CR IP TI ON BS SU
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
03:39 03:49 05:15 11:53 15:28 18:31 19:54
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8 17 10 7 Kuwaitis urged to ‘banish disharmony and sedition’ Amir promotes unity, condemns ‘incorrect’ political practices conspiracy theories
Count your blessings
By Badrya Darwish
badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net
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s usual, our Amir said it all by starting his Ramadan speech reciting an ayah from the Quran. In Arabic it means many things. It is from Surat Al-Anfal Ayah verse 25 and it goes like this: “And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in punishment.” Well chosen! I hope every MP and politician in the country recites that ayah tonight and think of it seriously and its meaning. It is for those who are trying to create unnecessary chaos and make trouble by inciting hatred in society. So far, unfortunately they have succeeded with their multiple plots and their empty rhetoric in attacking each other. They managed to control some of the weak hearts. This week alone I heard and read so many statements by our MPs from both the 2009 and 2012 parliament. I am ashamed even to repeat them in print. They are all striving fitnah (affliction) in the nation. What is this new trend? Since when are we like this? Since when do we have this sensitive division of Sunni and Shiite amongst us? This is as clear as daylight. MPs attack each other based on sectarianism and they are plotting in blocs. If it is not sectarian - we are facing a more dangerous division - bedu (tribes) and hathar (urbanites). Is this fashionable? The most ironic statement from an MP was that he was apologizing to his bloc that he shook hands with the Iranian ambassador by mistake. He said he would wash his hands seven times to cleanse himself. Allegedly, the honorable gentleman was kicked out from the committee which collects donations for Syria by the group because they knew he shook hands with the Iranian ambassadors during a ghabqa (Ramadan late evening dinner). His block, it seems, were even more lost in translation. Instead of defending and showing that Islam does not believe in such rhetoric the MP made (the washing-of-the-hands statement). Is it a sin to shake hands with the Iranian ambassador? To what low level have we reached in our society if shaking a hand with a person from another sect is considered a sin? Where do we live? Remember before, when I said we were back in the Jahliya times (the pre-Islam time). If they consider shaking hands with the Iranian ambassador a sin what about all these leaders who shook hands with Netanyahu and Israeli leaders who keep on visiting Arab countries and meet their counterparts in the United Nations? Why did we not hear statements that these leaders are sinners? These are examples of how trivial we have become! I think the whole of Kuwait, instead of following the empty rhetoric from all sides in the holy last days of Ramadan should sit and contemplate on the ayah recited by the Amir. Maybe then they will be enlightened and they will have a better understanding of life, to fear God and fear for the future of Kuwait. It is not too late, by the way. Instead of fighting each other, why don’t you thank God for the blessings we have. Count your blessings. Other countries are covered in bloodshed because they had severe dictators and widespread poverty. What is your problem in Kuwait? Just visit one ghabqa in a middle-class house in Kuwait and you will get my drift. We are not deprived of anything material but it looks like we have become spiritually-empty. We lost our way.
Ramadan Kareem
Optimism from the Islamic view point
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Kidnapped Saudi diplomat freed
Iran ‘steps up’ nuclear warhead work
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RAMADAN 25, 1433 AH
t the end of every year and the beginning of a new year, people are divided into three categories with regard to their expectations, hope and attitudes. While some are optimistic, others are pessimistic and the vast majority is indifferent. A Muslim has to be optimistic in all the situations. Optimistic visualization combined with prayer and Continued on Page 13
KUWAIT: HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah addresses the nation yesterday on the occasion of the last 10 days of the Holy month of Ramadan. — KUNA
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KUWAIT: HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has blamed “incorrect political practices assumed by some” for impeding development, reforms and growth in the country and resulting in “anxiety and disgruntlement” amongst the public. In his public address on the occasion of the last 10 days of the Holy month of Ramadan he said “People should be aware of the changes and challenges occurring around us, which require an approach of care and one which is aimed at solving these challenges in order to protect and secure the interests of our dear nation.” He said that he believes the occasion would be “a point of change” towards uniting people in the country and banishing all forms of disharmony, dispute and sedition. “This will only come by unity and tackling those who attempt to cause prejudice and threaten national unity and the social fabric of our dear nation. “We will accomplish this with loyalty and honest hard work. I am confident that you - my brothers and sisters will assist me ideally in this.” The Amir emphasized the importance of youth and in developing their skills and potentials, for them to contribute to developing the nation, “for they are the builders of the future and the source of any kind of development.” He also underlined the urgency of developing education in order to serve the needs of the current day and age. “We thank God that we live in a nation of constitution and legality, governed by law and rules that ensure a generous lifestyle for each and every member of the society.” And this is why, he said, the people of Kuwait “should respect the laws we have accepted and adopted to protect our rights and duties.” Continued on Page 13
Opposition rejects government ‘coup’ By B Izzak KUWAIT: Speaker of the 2009 National Assembly Jassem Al-Khorafi officially informed HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah yesterday that it was not possible to convene the Assembly which was dissolved in December last year but reinstated in a court ruling in June. Khorafi submitted to the Amir a letter stating that it was not possible to implement the constitutional court ruling of June 20 which reinstated the 2009 Assembly and revived its constitutional powers. The move came after Khorafi invited the Assembly to meet in two consecutive weeks but the meetings could not take place due to a lack of quorum as both pro-government and opposition lawmakers boycotted the meetings. Progovernment MPs were upset over a government plan to dissolve the house after holding just one session, while the opposition considered the Assembly as illegiti-
mate because it had been dissolved under popular pressure and because some of its members are implicated in a corruption scandal. The way-out of the impasse over the National Assembly is through dissolving it again and holding fresh polls, but these measures are not possible now after the government decided to refer the electoral law to the constitutional court. Any action has to wait for the court ruling which could take weeks or may be months. The opposition meanwhile accused the government of “plotting a coup against the country’s constitutional system” by deciding to take the electoral law to the constitutional court. In a strong-worded statement issued in the early hours of yesterday after two days of meetings, the opposition called for activating the constitutional monarchy concept on the way to achieve the elected government based on a full Continued on Page 13
US destroyer, tanker collide near Hormuz DUBAI: An oil tanker collided with a US Navy ship near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday but no one was hurt and shipping traffic in the water way, through which 40 percent of the world’s seaborne oil exports pass, was not affected, officials said. “Both vessels are okay and the Strait of Hormuz is not closed, and business is as usual there,” an Oman coast guard official told Reuters, declining to be named under briefing rules. The Bahrainbased US Fifth Fleet said the Panamanian-flagged, Japanese-owned bulk oil tanker M/V Otowasan collided with the USS Porter, a guided-missile destroyer, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
300 perish in Iran quakes DUBAI: Overcrowded hospitals in northwest Iran struggled to cope with thousands of earthquake victims yesterday and rescuers raced to reach remote villages after two powerful quakes killed nearly 300 people. Thousands huddled in makeshift camps or slept in the street after Saturday’s quakes in fear of more aftershocks, 60 of which had already struck. A lack of tents and other supplies left them exposed to the night chill, one witness said. “I saw some people whose entire home was destroyed, and all their livestock killed,” Tahir Sadati, a local photographer, said by telephone. “People need help, they need warm clothes, more tents, blankets and bread.” The worst damage and most casualties appeared to have been in rural villages around the towns of Ahar, Varzaghan and Continued on Page 13
BAJEBAJ: An Iranian woman grieves after her loved ones were killed during the earthquake at the village of Bajebaj near the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran yesterday. — AP
Morsi dismisses top generals CAIRO: Egypt’s new Islamist president Mohamed Morsi dismissed Cairo’s two top generals yesterday and cancelled a military order that curbed his powers, in a dramatic move that could free him of some of the restrictions of military rule. It was not clear how far the measures were agreed with the dismissed Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, whose Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) took over
when Hosni Mubarak was deposed - nor how far they would shift the power balance between the generals and Morsi’s long-suppressed Muslim Brotherhood. A member of the military council said that Morsi, a moderate Islamist popularly elected in June but with constitutional powers sharply circumscribed in advance by the generals, had consulted Tantawi, 76, and General Sami
Enan, 64, the military chief of staff, before ordering both men to retire. However, coupled with what Morsi’s spokesman described as the cancellation of the constitutional declaration issued just before Morsi’s election, by which Tantawi and his colleagues curbed presidential powers, the surprise move seemed to indicate a substantial reordering of Egypt’s Continued on Page 13
The navy vessel remained able to operate under its own power after the collision, which was not combat-related, the statement added without elaborating on how the accident happened. An investigation was underway. Tensions have risen in the Gulf this year as Iran has threatened to close the strait to international shipping if its dispute with the United States over its nuclear program escalates. Washington says it maintains naval forces in the Gulf to ensure security in the region. The oil tanker, owned by Japan’s Mitsui OSK, was bound for the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah from Mesaieed in Qatar, according to ship tracking websites. — Reuters
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
LOCAL
Family of officer worried about revenge attacks Prisoner’s escape attempt By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The work of policemen, especially those dealing with criminals, is not easy. It is not only dangerous during the operation or arrest, but after the arrest, as well. With Kuwait being an emotional and tribal society, some families may seek revenge on an officer who arrests their family member for any crime. A 33-year-old officer from the Central Jail Security, who wishes to remain anonymous, was seriously injured during a pursuit of a criminal on Thursday. His brother, Maytham, agreed to talk to the Kuwait Times and tell what happened to his brother, as they have some fears of possible attack or revenge in the future by the family of the arrested criminal. A prisoner who was arrested for two murders and for dealing in drugs was sent to the
Farwaniya hospital for medical care. He then proceeded to escape from the hospital at 6:30 am on Thursday. “They called my brother for the mission to arrest the escaped prisoner, along with two other officers. They drove to the Mangaf area where the police information led, which also included the criminal’s plan to leave Kuwait. After a long pursuit they succeeded in arresting the prisoner, just two hours after his escape from the hospital,” Maythan told the Kuwait Times. This wasn’t the end of the story, however. “Some relatives or friends of the arrested criminal followed the vehicle containing the fugitive in their own cars. After a pursuit the angry relatives drove into the police car and caused an accident on the Fahaheel Express road. This resulted in the injury of the passengers, including the policemen and the arrested
Rakhine incident purely inter-communal violence he Republic of the Union of Myanmar is a country with a total area is 676,577 sq.km and a population of over 60 million. Myanmar is made up of seven States and seven Regions. Eight major national races are residing in those States and Regions. Rakhine State is one of the States of Myanmar and it has an area of 36,780 sq.km and it accommodates the population of 3,836,000. The Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is building a peaceful, modern and developed nation and at the time the Government is tirelessly working to achieve peace and stability in the entire country, two incidents had occurred in Rakhine State on May 28 and June 3 subsequently. Inadvertently, one incident was involved with the Rakhine Buddhist female and the other was involved with the Muslim males who are living together in the region. In the first week of June, based on these two incidents, riots broke out in Rakhine States where rioters torched and destroyed houses, shops and guest houses and committed killings. Only 77 persons- 31 Rakhine nationals and 46 Bengalis- lost lives in the incidents. The injured from both sides accounted for around 100. A total of 4800 houses were burnt out by both sides in anger. Most of the houses burnt out were build with bamboo, bamboo mat, palm leaves and polyester sheet which are easy to flame and the arson caused more houses getting on fire. The Government tried to immediately restore stability in places where riots broke out since the very beginning of violence and legal actions have been taken to the perpetrators involved in the lawlessness and anarchist acts in Rakhine State The Investigation Committee was formed on June 6, 2012. The arson attack left 60,000 people homeless for whom 53 relief camps have been opened. The Government hand in hand with UN agencies and NGOs is taking rescue and rehabilitation measures. More than 3 billion Kyats (in Myanmar currency) for relief and rehabilitation for the victims of both sides have been received from well wishers within the country and abroad. These are the reality and cooperation is being made with organizations for transparency. The diplomats were briefed on the issue in a press conference on July 30. The press conference was also attended by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Situation in Myanmar Quintana who was on a visit in Myanmar. And the next day, a tour of diplomats including the Kuwait Ambassador to Myanmar was arranged to the region to witness the situation and rehabilitation efforts made by the Government, the UN agencies and the international organizations. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has visited Myanmar and also made a tour to the relief camps in Rakhine State and distributed relief goods to the affected people on Aug 10, 2012. When he met with the President U Thein Sein on Aug 9, the President said that he was disheartened by hairsplitting of the media. The pictures of genocide spreading in the internet show incidents in another country, convincing the viewers that these things are happening in Myanmar. The Government of Myanmar also invited the Secretary of Organization of Islamic Cooperation to visit Myanmar and to witness the situation. The Turkish Foreign Minister promised to explain what he witnessed in Myanmar at OIC meeting and urge the OIC secretary to visit to Myanmar. The Minister said that transparency and the OIC secretary’s visit to Rakhine State could well bring misunderstandings by Islamic countries on Myanmar to an end. Turkish people donated $50 millions for the Rakhine State. Actually, the people of various races lived in amicable atmosphere in Myanmar. It was ignited by the brutal murder of a girl. The cause of the unrest is the unlawful act. There were revenges between the groups which later suffer a lot. The incidents in Rakhine State is purely an inter-communal violence confining only to some portion of the population in the Rakhine State. In this respect, the Government of Myanmar totally rejects the attempts by some quarters to politicize and internationalize the situation as a religious issue. The Government has taken necessary measures with great care and with magnanimity and is cooperating with religious and community leaders, political parties and social organization to resolve the issue. And the overall situation is now returning to normalcy. Keeping in mind with a great concern and avoiding undesired and negative effect on the existing friendly relations between our two people by incorrect and unethical mention by some media, I wish to give the friendly people of the State of Kuwait this message to elaborate the true situation in Rakhine State. Wishing all the people of Kuwait prosperous and good health for the Holy Month of Ramadan. “Ramadan Kareem”. H.E. Ko Ko Latt Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar
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criminal. Thus the injury of my brother is the most serious,” stressed Maytham. “When the criminals ran into the police vehicle, police called for backup to help them. Additional police arrived in a short time, blocked the road, and took the injured prisoner and policemen to the hospital. My brother is suffering from a serious injury to his spine and pelvis and will be transferred from the Adan hospital to Al Razi Hospital tomorrow. The other policemen were injured in the neck and head, but the injuries were not very serious,” he pointed out. In the end Maythan thanked the Ministry of Interior for their support of his brother and for their visits to him. Because he is worried about his brother, he wanted to speak to the media about his ordeal. That way, if any retaliation takes place, people will know who is behind it.
Kuwait free-style, drift racing events a success KUWAIT: The ninth Kuwait free-style and drift racing events were held here with astonishing success and strong participation by racers and audience. In the vehicles free-style event, Jarrah Al-Fahdlei emerged winner followed by Abdulaziz Al-Failikawi in second and Bader Al-Bloushi in third while in the bikes event. Thami Al-Mutairi came in first followed by Al-Ardi Al-Ardi and Murdi Al-Heem coming in third. Meanwhile in drift racing, Dhari AlShimmri came in first, Khaled Al-Baderi
came second while the third place went to Mohammad Abdulhaleem. Speaking about the events, Chairman of the Kuwaiti motor sports club Sheikh Ahmad Al-Dawoud Al-Sabah said that the event was held to allow motor sports enthusiasts to showcase their talents. He affirmed that the event would continue to be held to help develop both racing disciplines, noting that previous races help build a solid legacy that would hopefully continue to attract both racers and audience to such events. —KUNA
‘Manahae award for Sheikha Suad an achievement’ KUWAIT: Kuwait Journalist Association (KJA) has stated that the Manahae Award for literature, awarded to eminent poetess Sheikha Suad Al-Sabah is “an achievement to be proud of.” The secretary of the association, Faisal Al-Qenaee, said in statement on Sunday that Dr Suad Al-Sabah earned this international award, given to personalities for achievements in human, literary and intellectual fields, referring to her history of creativity and achievements in poetry, litera-
ture, journalism, politics and history . On behalf of the association members, Al-Qenaee congratulated Dr Suad for earning this international award, noting the association will hold a special ceremony to honor Dr. Suad who is also a member of the society. The award for Sheikha Suad is scheduled to be handed over to a Kuwaiti diplomat at a ceremony due in the South Korean town of Inje, later today. The event is organized by the Asian Journalists Association. —KUNA
KUWAIT: The funeral of former National Assembly Speaker Ahmad AlSarhan was held Saturday afternoon at the Sulaibikhat cemetery. Mourners attended the funeral, including Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, lawmakers and state officials. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh
‘Qat’ smuggling attempt foiled at airport KUWAIT: Airport customs officers prevented an Ethiopian maid from smuggling 36 kg of “Qat”, which was found in plastic bags in her luggage. The airport customs supervisor said Kuwait International Airport has competent officials, adding that they are carrying out their jobs in a way that matches those in Europe and lauded their role in protecting Kuwait’s security. ‘Lovers’ caught An Indian expat and his Sri Lankan lover ended up in jail after being caught by the maid’s sponsor in the act of having sex in the Andalus area. The sponsor told police that he heard unfamiliar voices early in the morning, so he searched the house until he discovered the voice of a stranger coming from the maid’s room. He said that he entered the room and saw the two in a compromising situation.
Police arrived at the house and arrested the two. Bloody match A football match turned into a brawl between two groups of youth, during which knives and sharp objects were used. The two groups were arrested and two youths were taken to an area hospital for treatment. Preliminary investigations revealed that during the match, things got out of hand due to the bad attitude of one player. Witnesses report that the situation escalated when the two groups began beating each other with their shoes. Some of those present were able to separate the two sides and the match was cancelled. However, the fight resumed outside the stadium with some of the youths using knives, prompting a few of those present to call police, who brought things under control shortly after arriving.
Salmiya fight A juvenile was taken to hospital for the treatment of a stab wound to the shoulder following a fight in Salmiya with three unidentified attackers. A security source said the victim sought help from passers-by, who called police and an ambulance. Investigations are underway to find the culprits. Angry husband A citizen accused her husband of insulting her and damaging her car in a complaint filed at Qadisiya police station. The woman told police that her husband returned home very angry, and when she attempted to ask him about the reasons he began beating and swearing at her, before leaving the house. According to the wife, the husband then damaged her car before disappearing. Police are investigating.
‘Kuwaiti support to Egypt reflects solid ties’ CAIRO: Kuwait’s strong stance and support towards Egypt reflects the solid ties that bind the two Arab nations, said Egyptian Minister of
Information Salah Abdel Maqsoud said here yesterday. The minister said during his meeting with Adnan Al-Rashed,
CAIRO: Adnan Al-Rashed, Treasurer of Kuwait Journalists Association holding talks with Egyptian Minister of Information Salah Abdel Maqsoud.
Treasurer of Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) that Kuwait was always supportive of causes pertinent with the Arab and Muslim worlds, noting that the upcoming period would require a continuous effort on part of Kuwait and Egypt to further bolster relations and coordinate on matters of regional and international importance. On the policy of the ministry after the January 25th revolution, Abdel Maqsoud affirmed that media within the public and private levels should be working for the betterment of Egyptian society, working on measures to stabilize the country and look forward for the future. —KUNA
Jerusalem development plan RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is to present an integrated development plan for the city of Jerusalem during his anticipated speech at the extraordinary Islamic summit, set to take place in Makk ah next Tuesday, Fatah Central Committee member Mohammad Shtay yeh said yesterday.
Shtayyeh told Voice of Palestine radio station that Arab and Islamic countries are required during this summit, entitled “Islamic Solidarity,” to provide necessary financing for this plan in order to support Jerusalem and its people, and to resist the Judaization and settlement violations against the city. He called on participant states to
uphold their responsibilities toward Jerusalem and its sacred sites, and to have strong and clear response in order to save the “grieving” city. He expressed hope that they would lend political support to the national authority, including support to the Palestinian leadership during its efforts to secure full membership in United Nations bodies. —KUNA
News
in brief
Eid to fall on Aug 19 KUWAIT: Kuwaiti meteorologist and historian Adel AlSaadoun said yesterday that his predictions indicate that Eid Al-Fitr will fall on Sunday, August 19, with the holy month of Ramadan lasting a full 30 days this time. Al-Saadoun remarked that according to calculations made at Al-Fintas observatory suggest that it is impossible to see the new crescent in any part of the Muslim World on Friday. It would be possible to view it on Saturday, but in Saudi Arabia and countries other than Kuwait, due to specifics of position and time of setting of the sun. Traffic department crackdown KUWAIT: The General Traffic Department held traffic campaigns at south Surra after receiving several complaints about traffic violations and illegal cars racing in the area. The operation department carried out a crackdown in south Surra, issuing 12 citations and impounding eight vehicles. One citizen was detained. The Department asserted that campaigns will be held periodically across Kuwait to implement law and regulations. Also, smart patrol vehicles patrolling the King Fahad highway intercepted a vehicle wanted in connection with charges of creating an accident and fleeing. The case was filed with Andulas police and registered under number 1084/2011. Kuwait pays AL quota CAIRO: The State of Kuwait paid its full quota of the Arab League Secretariat budget for 2012, and stands with no arrears at present, said Kuwait ’s Representative to the organization Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim yesterday. The Ambassador, who noted Kuwait and Saudi Arabia pay the highest contribution of 14 percent of the budget each, said the timely payment is manifestation of the country’s keenness on supporting all work of Arab League and its institutions. This is of particular importance at present due to the ongoing flux in the region, he remarked. On another issue, the ambassador said the Kuwaiti team in Cairo is in constant contact with the secretariat regarding the preparations ahead of the new session of the foreign ministers’ council, due on September 5, and for the meeting of member states’ delegates on Sept 3. The delegates are to prepare the draft agenda and draft resolutions that would be reviewed by the ministerial council. The State of Kuwait is currently presiding over the council. Grant for citizens in October KUWAIT: The government plans to distribute a grant to citizens during the coming two months as part of one of the state’s development projects, a top state official announced recently without divulging more details. “The Cabinet is currently working on the development plan for the fiscal year 2013/2014,” said Dr Rola Dashti Minister of State for Planning and Development, Minister of State for Parliament Affairs to Al-Rai, adding that the plan will be included in the Cabinet’s agenda. “The plan determines executing the mechanisms pertinent with evaluating officials that oversee projects,” Dashti added. Furthermore, Dashti blamed cumbersome bureaucratic procedures for the delay in floating tenders and executing them. On that regard, she added that meetings are currently ongoing to “filter paperwork bureaucracy.”
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
local
Opposition plans big demos to defend people’s rights Cabinet decision ‘a conspiracy’ By A Saleh
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah received at Seif Palace yesterday National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi. Al-Khorafi presented His Highness with a letter regarding the impossibility of the implementation of the Constitutional Court’s ruling issued on June 20, 2012 on restoration of the National Assembly’s constitutional powers, after its dissolution virtue of decree issued on Dec 16, 2011.
KUWAIT: The opposition bloc plans to lodge a complaint with international human rights organizations in case authorities stop or interfere with public demonstrations planned against the government’s decision to refer the electoral constituencies law to the Constitutional Court, a leading oppositionist said recently. “All of Kuwait is a square for our demonstrations, as we will be present in diwanyas and streets to demand that the Kuwaiti people defend their rights,” MP Musallam Al-Barrak in a statement late Saturday following a meeting held by the opposition at the dewaniya of Ahmad Al-Saadoun for the second night in a row. Al-Barrak refused the notion that the Cabinet as the authority to contest the constitutionality of the current system which divides Kuwait into five constituencies, accusing the government of being in control of “the executive and executive authorities.” “What stopped the government from claiming that the constituencies division is unfair during the 2008 and 2009 elections?,” questioned the member of the Majority Bloc; a coalition of oppositionists who controlled majority seats in the annulled 2012 parliament. He further described the Cabinet’s decision as “part of a conspiracy in cooperation with forces of corruption against the Constitution,” reiterating earlier statements in which he called for the establishment of a national front to protect the Constitution. Meanwhile, MP Yousuf Al-Zalzalah indicated that het Constitutional Court is likely going to rule the electoral system unconstitutional “due to several suspicions surrounding the five-constituency system.” The lawmaker further predicted that the next elections is going to take place in October through a 10-constituency system if the court rules the current system as being unconstitutional. In the meantime, former MP Essam Al-Dabous rejected calls for holding demonstrations, saying that “threatens of public protest at every political dispute is a coup against the Constitution and the spirit of democracy, and an unacceptable form of political blackmailing.”
The former lawmaker indicated in a statement released yesterday that the flaws of the electoral system were exposed since 2006, the year in which the current system was adopted. “Since then, we have been running around in circles as a result of continuous political problems that obstructed the development process and led us to political and social infighting,” Al-Dabous said. Al-Juwaihel medication Former third constituency candidate Mohammad AlJuwaihel stopped taking his medication in his cell at the Central Jail where he is held pending investigation on charges of insulting the Mutair tribe. She takes treatment for heart problems, requiring that he stay in the hospital at one point in the past. He denies charges of posting derogatory remarks on Twitter, arguing that his account was hacked. Al-Adasani denial Member of the annulled 2012 parliament Riyadh AlAdasani denied rumors that he ignored HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah during a funeral. “Some people behind fake accounts on Twitter are spreading a rumor that I did not stand up in honor of HH the Amir,” AlAdasani said, “Out of respect to HH the Amir, I stood up when he walked in and out of the funeral, while I was standing near his grandson Sheikh Sabah Al-Nasser AlSabah during that time.” Jaber University The Cabinet is expected to request the next parliament to initiate series of amendments to the draft law which calls for establishing the Jaber University to help overcome obstacles facing the project. According to sources, a committee overseeing the process of creating the executive regulations for the project found several flaws in the law, including the appointment of the administrative and teaching staff, the university’s relationship with the Kuwait University, in addition to the university’s feasibility “in light of a lack of academic
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n the auspicious occasion of 66th Day of Independence, I would like to extend my felicitations to my countrymen including overseas Pakistanis. August 14, 1947 saw the successful culmination of a heroic struggle of the Muslims of the sub-continent for their right to have a separate homeland. Pakistan appeared on the world map through a democratic struggle and its progress and prosperity lies in continuation of the democratic system as well. The present coalition government has undertaken various historic initiatives during the last four and half years, and pursued a policy of reconciliation. The passage of the l8th Constitutional Amendment empowered the federating units with administratively as well as politically. The consensual adoption of the 7th National Finance Commission Award increased the share of provinces in the federal divisible pool. Besides, Benazir Income Support Program, a flagship program of the government, has focused on women empowerment and welfare of the poorest segments of society. We have refashioned our country’s foreign policy in accord with parliamentary guidelines and national interest. This year, the 14th of August falls in the holy month of Ramadan. Thus this holy month carries an added significance for us.
News
IPEC focuses on women in petroleum field
in brief
Equate achievement KUWAIT: Mohammad Hussain, CEO of petrochemical company Equate, said that the company has achieved gross sales which exceeded $12 billion since being established in 1997. Return on capital since the 1st distribution of profits in 2002 has been at 65% annually, and net profits for the company have exceeded $5 billion since the start of industrial operations. Hussain said in an interview with Al-Anba Daily that the company pumps 1 billion dollars a year into the national economy by contracting and dealing with several parties. He pointed out that Equate’s cooperation and support to the local plastic companies in Kuwait have resulted in growth of more than 300% within a time period that did not exceed 13 years. He also noted that Equate supports its local manufacturer clients by all possible means. During the period from 1998 - 2011, local sales increased from 11,000 metric tons to more than 40,000 metric tons at a value exceeding $30 million. Livestock prices KUWAIT: Sources at Livestock and Transport Co. revealed that in its meeting yesterday the company decided to reduce the price of lamb, which is butchered locally in Kuwait and delivered to homes at prices ranging from KD 45 to KD 35. To further cut prices the company plans to reduce the price of chilled lamb from KD 38 to KD 35. As of Sunday, August 12th, the company announced that it has provided fresh meat, chilled and frozen at KD 1.250 per kilogram with bones and KD 1.500 boneless in all of its outlets across Kuwait.
Drop in airport passengers, traffic KUWAIT: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported on Sunday that the total number of passengers who have used Kuwait International Airport last July amounted to 855.3 compared to 912.5 passengers in July of 2011. The department’s monthly statistics shows the number of incoming passengers amounting to 454,000 compared to 461.6 passengers in the same month of 2011. Meanwhile, the number of departing passengers amounted to 401.2 compared to 450. 9 passengers in the corresponding period of 2011. The statement added that the total number of flights to and from Kuwait International Airport in July was 7,537, compared to 7,487 trips in July 2011. The number of arriving and departing commercial flights reached 6,679 flights compared to 6,511 trips in July of the past year. In terms of cargo traffic, the DGCA reported that the total freight last July weighed about 15.8 million kilogram when compared to 17.3 million kilogram in July 2011. — KUNA
Raja Pervez Ashraf Prime Minister of Pakistan
Asif Ali Zardari President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Muslim world’s first elected woman Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Unfortunately, for most part of our independent existence the people were often denied right to rule and the Constitution repeatedly abrogated. It is reassuring that the present Parliament unanimously restored to a large extent the democratic Constitution of 1973. The restoration of the Constitution by all political forces and provinces raises our hope that despite setbacks we will revert to our true hearings and restore to Pakistan the values and ideals for which it was created. However, the people and the Parliament must also be watchful against new forms of assaults on the Constitution and the Parliament. Let us on this day re-dedicate ourselves to the democratic ideals and principles of the Quaid. Adherence to the principle that political choices must be made by ballot, and not imposed through bullet, demands that we banish from our midst all forms of bigotry, extremism and militancy. On this day, I wish to call upon everyone to work together for the strengthening of democracy, empowerment of the people and for a progressive, tolerant, moderate and modern Pakistan as envisioned by our great leaders. Pakistan-Paindabad
NAPESCO contract The National Petroleum Services Company (NAPESCO) has signed a contract with the Joint Operations Company (The Kuwait Gulf Oil Company and Chevron - Saudi Arabia) to supply them with four inch and six inch circular valves. The contract will last for a duration of 15 months and is worth KD 548,000.
Prime Minister’s message on Independence Day
President’s message on the occasion of Independence Day
wish to extend heartiest felicitations to all the Pakistanis living within the country and abroad on the auspicious occasion of 66th Independence Day. Falling in the holy month of Ramadan, it is the most important date in our national calendar. On this day in 1947, our long and hard struggle for independence against foreign domination was crowned with success. A new state was born wherein we can fashion our lives and destiny in accordance with our culture, values and aspirations. On this day, our heads bow in gratitude before Allah and we are beholden to our founding fathers who under the leadership of the Quaid achieved a separate homeland for us. While it is natural to rejoice today in our independence celebrations, it is also an occasion to pause and ponder over whether we have moved towards or away from the ideals for which Pakistan was created. Our founding fathers envisioned Pakistan as a country where democracy, constitutionalism and rule of law will reign supreme. It was envisaged to be a country where the power of the ballot, and not bullet, will determine the political choices of the people. Countless lives were sacrificed for the achievement of these ideals including that of the country ’s first directly elected Prime Minister
vision.” The committee has reportedly requested to extend the period to prepare the regulations which end soon.
KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah left here yesterday for Jeddah to chair Kuwait’s delegation to the 40th extraordinary session of the ministerial council of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled will also chair Kuwait’s delegation to the 4th extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation slated for today.
KUWAIT: The Society of Petroleum Engineers hosts the International Professionals in Energy Conference (IPEC) on Sept 25 and 26, under the direction of Minister of Oil Hani Husain. The event, titled “Encouragement of Women’s Leading Role”, will be inaugurated with speeches from Minister Husain, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation CEO Farouq Al-Zenki, KPC Deputy Managing Director for North Kuwait Hosnia Hashim, and head of the Society of Petroleum Engineers for 2012 Ganesh Thakur. “The conference will be the first that focuses on women working in excavation and production, as well as focusing on the role of women in bridging the gap between workers with long experience in the oil industry and young workers”, Hashim said in a statement yesterday. Hashim further indicated that the conference is scheduled to discuss the obstacles facing women in career promotion and challenges faced in leading posts, as well as the best talent development programs. The conference also features three workshops that will discuss various topics including “attracting female workers to the petroleum and gas sector”, Hashim said. Members from major oil companies taking part in the conference include the KPC, Baker Hughes, Exxon Mobil, Total, Kuwait Energy, and the Petrochemical Industries Company.
On this blessed occasion, we bow our head in eternal gratitude to Allah Almighty for His favours and pray for the security, unity, progress and prosperity of the country. I am reminded of Quaid-e-Azam’s message on the inauguration of Pakistan Broadcasting Service on August 15, 1947. The Quaid-e-Azam said, “The creation of the new State has placed a tremendous responsibility on the citizen of Pakistan. It gives them an opportunity to demonstrate to the world how can a nation, containing many elements, live in peace and amity and work for the betterment of all its citizens, irrespective of caste and creed.” Despite difficulties, Pakistan is a vibrant polity where judiciary is independent, parliament is functioning, media is vocal and free, and civil society is active. We are confronted with various challenges such as energy crisis, law and order problem, economic difficulties, terrorism, and extremism, which have slowed down the pace of socio-economic development. We are a resolute and determined nation and can overcome these daunting challenges if we demonstrate tolerance, national unity, solidarity and understanding. Let us pledge to work together and commit ourselves to the progress and prosperity of our nation by setting aside our mutual differences so that the country can get its rightful place in the comity of nations.
local
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
KUWAIT: The Coptic Church hosted a ghabqa recently at the Marina Hotel on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. Chairperson of Kuwait’s Higher Committee for the Ideal Mother Award Sheikha Fraiha Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was honored during the event. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh
KUWAIT: The Historical, Vintage and Classic Cars Museum hosted a Ghabqa recently featuring various activities including Girgian celebrations.— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat
NO: 15538
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RAMADAN 25, 1433 AH
What is the name of the only woman mentioned in the Holy Quran? Lady Aysha (PBUH) Lady Mariam (PBUH) Lady Khadija (PBUH)
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
local
Kunafeh
Awameh
KUWAIT: The Kuwait Disabled Society hosted a Ghabqa recently during which a Girgian celebration and several other activities were held. Matthew Tueller, the ambassador of the United States to Kuwait, attended the event. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat
INGREDIENTS: •1 kg Kunafeh dough •1.5 kg sweet local cheese •300 g ghee •1 lt warm syrup sugar • 250 gm crushed pistachio for decoration PROCEDURE: 1. Spread the ghee on the copper tray evenly. 2. Sprinkle the dough on top of the ghee evenly the whole amount to a thickness of 1 cm. 3. Tear the cheese into small pieces and put evenly on top of the dough. 4. Place the copper tray now on medium heat and turn around once in a while to cook the kunafeh evenly. This process of cooking will take 7-10 mins. 5. Remove kunafeh from the heat and turn it upside down on the aluminum tray. 6. Pour the warm syrup onto the Kunafeh and cut into 10x10 cm squares and place a little crushed pistachio on each squares. 7. Serve it warm.
INGREDIENTS: 350 g boiled mashed potato with a little water 1 kg flour 700 lt cold water 30 gm dry yeast 2 lt cold syrup PROCEDURE: 1. Dissolve yeast in the water 2. Add potato and flour and mix it to a smooth rubbery butter in the machine. 3. Rest for 1 hour at warm area. 4. Heat up oil. 5. Grab some butter with your left hand and squeeze the butter through the top. 6. Using a wet tea spoon, scoop the butter which comes out through the top of your left hand and drop it into the oil. 7. Repeat this action till you have about 20 balls in the oil then fry them till golden brown. 8. Repeat till you finish the butter. 9. Refry all the balls again for the second time and plunge into the syrup for 5 mins directly. 10. Serve it at room temperature.
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
LOCAL in my view
kuwait digest
Disregard for public health
Two options for the public
By Abdullah Buwair By Dr Mohammad Al-Feeli
uspicions surrounding the constitutionality of the current constituencies with regards to inequality in voters’ balance is not something new, as it was present as early as the time in which the current electoral law was enforced. Inequality was, in fact, a reason behind why the previous electoral law was cancelled. Despite that, politicians never wished to give ‘imbalance issue’ priority in dealing with the electoral system, in addition to being unable to liberate themselves intellectually from the 25 constituencies system. The earliest attempt to contest the law that divides Kuwait into five constituencies took place in 2008 when an appeal was made against the results of elections happened that year. The court shelved the case due to lack of evidence to prove that the law violates the constitution. This basically means that the court could have ruled the electoral law unconstitutional back in 2008 if clear evidence is present. As far as I know, the issue was not raised again following the 2009 parliamentary elections, but was brought back following the 2012 elections through an appeal filed at the Constitutional Court. After the verdict was passed last June to annul the last election results, the possibility of a similar ruling that renders the electoral law invalid moved away from being a theory into reality. This threatens any future elections with the same fate of the 2012 elections. To face this issue, three solutions have been discussed: 1. The year 2009 convenes in order to amend the electoral law by eliminating all elements that could render it unconstitutional. This solution provides the less costly way of dealing with the subject as they amended the law that eliminates the possibility of appealing future results. Moreover, the amendment is possible if we consider the fact that a majority in the 2009 parliament can convene if lawmakers suspect that corruption cannot be invited. This solution faces two main obstacles. The coalition of oppositionists who dominated majority seats in the 2012 parliament still need a central issue with which they can maintain cohesion. The focal issue here is rejecting the idea of allowing the ‘evil and corrupt’ 2009 parliament to convene. Meanwhile, the coalition believes that they can achieve better victory in future elections compared to the last one, if carried out through the same system. In this case, the opposition thinks that they can give away the bird in hand today, when it is guaranteed that they can get the two in the bush. There could be other reasons why this solution is obstructed - some politicians even talk about a trap being set up to the Majority coalition. Either way, all these interpretations remain conspiracy theories that could be correct or not. Nevertheless, this solution remains good from a technical standpoint, but not good from a political standpoint. 2. Resolving the subject through the Constitutional Court in time before new elections are held. This solution is technically possible and becomes acceptable when the first solution is not an option, since it would protect future elections from annulment. The timing is also important to eliminate the negative impact caused by the annulment fears on the elections process. Who will partake in an election process that is most likely to be canceled? The Parliament’s failure to convene gives the government the authority to go ahead solely with efforts to rectify the electoral system with the second solution. Whether the court finds the law constitutional or not, in the end, the issue will clearly be resolved. The side effects of this solution is that it will be made by the government alone, and a verdict that annuls the electoral law would either call for holding fresh elections through the previous 25-constituencies system which faces similar unconstitutionality suspicions, or allows the government to release a new formation of constituencies through a Cabinet decree. 3. Holding new elections as per the current system. In this case, the option is left to voters or candidates to appeal the election results, repeating the 2008 and 2012 scenarios. This solution also requires that the new elected parliament works immediately to amend the electoral law before the Constitutional Court can pass their verdict in potential appeals. If that happens, the appeal itself can be contested because the main topic challenged (the unconstitutionality of the electoral law) will no longer be present. While this solution gives control to representatives of the public and eliminate concerns about a new law made solely by the government, it is still surrounded by several flaws and uncertainties that make it unreliable. The Cabinet has already announced plans to contest the electoral law with the Constitutional Court; a decision while not approved by many, remains a constitutional right for the government to take. But what can the people do to deal with the present situation? First, public pressure can be put against the government to change their mind about pressing the appeal. Changing their mind, however, is criticized from a technical standpoint because it deprives the society of their right to reassure the constitutionality of laws they practice. In addition, changing their mind for political reasons would give the impression that the judiciary is being used as a tool in political maneuvering, which is unacceptable. Not to mention, it is not certain that the court will accept the government’s decision to take back their appeal in a matter of public concern. The second option for the public is to demand for civil society and political forces to take part in creating a new electoral system, or require their approval on a law prepared by the government. This option allows the government to pass a new law through a Cabinet decree, but at the same time grant transparency when the said law is supervised by the civil society. — Al-Qabas
very time I visit a medical facility I become more convinced that the Ministry of Health is struggling in a state of confusion and lacking in clarity. My latest experience happened at the Mubarak Hospital where I headed after complaining about lower back pain. After diagnosis, the doctor requested an x-ray, which, according to him, did not show that I was suffering from kidney stones. I was discharged with an ointment for back spasms. I went back to the hospital the next day, since the treatment did not help to relieve the pain. A different doctor immediately told me, after viewing the x-ray image I took the day before, that I had a kidney stone on the right side of my lower back; which is exactly the place where I had the pain. But this experience is hardly my only recent cause for concern. I came across a shocking piece of news in the press recently, reporting that the ministry provides nearly-expired medications to patients requiring long treatment periods. While the MOH is supposed to be the first to protect people’s lives, it seems that they are more concerned with getting rid of their medicine supply to avoid financial loss; a practice similar to corrupt traders selling bad food to the public.
