushima disaster. Trevor Findlay, the reportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author, told Reuters he was worried the funding problem would gradually affect the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to hold countries like Iran to account. It â&#x20AC;&#x153;will not be able to develop its capacity over time for detecting undeclared nuclear activity. That to me is the most dangerous thing,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Agency could just do so much more and a better and smarter job if it had extra money, in almost every single program,â&#x20AC;? Findlay, a professor of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carleton University and a former Australian disarmament diplomat, added. The case of Iran - which denies Western accusations it is secretly seeking to develop nuclear weapons - highlights the challenges the IAEA faces in investigating states that refuse to provide it with the access and cooperation it says it needs. Like other UN bodies, the IAEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget is not growing in real terms and, as a result, it does not possess the latest technology or have adequate staffing for its role, the report said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite significant improvements to the nuclear safeguards regime, there is substantial room for im-

provement, especially in detecting undeclared materials, facilities and activities. After years of crucial Agency involvement with Iran, that country is closer to acquiring nuclear weapons than ever before,â&#x20AC;? it said. The 142-page report, entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unleashing the Nuclear Watchdogâ&#x20AC;?, was based on a two-year research project and was published by the Centre for International Governance Innovation. It gave a largely positive assessment of the IAEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, but criticized its initial handling of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fukushima nuclear crisis last year, the worst accident of its kind in a quarter of a century. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For 24 hours the IAEA said nothing publicly. It apparently saw no need for an early public assessment of the situation, an urgent meeting of member states or even a press conference,â&#x20AC;? it said, adding that the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image had been â&#x20AC;&#x153;tarnishedâ&#x20AC;? by its reaction. The IAEA and its Japanese director general, Yukiya Amano, defended the agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance during the crisis, saying it was forced to rely on information from Tokyo. Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reactor meltdowns - triggered by a deadly earthquake and tsunami on March 11 last year - shook the world, raising questions about the safety of nuclear energy. However, the IAEA still expects global use of nuclear energy to rise by up to 100 percent in the next two decades. That is expected to place the agency and its inspectors under further strain, as some of the material and equipment used in a civil nuclear energy program can - technically - also be diverted to develop nuclear weapons. The report said the IAEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in nuclear safety was being enhanced after Fukushima, but remained â&#x20AC;&#x153;hobbled by member statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reluctance to commit to mandatory measures and provide adequate resources.â&#x20AC;? -Reuters

Russian opposition leaders questioned after rally

US troops return to Afghanistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lost provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

KAMDESH: US troops returned to the area in Afghanistan they call the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dark side of the moonâ&#x20AC;? this week, a remote Hindu Kush region that controls several access routes to Kabul and where the coalition suffered one of its biggest reverses in the decade-long war. This part of Nuristan province, in the mountainous far east of Afghanistan, could be the target of a planned Taliban offensive, coalition commanders say. Carrying â&#x20AC;&#x153;speedballsâ&#x20AC;? - black body bags packed with mortars, ammunition and heavy machine guns - a company of US soldiers landed by helicopter on a narrow ridge and trudged up to a tiny Afghan army post overlooking icy peaks and plunging river valleys, as hostile as breathtaking. With US intelligence pointing to a possible attack by as many as 1,800 Taliban, the soldiers set up weapons over a backyard-sized square, while Afghan army soldiers in camouflage and plastic sandals pointed out fires and torchlight in the distance in the chill night air. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get some eyes overhead to check it out. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Taliban, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get a plane up in the morning and drop a bomb on it,â&#x20AC;? said US Major Jared Bordwell as some of his men from the 1-12 Infantry Regiment dropped down in the dust and tried to get some sleep. American soldiers withdrew from Nuristan, or the â&#x20AC;&#x153;land of lightâ&#x20AC;?, after around 300 insurgents overran an isolated combat outpost near Kamdesh village - below where Bordwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s men were huddled - on October 3, 2009, killing eight soldiers and wounding 22. The former US and NATO com-

over a May rally in which protesters clashed with riot police. Tens of thousands marched peacefully Tuesday in Moscow despite heavy police presence and a repressive new bill that introduced heavy penalties for taking part in unauthorized rallies. On Monday, police searched top opposition activistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; apartments, carting away computers, safes, cellphones and other personal items. -Reuters

NATO still hopes for Pakistan transit agreement

mander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, decided in 2010 to give up remote combat outposts and shift American troops to protect larger population centers. But it was through here that the Taliban shifted men and weapons for a suicide assault on Kabulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diplomatic and government quarter in April, circling beyond the reach of US and Afghan army positions to the south in neighboring Kunar province, coalition commanders say. With Nuristan now a Taliban staging post and haven, the province is a vital pocket for US forces based in Kunar, with only a few hundred Afghan soldiers and police over an area of 5,800 square km. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nuristan remains for me a challenge, a black hole. My line in the sand stops at the Kunar and Nuristan borders,â&#x20AC;? said Lt-Colonel Scott Green, a wiry former Ranger who oversees Nuristan. But he will not be in the region for long - NATO troops are due to be withdrawn from north Kunar by October. Green and his men, who are based in Kunar and in Nuristan temporarily, will be among those withdrawn. So his reduced-strength 1st battalion has to counter insurgents while simultaneously building Afghan capability and â&#x20AC;&#x153;retrogradingâ&#x20AC;? - closing up US bases - all within months. It is one of the most hostile areas in war-torn Afghanistan in a landscape that is equally hostile. Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters pass through easily, from either Pakistan or from bases located out of easy NATO reach inside a 4 km-wide border buffer zone. -AP

tors said a member of the US National Guard and two Chinese citizens had been charged with smuggling multiple shipments of firearms to China. Private gun ownership is tightly restricted in China and gun crime is unusual. Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public security ministry said the investigation started with the detention last August of a Chinese man at Shanghaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pudong Airport after a package was discovered with weapons. -Reuters

CANBERRA: NATO still hopes to reopen transport supply routes to Afghanistan through neighboring Pakistan despite securing new transit deals with three Central Asian states, NATO SecretaryGeneral Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday. Pakistan banned trucks from carrying supplies to and from coalition troops in Afghanistan late last year in protest against a cross-border NATO air strike that inadvertently killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Rasmussen said the NATO transit agreements with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan would give NATO forces more flexibility ahead of the planed withdrawal of most foreign combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. -Reuters

Sri Lanka police detain migrants heading to Australia COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police said Wednesday they had arrested 53 people, including two Indian nationals, who were trying to leave the island illegally in a boat believed to be heading for Australia. The fishing trawler was stopped by the navy off the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southeastern coast late Tuesday and the men were handed over to the police who questioned the passengers and arrested another 26 people on shore, spokesman Ajith Rohana said. He said 21 Afghans and five Pakistani nationals were arrested on shore and were suspected of using Sri Lanka as a transit point. -AFP

China denies firm shipped missile trucks to North Korea BEIJING: Beijing said Wednesday Chinese companies were not involved in shipping missile launch vehicles to North Korea last year, denying a Japanese newspaper report that accused it of breaking UN resolutions. The Asahi Shimbun report - based on Japanese government sources - is the most strident of recent claims that China has been involved in helping to arm its wayward ally Pyongyang. â&#x20AC;&#x153;China has been strictly implementing relevant Security Council resolutions and its own laws and regulations on non-proliferation export control,â&#x20AC;? foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in response to a question on the report. -AFP

New Achievement..

Added to our success story &RQWLQXLQJ RI RXU DFKLHYHPHQWV ZH ZHUH DEOH WR UDLVH RXU FODVVLĂ°FDWLRQ RI WKH FUHGLW DJHQF\ 6WDQGDUG 3RRU V 2I %%% SRVLWLYH RXWORRN WR $ RXWORRN VWDEOH LQ DGGLWLRQ WR WKH (YDOXDWLRQ $ RI 7KH LQWHUQDWLRQDO FUHGLW UDWLQJ DJHQF\ $ 0 %HVW

A-

Russian President Vladimir Putin, (right), toasts with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, during a reception marking the Day of Russia in Moscowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kremlin, June 12. (Reuters)

MOSCOW: Russian opposition leaders say they have been questioned again by investigators a day after they helped organize the largest protest since Vladimir Putinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return to the presidency. Anti-corruption whistleblower Alexei Navalny and leftist leader Sergei Udaltsov tweeted Wednesday that they have been summoned for questioning to Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Investigative Committee for the second day in a row

NEWS IN BRIEF

China breaks gun trafficking ring involving US soldier BEIJING: China has detained 23 people and broken up an international gun trafficking ring involving a US soldier which had smuggled weapons from the United States, the Ministry of Public Security said. The ministry said it had seized firearms and ammunition in 16 different provinces and cities in a case that was jointly investigated by US authorities. Last month, US federal prosecu-

(â&#x201E;Ś.Â˘T) Ă&#x161;eĂ&#x2030;Ă â&#x2C6;?d â&#x201E;ŚĂ&#x201C;Â°ĂšdG QGO ĂĄcĂ´Â°T

Dar al Salam Ins.co.

A-

BUSINESS

m ar ket watc h KUWAIT 1.67% 5916

DUBAI 0.62% 1477

QATAR

OMAN

0.24% 8261

0.06% 5710

ABU DHABI 0.03% 2448

OIL MARKETS

BAHRAIN

EGYPT

1.55% 1169

0.62% 4450

SAUDI 0.25% 6744

US Crude $82.58 $0.74 London Brent $97.07 $0.26 Kuwait Crude $93.61 $2.97 Information Courtesy: KAMCO

Kuwait crude oil down to $93.6 per barrel

Oil steady above $97

Brent crude oil held firm on Wednesday, with investors awaiting the outcome of the meeting this week of the producer group OPEC, while gains were capped by worries about Europe’s debt crisis and prospects for oil demand. Iran’s oil exports have fallen by an estimated 40 percent since the start of the year as Western sanctions tear into the country’s vital oil industry, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. Brent crude gained 2 cents to $97.16 a barrel by 0951 GMT. It had slipped to as low as $96.67 earlier in the session. US crude fell eight cents $83.24 per barrel. The IEA report was seen as effectively calling on OPEC to maintain current high oil output levels to help ailing Western economies struggling with high energy prices. However, the report left

the market little moved. “The IEA confirmed that there are stock builds and they don’t want to say that the market is over-supplied, but it’s not a game-changer in terms of prices and the market is still well-supplied,” Olivier Jakob at Petromatrix in Zug said. He added that a focus on Greek parliamentary elections at the weekend would likely drive further volatility. OPEC basket down

OPEC’s reference crude oil basket price fell to $94.99 a barrel on Tuesday from $97.34 the previous day, OPEC said on Wednesday. The reference basket comprises 12 crudes: Algeria’s Saharan Blend, Angola’s Girassol, Iran Heavy, Iraq’s Basra Light, Kuwait Export, Es Sider from Libya, Nigeria’s Bonny Light, Qatar Marine, Saudi Arabia’s Arab Light, Murban from the UAE, Venezuela’s Merey and Oriente from Ecuador. -Agencies

Saudi under OPEC pressure to prevent oil price collapse VIENNA: Saudi Arabia came under pressure on Wednesday from fellow OPEC producers to cut oil output to prevent a further slide in crude prices. Price hawks in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are fretting that slowing economic growth will send crude, already off $30 since March, plummeting further. “We think that given the economic situation, above all in Europe, there is a serious threat that prices might fall drastically and so our policy is to defend the production ceiling agreed in December of 30 million barrels a day,” said Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez. “I am afraid of this fall, anything below $100 is very painful for Libya,” said Libyan Oil Minister Abdulrahman Ben Yazza. Brent crude traded at just over $97 a barrel on Wednesday having peaked this year at $128 in March. A moderate on oil prices, Saudi Arabia initially floated a proposal to lift OPEC’s output target. After Riyadh quickly dropped that idea, the 12-member group looks set at a Thursday meeting to leave its formal production ceiling unchanged at 30 million barrels daily. But extra oil from Saudi boosted actual output to 31.6 million bpd in May, a production rate in ex-

cess of demand that is building world inventories rapidly. A report from OPEC estimated inventories rose by 2.1 million bpd on average in the first quarter of the year during a seasonal period when stocks normally decline. Supply and demand data suggests a build on a similar scale in the second quarter. “In the face of such gloomy uncertainty OPEC should be discussing production restraint on Thursday,” said David Hufton of London oil brokers PVM. Saudi Arabia, the world’s only major swing producer, finds itself in the tricky position of trying to plan cover for supplies lost from Iran when an European Union oil embargo starts on July 1 without sending prices crashing. Its preferred oil price is $100 a barrel, a price it feels permits oil investment without hurting economic growth, while most in OPEC want to defend $100 as a price floor. Extra Saudi supply, taking Riyadh to a 30-year high of 10 million bpd, has helped build oil stocks around the world. In the United States, where Saudi crude imports have risen sharply this year after years of decline, crude stocks are at their highest since 1990. The stock cover will provide insurance against

further the output losses from Iran, where the International Energy Agency estimates exports are already down 40 percent, 1 million barrels daily, to 1.5 million bpd since the end of last year. Asian importers of Iranian crude had been hoping that part of the EU embargo on Iran, on shipping insurance, might be delayed or cancelled to permit them to continue taking out UK indemnity to cover Iranian oil shipments. But EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said on Wednesday the embargo would proceed as planned. Those in OPEC who fear a price slide can cite the group’s own in-house analysis from its Vienna secretariat which suggest prospects for oil demand are darkening. “From the Euro-zone crisis to a notable deceleration in the developing and emerging economies, the current challenges are manifold,” the secretariat said in a report this week. “The second half of the year could see a further easing in fundamentals, despite seasonally higher demand.” Even Saudi Arabia’s closest Gulf Arab allies are showing signs of discomfort at the decline in prices. “A little bit much,” was UAE Oil Minister Mohammed Al-Hamli’s verdict on supplies. -Reuters

Developing countries should prepare for long period of ‘volatility’ WASHINGTON: Developing countries should prepare for a “long period of volatility” in the global economy by “re-emphasizing medium-term development strategies, while preparing for tougher times,” the World Bank said late Tuesday. In the newly-released Global Economic Prospects (GEP), the World Bank noted that “a resurgence of tensions in high-income Europe has eroded the gains made during the first four months of this year, which saw a rebound in economic activity in both developing and advanced countries and an easing of risk aversion among investors.” The report added that “since May 1st, increased market jitters have spread.” It indicated that developing and high-income country stock markets have lost some seven percent, “giving up twothirds of the gains generated over the preceding four months.” It added that most industrial commodity prices “are down, with crude and copper prices down by 19 and 14 percent, respectively, while developing country currencies have lost value against the US dollar, as international capital fled to safe-haven assets, such as German and US government bonds.” According to the report, “so far, conditions in most

developing countries have not deteriorated as much as in the fourth quarter of 2011. Outside of Europe and Central Asia and the Middle-East and North Africa, developing country credit default swap (CDS) rates, a key indicator of market sentiment, remain well below their maximums from the fall of 2011.” Director of Development Prospects at the World Bank Hans Timmer said in this regard that “global capital market and investor sentiment are likely to remain volatile over the medium term, making economic policy setting difficult. “In this environment, developing countries should focus on productivity-enhancing reforms and infrastructure investment instead of reacting to day-to-day changes in the international environment,” he stressed. The report indicated that increased uncertainty will “add to pre-existing headwinds from budget cutting, banking-sector deleveraging and developing country capacity constraints.” As a result, the World Bank projects that developing country growth will “slow to a relatively weak” 5.3 percent in 2012, before “strengthening somewhat” to 5.9 percent in 2013 and 6.0 percent in 2014. It added

US Dollar

British Pound

Saudi Riyal

Qatari Riyal

Indian Rupee

Buy 0.2802 Sell 0.2806

Buy 0.4358 Sell 0.4364

Buy 0.0747 Sell 0.0748

Buy 0.07705 Sell 0.07693

Buy 0.005046 Sell 0.005037 Buy 0.006611 Sell 0.006579

Euro

Japanese Yen

UAE Dirham

Bahraini Dinar

Buy 0.3514 Sell 0.3519

Buy 0.003517 Sell 0.003523

Buy 0.07626 Sell 0.07637

Buy 0.743 Sell 0.74408

Philippine Peso

Prices in Kuwaiti fils. As of June 13, 2012: Courtesy: KAMCO

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s benchmark ended at a four-month low as political uncertainty following the resignation of a second minister in less than a month weighs on investor sentiment. Kuwait Stock Exchange’s KSX 15 index ended Wednesday’s trading session with a loss of 0.1 points to read 952.22 points. The price index also lost 100.74 points to 5,915.96 points. The weighted index shed 2.2 points to 394.24 points. The index drops 1.7 percent to 5,916 points, its lowest close since Feb. 12. This trims the benchmark’s 2012 gains to 1.8 percent. Trades came to 3,702 transactions, worth KD 15,795,540.702 and volume reached 205,181,910 shares. Top share for the day was that of City Group Company. The biggest loser was AlMadina For Finance and Investment Compnay, and top volume share was that of Gulf Finance House. The 14 sector indices were all red upon closing. Kuwait brought in its fourth government in six years after a snap parliamentary election in February, but tensions between the cabinet and chamber escalated quickly, hindering economic policy-making and planning in the oilrich Gulf state. Social Affairs and Labor Minister Ahmed Al-Rujaib resigned on Tuesday, the second cabinet minister to quit in less than a month. “There has been some panic selling today but the volumes have been low,” says Naser Al-Nafisi, general manager for Al Joman Center for Economic Consultancy in Kuwait. “The reason is mainly political. The government’s future is not clear at this stage and there is concern about it.” Kuwait Finance House and logistics firm Agility each dropped 1.4 percent. Burgan Bank lost 2.3 percent. Telecoms operator Zain bucks the trend, gaining 1.5 percent following a last-minute rally. -Agencies

A Greek man holds 100 Euro bills which he just withdrew from an ATM of a branch of Eurobank in central Athens June 13, 2012.Greeks pulled their cash out of the banks and stocked up with food ahead of a cliffhanger election on Sunday that many fear will result in the country being forced out of the euro. Bankers said up to 800 million Euros ($1 billion) were leaving major banks daily and retailers said some of the money was being used to buy pasta and canned goods, as fears of returning to the drachma were fanned by rumors that a radical leftist leader may win the election. (Reuters)

general and in Kuwait in particular.

CURRENCIES

KSE drops 100 points, closes at 4-month low

Oil Minister predicts OPEC would keep current output cap at Thursday meeting

KUWAIT: Price of Kuwait Export Crude came down 2.97 US dollars per barrel (pb) and reached $93.61 pb on Tuesday, said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, which compares to $96.58 pb Monday. The drop in oil prices yesterday coincided with anticipation that OPEC would keep its current production cap even amid the recent drop in prices. This also comes amid prolonged doubt as to Europe’s ability to sail through the sovereign debt crises, which in turn sparks fear of a weakening in demand for oil. OPEC production came down in May for the first time in eight months with forward contracts falling by 0.8 percent. This followed release of data showing a hike of 1.6 million barrels in US oil stockpiles last week. In more news, “It is most probable that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would decide to keep to its current output cap of 30 million barrels per day,” Kuwaiti Oil Minister Hani Hussein told KUNA. In remarks Tuesday night, the minister said the ministerial prices committee convened at OPEC headquarters yesterday and presented a number of recommendations related to supply and demand to member countries’ ministers to guide their decisions. OPEC would keep monitoring prices and market conditions closely, he noted, and take appropriate measures if need arise. To a question, he said reports indicate an output surplus of over a million barrels a day, which is one factor behind probability of maintaining current production cap. The minister said several factors influence the market, including geo-political, psychological, and climate-related issues. This is in addition to countries’ strategic stockpiles. All these factors put the market through tug and pull. Still, decisions must not be taken in rash manner, for the sake of the interests of both producers and consumers alike. OPEC ministers were guests of honor at a banquet hosted by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation which was attended by oil officials and corporate figures and diplomats who are taking part in OPEC’s fifth international seminar, themed “Fuelling Prosperity, Supporting Sustainability.” The Kuwaiti minister is also expected to address the international energy forum and shed light on future of oil industries in

THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012

that growth in high-income countries will also be “weak,” 1.4, 1.9 and 2.3 percent for 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively, with GDP in the Euro Area declining 0.3 percent in 2012. Overall, global GDP is projected to rise 2.5, 3.0 and 3.3 percent for the same period. The report said that “notwithstanding the economic downturn in the Euro Area in the fourth quarter of 2011, developing Europe and Central Asia posted strong (5.6 percent) growth in 2011, driven by robust domestic demand and good harvests in countries such as Russia, Romania and Turkey.” “However, severe weather conditions in early 2012, capacity constraints in some countries, deleveraging by European banks, and the renewed turmoil in high-income Europe are projected to slow regional GDP growth to 3.3 percent this year, before a modest recovery begins with growth firming to 4.1 and 4.4 percent in each of 2013 and 2014.” Furthermore, “uncertainty, volatility, and political change continue to characterize conditions in the Middle East and North Africa region.” Aggregate GDP grew by one percent in 2011, down from 3.8 percent in 2010. -KUNA

Abu Dhabi’s IPIC 2011 net profit slumps 96% ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) reported a 96 percent slump in 2011 full-year profit on Wednesday, as market volatility and currency exchange risks weighed on its investment portfolio. The government-owned investment vehicle made a net profit of 44.7 million US dollars last year, a company statement said, down from $1.3 billion in the prior-year period. But profit from continuing operations, an indicator of core business performance, surged to $540 million in 2011, up over 350 percent from the previous year, according to the statement. “Results for 2011 in comparison to 2010 were subject to both market and economic volatility which continues today,” said Khadem Al-Qubaisi, managing director at IPIC, in the statement. “The impact of euro/dollar exchange rates on the value of IPIC’s euro-denominated assets, in addition to changes in our mark-to-market listed investments, pared the strong performance of our core underlying operations.” IPIC has interests in a number of European-based companies, including Spain’s Cepsa and Austrian oil group OMV. Through its subsidiary, Aabar Investments, it also owns stakes in Daimler and UniCredit. Total group debt at the end of 2011 stood at $35.8 billion, the statement said, and did not reflect the repayment of nearly $1 billion in 2012. Total assets at the end of 2011 stood at $65.3 billion while revenues hit $34.3 billion, the statement said. Full financial statements were not made available and IPIC officials were unreachable for further comment. IPIC’s first half profit for 2011 was $1.16 billion after the energy-focused company made gains on financial investments. -Reuters

Dubai’s DIFC investments repays $1.25 billion Sukuk DUBAI: DIFC Investments, a unit of the company running Dubai’s financial free zone, confirmed it repaid its 1.25 billion US dollar Islamic bond, or Sukuk, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. “This transaction reaffirms our commitment to meet our obligations,” said Abdullah Mohammed Saleh, governor of the Dubai International Financial Center and chairman of DIFC Investments. The bond, which matured on June 13, was seen as one of the most challenging maturities for the emirate in 2012. The company said earlier this month it had signed a $1.04 billion five-year loan to help meet the repayment of the Sukuk. -Reuters

Ambassador Tueller launches ‘Direct Line to American Business Program’

KUWAIT: On June 12, 2012 Ambassador Matthew H. Tueller launched the “Direct Line to American Business Program” in Kuwait. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched the initiative at the Global Business Conference in February of this year. The program aims to strengthen US Government support for the private sector, a key component of the United States’ overall economic diplomacy goals. This was mentioned in a press release on Wednesday. During the call, the Ambassador gave a broad overview of business opportunities in Kuwait, including infrastructure development plans and upcoming tenders, to more than 30 individuals representing small, medium and large US businesses. Through programs like the “Direct Line to American Business Program” we are letting the world know that America is open for business. We are doing everything we can to connect US businesses to opportunities in the Kuwaiti market and to connect Kuwaiti businesses to opportunities in the US We encourage companies interested in investing in the US market to visit the SelectUSA website and see what the US has to offer. Bringing our people together is good for our friendship and good for our economies. The teleconference is part of a broader United States government initiative to establish regular dialogue between the Embassy and US businesses and to strengthen relationships between US business and Kuwaiti business institutions. Tuesday’s call represents the first in a series of teleconferences that we will host on a quarterly basis to inform US companies about opportunities in Kuwait. The next call will take place in September and will focus on specific growth sectors and opportunities and will be open to Kuwaiti participants.