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(Constitutional expert and Kuwait University Professor in Constitutional Law)
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kuwait digest
Nothing logical in this country By Thaar Al-Rashidi uying a new car in Kuwait is very much like a traditional marriage. You will find the defects only after six months of use. Depending on your luck, either it will be good, or it will drive you crazy. Either the government gives you KD 6,000 for marriage or you receive KD 12,000 after the gift of His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali. The buying of a car today, with the tightening of all loan sources for consumers, (especially those who were involved in house, car, traveling or any other kind of loans), along with the rising prices of good cars reaching astronomical figures compared to its price in neighboring countries or even in the country of origin, have made buying a car a difficult proposition for some. The thrill may become even more dangerous, especially if you were looking for a car that can sustain road temperatures of about 70 degrees and streets full of ditches. So you should do your calculations very well before buying a car that might break the back of your salary, that has already been broken by other loans. It is no wonder that this illogical situation exists in a country where nothing is logical: Why can’t the government subsidize the cars which citizens buy? Subsidizing the citizen with a few thousand KD is better than subsidizing the shares of tenders, whose projects we don’t see in spite of the billions in cost. The illogical road which government has started to go down by going to the constitutional court, will be a reason for the extension of the legislative gap and constitutional gap, and I see the verdict in front of my eyes: the unconstitutionality of the 5 con-
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stituencies, then a necessity decree being issued to go back to the 25 constituencies and...don’t you see?!
It is no wonder that this illogical situation exists in a country where nothing is logical: Why can’t the government subsidize the cars which citizens buy? Subsidizing the citizen with a few thousand KD is better than subsidizing the shares of tenders, whose projects we don’t see in spite of the billions in cost. NOTE: In spite of the lack of logic of recent cabinet decisions, there are points of light concerning the last appointments (and I mean the appointments of Assistant Undersecretary of Consumer Services Abdullah Al-Azemi and the appointment of Buthaina Al-Subaie as Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative Affairs) that are positive. Both are from the youth generation, which government needs, and the most important things are that they both come from the ministry, they are professional and have good relations with all. — Al-Anbaa
The Ministry of Health is ironically enough - still guilty of having a high disregard for public health. If that’s not the case, what’s stopping the ministry from replacing the nearly expired medications in their stock. According to the report, an orthopedic doctor at the Shaikhan Al-Farsi Center prescribed a dosage of the medication One-Alpha to a rheumatic patient, to be taken for a three-month treatment period. After receiving the medication, however, the patient discovered that it was going to expire a month and a half later. When he consulted the doctor about that, the doctor assured him that it’s fine to take the medication before it expires in early September. It is known, though, that medications contain certain chemical structures to restore physiological or biological balance, and this structure changes after the expiration date. This example proves that the Ministry of Health is - ironically enough - still guilty of having a high disregard for public health. If that’s not the case, what’s stopping the ministry from replacing the nearly expired medications in their stock? I end my column with another report published recently, indicating that the ministry launched investigations on a number of doctors who unlawfully adopted the ‘advisor’ title to illegally obtain privileges, such as escaping sentry duties.
in my view
Easing sufferings of Muslim Ummah By Zainul Al-Rikabi he venue: The most sublime geographical location in the universe. The timing: The last 10 days of the Ramadan, which is distinguished with the special hours of the Lailat Al-Qadr (the Night of Power) that are more valuable than 83 years. At this exalted location and exalted occasion, the leaders of the Muslim Ummah are meeting in an extraordinary summit initiated by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to look into the issues of the Ummah, which is currently facing enormous challenges such as the following: The Muslims in Myanmar are subjected to ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of thousands of them are being killed and the rest are driven out to perish outside that country. We begin with the Myanmar Muslims because the media in the Muslim countries or rest of the world have imposed a blackout on the reports of repression in Myanmar. The media find even mentioning the persecution of Muslims in that country as a matter of shame, and hence report only three percent of the real horrors of the ordeal those Muslims are being subjected to. In the Occupied Palestine, the Zionist occupier has exploited the opportunity provided by the Arab Spring and internal Arab wrangling and conflicts among Palestinians themselves, combined with the death of the world conscience, to expand its occupation in the West Bank and to speed up the Judaization of Jerusalem. In Somalia, whenever the internal fighting subsides, it is again ignited and the country is pushed to a worse situation than before, while children and adults starve to death in that country. In Iraq the terrorists continue their destructions and killing spree. In case of Syria, the horrors and tragedies are known to even a common man, then how can the leaders be unaware of them? In Yemen, despite all talks about settlement of issues, the fire of fighting is still smoldering under the ashes almost everywhere. In Egypt whenever an opportunity for peace and stability arrives some malicious and frighteni n g e ve n t , s u c h a s t h e re ce n t a t t a c k o n t h e Egyptian border guards, spoils the situation. The attack was made with a wicked precision, at the moment of Maghrib prayer call when the guards
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were about to break their fast. In Afghanistan and Pakistan the killings and devastations are continuing unabated with the involvement of both internal and foreign hands. In Sudan fragmentation and division have split the country and Israel at the sources of Nile amid its scheme to strangulate Egypt and Sudan by controlling the artery of life that supplies water to the two countries. The armed confrontations are still continuing in western Sudan. In northern Mali an ideological and geographical den is breeding extremism and fundamentalism under the claim that it is implementing the Islamic Shariah. In the religious field in the Muslim world, issuing indiscriminate fatwas (religious edicts) are creating a state of chaos while fiery religious rhetoric is inciting followers to commit inappropriate things under the slogan of “Islam is a comprehensive religion.” The principle is true when it is rightly understood. Those fatwas also deal with political issues, though those who issue them are not eligible or learned to do it and lack the expertise, experience or the ability to comprehend complex political situations. The cause of this chaotic state is the common ignorance about the Islamic methodology of issuing fatwas. The reasons for the chaotic state also include the notion that the fatwa and religious propaganda can be undertaken by any graduate from colleges that teach religion. In fact all graduates from these colleges are not qualified to issue fatwas or spread the religion. In the field of economy the growth is frighteningly slow excepting in a few countries. The unemployment graph is rising steeply particularly among the youth. There is also considerable drop in the bilateral trade between the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. One may be prompted to ask: Why draw such a bleak picture about the Islamic world. Its answer lies in two parts: We do not fabricate a false picture of the state of the Muslim Ummah, but only portray it as it is. An objective portrayal of the situation should not be by wishful thinking or imagination but must be on the basis of facts: The Holy Quran says: “It will not be in accordance with your desires, nor the desires of the People of the
Scripture. He who does wrong will have the recompense thereof.” (Chapter Al-Nisa: Verse 123). According to an authentic Hadith Qudsi: “O my slaves: I only count your deeds and then give full rewards. Whoever finds good rewards should praise Allah and any one who finds something else should not blame except himself.” The second part of the answer is that a man will be blamed if he presents the real woeful picture without any vision to liberate the Ummah from its burdens. Therefore we have devoted the rest of the article for this vision to heal the wounds of the Ummah. 1 The vision should include the heightening of the strategic awareness of the danger facing the Ummah to the highest level. Sense of danger is a common instinctive and logical feeling that drives man to strive for safety. One of the most notable incentives that pushed mankind toward progress is a strong sense of danger. It also forces him to plan the defense against such dangers. The fear of diseases and infectious diseases led to great inventions in the field of health and medicines. Threats of war have necessitated the strategies for defense of ones country, people and properties. The Islamic world is passing through a phase, which it did not experience before. It is fraught with dangers of all kinds and levels. 2 The immediate escape from the state of lethargy in which the Ummah is. History of civilizations and countries affirms that downfall and degeneration of a civilization or country occurred only when it was in a state of lethargy. 3 Planning for self-preservation originates from the sense of danger and getting rid of the state of lethargy. There are many ways for self-preservation. The first of it is revival of the self. Yes, it is by liberation from the delusion that self-preservation can be achieved through rigidity. Rigidity keeps back people from thinking about plans to benefit from the sense of danger. 4 The second part also includes a practical and bold adoption of the concept or philosophy that the reformation or revival is only for the betterment of the political system before any thing else. It is a concept that strengthens the national will with strong determination to undertake required reform and revival stressing the national security. 5 National security is a prerequisite for existence.
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
Bahrain returns envoy to Tehran Page 8
Water bombers fight raging Spain wildfires Page 10
JAKARTA: Indonesian Muslims display a banner comparing Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad with Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler during a rally yesterday calling for an end to the violence against fellow Muslims in Syria and the Rakhine state of Myanmar. — AP
Iran ‘steps up’ nuke warhead work Israel tests SMS alerts as Iran chatter grows JERUSALEM: Israel yesterday began testing an SMS system for warning the public of an imminent missile attack as chatter over a possible strike on Iran dominated the Israeli press headlines. As testing began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had chalked up “a significant improvement” in its home front defence capabilities, mentioning its highly-vaunted anti-missile systems such as Iron Dome and Arrow 2. “There has been a significant improvement in our level of defence capacity on the home front: with Iron Dome, with the Arrow, in terms of protection and shelters, in advanced warning systems and in other areas,” he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. “But all the threats which are directed towards the Israeli home front are dwarfed by another threat - different in both its scope and its essence. And so I repeat: Iran must never be allowed to get nuclear weapons.” With front page stories in two papers suggesting Tehran had made progress towards the manufacture and assembly of a nuclear warhead, Israel’s Home Front Command began final tests of the SMS warning system which is expected to be operational by September. “ The Home Front Command will today start conducting nationwide testing of the ‘Personal Message’ alert system, which will end on Thursday,” said a statement indicating that SMS texts in Hebrew, Arabic, English and Russian would be sent to subscribers on Israel’s three main networks: Cellcom, Pelephone and Orange. The idea is that the SMS system could be used to warn the population of an imminent missile attack by Iran or Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia if Israel strikes Tehran’s
nuclear facilities which it believes is a front for developing a bomb. In recent days, talk of a possible strike on Iran has dominated the headlines, largely coming from unsourced officials quoting intelligence reports, none of which it was possible to verify. “Iran has made progress toward nuclear warhead,” was the headline in the Haaretz newspaper. “The Iranians greatest progress
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at his office yesterday. — AFP
recently is in the manufacture and assembly of a nuclear warhead,” the paper said, quoting the official who was drawing his information from an intelligence report which an Israeli newspaper said was recently presented to US President Barack Obama. Citing an unnamed senior Israeli official, Haaretz said a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) compiled by the Obama administration included a “last-minute update” about significant Iranian progress in the development of a
nuclear warhead “far beyond the scope known” to UN inspectors. Israel Hayom reported NIE findings that Iran had “boosted efforts” to advance its nuclear program, including work to develop ballistic missile warheads, and said US and Israeli assessments largely tallied on this intelligence. Neither daily newspaper provided direct quotes or detailed evidence. For Haaretz, it was the second report since Thursday purporting to draw on a new NIE. Although US officials declined to comment on the report, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak referred to it directly last week, saying it “brings the American assessment much, much closer to ours” and makes the Iranian issue “a bit more urgent”. “Not prepared for war” was the headline in Yediot Aharonot, which questioned Israel’s readiness to both mount a decisive military strike and to cope back home with the expected fallout. “Will those preparations be enough to deal a crushing blow to Iran’s nuclear facilities and allow Israel to cope with the repercussions of such an attack?” it said. “It is not at all clear that that is the case.” It quoted statistics saying 700,000 civilians did not have bomb shelters, only half of Israel’s population of 7.8 million people had gas masks, and that work to fortify 70 percent of the country’s hospitals would not be completed until 2015. Although Israel charges that its arch foe Iran is driving for a nuclear bomb, the US intelligence services say only that they suspect it is seeking a weapons capability but that no decision has been taken on actually making one. Israel is widely suspected to have the region’s sole, if undeclared, nuclear arsenal. — Agencies
7 killed as Egypt army presses Sinai operation EL-ARISH, Egypt: Egyptian security forces killed seven suspected militants yesterday during raids on hideouts in two villages in northern Sinai, security officials said. Tensions in Sinai, the desert peninsula that borders Israel and the Gaza Strip, have escalated sharply over the past week after suspected militants killed 16 Egyptian soldiers near the border. Yesterday’s deaths were the first reported casualties among suspected militants since Egypt launched a major offensive against the groups and sent reinforcements to the area following the attack last Sunday. Security officials said the raids by troops and police backed by armored vehicles targeted the villages near El-Arish of Al-Ghora and Al-Mahdiyah. They seized landmines, an anti-aircraft missile, heavy machine-guns and grenades. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. They said the seven suspected militants were killed when the forces shelled a house in which they took cover after an exchange of fire. The shelling set the house on fire along with a car and a motorbike parked outside. In a separate incident, three policemen were killed and four others injured when their car turned over while chasing a group of criminals in central Sinai, Egypt’s official Middle East News Agency, MENA, reported. It also said that suspected militants fired at a security checkpoint before escaping in northern Sinai on Saturday. No casualties were reported. Large swathes of northern Sinai
EL-JURAH, Egypt: A motorbike burns following a raid by Egyptian security forces on this village in Egypt’s northern Sinai province yesterday. —AFP have plunged into lawlessness following Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in the uprising last year, with a massive flow of arms smuggled from Libya finding their way into the hands of disgruntled Bedouins. The lawlessness is coupled with the rise there of Al-Qaeda-inspired militant groups waging a campaign of violence against Egyptian security forces. They have also staged several cross-border attacks on Israel. Some of Sinai’s native bedouins are resentful of what they see as the police’s heavy-handedness and neglect by the central government in Cairo. Recent years saw some bedouins trafficking in black African migrants seeking a better life in neighboring Israel, growing illicit drugs and supplying Gaza’s merchants with goods that are smuggled through a network of under-
ground tunnels. The military campaign has seen the largest buildup of troops in the Sinai since Israel returned the territory under a 1979 peace treaty that restricted Egypt’s military presence on the peninsula. The Islamist movement Hamas which rules Gaza insisted yesterday there was no proof to date of any Palestinian involvement in the attack on the Egyptian military. “Until now, neither the Palestinian nor the Egyptian security services have proof that any party in Gaza supported or executed the attack,” said senior Hamas official Salah AlBardawil. “Egypt hasn’t supplied the Gaza government with any accusation or given any information about the involvement of Palestinians,” he told reporters. “If it is proven that a Palestinian was involved, then measures will be taken.” — Agencies
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Syrians wage frenzied propaganda war on social media PARIS: The battle for Syria is raging on the ground but also on social media, where people on both sides of the conflict are hacking, posting and spamming in a frenzied propaganda war. The Twitter feeds of news organisations have been hacked by proregime elements, videos purporting to show atrocities in Syria are regularly posted to YouTube and pro- or antigovernment messages often flood Facebook pages. “People are using all these social media platforms to influence audiences outside their country to support them; they’re getting quite aggressive with it,” said David Bailey, an expert on social media and the military. “The so-called Arab Spring was very softly-softly. Nobody was being too harsh on the web against the regime... Now it’s ‘look at this, look at that, and I’ll drag up as much nastiness as possible in the hope that you’re going to support me.’” Social media are widely credited for having helped mobilise and coordinate protesters during the Arab Spring, which kicked off in Tunisia at
the end of 2010 and spread to Egypt, Libya and other countries. In Syria, they are being used as a platform to galvanise public opinion as the nearly 17-month-long uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad’s rule rages on. “It’s not at all surprising that all the different elements in this conflict are making use of social media,” said John Bassett, a cyber security expert at the Royal United Services Institute and a former British intelligence officer. “It’s the great arena where information struggles of whatever kind happen these days.” Pro-regime supporters, for instance, have spammed Facebook accounts deemed anti-Assad with thousands of vitriolic messages. They are also posting pro-regime comments and “liking” them thousands of times - a move that brings visibility to the statements. In addition, the Syrian government is using social media to track activists, says Okhin, a Paris-based hacker who has worked remotely with people in the country to educate them on cyber-security. “By infiltrating social
networks using traditional techniques - pretending to be another person, putting people at ease - they gain access to (the activist’s) list of friends, and can see who they’re speaking to,” he said. The hacker, who refuses to reveal his real name, adds that the government has reportedly tortured some activists to gain access to their social media accounts. The regime also use techniques such as phishing, he said. “They put in place a fake Facebook page, and people log on via the Syrian Internet with their user names and passwords, which the government then recover and use.” The Twitter accounts of news organisations have also been hacked. Last weekend, for instance, people gained access to one of Reuters’ feeds and posted tweets some of which carried false reports about rebel casualties. But Bassett said these methods were still relatively crude. “They’re able to use many of these fora only because the people they are hijacking have poor IT security... And there’s not a great deal of
understanding in human psychology and human behaviour in what’s being done.” Opposition activists, meanwhile, are also making use of social networks to raise awareness of the situation, mainly by posting grisly videos purporting to show people killed or maimed by regime forces, including kids. But the videos are hard to authenticate, and this method has sometimes backfired, with other footage posted online allegedly showing rebels themselves committing atrocities. “Neither side has ultimate control on the message going out,” said Bailey. In some instances, social media have allowed outsiders to get wind of significant developments on the ground. One man claiming to be a rebel, for instance, on Tuesday posted a photo on Facebook of himself posing with a weapon identified by one intelligence expert as a portable surface-to-air missile launcher with infrared guidance. If the account and photo are genuine, it would be one of the first indications that Syrian rebels have
acquired anti-aircraft missiles. But aside from those fighting each other in and out of Syria, other activists are also using social media to collate information about casualties and victims of sexual violence in the uprising. A group of US-based activists has created Syria Tracker, a crowd-sourced effort where people on the ground can report crimes via direct web entry, email or by tweeting with the hashtag #basharcrimes. By also tracking news stories, blogs, Facebook posts, and cross-checking the information with trusted sources and other reporting outlets, the activists have created a map charting deaths across Syria. Women Under Siege Syria is another similar, crowd-sourced map that charts rapes during the conflict. Ultimately, though, experts say there is little evidence the war of words on social media is having a measurable impact on the ground. “It’s not at all clear whether information operations on any side - and certainly on the regime side - are being that productive,” said Bassett. — AFP
Bahrain returns envoy to Tehran Shiite jailed for insulting Prophet’s wife
RAFAH, Gaza: Palestinian women make traditional date-filled cookies in preparation for the Eid Al-Fitr holiday at their home in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday. — AFP
Israel sniper to get 45 days over Gaza killings JERUSALEM: An Israeli soldier implicated in the killing of two Gaza women carrying a white flag faces a 45-day jail term under a plea bargain approved by a military court yesterday, local media said. The sniper, identified by Israeli media as “staff sergeant S,” was charged with manslaughter in 2010 over the fatal shooting of an unnamed individual, which Palestinian witnesses linked to the killing of 64-year-old Riyeh Abu Hajaj and her daughter Majda Abu Hajaj, 37, during Israel’s “Cast Lead” Gaza offensive. But the Israeli military said the charge had yesterday been reduced from manslaughter to using a weapon illegally. “Following a mediation process and upon examination of the evidence with the recommendation of the military court, both sides have reached a plea bargain in which the indictment will be adjusted, and he will be convicted of using a weapon illegally,” a military statement said. Under the deal, “S” would be jailed for 45 days, media reports said. Israeli rights group B’Tselem, said that if the military had been unable to prove that “S” fired the fatal shots at the women, who were carrying a white flag when they were killed, it must reopen its investigation and find the guilty party. “If the military prosecution accepted the claim brought by the soldier ’s lawyers, that there is no connection between the shooting he admitted to,
and the killing of the Palestinian mother and daughter, this means that the investigation into this incident was never completed,” the group said in a statement. “B’ Tselem demands that the Military Police investigation unit reopen the file.” According to B’Tselem, on Jan 4, 2009, the Abu Hajaj family evacuated their home after it was hit by an Israeli tank shell. “When they saw tanks about 150 m from them, two of them waved the (white) flags, and the children in the group sat on the ground,” B’Tselem said. “Suddenly, and without warning, shots were fired at the residents, killing Majda Abu Hajaj on the spot. Her mother, Riyeh Abu Hajaj, was severely wounded by the gunfire,” it said. She later died of her wounds. The incident was one of those raised in the UN Goldstone report on alleged war crimes by both Israel and Gaza’s rulers, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, during the offensive aimed at halting rocket fire from Gaza. More 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the conflict. The army dismissed dozens of other alleged incidents because “according to the rules of warfare, no faults were found in the forces’ actions”. In other cases, the army said there was “not enough evidence proving that legal measures needed to be taken,” in a statement issued when the sniper was charged in 2010. —AFP
Saudi Arabia gives $50m aid to Myanmar Muslims RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has ordered $50 million in aid be sent to a Muslim minority in Myanmar which a human rights group said has been targeted by the authorities since sectarian riots in June. A report on the Saudi state news agency said the Rohingya community had been “exposed to many violations of human rights including ethnic cleansing, murder, rape and forced displacement”. “King Abdullah ... has ordered that assistance of the amount of $50 million be provided to the Rohingya Muslim citizens in Myanmar,” said the report which was carried by Saudi media yesterday. It did not say who was to blame for the abuses. However, Human Rights Watch said on Aug 1 that the Rohingyas had suffered mass arrests, killings and rapes at the hands of the Myanmar security forces. The minority had borne the brunt of a crackdown after days of arson and
machete attacks in June by both Buddhists and Rohingyas in Rakhine state, the monitoring group said. Myanmar, where at least 800,000 Rohingyas are not recognised as one of the country’s many ethnic and religious groups, has said it exercised “maximum restraint” in quelling the riots. Saudi Arabia sees itself as a guardian of global Muslim interests thanks to being the birthplace of Islam and home to some of the religion’s holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah. However, Riyadh also regularly draws criticism from campaigners for its lack of democracy. Last week the Saudi cabinet condemned the violence against Muslims in northwest Myanmar and at a meeting on July 31, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the kingdom’s second city of Jeddah urged members to send Rohingya Muslims aid. The OIC is holding a summit in Makkah tomorrow.— Reuters
DUBAI: Bahrain said yesterday it has reinstated its ambassador in Iran, more than a year after recalling the envoy over Tehran’s strong condemnation of Manama’s brutal crackdown on Shiite-led protests. “The ambassador of the kingdom to the Islamic Republic of Iran has returned to his work in Tehran,” announced Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa on his Twitter page. Manama recalled its ambassador from Iran on March 15 last year in protest at the time at Tehran’s “blatant interference” in the Gulf kingdom’s internal affairs. Tehran retaliated by recalling its envoy from Manama. Iranian officials had severely criticised the violent crackdown in Sunni-ruled Bahrain, and the dispatch of Saudi-led Gulf troops there to help confront Shiite-led pro-democracy protests. Rights group Amnesty International says 60 people have been killed since the protests first erupted in Bahrain in February last year. Separately, a Bahraini court yesterday sentenced a Shiite to two years in jail for insulting a wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Aisha, who is revered by Muslims, on the Internet. The criminal court found the unnamed 19-year-old man guilty of “defaming” Aisha, the general prosecution said in a statement, describing the defendant as having “deviated thoughts”. It said the man wrote “phrases that are too dirty and degrading to mention, defaming the mother of the
MALKIYA, Bahrain: A man walks past graffiti on a wall with Ibrahim Sharif, the Sunni leader of the liberal Al-Wa’ad opposition party (left) and Arabic text that reads, ‘Ibrahim Sharif, no difference between Sunni and Shiite, you are a jailed hero’, and Shiite political leader Abdul Wahab Hussein (right) with text that reads, ìteacher Abdul Wahab, master of the revolution’, in this western village yesterday. — AP believers, Aisha”, and added that a police probe led to his arrest. Shiites make up the majority community in Bahrain. Meanwhile, a lawyer for prominent Bahrain rights activist Nabeel Rajab said a court will issue verdicts in four cases pending against him on Thursday. Attorney Mohammed Al-Jishi said
a court announced yesterday that it will rule on Rajab’s appeal over a three-month sentence he is currently serving for anti-government comments he made on Twitter. It will also rule on three other cases against him for allegedly calling for and participating in an illegal gathering. Rajab is president of the Bahrain
Center for Human Rights. His prosecution has emboldened the country’s mostly Shiite demonstrators who for 18 months have protested for greater rights in the Gulf island kingdom that is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. Rights groups and nearly 20 US lawmakers have called for Rajab’s immediate release. — Agencies
Aleppo battle rages, all sides report atrocities ALEPPO, Syria: The Syrian army pressed its assault on rebels in commercial capital Aleppo yesterday, while both sides reported atrocities and Arab foreign ministers postponed a planned meeting on the 17-month conflict. The exiled opposition said pro-government militia had executed 10 civilians in a roundup in the flashpoint central city of Homs, while the official SANA news agency reported the murder of one of its staff, in the latest case of a pro-government journalist being killed. The Arab League gave no reason for the indefinite postponement of its planned meeting in Saudi Arabia that had been due to discuss a replacement for international envoy Kofi Annan who announced his resignation earlier this month. In Aleppo, troops shelled rebel-held districts as fighting flared anew around a southwestern neighbourhood that rebel fighters had quit last week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Shaar, Tariq al-Bab, Sakhur, Hanano and Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhoods all came under bombardment, as the army pressed a ground offensive it launched on Wednesday to recapture areas seized by rebels since July 20, the group said. The Britain-based monitoring group also said that “communications of all forms have been cut off in the city of Aleppo as well as large areas of the province since the morning.” In the city of Homs, three children on a minibus were killed as they tried to flee with their parents from the Shamas district, where a military operation took place, it said. The Observatory said at least 27 people were killed across the country yesterday: 15 civilians, seven soldiers and five rebels. In Damascus, gunfire was reported in the
Qadam neighbourhood. Outside the capital, machinegun fire was heard in the town of AlTal, where 15 civilians were killed in shelling and clashes the previous day. They were among 148 people - 85 civilians, 43 soldiers and 20 rebels - killed across Syria on Saturday, according to the Observatory. On the situation in the capital, the pro-government Al-Watan newspaper spoke of “foiled bids to break the calm in Damascus, which was cleansed of terrorist groups who terrified residents”. In Aleppo, the paper said that the army was poised to assault the Sukari neighbourhood in the south of the city, after its recapture of the nearby Salaheddin district on Thursday. “The door to Sukari district, the second bastion of the armed men in Aleppo, is now open for the army,” it said, adding that troops had “gained control of several axes, which would allow them to storm the area.” The opposition Syrian National Council and activist groups said 10 civilians were executed in a roundup of military-aged men in the Shamas district of Homs. “Militiamen detained nearly 350 people from the Shamas district, assembled them in a courtyard and executed 10 of them,” activist group, the Syrian Revolution General Council, said. “The fate of the nearly 340 others is unknown and we fear greatly that they have met the same fate as the 10 martyrs,” the group added. The opposition SNC issued a similar statement. “Ten young men were executed in the Shamas neighbourhood of Homs city after the army and pro-regime gunmen stormed the area and rounded up 350 young people,” it said. The official SANA news agency said the head of its home news department, Abbas Ali, was assassinated by an “armed terrorist
group” at his home in Jdaidet Artuz outside the capital on Saturday evening. On Friday, rebels abducted three state television journalists as they accompanied government troops operating near Damascus, the Syrian Observatory said. It came after a bomb attack on state television headquarters wounded several people last week and after an AlQaeda linked group claimed the abduction and murder earlier this month of state television presenter Mohammed Al-Saeed. As speculation mounted over who will succeed Annan when he steps down as international envoy later this month, UN chief Ban Kimoon called for a “flexible UN presence in Syria” even after the mandate of the troubled observer mission he set up expires. “A continued UN presence in Syria that goes beyond our important humanitarian work would allow systematic and meaningful engagement with the Syrian stakeholders, inside the country,” the UN chief said. The observer mission mandate is set to expire Aug 19, after the Security Council voted last month to extend it for a “final” 30 days. The mission - originally 300 military observers and now reduced by half - was deployed in April to oversee a peace plan, which should have begun with a ceasefire that never took hold. In mid-June, the observers suspended patrols as fighting intensified. The Security Council is scheduled to debate the future of the UN mission on Thursday, but so far there is little consensus on the conflict which the Observatory says has cost more than 21,000 lives since it began 17 months ago. Diplomats in New York say veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, a former top Arab League official, has been tipped to replace Annan. — AFP
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Rescue teams despair in flattened Iran quake villages BAJE BAJ, Iran: Alireza Haidaree has been up all night carefully directing the spade of his bulldozer through the rubble of mud-brick homes in a desperate search for survivors from the deadly quakes that rocked northwestern Iran. “This village is a mass grave,” he says, his hollow voice betraying his exhaustion and his frustration at not finding more people alive. “There are so many other villages that have been completely destroyed.” Baje Baj, a village 30 km from the town of Varzaqan in Iran’s northwest, is just one of dozens that were wiped off the map by two devastating earthquakes on Saturday. Yesterday, all that was left was the rubble, scoured through by men scrabbling with handtools in a frenzied search for missing loved ones. Women wailed over some two dozen corpses, most of the bodies those of women or children, their colourful robes belying the darkness of their grief. The men had been working the fields when the disaster struck while their wives and daughters had been preparing the evening meal to break the daytime fast observed by the faithful during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Residents told AFP that of Baje Baj’s population of 414, 33 had died. It was a tragedy replicated in villages across the mountainous region. Iran lies on several fault lines and has a long, unhappy history of coping with earthquakes. But Saturday’s
temblors stretched the capacity of the emergency services to respond. “The magnitude of the disaster is so huge that officials are just managing to get enough people in from other provinces to help
out,” one Red Crescent worker said as he handed out bread and emergency supplies. The official death toll stood at 300 yesterday after rising steadily since Saturday. But some local
BAJE-BAJ, Iran: Iranians mourn over the covered bodies of loved ones in this village near the town of Varzaqan who were killed in twin earthquakes that hit northwestern Iran on Saturday. —AFP
officials advanced far higher figures that were not confirmed by the central government. Varzaqan mayor Moharam Foroghi said that the villages around his town had been devastated leaving thousands dead. “Twelve villages were destroyed entirely, each with populations of between 900 and 1,000, of which some 40 percent are dead,” he told the official IRNA news agency. Although relief workers were quick to get to the quake zone and relatively efficient in setting up rescue operations and aid handouts, dazed survivors said they had expected more from the authorities. “We spent the whole night outside in the cold until the Red Crescent arrived at 4:00 am and gave us bread and two tents and blankets,” said one man in his 30s who asked not to be identified. The faces of other survivors reflected the same mix of disappointment, exhaustion and despair over the lives and livelihoods destroyed. For some, the only succour was their Islamic faith. A dozen men, wearing the black of Shiite mourning and sobbing quietly, were seen boiling water, preparing to wash the bodies of the dead for swif t burial, as Islamic custom demands. Another group of around 25 men took turns with shovels to dig graves. All were too distraught to speak . The wailing of their bereaved womenfolk, keening over the bodies laid out nearby, said all. — AFP
Water bombers fight raging Spain wildfires Thousands evacuated, heritage site under threat
MOSCOW: Russian Cossacks, wearing historic outfits ride horses during the start of their march from the Poklonnaya Gora Memorial Park in Moscow to Paris yesterday. — AFP
Russia marks victory with ‘march on Paris’ MOSCOW: Russian Cossacks on horseback yesterday kicked off a two-month-long friendly march on Paris to mark the bicentenary of a key battle Russia fought against Napoleon that led to an eventual French defeat. The commemorative horse trek spanning some 2,500 km and estimated to cost $2.5 million is supported by the Russian government and comes amid a drive to boost Russia’s global standing. Twenty-three Cossacks will retrace the Russian army’s march on Paris between 1812 and 1814, passing through Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Germany and France, part of state-orchestrated festivities to mark the 1812-1813 war. This September, the country marks the 200th anniversary of the pivotal Battle of Borodino outside Moscow that Russian forces fought against Napoleon in 1812. Although the epic battle was lost by Russia, it greatly weakened Napoleon’s army, leading to France’s eventual defeat. The Cossacks stressed that this time they were coming in peace. “We would like to enter Paris without horses,” Alexander Kolyakin, the Cossack chief, told reporters yesterday. “We are not going to bayonet anyone,” he quipped, adding they would like to “wash their feet in the Seine.” Starting from the Poklonnaya Gora Memorial Park in western Moscow, the expedition is expected to end in late October at Fontainebleau where the defeated French emperor famously abdicated in 1814. President Vladimir Putin, who began his third term in May, has repeatedly promised to strengthen Russia’s might on the world stage and appealed to Russians’ patriotic feelings. In a landmark campaign speech in February, Putin invoked the key Battle of Borodino, saying Russians had victory written into their “genetic code” and
would not allow foreigners to meddle in their country’s affairs. The organisers sought to stress the horseback march was in no way a political statement, however. “This event should become a symbol of solidarity of the peoples of Europe who are connected through not only economic interests but also a common history and culture,” the organisers said in a statement. “We need to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers, Russian as well as French ones,” Pavel Moshchalkov, one of the organisers, told AFP. A horse breeder, he hopes that the expedition will help raise awareness about the dwindling numbers of rare Don horses participating in the trek. “The Don breed is dying out,” he said. The organisers are hoping to stage a charity auction at Fontainebleau to help save the famously hardy riding horse. Cities along the route of the trek will include the Belarusian capital Minsk, Kaunas in Lithuania, the Polish capital Warsaw, Leipzig in Germany and the French city of Nancy. Some of those cities will be treated to song and dance numbers by the renowned Alexandrov Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble and horseback stunts by a team from the Kremlin Equestrian School, the organisers said. A spokeswoman for the Federal Customs Service which helped organise the event said the expedition was privately funded, with donations coming from companies as well as individuals. Alexander Bukovsky, a representative of the organisers, estimated the cost of the expedition at 80 million rubles ($2.5 million). Russia traditionally celebrates its military victories with pomp and grandeur. Its 1612 victory over the Polish occupiers expelled from the Kremlin is a national holiday. — AFP
Kidnapped Saudi diplomat released ADEN: Al Qaeda-linked militants have released a Saudi Arabian diplomat kidnapped in southern Yemen in March, a tribal source said yesterday, after mediation by local tribal leaders. Abdallah AlKhalidi, the deputy consul in the Saudi consulate in the Yemeni port city of Aden, was kidnapped by Islamist militants demanding a ransom and the release of women prisoners held in the kingdom. “ Tribal mediators received the Saudi diplomat (late on Saturday) and he will be moved to Sanaa in the next few hours,” Sheikh Tareq Al-Fadli, a tribal chief, told Reuters. The terms of Khalidi’s release were not clear. A militant who claimed responsibility for the kidnapping in May had threatened to kill Khalidi unless a ransom was paid and Al-Qaeda prisoners were freed from Saudi jails. Last month, five al Qaedalinked women detainees were freed by Saudi authorities. Interior Ministr y spokesman Mansour Al-Turki stressed at the time that the move was not linked to
demands by the al Qaeda captors of the Saudi diplomat in Yemen. Kidnapping is common in Yemen, frequently in the context of regional or tribal disputes with Yemeni authorities. The victims are sometimes held for ransom, particularly if they are foreigners. Yemen has been in turmoil since popular protests broke out last year and led to the ousting of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Khalidi had appeared in two videos posted on the Internet after his abduction begging King Abdullah to meet his captors’ demand for the release of women detainees. The United States and its Gulf Arab allies have watched with mounting alarm as Islamist fighters, emboldened by the political instability in Yemen, gained ground in the south of the country in the past year. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Al-Qaeda group operating in Yemen, is seen by US officials as the most dangerous offshoot of the global militant network. — Reuters
LA GOMERA, Spain: Thousands of people fled wildfires raging yesterday on the Spanish Canary islands, where a World Heritage site remains under threat, while rain helped douse a fire in Greece near another protected site. Elderly villagers in Spain spent the night in hotels and student halls after thousands of people fled wildfires on the Atlantic islands of La Gomera and Tenerife. Sending up plumes of black smoke, the fires have forced the evacuation of more than 4,700 people in the past two days, the regional government said. Apolonia Garcia Castaneda, an 83-year-old mother of 10 who was evacuated overnight on La Gomera, said she had to leave behind her chickens, sheep and crops as well as her dog. “I haven’t been able to sleep. I rested a bit, but the fear doesn’t go easily,” she said. Her village of Los Loros is near the Garajonay nature reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to rare subtropical forests in the centre of the island. The flames had charred more than 500 hectares since they revived on Friday after devastating 3,000 hectares earlier in the week, authorities said. Flames on Tenerife have spread over some 370 hectares, the regional head of the Canary Islands emergenc y ser vices Juan Manuel Santana told a news conference yesterday. He warned that high temperatures and low humidity yesterday made it harder to control the blaze. “It is going to be a difficult day for everyone, most of all for those fighting the fire,” he said. “We are still on alert for high temperatures on the archipelago, and that makes the extinction work more difficult,” emergency services spokeswoman Lourdes Jorge told AFP as water bombers doused flames on the wooded hillsides. The maximum temperature on the islands was forecast to reach 39 degrees Celsius yesterday after a sweltering week across Spain. In Vallehermoso, about 150 people who had fled nearby villages overnight spent the night in hotels and student accommodation, an AFP
LA GOMERA, Spain: A plane works to extinguish a wildfire yesterday. — AP photographer there said. Many others were bordering France, one in the Cabaneros housed by friends and relatives. “Most of the national park in central Spain and another near people we’ve taken in are over 65 or children,” the Donana park in Andalucia in the south. Meanwhile in Greece, rainfall overnight said Maria Dolores Arteaga Amaro, a local social worker in charge of looking after the helped hundreds of firefighters to bring a evacuees. “Most require regular medication, so blaze under control near the remote Mount a volunteer nurse has worked around the clock Athos, another World Heritage site housing the world’s oldest monastic community in northtaking care of them.” Spain is at particularly high risk of fires this eastern Greece. The region houses some 20 Eastern summer after suffering its driest winter in 70 years, and blazes have broken out in various Orthodox monasteries which are self-governparts of the country in recent days. On the ing and date back more than 1,000 years to mainland, officials in the northwestern Galicia Byzantine times. The rain “has saved us”, said region said that among a series of wildfires Ana Aristos Kasmiroglou, a state representative there, the biggest one had ravaged 1,200 for the monastic community. The blaze, which hectares and remained out of control yester- may have been the result of arson or negliday morning. Among other fires reported, one gence, destroyed 1,500 hectares of forest and erupted Saturday in the northern Gers region consumed olive trees and vines. — AFP
36 Iranian oil tankers reflagged Tanzania ‘misled’ by Dubai-based agent DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania said a shipping agent based in Dubai had reflagged 36 Iranian oil tankers with the Tanzanian flag without the country’s knowledge and approval. Tanzania said it was now in the process of de-registering the vessels after an investigation into the origin of the ships concluded they were originally from Iran. Tanzania launched an investigation last month over accusations that it had reflagged oil tankers from Iran and asked the United States and European Union to help it verify the origin of the tankers flying the east African country’s flag. A report with the investigation’s findings was discussed in the House of Representatives of Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania late on Friday, and the minutes of that debate were seen by Reuters late on Saturday. Reflagging ships masks their ownership, which could make it easier for Iran to obtain insurance and financing for the cargoes, as well as find buyers for the shipments without attracting attention from the United States and European Union. The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) changed the names and flags of many of its oil tankers ahead of the EU ban, part of sweeping economic measures aimed at pressuring Tehran to end its nuclear program. That included swapping Maltese and Cypriot flags for Tuvalu and Tanzanian ones. The ships flying Tanzania’s flag were reflagged by Zanzibar, which has claimed it was misled by its Dubai-based agent, Philtex, and would end its contract with that firm. “The government has thoroughly investigated this issue and established that the Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) through our Dubai-based agent, Philtex, registered 36 Iranian crude oil tankers and containership vessels to fly the Tanzanian flag,” Zanzibar Vice President Seif Ali Iddi told the Assembly. “The Zanzibar government is in the process of de-registering the ships and also terminating its agency contract with Philtex after establishing the truth that these (Iranian) ships are flying the Tanzanian flag.” Howard Berman, the ranking member of the
US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, had accused Tanzania of reflagging at least six and possibly as many at 10 tankers, saying it was helping Iran evade US and European Union sanctions aimed at pressuring Tehran to curb its nuclear program. He said Tanzania could face US sanctions for the practice. Berman has also asked the small South Pacific island nationTuvalu to stop reflagging Iranian oil tankers and warned its government of the risks of running afoul of US sanctions. The US sanctions have kept Iran’s major trading partners from buying Iranian crude. The European Union banned Iranian oil imports as well as the provision of insurance for vessels carrying Iranian oil from July 1. On July 4, Tanzania’s neighbor Kenya cancelled an agreement to import 4 million tons of Iranian crude oil per year because of sanctions against Iran.