ALWATAN DAILY

BUSINESS

THURSdAY, June 14, 2012

Syria prints new money as deficit grows Wednesday 13 June, 2012 Index Price index Weighted Index KSX 15

FILE- A cashier counts Syrian currency notes in Amman in this Dec. 6, 2011 file photo. Syria has released new cash into circulation to finance its fiscal deficit, flirting with inflation after violence and sanctions wiped out revenues and led to a severe economic contraction, bankers in Damascus say. (Reuters)

AMMAN: Syria has released new cash into circulation to finance its fiscal deficit, flirting with inflation after violence and sanctions wiped out revenues and led to a severe economic contraction, bankers in Damascus say. Four Damascus-based bankers told Reuters that new banknotes printed in Russia were circulating in trial amounts in the capital and Aleppo, the first such step since a popular revolt against President Bashar Al-Assad began in 2011. The four bankers said the new notes were being used not just to replace worn out currency but to ensure that salaries and other government expenses were paid, a step economists say could increase inflation and worsen the economic crisis. The United Nations says Assad’s forces have killed at least 10,000 people in a crackdown, and the government says more than 2,600 members of its security forces have died. The four bankers, along with one business leader in touch with officials, said the new money had been printed in Russia, although they were not able to give the name of the firm that printed it. Two of the bankers said they had spoken to officials recently returned from Moscow where the issue was discussed. “(The Russians) sent sample new banknotes that were approved and the first order has been delivered. I understand some new banknotes have been injected into the market,” said one of the bankers. All requested anonymity. Two other senior bankers in Damascus said they had heard from officials that a first order of an undisclosed amount of new currency had arrived in Syria from Russia, although they were unable to confirm whether it had entered circulation. Outgoing Finance Minister Mohammad Al-Jleilati said last week that Syria had discussed printing banknotes with Russian officials during economic talks at the end of May in Moscow. He said such a deal was “almost done”, without going into details. However, the central bank later denied through state media that any new currency had been circulated. Goznak, the state firm that operates Russia’s mint and has exclusive rights to secure printing technology, regularly prints money for other countries. It declined to comment. “Last resort”

Russia is one of Syria’s major political backers and a close trading and economic partner. There are no sanctions in place that would bar a Russian firm from printing money for Syria. Syrian money was previously printed in Austria by Oesterreichische Bankno-

ten- und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH, a subsidiary of the Austrian central bank. That order was suspended last year because of European Union sanctions, an Austrian central bank spokesman said. One of the four bankers described the decision to use newly printed money from Russia to pay the deficit as a “last resort” after several months of consideration. Syria’s deficit has swollen because of declining government revenues and loss of oil exports hit by sanctions. The government is loathe to impose unpopular measures to fight the deficit, like cutting subsidies or raising taxes. “The deficit is there and it is already increasing and increasing quickly. And to finance it they have decided to print currency,” said the senior businessman, who is familiar with the subject and in touch with monetary officials. Bankers say a priority has been to continue salary payments for over 2 million state employees among a workforce of 4.5 million in a country of more than 21 million people. “You cannot allow the public sector to collapse,” said one of the bankers. “People are getting their wages and there are no complaints if they are paid at the end of every month. If we reach a stage where they are not paid there will be a crisis.” Syria’s $27 billion 2012 budget was the biggest in its history, taking many by surprise. Bankers say the spending surge was motivated by a desire to create more state jobs and maintain subsidies to help ward off wider discontent. The private sector has suffered large scale layoffs, but workers in the public sector have kept their jobs and had steady wages despite a salary freeze. Financing the spending has proven difficult. The central bank has exceeded borrowing limits from public banks, and private banks are reluctant to buy government bonds, one of the bankers said. Inflation is already running at 30 percent, although the central bank considers it manageable. Authorities have spent state funds on subsidies to keep the prices for household utilities and petrol unchanged, and have announced planned price controls on basic commodities. However, electricity prices for big industries have risen by 60 percent and the price of subsidized diesel fuel has also risen. The authorities plan to inject only a small amount of new currency to prevent runaway inflation, said one of the bankers. “But there is a limit to how much fresh money could be injected into the economy in such highly uncertain times. Reckless printing of money as a way of buying short term reprieve could be economic suicide,” the banker added. -Reuters

OPEC can’t afford to give residents cheap oil Christopher Swann, Breakingviews Columnist

Reuters

VIENNA: Bargain price oil is a standard perk for residents of crude-exporting nations. To the governments which set the low domestic price, such subsidies look like a way to buy popularity without any cash outflow. But the practice is expensive for members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which meets in Vienna this week. It’s well past time for a change. Overall the 12 countries guzzle 57 percent more oil than a decade ago, according to figures from Deutsche Bank, with Saudi Arabia using nearly twice as much. Smaller members have been on the same course. Consumption has trebled in Angola, doubled in Ecuador and climbed 55 percent in Venezuela. OPEC members also seem to be becoming less efficient. Oil usage per head is up 24 percent since 2000, Deutsche says, while it is flat for the globe as a whole. The habit of doling out cut-price crude to citizens is largely to blame. Thanks to excise taxes, drivers in developed economies generally pay much more than the market price per gallon of petrol. Thanks to sub-market prices, OPEC motorists pay much less, and have little financial incentive to ration their use. For importers, the uneven treatment is costly. The wasteful consumption in exporting countries reduces the supply available for the global market, presumably pushing up the price. It also cuts into the potential reserve capacity, making the

price more volatile. But OPEC members don’t really gain, either. Governments lose potential export revenue and state-owned oil producers lose potential income. In 2010, the opportunity cost of discount domestic pricing was roughly 15 percent of OPEC’s total oil export revenue of $770 billion, according to International Energy Agency calculations. Such largesse adds to the fiscal strain on many of these nations - contributing to the exporters’ hunger for ever higher global oil prices. Of course, weaning the public off cheap oil is no mean feat. Nigeria’s government recently backed down after trade unions protested against proposals to end subsidies on imported petrol. But as domestic oil consumption rises, OPEC nations have more to lose from refusing to bite the political bullet. Oil consumption by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries climbed by 57 percent over the past decade, according to Deutsche Bank, an increase of 3.3 million barrels a day. The increase was second only to the rise in oil usage by China, which rose by 5.2 million barrels over the same period. Oil ministers from OPEC member nations are set to meet in Vienna on June 14. Subsidies to reduce the domestic cost of oil amounted to $121 billion in OPEC countries in 2010, according to the International Energy Agency. This compares to total global oil subsidies of $192 billion. The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

Change ź ź ź

-100.74 -2 20 -2.20 -0.10

Security

High

Low

Volume

MARIN

158

5000

IKARUS

IPG

Closing

Last Closing

High

Low

5,915.96 394 24 394.24 952.22

6,016.70 396 44 396.44 952.32

6,016.70 396 44 396.44 954.92

5,894.93 392 09 392.09 945.46

Trades Value (KD)

Trades

Last

790

158

40 4.0

0.0

Change

Security

Volume Value (KWD) Number of Trades

High

Low

URC

104

NRE

122

120

205,192,110 15 795 891 15,795,891 3,704

Trades Value (KD)