Zanzibar’s Iddi said Tanzania would act to deregister the ships in light of the threat of economic sanctions. He promised further investigations into how the registration of the ships was conducted. However, he said Tanzania’s ties with Iran on other issues would remain intact. Tanzania has previously stated that it supports Iran’s pursuit of a peaceful nuclear program. The United States has mounted an international campaign aimed at depriving Iran of oil revenue to pressure it to rein in its nuclear program, which Tehran maintains is solely for peaceful purposes but the West suspects is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. “The Zanzibar government will also conduct further investigations to establish how the registration of the ships was done in the first place,” Iddi said. “Regardless of this incident, our relations with Iran will continue in other areas.” —Reuters
Tens of thousands gather for peace rally in Mali BAMAKO: Up to 60,000 people gathered yesterday for a giant peace rally in Mali, which was split in two after Islamists wrested control of the vast desert north following a March coup in the capital Bamako. The meeting for “national peace and reconciliation” in the main stadium of the capital Bamako was called by the country’s top Muslim body and drew several politicians including Prime Minister Cheikh Modibo Diarra. An AFP reporter put the crowd at between 50,000 and 60,000. “Let us pray for Mali, let us pray for peace,” said Mahmoud Dicko, the head of Mali’s High Islamic Council. “Our country needs peace and national healing,” said Madani Ousmane Haidara, a prominent imam. “It’s up to Malians to find a solution and I ask all Malians to forgive each other,” Haidara said. In Bamako, interim authorities who took over from the junta have stood by helplessly as Islamists have tightened their hold in the north,
and are now working to form a stronger unity government on the orders of west African mediators. The ECOWAS west African regional bloc has 3,300 troops ready to deploy in Mali.The UN Security Council is ready to approve this, but is awaiting a formal request from Bamako as well as more information on the size, means and mandate of the proposed force. The Islamist groups - which security experts say are acting under the aegis of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) - seized key northern cities in the chaos that followed a coup d’etat in Bamako on March 22 that toppled president Amadou Toumani Toure. The takeover was spearheaded by Tuareg rebels seeking an independent state for their nomadic desert tribe, but the extremists have pushed them aside and seek an Islamic state in the zone, an area larger than France or Texas. — AFP
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international
Trial hinges on dying man’s gesture ID’ing gunman CINCINNATI: Paralyzed and hooked up to a ventilator, David Chandler was just days from death when police arrived at his hospital room to question him about the person who shot him. They wanted to know if he could identify a suspect, and they had a photo to show him. Chandler was unable to communicate except with his eyes as he lay in bed attached to myriad tubes and with a brace around his neck. His eyes opened barely more than a slit at times; he was instructed to blink three times for yes and twice for no. One detective quizzed him, and another videotaped his responses. Chandler didn’t respond with blinks to every question in the 17-minute video, and there were solo blinks. But triple blinks came in response to repeated questions asking if he knew the shooter and whether the person in the photo was the culprit. An upcoming murder trial hinges on the videotape of those blinks, a rare effort by a prosecution to show a defendant has been identified by gesture: the nod of a head, squeeze of a hand, blink of an eye. Legal experts say such cases - while not unheard of - are unusual, and dying identifications relying on gestures rather than words are often not used in trials because
of concern over reliability or differing interpretations. But some have been used in murder cases around the US that have ended in convictions. Challenges facing jurors in such cases include determining whether victims are fully aware of what is being asked and are in control of their movements. “People blink naturally anyway, so the question could be whether the blinking is really identifying someone or is automatic or the result of something going on medically,” said Michael Benza, a visiting professor of law at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Chandler, 35, was shot in the head and neck as he sat in a car early on Oct 28, 2010, in Cincinnati. He remained paralyzed from his injuries when police interviewed him Nov 2. He eventually went into a coma, dying 10 days later. The man authorities say he identified, 34-year-old Ricardo Woods, is charged with murder, felonious assault and weapons counts and faces up to life in prison if convicted. A hearing in the case is set for Monday, which had been the original trial date. The judge could set a new trial date at the hearing. Prosecutors would not comment on motive, although authorities have suggested the Cincinnati men knew each through
Romney, Ryan and operation VP secrecy STERLING, Virginia: He looked like your average American in jeans and sunglasses, a baseball cap pulled low over his brow. But Paul Ryan was on a mission to ensure almost nobody but him and Mitt Romney knew about his date with destiny. Disguises. Absolute secrecy. Dummy destinations and a dash through Wisconsin woods. Ryan’s journey from unlikely vice presidential pick to White House hopeful Romney ’s bona fide running mate
unfolded this past week with the pace and tension of a John LeCarre thriller. Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, tasked his adviser and confidante Beth Myers with handling the vice presidential search shortly after he clinched the Republican nomination in April. Known for her loyalty and secrecy, she immediately put a clamp on virtually all information about the process. Until now. Myers briefed reporters Saturday in an empty hangar in Dulles International Airpor t near Washington, after the first day of campaigning for the Romney/Ryan duo, for a “tic-toc” of events leading to the moment Ryan took the stage earlier that day as the vice presidential nomi-
nee. “I had one directive: the candidate must be qualified to take office on Day 1,” she said, adding that while there was internal discussion about the candidates among a coterie of Romney advisors, “this was Mitt’s decision”. But it was left to her to drill into the details. Near the star t of the process she consulted a maestro of the running mate search, former vice president Dick Cheney. By May 1, Myers and Romney had created a shortlist from what she called “a very deep bench. There were never too few candidates,” and none who were asked to be considered said no. Myers and a team of lawyers squirreled themselves in a secure room in Romney headquarters in Boston for weeks on end for the vetting process, reviewing the most sought af ter political dossiers in the United States, locking them each night in a safe. She met with Romney in June to present preliminary reports, then on Aug 1, she and Romney “met for a final gut check” on the potential candidates, believed to include S enator Rob Por tman of Ohio and former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty. “He told me his decision,” she said: Ryan was his man. That put in motion a clandestine operation to bring R yan to meet Romney - without the news world, or anybody else, catching a whiff of what was happening. R yan was told to make his way to Chicago’s airport on Aug 5, and Myers suggested he dress down. “He wore jeans, a baseball cap and sunglasses,” and went “undetected” through Chicago and low-profile Hartford, Connecticut, where he was met by Myers’ son Curt. The 19-yearold drove Ryan to the Myers home in Brookline, Massachusetts. Romney, too, came to Brookline, and the pair met privately for an hour in the Myers dining room. When Ryan emerged, he knew he was the nominee. “This is where it gets complicated,” Myers said. They had planned for a Friday announcement, but because of a deadly attack on a Sikh temple in Ryan’s congressional district, the roll out was pushed to Saturday, Day 1 of Romney ’s bus tour through swing states. Ryan had returned home from Brookline unnoticed, but with speculation building about a possible VP announcement, the press were closely monitoring his movements in Wisconsin. Ryan attended the Sikh memorial s e r v i ce, t h e n re t u r n e d h o m e. R e p o r te r s i n h i s h o m e tow n o f Janesville saw him enter his house, but they never saw him leave. He slipped out the back door and into the woods - and then onto the driveway of his old home. “I grew up in those woods,” Ryan said. “The house I grew up in backs up to the house I live in now, so i know those woods like the back of my hand.” An aide was waiting with a car, and they sped to a quiet regional airport bound for a place called Elizabeth City, North Carolina. R y a n w a s w h i s k e d to a h o te l where he met with several Romney aides including Myers, and his family was waiting. The team ordered food from Applebee’s, and went over his o p e n i n g s p e e c h s e t fo r t h e n e x t morning in Norfolk, Virginia. Could it b e t h a t i n t h e a g e o f b l o g gi n g, Twitter and TMZ, the Romney-Ryan ticket was kept a secret? Indeed the buzz around the two had built up, but until late Friday night, the world was essentially unaware. —AFP
drug deals. Woods has previous convictions in Hamilton County for aggravated robbery, felonious assault and trafficking in cocaine. The defense suggests that Chandler’s condition and drugs used to treat him could have affected his ability to understand and respond. Woods’ attorney, who tried unsuccessfully to block the video evidence, insists the blinks are inconsistent and unreliable. “There are times when detectives asked questions and he didn’t blink at all, and other times there are too many blinks,” said attorney Kory Jackson. Prosecutors insist Chandler clearly identified Woods as the gunman. “While the case is unusual, we believe - and the judge agreed - that the victim’s interview and identification of the defendant as his assailant is reliable,” prosecutor’s spokeswoman Julie Wilson said. Judge Beth Myers of Hamilton County Common Pleas Court ruled that jurors could see the videotape, saying she found the blinks reliable. She said they were made by pronounced, exaggerated eye movements and not by involuntary blinking. During the hospital interview, Chandler also was asked whether he knew the shooter’s name. The detective drew a pen
across an alphabet list, asking Chandler to blink three times to indicate the first letter of the name or nickname. The detective stated that Chandler blinked three times when the pen stopped on “O,” although the alphabet was turned away from the camera. Authorities allege Woods was at times known as “O”, but Jackson says there is no record of that. Jackson also contends that police erred and “were too suggestive” when they asked Chandler to identify one photo without other choices. Jonathan Rapping, a law professor at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, believes the use of only one photo rather than the typical array of photos may prove problematic. Using one photo violates a defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial if it is unnecessarily suggestive and increases the likelihood of misidentification, he said. “Clearly showing one photo is suggestive that ‘this is the person’,” Rapping said. But he said that when a victim and a suspect know each other, it can be argued there is less chance for a mistaken identification. Prosecutors said they could use one photo because they contend Chandler knew the suspect and the identification came quickly after the crime. “The bottom
line is that the judge allowed it into evidence,” Wilson said. Victims’ dying declarations based on nonverbal identifications have been used in other murder cases. In Oklahoma City, a man was convicted in 1985 of first-degree murder and arson in the burning death of his wife, who could not speak due to her injuries and survived only two days. But she was able to nod to identify her husband as the person who poured gasoline on her and set her on fire. In Boynton Beach, Florida, two men were convicted of first-degree murder and attempted robbery in the 2007 shooting of a man who was left paralyzed and unable to speak before he died. But he was able to identify both defendants by blinking his eyes when shown photo lineups. Assistant State Attorney Andrew Slater in Florida’s Palm Beach County said he was careful to show the court that the family also had communicated with the victim through blinks and detail the steps police took to establish them as legitimate responses. “I think I was able to show he knew what he was doing, and that is what gave the identification procedure reliability,” Slater said, adding that videotape of such blinks “should be even better” for establishing reliability. —AP
Romney hits campaign trail with running mate Duo electrify crowds as they take to stump CHARLOTTE, North Carolina: Mitt Romney and newly minted running mate Paul Ryan will try to energize supporters in North Carolina yesterday after they hit the road on a bus tour across mustwin US states, selling themselves as the duo who can “save the American dream”. Fresh from a surprise early morning rollout of Romney’s vice presidential pick in Norfolk, Virginia, the Republican pair struck out across the state pushing a policy of fiscal responsibility and savaging President Barack Obama as a job-killer bent on changing the country for the worse. Romney’s choice, cast as a bold move by his party, is sure to transform the presidential race less than three months before November’s election, and the two men electrified crowds as they took to the stump. The campaign also aims to sharply shift debate away from Romney’s business record, taxes and image as an out-of-touch multi-millionaire investor and toward larger wholesale issues such as how to revitalize the nation’s sputtering economy. “We can turn this thing around,” Ryan, 42, told cheering supporters in Norfolk. “High unemployment, declining incomes and crushing debt is not a new normal. It’s the result of misguided policies,” the seventerm congressman from Wisconsin said, in pointed criticism of Obama. At subsequent Virginia stops, in Ashland and then Manassas, where the campaign said the rowdy crowd topped 8,000, the tip of Ryan’s verbal spear grew sharper. Obama has been pushing a “government-centered society with a government-run economy. It’s not working. It’s never worked before,” Ryan said, rallying supporters in Manassas, outside the capital Washington. “We were promised equal opportunity, not equal outcomes,” he added to huge applause. In recent weeks, Romney has slumped behind Obama in opinion polls, with the incumbent taking a clear lead nationally and in most of the dozen swing states that will decide the Nov 6 election. A Fox News national poll out Thursday put Obama at 49 percent to Romney’s 40, while a CNN poll had Obama at 52 percent, seven points up on the former Massachusetts governor. But by picking Ryan, a favorite of small government conservatives, and embarking on a four-day bus tour across battleground states - expanded to five to allow voters in Wisconsin to laud their native son on Sunday - Romney hopes to gain the upper hand in the race. The pair went on the offensive in Ashland, with Romney ominously criticizing Obama as “a president who’s trying to change America ... into something we might not recognize”. He also blamed the Obama campaign for the bitterly negative tone of the race. By contrast, he praised his running mate as an “intellectual leader in our party ”, someone who earned respect from
Republicans and Democrats alike for having “made friends on both sides of the aisle”. Romney sought to forge Ryan’s identity as a responsible small government fiscal hero before the opposition had a chance to do otherwise. Ryan chairs the House Budget Committee, and earlier this year unveiled a budget plan - widely backed by Republicans - that slashes federal spending, lowers taxes for individuals and corporations and overhauls entitlement programs like the Medicare and Medicaid healthcare plans.
28 years old - he may, like Romney, have his work cut out to appeal to ordinary voters. But an “excited” Ryan vowed to “win this campaign”. “ We’ve got the wind behind us,” he told reporters aboard the campaign plane as it flew from the Washington suburbs to Charlotte, North Carolina. The decision to pick Ryan was welcomed by Senator John McCain, who lost to Obama in 2008. He said the Republican ticket now featured the “strongest team to return America to prosper-
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina: US Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (left) and his wife Ann (second left) and US Republican Vice Presidential hopeful Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan and his wife Janna disembark from their charter airplane at Charlotte Douglas International Airport yesterday. —AFP Obama’s Democrats immediately went on the attack, alleging that the cuts would hurt those who rely on such aid to pay for health care, including the elderly. “Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said. With Congress saddled by its lowest approval ratings on record and Ryan’s status as a Washington insider - he was first elected at just
ity and to defend our interests abroad”. Top conservatives like former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and potential VP pick Marco Rubio, the freshman senator from Florida, both hailed Romney’s choice. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said: “Quite simply, Mitt Romney could not have made a finer choice for the future direction of our country.” For his part, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said the Republican candidates understood “the urgency” with which the country needed to change course. “The RomneyRyan team is uniquely positioned to make the tough choices necessary to confront our fiscal challenges and get results,” he said. —AFP
Cuban exile firework show lights up Havana horizon HAVANA: Red, white and gold balls of light shimmered low on the horizon off Havana’s seafront Malecon boulevard Saturday night in a maritime fireworks display launched by Cuban exiles hoping to inspire protest. The fireworks were clearly visible from the coast and lasted about an hour. People who saw it said they were mystified by its origin. “It’s curious, because you don’t see that often on the Malecon,” said Jose Antonio Camejo, who was fishing for red snapper from the seawall along with family members. Told it was organized by Cuban exiles from Florida, he shrugged and said, “They must be celebrating something.” The small Florida nonprofit group the Democracy Movement said earlier that they would park their vessels 20 km from Havana, safely outside the 12-mile territorial water limits. The exiles timed the show to coincide with a summer carnival that can draw thousands to the Malecon, and they called the show a peaceful display of solidarity with
their compatriots. “When you see the lights of freedom, walk toward the seawall as a silent protest against censorship of expression,” said the Democracy Movement’s Ramon Saul Sanchez. “And when you’re there, among the people, think of freedom, murmur ‘freedom’ and if you deem it prudent, demand freedom.” Cuban authorities scaled back the carnival festivities after torrential rains Saturday soaked Havana and left huge puddles on the Malecon. Several hundred people still came out to laugh and canoodle on the seawall, and families queued up for sizzling barbecue chicken. One young girl cried out the colors of the fireworks as they exploded: “yellow!” “white!” and “green!” Like similar previous displays, the fireworks did not elicit any discernible protest from Havana residents. But the shows are an irritation for the Communist-run government, which considers them provocative, subversive and even potentially
dangerous. Cuban officials did not respond to requests for comment, but have criticized Washington in the past for not blocking the actions. In 1996, the Cuban military shot down two small planes carrying exile activists, killing four people. Cuba maintains the aircraft violated the country’s airspace, though the exiles deny that. Sanchez said he had been in contact with the US Coast Guard, which has patrolled previous sea missions to guard against an international incident, and given assurances that they would remain outside the 12mile maritime limit. US officials have said they don’t encourage or condone such activities, but lack legal authority to block them. Sanchez said a second message behind the display was to demand greater Internet access on the island, which lags the rest of the world despite the completion of an undersea fiberoptic cable last year. “The Cuban government has just installed the cable from Venezuela
that allows 3,000 times more technical capability of connection, and yet it has not translated into benefits for the Cuban people in terms of access,” he said. Cuba blames its creaky Internet on Washington’s 50year-old economic embargo. Sanchez said his group has organized 26 flotillas since 1996 including a similar fireworks show last December to mark International Human Rights Day, and another one in March when Pope Benedict XVI visited the island. A second show planned for later during the pontiff’s visit was called off due to high seas. Sanchez said the group does not accept any government money and holds fundraisers to finance its activities. A sympathetic provider let the group purchase the fireworks at cost, which came out to $3,600. The other main expense was fuel. He said the lead vessel alone, dubbed “Democracia”, was expected to consume more than $2,100 in gasoline to make the trip across the roughly 90-mile Florida Strait and back. —AP
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
international
Inflatables and politics as China leaders hit the beach BEIDAIHE, China: As holidaymakers crowded beaches at the Chinese seaside resort of Beidaihe, a heightened security presence was the only sign that China’s most senior leaders had gathered for their annual talks. A summer trip to Beidaihe has been part of the Chinese political calendar since the era of Mao Zedong, and this year’s takes place ahead of a handover of power that will set the country’s course for the next decade. The Beidaihe talks are never officially acknowledged, but state media recently reported that several top leaders were visiting the town, 285 km from Beijing. Analysts say the secretive, month-long discussions are especially important this summer as Communist party chiefs prepare to pass the baton to a new generation of leaders in the autumn. They are also dealing with the fall-out from one of the worst scandals to hit the party in decades - the downfall of Bo Xilai, an ambitious but divisive politician whose wife confessed in court to murdering a British businessman. Beidaihe residents told AFP this week security was unusually tight, with roads closed and police performing spot-checks on people
entering the town by car or rail. But for Chinese tourists flocking to the resort’s public beaches, discussions centered around the best way to stay afloat in the dull-grey waters of the Bohai Sea: inflatable dolphin or shark? “The talks are for government officials, they have nothing to do with us ordinary people,” said one woman surnamed Meng as she squeezed into a yellow inflatable ring. “We’re just here to have fun.” Beidaihe gives politicians a rare chance to meet informally to engage in “lobbying for promotions, appointments and the approval of policies”, according to Joseph Cheng, who lectures on Chinese politics at Hong Kong’s City University. “It started as just a holiday destination for China’s top leaders,” he added, “but it became a place where important decisions were made”. This year’s discussions will help determine who gains entry to the Communist party’s Politburo Standing Committee, the elite group of leaders who effectively run China, when seven of its nine members stand down this year. Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to succeed the outgoing President Hu Jintao as
the head of the committee before taking over as head of state in 2013, while Vice Premier Li Keqiang is set to take the second highest-ranked position of premier.
party head of China’s southern manufacturing powerhouse Guangdong, and Shanghai leader Yu Zhengsheng. Competition is fierce, with speculation that the number of
BEIDAIHE, China: This photo taken on Aug 6, 2012 shows a general view of this beachside resort. —AFP Analysts say other vice premiers, Wang Qishan and Li Yuanqiao, who runs the department that approves party appointments, are all but certain to join the committee. Among those vying for one of the remaining places are Wang Yang, the reformist
places on the Standing Committee which can vary in size - will be reduced to seven from nine this time around. Some experts believe the bargaining over positions may be tied to the fate of Bo, currently under
investigation for “violating party discipline” as his wife, Gu Kailai, awaits the outcome of her murder trial. Bo’s political career is over, but it remains unclear whether he will face criminal charges relating to the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, which four police officers are charged with trying to cover up. However, analysts say the importance of the summer meetings at Beidaihe has waned under Hu, who ended the practice of having entire government departments moved to the resort for the summer after he became president in 2002. With the Standing Committee meeting more often, party-watchers say the Beidaihe talks are most important for socalled “party elders” -retired senior officials who still hope to influence the leadership transition. Of these, former Chinese president Jiang Zemin is said to hold the greatest influence. Several recent media appearances by Jiang are “a signal that he still wants to influence the selection process”, Cheng said. “Top leaders no longer have time to spend extended periods at Beidaihe,” said Bo Zhiyue, a
Chinese politics exper t at the National University of Singapore, adding that the meetings were “a gesture of respect for party elders”. These days, they can rub shoulders with the Russian tourists with whom Beidaihe is increasingly popular. There are Russian supermarkets and restaurants serving borscht and battered steak alongside guesthouses with names like Nor th China Grid Company Sanatorium, a legacy from when state enterprises rewarded model workers with holidays. Crowded public beaches, where tourists pitch tents to shield them from the sun and roadside vendors sell boiled sweetcorn, starkly contrast with empty swathes of sand attached to the villas used by Communist officials. China’s staterun media are barred from reporting on competition among the country’s top leaders, and beachgoers responded to news of the political intrigue taking place across the sands with shrugs of indifference. “I prefer not to think about politics,” said a 60-year-old man surnamed Lu, still dripping from a dip in the sea. “I’d rather pay attention to the Olympics.” —AFP
Afghan officials met key Taleban figure in Pakistan Baradar could be key broker KABUL/ISLAMABAD: Afghan officials have held secret talks with the Taliban’s former second in command who is in detention in Pakistan in a move which could help rekindle stalled peace talks with the insurgents, according to senior officials from both countries. Afghan officials have often seen Pakistan as a reluctant partner in attempts to broker talks with the Taliban but its decision to grant access to Mullah Abdul Ghani
met Mullah Baradar,” Spanta told Reuters in Kabul. “Our delegation has spoken to him to know his view on peace talks.” Afghan officials have publicly been demanding access to Baradar, the Taliban’s top military commander until he was captured, but Spanta’s revelation shows preliminary contact has already been made. Rehman Malik, Pakistan’s interior minister, also said that Pakistan had granted Afghan officials access to
straddle the mountainous border. Baradar was the main day-to-day commander responsible for leading the Taleban campaign against US and NATO troops, plotting suicide bombings and other attacks. He was the right-hand man to reclusive Taleban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, who gave him the nickname Baradar (brother), providing him with great influence and prestige in Taleban circles. Afghan officials hope Baradar could play a key role
LAGHMAN, Afghanistan: Afghans look at the wreckage of a vehicle after a roadside explosion on the outskirts of this province east of Kabul yesterday. A provincial spokesman says a roadside bomb has killed a district chief in eastern Afghanistan and three of his bodyguards. —AP Baradar may signal Islamabad’s willingness to play a more active role. Rangin Spanta, the national security adviser to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and an architect of peace-building efforts, said an Afghan delegation had met Baradar in Pakistan two months ago. Baradar has been in detention since he was captured in a joint operation by the CIA and Pakistani intelligence agents in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2010. “We have
Baradar. “They had access at the required and appropriate level,” Malik told Reuters. “We are fully cooperating with Afghanistan and whatever they are asking for the peace process, for developing peace in Afghanistan. We are giving every kind of help.” Pakistan is seen as crucial to stability in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops look to leave the country in 2014, given close political and economic ties and because militant sanctuaries
in any negotiations to end the war, acting as a go-between with Taleban leaders including Omar. Afghan and US officials have publicly acknowledged little success in efforts to restart peace talks, which the Taliban suspended after accusing US officials of failing to honour confidence-building promises. That setback refocused attention on nascent efforts by the Afghan government to open its own channels with insurgent intermediaries,
despite the fact the Taleban publicly say they will not talk to what they deem an illegitimate “puppet” government. Karzai, at a recent donors’ meeting in Japan, also appealed to Germany to act as a go-between to revive talks, in a second track to contacts with Taleban leaders in Pakistan. A Western official said Pakistan’s decision to grant access to Baradar would bolster hopes of greater collaboration between the two countries, but the Afghan government would only be fully satisfied if Baradar was repatriated to Kabul. “It’s a step in the right direction, but there’s still a number of steps to go,” the official said. Although Afghan officials may be pinning hopes on Baradar, it is unclear what influence he may have over a complex insurgency after spending years in detention. Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed last month to resume regular talks on Afghanistan’s peace process, with the new Pakistani prime minister promising to help arrange meetings between Afghan and Taleban representatives. Afghanistan is known to want access to Taleban leaders belonging to the so-called Quetta Shura, or council, named after the Pakistani city where they are believed to be based. Kabul believes they would be the decision-makers in any substantive negotiations aimed at ending a war in its eleventh year. Pakistan has consistently denied giving sanctuary to insurgents and says no Taleban leaders are in Quetta. The Afghan government has established some contacts with the Taleban, who have made a strong comeback after being toppled in 2001, but there are no signs that full-fledged peace talks will happen any time soon. US diplomats have also been seeking to broaden exploratory talks that began clandestinely in Germany in late 2010 after the Taleban offered to open a representative office in the Gulf emirate of Qatar, prompting demands for inclusion from Kabul. —Reuters
MAGUINDANAO: Philippine military tanks approach a hinterland area to pursue Muslim breakaway rebels who were behind deadly attacks last week on the outskirts of this province in southern Philippines yesterday. —AP
Philippine rebels turn to bombs to divert assaults MANILA: Suspected militants from a breakaway Muslim rebel group have set off bombs in the southern Philippines but failed to inflict injuries or disrupt army assaults against its fighters, who went on a rampage last week and sparked clashes that killed 28 people. Hundreds of troops, backed by helicopters, tanks and artillery fire, have forced armed fighters of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement out of two strongholds and were pursuing them mostly in hinterland areas of Maguindanao province yesterday, officials said. The army is trying to drive the gunmen away from a major highway, which was closed last week to protect commuters from rebel sniper fire. At least seven homemade bombs have exploded in recent days along roads and in villages in Maguindanao and nearby North Cotabato province in an apparent attempt by the breakaway rebels to divert the army’s focus from ongoing assaults. But the army assaults have proceeded despite the bombings mostly in isolated roads, including four blasts late Friday and Saturday, army officials said. “We believe these were diversionary attacks,” said deputy regional military commander Commodore Romeo Santiago Nebres, adding troops have strengthened security in public areas and of power transmission towers, two of which have been damaged by rebel bombs. Authorities were preparing criminal complaints against Ameril Umbra Kato, the ailing leader of the breakaway rebels and his known commanders, who attacked army camps and outposts and communities last week, Nebres said. The attacks killed four soldiers and three civilians and sparked clashes that initially killed four rebels.
Living and dead share shelter CALUMPIT, Philippines: As floods which have swamped parts of the Philippines and affected more than two million people extend into their second week, the dead and the living are sharing premium space on dry ground. Teresa Concepcion and her extended family of five moved to the Catholic cemetery in Calumpit town, on the main island of Luzon, on Wednesday after their house went under chest-deep floodwaters. Both they and the water have stayed put since. The Concepcions have set up camp on the tops of tombs that sit like islands atop the murky water. Some of the bigger tombs have roofs, providing a dry spot even during the rain. “We believe in ghosts, but they have not troubled us. Maybe they took pity on us and allowed us to stay,” the 34-year-old unwed mother of two told AFP on Saturday as she dried driftwood with which to cook their food. Her mother was also keeping busy, taking advantage of a break in the rain to wash clothes. But her father, who gets paid 300 pesos ($7.16) for burying the dead, is temporarily out of work because funerals have been put off
until after the disaster. In the capital Manila, several cemeteries are home to entire communities of settlers who dwell among the tombs year round and eke out a living as scavengers in nearby rubbish
dumps. The Concepcions appeared quite relaxed about remaining at the cemetery which is just across the road from their home. “We had done this once before, and three of our neighbours have told us they
NAVOTAS CITY, Philippines: A boy who lives in a cemetery walks through the remains of floodwaters that receded from the Navotas cemetery on the outskirts of Manila yesterday. —AFP
plan to join us,” she said. “But we could do with food rations though.” The family has survived on buying instant noodles and tins of sardines from a nearby store. The floods, which submerged about 80 percent of Manila for about two days early last week, have killed 66 people and affected 2.68 million others, according to the government. Large areas of Calumpit, a farming town 50 km north of the capital, have been swamped with floods for a week, as have surrounding areas on the low-lying, rice-growing plains at the centre of Luzon. While most of the waters in the capital had receded by Friday, large areas of central Luzon remained paralysed by waters that remain chest-deep in some parts. More than 441,000 people displaced by the floods are crammed into schools, gymnasiums and other government-run makeshift evacuation centres. Tens of thousands more have been converging on the centres each day, and the government has repeatedly said the refuges are overwhelmed. Those who cannot find space there have sought shelter elsewhere. —AFP
Hundreds of troops later assaulted and pursued the rebels, killing at least 16 more of the fleeing militants, who tried to slow down the advancing soldiers with sniper fire. Suspected rebel snipers killed a police officer guarding a highway in Maguindanao’s Datu Unsay town on Saturday, the military said. The clashes, which shattered years of relative calm in the volatile southern region, forced more than 39,000 villagers to flee from homes, according to the government’s Office of Civil Defense. Village guard Roger Apenida said the rebels descended on his farming village in Maguindanao’s Ampatuan town early last week and held him and dozens of other villagers hostage for a day before allowing them to flee when army troops approached. The gunmen seized 32 cell phones from the residents then destroyed bottles of liquor, a billiard table and a karaoke machine in three stores. “The rebels were carrying two Qurans and told us such vices as liquor were banned under Islamic laws,” said Apenida, who has taken refuge in an evacuation center in a nearby Ampatuan village. The rebel group broke off last year from the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which is involved in peace talks with the government. The breakaway guerrillas oppose the negotiations and have vowed to continue fighting for an independent homeland for minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. The group’s hardline leader, Kato, had a stroke in November, plunging his group into uncertainty, but the renewed fighting indicates he still has firepower. —AP
Disease alert as Philippines flood toll jumps to 85 MANILA: Emergency relief officials and doctors deployed to flood devastated communities in the Philippines yesterday to prevent outbreaks of disease as the death toll jumped to 85. The flooding that submerged 80 percent of Manila early in the week has largely subsided but more than 150 towns and cities around the capital remain under water, affecting more than three million people. Amid the ongoing relief operation, the weather bureau warned of a low pressure area developing some 850 km to the east in the Pacific Ocean that could turn into a storm and bring more rain. Many provinces around Manila remained inundated as overflowing dams continued to release water, the national disaster coordinating agency said. Relief workers were
dealing with “clogged pipelines and trash everywhere. Sanitation has emerged as a key problem,” Red Cross secretary general Gwendolyn Pang told AFP. “We have deployed health officers in evacuation centres and in flood-hit communities with the likelihood of diseases erupting.” The health department said water purification tablets were being distributed, while mass immunisations were being carried out to prevent an outbreak of diseases such as flu. Of particular concern is a possible outbreak of leptospirosis, caused by exposure to water contaminated by rat urine, which infected 3,300 people and claimed some 250 lives in the aftermath of similar flooding in 2009. “Many may have escaped the floods, but many could still die from leptospirosis or other diseases,” Ramos said. —AFP
M DAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
NEWS
BAJEBAJ: Damaged buildings are seen in a village near the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran yesterday. Twin earthquakes in Iran have killed at least 300 people and injured over 2,600, Iranian state television said yesterday. — AP
300 perish in Iran quakes Continued from Page 1 Harees, near the major city of Tabriz, Iranian media reported. Tabriz resident Ahmad, 41 said his cousin living in a village near Ahar was killed and that his body had already been found. “Nobody knows what happened to his wife and two daughters,” aged 4 and 7, Ahmad said. “We fear that if rescuers don’t get to them soon, they will lose their lives too if they’re still alive.” But Iranian officials said rescue operations had ended by day afternoon and that all those trapped beneath the rubble had been freed, Iran’s English-language Press TV reported. Many villages are hard to reach by road, hindering rescue efforts. Hospitals in Tabriz, Ardabil and other cities nearby took in many of the injured, residents and Iranian media said, and there were long queues of survivors waiting to be treated. “I wanted to go there last night to help but heard there was bad traffic and that it wasn’t safe enough,” Ahmad said. “People in those villages need help.” Aidin, a Tabriz resident, said he went to give blood at a local hospital on Saturday and saw staff struggling to cope with the influx of patients. Most patients had been taken there by their families, he said, indicating a shortage of ambulances. Ahar’s 120-bed hospital was full, said Arash, a college student and resident of the town. There were traffic jams on the narrow road between Ahar and Tabriz as victims tried to reach hospitals, he said by telephone. “People are scared and won’t go back into their houses because they fear the buildings aren’t safe.” The US Geological Survey measured Saturday’s first quake at 6.4 magnitude and said it struck 60 km northeast of the city of Tabriz, a trading hub far from Iran’s oil-
producing areas and known nuclear facilities. The second, measuring 6.3, struck 11 minutes later near Varzaghan, 49 km northeast of Tabriz. More than 1,000 villages in the area were affected by the earthquakes, Ahmad Reza Shaji’i, a Red Crescent official, told the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA). About 130 villages suffered more than 70 percent damage, and 20 villages were completely destroyed, he said. “We saw some villages that were truly destroyed,” said Sadati, the photographer who was documenting the quake aftermath. “One good thing was that the earthquake happened during the day, so many people were not in their homes. If it had happened at night the casualties would have been far worse.” Close to 300 people were believed to be dead, said Reza Sadighi, Ahar’s local governor, Fars news agency said. Shaji’i told ISNA that 2,600 people are believed to be injured. Nearly 100 ambulances and 1,100 Red Crescent workers were deployed, Shaji’i said, along with 44,000 food packages and 5,600 tents for shelter. The relief agency had enough supplies and most residents in the area had access to clean water but Shaji’i asked residents to donate cash to the relief effort. Officials in Tehran extended condolences to the victims and declared two days of mourning to be held in the province, ISNA reported. About 16,000 people in the quake-hit area have been given emergency shelter, Red Crescent official Mahmoud Mozafar told Mehr news agency. Iranian lawmaker Mohammad Hassan-Nejad warned that if relief efforts did not speed up, the death toll would swiftly rise. “Relief groups have still not reached many villages, because in normal conditions some of these villages are several hours
Optimism from the Islamic view point away,” he told ISNA. “Currently the roads are closed and the only way to reach these villages is by air.” Photographs posted on Iranian news websites showed numerous bodies, including children, lying on the floor of a white-tiled morgue in Ahar and medical staff treating the injured in the open air as dusk fell on Saturday. Other images showed rescue workers digging people out of rubble - some alive, many dead. Iran is crisscrossed by major fault lines and has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent years, including a 6.6 magnitude quake in 2003 that reduced the historic southeastern city of Bam to dust and killed about 31,000 people. Saturday’s quakes struck in East Azerbaijan province, a mountainous region that neighbors Azerbaijan and Armenia to the north. Buildings in Tabriz, the provincial capital, are substantially built and ISNA reported nobody in the city had been killed or hurt. Homes and business premises in Iranian villages, however, are often made of concrete blocks or mud brick that can crumble and collapse in a strong quake. Water, electricity, and phone lines in the area of Varzaghan are all down, further hindering rescue efforts, Iran’s English-language Press TV reported. Tabriz residents left their homes and crowded the streets following the two quakes, those in the city said. “Everyone was scared last night,” a resident said by telephone. “They set up tents and were sleeping in the streets and in parks.” Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday expressing his sympathy and offering assistance, the Kremlin’s press-service said. Pope Benedict XVI asked Christians to pray for the victims of the quakes. — Reuters
Morsi dismisses top generals Continued from Page 1 political forces as it waits for a new constitution after six decades of unbroken army rule. “Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi has been transferred into retirement from today,” presidential spokesman, Yasser Ali, said in a statement. In his place as armed forces chief and defense minister, Morsi appointed General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. Enan was replaced General Sidki Sobhi. Both retirees, whose positions may have been weakened by an embarrassing military debacle last week against Islamist militants in the Sinai desert, were appointed as advisers to the president. “The decision was a sovereign one, taken by the president to pump new blood into the military establishment in the interests of developing a new, modern state,” spokesman Ali told Reuters after making the announcement. It was a critical decision and the members of the military council understood this because they are patriotic and General Sisi is from the new generation of the patriotic men of the armed forces. He is responsible and well respected,” said Ali. Enan was long seen as particularly close to the US military which has been the main sponsor of Egypt’s armed forces. Tantawi, Mubarak’s defense minister for 20 years, then helped ease the former president out of office on Feb. 11, 2011 in the face of mass street protests. Tantawi’s age had meant that his departure had been long expected in some form, and his appointment as an adviser to Morsi appeared to exclude the possibility he might face the kind of prosecution that saw Mubarak, now 84, jailed for life. “This clash between the new president and the military council was expected - but not this fast,” said analyst Gamal Soltan. The armed forces, with vast resources in Egypt’s economy as well as a military strength funded in part by Washington, remain a key institution in Egypt and the process of establishing full
democratic control has only just begun. General Mohamed El-Assar, who sits on the military council, told Reuters: “The decision was based on consultation with the field marshal, and the rest of the military council.” It was not clear, however, how far the generals had agreed. Morsi, whose victory over a former general prompted concerns in Israel and the West about their alliances with Egypt, also appointed a judge, Mahmoud Mekky, as his vice president. Mekky is a brother of newly appointed Justice Minister Ahmed Mekky, who had been a vocal critic of vote-rigging under Mubarak. Mekky and Sisi were shortly afterwards shown on state television with Morsi, being sworn in to their new positions. Morsi, who has pledged to uphold democratic accountability and to stand by Cairo’s treaties with Israel and other states, has shown impatience with the military following violence in the Sinai desert that brought trouble with Israel and the Palestinians’ Gaza Strip enclave this month. The president, whose own Brotherhood movement renounced violence long ago, sacked Egypt’s intelligence chief last week after an attack in which Islamist militants killed 16 Egyptian border guards before trying to storm the Israeli border. Yesterday, Egyptian troops killed five Islamist militants after storming their hideout near the isolated border with Israel, security sources and eyewitnesses said. The troops found the militants in the settlement of Al-Goura, about 15 km from the frontier, as they searched for jihadists who killed the 16 border guards a week ago. The latest clash is part of a security sweep that began on Wednesday and is the biggest military operation in the region since Egypt’s 1973 war with Israel was followed by a 1979 peace treaty which opened the way for massive US aid to Cairo. No one has claimed responsibility for killing the border guards. — Reuters
Continued from Page 1 faith will inevitably actualize achievement in our mundane affairs as well as acts of worship by which we intend to please Allah (SW T ). 1 Meaning of Optimism: If you refer to the Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary, it says: Optimism is a feeling that good things will happen and that something good will be successful. From the Islamic perspective, optimism means more than that: One of the definitions of optimism from the Islamic point of view is: To be happy and cheerful, have good opinions always and to expect good things to happen to you from what you hear or what you get promised. For example if you are working on something and someone tells you: “From what I see, I have the hunch that you will make it.” Your response should be positive. You shouldn’t say: “I am always unlucky; I do things but they don’t succeed. Such a statement reeks of lack of trust in God. Al-Hulaimi - a celebrated Islamic scholar - said: “Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to like optimism because pessimism entails mistrust and evil opinions about God without any absolute reason. Whereas optimism, denotes good opinions and positive attitude about God as well as trusting Him. In whatever situation, a believer is commanded to be optimistic and trust God that good things will always happen to him.” It was narrated by Abu Huraira that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: God says: “I will come to the rescue of My servant depending on his trust of Me (his attitude and how he thinks of Me) and I will be with him so long us he remembers Me, mentions My Name and celebrates My praises.” (Reported by Imam Muslim 2,675) compare and contrast this with the wise statement of Marcus Aurelius (great American philosopher) in which he said: “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.” (The Power Of Positive Thinking by Vincent Peale) 2. Do not desire to die due to massive problems that afflict you. Qais bin Abi Hazim (one of the followers of the Prophet who embraced Islam during the lifetime of the Prophet but never met him) said: “ We went to visit Khabbab bin Al-Aratt who was in severe pain after undergoing cauterization• seven times. He was wriggling and in so much pain that he said: “Our friends who passed away a long time ago left the world without benefiting
from its allurements. It could also mean that (they died before Islam became fully fledged in Arabia that they didn’t not benefit from the booty even as we did.) We have - on the other hand acquired a lot of wealth that there is no avenues left to us to expend it but in constructing unnecessary buildings. Had the Prophet (Peace be upon him) never forbade us from admiring death, I would have desired to die.” Qais bin Abi Hazim reports that the other time they visited him (Khabaab), they found him fixing a wall in his house after regaining his health. It would have been futile for him to desire death yet God was only testing him with that disease - after a short while he recovered and was able to fix a wall in his house. Cauterization is the process of burning a would with heat or chemical in order to close it up and prevent it from becoming infected. Although, it is sanctioned in Islam, it should be the last resort where other medications have failed and doctors have established that it is the only effective medicine. It was narrated by Anas that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “No one among you should desire death. If it behooves you to do so due to some severe conditions and circumstances you are going through, you should then supplicate thus: “O Allah! let me continue living so long as life is good for me. And if - according to Your infinite knowledge - dying is better for me, let me die.” (Reported by Imam AlBukhari 5671 and Muslim 2680) 3- God’s mercy transcends His wrath: He created mercy in 100 parts; He kept with Him 99% by which He is always kind to believers as well as unbelievers in that whether you believe in Him or not, He will still provide sustenance for you as well as give you protection until the end of the world. In the hereafter, His mercy will encompass only those who believed in Him. It was narrated by Abu Haraira (may God be pleased with him) that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Allah created mercy in 100 parts. He kept with Him 99% and sent to the world only 1%. (It is within this 1% that a mother is kind to her baby, a lion to its calf, a bird to its fledgling, etc.) Had a disbeliever known everything about the mercy of Allah, he wouldn’t have despaired from entering paradise. Likewise, had a Muslim known everything about the punishment of Allah, he wouldn’t have felt safe and secure from Allah’s punishment.” (Reported by Imam Bukhari
6469 and Muslim 2755) Despairing of the mercy of Allah and feeling safe and secure from His wrath and punishment are among the gravest sins in Islam. It was narrated by Abdullah bin Masoud that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “The gravest sin of all is associating partners with God or worshiping other than Allah (polytheism and pantheism), feeling safe and secure from the wrath and punishment of Allah, and despairing from the mercy of Allah.” (Reported by Abdul-Razaq) 4. Points to consider: - The gravest sin across the board is associating partners with Allah or worshiping other than Him. Depending on the situation and circumstances, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would invariably inform his companions in particular and the Muslim community in general, that some acts were regarded as grave sins, especially if he observed that at that given particular time those sins were rampant. That is why you find in many of his statements, he says eg: “The major sins are.....) • What does “Feeling safe and secure from the wrath and punishment of Allah” mean? It means: despite committing sins, one would still enjoy God’s blessings in that he continues to be successful in his work, get his sustenance and enjoy Allah’s protection. Because of that, he would think that Allah gives him preference over others and that when he dies, he would still find a lot of amenities for him and get preferential treatment. • Allah’s love for His servants is far superior to a mother’s love for her baby: If you realize that, you will never ever fall prey to pessimism whatever the situation may be. It was narrated by Umar bin Al-Khattab that once as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was discussing with his bona-fide companions the fate of prisoners of war, all of a sudden a woman who had lost track of her child spotted him and ran fast toward him. She passionately hugged and breast-fed him wholeheartedly. Amazingly and surprisingly looking at her, the prophet turned towards his companions and asked: “Would you ever imagine this woman throwing her son in fire?” They replied in unison: “No, by Allah’s name. He then said a very beautiful statement that would inspire every Muslim as well as people of other faiths to be optimistic: “God is more kind and merciful to His servants than this woman is to her child.” (Reported by Imam Bukhari 5,999 and Muslim 2,754). - Courtesy, AWARE Center
Kuwaitis urged to ‘banish disharmony ... Continued from Page 1 The Amir underlined that the “firm and strict” arm of law will be implemented upon all, without prejudice, “for the security and stability of the nation is above all considerations.” “The given freedom and right of speech should not be used in a way that causes discord and harms the social fabric built by our fathers and forefathers,” he added. He also urged media outlets to encourage unity and national pride amongst the people of the country. On the international scale, HH the Amir urged Kuwaitis to come to the aid of the “tens of thousands of casualties” in Syria and
other Muslims, who are facing discrimination and ethnic cleansing, in Burma. On Syria, he said “the Kuwaiti government and people have, since the start of these events, organized relief campaigns for the stricken Syrian people”. “The inhumane practices (in Burma) of persecution, killing, torture and displacement call for us - the international community - to stand side by side and give all of our support and assistance for these people to recover from their plight,” he stressed. He closed his speech by praying to God Almighty to rest the souls of the late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah and Kuwaiti martyrs. — KUNA
OPPOSITION REJECTS GOVERNMENT ‘COUP’ Continued from Page 1 parliamentary system. The statement insisted that by deciding that move “the political authority has revealed its true intentions which are hostile to the will of the Kuwaiti people”. It charged that the referral move is yet a new attempt by the government to strip the people of any power in a way to rest total monopoly on the decision-making process in the country, more than 50 years after issuing the constitution. The statement also strongly blasted the government’s move
to involve the judiciary in general and the constitutional court in particular in the ongoing political crisis in a bid to rest control of all powers in the country. It appealed to the supreme judicial council and the constitutional court to stay out of the political disputes and warned that their involvement assists the government to plot against the constitutional system. Youth opposition activists meanwhile decided to launch a campaign of protests starting on August 27 without setting and end date. The rallies will be held to protest the government action in referring the electoral law to the constitutional court.
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opinion
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
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Hot, bothered in Iraq’s Basra By Khalid Waleed he lack of electricity during the height of summer is once again driving angry Iraqis into the streets to protest what they see as their government’s failure to provide basic services. The government was forced to sack a senior energy official and promised to launch an investigation into the ongoing energy shortage after residents of the southern por t cit y of Basra staged angr y protests over prolonged power cuts. Residents of Basra were particularly angry that the latest round of power cuts occurred just at the beginning of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. “Life has become unbearable - we can’t breathe since there’s no electricity (for cooling) in this summer’s extreme heat,” Saad Hadi, a taxi driver who joined the protests, said. “Power cuts are nothing new, but with the summer heat and Ramadan, we can’t put up with it any longer.” Hussein Musafer, a day laborer in Basra, added that many could no longer afford fuel for the private generators many here employ to supplement the erratic power supply. “When it gets hot, prices also rise for fuel and ice. We can’t afford it - we are poor. Officials need to be aware of our suffering. They won’t know if we stay at home, so I’ve taken to the streets,” he said. Um Hamadi, a housewife in Basra, was equally frustrated. “While we deprive ourselves of water through the day (during Ramadan), officials are depriving us of air,” she said. Iraq’s electricity shortages date as far back as the 1991 Gulf War, when US air strikes damaged much of the country’s electric generating capacity. The country’s electric infrastructure continued to crumble during the years of UN sanctions that followed. After Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003, the international communit y invested heavily in rebuilding the electric grid. Armed violence, mismanagement and corruption, however, have caused electricity distribution to remain intermittent. Domestic produc tion is around 2,700 megawatts a day, less than a third of the country’s actual demand. Outages occur in every part of Iraq, and power is typically available for four or five hours a day, at best. The effects are particularly hard for people in the south, the hottest part of the country. Daytime temperatures in Basra can rise above 130 degrees. In response to the protests, local power-industry managers promised to increase the number of hours that the electricity would be on in Basra. “Ministry teams are working hard to repair damaged lines, and we promise people that the supply will improve,” Sabah Abdul Wahed, director-general of Basra’s electricity distribution department, said. “I can tell you that there’s been a marked improvement in the last few days.” Local residents acknowledged that the situation had improved slightly, but expressed doubt that the power level would be sustained. “We’re now getting a better level of electricity - about six hours a day, but who can say how long that will last?” said Hanan Abuldamir, a student. “If they do it again - cut the power supply we will do it again — protest.”— MCT
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BAGHDAD: Iraqis shop at a market in Baghdad yesterday. Prices of fruit and vegetables soared in Iraq amid fears that the Syrian conflict would affect neighboring countries. — AFP
All articles appearing on these pages are the personal opinion of the writers. Kuwait Times takes no responsibility for views expressed therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.
Ryan choice increases focus on policy By Tom Raum itt Romney’s choice of Wisconsin Rep Paul Ryan as his ticket mate magnifies the sharp philosophical policy divisions between Republicans and Democrats and assures that a lively debate over taxes, deficits and the role of government will command the home stretch of the presidential race. But the selection also is a bold gamble for Romney, one that gave President Barack Obama and other Democrats a wider target at which to aim. In naming Ryan, Romney wed himself far more closely to proposals that have made the 42-year-old House Budget Committee chairman a hero to tea party and other conservative activists and anathema to Democrats. Enshrined in budgets twice passed by the Republican House but so far rejected by the Democratic-run Senate, Ryan’s proposals would rein in federal domestic spending, lower tax rates and overhaul safety-net programs like Medicare and Medicaid for senior citizens, the disabled and the poor. Previously, Romney praised the Ryan budget in general terms, calling it in line with his own ideas, “bold and exciting” and even “marvelous.” But he hasn’t given it heavy emphasis in his campaign speeches nor singled out specifics. Romney’s own economic prescriptions have lacked detail in many areas. But from now on, he’ll be compelled to defend what is suddenly a “Romney-Ryan” plan full of belt-tightening, smaller government proposals. Romney introduced Ryan during a Saturday tour of battleground Virginia as “an intellectual leader of the Republican party” who “understands the fiscal challenges facing America: our exploding deficits and crushing debt, and the fiscal catastrophe that awaits us if we don’t change course.” Both sides agree that Ryan is smart, friendly and issue-oriented, even a little wonkish. But Democrats quickly trashed the ticket. “By picking Rep Paul Ryan, Gov Romney has doubled down on his commitment to gut Social Security and end Medicare as we know it,” said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. Senior campaign adviser David Axelrod called the ticket “the definition of a fast track back to the failed, top-down economic policies of the past.” Such attack lines are sure to be sounded increasingly by Democrats in speeches and commercials. Ryan’s proposed Medicare changes are perhaps the most incendiary of his plan. While current retirees or those near retirement wouldn’t be affected, those now under 55 would be given the choice of enrolling in privaterun insurance plans partially subsidized by the federal government when they reach retirement age. Ryan’s plan would also turn Medicaid into a federal block grant program to the states. And it calls on the White House and Congress to pursue modifications to Social Security, but without offering specifics. In the past, Ryan has advocated letting younger workers invest their Social Security taxes in the stock market - a plan similar to one pushed unsuccessfully by former President George W Bush. Obama has ripped Ryan’s proposals as “thinly veiled social Darwinism.” And fellow Republican Newt Gingrich called Ryan’s ideas for overhauling Medicare “right-wing social engineering.” Proposed changes to Medicare or Social Security are a deep concern to seniors, even if they wouldn’t be directly affected. Those over 65 constitute one of the nation’s most active voting blocs aggressively courted by both parties. Ryan proposes two new individual tax rates of 10 percent and 25 percent, lowering the top rate from the present 35 percent. He also would winnow “the burdensome tangle of loopholes,” but without spelling out which ones. Independent studies have suggested the net effect of such a plan would be to raise the tax burden on middle-class Americans while easing it on the wealthy. While opposition to tax increases has become standard Republican dogma, polls show that a majority of Americans believe, with Obama, that the wealthy do not pay their fair share and should be taxed more. Recent polls also show that Romney has failed to overtake Obama despite the still-dismal economy and some polls show that in recent weeks Obama has gained markedly over his rival. While a fresh face on the national scene to many, Ryan “is totally a creature of Washington DC,” said Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University in New Jersey. In the sense that Ryan knows the ins and outs of budgeting and Congress, “that’s a good thing for Romney. But I don’t think it is all that helpful with the very people I think Ryan was designed to appeal to and to make sure conservatives don’t stay home on Election Day,” Baker said. But business economist Peter Morici at the University of Maryland said Ryan’s legislative background “complements Romney’s private sector expertise wonderfully. He has a clear and concise plan to fix the federal budget.” “We won’t duck the tough issues - we will lead,” Ryan promised.— AP
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British economy struggles to secure golden Olympics boost By Julien Mivielle ith the London Olympics set to wrap up Sunday, analysts said Britain’s recession-hit economy was unlikely to have won a major boost from the Games that have been a triumph for the nation’s athletes. While Britain’s construction sector benefited hugely before the Olympics, experts have said the 17-day sporting spectacle had not delivered significant financial rewards and neither was it expected to in the months and years ahead. Mary Rance, chief executive of tourism body UKinbound, said the Olympics which have cost British taxpayers £9.3 billion ($14.5 billion, 11.8 billion euros) to stage have failed to lift her sector. “From a positive perspective, the Olympics have been a catalyst for huge investment in infrastructure in London,” Rance said. But she added: “All the signs are that the Olympics have not delivered additional visitors to London and the UK. In fact, it is expected that numbers may well end up having fallen by well over 30 percent.” Following claims in the first few days of the Games that they had turned London into a ghost town, British Prime Minister David Cameron urged people to “come back into the capital.” And his words seem to have made an impact, with retailers across London’s main shopping district in and around Oxford Street reporting an increase in sales and a higher footfall in the days after Cameron’s remarks. In the run-up to the Olympics, which began on July 27, commuters and tourists were warned to stay away amid fears that London’s transport system could not cope with millions of extra people descending on the capital. The Games had long been heralded as a key boost to the British economy but industry body the European Tour Operators Association said tourist numbers had fallen “dramatically” in the first few days of the Games. “Hotels have been cutting their prices and many shopping areas, restaurants, theatres, attractions and entertainment venues have seen a significant reduction in business,” added Rance. “Although it must be said that shopping centers like Westfield Stratford City, next to the Olympic Park, have benefited significantly-and over
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recent days visitors seem to be returning to central London,” she added. Businesses complained of being sidelined as tourists made a beeline for the Games and avoided the capital’s other attractions and shopping destinations, while non-sports fans opted to stay at home or delay their trips. The Bank of England’s chief economist Spencer Dale last week said the Olympics would provide only “a small positive contribution” to the British economy. “There may well be some extra spending from tourism, but as many of us know there has also been travel disruption, more people are going on holiday. So I think those effects are small. “But the contribution from ticket sales and TV rights may lead to a very small boost to GDP in the third quarter.” Britain’s Office for National Statistics has already said that Olympic tickets sold last year would be incorporated into gross domestic product figures for the third quarter, despite the bulk having been paid for last year. Asked about the long-term benefits to the economy from the Olympics, Dale said: “Those type of effects are a lot harder to try and work out and I don’t think it will have a material impact in our projections.” Analysts have said the Games could added 0.3 percentage points to British output in the third quarter, or July to September period. Britain escaped a deep downturn in late 2009 but fell back into recession at the end of 2011. Latest official data showed GDP slumped 0.7 percent in the second quarter from the first three months of this year. Meanwhile the nation’s coalition government, which has been hosting country leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Olympics, said it hoped to strike trade deals during the event. And it believes it can generate £13 billion of business, including almost half coming from foreign direct investment, over the next four years as a direct result of the Olympics. But Slavena Nazarova, economist at French bank Credit Agricole, said the longer-term target was “a little exaggerated” given that Cameron had not included the greatest benefit thus far-the boost to the construction sector as a result of transforming a disused part of east London to host much of the Games.— AFP
‘Happiest’ Olympics end on high for British hosts By Anna Tomforde he two-week sporting festival of the London Olympics has been notable for its warm welcoming spirit in a display of the “Best of British,” commentators agree. Apart from the medals - Britain’s best haul since the Games of 1908 - the overall courteous tone of the Games, their sense of fair play and overwhelming embrace by a traditionally reserved public have made headlines. “This has been the happiest, kindest, and above all the most polite Olympics in recent history. Modesty, manners and fair play - the world’s biggest show has demonstrated our British best,” wrote columnist Nick Curtis in the Evening Standard. Almost every event had been contested honorably, as competing athletes took joyful bows together and stadium crowds while cheering louder for the home team - showed a sense of respect and fair play for competitors from all nations. Even Team GB’s hockey matches against Argentina, while contested with fierce rivalry, bore no traces of political rancor despite tension over the Falkland Islands. “Taken all together, this has enabled London to reclaim the Olympic spirit,” said Curtis. “In my life, I have been to two other Games, Los Angeles in 1984 and Montreal in 1976, and both were amazing, but this is the best Games of all time,” said Mark Stein, a visitor from South Africa. “It’s beautifully organized and relaxed. For me, it’s been the ‘kind’ Games. There’s a spirit of unity,” he said. The 70,000 volunteers drafted for the Games have come in for all-round praise. It is widely accepted that the “Games Makers” - as they became known - lived up to their name and are largely responsible for the Games’ friendly image. The other element, commentators agree, were the
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roaring crowds, whose patriotic enthusiasm never spilled over into jingoism, and whose whole-hearted embrace of the Games has taken even the organizers by surprise. Games organizer Sebastian Coe said he knew that public enthusiasm would be “slow to burn,” but once it was ignited, it would be overwhelming. “The atmosphere has been incredible. A ‘Mexican wave’ of noise. Louder and louder and louder. Being part of that is unbelievable,” British rowing champion Steve Redgrave said Sunday. Even the police were happy, reporting “very little crime” around the Games and praising the “Olympic spirit” of travelers who remained “relaxed and cheerful” even when they were held back and forced to queue patiently. While politicians were keen Sunday to exploit the “feel-good factor” delivered by the Games - in the hope that they could help lessen the prevailing economic gloom - sociologists drew their own conclusions. An opinion poll published in the Guardian newspaper showed that 68 per cent of respondents believed the Games had shown that Britain “is stronger as a country of many cultures,” while a majority remained opposed to “unplanned immigration.” “We see an impressive level of support for multicultural Britain, despite continuing concern about immigration. That suggests the British public is rather more sophisticated than politicians recognize,” said Professor Anthony Heath of Oxford University. For former Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose Labor government brought the Games to London in 2005, the Olympics have been a “national triumph.” “National sentiment is rarely universal - but the acclaim given to the London 2012 Olympics is as close as we will ever get to it,” Blair wrote in the Sunday Times newspaper. “In throwing timidity to the wind, we have rediscovered the spirit that is our own.” —dpa
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
sp orts
Storm halts McIlroy, Tiger slides KIAWAH ISLAND: Rory McIlroy held a share of the PGA Championship lead with Vijay Singh while joint overnight leader Tiger Woods fell down the leaderboard before rain suspended Saturday’s third round. It was a disappointing session for Woods, who carded three bogeys with some ragged play on a day when he was aiming to get in position to end a four-year title drought in golf’s four major tournaments. The former world number was one-under for the tournament and five strokes behind McIlroy and Singh after seven holes when a siren sounded to call players off the course. “I got off to a rough start today and couldn’t get anything going. I’ll come back tomorrow morning and see what happens,” said Woods. “There are a lot of holes left to play.” While Woods was relieved that rainy weather cut short his troubles and gave him a chance to start fresh on Sunday, McIlroy had to interrupt a round where he was starting to hone in on a second major title. Typically though, the Northern Irishman, who faces 27 holes now on what will be an extended and gruelling day on the longest course ever used for a major, took the setback in his stride. “It’s fine, I don’t think you can let it affect you at all. The way I’m looking at it, I’m going into the final day of the final major of the season tied for
the lead, so I can’t ask for much more,” said McIlroy. “I don’t care if it is going to be 27 holes, 18 holes, 36 holes, I’m just happy to be in a good position.” After a threat of a lightning caused officials to bring the players off the course, heavy rain followed, forcing 26 players to finish their third rounds yesterday. McIlroy, playing some sparkling golf, was four-under after nine holes on Saturday and sixunder for the tournament while
Singh has 11 left to play and Woods has eight holes remaining. The confident 23-year-old had five birdies in his opening eight holes for the outright lead before a bogey at the ninth. McIlroy even came through a bizarre situation on the third hole where his tee shot hit a tree and got lodged in the thick of a branch, leaving him and his caddy searching in vain for the ball on the ground until a member of a TV crew
KIAWAH ISLAND: Tiger Woods of the United States (right) follows his shot as Vijay Singh of Fiji prepares to hit off the 16th tee during Round Three of the 94th PGA Championship.—AFP
pointed out its location to them. Woods undid much of the good work he did in Friday’s classy 71 as the 14-times major winner missed a four-foot putt for birdie on the third but then paid the price more for loose shots from the tee. On the parfour fourth Woods drove wide left and then found a difficult lie with his second shot, failing to reach the green but he at least restricted the damage to a bogey with a decent upand-down. On the par-three fifth, Woods landed short of the green and then missed a 10-foot par putt while on the par-five seventh he twice found sandy areas and missed a par putt from 15 feet. Another of the trio of overnight leaders, Singh, PGA winner in 1998 and 2004, started off in perfect fashion with a 14-foot birdie putt on the first and a 20-foot putt on the seventh that put him at six-under and level with McIlroy. Australia’s Adam Scott, who narrowly lost the British Open to Ernie Els last month, was bogey free and made four birdies to make 32 in his front nine, leaving him just a shot off the pace. Sweden’s Carl Pettersson, the other member of the trio of second round leaders, recovered from his bogey on the third with a birdie on the par-three fifth to remain at fourunder. —Reuters
Four S Koreans share lead SYLVANIA: For the lead groups, the final round of the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic will be just like a friendly round back home in South Korea. Oh, and give the winner a check for $195,000. South Koreans Jiyai Shin, Kim, So Yeon Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo dominated the leaderboard, sharing the top spot at 11under 202 on Saturday through the third round. Two more South Koreans, Inbee Park (69) and second-round leader Chella Choi (70), were a shot back along with Japan’s Mika Miyazato (69). Call them the Seoul sisters. “It will be really exciting,” said Kim, who will be chasing her fourth career LPGA Tour victory. “These are players that I grew up with. I know them personally and I know their family issues and all that. So, even though we’re playing in the US, having them around I feel much more at home.” South Koreans have not only flooded (43 of them on the roster this year) but also dominated the LPGA Tour in recent years. Still, they have seldom taken over a tournament like the one at Highland Meadows. In addition to filling the top four spots and six of the top seven, South Korea was represented by players occupying seven of the top 11 positions and 11 of the top 25 through 54 holes. Even though they are extremely competi-
tive, don’t expect any gamesmanship. “There are a lot of Korean players on tour,” said Shin, who has won eight times in LPGA events since 2008, including victories in the 2010 US Women’s Open and the 2008 Women’s British Open. “We are very close because we came over to play in the US. We were homesick, missing our friends and family in Korea. And that has made us close to each other.” Shin and Kim each shot 5-under 66 for the low rounds of the day, while Ryu had a 67 and Seo a 68. The range in scores of the four leaders is a high of 69 to a low of 66. In other words, almost the perfect definition of consistency. Ryu acknowledged that, then added, “Sometimes someone is crazy and has a low score — like a 61 or 62.” It’s not really surprising that the South Korean contingent is elbowing everyone else out of the picture at the Jamie Farr. After all, the player who is the matriarch of her country’s players on the LPGA Tour - Se Ri Pak - has won the Farr five times. And three other players from South Korea - Mi Hyun Kim, Eunjung Yi and Na Yeon Choi - also have finished first in suburban Toledo. In fact, since Pak won her first Farr in 1998, South Koreans have walked off with the title eight of the 13 years. Shin was perhaps the brightest star on the LPGA landscape but has not won in two years due to injuries. —AP
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
sp orts Pietersen out of England squad
Liu’s surgery ‘successful’
City agree to sign Rodwell
LONDON: Kevin Pietersen was left out of England’s squad yesterday for the third Test against South Africa after selectors said he failed to give assurances over phone text messages he sent to the South Africans which allegedly criticized his own teammates. Pietersen, who scored 149 in the second test, failed to make England’s 13-man squad for the test which starts at Lords on Thursday. He reportedly sent the text messages during the drawn second test at Headingley. “During the past week we have held several discussions with Kevin Pietersen and his advisers. Following a constructive meeting it was agreed that a number of actions needed to be completed to re-engage Kevin within the England dressing room,” England cricket managing director Hugh Morris said. “A fundamental item was to confirm publicly that no derogatory texts had been sent by Kevin to the South African team. This has not been forthcoming despite clear timelines being set to allow the selectors to pick the squad.” The South African-born Pietersen had threatened to quit test cricket after the second test, blaming “politics” and leaks to the media, but reversed his position on Saturday and made himself available again for his adopted country in all formats. Pietersen retired from one-day internationals earlier this year, and as a consequence England ruled him out of its Twenty20 side. —AP
LONDON: Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang has had “very successful” surgery on the injury that dashed his Olympic hopes and put his career in doubt, a senior official said yesterday. The former 110m champion, who hobbled out of the stadium for a second successive Games when he ruptured his Achilles tendon, is now recovering well, according to China’s chef de mission Liu Peng. “After his tendon ruptured he’s received a lot of attention from the public and the media,” said Liu. “On the ninth of August, Liu Xiang went through a very successful surgery and the doctor who treated him is very famous.” “Liu Xiang is recovering well, so he’s fine.” A Chinese official earlier told AFP that Liu had been in good spirits when he visited him in the Olympic village, despite his heartbreaking exit. Liu, 29, clattered into the first hurdle in his opening heat and fell heavily. After being helped up, he hopped the length of the course, kissed the last hurdle and was embraced by fellow competitors. “He’s in pain but he’s very brave and optimistic,” Chinese Olympic committee spokesman Zhang Haifeng said, the day before the operation. “He’s in bed in the athletes village. I visited him yesterday and talked a little bit and gave him some greetings. It’s really a sad thing but his spirit inspires young people very much.” —AFP
LONDON: Manchester City are finally set to make their first signing since the end of last season after the Premier League champions agreed a deal for Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell yesterday. City boss Roberto Mancini had been frustrated with the club’s failure to strengthen his squad, but the Italian should be appeased by the imminent capture of highly-rated England international Rodwell. “Everton have agreed an undisclosed fee with Manchester City for the transfer of Jack Rodwell,” a statement on Everton’s website read. “The midfielder is set to undergo a medical with the Premier League champions yesterday.” Rodwell, 21, is regarded as one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League and has already won two caps for England after making his debut against Spain last year. He has also been named in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Italy in Switzerland. Although Rodwell has been troubled by injury problems throughout his short career, including a hamstring problem which denied him the chance of playing at Euro 2012 and the Olympics, he had still showed enough promise to be be linked with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal. —AFP
Braves rout Mets
TORONTO: New York Yankees Casey McGehee (left) celebrates with Andruw Jones after hitting a three run homer off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Laffey during fourth inning. —AP
Yankees beat Blue Jays TORONTO: Ivan Nova ended a five-start winless streak and Casey McGehee hit a three-run homer as the New York Yankees won their fourth straight game Saturday, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2. Derek Jeter had two hits, boosting his American League-leading total to 150 and joining Hank Aaron as the only players to record 17 straight seasons with at least 150 hits. Rajai Davis had two hits and scored twice but it wasn’t enough as slumping Toronto lost its fifth straight and for the 11th time in 13 games. Nova (11-6) allowed two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings. He walked one and struck out 10. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 30 chances. Indians 5, Red Sox 2 At Cleveland, Brent Lillibridge homered, drove in two runs and scored on a squeeze bunt to back Zack McAllister’s strong pitching as Cleveland beat Boston. Lillibridge, acquired on July 24 from Boston, tied a career high with three hits. He hit his first homer in nearly a year and had an RBI single off Franklin Morales (3-2). McAllister (5-4) allowed three hits, including a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, in a career-high eight innings. Boston has lost eight of 11. All three hits allowed by McAllister were doubles. The right-hander struck out four without issuing a walk. Michael Brantley’s sacrifice fly broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth. Rangers 2, Tigers 1 At Arlington, Texas, rookie Mike Olt’s pinchhit RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Nelson Cruz with the winning run in Texas’ victory over Detroit. Olt drove a 2-2 pitch from Phil Coke past diving third baseman Miguel Cabrera and into left field. Cruz and Michael Young each drew fourpitch walks from Brayan Villarreal (3-3). Coke relieved and got two outs before Olt delivered the winning hit. The Rangers remained 5 1-2 games ahead of Oakland in the AL West. Austin Jackson led off the game with a home run for the Tigers, who remained one game behind Chicago in the AL Central. Rays 4, Twins 2 At Minneapolis, BJ Upton hit two home runs Matt Joyce also homered, and David Price earned his 15th victory as Tampa Bay stretched its winning streak to five by topping Minnesota. Ben Zobrist went 3-for-4 for the Rays, who have won 10 of 13 and kept pace in the AL East and AL wild card races. Tampa Bay is on its
longest winning streak since a six-game run from April 29-May 4. Price (15-4) held the Twins to two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He has worked at least seven innings in 10 consecutive starts. Brian Dozier homered, and Justin Morneau had two hits for the Twins. Price, who moved into a share of the major league lead in victories with Jared Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels and R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets, hasn’t lost since June 13. He is 7-0 with a 2.10 ERA in that span. Athletics 9, White Sox 7 At Chicago, Jonny Gomes homered to level the game, and Brandon Inge hit a go-ahead single as Oakland scored twice in the eighth inning and beat Chicago. Oakland had a five-run third and led 5-2, but the White Sox rallied and took a 7-6 lead in the seventh on A.J. Pierzynski’s RBI single off Ryan Cook (5-2). After Gomes homered off Matt Thornton (4-8), Yoenis Cespedes and Chris Carter singled before Inge greeted Brett Myers with the go-ahead single into the right field corner. Gomes added an RBI single in the ninth to put the A’s up by two runs. Grant Balfour pitched the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances, his first since May 5. Tyler Flowers homered and had three RBIs and a career-high three hits for the White Sox. Kevin Youkilis also homered for Chicago.