Trades

825 500 825,500

85 852 85,852

104

00 0.0

170,000

20,500

120

-4.0 -5.0

Volume

Last

Change

0.0

SRE

265

30,000

7,950

265

NAPESCO

325

320

57,290

18,612

325

0.0

PEARL

126,181

3,395

-1.5

AREFENRGY

130

570,000

74,100

130

0.0

TAM

226

222

10,100

2,243

226

-2.0

GPI

578,978

29,829

-5.0

ABAR

174

172

102,934 1,314,202

17,705 141,035

8 46

174 931.93

ź ź

-8.0 -10.87

104

102

329,500

33,616

104

0.0

KFOUC

310

300

15,101

4,560

300

BPCC

600

590

892 654 892,654

532 668 532,668

600

0.0

ALQURAIN Basic Materials

194

188

828,446 2,065,701

158,237 729,081

39 89

192 932.83

ź ź

-6.0 -17.66

SANAM

0.0

KCEM

400

380

682

261

400

0.0

AAYANRE

1,914,781

151,200

0.0 0.0

Oil & Gas PIPE

ALKOUT

AREEC

0.0

MASSALEH ARABREC

88 34

88 33

1,000 635,001

88 21,273

1 19

88 34

ź ź

-3.0 -0.5

UREC

4,639

436

1.0

ERESCO

560,000

50,410

-2.0

-15.0

MABANEE

980

970

105,600

102,767

970

-10.0

INJAZZAT

1 969 765 1,969,765

119 462 119,462

0.0

INVESTORS

5,430,350

96,493

-1.5

IRC ALTIJARIA

48 82

45 79

1,221,950 1,101,000

55,590 88,320

34 19

45 80

ź ź

-2.5 -3.0

REFRI

162

160

87,401

13,999

160

-2.0

AQAR

CABLE

1,140

1,120

105,709

119,508

1,120

-40.0

ALAQARIA

0.0

SHIP

190

182

1,054,550

192,705

182

-6.0

MAZAYA

159,975

11,080

-4.0

PCEM

880

870

10,010

8,709

880

0.0

ADNC

9,113,489

243,196

191

-2.5

PAPER

0.0

THEMAR

0.0

MRC

0.0

GRAND

0.0

TIJARA

533,000

21,051

-1.5

TAAMEER

10,010

410

0.0

ACICO

0.0

GGMC

560

100

560

-20.0

HCC

0.0

ARKAN

1,000

4.0

KPAK

0.0

ARGAN

156

5,000

780

156

-2.0

KBMMC

0.0

ABYAAR

3,984,410

159,484

-2.5

NICBM

246

244

52,869

13,002

246

-14.0

MUNSHAAT

4,444,302

138,430

-2.5

EQUIPMENT

0.0

FIRSTDUBAI

390,000

14,650

-2.5

NCCI

0.0

KBT

0.0

190

1,000

190

-10.0

REAM

0.0

GYPSUM SALBOOKH

261,000

8,563

-2.0

MENA

10,200

342

0.5

AGLTY

370

365

2,200,000

813,795

365

-5.0

ALMUDON

0.0

EDU

100

615

100

-10.0

MARAKEZ

0.0

CLEANING CITYGROUP

118 455

110 430

1,220,335 1,988

138,974 873

58 3

114 455

ŷ Ÿ

0.0 25.0

REMAL Real Estate

365

360

601,100 34,933,496

216,572 1,689,713

33 786

365 926.59

ŷ ź

0.0 -16.75

KGL

102

607,566

60,901

100

-2.0

KCPC

0.0

KINV

102

80,100

7,860

102

0.0

HUMANSOFT

0.0

FACIL

0.0

NAFAIS

0.0

IFA

3,334,001

120,468

-2.0

SAFWAN

0.0

NINV

110

104

739,992

78,607

106

-2.0

GFC

0.0

KPROJ

0.0

MAYADEEN

28,205,799

571,668

204

-2.0

COAST

713,600

29,564

-1.5 0.0

1,220

1,200

25,620

31,056

1,220

-20.0

TII

MTCC

230,000

19,610

-2.0

SECH

0.0

UPAC

0.0

IIC

0.0

ALAFCO

290

285

717,500

204,888

285

-10.0

SGC

114

5,000

570

114

0.0

MUBARRAD

644,700

33,626

0.0

IFC

25,343

2,250

-4.0 -4.0

CGC

LOGISTICS

226

220

2,475,886

550,866

220

-10.0

MARKAZ

108

160,000

17,280

108

SCEM

263,000

19,737

-5.0

KMEFIC

0.0

GCEM

485,000

44,881

-2.0

AIG

0.0

QCEM

340,000

20,127

-3.0

ALAMAN

7,731,150

201,495

134

-2.5

FCEM

171,700

13,792

3.0

ALOLA

0.0

RKWC Industrials

0 39,163,030

0 2,881,848

0 571

0 921.01

ŷ ź

0.0 -16.01 16.01

ALMAL GIH

38 30

37 28

3,171,362 6,121,164

116,285 172,145

89 76

37 28

ź ź

-2.0 -2.5 2.5

KSH

0.0

NSH

AAYAN

0.0

BAYANINV

71,004

2,314

-0.5

126

10,000

1,260

126

-10.0

GLOBAL

0.0

PAPCO

0.0

OSOUL

0.0

CATTL

0.0

KFIC

0.0

DANAH

743,200

59,512

-1.0

KAMCO

230

1,000

230

-10.0

0.0

1,260

1,240

15,000 768,200

18,700 79,472

4 27

1,240 910.92

ź ź

-40.0 -14.92

MHC

ATC

YIACO Health Care

440

430

30,000 30,000

13,100 13,100

3 3

430 1176.13

ź ź

-15 -12.35

KCIN

890

2,600

2,314

890

-10

KHOT

SULTAN

924,000

91,476

EXCH

0.0

CABLETV

TAIBA

0.0

POULT FOOD Consumer Goods

EYAS

IFAHR

270

248

23,300

5,816

248

-22

NIH

1,000

-2.5

ISKAN MADAR

0 0

ŷ ŷ

0.0 0.0

ALDEERA

597,003

19,733

-2.0

ALSAFAT

0.0

ALSALAM

224

218

157,100

34,342

218

-10.0

EKTTITAB QURAINHLD

80 0

76 0

717,800 0

55,156 0

27 0

76 0

ź ŷ

-5.0 0.0

ALMADINA

2,625,444

132,464

-5.0

NOOR

0.0

160

1 152 2

120 120,130 130

18 18,381 381

160

-2.0 20

TAMINV

KSHC

0.0

STRATEGIA

0.0 -3.0 3.0

MASHAER

250

238

527,005

125,587

250

KCIC

215,000

13,210

OULAFUEL

300

285

193,091

57,804

300

MANAFAE

0.0

MUNTAZAHAT

19,999

915

-3

GNAHC

240,100

10,204

-0.5

JAZEERA

0.0

400

385

3,492

1,367

400

AMWAL

SOOR

MASAR

0.0

FUTUREKID

ALIMTIAZ

10,002,660

881,556

147

-2.0

ALNAWADI

102

3,392 3 392

338

102

MANAZEL

6,470,216 6 470 216

177 071 177,071

129

-2.5 25

ALRAI

120

NIND

208

206

283,000

58,844

208

0.0

ZIMAH

UIC

1,027,500

88,468

-1.0

246

238

2,606

634

246

-2

BIIHC

0.0

0 1,699,486

0 286,252

0 73

0 918.36

ŷ ź

0 3.37 -3.37

SHOP SENERGY

0 67

0 63

0 2,691,200

0 170,667

0 33

0 64

ŷ ź

0.0 4.0 -4.0

AGHC

138

136

110,001

14,960

138

0.0

700

680

1,083,829

747,897

700

ALSAFWA

0.0

2,080

2,040

125,650

258,437

2,080

KPPC

309,990

22,259

-1.0

3,040,000 4,249,479

218,050 1,224,384

55 154

71 869.17

ź ŷ

-2 0.00

TAHSSILAT JEERANH

0 0

ŷ ŷ

0.0 0.0

UFIG KOUTFOOD Consumer Services ZAIN NMTC

HITSTELEC 74 Telecommunications

EKHOLDING

290

10,000 10 000

2,900 2 900

290

0.0 0 0

NBK

1,040

1,020

611,153

627,579

1,020

GFH

57,065,892

1,946,941

489

-1.5

GBK CBK

405 750

400 750

1,013,580 2,411

406,132 1,808

19 2

405 750

ŷ Ÿ

0 10

INOVEST Financial Services

2,815,972 107,613,724

139,122 4,535,393

71 1,561

49 863.60

ź ź

-4.0 -19.08

MAREF 0 Investment Instruments

0 0

0 0.00

ŷ ŷ

0.0 0.00 -20.0

ALMUTAHED KIB

870 260

870 250

12,357 266,246

10,751 67,393

4 16

870 260

ŷ ŷ

0 0

BURG

430

420

403,000

169,934

420

-10

KFIN

710

690

3,841,441

2,669,449

153

700

-10

490

480

400

194

490

BOUBYAN

600

590

24,305

14,341

600

SAFTEC

0.0

UGB

FUTURE

222

349

222

-10.0

AUB ITHMR

0 36

0 34

0 7,136,499

0 243,984

0 131

0 34

ŷ ź

0 -3

HAYATCOMM Technology

116

110

26,000 26 000 26,749

2 2,896 896 3,167

5 8

116 1135.37

ŷ ź

00 0.0 -26.95

13,310,992

4,211,371

378

938.45

-6.01

ABK

Banks KINS

ASC

BAREEQ

0.0

AFAQ

0.0 0.0

GINS

0.0

ALSHAMEL

AINS

0.0

SAFRE

0.0

WINS

116

250

116

-10.0

AJWAN

10,000

340

-2.5

KUWAITRE

0.0

SPEC

0.0

FTI

1,500

140

-5.0

MASAKEN

0.0

WETHAQ

101

-5.0

DALQAN

0.0

ARIG

110

5,000 5 000

550

110

-4.0 40

ALEID

00 0.0

BKIKWT Insurance

0 6,851

0 724

0 6

0 964.21

ŷ ź

0.0 -30.22

MIDAN FLEX

0 49

0 200

0 10

0 1

0 49

ŷ Ÿ

0.0 2.5

AINV

SOKOUK KRE

0 50

0 49

0 1,575,143

0 77,652

0 29

0 50

ŷ ź

0.0 -1.0

THURAYA

0.0

KCLINIC

0.0

AMAR Parallel Market

0 10,200

0 350

0 2

0 951.47

ŷ ź

0.0 -0.44

For more information, call 1 80 42 42, www.globalinv.net

LIFE

thursdAY, June 14, 2012

NASA launches ‘black hole hunter’ telescope PARIS: NASA’s newest space telescope, an ambitious X-ray observatory, launched into orbit Wednesday on a mission to peer deep into the universe and study the violent regions around black holes The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) spacecraft launched spaceward at the tip of an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket, which itself was carried into launch position by a high-altitude L-1011 “Stargazer” jet aircraft. At 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT), the plane dropped the rocket in midair, where the booster fired its engines for its climb into the sky. The liftoff occurred about 117 nautical miles south of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Originally scheduled for 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT), the launch was delayed 30 minutes to allow technicians to resolve a minor technical issue. The project aims to study energetic phenomena such as black holes and the explosions of massive stars. Orbital Sciences Corporation designed and manufactured the telescope and will send it into orbit from its own Pegasus air-launched rocket, which is attached to the underside of the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. “NuSTAR will open a whole new window on the universe,” said Fiona Harrison, who is a professor at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and is the principal investigator on NuSTAR. It will be the “first telescope to focus high energy X-rays. As such it will make images that are 10 times crisper and 100 times more sensitive than any telescope that has operated in this region of the spectrum.”

The mission aims to work in concert with other telescopes in space, including NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, which observes lower-energy X-rays, NASA said. NuSTAR is more potent than its predecessors because of the way it focuses high-energy X-ray light by using nested shells of mirrors to prevent the light from reflecting off. With 133 nested mirrors in each of two optical units, the telescope also uses state-of-the-art detectors and a long mast that connects the optical units to the detectors and allows enough distance for a sharp focus. The 33-foot (10-meter) mast will launch in a foldedup position but will extend about a week after launch, bringing it to about the length of a school bus. “It used to be thought that black holes were rare and exotic -- that was just 20 years ago,” Harrison told reporters. “Today we know that every massive galaxy, like our Milky Way, has a massive black hole at its heart.” The new observatory aims to give a better view of the workings of a black hole, since the dust and gas that gets sucked into the gravity of a black hole becomes quite hot from speed and friction created as it circulates around the edge. Paul Hertz, NASA’s Astrophysics Division director, described NuSTAR as “a small space telescope that will provide world-class science in an important but relatively unexplored band of the electromagnetic spectrum.” -AFP

This illustration obtained June 13, 2012 courtesy of NASA shows an artist’s concept of NuSTAR, a sophisticated orbiting telescope that uses high-energy X-ray vision to hunt for black holes in the universe. (AFP)

Gulf States look Large eruptions could eat away at ozone layer to the sun for future power PARIS: After decades of relying on carbon-emitting fossil fuels to build their cities in the desert, some oil and gas rich nations of the Gulf are now turning skywards to the sun to meet future energy demands. Ambitious multi-billion-dollar projects to harness the power of the region’s year-round blazing sun have already been announced by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Global energy summits are being held in the region’s desert capitals while whole communities, research institutes and businesses devoted to the production, promotion and application of renewable energy are being built. Perhaps most significantly, the region’s nations are speaking of sustainable development and clean energy as a key to ensuring future growth. Focusing on renewable energy also makes “economic sense” for the Gulf states, said Adnan Amin, director general of the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). With local energy demands rapidly increasing, “it’s much more expensive for them to subsidize their oil consumption than it is to invest in renewable energy,” he said. The hydrocarbon-producing six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council are still far behind much of the world when it comes to environmental protection, reducing per capita carbon emissions and the use of clean energy to drive their economies. But there are signs the trend is changing, with the Gulf waking up to the benefits of renewables, specifically the sun. The region is likely to become “one of the fastest growing in renewable energy investment in the coming years,” said Amin, adding that the controversial decision to base IRENA in a nation ranked third in the list of global per capita carbon emissions has been “vindicated.” The UAE is “seeing itself as an energy economy for the future, not just an oil economy,” said Amin. They are “investing heavily worldwide and taking forward the cause of renewable energy.” The renewable energy pride of the UAE is the Masdar City project, designed to have the lowest possible carbon footprint with futuristic electric cars, street lights and air-conditioning all powered by a 10-megawatt onsite solar power plant. Still in its initial phase, the city today consists of only a few buildings and is home to the Masdar Institute, a research-based post-graduate clean energy academy. The compound’s buildings are designed to let in the sun but keep out the heat. The temperature in the walkways between the buildings is 10 to 15 degrees cooler than in Abu Dhabi just a few kilometers (miles) away. “These are the fundamentals of the cities of the future... how you go about the architecture, the waste management. Those aspects of the city of the future have now become a reality,” said Masdar’s clean energy director, Bader Lamki. He says new building codes in both Abu Dhabi and neighboring Dubai demand more efficient energy consumption, and governments in both emirates are running energy audits on existing buildings. Masdar is also about to complete one of the world’s largest Concentrated Solar Power plants in the desert south of Abu Dhabi. Shams 1, a joint venture with Spain’s Abengoa Solar and French Total is set to be complete by the end of 2012. It will extend over a 2.5-square-kilometre (one square mile) area, have a capacity of 100 megawatts and according to Lamki, prevent approximately 175,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year, the equivalent to “taking 15,000 cars off the road or planting 1.5 million trees.” The announced 2020 target for Abu Dhabi is to have 7 percent of its energy produced by renewables. Dubai’s target is 5 percent by 2030. In January, Dubai announced plans for a 1,000megawatt solar power plant. The first phase of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a 10megawatt facility, will be completed in 2013. -AFP

NEW YORK: A large eruption in the volcanically active region of Central America could release enough ozone-depleting gases to significantly thin the ozone layer for several years, researchers announced on Wednesday according to LiveScience. Such a volcanic eruption could double or triple the current levels of the chemical elements bromine and chlorine in the stratosphere, the upper atmosphere layer where ozone gas protects us from ultraviolet radiation, the researchers calculated, based on the levels of these chemicals released from 14 volcanoes in Nicaragua over the past 70,000 years. The researchers presented their work at a scientific conference in Iceland. Bromine and chlorine need an electron to become stable, and can easily rip it off passing molecules, like ozone. They are gases that “love to react - especially with ozone,”

study researcher Kirstin KrŸger, a meteorologist with GEOMAR in Kiel, Germany, explained in a statement. “If they reach the upper levels of the atmosphere, they have a high potential of depleting the ozone layer.” To estimate the past release of these chemicals by volcanoes, the researchers measured levels of halogens (the group of highly reactive elements that bromine and chlorine belong to) in rock layers deposited before and after historic eruptions. The average eruption released two to three times the quantity of human-produced bromine and chlorine currently in the stratosphere, they found. “As we have bromine and chlorine together, we believe that this can lead to substantial depletion,” KrŸger said. “And this is from one single eruption.” Previous studies have estimated that in large, explo-

WHO labels diesel fumes a ‘known carcinogen’

Official label of ‘carcinogen’ means exhaust emissions should be treated in same league as passive smoking or UV radiation

FILE - The WHO study said as so many people breathe in diesel fumes action needs to be taken. (AP)

LONDON: Diesel exhaust causes cancer, the World Health Organization has declared, a ruling it said could make exhaust as important a public health threat as passive smoke according to The Guardian. The risk of getting cancer from diesel fumes is small, but since so many people breathe in the fumes in some way, the WHO’s science panel said raising the status of diesel exhaust to carcinogen from “probable carcinogen” was an important shift. “It’s on the same order of magnitude as passive smoking,” said Kurt Straif, director of the IARC department that evaluates cancer risks, on Tuesday. “This could be another big push for countries to clean up exhaust from diesel engines.” Since so many people are exposed to exhaust, Straif said there could be many cases of lung cancer connected to the contaminant. He said the fumes affected groups including pedestrians on the street, ship passengers and crew, railroad workers, truck drivers, mechanics, miners and people operating heavy machinery. The new classification followed a week-long discussion in Lyon, France, by an expert panel organized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The panel’s decision stands as the ruling for the IARC, the cancer arm of the WHO. The last time the agency considered the status of diesel exhaust was in 1989, when it was labeled a probable carcinogen. Reclassifying diesel exhaust as carcinogenic puts it into the same category as other known hazards such as asbestos, alcohol and ultraviolet radiation. The US government, however, still classifies diesel exhaust as a “likely carcinogen”. Experts said new diesel engines spew out fewer fumes but further studies are needed to assess any potential dangers. “We don’t have enough evidence to say these new engines are zero risk, but they are certainly lower risk than before,” said Vincent Cogliano of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Experts in Lyon had analyzed published stud-

ies, evidence from animals and limited research in humans. One of the biggest studies was published in March by the US National Cancer Institute. That paper analyzed 12,300 miners for several decades starting in 1947. Researchers found miners heavily exposed to diesel exhaust had a higher risk of dying from lung cancer. Lobbyists for the diesel industry argued the study wasn’t credible because researchers didn’t have exact data on how much exposure miners got in the early years of the study; they simply asked them to remember what their exposure was like. A person’s risk for cancer depends on many variables, from genetic makeup to the amount and length of time of exposure to dangerous substances. A US group that represents diesel engine makers said major technological advances in the last decade have cut emissions from trucks and buses by more than 95% for nitrogen oxides, particulate and sulfur emissions. Some experts said the new classification wasn’t surprising. “It’s pretty well known that if you get enough exposure to diesel, it’s a carcinogen,” said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, who was not part of the IARC panel. He said the thousands of particles, including some harmful chemicals, in the exhaust could cause inflammation in the lungs and over time, that could lead to cancer. But Donaldson said lung cancer was caused by multiple factors and that other things like smoking were far more deadly. He said the people most at risk were those whose jobs exposed them to high levels of diesel exhaust, like truck drivers, mechanics, or miners. “For the man on the street, nothing has changed,” he said. “It’s a known risk but a low one for the average person, so people should go about their business as normal ... you could wear a mask if you want to, but who wants to walk around all the time with a mask on?”

sive eruptions - the type that sends mushroom clouds of ash miles high - up to 25 percent of the ejected halogens can reach the stratosphere. Because the effects are in the stratosphere, where the volcanic gases can be carried across the globe, eruptions of tropical volcanoes could lead to ozone depletion over a large area, even having an impact over Antarctica and the Arctic, where seasonal “holes” in the ozone layer already exist. Some volcanic gases can last in the stratosphere up to six years, KrŸger said, although the most significant impacts from eruptions like the intense eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 were within the first two years. Pinatubo’s eruption reduced global temperatures by about 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit (0.5 degrees Celsius) during the following year.