Royals 7, Orioles 3 At Baltimore, Alex Gordon hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs and Luis Mendoza took a shutout into the seventh inning in a win over Baltimore after the start of the game was delayed by rain for more than three hours. —AP
NY Yankees 5, Toronto 2; Cincinnati 4, Chicago Cubs 2; San Francisco 9, Colorado 3; Cleveland 5, Boston 2; Houston 6, Milwaukee 5 (10 innings); Kansas City 7, Baltimore 3; St. Louis 4, Philadelphia 1; San Diego 5, Pittsburgh 0; Miami 7, LA Dodgers 3; Atlanta 9, NY Mets 3; Oakland 9, Chicago White Sox 7; Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 2; Texas 2, Detroit 1; Washington 6, Arizona 5; Seattle 7, LA Angels 4. National League American League Eastern Division Eastern Division Washington 71 43 .623 W L PCT GB Atlanta 66 47 .584 4.5 NY Yankees 67 46 .593 NY Mets 54 60 .474 17 Tampa Bay 61 52 .540 6 Miami 52 62 .456 19 Baltimore 61 53 .535 6.5 Philadelphia 51 62 .451 19.5 Boston 56 59 .487 12 Toronto 53 60 .469 14 Central Division Cincinnati 68 46 .596 Central Division Pittsburgh 63 50 .558 4.5 Chicago White Sox 61 51 .545 St. Louis 62 52 .544 6 Detroit 61 53 .535 1 Milwaukee 51 61 .455 16 Cleveland 53 61 .465 9 Chicago Cubs 44 68 .393 23 Kansas City 49 64 .434 12.5 Houston 38 77 .330 30.5 Minnesota 49 64 .434 12.5 .589 .540 5.5 .526 7 .452 15.5
Padres 5, Pirates 0 At Pittsburgh, Jason Marquis took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before settling for a two-hitter as San Diego won its 11th straight game in Pittsburgh. Travis Snider broke up the bid with an infield single off the pitcher’s mound leading off the seventh inning. Released earlier this season by Minnesota (6-6), Marquis struck out four and walked one in the fifth shutout of his career. Pedro Alvarez was the only other Pittsburgh player to reach base. He walked in the second and singled in the eighth. Chase Headley hit his third home run in two games for the Padres and Will Venable also went deep. Cardinals 4, Phillies 1 At Philadelphia, Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer and Jake Westbrook won his fifth straight start to lead St. Louis to a victory over Philadelphia. Cliff Lee (2-7) retired 12 straight before the
Cardinals tagged him for consecutive hits to open the sixth inning. Holliday followed with a shot to right for his 22nd homer of the season. He remained winless at home this year. The World Series champion Cardinals are in the thick of the wild-card hunt and Westbrook gave them a needed 7 2-3 strong innings. Westbrook (12-8) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three.
four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. Giants 9, Rockies 3 At San Francisco, Buster Posey hit a homer and drove in two runs to back Matt Cain’s seven solid innings as San Francisco beat Colorado. Cain (11-5) gave up two runs on seven hits in 7 1-3 innings, and added an RBI single, to win for the first time since July 15. He walked one and struck out six. Angel Pagan hit a
bled and Brandon Phillips singled off Cubs reliever James Russell (5-1), Ludwick looped a pitch down the left-field line and into the corner. The comeback made a winner of Bronson Arroyo (8-7), who held the Cubs to two runs and five hits over eight innings. Reds closer Aroldis Chapman continued his recent dominance by setting down three straight in the ninth and converting his 27th save, including his last 19 straight. Astros 6, Brewers 5 At Houston, Scott Moore hit an RBI single with none out in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Houston over Milwaukee. Jose Altuve led off the 10th with an infield single off Jim Henderson (01). Marwin Gonzalez and Steve Pearce followed with walks to load the bases before Moore singled, giving Houston consecutive wins for the first time since June 26-27. The Astros won in their final at-bat for the second straight game.
NEW YORK: Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman (right) and Chipper Jones celebrate after the Braves beat the New York Mets 9-3 in the baseball game. —AP Marlins 7, Dodgers 3 At Miami, Carlos Lee hit one of the Marlins’ season-high five doubles and drove in two runs to lead Miami to a win over Los Angeles. Ricky Nolasco (9-11) allowed two runs and nine hits in five innings for Miami. Matt Kemp had three hits, stole two bases, and drove in a run for the Dodgers. Dodgers starter Joe Blanton (810) allowed just one hit through
two-run triple, and Marco Scutaro, Hunter Pence and Joaquin Arias also drove in runs for the Giants. DJ LeMahieu hit his first major league home run or the Rockies, who had won three of four. Reds 4, Cubs 2 At Chicago, Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run double in the eighth inning as Cincinnati rallied to a win over Chicago. After Drew Stubbs dou-
Nationals 6, D’backs 5 At Phoenix, Ryan Zimmerman singled in two of Washington’s five runs in the fifth inning as the Nationals rallied to beat Arizona, stretching their season-best winning streak to eight games. Jason Werth and Michael Morse each had an RBI double in Washington’s big inning, which was aided by two Arizona errors and a wild pitch from Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley (12-8). Aaron Hill homered and Justin Upton doubled twice for the Diamondbacks, losers of the first two of the series and six of eight overall. Edwin Jackson (7-7) got the win despite giving up five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. —AP
Mariners 7, Angels 4 At Anaheim, California, Hisashi Iwakuma took a four-hitter into the eighth inning and John Jaso homered as Seattle ended a fivegame losing streak with a victory over Los Angeles. Angels rookie phenom Mike Trout robbed Miguel Olivo of a two-run homer in the eighth inning, timing his leap perfectly at the fence in straightaway center field and throwing to first base to double off Eric Thames. Iwakuma (3-3) allowed three runs and six hits in sevenplus innings and struck out four in his seventh major league start. The right-hander, staked to a 7-0 lead, gave up his only runs on Vernon Wells’ RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer by Wells in the eighth on his final pitch. Kendrys Morales homered in the ninth against closer Tom Wilhelmsen.
MLB results/standings
Western Division Texas 66 46 Oakland 61 52 LA Angels 60 54 Seattle 52 63
NEW YORK: Freddie Freeman had five RBIs in the first two innings as the Atlanta Braves battered Johan Santana in his return from the disabled list to rout the sluggish New York Mets 9-3 on Saturday. Michael Bourn had three hits, Chipper Jones chased Santana with an RBI single in a seven-run second inning and Atlanta sent the twotime Cy Young Award winner to the worst start of his career. Kris Medlen (3-1) pitched effectively into the seventh inning, striking out seven while improving to 2-0 since joining the rotation. Santana (6-8) got only four outs. He was charged with eight hits - seven singles - and a season-high eight runs in his first outing since July 20.
Western Division San Francisco 62 52 LA Dodgers 61 53 Arizona 57 57 San Diego 51 64 Colorado 41 70
.544 .535 1 .500 5 .443 11.5 .369 19.5
Al-Daihani honored at Al-Roudhan tourney KUWAIT: The organizing committee of Al-Roudhan Indoor Soccer Tournament honored Kuwait’s Olympian Shooter Fuhaid AlDaihani who won the trap shooting bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics. Al-Daihani was the guest of the tournament during its 23rd day, as he accompanied the President of
the Asian and Kuwait Shooting Federations and Vice-president of the ISSF Sheikh Salman Sabah AlSalem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. Meanwhile Fuhaid Al-Daihani said he was honored and pleased to be among Al-Roudhan tournament fans as they represent all groups of Kuwaiti people. He said that he was very happy
when IOC’s suspension of Kuwait was lifted, and this was increased when he was able to hoist the Kuwaiti flag during the honoring ceremony at the Olympics. Meanwhile, Sheikh Salman AlHumoud congratulated HH the Amir and Kuwaiti people for AlDaihani’s Olympic achievement, and thanked all those who sup-
ported Fuhaid in this achievement. Meanwhile, matches of the 23rd day saw the exit of Abyat as it lost to Al-Humaidhi Limited 1-0, scored by Brazilian player Omair. AlShahed defeated Atom Sport 3-2 in penalty kicks and the team of the late Sameer Saeed defeated Goal in penalty shootouts after both teams drew 2-2 in regulation time.
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
S P ORT S
City sink Chelsea to win Shield BIRMINGHAM: Manchester City underlined their determination to retain the Premier League title as the champions warmed up for the new season with a hard-fought 3-2 win over 10-man Chelsea in the Community Shield yesterday. Roberto Mancini’s side will kick off their title defence against Southampton next weekend and this was the ideal preparation as City came from behind to win in a fiery encounter including a red card and eight bookings at Villa Park. Fernando Torres had given Chelsea the lead in the 40th minute, but the dismissal of the Blues’ Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic moments later proved crucial. City duly capitalised with fine strikes from Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez soon after half-time turning the game around before Samir Nasri got their third on 65 minutes. Although Chelsea substitute Ryan Bertrand pulled one back 10 minutes from the end with his first goal for the club, City held on to record their first win in the traditional curtain raiser to the English top-flight season since 1972. “It was a great day for the club again. It doesn’t matter what the trophy is, we’ll celebrate it,” City captain Vincent Kompany said. “For the red card, to be honest I was far from the action, all I can say is before that we had more possession anyway. “But it will be a tough league this season because you could see the quality Chelsea have. If we can improve on last season I’ll be very happy.” The build-up to this glamour friendly had been overshadowed by Mancini’s grumbles about City’s transfer policy, but the Italian still has a fine squad and beating the European champions was the ideal preparation for another season of high expectations at Eastlands. City had started well with Tevez’s free kick saved by Petr Cech, who then made another good stop to keep out a stabbed effort from Nasri, while Vincent Kompany’s flick from James Milner’s corner was straight at the Chelsea goalkeeper. Despite naming new signing Eden Hazard in their starting line-up, Chelsea looked sluggish early on and Frank Lampard fired straight at City goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, only playing because regular number one Joe Hart had a back injury. Roberto Di Matteo’s side took the lead against the run of play when Ramires clipped a pass towards Torres, who finished with a delicate left-footed shot. But the Blues were down to 10 men two minutes later as a lunge from Ivanovic on Aleksandar Kolarov resulted in referee Kevin Friend producing a straight red card. Cech saved well from a Milner free kick shortly afterwards as Chelsea made it to half-time with the lead. But the second half was a different story as City made their numerical advantage count with a stylish performance. Toure, such a major player in City’s title triumph, equalised in the 53rd minute after John Terry’s clearance fell straight to the Ivory Coast midfielder on the edge of the area. Then Tevez struck to put City into the lead with a fine individual goal. The Argentine ran along the edge of the penalty area before planting an unstoppable shot beyond Pantilimon. City made it three as Kolarov’s cross from the left was volleyed home expertly by Nasri. Mancini’s men continued to produce the better moments but Chelsea were given a lifeline when they reduced the deficit in the 80th minute. Daniel Sturridge’s shot from 25 yards was spilled by Pantilimon and Bertrand tapped in the rebound. But City, who scored twice in stoppage-time against QPR to win the title on the final day of the season, had no need for any last-gasp heroics this time. The win completed an encouraging day for City after they earlier had a bid accepted for Everton’s England midfielder Jack Rodwell. — AFP
Russian jailed in Chile serves time on pitch SANTIAGO: A young Russian man jailed for drug trafficking in Chile credits football with saving his life after a Santiago league team hired him from behind bars. Each day after practice, a police officer escorts 24year-old midfielder Maxim Molokoedov back to prison in the Chilean capital where he’s serving a three-year sentence. “I was going down a bad path, I had a bad moment, but today I have an opportunity that I hope will allow me to earn a living,” Molokoedov told AFP. Blond and 1.8 meters (5 feet 11 inches) tall, the former second division player in Russia stands out on the pitch. His teammates call him “The Russian”. He said that playing on the Chilean team has helped him turn his life around. “This, to me, is living and living well. I hope to be an example for everyone,” said Molokoedov, a native of Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city. He spoke in Spanish, a language he learned in the Santiago prison, one of the country’s largest, where he is one of 5,000 inmates. In 2010, Molokoedov was caught at the Santiago airport trying to leave for Europe with six kilos (13 pounds) of cocaine hidden in children’s books. Speaking to AFP, he refused to discuss the events of that day, which led his family to cut him off. “I haven’t spoken to my mother for months. I would just like to tell her I miss her, that I love her, and that soon we could talk again,” Molokoedov said. Molokoedov first caught the eye of a recruiter for Chile’s national team, Claudio Borghi, during a jailhouse match in 2011. He began to advocate for the Russian’s talents to be used in national competition. The Santiago Morning coach took notice. “I was aware (...) of all that was being said about Maxim, and so I gave him a tryout. After two workouts, I realized that nothing that was being said was false, and I decided to incorporate” him into the team, Hernan Ibarra told AFP. The second division team signed Molokoedov for six months. The inmate is allowed to go to practice every day-as long as he is back in his cell by 3 pm. It’s a first in Chile, a prison official said. “Maxim is the first to benefit from a rehabilitation program by Chile’s police. Given his strong football abilities and his past as a second division player in Russia, we negotiated with Santiago Morning for him to become a player,” said Flavio Huenupi, head of the jail’s sports program. The young Russian, who under provisions in Chilean law could complete his sentence in his own country, has chosen to remain in Chile instead, in order to keep playing for Santiago Morning, where he has already scored two goals in a scrimmage against Palestino, a first-division club. Molokoedov is a versatile midfielder, coach Ibarra said, which has earned the young player “the respect and affection of his teammates”. He will soon debut in his first official match of the Chile Cup against first division Santiago Wanderers. Molokoedov told AFP he’s confident about his game. “I feel good. They support me and told me not to worry,” he said, adding that “I know I play football well and God willing, I will score a goal against the Wanderers.” — AFP
BIRMINGHAM: Manchester City’s captain Vincent Kompany lifts the trophy after their win against Chelsea at the end of their English FA Community Shield soccer match. — AP
Ibrahimovic gets PSG off the hook in opening draw PARIS: Big-spending Paris St Germain started what is widely expected to be a procession to the Ligue 1 title in shaky style on Saturday, needing new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to dig them out of a hole and grab a 2-2 home draw with Lorient. Modest Lorient, long a bogey side for PSG, were 2-0 up at halftime and were only pegged back by Ibrahimovic’s late second strike, from the penalty spot, on his French league debut. PSG, also boasting expensive new signings Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marco Verratti, were brought back down to earth with a bump after five minutes when defender Maxwell diverted a leftwing cross into his own net. A shocked Parc des Princes could then hardly believe their eyes when Jeremy Aliadiere ghosted through the entire PSG defence after a quick break to easily score a second on the stroke of halftime. Alain Traore’s well-placed free kick almost embarrassed PSG further but for an expert save by Nicolas Douchez. Coach Carlo Ancelotti, whose Qataribacked team of highly paid players were beaten to the title by unheralded Montpellier last term, was open-
mouthed in indignation at the break with the PSG forwards showing no cohesion. Former AC Milan striker Ibrahimovic hit the post and then pulled one back midway through the second half with a trademark goal of strength and flair
before Jeremy Menez shot over when it looked easier to score. The equaliser finally came in the 90th minute after Gregory Bourillon was sent off for a foul on Blaise Matuidi and Ibrahimovic slammed in the spot kick. Montpellier, with top scorer Olivier
FRANCE : Paris Saint-Germain’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring during the French L1 football match against Lorient. — AFP
Giroud now at Arsenal, drew 1-1 with Toulouse in the season opener on Friday. Bordeaux, the 2009 champions who endured an insipid season last term, started this one in good form with a 3-2 win at Evian on Saturday with Poland midfielder Ludovic Obraniak opening the scoring with a delightful curler. Playmaker Yoann Gourcuff flopped for Olympique Lyon last term but began the new campaign with a bang, netting after 15 minutes in a 1-0 win at 10-man Rennes. Lille, champions two campaigns ago, began life without Chelsea’s new wing wonder Eden Hazard by claiming a 2-1 victory at St Etienne where Benoit Pedretti scored the late winner. There were contrasting starts for promoted duo Bastia and Troyes with the former coming from behind to win 3-2 at Sochaux but the latter losing 1-0 at home to Valenciennes. AJ Ajaccio, who somehow stayed up last term after seeming adrift, won 1-0 at Nice despite being reduced to 10 men for the second half while Nancy beat Brest 1-0 in eastern France thanks to Yohan Mollo’s added time winner. Promoted Reims host Olympique Marseille late yesterday. — Reuters
Djokovic, Gasquet to clash in Toronto final TORONTO: Defending champion Novak Djokovic and Frenchman Richard Gasquet advanced to the final of the Toronto Masters after each secured routine victories under threatening skies on Saturday. Top-seeded Djokovic, seeking his third title in the event in five years, booked his spot in Sunday’s title showdown with a 6-4 6-1 win over fellow Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in a match that started two hours late because of rain. Djokovic had moved 3-2 ahead in the opening set of the semi-final before rain, which has wreaked havoc on
this week’s schedule and forced some players to play twice in one day, forced the pair off the court. When they returned about 90 minutes later, Djokovic was never pressured, breaking Tipsarevic’s serve three times and holding serve throughout the one hour, 45 minute match. Djokovic will go into late yesterday’s final with a 6-1 head-to-head record against Gasquet and has won all four meetings since losing to the Frenchman at the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup in China. Gasquet, the tournament’s 14th seed, beat a higherranked opponent for the second time in three matches
when he stunned big-serving American eighth-seed John Isner 7-6 6-3. The Frenchman, who beat fourth-seed Tomas Berdych in the last 16 but needed three sets to eliminate American Mardy Fish in the quarter-finals, was in solid form against Isner showed little fear of his opponent’s powerful serve. The 21-year-old fired down four aces to Isner’s five but held his serve throughout the match and did not even allow the American a glimpse of a break point as he won 87 percent of his service points. — Reuters
Kvitova, Wozniacki seek Montreal glory MONTREAL: A former world number one and two grand slam champions enjoyed routine quarter-final victories on Saturday as they remained on course to claim a belated maiden title of 2012 at a rain-hit Montreal Cup. Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, last year’s French Open champion Li Na and 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova ended a marathon day of tennis by easing into the semi-finals of the $2 million tournament in convincing fashion. They were joined by 16th seeded Czech Lucie Safarova, who will face Li in the first semi-final late yesterday, before Wozniacki and Kvitova face each other for the first time since last November’s WTA Championships. Kvitova won that clash in straight sets on the way to claiming her most recent title and will be hoping to repeat the feat to advance to Monday’s final in Montreal. Wozniacki had the most difficult passage of the last four survivors, on a day that saw several of the top seeds forced to play twice given the limited play possible on both Thursday and Friday due to rain. The 22-year-old former number one, whose last title was in New Haven almost
a year ago, first needed two-and-a-half hours to defeat American Varvara Lepchenko 4-6 6-3 6-4 in a third round match. She returned to centre court after a four-hour break to see off a stubborn Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4 6-4 after her Canadian opponent saved five match points. “It was tough today. Two tough matches, two long matches,” Wozniacki told reporters. “(Kvitova) has been playing great this week. She is a great player and it is not going to be easy. I am just looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep and hopefully I will be refreshed tomorrow.” Li, who has lost finals in Sydney and Rome this year, was the first to reach the semi-finals. After toppling Sara Errani of Italy earlier on Saturday, she ended Pole Agnieszka Radwanska’s hopes of reaching number one in the rankings for the first time with a confident 6-2 6-1 romp. “I think today I played unbelievably well for both matches,” Li said. While Radwanska cruised past South African Chanelle Scheepers in a last-16 match completed earlier on Saturday, she found the Chinese number one far too good as
MONTREAL: Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak returns to Caroline Wozniacki, from Denmark, during a quarterfinal of the Rogers Cup womenís tennis tournament. —AP
she crashed out of a tournament she needed to win to claim top spot. The 23year-old world number three said she felt sapped of energy when forced to play two matches in a day. “”The first match cost me a lot of power. It was very hot conditions out there,” Radwanska said. “ “But anyway, of course, she had the same situation. She was just playing too good. Li Na was just playing unbelievable tennis today.”
Both Roberta Vinci and Tamira Paszek also struggled in their second matches of the day. Vinci, who posted a 6-2 7-6 upset win over sixth seed Angelique Kerber in the third round, was later crushed 6-2 6-2 by Safarova in just 58 minutes. Paszek, who thrashed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3 6-2 in their third round encounter, proved no match for Kvitova when falling 6-3 6-2 in the other quarter-final. —Reuters
18 MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
Britain’s Joshua wins final gold
LONDON: United States’ Kevin Durant is fouled as he goes up for a shot against Spain’s Rudy Fernandez during the men’s gold medal basketball game at the 2012 Summer Olympics. — AP
US men retain title LONDON: Great for most of the Olympics, just good enough for gold. The US men’s basketball team defended its title by fighting off another huge challenge from Spain, pulling away in the final minutes for a 107-100 victory Sunday that gave the Americans their second straight gold medal. And just like 2008, they had to work for this one. LeBron James capped off one of basketball’s most brilliant individual years with a monster dunk and a huge 3-pointer in the final 2:50, helping the Americans win the competitive game that few would have seen coming after they had been so dominant for so long in London. Yet four years after beating Spain 118107 in a classic in Beijing, the Americans found themselves in another tight one, unable to ever really slow the Spanish down until the closing minutes. Kevin Durant scored 30 points and James had 19 on a day he joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win the NBA title, regular-season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and Olympic gold.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has said he’s retiring as national team coach after restoring the Americans to their place atop world basketball, emptied his bench in the final minute James stood with both arms in the air, then held Durant in a long hug before they both headed to the bench. The Americans, who insisted they were better than their 2008 version and even good enough to take a game from the 1992 Dream Team, may not have been at that level. But they were better again than Spain though not by much. The Americans hugged at midcourt, and then after being handed flags, this group of NBA players and one kid just out of college - who grew into a tight-knit group during their time together, paraded around the floor, the Stars and Stripes flowing off their backs like capes. Yes, they were Olympic super heroes again, but they had to fight until the finish. Kobe Bryant, now with a second gold medal to go with his five NBA championships, added 17 points for the Americans. Pau Gasol scored 24 points and Juan Carlos Navarro had 21 for Spain. — AP
LONDON: France’s Nikola Karabatic (center) leaps in the air to score past Sweden’s Tobias Karlsson (left) and Sweden’s Kim Andersson (right) during the men’s handball gold medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics. —AP
France down stubborn Sweden LONDON: France beat Sweden 22-21 yesterday to win its second consecutive gold medal in the Olympic men’s handball competition. Sweden came within one goal of tying the score in the second half on three occasions, but was unable to catch up to the world champions. The French went into the tournament as the favorites after a period of unprecedented domination in the game. After winning in Beijing, the team won the European championship in 2010 to become reigning Olympic, world and European title holders - the first nation to do that treble. The result gave Sweden its fourth Olympic silver medal since 1992. Earlier, Croatia beat Hungary 33-26 to get the bronze. The first half saw defense beat offense on both sides.
Swedish keeper Johan Sjostrand saved four of the first six shots that France hurled at him and after 10 minutes the scores were 3-3. The teams stayed within a point of each other until the 24th minute, when France opened up a three-point lead through Xavier Barachet’s third goal of the half. Sweden pulled one back almost instantly, but the world champions went into the break with a slender advantage 10-8. Sweden’s Niclas Ekberg cut France’s lead to 16-15, but Sweden then lost Kim Ekdahl du Rietz for two minutes for a foul. France scored twice during the suspension to relieve some of the pressure on the world champions. In the final seconds of the game, Sweden’s Ekdahl du Rietz scored to make it 22-21. France called a time-out and held on for the win. Micheal Guigoi was France’s top scorer with five goals. Ekberg scored six for Sweden. — AP
LONDON: With a low rumble and high-pitched screams, thousands of Anthony Joshua’s hometown fans stood up nearly in unison before the final round of the final bout of the Olympics. Joshua faced a three-point deficit to the defending Olympic champion super heavyweight, a daunting deficit in amateur boxing. He had just three minutes to somehow finish these wildly successful British games on top of the podium. And just like so many British athletes in these remarkable home Olympics, the north Londoner got it done. Joshua roared back from that late deficit and won a tiebreaker victory over Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle yesterday, grabbing Britain’s third boxing gold medal at home. He managed to keep his eyes dry on the medal stand, but the imposing brawler from Finchley acknowledged he couldn’t have hung on without hometown help. “I felt the hearts of all these people around this nation,” Joshua said. “That medal represents my journey, and the support from the team. It’s much more than a gold medal. It’s a life experience.” With the medal around his neck and a flag around three sets of broad shoulders, Joshua later posed for photos with Lennox Lewis and Audley Harrison, two icons of British boxing and previous winners of super heavyweight gold. Joshua’s big finish in the tournament’s glamour division allowed him to match the gold medals won by bantamweight Luke Campbell and women’s flyweight Nicola Adams, part of Britain’s five-medal haul from the London Olympics that included Freddie Evans’ welterweight silver from yesterday. “This is not only great for British boxing, it’s great for Britain as well,” said Lewis, the native Englishman who won gold for Canada in 1988. “It’s going to inspire a generation of boxers. The next Olympics is going to be even bigger and better.” It’s tough to imagine anything much better than Britain’s effort at home, right through the last round of this 16-day, 272-fight tournament, when Joshua repeatedly rocked Cammarelle with big shots after Cammarelle largely controlled the first two rounds. The crowd’s intensity only rose with every blow, putting a high finish on a tournament dogged by protests, accusations of referees and plenty of poor sportsmanship. One referee was expelled from the Olympics and another suspended for five days for incompetent work. Joshua’s medal ceremony was delayed about 15 minutes while Italy protested the result, but its complaints were swiftly rejected by amateur boxing’s governing body. Cammarelle fought a
LONDON: Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle (right) fights Britain’s Anthony Joshua in a super heavyweight over 91-kg gold medal boxing match at the 2012 Summer Olympics. — AP remarkable bout, nearly knocking off his younger opponent to close his third Olympics. Yesterday’s five-fight finale also featured gold-medal victories for arguably the three most impressive boxers in London: Ukrainian lightweight Vasyl Lomachenko, flyweight Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba, and welterweight Serik Sapiyev of Kazakhstan, who was named the tournament’s best boxer. Lomachenko completed his second straight domination of an Olympic tournament with his second gold medal, cementing his claim as the pound-for-pound champion of amateur boxing with a 19-9 win over South Korea’s Han Soonchul. He followed up his featherweight gold in Beijing with two world championships and this brilliant run in London. “The first time, I was a bit more excited,” Lomachenko said. “I am more calm now, but I am still very happy, and delighted to win another medal.” Lomachenko might soon be challenged for his unofficial pound-for-pound title by the 18year-old Ramirez, who wrapped up his own spectacular London surge with a 17-14 goldmedal victory over Mongolia’s tenacious Tugstsogt Nyambayar. Ramirez won Cuba’s second Olympic boxing gold medal of the games in style, while Nyambayar fell just short of winning only the third gold medal in Mongolia’s entire Olympic history. Ramirez led by just one point entering
the final round before surviving. He celebrated with teenage glee, doing a few pirouettes after his hand was raised, followed by a few push-ups. “The moment I heard I won, I fell on the floor, because it was overwhelming,” Ramirez said. “I am 18 years old, and I am already an Olympic champion. I am becoming part of my country’s history.” After his 17-9 victory over Evans, Sapiyev beat out Lomachenko and Ramirez to win the Val Barker Trophy as the Olympics’ best boxer. He is the third Kazakh in the past five years to win the award - a surprising haul for a nation with just six boxing gold medals. Sapiyev earned redemption for his Olympic performance four years ago in Beijing, where the two-time world champion lost in the first round. “I have been waiting for this moment for so long,” Sapiyev said. “In Beijing, I was upset, but I was dreaming about the next Olympics.” Russian light heavyweight Egor Mekhontsev also claimed a gold medal on the second tiebreaker, barely edging Kazakhstan’s Adilbek Niyazymbetov for Russia’s only boxing gold in London. Four former super heavyweight gold medalists were in ExCel arena for the big finale: Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Harrison - and Cammarelle, of course. Klitschko won Ukraine’s first Olympic boxing gold in 1996 at super heavyweight, and Harrison succeeded him as the division’s Olympic champion in 2000. —AP
Russians win overall medal count LONDON: It wasn’t surprising that the Russians dominated the overall medal count at the Olympic wrestling tournament. But the results from London suggest that Iran and Azerbaijan are ready to push Russia, the sport’s dominant force, over the next several years. The Americans proved they don’t plan on going anywhere either. The Iranians won their first three Greco-Roman Olympic gold medals, following through after a strong showing at the 2011 world championships. On Saturday night, Azerbaijan won as many Olympic golds, two, as it had ever won before in wrestling. The US scooped up two men’s freestyle golds after Jake Varner at 96 kilograms joined Jordan Burroughs, the 74-kilogram champion, with a stirring win Sunday. “After our success in the world championships last year, people in Iran were, still didn’t believe in us. They thought we would get maybe a silver or a bronze,” Iran national team coach Mohammad Bana said earlier this week. “I believe everyone is celebrating.” Bana credited Iran’s rise in the GrecoRoman discipline to a decade spent developing Olympic champions like Hamid Soryan, who was fifth in the Beijing Games, and Omid Noroozi. Azerbaijan’s historic night came partly at the expense of the Russians, as 19-year-old star Toghrul Asgarov stunned four-time world champion Besik Kudukhov in the finals. The US improved on a weak showing in Beijing with four medals and an unforgettable performance by Burroughs, who emerged from London as perhaps the brightest star in the sport. No one expects any of those nations to overtake the powerful Russians, winners of 11 total wrestling medals including four gold, by the time the Rio Games roll around in four years. But there now appears to be more parity within the sport on an international level. Iran had three gold and six total medals, while Azerbaijan had two gold among its seven medals. “It is so hard to win,” US national team coach Zeke Jones said. “The world is more competitive than ever and more organized.” The US improved on a weak showing in Beijing with four medals - two gold and two bronze along an unforgettable performance by Burroughs, who emerged from London as the brightest star in the sport. Burroughs survived an extraordinarily tense three-period battle with talented Russian Denis Tsargush before dominating Sadegh Saeed Goudarzi of Iran in the finals. Burroughs beat Goudarzi with his “double leg” attack, then showed off the quick wit that’s helped make him the new face of the sport in the US. Burroughs said that if Britain’s queen stepped out
onto the mat, “I’d probably double-leg her.” Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan shrugged off critics who said he couldn’t win another gold at the age of 33, matching Russian legend Alexander Karelin’s Olympic haul with his third straight gold at 120-kilogram freestyle. Japan owned the women’s freestyle as expected by winning three of the four gold medals handed out. Stars Kaori Icho and Saori Yoshida each won a record-setting third consecutive Olympic gold medal. But Japan’s dominance could prove troublesome for the sport’s governing body as it attempts to convince the International Olympic Committee that women’s wrestling now deserves seven weight classes in the Olympics, the same number as the men. It’s tough to argue the sport needs to expand its Olympic tournament when one nation can so easily dominate everyone else. The Americans medaled in women’s wrestling for the second straight Olympics, as Clarissa Chun joined men’s freestyler Coleman Scott as bronze
medalists. But the Greco-Roman team, which won the world team title just five years ago, bombed out in a performance so bad that an overhaul of the entire program seems likely. Freestyle heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev came agonizingly close to winning a bronze, losing with less than 10 seconds left in his final match. Jake Herbert lost to eventual gold medalist Sharif Sharifov in the quarterfinals on a curious and confusing scoring decision that the fuming Americans won’t soon forget. But the Americans doubled its medal count and its gold count in just four years. The US might never get back to the point where it’d be expected to medal in every weight class. But after a shaky start by the Greco-Romans had the American contingent deeply concerned, Burroughs and Varner came through. “It means a lot to the program. One, it means we’re making progress. Two, it seems that the plan is working,” Jones said. — AP
LONDON: Besik Kudukhov of Russia competes against Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan (in red) for the gold medal during the men’s 60-kg freestyle wrestling competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics. —AP
19 MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
Uganda’s Kiprotich wins men’s Olympic marathon LONDON: Stephen Kiprotich rounded a corner late in the race and simply took off. A surprise surge from a surprise winner. So swift and unexpected was his move that the runner from Uganda turned the last mile into a victory lap as he easily captured the Olympic marathon Sunday, along with the first medal for his country at the London Games. Kiprotich finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 1 second, holding off the Kenyan duo of Abel Kirui and Wilson Kipsang. Kirui finished 26 seconds behind Kiprotich, while Kipsang, the
wore it on his way to the finish. After finishing, he dropped to his knees, bowed and then raised his hands high over his head. The Kenyans, who were looking at a possible podium sweep, just couldn’t keep up. Kirui and Kipsang were competing in memory of the late Sammy Wanjiru, who won the country’s first Olympic marathon crown four years ago in Beijing. Wanjiru died last year after a fall from a second-story balcony during a domestic dispute. Kipsang - who was listed by his full name of Wilson Kiprotich Kipsang for the race - was seemingly in control early in the day. He was out front and running all alone, before fading
LONDON: Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda celebrates winning the men’s marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP leader much of the race, faded late but held on for bronze just ahead of American Meb Keflezighi. On an extremely warm afternoon, the marathoners wound their way through a scenic route packed with swarms of fans. Kiprotich had such a big lead near the finish that he grabbed a flag from the stands and
back to the pack. Kirui caught up with him while Kiprotich followed just behind. At the 23-mile mark, Kiprotich turned the corner and was gone. No one could catch him as he won only the third medal ever for Uganda in track and field and the first since 1996. Kiprotich sure had plenty of crowd support. Spectators lined the course 10 rows
deep in some sections, waving signs and ringing cowbells. The runners took in the sights, breezing past Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, London Bridge and the Tower of London before finishing near Buckingham Palace. The weather was ideal - at least for the spectators. It was bright and sunny but grew hot, especially late in the race - quite a contrast to the women’s race last Sunday that began in a steady downpour. While other runners wore the colors of their countries, Guor Marial donned a predominantly gray and black uniform with “IOA.” printed on it. He wound up 47th, 11:31 behind the winning time. Marial competed as an independent runner under the banner of the International Olympic Committee after fleeing a refugee camp in what is now South Sudan during a civil war more than a decade ago. The 28-year-old landed in the United States, seeking asylum. The IOC cleared him last month to compete in the Olympics as an independent athlete after he didn’t qualify for Sudan, South Sudan or the United States under its rules. Marial had run only two marathons in his life, but finished both in Olympic times. His second was just two months ago in San Diego. “I was not able to get them a medal today, but the finish was the most important,” Marial said. “I felt like the world was watching.” Within seconds of each other, US marathoners Ryan Hall and Abdi Abdirahman were out of the Olympic race. First, Hall, a medal favorite, dropped out around the 11mile mark with a tight right hamstring. Then, Abdirahman called it a day because of an aching right knee. “I felt like I was favoring my stride and didn’t want to get injured,” said Hall, who lives in Flagstaff, Ariz. Keflezighi, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., used a strong finish to make up ground and finish fourth. He won silver at the Athens Games eight years ago. “Fourth is not the place I wanted to finish. But fourth in the world? I’ll take it,” he said.—AP
Russia triumphs over Brazil LONDON: Russia won the gold medal for the first time since 1980 with a come-from-behind five-set victory over Brazil on Sunday in the Olympic volleyball final. Second-ranked Russia dropped the first two sets before denying topranked Brazil match point twice to spark a comeback in the 19-25, 20-25, 29-27, 25-22, 159 victory, paced by middle blocker Dmitriy Muserskiy with 31 points. The Russians thought they’d won it on Muserskiy’s kill in the fifth set and began to celebrate, but the officials awarded the point to Brazil. After regrouping, Muserskiy came right back to spike match point. The win gives the Russians four gold medals in volleyball, most of any nation. But the last time Russia was atop the podium was at Moscow, when the former Soviet Union won gold on home soil. Russia’s victory denied Brazil a dual gold with its women’s team, which beat the United States a day before in their Olympic final at Earls Court. After thwarting Brazil in the third set, Russia rode the momentum to fifth, going up 8-4 on Maxim Mikhaylov’s kill. They piled to celebrate the victory when they finally won it for sure. Wallace de Souza led Brazil with 27 points. Brazil looked to be heading into the 2016 Rio Games as the defending champion, going 18-12 on Lucas Saatkamp’s ace and taking the set on de Souza’s kill. Saatkamp’s block gave Brazil a 19-15 advantage in the second set. The fans were in a frenzy when Dante Amaral’s kill made it 21-17, and Sidnei dos Santos Junior raised his arms to urge them on. Amaral spiked to put Brazil up 2-0. But Russia fought back, pulling even twice before denying Brazil two opportunities at match point. Brazil held off set point twice until
LONDON: Russia’s Sergey Tetyukhin spikes the ball between Brazil’s Lucas Saatkamp (left) and Wallace de Souza during the men’s gold medal volleyball match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP Russia claimed it on Alexander Volkov’s block. Mikhaylov’s kill gave Russia a 22-15 lead in the fourth and the set was won when Murilo Endres’ serve went long. Brazil defeated Russia in the preliminary round to even the overall Olympic record between the teams at 4-4 going into Sunday’s final. Brazil coach Bernardo Rezende played 35year-old captain Gilberto Godhoy Filho, known as Giba, at times during the match. One of the game’s most celebrated stars, Giba never started in London while Rezende went with younger players. The Brazilians were without
opposite Leandro Vissotto Neves, who injured his upper right leg in Brazil’s semifinal victory over Argentina. Brazil also won the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, falling in an emotional final to the United States that came after US coach Hugh McCutcheon’s father-in-law was killed at a Chinese tourist attraction a day before the opening ceremony. Italy won its fourth men’s volleyball medal in the last five Olympics by beating Bulgaria for the bronze earlier on Sunday. The Italians won 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21, with captain Cristian Savani scoring a game-high 23 points.—AP
LONDON: Medals table at the end of the 2012 Olympic Games yesterday. Gold Silver Bronze United States 46 29 29 China 38 27 22 Great Britain 29 17 19 Russia 24 25 33 South Korea 13 8 7 Germany 11 19 14 France 11 11 12 Italy 8 9 11 Hungary 8 4 5 Australia 7 16 12 Japan 7 14 17 Kazakhstan 7 1 5 Netherlands 6 6 8 Ukraine 6 5 9 Cuba 5 3 6 New Zealand 5 3 5 Iran 4 5 3 Jamaica 4 4 4 Czech Republic 4 3 3 North Korea 4 0 2 Spain 3 10 4 Brazil 3 5 9 Belarus 3 5 5 South Africa 3 2 1 Ethiopia 3 1 3 Croatia 3 1 2 Romania 2 5 2 Kenya 2 4 5 Denmark 2 4 3 Azerbaijan 2 2 6 Poland 2 2 6 Turkey 2 2 1 Switzerland 2 2 0 Lithuania 2 1 2 Norway 2 1 1 Canada 1 5 12 Sweden 1 4 3 Colombia 1 3 4 Georgia 1 3 3 Mexico 1 3 3 Ireland 1 1 3 Argentina 1 1 2
Total 104 87 65 82 28 44 34 28 17 35 38 13 20 20 14 13 12 12 10 6 17 17 13 6 7 6 9 11 9 10 10 5 4 5 4 18 8 8 7 7 5 4
Serbia Slovenia Tunisia Dominican Rep Uzbekistan T & Tobago Latvia Algeria Bahamas Grenada Uganda Venezuela India Mongolia Thailand Egypt Slovakia Armenia Belgium Finland Bulgaria Estonia Indonesia Malaysia Puerto Rico Taiwan Botswana Cyprus Gabon Guatemala Montenegro Portugal Greece Moldova Qatar Singapore Afghanistan Saudi Arabia Bahrain Hong Kong Kuwait Morocco Tajikistan
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2 1 0 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 1 0 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4 4 3 2 4 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 6 5 3 2 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Germany defeats Netherlands LONDON: Germany won their second successive men’s hockey gold on Saturday by beating the Netherlands 2-1, courtesy of midfielder Jan Philipp Rabente’s first goals of the tournament. Germany’s victory in a fast, attacking, hard-fought match spoiled a Dutch bid for a double after their women triumphed on Friday. Rabente had only scored six goals in his 77 matches for Germany before Saturday. Together with captain and defence chief Maximilian Mueller, that was the lowest tally in the squad. “My aim in my career is not to score goals but just to win. If there is a need to score two goals to win, then I’ll score two goals,” said Rabente. “I don’t even know how I scored that first goal.” After a strong first group match, Rabente had played a more defensive role in Germany’s midfield, completing his tournament without attracting much attention. “I’m not surprised because I knew that Rabbi is a super player,” Mueller said. “He is one of our midfield players that normally appears more in the defensive part of the midfield. “Sometimes it’s good that players like him can stand right at the centre of games like this one as well. I’m sure we will see his goals more than a hundred times in the next few weeks.” Rabente opened the scoring with a brilliant individual effort just two minutes before halftime, allowing Germany to take a psychologically important lead into the break. He rode two challenges inside the Dutch circle and as he lost his balance flicked the ball past the outstretched Dutch keeper Jaap Stockmann into the net. Mink van der Weerden, the tournament’s top scorer, got the Dutch back into the match in the second half with a penalty corner drag flick for his eighth goal at the
London Games. But after a tense second half, Rabente scored again with five minutes remaining. His first attempt saved, he danced around the back of the goal, appealing for a corner, but re-emerged at the far post to tap in when the ball was passed back to him. The Netherlands had beaten arch rivals Germany 3-1 in the group stages and had been unbeaten through the group phase before they thrashed Britain 9-2 in the semi-final. “If you are playing in the final (and you lose), you’re losing gold, so that’s how it feels,” said van der Weerden, wearing his silver medal. “We played a very good tournament. It would have been good if we could have made the very last step.” Germany’s coach Markus Weise — already the only coach to have won gold with a men’s and a women’s team — has now coached teams to gold in three consecutive Olympic hockey tournaments. He led Germany’s women to gold in Athens in 2004 and coached the men when they won the title in Beijing four years ago. “It’s boring to talk about my feelings. I feel delighted,” Weise said, asked about his personal record. “It was a super-final full of good hockey and full of fighting spirit from both sides. This was a grand fight by my team,” he added. Earlier on Saturday, Australia, who had been touted as favourites for gold, beat Britain to take home bronze, their sixth consecutive Olympics at which they have won a medal. “We were just as devastated as the Brits were after their semi-final and I’m very proud of our team of how we responded today. That’s a real test of character,” said Australia’s Mark Knowles. “You come to the Olympics, you want to win a medal, you want gold. If you don’t get to play for gold, this is the only one you can get.”—Reuters
Russia wins group title LONDON: The Russians won their fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the group event of rhythmic gymnastics yesterday, giving them yet another clean sweep of those Olympic events. Russia has won both rhythmic titles at every Olympics dating back to the Sydney Games in 2000. “We just found out about that!” Uliana Donskova exclaimed. “Russian rhythmic gymnastics is the best.” She won’t get much argument about that. Russia finished with 57 points, a whopping 1.5 points ahead of Belarus. Italy, which had hoped to break Russia’s stranglehold on the Olympic gold after winning the last three world titles, was third after mistakes on both of its routines. “We understand that the Russians are going to be favorites in every event,” Marta Pagnini said. “We understand we are quite close but, nevertheless, we must work hard.” The Russians didn’t even bother waiting for
the final standings, exchanging hugs and blowing kisses at the camera before the score of Ukraine, the last team to perform, was announced. They waved Russian flags above their head as they exited the arena, and hopped onto the podium as one to receive their gold medals - no easy feat with a handful of gymnasts and a tiny space. And once the medals were securely around their neck, three of the Russians bent down and kissed the podium, drawing more boisterous cheers from the large group of fans who’d made Wembley Arena sound more like Luzhniki Stadium. “We had big support,” Donskova said. “It was amazing, so we didn’t feel much pressure.” The group event involves five gymnasts using two sets of apparatuses - five balls, and three ribbons and two hoops - in routines designed to showcase unison, flexibility and artistic skill. Imagine a combination of a ballet, a Cirque du Soleil show and a 4-year-old’s birthday party run amok, and you get the idea. One second the teams are doing gorgeous arabesques in perfect
time together, the next they’re whipping brightly colored balls this way and that or tossing hoops high into the air. The Russians took a solid lead with their first routine, with five balls. Wearing leotards with stiff, sparkly high collars and shocking-pink skirts, the routine was filled with complex choreography. One move featured three of the Russians bending over, as if to create a bridge, while a fourth rolled beneath them. She then joined the bridge, and the last team member did a walkover over all of them. But it was their routine with the three ribbons and two hoops that showed why no one’s been able to knock them off the top spot on the Olympic podium. Their routine to Latin music was a riot of color and visual illusions, some of their skills so mind-boggling even a magician couldn’t figure out how they did them. With the ends of the 20-foot-long ribbons pulled taught on the floor, the handles resting on a hoop, one of the gymnasts stomped on the hoop, sending the ribbons flying into the air like rainbow-colored Silly String.—AP
LONDON: Members of gold medallist team Russia wave their national flag and celebrate during the rhythmic gymnastics group all-around final at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—P
Uganda’s Kiprotich wins men’s Olympic marathon
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
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LONDON: The closing ceremony for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium in London yesterday. Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympic Games. — AFP
London wraps up dazzling Olympics LONDON: Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Mo Farah delivered the signature performances of the Olympics as Great Britain shrugged off its grim economic worries to stage a memorable, record-breaking showpiece. As the curtain came down on the 16-day spectacular at an Olympic Park built on a toxic, east London industrial wasteland, the hosts basked in plaudits. “The country that invented modern sport has helped give new life to the spirit of fair play and competition,” said International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge. “For two weeks, London became the beating heart of the world.” There was a glittering collection of memories from events played in and around some of the city’s iconic sites. Horse Guards Parade, in the shadow of Buckingham Palace and Whitehall, the heart of British political power, hosted beach volleyball. Tennis was at Wimbledon, archery went to Lord’s, the nerve-centre of cricket, while equestrian enjoyed the spectacular backdrop of Greenwich. At check points, battle-hardened soldiers, fresh
from tours of Afghanistan, donned high-visibility jackets instead of bullet-proof vests to patiently screen long lines of athletes and media. On the track, it was Jamaican superstar Bolt who was sprinting into the record books, his double-triple of 100m, 200m and a world-record setting 4x100m relay exhausting superlatives. “I’m now a legend, I’m the greatest athlete to live,” said Bolt. On the same night, Britain hailed Mo Farah’s 5,000m-10,000m double, an emotional achievement for a man brought up in war-torn Somalia. David Rudisha of Kenya set a world record in the 800m while the United States, who were to finish top of the medals table, shattered the 27-year-old record in the 4x100m womens relay. There was no gold, but there was a slice of Olympic history for Oscar Pistorius on the Olympic track as the double-amputee who races on carbonfiber blades competed against able-bodied runners in the 400m and 4x400m relay. Phelps brought the curtain down on his career with four gold medals and two silvers, shattering the record for total medals in a career. In fact, his 18 golds ended up matching the pre-
vious record for total medals amassed by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina-he was to finish with 22 altogether. “Everything had to fall into place at the right time and everything had to be perfect. And it was,” said Phelps. As Phelps bowed out, a quartet of teenagers ensured there will be no lack of storylines when Rio 2016 rolls around. America’s Missy Franklin and surprise 800m free winner Katie Ledecky, Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte and China’s Ye Shiwen were among the breakout stars poised to carry the sport forward. Ye’s tremendous finish in her world recordbreaking 400m medley victory, however, prompted whispering in the Western press that provoked the ire of the Chinese team. Australia-including swaggering world 100m champion James Magnussen-were the biggest losers. With one gold medal, six silver and three bronze, it was their lowest tally since Barcelona in 1992. Britain, who enjoyed their best Games for a century and finished third in the medals table, celebrated the middle Saturday with poster girl Jessica
Ennis taking the heptathlon and Farah lighting up the track in the 5,000m. The sweltering Velodrome rocked most nights, none more so than when Chris Hoy cycled to a sixth career gold to become Britain’s most successful Olympian. Out on the road, Bradley Wiggins added time-trial gold to his Tour de France triumph. Andy Murray stunned Roger Federer at a heavily-rebranded Wimbledon to take the men’s tennis title with Serena Williams collecting the women’s title in a spectacular demolition of Maria Sharapova. On the debit side, North Korea delivered the Games’ first political punch, two days before the opening ceremony, when they refused to start their game against Colombia in Glasgow after flags of bitter rivals South Korea were shown next to photos of their players. Eight badminton players were disqualified for not trying in a brazen attempt to engineer more comfortable paths to the women’s doubles final. There were plenty of tears too. South Korean fencer Shin A-Lam was so distraught at a defeat that she staged a tearful, one-hour long sit-down
‘James Bond’ pentathlon event has licence to thrill LONDON: Modern pentathlon was hailed as a “James Bond” sport yesterday as the gruelling multi-discipline event brought the curtain down on the London Olympics. Joel Bouzou, the head of the sport’s governing body, the UIPM, insisted that the contests in London proved the event’s popularity despite two failed attempts by Olympic chiefs to have the sport dropped from the schedule. “I watched some programmes this morning in the news. Journalists were saying this is a James Bond sport,” said Bouzou of modern pentathlon which combines fencing, swimming, horse riding, shooting and running. “I have never heard that before. We hear of the messenger from Napoleon times, some people speak of military education but it’s in the past. This is a James Bond sport, it’s true.” Laura Asadauskaite of Lithuania was crowned women’s champion on Sunday, the last of the 302 gold medals to be awarded at London 2012, with a new Olympic record. On being the first Lithuanian woman to win a medal in modern pentathlon she said: “I am enormously happy, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can’t imagine how it feels for me to win gold.” Great Britain’s Samantha Murray took the silver with Brazil’s Yane Marques coming in third. Asadauskaite, the 28-year-old world number one, proved too strong for fellow leader Marques in the combined running and shooting climax, taking gold with a record total of 5,408 points.