Fish oil supplements may not prevent mental decline

NEW YORK: Taking daily omega-3 fatty acid supplements doesn’t seem to provide any protection against declines in thinking and memory skills in older adults, a new review of medical evidence suggests. Because the brain is rich in the type of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil, researchers had figured that adding more of them to a person’s diet could boost memory and prevent the changes that lead to cognitive decline and dementia. But so-called “gold standard” trials of the supplements have been disappointing. Looking at three such studies lasting between six months and over three years, researchers found there was no difference in changes on learning and memory tests among 4,000 people who took either omega-3 fish oil supplements or sunflower or olive oil as a comparison. “The evidence suggests, from what is available at the moment, that taking supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids is not going to benefit cognitive health later in life,” said Alan Dangour, a nutrition researcher from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who worked on the new analysis. The findings, he told Reuters Health, don’t rule out a potential benefit on brain health in some people -- and it’s still possible long-term use of the supplements may be helpful for preserving thinking and memory skills. All three studies included in the analysis involved cognitively healthy people over age 60 who were randomly assigned to use supplements or margarine with fish oil or a placebo oil without omega-3 fatty acids. None of those studies showed a comparative benefit for fish oil on measures of cognition, including word and number learning tests. “The truth is many people are spending a lot of money on supplements without solid evidence they do something,” said Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, a neurology and aging researcher at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Scarmeas, who wasn’t involved in the new study, agreed it may take more than a few years for any benefit of the fatty acids to show up -- if one does exist. Or, it could be that getting extra fish oil through supplements only helps people who are low in the fatty acids to begin with, and not those who get enough through their diet. But so far, he told Reuters Health, “there’s no proof you’ll get some benefit from it.” Other studies have suggested fish oil may have beneficial effects on heart health, and recommendations from groups such as the American Heart Association call for people to eat two servings of fish each week, preferably fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. Neurologist Dr. Gregory Jicha from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington said although the presumed benefits of fish oil on cognition aren’t clear in randomized studies, people can still reasonably choose to take the supplements because they typically carry few risks. Stomach problems were the most common side effect among people in the new analysis, and participants on the placebo supplements were just as likely to report mild side effects as those taking fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can be bought over the counter for a couple dollars per month. Dangour said despite the shaky evidence on the role of fish oil, there are things older adults can do to ward off memory loss. -Reuters

ALWATAN DAILY

CULTURE

THURSday, JUNE 14, 2012

Mogadishu is losing ‘Most Dangerous City’ label MOGADISU, Somalia: Mogadishu is losing a label it never wanted in the first place: The World’s Most Dangerous City. The seaside Somali capital is enjoying a peace that, except for the infrequent attack, has lasted the better part of a year. Somalis who fled decades of war are coming back, as are UN workers who long operated out of Nairobi, the capital of neighboring Kenya. Embassies are reopening and a US assistant secretary of state visited here on Sunday, the highest-ranking US official to set foot in Mogadishu since the infamous Black Hawk Down battle of 1993. Minnesota resident Abdikhafar Abubakar fled Somalia in 1992, leaving behind his mother, three siblings and other family members. He planned to visit twice in previous years, but each time his mother warned it was too dangerous. Last week, he finally returned to Mogadishu, where he saw his mother for the first time in two decades. This time she said it was safe and she welcomed him home with tears of joy. He later walked the streets with his brother. “One thing I could say about Mogadishu as the most dangerous city in the world: I’ve been here one week and I never felt any danger,” Abubakar said. “When I was out walking around, I wasn’t scared. There was nothing to be scared of.” He did hear gunshots in the distance but even that didn’t rattle him. Mogadishu’s designation as the World’s Most Dangerous City was unofficial, of course, but widely applied. The UN and embassies pulled out in the 1990s, following the collapse of the last fully functioning government in 1991. Al-Qaeidalinked militants held sway over much of the city from 2007 until last August, a four-year span when full-fledged war raged with African Union troops. On Aug. 6, the African Union fighters pushed out Al-Shabab, ending the daily grind of war. Last month, the African force took control of Afmadow, an Al-Shabab stronghold on

FILE-In this photo taken, Tuesday May, 22, 2012 Ahmed Jama Mohamed, right, prepares coffee at one of his restaurants in Mogadishu Somalia. (AP)

Mogadishu’s outskirts the insurgents had used for staging the occasional bomb attack. Armored personnel carriers driven by Ugandan and Burundian troops still rumble through the city. But with the fighting at bay, the military convoys feel more like heavy secu-

rity than front-line forces. “This is the longest period of sustained peace Mogadishu has seen in 20 years,” said Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, spokesman for the African Union force known as AMISOM. Britain announced in February that it was

naming an ambassador to Somalia, though he is mostly stationed in Nairobi. Johnnie Carson, the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, visited Mogadishu on Sunday and noted that eight or nine countries - including Turkey, Libya, Yemen and Sudan - now have a

diplomatic presence in Mogadishu, though the US does not. Underscoring Mogadishu’s transformation, massive amounts of construction materials are being shipped to Mogadishu’s port. Deputy port commander Ahmed Abdi Karie noted that a house on a small plot of land in downtown Mogadishu that a year ago sold for $20,000 now goes for $100,000. “I keep saying Mogadishu is open for business. Reconstruction is at an incredible level,” said Killian Kleinschmidt, the UN’s deputy humanitarian coordinator for Mogadishu, who relocated to the Somali capital earlier this year. Soccer and basketball teams and a nascent arts scene have returned. Beach-side restaurants serving lobster have opened. Many of Mogadishu’s buildings still bear the scars of war, their stone facades bullet-riddled and their walls blown out. But the Somali government spokesman, Abdirahman Omar Osman, argues that Mogadishu is now safer than Baghdad or Kabul. A tourism minister may even be appointed soon to attract tourists to the city. “Mogadishu is no longer the world’s most dangerous city. It’s on the peace path now,” he said. “We are working on making it safe for foreigners to work here as well.” Somalia’s defense minister, Hussein Arab Isse, returned to Mogadishu last year after 30 years of living in the Oakland area of California. He says Somalia’s leaders know they must put aside two decades of divisions and work together to elect a new parliament, president and prime minister before Aug. 20, when the UN mandate that created the current transitional government expires. The returning diaspora, he said, is proof that Somalis believe in a brighter future. “They’re all returning because people, they want to come back and they’ve had enough of living abroad and they’re investing their money. And that gives you confidence,” he said. “A year ago no one was talking about investing their hard-earned money in Somalia. Property is skyrocketing in value, and that’s good.” -AP

India advances, but many Graceland marks women still trapped in dark ages 30th year as tourist attraction Married Hindu women devotees are seen through the sacred threads being tied around a banyan tree in a ceremony considered to bring good luck during the Hindu religious festival of Vata Savitri Purnima in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad June 4, 2012. (Reuters)

NEW DELHI: The birth of a girl, so goes a popular Hindu saying, is akin to the arrival of Lakshmi - the four-armed goddess of wealth, often depicted holding lotus flowers and an overflowing pot of gold. That should assure pride of place for women in Indian society, especially now the country is growing both in global influence and affluence. In reality, India’s women are discriminated against, abused and even killed on a scale unparalleled in the top 19 economies of the world, according to a new poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The survey, polling 370 gender specialists, found Canada to be the best place to be a woman amongst G20 nations, excluding the European Union economic grouping. Saudi Arabia was the second worst, after India. “It’s a miracle a woman survives in India. Even before she is born, she is at risk of being aborted due to our obsession for sons,” said Shemeer Padinzjharedil, who runs Maps4aid.com, a website which maps and documents crimes against women. “As a child, she faces abuse, rape and early marriage and even when she marries, she is killed for dowry. If she survives all of this, as a widow she is discriminated against and given no rights over inheritance or property.” India had a female prime minister, or head of government, as long ago as 1966. Well-dressed women in Western attire driving scooters or cars to work is now an everyday sight in cities. Women doctors, lawyers, police officers and bureaucrats are common. But scratch under the surface and the threats in India are manifold - from female feticide, child marriage, dowry and honor killings to discrimination in health and education and crimes such as rape, domestic violence and human trafficking. Indeed, a girl’s fight for survival begins in the womb due to an overwhelming desire for sons and fear of dowry, which has resulted in 12 million girls being aborted over the last three decades, according to a 2011 study by The Lancet. In fact, the curse of dowry continues even after marriage. One bride was murdered every hour over dowry demands in 2010, says the National Crime Records Bureau. Some are “stove burnings” where in-laws pour kerosene, the commonly-used cooking fuel of poorer homes; over women and set them alight, making it appear accidental. “The courts are flooded with cases of gender-related crimes,” said retired Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju. He said honor and dowry murders should be

punished with death. “These are not normal crimes. These are social crimes because they disrupt the entire social fabric of the community.When you commit crimes against women, it has a lasting impact.” Experts say child marriage remains among the biggest hurdles to women’s development in India and has a domino effect. Almost 45 percent of Indian girls are married before they turn 18, says the International Center for Research on Women. A child bride will drop out of school and is more likely to have complications during child birth. One in five Indian women, many child mothers, die during pregnancy or child birth, the United Nations says. Their babies, if they survive, are more likely to be underweight and suffer stunting due to poor nourishment. Many will be lucky to survive beyond the age of five. Indian authorities have also struggled to combat rising crimes against women, including domestic violence, molestation, trafficking and rape. India has robust gender laws, but they are hardly enforced, partly because a feudal mindset is as prevalent among bureaucrats, magistrates and the police as it is elsewhere. Politicians are also unwilling to crack down on customary biases against women for fear of losing conservative votes. “The inheritance law was reformed in 2005, bringing women’s legal equality in agricultural land. In reality, however, less than 10 percent women own some kind of land,” said Govind Kelkar from land rights group, Landesa India. “There are two India’s: one where we can see more equality and prosperity for women, but another where the vast majority of women are living with no choice, voice or rights,” said Sushma Kapoor, South Asia deputy director for UN Women. A new Oprah Winfrey-style television talk show called “Satyamev Jayate” (Truth alone prevails), hosted by popular Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, has in recent weeks focused on issues such as feticide, and dowry and honor killings. The shows have won wide acclaim and stirred debate in the media, but experts say the efforts to increase awareness in Indian society as a whole need to be sustained. “Laws alone can only play 20 percent of the role in empowering women in this country,” said judge Katju. “Eighty percent of the role will be played by education, by changing the mindset, the mentality of men who are still to a large extent feudal-minded which means they regard women as inferior.” -Reuters

MEMPHIS, Tenn.: When Graceland opened to the public 30 years ago this month, nobody knew if it would be a success. Nearly 18 million visitors later, the house where Elvis Presley once lived is a money-making business that’s helped transform the city of Memphis into a top destination for music lovers. But Presley’s ex-wife says it’s the spirit of Elvis, and not just music history that keeps the crowds coming to Graceland. “Every time I go in there, I feel like Elvis is going to come down the stairs any minute,” said Priscilla Presley in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press about the landmark’s anniversary. “I have no doubt that he’s there, somewhere, his spirit. I think people feel that.” The King of Rock’n’Roll died on Aug. 16, 1977, and by the early 1980s, Graceland had become a burden on his estate, which faced high estate and inheritance taxes. Accountants and bankers wanted to sell the home, but Priscilla Presley thought that opening the house to tourists could solve the financial problems while keeping Elvis’ legacy alive. She secured a $500,000 investment and visited other tourist attractions - Hearst Castle, Will Rogers’ home, even Disney World for inspiration. Graceland opened for tours on June 7, 1982. “We had no idea whether 30 people were coming, or 300, or 3,000 that first day, Fortunately, it was the latter,” said Jack Soden, CEO of Elvis Presley