Murray, who had set off eight seconds adrift in fourth, put in a gritty effort in front of a near 23,000-capacity crowd at Greenwich Park, but had no answer to the winner. The 22-year-old local girl took silver with a points haul of 5,356. Brazilian military officer Marques (5,340 points) had set off at the same time as Asadauskaite but like Murray was unable to cope with the winner’s strength in the three 1,000m-lap finale. Asadauskaite, married to two-times Olympic medallist Andrejus Zadneprovskis, missed all of 2010 following the birth of her first child, but regained top spot in May. The world record for the five-pronged event of 5,600 points is held by Germany’s Lena Schoneborn, the defending champion who had to settle for 15th place. Schoneborn had also held the previous Olympic best when scoring 5,792 four years ago in Beijing. Asadauskaite put herself in line for gold after a solid performance in the riding phase, knocking just one fence down, and crucially in the finale proved quicker at hitting her targets with the laser gun than Marques. She was in third after the opening fencing leg, and fourth after the swimming in which Hungarian Sarolta Kovacs set a new Olympic record. Kovacs timed the 200m freestyle test in 2min 8.11sec, to lower the previous benchmark of 2:08.86 posted by Sheila Taormina of the United States in Beijing four years ago. She eventually trailed in 33rd. Asaudauskaite’s win came 24 hours after David Svoboda of the Czech Republic landed the men’s event.—AFP
protest. Felix Sanchez also blubbed, this time on the podium after his 400m hurdles victory achieved against all the odds. There were heroic performances. Liu Xiang, China’s track and field poster boy, suffered another Olympic Games which were over virtually before they had begun. Four years after limping out of the heats in Beijing, Liu crashed into the first hurdle, ripped his Achilles but still managed to hop down the track to celebrate a symbolic finish. US sprinter Manteo Mitchell suffered a broken leg running in the 4x400m relay semi-final, but still managed to finish. The 2012 Games were a landmark also for women athletes. Nicola Adams, Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields became the first three Olympic boxing champions while Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei sent their first women athletes. Judoka Wojdan Shaherkani became the first ever female Saudi athlete to compete, but her historic debut lasted just 82 seconds following a protracted argument over whether or not she could wear a hijab.—AFP
Croatia too strong for Italy
LONDON: Laura Asadauskaite of Lithuania celebrates winning gold at the end of the women’s Modern Pentathlon during the 2012 London Olympics.—AFP
LONDON: Croatia won their first Olympic Games gold medal in the men’s water polo with an 8-6 win over Italy in the final yesterday. Croatia remained unbeaten in the tournament to go one better than their silver medal at Atlanta in 1996 when they beat Italy in the semi-final. The Italians were bidding for their fourth Olympic title but after scoring the opening two goals they were outplayed by Croatia, who led 8-4 before two late consolation goals tightened the final margin. Croatia were led by Maro Jokovic with three goals and a double from Miho Boskovic, while Maurizio Felugo, chosen in the all-stars team from the London tournament, scored three times for Italy. It was a personal triumph for Croatia’s Ratko Rudic, who became the first water polo coach to win four Olympic titles, two of them with the former Yugoslavia in 1984 and 1988 and another with Italy in 1992. “The gold medal is the reward for our high level of play,” Rudic said. “We had eight wins out of eight matches. I can’t remember any Olympic tournament where the winner was so dominant. This is a result of hard work by a team who spend days and nights analysing the opponents with great enthusiasm.” Defender Sandro Sukno said Croatia had much to be proud about overall at the London Olympics. “A nation of only four milion people has won six Olympic medals in London. Not many countries can say that,” Sukno said. Felugo said Italy’s young team would only get better for the next Olympics in Rio in 2016. “We are very pleased with silver, however there is a slight element of disappointment as
we dreamed of gold,” Felugo said. “But we are a young team and we have only been together for three years. We will be back in Rio.” The Italians led 2-0 after goals from Valentino Gallo and Felugo before Croatia replied through Ivan Buljubasic with 1:34 left in the opening quarter. Italian goalkeeper Stefano Tempesti backed up his defence with a couple of instinctive saves to deny Croatia in the opening term. Croatia had a stronger second quarter to lead 3-2 after goals from Jokovic and Samir Barac from long distance. Boskovic put Croatia in command with two goals after Felugo had scored his second for Italy. Boskovic scored with an extra player shot and converted a penalty after Gallo committed a penalty foul. Croatia took a two-goal cushion into the final quarter and stormed to a 7-3 lead with a brace from Jokovic before Alex Giorgetti pulled one back. Sukno scored with 3:14 left before the Italians found the net with the last two goals from Christian Presciutti and Felugo. “Today we played an amazing match. We played at about 99 percent. Croatia is not an easy team,” Italy coach Alessandro Campagna said. “We didn’t finish our opportunities in attack and some small details didn’t work out. This made the difference. It’s a pity.” Serbia earlier won the bronze medal with a come from behind 12-11 win over Montenegro. Serbia clawed back from 11-8 down to net the next four goals unanswered to follow up their bronze medal win over Montenegro in Beijing four years ago. Filip Filipovic was Serbia’s hero with two of his three goals coming in the final minutes of a combustible match with both Serbia’s coach Dejan Udovicic and his assistant receiving red cards as tensions boiled over.—AFP
Japan’s Sharp running out of options: Analysts Page 22
Wishy-washy stock market ends higher Page 23
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
Al Tijari announces winners of daily draw
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Riot-hit Maruti eyes late August plant reopening Page 25
BEIJING: A shoe shop worker arranges discounted shoes at a shopping mall in central Beijing, China. China’s inflation rate fell further in July, giving the government more room to stimulate growth. — AP
Global plans $433m debt-for-equity swap Creditors to own 70% of Global’s equity DUBAI: Global Investment House, the Kuwaiti investment firm undergoing its second debt restructuring in three years, will seek shareholders approval for a debt-forequity swap which if approved will see creditors own 70 percent of the company. The proposed plan, which will see the remaining debt met by assets transferred to the creditors, would be a rare example of debt-for-equity being used in a Gulf Arab restructuring. Like a number of Kuwaiti investment firms, Global’s business and its investment portfolio were hit hard by the financial crisis, with real estate and stock valuations plummeting and investor confidence drained as a result. Under the proposal, to be put to share-
holders at a September 2 meeting, Global will offer 122.2 million dinars ($432.9 million) of new shares to creditors, it said in a statement posted on the Dubai stock exchange. The outstanding debt amount not met by the swap will be covered by the transfer of assets from Global to a special purpose vehicle which will be controlled by creditors. While debt-for-equity is a common tool in the West, it has not found favour in the Middle East as both local and international banks have been reluctant to take stakes in local companies; instead, most deals have involved extending the maturity of debt to allow for companies to sell assets once values have recovered.
Investment Dar, another Kuwaiti investment firm, was one previous example of debt-for-equity in the Gulf. It agreed in February 2011 to give creditors a 10-percent stake as part of a 1 billion dinar restructuring deal. Global, which counts the governments of Kuwait and Dubai as major shareholders, asked bank creditors in September to suspend payments on a $1.7 billion plan agreed in 2009. In June, bank creditors approved a further repayment delay of principal and interest to November from June, with a one-month extension also available at the discretion of lenders, to allow for a debt deal to be agreed upon. The announcement came days after
holders of Global bonds worth 95 million dinars assented to a delay in repayment to December from June. The meeting will also seek the nod to write off accumulated losses worth 31.1 million dinars against its current share premium and a further 77.1 million dinars against its existing paid-up capital, Global said. Shares in Global have not traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange since December, when the bourse suspended the stock after the company’s accumulated losses exceeded 75 percent of its capital. Treasury shares worth 11.5 million d i n a r s w i l l b e c a n ce l l e d, s u b j e c t to shareholder assent, the statement added. —Reuters
US gasoline prices spike, refinery problems cited
NEW YORK: A surprise surge in gasoline prices is taking some of the fun out of summer. The national average for a gallon of gas at the pump has climbed to $3.67, a rise of 34 cents since July 1. An increase in crude oil prices and problems with refineries and pipelines in the West Coast and Midwest, including a fire in California, are mostly to blame. Analysts don’t expect gas prices to get as high as they did in April, when 10 states passed $4 a gallon and the US average topped out at $3.94. But this is still unwelcome news in this sluggish economy, since any extra money that goes to fill gas tanks doesn’t get spent on movies and dinners out. The rising prices could also put pressure on President Barack Obama in the heat of his re-election campaign. When Phil Van Schepen recently went to fill up his dry-cleaning delivery van in Coon Rapids, Minn., he found a Post-it note a driver before him had placed on the pump faulting Obama for high gasoline prices. “It’s a reminder of
his energy policies overall, which I don’t agree with,” said Van Schepen, who buys about 100 gallons a week and finds he is spending about $40 more than he did in early July. Still, he said the Post-it “was a bit much” because the president isn’t responsible for gasoline prices. Analysts and economists agree, saying prices for crude oil and wholesale gasoline are set on financial exchanges around the world based on supply and demand and expectations about how those factors may change. The price at the pump in the US fell more than 60 cents per gallon during the spring as the global economy slowed and turmoil in the Middle East seemed to subside. But crude oil is climbing again, rising to $94 a barrel from a low of $78 in late June. Production outages in South Sudan and the North Sea, Western sanctions that have cut the flow of Iranian oil, Iran’s threat to block tankers passing through the vital Strait of Hormuz, and fears that the violence in Syria could escalate into a wider regional conflict have driven up
oil prices. Seasonal factors are also sending pump prices higher. Gas usually costs more in the late spring and summer because refiners have to make more expensive blends of gasoline to meet clean air rules and because the summer driving season boosts demand. In the past few weeks, pipelines serving Wisconsin and Illinois ruptured, refineries were shut down unexpectedly because of equipment problems in Illinois and Indiana, and a blaze broke out at a refinery in Richmond, Calif. Gasoline prices shot up more than 50 cents in the span of a month in Indiana, Vermont, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin. And California drivers have seen gas climb 13 cents since the fire Monday. Motorists in many cities there are paying well over $4. Drivers in 20 states, including the possible White House battleground states of Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin, are paying more for gasoline this year than they did last year, and the list will probably soon
include Virginia and North Carolina, said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price I nformation Ser vice. The national average a year ago was $3.64. “If you are paying more than in the past, it does have the potential to hurt the president,” Kloza said. Economists said the price bump probably won’t have much of an effect on economic growth, at least not yet. The extra 34 cents a gallon translates to $33 per month for a typical household. Prices could go higher if Middle East tensions rise, more refinery problems emerge or hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico force oil drillers or refiners to shut down. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this week said this could be a more active hurricane season than previously thought. But analysts say that without those disruptions, gasoline will probably begin dropping after Labor Day as refiners switch to cheaper blends and drivers hit the road less often. That means voters could be going to the polls as prices are falling. — AP
Kuwait’s index at 8-year low as crisis deepens DUBAI: Kuwait’s bourse closed at eight-year low yesterday as the country’s political crisis weighed on investor sentiment, while other regional indices ended mixed. Opposition politicians slammed as a “coup” a government drive to change the electoral law in Kuwait ahead of elections expected this year, and vowed to push for a full parliamentary democracy. Kuwait’s index slipped 0.4 percent to its lowest close since August 2004. The index broke through the support level near 5,680 points, the previous multi-year low hit on Jan. 9. “Overall, the market outlook is bearish to oversold,” Global Investment House said in a note. Investment strategy for medium-term and long-term investors is to enter the market at levels higher than 5,910 point and 6,050 point, respectively, it added. Trading volumes lessened as investors interest in the market faded but small-caps suffered declines. Al Safwa Group Holding dropped 7.7 percent, Kuwait Real Estate shed 1.1 percent and Kuwait international Bank slipped 1.6 percent. In Saudi Arabia, the index hit a fresh 11-week high, boosted by food stocks, but volumes slumped as investors wind down ahead of the upcoming Eid holiday. The bourse rose 0.1 percent to its highest close since May 29. The gain is fuelled by food-related companies, with the agriculture and food index rising 2.1 percent. Dairy firm Almarai climbed 2.4 percent and Savola Group jumped 2.9 percent. The conglomerate is at its highest level in at least two years. However, the number of shares traded on the boursejust short of 163 million - is the third-lowest of any session in 2012. Investors are cutting positions as the retaildominated market closes for a long holiday at the end of the week to mark Eid. Retail investors usually cash-out on holidays, preferring to hold cash over stocks. Dubai’s measure slipped 0.3 percent, down for a fourth session in the last five, as investors booked profits. Air Arabia lost 3 percent, logistics firm Aramex dipped 2.2 percent and Drake and Scull dropped 1.4 percent. Abu Dhabi’s index advanced 0.2 percent, closing fresh four-month high. First Gulf Bank and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank gained 1.4 and 0.3 percent respectively. Egypt’s benchmark gained 0.2 percent after Qatar’s government decided to deposit $2 billion at the Egyptian Central Bank to help support the country’s struggling economy. The transfer, announced by the Egyptian presidency on Saturday, followed talks in Cairo between Qatar’s emir and Egypt’s new President Mohamed Mursi. —Reuters
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
BUSINESS
Japan’s Sharp running out of options: Analysts Bad performance casts doubt on cash flow
TOLEDO: Marge Youngs is shown in her home in Toledo, Ohio. As millions of baby boomers flood Social Security with applications for benefits, the program’s $2.7 trillion surplus is starting to look small. For nearly three decades Social Security produced big surpluses, collecting more in taxes from workers than it paid in benefits to retirees. The surpluses also helped mask the size of the budget deficit being generated by the rest of the federal government. — AP
Bahrain’s Al Baraka Banking Q2 profit up DUBAI: Bahrain-based Islamic lender Al Baraka Banking Group posted a 13-percent rise in quarterly net income, the bank said yesterday, boosted by growth in its lending operations. The bank, which has operations across the Middle East, Asia and Africa, made a net attributable profit of $38 million for the second quarter, compared with $34 million in the same period of 2011, according to the statement. The rise was helped by an equal percentage increase in total operating income, which rose to $206 million in the quarter over the year-ago period. Net attributable income for the first six months of the year was $70.8 million, a 10-percent gain versus the corresponding period of 2011, when the bank made $64.4 million. “The financial results achieved by the
group in the first half of 2012 can be considered as excellent if we take into account the difficult economic and financial conditions that prevailed in the region and the world as a whole,” said Adnan Ahmed Yousif, chief executive of Al Baraka, in the statement. Lending increased 8 percent over the first half of the year, to $12.7 billion at the end of June against $11.8 billion at the end of December. Total assets stood at $17.6 billion at the end of June, up 3 percent on the end of 2011. Customer deposits grew 3 percent in the same period, to $15.1 billion from $14.7 billion. Al Baraka is aiming for a 15 percent growth in net profit in 2012, as well as acquiring a 75-percent stake in an unlisted Indonesian bank this year, Yousif told Reuters in an interview in March. — Reuters
Saudi investors seen booking recent gains RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s investors are likely to book-gains in the last few sessions of Ramadan ahead of a long holiday at the end of the week, while an upbeat global backdrop could provide support to Gulf investor sentiment. The kingdom’s bourse extended gains, edging up 0.5 percent to a fresh 11-week high. Eid holiday, marking the end of the Muslim month of fasting is likely to start this weekend and run into next week. “In the last week of Ramadan, you’re not going to want to be in the market,” says Tariq Alalaiwat, equity research analyst at NCB Capital. “What we will see as soon as investors come back after Eid, is buying into the market ahead of Q3 earnings and until the numbers come out.” While investors will stay out of the market over the holiday to avoid exposure to global events, a reaction to any negative events post-holiday would be
exaggerated, Alalaiwat says. In Dubai, regional investment bank Shuaa Capital may see some selling pressure after it swung to a second-quarter net loss. The firm continued its restructuring efforts and booked one-off costs associated with the process. Lower oil prices could also encourage investors to book profits in petrochemical stocks. Brent September crude eased 27 cents to settle at $112.95 a barrel on Friday on data showing China’s crude oil imports dropped in July. Weaker global oil demand forecasts by the International Energy Agency also weighed. US stocks notched a gain for the sixth session in a row on Friday. Stock markets’ recent rally has been underpinned by comments by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi two weeks ago that the central bank was “ready to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro,” raising hopes of heavy bond buying to aid Spain and Italy. — Reuters
TOKYO: Japan’s Sharp Corp. is fast running out of options to repair its disintegrating balance sheet, analysts say, raising fears about its viability as investors bolt for the exit. The century-old consumer electronics giant suffered a bloodletting this month with its Tokyotraded shares diving to near 40year lows after it reported huge quarterly losses and warned of more red ink to come. On August 3 the shares plunged by about one-third to levels last seen in the early 1970s, shaving more than $1.0 billion off the embattled firm’s value. They staged a recovery towards the end of last week, closing Friday at 209 yen, up from 181 yen earlier in the month. Standard & Poor’s quickly cut Sharp’s credit rating after the results-making it tougher to raise fresh funds-and the producer of Aquos televisions faces a worrying cash crunch as it scrambles to re-tool its business. The corporate overhaul includes cutting thousands of jobs from Sharp’s global workforce, the first layoffs since 1950, in a bid to chop about $1.3 billion in fixed costs from its dented balance sheet. “Sharp needs to stop haemorrhaging... Its bad performance casts doubt on cash flow, the lifeblood of a company,” said Toshiyuki Kanayama, senior market analyst at Monex Securities. Investor fears spiked when Sharp said it lost 138.4 billion yen ($1.77 billion) in the April to June quarter, nearly three times more than in the same period last year, citing falling demand for liquid crystal display televisions. The Osaka-based firm, which began life making belt buckles and invented the mechanical pencil, warned it expected to book a net loss of 250 billion yen in the fiscal year through March 2013 —
far bigger than an earlier projection for a 30 billion yen shortfall. The share price plunge also casts doubt on the future of a deal that would see Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision-best known as a manufacturer of Apple gadgets such as the iPhone and iPad-inject about $800 million into struggling Sharp and invest in one of its LCD factories. Hon Hai’s founder said he may renegotiate the deal, announced earlier this year, in the wake of the stock’s plunging value. Japan’s
once mighty electronics giants, including Sharp rivals Sony and Panasonic, have struggled to haul themselves out of the dire straits in which they have languished for several years. Japan Inc. has suffered from a loss of manufacturing work to rising Asian rivals, while it has fallen behind American competitors on the cutting edge of gadgets and software. The strong yen has made their goods more expensive overseas, while they are also beset by Japan’s relatively high cost of
TOKYO: A customer browsing LCD televisions, produced by Japanese electronics giant Sharp at an electric shop in Tokyo. Japan’s Sharp Corp. is fast running out of options to repair its disintegrating balance sheet, analysts say, raising fears about its viability as investors bolt for the exit. —AFP
labour, electricity, imported fuels and raw materials. “But Sharp’s performance is distinctly bad,” said Nobuo Kurahashi, analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities. “And given worsening business conditions such as the high level of the yen, it will be extremely hard for the company to build a business that is globally competitive.” In recent years, Sharp has poured money into liquid crystal displays used for flat-panel televisions, but the investment has not paid off. “Demand for LCD televisions in developed economies has been saturated while growth in emerging markets is slowing. Falling prices for LCDs is not going to stop,” Kurahashi said. “The trouble with Sharp is that it cannot find a new cash cow... It is an extremely difficult task to build a new mainstay business which can survive intensifying global competition.” In a bid to stay alive, some Japanese firms are abandoning their traditional corporate structures in which they commit themselves entirely to the development, manufacturing and sale of their products. “We have tried to do everything by ourselves, but the environment is tough,” Sharp’s incoming president Takashi Okuda said earlier this year. In the short term, Sharp might be able to boost sales for medium and small-sized LCD panels used in tablet computers and smartphones, said Shiro Mikoshiba, analyst at Nomura Securities. “But there is still uncertainty in terms of profitability as the purchasing power of customers is too strong” to negotiate higher prices, Mikoshiba said in a note to clients. “Only slashing fixed costs is not enough.” — AFP
Germany will veto Greek aid if reforms fall short BERLIN: Germany will block any new aid to ailing Greece if Athens does not fully comply with the terms of previous rescue packages, even if other countries support unlocking funds, a senior lawmaker said yesterday. The deputy head of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative parliamentary bloc, Michael Fuchs, told business daily Handelsblatt that Berlin was ready to use its veto if it is unhappy with findings from the Greece creditors “troika”. “You can quote me: even if the glass is half-full, that is not enough for a new aid package,” he said in an interview to appear in the paper’s today issue. “Germany cannot and will not agree to that.” Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, is
waiting with eurozone partners for the report on Greece from a so-called troika of inspectors from the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank. Their verdict, which is expected by midSeptember, will determine if Athens receives the next installment of 31.5 billion euros ($38.7 billion) in rescue funds. Fuchs said that even if other eurozone countries call to release the funds after the report, “Germany will use its veto” as part of the EFSF temporary rescue fund if it concludes that Greece “has not met the requirements”. He noted it was impossible to force a country out of the eurozone but assumed the “Greek government knows what it needs to do if it is not in a position to fulfil the reform requirements.”
Germany “has reached the limits of what it can bear,” he added. He said he also opposed the European Central Bank providing further emergency loans to Greece and thus becoming a “covert money printing press”. Fuchs said that if Greece fails to live up to its reform pledges, then “the ECB cannot open up detour possibilities and provide money that the Greeks could not otherwise get from the (European) rescue funds”. Patience with Greece’s sputtering reform efforts is wearing thin in Germany, Europe’s effective paymaster, with leading members of Merkel’s ruling coalition openly questioning its ability to stay in the eurozone.The government’s official line is that it will wait for the troika report before drawing any conclusions. — AFP
EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso
.2798210 .4390100 .3439140 .2863790 .2822910 .2958410 .0050890 .0021280 .0762140 .7425250 .3957860 .0746390 .7270900 .0466370 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2813000 .4413320 .3457320 .2878930 .2837830 .0464510 .0422550 .2974040 .0362620 .2260710 .0035940 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0766170 .7464510 .0000000 .0750330 .7309340 .0000000
.2852150 .4474740 .3505440 .2919000 .2877330 .3015140 .0051870 .0021690 .0776840 .7568400 .4034160 .0760780 .7411070 .0475360 .2834000 .4446230 .3483130 .2900420 .2859020 .0467980 .0425710 .2996250 .0365320 .2277590 .0036200 .0051550 .0021540 .0030250 .0034910 .0771890 .7520230 .4008490 .0755930 .7363910 .0068220
Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees
Rate per 1000 (Tran) 282.500 3.002
Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee
Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal
5.115 2.145 3.457 6.795 76.995 75.490 751.000 46.447 447.400 2.990 1.550 354.800 290.700 3.200
Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 282.800 349.850 445.350 287.050 3.650 5.113 46.447 2.143 3.446 6.743 3.002 751.200 76.850 75.350
UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen
SELL DRAFT 303.11 289.42 293.76 350.53 282.10 446.25 3.68
3.580 5.300 2.350 3.650 3.150 77.45 750.00 47.70 399.00 736.00 78.00
Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd
Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change
3.455 5.111 2.141 3.200 3.001 76.87 751.14 46.42 401.90 734.19 77.90
SELL CASH 310.000 286.000 295.000 350.000 283.500 447.000 3.630
Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit
Selling Rate 282.450 288.825 444.105 347.660 289.470 747.780 76.880 77.530 75.285 398.155 46.455 2.139 5.107 3.007 3.452 6.730 692.855 4.605 9.075 4.380 3.290 89.840
Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal
Bahrain Exchange Company
GOLD 10 Tola
COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka
SELL CASH 302.300 751.150 3.720
SELL DRAFT 300.800 751.150 3.451
288.700 554.700 46.000 47.600 167.800 46.840 351.400 37.110 5.310 0.032 0.161 0.234 3.700 400.260 0.191 93.230 44.600 4.340 233.400 1.830 48.900 733.670 3.080 6.970 78.130 75.410 228.560 36.460 2.690 447.400 43.400 292.800 4.400 9.280 198.263 77.010 282.800 1.360
Sterling Pound US Dollar
1,715.320 TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 445.400 282.400
287.700
228.600 46.481 349.900 36.960 5.100 0.031
400.230 0.190 93.230 3.210 231.900
733.490 3.015 6.758 77.700 75.410 228.560 36.460 2.138 445.400 291.300 4.400 9.170 76.910 282.400
23
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
BUSINESS
Apologetic Swiss banks sweat it out as US, Europe mull redress ZURICH: Swiss banks hoping to atone for decades of complicity in tax evasion may be left to sweat it out for months as the United States and Germany ponder the right level of punishment. Switzerland has long dodged US accusations of hiding money for wealthy Americans. But now eleven Swiss banks are under investigation in the United States and there is pressure too from Europe where burdened taxpayers want scalps after numerous banking scandals. The Swiss need a deal to remove the taint from their financial industry. However, Washington must factor forthcoming elections into its thinking, and Germany is delaying ratification of a tax deal key to Switzerland’s efforts to strike similar agreements elsewhere in Europe. So the Swiss may be in limbo for a while. The wait is painful for a country which counts on banking for 7 percent of its economic output: until Swiss banks know how much information they need to share with foreign tax authorities they will struggle to attract new clients. As a result the share prices of its top banks-Credit Suisse and Julius Baer are among those being investi-
gated-are falling as investors fret about earnings. “We are prepared to sign a settlement with the US for the Swiss banks today. We feel we have made a constructive proposal to the US but it is up to them to accept it or not,” said Switzerland’s Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf. “This depends on whether the US is willing to reach a settlement before or af ter their elec tions, which is unclear at the moment,” she said. Both Widmer-Schlumpf and chief negotiator Michael Ambuehl have dampened expectations for a US deal by November, stoked as recently as last month by the finance minister herself. “There is an open window after the summer lull, but it’s relatively tight. Otherwise, I think we’re looking at next year,” said Martin Naville, chief executive of the SwissAmerican Chamber of Commerce in Zurich. Switzerland’s efforts to spur along a deal include tentatively agreeing with the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, an anti-tax evasion law known as FATCA. The rules on e n forc in g FATC A h ave ye t to be finalised, but many Swiss bankers see it as a crippling blow that effec-
tively prevents their clients from i nve s t i n g i n U S s e c u r i t i e s. Acquiescing to FATCA was a tactic to build goodwill for a Swiss bank deal, a source close to the talks said. But the strategy doesn’t seem to be paying off. Washington is now pushing b a n k s i n Sw i t ze r l a n d to d i v u l g e names and financial details of wealthy Americans hiding money in their accounts, spurred on by success in 2009 when UBS handed over data to avert a criminal indictment. “Contrary to what may appear as inactivity, the US is in fact keeping the pressure on Swiss banks, which are like mice before a snake,” said Martin Janssen, professor of finance at the University of Zurich. “The US is really maximising its position here.” The tension is such that Swiss bankers are afraid they will be personally targeted by U.S. officials if they leave the country, after Credit Suisse and Julius Baer handed over employee names to U.S. authorities. Originally a gesture towards cooperation, the move now has many Swiss bankers hunkered down at home, fearful of arrest and extradition if they leave Switzerland. Adding to the agony, several key US officials plan to step down, which
could mean negotiations having to be reset. Internal Revenue Service commissioner Doug Shulman and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who discussed the case with Widmer-Schlumpf in April, are both scheduled to depart after the election. S ecretar y of State H illar y Clinton, credited by Swiss officials with helping negotiations over a settlement for UBS in 2009, is also leaving her job. Another key US contact, Attorney General Eric Holder, the top law enforcement officer, is under pressure after a Republican-led Congress found him in contempt of Congress for withholding documents in a gunrunning sting operation. But all of that could be trumped by the “fiscal cliff” - a combination of tax hikes and automatic spending cuts that will take effect at the end of the year if lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-controlled House are unable to reach a compromise. By that point, if the Swiss haven’t got a deal, they will face an even longer wait. The going is equally sluggish closer to home. Crisis-hit European countries in need of extra income are delaying settlement with
Switzerland as a flourishing trade in leaked bank client data tilts the talks further in their favour. Those leaks are also complicating an agreed but as-yet unratified tax deal with Germany-whose citizens hold an estimated 150 billion euros in Swiss accounts-key to Switzerland’s attempts to make amends in Europe. Prosecutors in the German state of Nor th Rhine -Westphalia said on Thursday they had new bank data with which to pursue tax evaders, strengthening the hand of opposition politicians who say Chancellor Angela Merkel is letting tax-dodgers off too cheaply and should re-word the agreement. Germany has promised to stop buying data naming tax cheats when the new deal between it and Switzerland comes into force, but the latest incident suggests that may be an incentive for officials to drag their heels in ratifying the agreement. It also underscores the position in which Switzerland finds itself: out of negotiating room. “All Swiss banks can do now is wait it out,” said Thomas Braun, founder and partner of fund management firm Braun, von Wyss & Mueller. —Reuters
Wishy-washy stock market ends higher Wall Street Report NEW YORK: The market had a wishy-washy, capping an equally directionless week. Stocks inched down for most of the day. Then, with 45 minutes of trading left, the Dow Jones industrial average turned positive. The Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Nasdaq composite soon followed. All ended the day slightly higher. In a week with no major developments in Europe’s debt crisis, and no surprising reports on the US economy, the market struggled to figure out which way to go. The three indexes rose incrementally on Monday and Tuesday and were mixed on Wednesday and Thursday. In a market that has grown used to tripledigit swings on the Dow, this week brought none - the first time since early May that that’s happened. It was a marked change from the same week a year ago. Back then, the Dow swung by triple digits every day, including one plunge of 634 points, after a downgrade of the U.S. debt rating. This week, the biggest move was a measly 51-point rise on Tuesday. With many money managers on vacation, trading volume was low. “The sound of silence” is how Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Ethan Harris labeled a note to clients Friday. Sure, there were piecemeal signs about the world economy for anyone who was looking. But they were less than decisive. The secondquarter earnings season continued to wind down calmly, with most companies coming in ahead of profit predictions. But China reported a troubling slowdown in its export growth. And the so-called fiscal cliff of 2013, when government spending cuts and higher taxes kick in, looms larger now that earnings season is out of
the way. “There are three big elephants in the room,” said Marty Leclerc, chief investment officer of Barrack Yard Advisors in Bryn Mawr, Penn. “A slowdown in Asia growth, the European crisis ... and the US ‘fiscal cliff.’“ To be sure, stocks have risen fairly steadily since the US debt downgrade last August. Compared to a year ago, the Dow Jones industrial average is up 23 percent. Friday, the Dow ended up 42.76 points at 13,207.95. The S&P 500 rose 3.07 to 1,405.87. The Nasdaq composite rose 2.22 to 3,020.86. But the stock market’s relative good cheer doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying economy is improving. Instead, the market gains are more a sign that central banks like the Federal Reserve are still willing to artificially prop up the economy, said Bill Strazzullo, chief market strategist at Bell Curve Trading outside Boston. “You’ve got every central bank out there saying, ‘We’re going to print as much money as it takes, we’re going to buy as many bonds as it takes,’ “ Strazzullo said. Europe, the cause of so much market consternation for so many months, was quiet. Benchmark indexes fell slightly in France, Germany and Spain. Italy’s long-term borrowing costs jumped, a sign that investors are nervous about its ability to pay its debts. Manchester United, the white-hot British soccer club, had a lethargic debut as a public company. The stock closed exactly where it opened, at $14, likely a sign that investors are worried about its heavy debts. A few stocks did make big moves. J.C. Penney jumped 6 percent, rising $1.30 to
$23.40, after CEO Ron Johnson laid out more of his vision for turning around the struggling department store company. Lions Gate, the movie and TV studio, gained 21 cents to $13.46, after reporting a revenue surge thanks to “The Hunger Games.” Chesapeake Energy fell 3 percent, slipping 63 cents to $19.68, after reporting that the government is investigating possible antitrust violations surrounding its purchase of oil and gas land in Michigan. Yahoo fell 5 percent, losing 86 cents to $15.15, after revealing that shareholders might not get a payout that the company had previously planned. China reported that its export growth slumped to 1 percent in July from more than 11 percent in June, as debt-burdened Europe pulled back on buying Chinese goods. Dan Heckman, senior vice president at US Bank wealth management in Kansas City, wondered if China’s next exports report would show exports shrinking, rather than just growing more slowly. “You don’t have far to go from 1 to zero, or from 1 to negative,” he said mid-afternoon, when shares were trading lower. “Frankly, we’re a little surprised that the stock market isn’t down more.” China is the world’s secondlargest economy and a major player among world markets. Throughout the recession and its aftermath, as other countries struggled, China kept growing and helped prop up everyone else. Friday’s data was just the latest sign of cracks in the country’s armor. Thursday, China said that growth had also slowed in its auto sales and factory output. —AP
Italy needs ‘quiet’ markets, not EU aid
JOHANNESBURG: A picture taken on June 21, 2012 shows South African Sifiso Dlamini, 24, founder and owner of Eish Hade company, speaking during an interview at his factory in Johannesburg. Sifiso Dlamini has had a passion for sneakers from when he was a small boy and in 2009 he eventually launched his company, Eish Hade. —AFP
New US fuel economy rules favor Detroit Three CHICAGO: The Obama administration’s proposed fuel economy standards for 2025 are unfairly tilted in favor of the three US automakers and put their foreign-based rivals at a disadvantage, according to a House Republicans report released yesterday. According to the report written by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee staff, the standards are also based on an “overly optimistic” outlook of American consumers’ willingness to buy hybrid and electric cars. The committee is chaired by California Republican Darrell Issa. The report comes days before the
White House is expected to release the fuel economy standards in their finalized form. The proposed standards call for companies to roughly double their average fuel efficiency to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. The figure was announced last year after more than a year of talks between the Obama administration and automakers. The House Republicans’ report quotes emails and handwritten notes from executives and government officials that shed light on those negotiations over a new target for automakers’ corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE. —Reuters
ROME: Debt-laden Italy does not need rescue funds from the European Union but could use “a little quiet” on the markets, Finance Minister Vittorio Grilli said in an interview published yesterday. “We think the instruments put in place by the Central European Bank, when they are operational, will substantially ease tensions on the spreads” between bond yields in Italy and Germany, he told the left-leaning daily La Repubblica. “The only thing that would be useful is a little quiet on the markets ... normalised market conditions that would allow an orderly renewal of our bond issues,” he said. The remarks came after reports that the government of Prime Minister Mario Monti had discussed asking EU rescue funds to intervene on bond markets to help lower Italy’s borrowing costs. Using a newly agreed mechanism, bond purchases would take place when the difference with the borrowing cost of Germany, which pays the lowest rates to borrow money, rises above a certain level. Italy’s 10-year borrowing cost has sometimes soared above six percent, a level considered unsustainable in the long term. Grilli blamed two factors-”distrust of the euro which is currently predominant, (and) an assessment of our ability to get our economy in order, which is secondary right now.” He added: “There is no ‘Italy case,’ and if there were one, it has largely vanished in recent months thanks to the actions of this government.” While declining to compare Italy’s budget situation with that of Spain, he said: “Italy is currently one of the most virtuous countries in the world and certainly in Europe.” In the coming months, Grilli ruled out new austerity measures by Monti’s technocrat government. Such a move “would only depress further an economy that is already in recession,” he said. The government has also ruled out steps such as taxes on large inheritances, having already assured a stronger revenue flow through higher taxes on property and investment income. In the face of Italy’s staggering debt of nearly 2.0 trillion euros ($2.5 trillion), or 123 percent of the gross domestic product, Grilli confirmed that he would unveil a plan to reduce the equivalent of one percentage point of GDP per year by selling off state-owned real estate. —AFP
BANGKOK: This file picture taken on November 30, 2011 shows a Buddhist monk cleaning up an area at a temple inundated by flood waters in Don Muang district, in Bangkok. Deadly floods, power blackouts and traffic gridlock, many of Asia’s biggest cities are buckling under the strain of rapid economic development, extreme weather and an exodus from the countryside. —AFP
Urban disasters spotlight strain on Asian cities BANGKOK: Deadly floods, power blackouts and traffic gridlock-many of Asia’s biggest cities are buckling under the strain of rapid economic development, extreme weather and an exodus from the countryside. Poor strategic planning, paltry investment in infrastructure and a lack of political will have also left the region’s overcrowded metropolises highly vulnerable to the pressures of climate change, experts say. Over the past year Bangkok and Manila have been hit by the most devastating floods in decades, while India recently suffered the world’s worst-ever power blackout due to surging demand from industry, homes and offices. It is a situation that is increasingly out of step with growing affluence in Asia, where millions of people escape from poverty every year but face a return to third-world conditions when disaster strikes. Many Asian cities are “lagging behind in infrastructure provision, whether we talk about sewers, roads or electricity supplies,” said Professor Sun Sheng Han, an urban planning expert at Australia’s University of Melbourne. At the heart of the problem lies a lack of vision in a region where urban development policies reflect a mixture of “political goals and economic ambitions,” he told AFP. In the Thai capital Bangkok, years of aggressive groundwater extraction to meet the growing needs of its factories and 12 million inhabitants have taken a heavy toll. Yet despite warnings the citybuilt on swampland and slowly sinkingrisks being below sea level in half a century from now, a building boom shows no sign of abating with apartment towers mushrooming around the city. Rapid urbanisation that blocks natural waterways and neglected drainage systems are also seen as major factors behind the deadly floods that have battered the Philippine capital Manila this month. On the outskirts of Manila, vital forested areas have been destroyed to make way for housing developments catering to growing middle and upper classes. Within the city, squatters-attracted by economic opportunities-often build shanties on river banks, storm drains and canals, dumping garbage and impeding the flow of waterways. But perhaps nowhere are the challenges more stark than in India, where a two-day power blackout across half the country last month left more than 600
million people without supplies as high demand overwhelmed the grid. Yet even now, only 30 percent of India’s 1.2-billion population live in cities, far lower than the 50.6 percent in China or the 70-80 percent in developed countries, according to a UN report released last year. It forecasts India’s urban population will grow by 60 percent from its current level of 377 million, to 606 million, by 2030. As air conditioners, microwave ovens, washing machines and other electrical items become increasingly popular with the country’s burgeoning middle class, the strains on the power sector are expected to increase. According to the McKinsey Global Institute research centre, India also needs 350-400 kilometres (around 250 miles) of new metros and subways a year and 19,000-25,000 kilometres of roads. Mumbai-with 20,000 inhabitants per square kilometre-is one of the world’s most densely populated cities. Its packed suburban trains are estimated to carry seven million people every day, and each year more than 3,000 people are killed on the railway network, sometimes falling from open doors or hit while crossing the tracks. “The rush hour is the biggest issue. There are times it’s so crowded, it’s difficult to breathe,” said Sudhir Gadgil, 62, an office assistant in Mumbai’s southern business district, whose commute to work by train takes 1.5 hours. In neighbouring Bangladesh, the capital Dhaka is facing the worst transport infrastructure problems in its history. Soon after taking over in January 2009, the government promised to tackle the crisis with an array of ambitious rail, bus and road projects, but most are still in the design stage. “Dhaka already is a moribund city. It’s dying fast and I see no hope how we can save it,” said Shamsul Haq, the country’s top transport expert and a professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. Traffic jams are by no means unique to Dhaka, however, and in many teeming cities the prospect of abandoning city life altogether is becoming increasingly appealing for some frustrated residents. In Jakarta, ranked bottom of 23 cities in Frost & Sullivan’s 2011 global commuter satisfaction survey, experts predict that given its ageing bus network and lack of train system, the capital will reach total gridlock by 2014. —AFP
24
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
business
Commodity Update
Damage to US crop confirmed, oil rally runs out of steam Sugar bucks trend of rising food prices By Ole S Hansen
NEW YORK: Prices were generally higher across the different com-
modity sectors this week, with weather and geopolitics still having the upper hand. There wasa limited focus on weak economic growth
across the world, which otherwise would argue against rising prices. However, following the monthlong rally, attention will increasingly
return to slowing demand.The sustainability of the recent rally, especially in energy, can be put into question. Crude oil stubbornly high as supply disruptions persists The price of North Sea Brent crude rallied for a second week in a row and in the process recovered more than 60 percent of the March to June sell-off. The bullish drivers are currently three fold: A drop in supply from the North Sea during the August to September field maintenance season, geo-political tensions from hot spots in Syria, Iran and Libya which also leaves the supply side exposed, and finally continued expectations for additional quantitative easing, which once again have been attracting
drive oil prices higher, despite alack of support from the level of global activity. Until we see solid signs that the global economic outlook has improved- and thereby also the demand for oil improved - we will stick to our Q3 forecast of the Brent crude price later this year moving back towards 105 dollars. Gold busy going nowhere With liquidity at a premium during the holiday month of August,where many traders are away from their screens, the primary activity has been in the hands of short-term traders looking for small movements to benefit from. With the lack of any major spark to push at boundaries, gold continues to find itself confined in a tighter and tighter range.
Ole S Hansen
lion pounds), almost equalling the highs seen in March 2012 and September last year. Improving weather conditions in Brazil following an easing of the wet conditions has triggered a pickup in the har vest and helped
financial investors into energy. As a result of the reduced North Sea production, the Brent crude spot month premium over W TI crude has widened to20 dollars and the spread between the first over the second Brent futures contract has moved from a discount to a premium of 1.6 dollars per barrel during July and August, which is an expression of tightness in the spot market.Daily loadings in September of the three Nor th Sea crudes which make up the Brent crude benchmark are expected to drop to the lowest level in more than five years. Geo-political tension is lurking just below the surface, leaving the supply side exposed to sudden reductions. At the moment we have several hotspots, which individually and combined add to the sense of unease across oil markets. In recent days and weeks we have seen the situation in Syria deteriorate even
The price action during the week,however,still points towards an underlying positive sentiment, as sell-offs have been met with instant buying. With the dollar finding some support again following a period of position adjustments, especially versus the euro where short covering has been seen, the headwind from this will continue to frustrate bulls looking for higher prices. So while we wait for the spark, which could come from increased worries about inflation as food prices continues to rise, we should expect continued range trading with focus on the key levels at 1640 to the upside and 1570 and 1540 to the downside. Sugar bucks the trend of rising food prices The price of sugar rallied hard during July and helped drive the UN FAO sugar index up by more than 11 percent during the month.
US government report sheds first light on extend of crop damage The most eagerly awaited “World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates� report for many years on Friday gave the first proper picture of the damage to US crop production caused by the worst drought in more than 50 years. In it the United States Department of Agriculture, after having surveyed 27,000 farmers, downgraded their estimates for
further. This combined with skirmishes in Libya and the ongoing embargo against Iranian oil exports leaves oil markets worried about additional supply tightness near term. The Iranian oil embargo has also resulted in Iraq now pumping more than Iran for the first time in more than 20 years. On a negative note, OPEC in itsmonthly repor t saw 2013 oil demand growth slowing compared to 2012,with the risk skewed to the downside as a gloomier picturein Europe in particular could reduce the forecast by up to 20 percent. Other non-supportive news for oil came from China, which saw a collapse in its expor t growth for July.China’s net oil imports shrank to the lowest level this year. All in all the three bullish drivers mentioned have collectively helped
The rally was driven by a slowerthan-expected start to the Brazilian har vest as rain hampered the process,coupled with the prospect of lower production in India due to a poor outlook for the monsoon. This raised concerns that the projected 2012/13 production surplus would not materialise. Money managers jumped on the story, not least helped by the bullish attitude towards agriculture commodities in general. Since reaching a peak of 24 cents per pound, the price has been falling hard, especially following the technical break below 22 cents, and this week the price slumped below 21 cents on continued long liquidation. The net non-commercial or speculative position in NY Sugar for the week ending July 31 stood at 153,000 contracts (17.1 bil-
2012/13 corn production by 17 percent and soybeans by 11.7 percent compared with a month earlier. The report thereby confirms the fears about limited stocks of corn and soybeans towards the end of this crop season. In order to preserve stocks, demand destruction will have to be seen, something that can only really be achieved by seeing continued high prices. On that basis we could nearterm see prices retrace a bit, as much positioning had already occurred on the basis of weak p ro d u c t i o n d a t a . S oy b e a n s remains the crop with the tightest supplies and this could eventually trigger some soybean outperformance and see the ratio between the two crops move up from its current level of 2 (soybean price twice as expensive as corn).
reduce export delays, while industry officials in India still expect that the country will be able to export sugar during the 2012/13 season despite a monsoon thatis currently 17 percent below the average.Weather concerns, however, still linger and these could eventually steal the focus once more.While speculative traders exit unwanted long positions the price of sugar risks overshooting to the downside.
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
BUSINESS
CEO salvages JC Penney Q2 earnings disaster NEW YORK: JC Penney Co. CEO Ron Johnson hasn’t run out of magic yet, as far as Wall Street is concerned. The former Apple executive’s soothing words drove the retailer’s stock higher even after the company offered up grisly details of a terrible second quarter. The midpriced department store chain reported a bigger-than-expected loss and plummeting sales. Shoppers are still not buying into a bold new pricing strategy. Penney even withdrew its full-year profit guidance. After the report, Moody’s Investors Services downgraded Penney’s rating deeper into junk-bond terrain. The bleak performance marked the secondstraight quarter of severe sales declines since Penney got rid of most steep, temporary discounts in favor of everyday lower prices. The report confirmed it’s going to be a hard sell to shoppers who are used to big sale signs and coupons. Yet, after appearing queasy in premarket trading, investors pushed up Penney’s stock price by as much as 9 percent following some reassuring words from Johnson during a 90-minute conference call. The shares ended up 6 percent, or $1.30, at $23.40 on Friday. The gains show Wall Street still wants to believe the mastermind behind the success of Apple’s retail stores and Target’s cheap-chic strategy has the magic to deliver. “The more he sells the hope, the more investors are buying into it,” Brian Sozzi, chief equities analyst for research firm NBG Productions, who is still staying on the sidelines as far as Penney’s stock is concerned. Johnson, dressed in a navy blue blazer, white shirt and blue jeans, remained confident and calm as he vowed he was sticking to the plan. He shared more details of his vision for creating a new breed of
specialty department stores and said that the latest fixes to simplify the pricing plan are resonating with customers. He and CFO Ken Hannah also allayed concerns about how much cash the company has. While admitting to mistakes in pricing and marketing, Johnson told investors, “I am completely convinced that our transformation is on track.” Under Johnson’s stewardship, Penney is changing everything from the items it stocks to store design. But the riskiest move has been its pricing. The goal is to offer consumers more predictability so they will visit more often. That will help break the vicious cycle of discounting that has soiled the brand, a laggard behind Macy’s Inc. and other competitors. Penney’s stock is beaten up - still down by nearly half since their peak above $42 in the afterglow of Johnson’s hiring. And business can’t get any worse, said Ron Friedman, head of the retail and consumer products group at accounting firm Marcum LLP. “People are optimistic. They really believe in him,” Friedman said. That goodwill means Johnson has at least another year to deliver, he said. Johnson has said he’s used to naysayers. Back in January, Johnson told investors how he faced lots of critics on Wall Street in 2001 when he launched the first Apple store. “There wasn’t one positive believer that thought an Apple retail store would work.” Of course, they were wrong. Johnson’s task at Penney is more challenging. In May, Penney’s stock plunged 20 percent, its biggest one-day decline in four decades, after the retailer posted a larger-than expected first-quarter loss and a 20.1 percent drop in revenue because of the poor reception from shoppers. Customer traffic was down 10 percent. Things got even worse in the second quarter as
Penney backpedaled a bit on discounts, withdrew TV advertising and canceled some print ad campaigns in mid-June as it figured out its new game plan. The company lost $147 million, or 67 cents per share, in the quarter ended July 28. That compares with net income of $14 million, or 7 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue tumbled almost 23 percent to $3.02 billion. Revenue at stores open at least a year fell 21.7 percent, worse than the 18.9 percent drop the quarter before. Customer counts fell 12 percent. Excluding one-time items, Penney’s loss was 37 cents per share. Analysts had expected a 26-cent loss on revenue of $3.2 billion. Penney on Feb. 1 began using a three-tier pricing with consistently lower daily prices that were 40 percent below last year, deeper monthlong sales on specific items and periodic discounts that are even more generous throughout the year. But on Aug. 1, Penney eliminated the monthly sales events and increased the frequency of the periodic sales to every Friday. These had been called “Best Price” sales but are now being called “clearance.” Penney is tweaking its advertising to better explain the change. TV ads tout free children’s haircuts at stores to draw shoppers. But Penney is sticking to its “Every Day” low price guns. Items sold under that pricing represent 70 percent of sales since the company began the new strategy. Investors also seemed to embrace Johnson’s more detailed vision laid out Friday for rejuvenating the Penney store experience. Johnson told analysts he’s creating a new kind of store - the specialty department store, which will be carved up with different branded shops to replace the typical sea of clothing racks. It will also have an area in the middle of the store
that will be meeting places for shoppers. At these so-called “Town Squares,” which will offer different attractions every two months, shoppers would be able to create greeting cards or take yoga or Pilates classes. Johnson wants to transform the aisles into lively paths leading to the shops. They will feature lots of mannequins, comfortable seating, coffee and juice bars as well as tables built with iPads. The changes extend to the merchandise, which has been seen as tired and lackluster. Starting this fall, almost half the merchandise will change, with brands either new or redesigned. This fall, shoppers will see such names as Betsey Johnson and Vivienne Tam, who are creating affordable versions for the store. Penney just launched shops for Levi’s and its own jeans brand, Arizona. Johnson said the Levi’s shop, which has a denim bar, has seen a 25 percent increase in revenue compared with last year. It plans 100 such shops within each of its stores by 2015 that will either focus on one brand or a variety of labels. Still, Penney said Friday that it no longer expects to meet its earnings guidance for 2012. It had expected a profit of $2.16 per share. But Johnson cautioned that even though he’s seeing some early signs of improvement this month, the company is assuming business will be the same as the first half of the year. Analysts expected the company to earn $1.26 per share for the year. Johnson also took the time to chastise Wall Street. “We said this would be a really tough year,” he told investors. “Somehow, I don’t think that message got through. Your expectation was much higher than ours, but transforming a company is a marathon. It’s not a sprint. It takes time.”— AP
Riot-hit Maruti eyes late August plant reopening Indian unit is losing $9 million a day from the plant shutdown
BUCHAREST: A Romanian construction worker works in Bucharest. After two years of severe recession, Romania seemed on track to resume, though modest, sustainable growth. — AFP
Political turmoil cripples Romania’s economy BUCHAREST: The recovery in Romania’s economy after two years of severe recession is now coming under threat, analysts warn, victim to the months-long political crisis that has engulfed the EU country. Prime Minister Victor Ponta told the International Monetary Fund this past week that his centre-left government was determined to continue cost-cutting reforms and stick to plans to sell stakes in major energy companies that underpin recovery plans. But analysts say that economic policy is “frozen”, held hostage by the political war underway between the ruling Social-Liberal Union coalition and centre-right President Traian Basescu, targeted by an impeachment move launched six weeks ago. Romanians which cast ballots in a controversial referendum last month voted overwhelmingly for Basescu’s removal, but its validity is being disputed and there have been allegations judges have been pressured and intimidated. “Stop the circus, try building something,” urged recently the Ziarul Financiar daily, voicing the exasperation of the business community. “ The economy is clogged, money is no longer changing hands, the public administration is blocked, major decisions are delayed and no important contracts are signed,” economic analyst Doru Lionachescu of Capital Partners consulting firm told AFP. The first victim of the political row has been the local currency, the leu, which has lost nearly five percent of its value over the past few weeks. The depreciation will lead to hikes in the prices of fuel and of other imported goods. Romania emerged from two years of severe recession by posting 2.5 percent growth in 2011, but the economy has lost steam. It dipped into recession at the beginning of this year, and an expectations of a recovery are evaporating quickly. The forecast for growth this year has been cut from 1.5 to 1.0 percent, and a drought which has severely affected wheat and maize crops will hurt overall economic performance, analysts pointed out. While some of Romania’s slowdown is a spillover from the troubles of its larger EU partners, the political gridlock threatens to aggravate the situation further. Faced with the endless squabbling, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu abandoned his courteous tone and came close to using a four-letter word in a public address, hoping this will draw the
politicians’ attention. “We depend on the international markets and they will punish us severely,” Isarescu stressed. In this tense environment, investors have shown increased caution and capital flows have dried up. “The political crisis and the instability is has spurred could make some entrepreneurs delay their decisions to invest in Romania,” a western diplomatic source said. “The question is how foreign companies that considered investing in Romania will react to the situation,” said Annika Pattberg of Germany Trade and Investment stressed. Investors need political stability-She added that foreign investors need political stability as well as a stable and transparent legal system. The IMF, which is conducting an assessment mission in Romania, voiced concern over the ongoing political disputes and urged the government to focus on economic reforms. “Over the last few years Romania has made progress in recovering from the financial crisis and the economy has made progress in stabilising inflation and the budget situation but the current turmoil has taken its toll on the economy,” chief negotiator Erik de Vrijer said. Romania obtained a 20-billion-euro ($25-billion) rescue package from the IMF, the EU and the World Bank in May 2009, in exchange for drastic spending cuts. In March 2011, the IMF and the EU provided a fresh credit line of five billion euros to be drawn only in case of emergency. De Vrijer added that investor confidence and Romania’s standing in financial markets have lately been undermined, while the cost of borrowing surged. “It is important for the government to focus on macroeconomic priorities, which means pushing ahead with sound budgetary policies and with reforms that will enable the economy to grow faster,” he stressed. Financial analyst Aurelian Dochia deplored the government is too busy quarrelling with the president instead of taking steps to boost the economy. “Politicians don’t realize how dramatic the situation is both in Romania and internationally,” he said, stressing that the Balkan country’s economy is closely linked to the eurozone, although it is not part of it. “The main thing we should have avoided was to dig our own grave. Unfortunately this is exactly what we are doing.” — AFP
NEW DELHI: India’s top carmaker Maruti Suzuki may resume production in late August at a factory closed last month after a deadly riot by workers, a company executive said yesterday. The company’s board is likely to meet today to consider a reopening date for the plant where a manager was killed and 96 other supervisors were injured in the unrest, the senior executive added. Late August may be “a realistic target” for relaunching operations at the Manesar factory just south of New Delhi which has been shut since the violence on July 18, the executive told AFP. “Some reports from the police and special investigations are likely to come to Maruti today and some decisions are likely to come afterwards,” the executive, who did not wish to be named, added. He could not say when an announcement might be made but noted repairs are already under way at the plant where mainly the office areas were damaged, not the factory facilities. Maruti is majority-owned by Japan’s Suzuki Motor which receives more than a quarter of its revenues from India. The Indian unit, the country’s largest carmaker by sales, is losing some $9 million a day from the plant shutdown, analysts calculate. The board will review security at the plant, which produces some of Maruti’s best-selling cars such as the Swift hatchback, as well as its physical state, the executive told AFP. Maruti locked out its 3,000 workers at the plant which produces 550,000 cars a year, or 40 percent of the company’s output, three days after the riot. The plant has experienced several industrial disputes but none as violent as the July riot which shocked corporate India. Workers chased managers with iron rods and car parts, smashing limbs and torching areas of the plant after a row between an employee and a supervisor, according to witnesses. A personnel manager, whose legs were broken, was unable to flee and burned to death in an office area.
Joint police commissioner Anil Kumar said the Haryana state government had decided up to 600 police personnel currently guarding the plant would remain there for an indefinite period when it reopens. Haryana, where Manesar is located, is a hub for car production and the state government is worried the unrest could scare away investors. Maruti chief executive Shinzo Nakanishi has said the plant will stay shut until the managers’ safety can be guaranteed and some executives have voiced fears about returning. Managers who were injured “are receiving psychological and physical treatment,” said the
Maruti executive yesterday. “The healing process is going on.” The plant is only expected to resume partial operations at first, using its most automated assembly lines, and then scale up operations. Staffing could be difficult with many workers having fled as they fear arrest. Police say 114 workers including at least 10 union leaders are already under arrest. Maruti last month reported a 23-percent plunge in first-quarter net profit to 4.24 billion rupees ($76.6 million), hit by a falling Indian currency. Analysts say the plant shutdown could shave 15-20 percent off full-year profit. — AFP
NEW DELHI: In this photograph taken on July 19, 2012, Indian private security guards stand behind the main gate of Maruti Suzuki Production Facility in Manesar, about 45 kms from New Delhi. India’s top car company Maruti Suzuki is eyeing late August as a possible date to resume production at a factory hit by deadly labour violence last month, a company executive said yesterday. — AFP
Italy’s cash-strapped budget airline Windjet halts flights ROME: Italy’s beleaguered budget airline Windjet stopped operations yesterday as aviation authority ENAC appeared set to revoke its operating licence and stranded passengers overnight at Rome’s Fiumicino airport. The carrier formally stopped all flights at midnight, and ENAC was set to take action later Sunday for “evident incapacity,” local media reports said. ENAC said Windjet had about 300,000 bookings through October. About 200 passengers bound for Tel Aviv had to spend the night at the airport and were still stranded yesterday afternoon after their flight was cancelled at the last minute Saturday evening. The authority said Saturday it had set up a crisis centre to enable other airlines, including Alitalia, Meridiana and Blu Panorama, to take over Windjet’s services, at a small extra cost for passengers. Alitalia and Meridiana said they were planning extra flights between Sicily and major cities including Rome, Turin, Milan, Verona and Bologna. Since Friday, Windjet flights have suffered cancellations and delays as the company has struggled to keep afloat after takeover talks with flag-carrier Alitalia broke down. Alitalia walked out of the negotiations begun several months ago after Windjet boss Stefano Rantuccio accused it of trying to impose unfavourable conditions on his company. Alitalia charged that Windjet clearly had no intention of respecting provisional agreements aimed at saving the budget operator. A passenger said in a complaint that he had to shell out 250 euros ($300) per ticket for a return flight on Alitalia from Russia for his wife, two daughters and motherin-law, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday. A national consumers’ forum has also slammed the additional 80 euros charged on average to convert domestic tickets to other airlines. — AFP
Italian steel mill chief says court ruling threatens jobs MILAN: The jobs of thousands of workers at ILVA, Europe’s biggest steel plant, are at risk if the factory in southern Italy has to stop production as ordered by an Italian judge, ILVA Chairman Bruno Ferrante said in a newspaper interview yesterday. “I don’t even want to pronounce that word (layoffs)... But if they block production here the outlook gets more complicated, not just for the almost 12,000 employees but also for the whole supply chain,” Ferrante said in an interview in la Stampa. On Saturday, Ferrante said he would appeal a ruling by preliminary court judge Patrizia Todisco saying the factory must not produce steel while it makes court-ordered improvements to its production line. At the request of prosecutors in Taranto, Todisco had originally ordered the factory’s partial closure last month because of concerns that pollution was harming the health of the workers and local residents. But an appeals court ruled last week that ILVA could remain open as it upgraded its production line to meet regulatory standards, a decision the company interpreted as a green light for continued steel production. The appeals court also named Ferrante a court administrator of the factory. In what looks increasingly like a rift within the Taranto court house, Todisco on Friday said Ferrante was not administrator of the parts
of the factory that are under court management, according to a copy of the court order seen by Reuters. In a statement, Italy’s Environment Minister Corrado Clini said the decision to stop production may hamper, rather than accelerate, the need to improve and clean up the factory. “We must not forget that the legal battles and social conflict triggered by the prospect of plant closure could interrupt or seriously delay the clean-up plans for the factory,” he added. The July order to shut down parts of the factory triggered protests from ILVA workers, who live in an area that already faces chronic unemployment and social unrest because of the recession. The order to halt production brought a chorus of complaints from politicians, trade unionists and industrialists. Italy’s employers association Confindustria expressed serious concern for the effects of the ruling. “It’s a decision that is difficult to understand, which weighs heavily on the company and its ability to carry on,” it said in a statement. “The prospects of a strategic company and the future of tens of thousands of workers are at risk,” said Stefano Fassina, economic spokesman of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), one of the two main parties Prime Minister Mario Monti depends on for his majority.
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
business
Jet Airways partners with HDFC Bank to launch co-branded credit cards MUMBAI: Jet Airways’ - JetPrivilege, India’s largest and Freddie’s award winning frequent flyer programme, has partnered with HDFC Bank, India’s second largest private sector bank to launch ‘JetPrivilege-HDFC Bank Credit Card’, an exclusive range of Credit Cards offering unique benefits and rewards in the form of JPMiles. JetPrivilege-HDFC Bank Co-branded Credit Cards will offer enhanced mileage earning opportunities to customers across many cities in India. The co-brand credit cards will promote increase in card usage, making air travel more affordable and rewarding for cardholders. The partnership is a win-win for customers, as it brings together the combined experience of HDFC Bank’s understanding of the end-users, attained by being the leading player in the credit card segment; and Jet Airways, who manage one of the most successful frequent flyer programme. The JetPrivilege-HDFC Bank Credit Card with its World, Platinum and Titanium variants will be offered on the MasterCard network platform allowing customers access to benefits across the world. JetPrivilege-HDFC Bank World Credit Card, being the .premium variant, will entitle the card-
holders to enjoy a wide bouquet of lifestyle benefits, including 6 JPMiles for every Rs. 150 spent and another 10,000 JPMiles within the first 90 days. Customer feedback and research points towards creating a value proposition which allows them to pool their points or miles in one account. With this partnership, the cardholders will be able to aggregate all their spends into one account with single reward currency - JPMiles and pool their earnings through various programme partners to thus fast track their ability to ‘FLY FREE FASTER’. Nikos Kardassis, Chief Executive Officer of Jet Airways, said,” Our objective is to deepen the relationship with our guests. The co-branded card offers multiple benefits to guests as exceptional values are bundled together in the usage of plastic as an electronic payment device. JetPrivilege is committed to significantly enhancing the travel options available to all its members, with better payment flexibility and convenience. This tie up with HDFC Bank is another unique travel option aimed at making air travel more economical, and cost-effective for family travel. This co-branded program bears testimony to our customer-centric
approach and will mutually work towards strengthening customer relationships and is a winwin for JetPrivilege, HDFC Bank, and our mutual guests”On the partnership, Paresh Sukthankar, Executive Director, HDFC Bank, stated, “As the country’s leading player in plastic money and consistently offering our customers world class products that are customized to suit his ever evolving need, HDFC Bank’s partnership with Jet Airways will further enhance customer experience and provide them with a product that is exclusive and superior. HDFC Bank’s first airline co-branded card comes after much thought and research to ensure it symbolizes a product of the highest quality and great customer value.” On the occasion, Parag Rao, Business Head Credit Cards & Merchant Acquiring Services, HDFC Bank, said, “For the first time, the partnership between HDFC Bank and Jet Airways will provide customers a range of premium credit cards to choose from. The JetPrivilege-HDFC Bank cobranded cards will give customers the opportunity to choose Jet Airways as their preferred airline. We are confident that our co-branded cards will make air travel, a truly rewarding experience.”
Al Tijari announces winners of daily draw KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al Najma Account draw on 12th August 2012. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Saquer Al Manaie. The winners of the Al Najma Daily Draw are : Amina Hassan Mohammed or Fakhriya Ghuloum Ali KD 7000/Mathews Balkonel Thomas KD 7000/Farida Mohammed Saleh Nusaibah KD 7000/Awad Fahad Mezyad Al-Mutairy KD 7000/Ahmad Jumaa Moustafa Mohammed KD 7000/The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account.
Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment. With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50. Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.
Commercial Facilities Company at The Avenues during Ramadan Customers can know more about exclusive services
Expanding Geographically to Meet the Needs of Growing Population Oula Fuel Marketing Company Reopens its Station in West Mishref KUWAIT: Oula Fuel Marketing Company “Oula” announced the reopening of its station in Mubarak Al Abdulla West Mishref, which comes in as part of Oula’s aim to expand geographically and offer distinct services and products to wider range of customers at areas where fueling stations are not available. Customers visiting the station in West Mishref will enjoy and benefit from a wide range of services and products such as Fuel products including Premium, Super and Ultra 98, car wash service and Oula convenience store for shopping. The station will especially cater to residents of the area and nearby locations as well as to the growing number of university students and employees. Commenting on the reopening of the station, Managing Director Hamzah Bak hash said: “ The station in West Mishref has been designed to accommodate to the needs of the growing population in that area offering convenience and accessibility to all its residents. We hope with the reopening of our station we would have accomplished that goal. On behalf of Oula, I would like to thank the H.E Minister of
Oil and the management and staff of both Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation (KNPC) for all their efforts and suppor t ex tended to Oula in reopening of the station.” Oula has been investing in exploring new and effective methods to make the customer’s experience at the stations a convenient and pleasant one. Oula’s new smart solutions include the introduction of retractable hoses which have helped in easing the flow of traffic allowing customers to fuel from either side of the car, availability of most of its stations Google maps for ease in finding the closest location, the installation of automatic tank gauging system to detect underground leaks, camera surveillance to ensure security and safety of the customer, installation of new air and water towers, and last but not least the introduction of the world’s most environmentally friendly FastTrack carwash to most stations; Geowash which is now available for customers to experience and benefit from. For more information about Oula Fuel Marketing Company, please visit the website on www.oula1.com or call customer call on 1800111.
Burgan Bank’s ‘BuBa’ celebrates Girgi’an KUWAIT: Burgan Bank recently celebrated Girgi’an at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor’s special care complex. The bank’s famous “BuBa” Kids Account character welcomed children, orphans as well as the elderly with a range of Girgi’an boxes, as well as other forms of entertainment that highlighted the importance and true spirit
of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Burgan Bank continues to support the different segments across the Kuwaiti society. The bank’s corporate social responsibility portfolio continues to grow with a wide array of initiatives that demonstrate its leadership as a financial institution that is socially dedicated.