Enterprises, who helped Priscilla Presley with her plan. They sold out all 3,024 tickets on the first day and never looked back. Graceland’s success led to a worldwide merchandising and licensing business that keeps Elvis’ legend strong while generating $32 million a year in revenue. And the flow of tourists has remained steady, with an average of 500,000 annual visitors to the mansion and exhibit area across the street, according to Soden. Visitors come all year, but they peak in August during the annual commemoration of Elvis’ death, which includes a candlelight vigil. Graceland expects to welcome its 18 millionth visitor this year. When Presley died, Beale Street in downtown Memphis, which had been known for the blues since the early 1900s, was in disrepair and shunned by visitors, but today it’s a bustling attraction featuring blues-themed bars, shops and restaurants. Sun Studios, where music producer Sam Phillips worked with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and others, opened as a tourist attraction in 1985. The studio for Stax Records, known for Otis Redding and others, has been reborn as a slick multimedia museum of the label’s distinctive Memphis soul sound. And “Memphis in May,” a month long event that includes a music festival and barbecue contest at a park along the Mississippi River, now attracts tens of thousands of people. Graceland, located about a 20-minute drive from downtown Memphis on a hill

in the Whitehaven community, remains focused on Elvis’ life and music. Visitors walk through the house in a line, passing through the living room, dining room, kitchen and the famed Jungle Room, where the King held court. Gold records gleam on the wall of a long hallway. His Army uniform and outfits he wore in movies and concerts are displayed in another room. Outside, tourists - some crying - file past the graves of Elvis, his mother, father and grandmother. The burial site, adorned with flowers, includes a fountain. The 11acre property is surrounded by stately trees and landscaping that includes colored lights illuminating the mansion at night. Graceland’s draw has long had a spillover effect on the Memphis economy, with visitors spending money on hotel rooms, dining and other things. In the mid-1980s, travel expenditures in Memphis were estimated at about $1 billion; in 2011, with many more local attractions for tourists to see, travel expenditures exceeded $3 billion, according to the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. The idea of opening Graceland to the public came to Priscilla Presley after Elvis’ father Vernon died in 1979 and she was thrust into the role of managing the estate. “I realized as it was going on that there really wasn’t any money that could support Graceland or any of the people that worked for Elvis that were still there,” she said. “I had a decision to make to somehow save Graceland.” -AP

Pynchon e-books coming out

Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge throws a foam javelin at a children’s sports event, during her visit to Vernon Park in Nottingham, central England June 13, 2012. (Reuters)

NEW YORK: Another major e-book holdout has joined the digital world: Thomas Pynchon. Penquin Press announced Tuesday that the electronic editions of “Gravity’s Rainbow,” “V.” and other influential works will go on sale Wednesday. The 75-year-old writer has long been praised as a visionary for the information age, but had resisted allowing his books to be downloaded. His other novels include “Vineland” and “Against the Day.” Penguin’s announcement included no statement from Pynchon, who has avoided the media for decades. Pynchon’s books have been released by several publishers, including Little, Brown and Company and Henry Holt and Company, but Penguin acquired e-rights to all of his work. The deal was negotiated by Pynchon’s wife, literary agent Melanie Jackson. -AP

ALWATAN DAILY

ENTERTAINMENT

Song Of The Day

Fahad AlSabah Staff Writer

Song: Dauóalogn Artist: Sigur Rós Album: Valtari Genre: Alternative In short: Sigur Rós’ latest album is an island of an album; the tunes and ambience will take you far away to an ethereal destination that’s almost too good to be true. There are no english lyrics on this release, but it’s so easy to lose yourself in the beautiful melodies and arrangements. As far as productions go, this is the Al Hamra tower of albums. To listen to the song visit www.alwatandaily.com E-mail your feedback to falsabah@alwatandaily.com

The Buzz Pakistan’s legendary singer Mehdi Hassan dies Mehdi Hassan, a Pakistani singer loved by millions across South Asia, has died after a protracted illness. He was 85. Hassan’s son Asif Mehdi says his father died Wednesday. He was ill and unable to sing for 10 years. Hassan was born in 1927 in what is now India but migrated to Pakistan with his family after the 1947 creation of the Muslim state. In his early days, he worked at a bicycle shop and as a car mechanic before he gained fame for his mastery of the Ghazal, a traditional love poem expression put to music. He became known as the “King of Ghazal.” His songs rang out frequently across markets and buses, in homes across Pakistan and beyond, and were the soundtrack to more than 300 Pakistani films. -AP

David Arquette files for divorce from Courteney Cox Actor David Arquette has filed for divorce from “Friends” actress Courteney Cox after 12 years of marriage, following the couple’s initial separation in 2010. Representatives for Arquette declined to comment, but celebrity news website TMZ.com posted the divorce papers on its website on Tuesday. The filing was made at Los Angeles Superior Court last week and cited irreconcilable differences. Cox, 47 and Arquette, 40, worked together on the hit “Scream” horror movie franchise from 1996 and married in June 1999. They announced a “trial separation” in October 2010, and court documents show an official date of separation as December 31, 2011. The couple have filed for joint custody of their seven-year-old daughter, Coco Riley Arquette, and have been on amicable terms in public over the past year. -Reuters

3 men ordered to trial in Winans’ carjacking Three men will stand trial in the carjacking of prominent Detroit pastor and gospel music icon Marvin Winans. The Wayne County prosecutor’s office say all three men were bound over Tuesday to Wayne County Circuit Court on carjacking, conspiracy to carjack, unarmed robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed robbery charges. Each was ordered held on a $200,000 bond pending June 19 arraignments. Winans is pastor of Perfecting Church on Detroit’s east side. He delivered singer Whitney Houston’s eulogy in February. He was attacked May 16 while pumping gas. The robbers took his SUV, Rolex watch and cash. The 54-year-old sustained bruises and scrapes. Arrests were made within days of the robbery. -AP

Chuck star Yvonne Strahovski joins Dexter “Dexter” is making a big play for fans of NBC’s much-loved but little-watched “Chuck”: The series’ Yvonne Strahovski is joining the Showtime serial-killer drama for its seventh season. Strahovski will appear in a multi-episode story arc as Hannah McKay, “a strong, independent woman with a past that she’s struggled to put behind her,” according to Showtime. As Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) and his Miami Metro Homicide cohorts ask for her help in solving some old cases, Dexter begins to wonder if there’s more to her than there seems to be. Dexter will have plenty more to deal with next season, given that season 6 ended with his sister, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), discovering that he’s a serial killer. Production on season 7 started last week. It will premiere on Sunday, September 30. -Reuters

Shepherd, Stamos, Davis step into The Best Man Cybill Shepherd, John Stamos, Kristin Davis and Elizabeth Ashley are set to get political - they’re joining the cast of “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man.” They will replace Candice Bergen, Angela Lansbury, Eric McCormack and Kerry Butler in the Tony Award-nominated play. Producers said Tuesday that Shepherd, Stamos and Davis will start July 10, and Ashley will begin July 24. Original stars James Earl Jones, John Larroquette and Jefferson Mays will remain. Set in Philadelphia during a fictional 1960 national convention, the play pits two candidates vying for the presidential nomination and sees how far they will go to win. It will close on Sept. 9 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. -AP

Tom Cruise receives Friars Icon award in NY Tom Cruise was in Manhattan to collect an award, and, yes, promote a movie. On Tuesday night, the actor received the fourth ever Friars Club Entertainment Icon Award. The evening was a toast, not a roast. Alec Baldwin hosted at the Waldorf-Astoria, where speakers included such former co-stars as Cuba Gooding Jr. and Kevin Pollak. Numerous plugs were worked in for “Rock of Ages,” coming out Friday. -AP

thursday, JUNE 14, 2012

Baldwin wraps up testimony in lawsuit on BP deal NEW ORLEANS: Actor Stephen Baldwin on Tuesday wrapped up his testimony in a lawsuit that accuses Kevin Costner of cheating him in a multi-million dollar deal to sell oil cleanup devices to BP Plc after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The federal lawsuit brought against Costner by Baldwin and business partner Spyridon C. Contogouris claims Costner cheated them by hiding details about the deal before they sold their stake in the company marketing the devices. In the deal, BP agreed to make an $18 million deposit for the $52 million order for 32 oil and water separation devices. Baldwin and Contogouris claim they were duped out of part of the $18 million deposit. The 8-member jury is expected to begin deliberating on the case later this week. Both actors once invested in Ocean Therapy Solutions, the company that acquired the rights to sell the oil-separating centrifuges. Baldwin said he was a major force in promoting the devices, which he hoped to showcase in a documentary about the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst US offshore oil spill. BP never used the oil separators, because they sealed the blown-out Macondo well before they could be delivered. “When you’re famous it opens doors,” said Baldwin, 46, known for roles in “The Usual Suspects” and “Flyboys.” “My participation early on, before Mr. Costner arrived, absolutely opened doors,” said Baldwin. The testimony seems to contradict statements from Costner, 57, and the star of such movies as “Field of Dreams”, “The Untouchables” and “The Bodyguard,” who earlier testified that Baldwin played a minimal role in the venture. Baldwin said he hoped to convince Costner to narrate his documentary, to be called “The Will to Drill” and feature a flight over the spill in a military helicopter with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. However, Costner seemed hesitant to enter the docu-

Actor Stephen Baldwin (center), arrives with his attorneys Timothy Madden (left) and Leo Palazzo at the New Orleans Federal Court House in New Orleans, June 4, 2012. (Reuters)

mentary project, Baldwin said. “I didn’t get to talk with him much because he was very pensive while he was there,” Baldwin said. “He seemed to be not in a good mood.” The plaintiffs want damages of $15 million to $20 mil-

lion, according to Baldwin’s attorney. Costner’s attorney, Wayne Lee, has said that Baldwin and Contogouris are not entitled to any payments because they sold their shares in the company before the deal with BP was sealed. -Reuters

ABC files opposition to CBS restraining order LOS ANGELES: ABC has fired back at CBS in the fight over the “Big Brother”-like reality show “The Glass House,” filing an opposition to CBS’s request for a temporary restraining order Monday night. Per federal judge Gary A. Feess’ order last week, ABC had until 5 p.m. Monday to file its objection. In the opposition, ABC claims that CBS’ request is “wholly unprecedented,” and stands as “the first to enjoin any television show based on theory of possible copyright infringement.” ABC also insists that CBS’s copyright claim “will not succeed on the merits.” “We believe that our filing last week, the testimony from copyright expert Jeff Rovin and ‘The Glass House’ producer’s (Kenny Rosen) own deposition speak for themselves and speak loudly on our behalf,” CBS spokesman Chris Ender said in a statement. “Nothing in the defendants’ submission can change the basic facts.” CBS filed suit against ABC in May, claiming that “The Glass House” bears far too many similarities to “Big Brother,” and that numerous former “Big Brother” employees work on “The Glass House.” The suit, which claims that “The Glass House” was developed with propriety information from “Big Brother,” asks that the defendants be prevented from using confidential information and surrender all copyrighted material and trade

secrets they may have. The suit is also seeking $500,000 from each former “Big Brother” staffer for allegedly violating their confidentiality agreements. In its opposition today, ABC scoffs at the notion that “Big Brother” is wholly unique in the realm of reality television. “To begin, there is no ‘secret sauce’ in ‘Big Brother’’s production process,” ABC’s opposition reads. “The processes outlined in CBS’s brief and attached Appendix describe commonly known equipment, jobs, and ways of doing things in reality television production.” ABC also rebuffs claims that it “poached” former “Big Brother” employees in order to steal secrets from the show. According to ABC’s objection, “The Glass House” crew has so many similar members because “Glass House” showrunner Kenny Rosen had become accustomed to working as a team with certain people. “A group of employees followed Mr. Rosen from ‘Big Brother’ (where he last worked in 2007) to ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ at Fox, and then to ‘The Glass House,’” ABC’s filing reads. “It had nothing to do with ‘Big Brother’’s so-called secret processes. Instead, it had to do with personal relationships and experience.” Oddly enough, in making its case, ABC admits that “The Glass House” is not terribly unique itself. “The Glass House” premieres June 18 - unless CBS succeeds in blocking it. -Reuters

New film shows how Houston’s death changed Grammys LOS ANGELES: When Grammy Awards producers learned of Whitney Houston’s death less than 24 hours before the live telecast, they scrapped parts of the script, added performances and puzzled over how best to honor the Grammywinning singer who died unexpectedly at age 48. Host LL Cool J said addressing the Grammy audience at Staples Center after Houston’s death was “definitely the most challenging moment I’ve faced in my career.” He decided to open with a prayer, and producers agreed, though none could recall another network TV event that began as such. This and other last-minute changes made to the 54th annual Grammy Awards are chronicled in a new documentary, “A Death in the Family: The Show Must Go On,” which premiered Monday at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The screening of the 25-minute documentary and 14-minute highlight reel of past Grammy performances was also a not-so-subtle push for Emmy votes. “We’d love to have you consider us when you vote,” said Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the Grammy Awards for the past 32 years. “We’ve been nominated before and not won.” He added that executives at CBS, which broadcasts the Grammys, suggested Ehrlich’s team produce the documentary, which can be seen on the Grammy. com website and at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Emmy ballots are due at the end of the month. The documentary, though it deals with show changes made after Houston’s death, isn’t a downer. Ehrlich said that about an hour before he heard about Houston, he’d experienced

Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow, rapper LL Cool J and musician Dave Grohl pose at the premiere of The Recording Academy’s ‘A Death In The Family: The Show Must Go On’ at Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre on June 11, 2012 in North Hollywood, California. (AFP)

a career high: Paul McCartney, who was set to close the show, asked if he might perform a Beatles medley from “Abbey Road,” and maybe it could include a guitar jam with the likes of Dave Grohl, Joe Walsh and Bruce Springsteen. The number came together just before Houston’s death. Ehrlich said the magic of that McCartney moment made him feel “like maybe there is a God.” After Houston died, the challenge was to “do something that was respectful

to Whitney,” Ehrlich said, “that set a tone that also didn’t lose the fact that there were thousands of people who were coming to this event because they had done something remarkable this year on their own, and they needed to be treated with respect as well.” February’s Grammy Awards drew nearly 40 million viewers, its second largest audience ever. The biggest Grammy audience - more than 43 million viewers came in 1984, when Michael Jackson won a record eight awards for “Thriller.” -AP

Streep presents Davis with Women in Film award

BEVERLY HILLS: They may have been Oscar rivals earlier this year, but there’s nothing but love between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis. Streep, who ended Davis’ awards run for “The Help” by winning the lead actress Oscar for “The Iron Lady,” lauded her friend and colleague Tuesday at Women in Film’s annual Crystal + Lucy Awards. She called Davis “a lion-hearted woman;” a gifted and determined actress who studied at Juilliard, won Tony Awards and captivated Hollywood with her eight-minute performance in “Doubt.” “She was a newcomer at 45,” Streep joked. Davis returned the love as she accepted the award. “I have a confession,” she said, sharing how touched she was when Streep sent her a card after the film wrapped. Davis also kept a photo of the two of them together on set. “OK Meryl, I framed the card,” Davis said. “So you can never come over to the house.” Other honorees at the private ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel were actresses Christina Applegate and Chloe Grace Moretz, NBCUniversal Cable chief Bonnie Hammer, cinematographer Anette Haellmigk and five female executives from Fox. -AP

Judge grants Jeff Goldblum 3-year stay-away order LOS ANGELES: A judge ordered a woman who has repeatedly tried to contact Jeff Goldblum for the past decade to stay away from the actor for the next three years. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carol Boas Goodson issued the order Tuesday in Los Angeles against Linda Ransom after a contentious hearing in which the woman repeatedly raised her voice to the judge. Ransom claims she is trying to pursue a case against one of Goldblum’s employees, but Goodson told her that didn’t give her the right to repeatedly go to the actor’s home and try to meet him at public performances. “Mr. Goldblum is being harassed because the legal system is negligently violating my rights,” Ransom said. “This harassment is going to stop,” Goodson told Ransom. As she explained the terms of the order - that Ransom must stay 100 yards away from Goldblum and his home, and refrain from contacting him for three years - Ransom continued yelling. “I must say you are acting irrationally in court,” the judge said. “Mr. Goldblum does not want you near him.” Goodson issued her order without attorneys for Goldblum having to say a word. She relied on declarations from Goldblum, police and security officials in which they described Ransom’s conduct in recent years. Goldblum received a temporary restraining order in May after Ransom repeatedly went to the home of the “Jurassic Park” and “Independence Day” star. The actor wrote in his petition that Ransom has been harassing him for a decade. Police say she has told them that she will not stop trying to meet Goldblum unless a restraining order is in place. “Over the past decade, I have experienced substantial emotional distress due to Ms. Ransom’s continuous stalking, harassing, and threatening behavior,” Goldblum wrote in a sworn court declaration filed in May. He did not attend Tuesday’s hearing. Ransom has claimed one of Goldblum’s employees attacked her and that she wanted to file a case, but was unable to find an attorney willing to represent her. Goldblum’s filings stated Ransom has been arrested three times for violating previous restraining orders and has been placed in psychiatric care. The actor says he first alerted authorities to her in 2001 after she attended one of his acting classes and began waiting outside his home. -AP

ALWATAN DAILY

SPORTS

THURSDAY, june 14, 2012

Basketball

Durant helps Thunder crack Heat in Finals opener OKLAHOMA CITY: Kevin Durant won the opening round of his highly anticipated duel with LeBron James, scoring 36 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-94 victory over the Miami Heat in the opening game of the NBA Finals on Tuesday. The NBA scoring champion hit 12-of-20 shots and added eight rebounds to help the Western Conference champions outscore the Heat by 18 points in the second half to draw first blood in the best-of-seven series. “You know, this is a tough series,” said Durant, whose 17 fourth-quarter points slammed the door shut on Miami. “This level of basketball is the hardest we play, and we just want to take it slow and take it a possession at a time. “Guys got to just continue to believe in themselves. If we do that as a group, we’ll be all right. It took us a couple minutes to get the nervousness out of us.” James, a three-time MVP, scored 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting, while adding nine rebounds, but it was Durant who triggered the Thunder’s turnaround. “They didn’t make many mistakes in the fourth quarter,” James said of the Thunder’s 31-21 advantage in the final period. “I don’t think we made many mistakes in the fourth quarter, it’s just they made more plays, especially offensively. “They made more shots. Russell made some big-time shots, Durant made some big-time shots. So I think that’s what it’s about.” Durant’s tussle with James is widely regarded as a barometer for determining the league’s best player, with both also seeking a first championship. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, while adding eight rebounds and 11 assists overall. The only other player scoring in double figures for Oklahoma City was forward Serge Ibaka, who netted 10.

“He’s a terrific player. We want him to score,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said of Westbrook. “When he gets to those spots that he can knock those shots down, those are great shots for him. “Defensively he was solid. When you guard Dwyane Wade or LeBron, you have to really exert a lot of effort defensively, and he did that. And he also had enough to finish around the basket.” Miami led by as many as 13 in the opening half but fell apart in the third quarter, and when Westbrook made a three-point play late in the closing seconds to give the Thunder their first lead at 74-73, the Chesapeake Energy Arena erupted. “They got out in transition and that’s their bread and butter, especially here at home,” said Heat forward Shane Battier, who scored 17 points but only four in the second half. “They run so well. For a while we contained them. Second half we made too many careless turnovers.” Game Two is also in Oklahoma City on Thursday before the series shifts to Miami for the next two contests. “This one is behind us now,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “About halfway through the fourth quarter, we were thinking we were putting ourselves in a position to win. “And then they just went away. That’s what they do, they keep on coming. They’re relentless. They beat us at their game and beat us in a game that’s very similar to us when we’re playing well.” Wade conceded the Thunder “did a great job of turning up defensive pressure” in the second half. “They just made more plays than us,” said Wade, an eight-time All-Star who had 19 points. “They got a couple offensive rebounds that kind of hurt us. They got a couple open shots. “And then from that point, we was kind of playing behind.” -Reuters

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (center) drives to the basket against the Miami Heat in the second half during Game 1 of the NBA basketball finals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, June 12, 2012. (Reuters)

Tennis

Raonic advances in Halle, Dolgopolov out Former champ

Roddick crashes out at Queen’s

China’s Ze Zhang hits the ball during his first round match against Canada’s Milos Raonic at the ATP Gerry Weber Open tennis tournament in the western German city of Halle on June 13, 2012. (AFP)

LONDON: Four-time champion Andy Roddick crashed out of the Wimbledonwarm-up event at Queen’s Club on Wednesday as France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin clinched a shock 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory over the seventh seed. Roddick has slipped out of the top 30 in the world rankings after an injuryravaged campaign, but losing to RogerVasselin, ranked 67th, on the grass he regards as his favourite surface is a new low for the American. It was the 29-year-old’s 11th defeat in 18 matches this year and raises doubts about his ability to mount a strong challenge at Wimbledon, where he has reached the final three times. Roddick’s body is showing signs of wear and tear after over 10 gruelling years on the ATP Tour and he has struggled with ankle and hamstring injuries this year. After a dispiriting first round exit against Nicolas Mahut at the French Open recently, Roddick had hoped the grass courts would revitalize his season. Instead it looks like going from bad to worse for the former world number one. Such is Roddick’s frustration at his travails, he even hinted recently this year’s Wimbledon could be his last appearance at the All England Club. That would have been unthinkable three years ago when he came within touching distance of beating Roger Federer in an epic Wimbledon final. Now it seems entirely possible. The American has always thrived on the lush lawns of west London, but his 12th visit to Queen’s won’t live long in his memory. After losing the first set, Roddick hit back to get the only break of a hardfought second set. But the former US Open champion couldn’t convert a match point at 5-4 in the final set and RogerVasselin made him pay as he broke for a 6-5 lead before serving out a shock win. Roddick wasn’t the only seed to fall in the second round as Taiwan’s Lu Yen-

Andy Roddick of the US hits a return against France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin during their men’s singles second round match on the third day of the Aegon Championships tennis tournament at the Queen’s Club in west London on June 13, 2012. (AFP)

Hsun held his nerve to win a tie-break battle with 16th seed Ivo Karlovic. Lu, ranked 57th in the world, came from a set down to defeat Igor Kunitsyn in the first round and he repeated the feat to record a 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (9/7) victory over Croatia’s Karlovic. After winning the Singapore Challenger event earlier this year and reaching the third round at the Australian Open, Lu has climbed from 82nd in the world at the start of the year to just outside the top 50. He continued in that vein here. Although Lu lost the first set, he matched the big-serving Karlovic blow for blow to take the second set on a tie-break. The final set went to a tie-break as well and it was 28-year-old Lu who took

it to clinch a third round meeting with Janko Tipsaveric or Ryan Sweeting. Italy’s Simone Bolelli also claimed an impressive scalp as he defeated French fourth seed Gilles Simon 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2). Bolelli is ranked 107 places below Simon, but the 26-year-old made a mockery of that gap as he showed great poise and determination to bounce back from a slow start against the world number 13. Sixth seed Marin Cilic wasted little time booking his place in the third round as the Croatian demolished Australia’s Matthew Ebden 6-2, 6-1 in just over an hour. Japan’s Tatsuma Ito reached the second round with a rain-delayed 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 6-2 win over Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi. -AFP

Cricket

South Africa name unchanged squad for England series Canada’s Milos Raonic returns the ball to China’s Ze Zhang during their first round match at the ATP Gerry Weber Open tennis tournament in the western German city of Halle on June 13, 2012. (AFP)

HALLE, Germany: Milos Raonic of Canada defeated Ze Zhangof China 6-1, 6-1 Wednesday to set up a possible quarter-final with five-time Gerry Weber Open champion Roger Federer. Raonic made short work of the 217th-ranked qualifier in the second round of the grass-court tournament, breaking Ze in the fourth game and taking just 20 minutes to win the first set, which he ended

with his fifth ace. The 21st-ranked Raonic had nine aces in the 52minute win. He will face 16-time Grand Slam winner Federer or Germany’sFlorian Mayer, who meet on Thursday. Also, Mikhail Youzhny of Russia eliminated the fourth-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. -AP

Jankovic advances on grass in Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, England: Jelena Jankovic staved off a bee and two set points in a 6-1, 7-6 (3) win over British wild card Melanie South to advance at the grasscourt Aegon Classic on Wednesday. Also, American Christina McHale lost 6-1,1-6, 7-5 to Russian ElenaVesnina, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon. Andrea Hlavackova defeated Mona Barthel 7-6 (5), 6-2. Jankovic saved two set points from 4-5, 15-40 - just as they did when she defeated Maria Sharapova to win the title here five years ago. “That was the last time I was here, so I would love

to win it again,” said the 22st-ranked Jankovic, who is returning to form after a thigh injury in February. “I think my taste is changing because I actually do like grass and I never used to. I hit the ball pretty flat and I have the game to do well on it.” The bee bothered Jankovic not long after she had a poor service game in the second set. Trailing 4-2 she seemed ready to receive South’s first service of the seventh game. Instead, Jankovic suddenly darted toward the back stop, calling out “Wait, wait, wait.” South then double-faulted. -AP

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have kept faith with a winning formula by naming an unchanged squad for the three-test series in England starting next month, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Wednesday. The 15-man squad is identical to the touring side that beat New Zealand 1-0 in a three-test series in March. The Proteas are currently ranked number two in the world behind England and convenor of selectors Andrew Hudson believes consistency and depth of squad have been the key ingredients to the team’s success. “The players fully deserve a vote of confidence after the outstanding manner in which they outplayed New Zealand away from home,” Hudson said in a statement. “Consistency has also been one of the key pillars of our selection policy and this is also contributing to our success on the field. We are now building up excellent depth in both the batting and bowling departments.” Opening batsman Graeme Smith will again captain the side after recovering from ankle surgery. “Graeme has been outstanding both as our leading run scorer and as captain

during our last two test tours of England and I have every confidence he will continue that form,” Hudson added. The South Africa squad boasts a formidable pace attack spearheaded by the world’s top-ranked test bowler Dale Steyn, backed up by Vernon Philander, who has taken 51 wickets in just seven tests, and Morne Morkel.

The test series begins at the Oval on July 19 before moving to Headingley in Leeds on August 2. The series concludes with the final test at Lord’s starting on August 16. Following the tests, England and South Africa will play a five-match oneday series and three Twenty20 internationals. -Reuters

FILE- Members of the South African team celebrate after winning the three test series on day five of the third and final five day international cricket test match between New Zealand and South Africa at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on March 27, 2012. (AFP)

SPORTS

Football Netherlands 1

THURSDAY, june 14, 2012

Denmark 2

Germany 2

Gomez scores 2 to give Germany 2-1 win over Dutch

Portugal 3

Varela saves Ronaldo’s blushes in thriller LVIV, Ukraine: Portugal beat Denmark 3-2 in a thrilling Euro 2012 Group B clash here on Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. A stunning goal by substitute Silvestre Varela three minutes from time saw the 2004 finalists take the points after they had let slip a 2-0 lead as Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner drew the Danes level with two headers. Goals from Pepe - with a superb header - and Helder Postiga, with his 20th goal for his country, had given the Portuguese a perfect start. However, a series of terrible misses by their star player Cristiano Ronaldo had threatened to prove very costly until Varela stepped up to save them just three minutes after coming on. The win puts Portugal level on points with Denmark, who beat the Dutch in their opening game, while Germany top the table and take on Holland later on Wednesday. For Pepe it was not so much about personal satisfaction with regard to his goal but more the overall benefit to the team. “I had the luck to score against Turkey at the last Euro,” said the 29-year-old Real Madrid defender. “I was able to help once again my team, but the most important thing is the team. We showed a real willingness to sacrifice ourselves in order to win this match.” Danish coach Morten Olsen was left dejected. “This is enormously disappointing. Maybe we were lucky against Holland, but today (Wednesday), we were really unlucky not to get a point in the manner in which we fought back from 2-0 down.” The Portuguese managed to put very little together in the opening 20 minutes save once when Ronaldo drifted in from the wing into the centre and played the ball to Raul Meireles. Meireles found the Real Madrid star - just five goals in 15 tournament matches - in space but he produced a woeful shot and tried to blame the pitch as he looked ruefully down at it afterwards. However, he was not found wanting when he

delivered his corner in the 24th minute as Pepe came steaming in to head home, the ball flying in over Danish midfielder William Kvist’s head at the near post. Ronaldo appeared to take heart out of that and he was unfortunate to see an on-target freekick take a deflection off a Danish defender in the 32nd minute. But he did not have to wait long for his side to double their lead. His former Manchester United team-mate Nani was the creator, passing the ball into the box where Postiga got a yard on his marker Simon Kjaer and put the ball away with a sharp finish. The Danes, though, got themselves back in the match four minutes before half-time as a smart header across the goal from Michael Krohn-Dehli found Bendtner unmarked and he made no mistake with a close range header to make it five successive games with the Portuguese that he has found the net. Ronaldo, though, should have restored the two goal advantage soon after the start of the second-half as put clear he was one on one with Danish ‘keeper Stephan Andersen, but the latter blocked his shot with his legs. Bendtner was in lively form and worked himself some space in the 72nd minute to set himself up nicely but he sent his shot well wide of the goal. Ronaldo’s woes in front of goal continued as Nani’s superb through ball found him in acres of space and from about eight yards out and with just Andersen to beat he put it wide - provoking jeers and whistles in the stands. That miss looked to have been extremely costly as Bendtner rose superbly to head home Lars Jacobsen’s excellent cross from the right. However, the drama was not over as Fabio Coentrao hared down the left flank and crossed into the box. Varela swung at the ball with his left foot and miskicked but showing remarkable composure connected with his favored right foot and lashed home. – AFP

Germany’s Mario Gomez (right) scores a goal against Netherlands during their Group B Euro 2012 soccer match at the Metalist stadium in Kharkiv, June 13, 2012. (Reuters)

KHARKIV, Ukraine: Mario Gomez scored two first-half goals Wednesday to give Germany a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in one of the most anticipated showdowns of the European Championship. Robin van Persie pulled one back for the Netherlands in the second half but the defeat left the 2010 World Cup runner-up on the brink of elimination. Germany has six points from two wins but is still not sure of advancing from Group B, where three teams could end up with six points. Earlier, Portugal beat Denmark 3-2. The Netherlands, along with Germany considered one of the favorites but drawn into a tough group, now has lost both of its group games and needs to beat Portugal to have a hope. Germany will need only a draw against Denmark to win the group. Gomez put Germany ahead in the 24th minute after collecting a pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger at the edge of the penalty area and turning between two Dutch defenders, who were betting on an offside call. But Gregory van der Wiel failed to move forward quickly enough and Gomez had a simple task in slotting past Maarten Stekelenburg. Stekelenburg made a stunning reflex save to stop Holger Badstuber’s header from a free kick cross from Mesut Oezil from point-blank range in the 37th,

but one minute later he was beaten again. Gomez and Schweinsteiger outplayed the Dutch defense with two simple moves. Gomez passed to the ball to Schweinsteiger, who immediately played it into space for Gomez and the striker slotted inside the far post. Gomez went off in the 72nd minute and was replaced by Miroslav Klose - but one minute later Van Persie finally found the target for the Dutch, driving home from the edge of the box in the 73rd. Despite a sweltering evening with the temperature 84 degrees at kickoff, both teams went into the match at high pace and Van Persie missed a couple of early chances. But Gomez displayed clinical finishing when it mattered and the Dutch appeared shell-shocked as they went in for the halftime break. By then, the German fans at the Metalist Stadium were already singing, ‘’Aufwiedersehen, aufwiedersehen,’’ - the bye-bye chant of scorn for the Dutch team and its orange-clad fans. The Dutch were more enterprising at the start of the second half after adding a second striker, KlaasJan Huntelaar. But even the later insertion of a fourth Dutch striker, Dirk Kuyt, did not produce the equalizer. - AP

Mexico improves to 2-0 in World Cup qualifying

Portuguese forward Silvestre Varela (left) shoots and scores during the Euro 2012 championships football match Denmark vs Portugal on June 13, 2012. (AFP)

Kagawa ready for action with Manchester United TOKYO: Japan international Shinji Kagawa said Wednesday life at Manchester United was a daunting prospect, in his first public comments after his transfer was confirmed earlier this month. “No doubt, it will truly be a big challenge for me, and I realize that mistakes will not be tolerated,” the attacking midfielder told reporters in Japan, after returning from a World Cup qualifier in Australia. “I have to work harder than ever. I have to take this step with that sort of resolve,” the 23-year-old said. The Premier League outfit announced on June 5 that it had reached a deal with

the player and his German club Borussia Dortmund. The agreement, estimated to be worth around 12 million pounds ($18.4 million), will see Kagawa become the first Japanese national to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. Kagawa revealed that Ferguson told him the transfer would be a huge challenge but wanted him to feel he could put his trust in his new manager. “I was grateful to hear that from such a great person,” Kagawa said. The deal is nearly finalized, pending a medical exam later this month, Kagawa said. Other big name clubs including Chelsea, AC Milan and Arsenal had been

linked with Kagawa ahead of the signing. In the end, he said: “Manchester United was the club that I most wanted to go to.” Kagawa cost Dortmund just 350,000 euros when he joined from J-League side Cerezo Osaka in 2010. He has scored 21 goals in 49 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, helping them win back-toback league titles. He has been a key player in Japan’s national team, which drew 1-1 in the World Cup qualifier against Australia Tuesday night. Japan lead the five-team Asian Group B on seven points from three games, followed by Iraq, Australia, Oman and Jordan. -AFP

Sweden goalie’s bare backside used for training

Mexico’s national soccer team players gestures during a training session in San Salvador, El Salvador, Monday, June 11, 2012. (AP)

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador: Mexico improved to 2-0 in World Cup qualifying, winning 2-1 at El Salvador on Tuesday night. Jesus Zavala put Mexico ahead in the 60th minute, but Alfredo Pacheco tied the score five minutes later with a goal on a free kick. Hector Moreno put El Tri back ahead in the 85th. Mexico leads Group B of North and Central America and the Caribbean with six points, followed by Costa Rica (1-0-1) with four and El Salvador (0-1-1). Guyana (0-2) is last following a 4-0 loss at home to Costa Rica. Alvaro Saboria scored in the 20th, 26th and 52nd minutes, and Joel Campbell added a goal in the 72nd. In Group C, Canada was held to a 0-0 tie by visiting Honduras, and Panana won 1-0 at home over Cuba on Nelson Barahona’s goal in the 58th minute. Panama (2-0) has six points, followed by Canada (1-0-1) with four and Honduras (0-1-1) with one, Cuba (0-2) is last. In Group A, Antigua and Barbuda tied 0-0 at home against Jamaica and Guatemala scored a late goal for a 1-1 tie against the United States. Clint Dempsey’s 40thminute goal put the Americans ahead, but Marco Pappa

of the Chicago Fire tied it with a goal off a free kick in the 83rd. The US (1-0-1) leads on goal difference over Jamaica (1-0-1). Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda (0-0-1) follow with one point each. The top two teams in each of the three groups advance to next year’s regional finals. The top three teams qualify for the 2014 tournament in Brazil, and the fourth-place team goes to a playoff. In Asia, powers Japan, South Korea and Australia took steps toward qualifying while Iran drew 0-0 with Qatar. Japan played to a 1-1 tie at Australia, which was a man down for most of the second half. Japan tops Group B with seven points from two games. Australia is second with two points from two games. Iraq and Oman also have two points after drawing 1-1. South Korea won 3-0 at visiting Lebanon and is 2-0 to lead Group A. Iran and Qatar are two points behind. Lebanon and Uzbekistan have one point each and must now struggle to qualify. Iraq cannot host international games because of safety concerns. The temperature for much of the game was 104 degrees. -AP

KIEV, Ukraine: Sweden players ended up talking about the bare backside of their backup goalkeeper rather than soccer tactics on Wednesday. Some members of the squad responded to criticism for using Johan Wiland’s exposed behind for target practice after a training session. Team members dismissed as harmless horsing around among friends, but it was decried as bullying by critics who said it set a bad example for kids. After Tuesday’s training session for players who didn’t start in the loss against Ukraine, a group of seven players and assistant coach Marcus Allback stood in a circle playing a game of keeping the ball in the air. Wiland lost, and as punishment he had to walk over to a nearby wall, pull down his shorts and turn his backside toward his teammates. They then took turns aiming balls at him from about 20 yards away. That part of training was not open to media, but was filmed by a crew from Swedish newspaper Expressen and shown on its website. It drew a sharp rebuke from a Swedish anti-bullying organization that sponsors the team’s national stadium, but several of the players said the whole thing had been blown out of proportion. “It’s just a game,” midfielder Pontus Wernbloom said. “It’s not bullying if everyone wants to take part.” Defender Martin Olsson said such games often take place during training, and that he’s also been the target of teammates’ shots several times. “It’s just a fun thing,” Olsson said. “We’ve been doing this since we were 12.” However, not everyone was amused. Lars Arrhenius, the general secretary for

anti-bullying organization Friends - whose name will be on the new national soccer stadium in Stockholm - told Expressen the players were being “incredibly bad role models.” “They’re heroes for thousands of boys and girls all over Sweden and I don’t think they should send the signal that this is OK,” Arrhenius said. “This is the kind of stuff that happens in schools and sports clubs, that people use these types of ‘games.’ But there are some children who get exposed in those situations.” Even the prime minister weighed in on the issue, taking his own shot at the players. “People who carry expectations should be aware of that, and act accordingly,” Fredrik Reinfeldt said. Wernbloom, in turn, criticized some

Swedish fans and media back home for making defender Mikael Lustig the butt of jokes after he was partially at fault for Ukraine’s second goal in the co-host’s 2-1 win on Monday. Lustig was supposed to guard the near post at a corner but was out of position, allowing Andriy Shevchenko to sneak a header into the spot where the defender was meant to be placed. That led to an online campaign on some social media networks called “Hold a post,” with dozens of Swedish fans uploading photos of themselves holding on to lamp posts, sign posts, telephone poles and pillars of all sorts. “I think that’s bullying,” Wernbloom said. “But Lustig takes it coolly and is just laughing about it.” -AP

Sweden’s team pose for a picture before their Euro 2012 Group D soccer match against Ukraine at the Olympic stadium in Kiev, June 11, 2012. (Reuters)