KUWAIT: Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) carries on expanding its communication channels with its clients, and this time via The Avenues booth, which is set up to meet clients’ needs throughout the holy month of Ramadan. This initiative, which was taking place for four years, has been well received by clients interested to deal with CFC and enjoy its diverse facilities. Mohammed Bader Al-Qattan, Manager Service Development, said, “Ramadan celebrates the strong bonds of family and friendship, while fosters communication channels with different society segments. For this reason, we are happy to connect with our clients during the holy
month via our booth in The Avenues for the fourth year.” “We strive to bring innovative deals for all our customers and are committed to serve them with the highest standards. Hence, we encourage our customers to visit our booth to know more about our services, including ‘Tayahna Wahda’ campaign, in which it offers clients the opportunity to pay their four-year car installments in a stretched period of five years. Through this campaign, customers will be able to own the car of their dreams whether it was new or used and regardless of the source, that is a car agent, supplier or individual. Moreover, by visiting the booth, clients can know more about the offered loans, required docu-
ments, installment methods and their balance, in addition to the credit policy by CFC.” The CFC booth at The Avenues is open from Sundays to Thursdays, from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm, and from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am. CFC branches continuously seek ways to provide the best services that complies to customers’ needs during the month of Ramadan. Customers are assured of quick and easy documentation and approval procedures, making their experience even more pleasurable and hassle free. They can be rest assured that they will receive a quick feedback on their loan applications within 24 hours.
Mohammed Bader Al-Qattan CFC can be reached in Sharq (head office), Hawalli, Al Riggae, Fahaheel and Al Jahra, in addition to all 21 car dealerships, or visit their website www.cfc-kw.com .
Consumers’ behaviour, post financial crisis and impact on the economy! DUBAI: One thing that consumers around the world learned post the 2008 financial crisis is that there is no job security so avoid the burden of financial liabilities. It has been so good for so long that consumers around the world signed for any credit offered by banks, consumer credit companies, and mortgage suppliers and so on. Since the 2008 financial crisis, people had learned a very expensive and sometimes tragic lesson. Consumers signing up for these generous financial offers never bothered to read the small print at the bottom of the letters. How this has affected the behaviour of the consumers? First of all, is that there is nothing guaranteed in life apart from death and Tax? Apart from those obvious ones, they learned that there is no job for life. This is the hard lesson. Assuming, falsely that your job is guaranteed for life did not mean that you borrow like no tomorrow without being prudent and careful. One very noticeable result post the financial crisis is that the younger generation now thinking twice before signing up for a mortgage to buy a house, instead they are renting instead of buying. This at least frees them from long term financial obligations. People, who have really suffered post the financial crisis, think of insecurity before making any financial commitments. Sadly! Human beings have the tendency to go from one extreme to another when hit by any financial or human tragedy. Buying house is a big commitment indeed and it is understandable. But, the reaction down to the goods chain may be a bit on the extreme side. As we all know, there are always winners and losers when comes to crisisand financial crisis is one which indeed make winners and create great opportunities. Post 2008 financial crisis, new generationdo not want to make any commitment. It has always been the tradition that after graduation and getting a good job came house hunting before any other commitments even not a car. Owning a house or a flat was always
seen as a solid investment to be passed down to the children one day. Renting has replaced buying. Actually, the renting business has boomed not only for houses but for cars, household goods and even clothes. Why buy when you can rent and can live without big commitments. Or why not buy the item use it then sell it immediately rather than keep it to lose value then bin it! Figures from EBayshow that this kind of business has indeed been
Hayder Tawfik booming and EBay has become one of the biggest sites for second hand trading in used items such as shoes, cloths and amazingly cars. I am sure some other company will try to climb on the band wagon too. EBay has been the star performer in this business and we at Dimah think it will continue to dominate this segment of the market. Also, through its PayPal unit it has entered into a much bigger promising business which is the small business market is. The combination of EBay’s main business and its PayPal’s payments business will create a big challenge for its rivals and possibly for weaker banks. Fortunately for
EBay it has been in the centre of this consumer behaviour revolution from the start and it should benefit tremendously. Also, technology now gives much faster, clearer and reliable access to younger consumers. It helps them to find what they want, when they want it and at much lowers costs than the traditional methods. Let’s not forget that the renting business has always been around but not at the scale we are experiencing now. Why have the forever ownership when you can have it anytime you like at the price you choose and for the period you fancy? To attract the growing number of consumers who rent, durable and non durable goods have to become much cheaper that they are now. In the post -recession economy, some retailers made every shopper walk into their stores count. For some such as GAP and TJX and ZARA this strategy has been very successful but for some others it failed. In the last few years, there has been a number of companies sprung out, whose main business is renting. The biggest of them is renting clothes. This has been extended to the high fashion business too. Some of the items offered for rent are very attractive indeed and it does make a lot of economic saving too. How long these business can survive depends on how deep the economic slowdown is and how the traditional stores will react to business taken away from them. I think both will survive at each other’s cost. Furniture companies are also getting in on the act. I think the furniture business make a lot of sense when comes to renting more than the clothing business. At the end of the day younger generation and consumers have to think of building a wealth for their future. I think renting is fine when it comes day to day’s goods but renting for living is not the right strategy for building a wealth. Buying a house when you can afford it,at the right price and on affordable financial terms without taking too much risk is the best way to build some wealth for the future.
BMW promotes road safety during the Holy Month KUWAIT: To help raise awareness of the importance of buckling up amongst road users in Kuwait, Ali Alghanim & Sons will be distributing complimentary child booster seat cushions to families during the month of Ramadan. Starting 12th of August and running until Eid Al Fitr, families with children between the ages of 6 and 11 years and weighing between 22kg and 36kg (the internationally recognised safest weights) are encouraged to visit the BMW Group importer’s showroom in Shuweikh and collect their booster cushions. Ali Alghanim & Sons will also be handing out educational brochures to enlighten the public about the importance of wearing seatbelts and using the correct child safety restraints in cars. This initiative is part of BMW Group Middle East’s award-winning ‘Stay Alert. Stay Alive.’ campaign which was launched
in 2010 with a focus on enlightening the public about the importance of using appropriate safety restraints while travelling by car, particularly those for children. According to the National Traffic & Transport Sector, Kuwait has one of the highest per capita levels of traffic fatalities in the world, with approximately 600 people killed and 2,000 injured every year. As a leading company in the Kuwaiti automotive industry, Ali Alghanim & Sons is supporting the government in their efforts to change driver behaviour and make the streets of Kuwait a safer place through a number of projects. These include participation at the 2012 Gulf Traffic Week and the distribution of booster cushions to families in Kuwait. Reiterating Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotives’ commitment to supporting such significant community initiatives, Yousef Al-Qatami, General Manager of Ali
Alghanim & Sons Automotive, said: “The road traffic statistics in Kuwait are alarming so with our campaign, we are trying to encourage everyone in the car to use their seat belts and child car seat restraints because statistics show that a high number of people and children are being injured and even killed as a result of not using them. “The success of our last booster seat distribution campaign encouraged us to keep pushing our message. If Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive can continue to influence road users in Kuwait with this campaign as powerfully as we did in the previous one, then hopefully we can make a significant difference”. During the Holy month of Ramadan, Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive showroom is open from Saturday to Thursday from 10:00am - 1:00pm and from 8:30pm 11:30pm.
Booster seat distribution
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
TECHNOLOGY
ME leaders increasingly USE Twitter to engage with citizens DUBAI: Leaders in the Middle East are increasingly using Twitter as an effective tool to inform their people and engage with them, according to public relations consultancy Burson-Marsteller’s recently released ‘Twiplomacy” (http://twiplomacy.com) study. The study is the first-ever global study of world leaders on Twitter that researches 264 heads of state and their institutions in 125 countries of which 21 were from the Middle East and North Africa. The study analyses their Twitter profiles, their tweet history and their connections with each other. The study shows that almost two-thirds of world leaders have a Twitter account. From the region, active leaders on Twitter include Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, who has just crossed the 1 million mark in followers; Queen Rania Al-Abdullah (2,222,872 fol-
lowers); Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (69,217 followers); Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati (54,782 followers); Lebanese President Michel Sleiman (39,092 followers); Palestinian Prime Minister Dr Salam Fayyad (1,551 followers); Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali (1,324 followers); and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki (385 followers). His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum has 13 other world leaders following him, making him the most followed by leaders in the region. Queen Rania is the fourth most followed world leader (2,222,872 followers) preceded by Barack Obama in first position (18,223,342 followers). Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is the second most followed leader (3,276,230 followers) followed by the account of the
White House (3,002147 followers). Of the G20 countries, 16 have a presence on Twitter. The Saudi Arabian government has an official portal with a Twitter account @Saudiportal (2,615 followers). The Twiplomacy study identifies Arabic as the fourth most used language amongst world leaders. English is the main language followed by Spanish and French. Leaders across the world tweet in a total of 43 different languages. Thirty heads of state and government do their own tweeting. Amongst the Middle Eastern leaders, the most conversational is Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati who personally engages with his 54,700+ followers. One-fifth of his tweets are replies and he regularly has one-hour long Twitter chats with his followers. In November
2011, he organized a Twitter Q&A with UK Ambassador to Lebanon, @HMATomFletcher. Also, Lebanese president Michel Sleiman is one of the few heads of state that occasionally tweets himself, signing his personal tweets MS which are sent straight from his Blackberry. “It is clear that leaders in the region have realized that social media is an effective tool to engage with their people,” said Sunil John, CEO of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller. “Our 2012 ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey revealed that since the Arab Spring, nearly three-quarters of Middle East youth believe their government has become more trustworthy and transparent. They saw the Spring as a positive development and now feel greater optimism about the future. In that con-
text, it is extremely encouraging to see leaders from the region use Twitter as a platform to disseminate information and communicate with their audience.” The recently released Accenture Digital Citizen Pulse Survey affirms that social media is reinventing Government communication. Nearly 51 percent of the respondents from the global survey believe that the ability to interact digitally with the government will encourage them to be more engaged with government. According to Dubai School of Government’s recent Arab Social Media Report, the Arab region has close to 2.1 million active Twitter users tweeting almost 4,000 tweets a minute. The top five Arab countries in terms of Twitter users are: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Lebanon.
FTC completes its privacy settlement with Facebook Facebook made ‘high-profile mistakes’: Zuckerberg
Latest mobile grocery shop targets bored commuters CHICAGO: You wouldn’t think picking up milk at the “L” station would be a good idea. But online grocer Peapod has turned a busy Chicago train station into a virtual supermarket aisle, enabling commuters to use their smartphones to scan and buy any of 70 items on the fly. Appearing overnight on once-barren walls, seven-foot tall virtual shelves line both sides of a 60-foot tunnel, filled with everything from paper towels and diapers to fresh produce. Android and iPhone users can download a free Peapod mobile app to load up their electronic grocery carts for delivery the next day. Chicago, Peapod’s home base and its largest market, is the second US city to roll out the interactive supermarket shelves, which first appeared at Philadelphia train stations last month. Other Chicago locations may be added, and other cities down the line, depending on what happens during a 12week run at the station, which averages 17,640 commuters - and potential shoppers each weekday. “It kind of changes the game for the outof-home advertising medium, almost as a kind of service rather than branding,” said Dave Etherington, senior vice president of marketing and mobile for Titan, a New Yorkbased media firm specializing in out-of-home advertising, which created the campaign for Peapod. A combination of advertising and retailing, the first virtual supermarket was rolled out last summer by British-based chain Tesco, which set up shop at subway stations in Seoul, South Korea. Skokie, Ill.-based Peapod took the idea as a promotional launching pad for its recent expansion into the Philadelphia market. In April, the interactive billboards were placed at 15 train station platforms across the city. The displays were winnowed down to nine locations, which will be running through early June. Response to the ads has been strong, according to Etherington, both in terms of introducing the service, and selling the items on-site to virtual shoppers waiting to catch a train. “It does a fantastic job of branding, but in a very transparent, measurable way, it ships products and it generates revenue,” Etherington said. Founded in Evanston in 1989, Peapod pioneered the concept of online grocery shopping, long before many
people even knew what the internet was. Perhaps ahead of its time, the publicly-traded company struggled during the dotcom bust, and was acquired by Netherlands-based Royal Ahold in 2001. Peapod serves 24 US markets and has delivered 21 million grocery orders in just over two decades. With Internet shopping now fully integrated into the retail landscape, the company introduced its first mobile app about a year ago, trying to get out in front of the next wave in marketing. Used primarily by existing customers to re-order items - called “trash scanning” - the mobile app has new utility with the virtual supermarket billboards, both as a lure for new customers and a way for customers to fill out shopping lists on an ongoing basis. “Grocery shopping doesn’t necessarily happen the way it used to,” said Mike Brennan, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Peapod. “It’s becoming more of a task that happens in multiple steps throughout the week.” The shelves were fully stocked at State Street “L” last week as the first wave of commuters perused the virtual supermarket aisle on their way through the station. Some swiveled, others stay focused on the light at the end of the tunnel and a few stopped to shop. tossing their dog-eared shopping lists away for good. Many commuters took notice of the very realistic depiction of typical grocery store shelves. Items included Huggies Diapers, Coke, Lysol, Swiffer Wet Jet, Bounty paper towels, Barilla ready-to-heat pasta and fresh produce such as apples and bananas. Like a real supermarket, shoppers may need to kneel down slightly to select items from the lower shelves, but most won’t need a stock boy to reach the top shelf with their smart phone scanner. Getting started is pretty easy, even for the technophobe, with instructions spelled out on the wall itself. Making a purchase requires a smartphone and bar code scanner app. First, the shopper downloads a free Peapod app on the wall. To buy requires pointing at the item and scanning its barcode, which shows the price, then checking out. Items will show up at the customer’s door within a day. Push the buy button and its loaded into a virtual shopping cart. Checkout with another click and the items will show up at your door within a day.—MCT
CHICAGO: Peapod’s largest market, is the second US city to roll out interactive supermarket shelves. — MCT
NEW YORK: The Federal Trade Commission voted Friday to finalize its settlement with Facebook, resolving charges that the social network exposed details about users’ lives without getting the required legal consent. Facebook Inc. agreed to submit to government audits of its privacy practices every other year for the next two decades. The company also committed to getting explicit approval from users before changing the types of content it makes public. The settlement, announced in November, is similar to agreements the FTC reached separately with Google Inc. and Myspace. The FTC approved the settlement Friday after a public comment period. It came a day after the FTC fined Google $22.5 million to resolve allegations that Google didn’t comply with the earlier settlement. Facebook didn’t admit any wrongdoing in the settlement, though CEO Mark Zuckerberg conceded in November that the company had made “high-profile mistakes” on privacy over the years. Both Facebook and Google have vast amounts of data on their users - Facebook through the things people share on the site, and Google through the searches and other things people do. Such information is valuable because it can be used to improve the lucrative targeted advertising pitches that both companies aim at users.
Over the years, Facebook has been pushing users to voluntary share more about themselves. That ultimately encourages users and their friends to spend more time on the site, which in turn allows Facebook to sell more ads. Although Facebook boasts that it gives users a variety of software settings so they can decide which photos, links and updates to share with whom, the company changes those options on a regular basis. Much of the FTC’s complaint against Facebook centers on a series of changes that the company made to its privacy controls in late 2009. The revisions automatically shared information and pictures about Facebook users, even if they previously programmed their privacy settings to shield the content. Among other things, people’s profile pictures, lists of online friends and political views were suddenly available for the world to see, the FTC alleged. The complaint also charges that Facebook shared its users’ personal information with third-party advertisers from September 2008 through May 2010 despite several public assurances from company officials that it wasn’t passing the data along for marketing purposes. Facebook believes that happened only in limited instances, generally when users clicked on ads that appeared on their personal profile pages. Most of Facebook’s users click on ads
when they are on their “Wall” - a section that highlights their friends’ posts - or while visiting someone else’s profile page. Under the settlement, Facebook must get explicit consent - a process known as “opting in” - before making changes that override existing privacy preferences. The company also may not make misrepresentations about the privacy or security of users’ personal information - a broad clause that led to Google’s fine on Thursday. Violations will be subject to civil penalties of up to $16,000 per day for each infringement. The FTC approved the settlement 3-1, with one commissioner not participating. Commissioner J Thomas Rosch dissented, as he did with the Google deal on Thursday, partly because it didn’t require an admission of wrongdoing. He also worried the settlement was too vague on whether it applied to Facebook apps written by outside parties. The three commissioners who approved the deal believe it covers apps. Facebook had no comment beyond a statement that it is pleased the settlement received final approval. Facebook’s stock gained 80 cents, or 3.8 percent, to close Friday at $21.81. The company, based in Menlo Park, Calif, began trading publicly in mid-May, after the settlement with the FTC was reached. The stock is now trading 43 percent below its initial public offering price of $38. — AP
New technology for sharing old memories SAN JOSE: For Rudy Adler and Brett Huneycutt, the future of social networking is the past. The co-founders of the San Francisco startup 1000memories are trying to turn the world’s smartphones into tools to digitalize the estimated 1.8 trillion fading and yellowing snapshots that people have lying around in their attics, garages and picture albums often among the most prized, and least seen, of people’s possessions. The goal of the two friends since third grade is to add the past tense to the up-to-the-minute stream of social networks. The company’s iPhone app, called ShoeBox, allows users to photograph their old snapshots with the camera in their smartphone, upload the digital image to the Internet, and share it with anyone they choose. The same day ShoeBox launched in late October, Adler got an email from an interested partner. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wanted to impart a pep talk. “He said that he liked the app and was excited for people to start using it to fill in their Facebook Timelines,” Adler said. Timeline is the prominent new feature on Facebook that is currently being phased in across the 850-million user social network. It’s a sort of digital scrapbook that allows people to tell “the story of their lives,” as Zuckerberg described it when he announced the new feature at Facebook’s annual developer conference in September. 1000memories recently updated its ShoeBox app so a user can photograph an old photo with their iPhone, upload it, and then post it directly to their Facebook Timeline, parking the image in whatever year the photo was originally snapped. ShoeBox is a solution to what remains one of the biggest obstacles to using the Internet to store memories: For most people, the major share of photos, journal entries or other containers of memory are analog, not digital. 1000memories estimates that while about three-quarters of a 25-year-old’s photographs are digital, just 12 percent of a 65year-old’s are. “For most people, there is this really big gap between when you were born and when you joined Facebook,” Adler said. “We think this is going to be a really great tool for people to fill in the back story. “We’ve always been focused on the past tense. We think in general that social media does a bad job of talking about the past tense; it talks about the ‘now,’ “ Adler added. “But there is so much information now, and there are so many problems, like a death, on social media that require a past tense.” ShoeBox is one of a growing list of Timeline apps that includes San Francisco-based
SAN FRANCISCO: Designer Liz Gershman and 1000memories art director works on designing how photo image adjusting tools will appear on the 1000memories app (shown on the computer screen) in their office. — MCT book-sharing service Goodreads, Menlo Park, Calif.-based travel site Gogobot and movie site Rotten Tomatoes, which Facebook says can become as important as old photos to preserve memories and tell your story. Typically, those services are a combination of a website integrated with Facebook and a smartphone app, so a person can instantly share experiences from the real world. The titles of the books people note that they read each month on Goodreads, for example, would show up on the News Feeds of their friends on the social network. The new apps allow people “to bring the important parts of their lives - such as travel memories, favorite books, or movie reviews - to their Timeline,” said Ethan Beard, Facebook’s director of platform partnerships. Facebook’s efforts are just one piece of a broader effort to use the Internet to store memories. Memolane, for example, is a commercial service that allows people to build a timeline of their past activity on a social network like Facebook, Twitter or Google+. Nonprofits are also talking about ways to create tools that will allow the Internet to help store, preserve and organize people’s memories. “It’s an active conversation,” said Brewster Kahle, founder of the nonprofit Internet Archive in San Francisco. “There are definitely people going in this direction.” The Internet Archive recently held a conference that included the Library of Congress and private companies to investigate tools that could do that. But Kahle says he worries that commercial services, even ones as big and powerful as Facebook, are not
always the best way to carry something as invaluable as memories into the future. “How long is Facebook going to be here? I don’t know; how long did Friendster last?” said Kahle, referring to the unsuccessful social network that predated Facebook. “The idea of depending on the commercial service to be there forever is probably not a wise maneuver, but they certainly make things accessible in fun and exciting ways.” Facebook’s partners say that desktop and mobile apps connected to the social network can be a owerful way not only to preserve a memory, but to bring new users to that service. “The longer we’ve all lived in this digital age, the longer we’ve had this information collected about us,” said Otis Chandler, founder and CEO of Goodreads. “I think what Facebook is trying to capture is not letting that data die.” Chandler said in the first month after Goodreads integrated with Facebook Timeline in January, its users have shared on Facebook 6.2 million book titles they have read or rated, and the Goodreads service has had a 50 percent jump in new users. One thing people are doing, he said, is joining Goodreads and listing all the books on their Facebook Timeline that changed their lives as they were growing up, whether it was the discovery of the “Dune” science fiction series in junior high school, or that unforgettable reading of “Catcher in the Rye” in high school. “I think the only surprise is the extent to which people are sharing books into Timeline,” he said. “More people are now discovering
Goodreads as a result, because every book being shared is a link to back to Goodreads.” The ShoeBox iPhone app - an app for Android devices is about a month away - is free and can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store. Most people, Adler said, upload photos first to the 1000memories site, and then decide which pictures they want to share with their friends, or publicly, on Facebook. ShoeBox users have the option of allowing their photos to be found or not found in a Google search. 1000memories is also working with Internet Archive to backup images stored with the service, to assure those images are never lost. For many users, the quality of the ShoeBox photo upload experience will depend on how new their smartphone is. With an older iPhone 3G, the app produced digital copies of snapshots that were disappointingly fuzzy when they were posted to Facebook. A new iPhone 4S, however, produced much sharper digital images that were barely distinguishable from the original after they were posted to Facebook. Adler said he and Huneycutt have always been interested in telling stories through photos. In 2005 and 2006, the friends handed out disposable cameras to Mexican migrants crossing the border into Arizona, as well as to members of the Minutemen group trying to stop them. The photos became the foundation of the Border Film Project, a book and a website. “We’ve always kind of been in the story-telling business,” Adler said. — MCT
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
HEALTH & SCIENCE
New fossils hint at distant cousins to our ancestors New specimens have ‘really distinct profile’
This image provided by NASA shows a high-resolution 360-degree color panorama of Gale Crater taken by the Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars on August 5, 2012. — AP
NASA’s mega-rover landed on Mars, so what’s next?
PASADENA: After a spectacular landing on Mars, the rover Curiosity wasted no time embracing its inner shutterbug, delighting scientists with vistas of Gale Crater complete with sand dunes, mountain views and even haze. Now what? The nuclearpowered, six-wheel Curiosity is on a quest to learn whether the Martian environment could have been favorable for microbial life. Before it can drive, it has to slog through weeks of health checkups. Since it’s the most complex spacecraft ever sent to the red planet, engineers want to make sure it’s in tip-top shape before they hand over the keys to scientists. It already has done a cursory check of its 10 science tools, but more tests are needed. This weekend, its computers get a software update - a process that will last several days. When can we watch a movie of the touchdown? The footage is recorded and stored on board Curiosity and will be downloaded as time allows. It sent back a low-quality video and several high-resolution frames that captured the last few minutes of the descent, providing a sense of a spacecraft landing on another planet. In the video, the protective heat shield pops off and tumbles away. It ends with billow-
ing plumes of dust as Curiosity was safely delivered to the surface. What are the first impressions of Gale Crater? The mission’s chief scientist John Grotzinger said it was like staring at California’s Mojave Desert. The landing site is pebbly with sand dunes nearby and mountains off in the distance. A curtain of haze hung over the site. Curiosity’s destination is Mount Sharp, a 3-mile -high mountain rising from the center of the crater floor near the equator. Observations from space reveal the base of the mountain shows signs of past water - a good place to hunt for the chemical ingredients of life. How did the last Sunday’s landing go? Curiosity’s performance was pretty much on target with expectations. Because it weighed nearly 2,000 pounds, it had to be gently lowered to the surface - a routine NASA had never tried before. A preliminary reconstruction indicates it landed 1 1/2 miles downrange from the bull’s-eye. How many rovers are now on Mars? Curiosity joins the long-running Opportunity, which has been exploring craters in Mars’ southern hemisphere since 2004. Opportunity’s twin, Spirit, fell silent in 2010 after getting stuck in a sand trap. Curiosity’s prime mission lasts two years. — AP
CrossFit gyms sweep nation SACRAMENTO: Inside a warehouse-style gym, a mid-20s woman of pure muscle hoists more than 100 pounds above her head and then sprints to the horizontal bars for pull-ups. Nearby, a newcomer does a tamer version of the same workout, relying on a thick elastic band to help him raise his chin above the bar. This is CrossFit, a style of working out that has swept the nation in the past few years. The number of CrossFit gyms in the Sacramento region now stands at more than 25, up from one in 2006. Bleeding hands and sore muscles are the norm-but CrossFit, launched from Santa Cruz, Calif, a dozen years ago, is being sold to the masses on the notion that they, too, can do things they never dreamed possible. Each day, participants perform an ever-changing but always grueling sequence of exercises dubbed the Workout of the Day, or WOD. The intensity of their effort is offset by the fact that the WOD is short-generally less than 20 minutes. Trainers offer modifications for those who are injured or not yet strong enough to complete the workout as prescribed. “You will do things here that you never thought you could do, and people are cheering you on to reach your goal,” said Christian Norgaard, owner of the American River CrossFit. “You’re going to hurt, but it’s fun when you’re done.” Since founder Greg Glassman posted the first WOD online for his Santa Cruz gym in 2000, the business has expanded to more than 3,600 global affiliates. Each affiliate pays licensing fees to the parent, CrossFit Inc. Norgaard and and his wife, Kathleen, have watched the continued development of the industry since they opened a “box,” as CrossFit gyms are called, in their garage in April of 2008. The Norgaards have gone from business rookies to successful entrepreneurs in just four years. “We never could have expected this,” said Kathleen Norgaard, a mother of two and substitute teacher, who looked on as members overcame shaking arms on a recent Tuesday to complete the WOD’s 45 pull-ups. In 2008, the Norgaards paid a couple thousand dollars for the required affiliate license and a Level One coaching certification. They bought liability insurance and created a website for their home-based
gym. They started out by selling $75 memberships to six soccer moms and fire cadets. Their client roster has since grown to 145 people between the ages of 21 and 63, who work out in a warehouse space off Arden Way that the Norgaards opened in March. Memberships now cost $140 a month. “Everything we made, we reinvested to buy equipment,” Kathleen Norgaard said, adding that they never took on debt. Like many CrossFit owners, the Norgaards did not have an extensive background in business or fitness, and relied on articles by Glassman and online CrossFit forums for guidance. Each CrossFit gym has considerable autonomy. As an affiliate, the Norgaards pay $1,000 to Washington, DCbased CrossFit Inc. each year. They set their own membership prices, create their own workouts and decide on their own what equipment to buy. Typically, a CrossFit gym includes rowing machines, lots of weights, bars for pull-ups, wooden boxes to jump on, balls to throw, sandbags to carry and maybe some sleds to pull. “You don’t need fancy stuff,” Christian Norgaard said, pointing toward the sandfilled ammunition can boxes that served as the weights for the original classes in their garage. While the workouts vary from gym to gym, there are some classic routinessuch as the Fran and the Murph-that are considered must-do benchmarks for CrossFitters. Murph is named for Navy Lt. Michael Murphy who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 and is one of 83 “Hero Workouts” that honors fallen soldiers. The Norgaards now pay seven trainers to staff their gym. Its success has allowed Kathleen Norgaard to quit her full-time teaching position in order to raise their two kids. Just a mile away, Jamie Llopis and his business partners this spring expanded from their initial location to open CrossFit Sacramento on Fulton Avenue. To raise the $75,000 needed for the new gym, Llopis sold 48 percent of the business to his trainers. “We have no debt, we are in the black and we are expanding. Our story is not unique,” Llopis said. It takes $7,500 a month in fees for Llopis to break even after paying salaries, rent and insurance costs. His box has 140 members and is adding five each week.—MCT
SACRAMENTO: Trevor Remick exercises his upper body by performing dips on the rings at the American River Cross Fit Gym. — MCT
WASHINGTON: Our family tree may have sprouted some long-lost branches going back nearly 2 million years. A famous paleontology family has found fossils that they think confirm their theory that there are two additional pre human species besides the one that eventually led to modern humans. A team led by Meave Leakey, daughter-in-law of famed scientist Louis Leakey, found facial bones from one creature and jawbones from two others in Kenya. That led the researchers to conclude that man’s early ancestor had plenty of human-like company from other species. These wouldn’t be Homo erectus, believed to be our direct ancestor. They would be more like very distant cousins, who when you go back even longer in time, shared an ancient common ancestor, one scientist said. But other experts in human evolution aren’t convinced by what they say is a leap to large conclusions based on limited evidence. It’s the continuation of a long-running squabble in anthropology about the earliest members of our own genus, or class, called Homo -an increasingly messy family history. And much of it stems from a controversial discovery that the Leakeys made 40 years ago. In their new findings, the Leakey team says that none of their newest fossil discoveries match erectus, so they had to be from another flatfaced relatively large species with big teeth. The new specimens have “a really distinct profile” and thus they are “something very different,” said Meave Leakey, describing the study published online Wednesday in Nature. What these new bones did match was an old fossil that Meave and her husband Richard helped find in 1972 that was baffling. That skull, called 1470, just didn’t fit with Homo erectus, the Leakeys contended. They said it was too flat-faced with a non-jutting jaw. They initially said it was well more than 2.5 million years old in a dating mistake that was later
seized upon by creationists as evidence against evolution because it indicated how scientists can make dating mistakes. It turned out to be 2 million years old. For the past 40 years, the scientific question has been whether
Turkana region, Leakey said. So that would make two species - erectus and the one represented by 1470. But it’s not that simple. The Leakey scientific team contends that other fossils of old hominids not those cited in their
KOOBI FOR A: A handout photographic reconstruction shows the KNM-ER 1470 cranium, discovered in 1972, combined with the new lower jaw KNM-ER 60000; both are thought to belong to the same species. — AFP 1470 was a freak mutation of erectus or something new. For many years, the Leakeys have maintained that the male skull known as 1470 showed that there were more than one species of ancient hominids, but other scientists said it wasn’t enough proof. The Leakeys’ new discoveries are more evidence that this earlier “enigmatic face” was a separate species, said study co-author Fred Spoor of the Max Planck I nstitute in Germany. The new bones were found between 2007 and 2009 about six miles away from the old site near the fossil-rich Lake
new study - don’t seem to match either erectus or 1470. They argue that the other fossils seem to have smaller heads and not just because they are female. For that reason, the Leakeys believe there were three living Homo species between 1.8 million and 2 million years ago. They would be Homo erectus, the 1470 species, and a third branch. “Anyway you cut it there are three species,” study co-author Susan Anton, an anthropologist at New York University. “One of them is named erectus and that ultimately in our opinion is going to lead to us.” Both of the species that Meave
Leakey said existed back then went extinct more than a million years ago in evolutionary dead-ends. “Human evolution is clearly not the straight line that it once was,” Spoor said. The three different species could have been living at the same time at the same place, but probably didn’t interact much, he said. Still, he said, East Africa nearly 2 million years ago “was quite a crowded place.” And making matters somewhat more confusing, the Leakeys and Spoor refused to give names to the two non-erectus species or attach them to some of the other Homo species names that are in scientific literature but still disputed. That’s because of confusion about what species belongs where, Anton said. Two likely possibilities are Homo rudolfensis -which is where 1470 and its kin seem to belong and Homo habilis, where the other nonerectus belong, Anton said. The team said the new fossils mean scientists can reclassify those categorized as non-erectus species and confirm the earlier but disputed Leakey claim. But Tim White, a prominent evolutionary biologist at the University of California Berkeley, just isn’t buying this new species idea, nor is Milford Wolpoff, a longtime professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan. They said the Leakeys are making too big a jump from too little evidence. White said it’s similar to someone looking at the jaw of a female gymnast in the Olympics, the jaw of a male shot-putter, ignoring the faces in the crowd and deciding the shot-putter and gymnast have to be a different species. Eric Delson, a paleoanthropology professor at Lehman College in New York, said he buys the Leakeys’ study, but added: “There’s no question that it’s not definite.” He said it won’t convince doubters until fossils of both sexes of both non- erectus species are found. “It’s a messy time period,” Delson said. — AP
Britain urges world to unite against hunger LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron was to call on world powers yesterday to boost their efforts to tackle malnutrition across the globe. Taking advantage of the large number of foreign officials gathered in London for the Olympic Games, Cameron was to urge international action to save 25 million children from stunted growth over the next four years. The “hunger summit” at his Downing Street residence is being co-hosted by Vice President Michel Temer of Brazil, which will host the next Summer Olympics at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Olympians including Ethiopian 10,000 metres gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba and British long jump winner Greg Rutherford have signed an open letter urging Cameron to “fire the starting gun on the biggest ever push against hunger and malnutrition”. “With world leaders gathered in London and the eyes of billions focused on Britain, the Olympics is an incredible opportunity to change the destiny of millions of children round the world,” the letter said. “As athletes, we know how essential nutritious food is for people to flourish physically and mentally. “Despite an abundance of food worldwide, one person in seven goes to bed hungry every night and it is children who are often hit hardest.” Cameron was set to pledge £120 million ($188 million, 153 million euros) yesterday for research into drought-resistant and vitaminenhanced crops for Africa and South Asia. “ The figures are shock ing,” Cameron was expected to say at the conference. “One in three child deaths are linked to malnutrition. And 171 million children are so malnourished by the age of two that they can never physically recover. “Even if malnourished children are able to fight off sickness and infection in their earliest years, their bodies and minds never fully develop,” he added. “It is a tragedy for them, and it’s a tragedy for their societies they live in. Children who could grow up to become doctors, farmers, engineers and entrepreneurs or great Olympians are left far behind.” Cameron was also due to announce British funding for a joint programme with Switzerland and Ireland helping people in developing countries to hold officials to account over food aid. Another programme in Kenya will support a mobile texting scheme to allow early warning of “hunger hotspots”, so that food supplies can be delivered more quickly, Downing Street added. World sport stars including Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie and Brazilian footballer Pele were due to attend the summit, along with ministers and international organisations. The conference comes ahead of the closing ceremony for the London Olympics yesterday, which will see the Olympic flame ex tinguished in the British capital and organisers hand over to the Rio 2016 team. — AFP
FORT WORTH: Anthony Arceri, 7, interacts with Zeno at UNT Center for Biohealth. — MCT
Researchers use ‘toy’ robot to gain insight into autistic kids FORT WORTH: Anthony Arceri stood in front of Zeno, a friendly, child-size robot that was ready to play. “ What is your favorite food?” Zeno asked Anthony, a 7year-old decked out in a black outfit covered with sensors. “Chocolate milk and french fries,” Anthony responded. “I love chocolate milk,” Zeno said. When Zeno raised his arm, so did Anthony. When Zeno rubbed his stomach, so did Anthony. While the interaction between Anthony and the robot - which stands about 2 feet tall, can move its arms and has lifelike facial expressions - may seem like just high-tech fun, researchers hope it holds the key to early diagnosis and treatment of autism. Researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, the Dallas Autism Treatment Center, Texas Instruments and Hanson Robotics are collaborating on a one-year project that is funded in part by a $100,000 grant from the Texas Medical Research Collaborative. Nicoleta Bugnariu, associate professor at the health science center and a physical therapist/neuroscientist, said it is important to diagnose autism during motor skill development, which precedes language development. Autism spectrum disorders are not often diagnosed until a child is speaking. “If we can look at a marker prior to language development, then we can diagnose children earlier and intervene earlier,” Bugnariu said. Pamela Rainville, Anthony’s mother, said she hopes the research will give doctors and other professionals additional information that will not only help teach her son how to interact but also provide him and others with life skills. “We just hope that by doing this research, that it will help someone else,” Rainville said. Dan Popa, an associate professor of electrical engineering at UTA and the lead investigator, has been
involved in robotic research for 20 years. He said the trend is for robots to be used outside the lab. Robots help people who have difficulty moving and teach children how to interact. Since Zeno is a social robot, responding to verbal commands and gestures, autistic children see it as a toy and won’t be threatened, he said. “Autistic children are very drawn to this robot. It’s easier for them to respond to this robot as opposed to an adult.” Carolyn Garver, who is director of the Dallas Autism Treatment Center and is recruiting participants for the study, said the data collected from the robot and virtual-reality games will give doctors and others involved information that is sometimes difficult for humans to discern, such as ways of moving the body or eyes. She said there are no biological methods for determining autism. Four children have signed up, but researchers hope to have 10. As the testing continued, Anthony hopped onto a treadmill with a 180-degree curved screen. Researchers used several scenarios, such as a shooting gallery, that measured Anthony’s movements as he shot at rubber ducks. Another scenario showed a path going through woods leading to a house. Anthony had to shoo away birds by moving his arms as he walked on the treadmill. Rainville said that autism differs from one child to the next and that working with Zeno is not the answer for everyone. But she has visited the health science center twice and will come back in about four months. She said her son likes the interaction with technology and wants to have a treadmill with a TV at home. “I wouldn’t do this (participate in the project) if he didn’t enjoy it. He likes tr ying new things,” Rainville said. “I want to make sure that Anthony succeeds in life when I can’t be there to help him.” — MCT
H E A LT H & S C I E NC E
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
Doctors target gun violence as a social disease MILWAUKEE: Is a gun like a virus, a car, tobacco or alcohol? Yes say public health experts, who in the wake of recent mass shootings in the US are calling for a fresh look at gun violence as a social disease. What is needed, they say, is a public health approach to the problem, like the highway safety measures, product changes and driving laws that slashed deaths from car crashes decades ago, even as the number of vehicles on the road rose. One example: Guardrails are now curved to the ground instead of having sharp metal ends that stick out and pose a hazard in a crash. “People used to spear themselves and we blamed the drivers for that,” said Dr Garen Wintemute, an emergency medicine professor who directs the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis. It wasn’t enough back then to curb deaths just by trying to make people better drivers, and it isn’t enough now to tackle gun violence by focusing solely on the people doing the shooting, he and other doctors say. They want a science -based, pragmatic approach based on the reality that we live in a society saturated with guns and need better ways of preventing harm from them. The need for a new approach crystallized last Sunday for one of the nation’s leading gun violence experts, Dr Stephen Hargarten. He found himself treating victims of the Sikh temple shootings at the emergency department he heads in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Seven people were killed, including the gunman, and three were seriously injured. It happened two weeks after the shooting that killed 12 people and injured 58 at a movie theater in Colorado, and two days before a man pleaded guilty to killing six people and wounding 13, including then-US Rep Gabrielle Giffords, in Tucson, Arizona, last year. “What I’m struggling with is, is this the new social norm? This is what we’re going to have to live with if we have more personal access to firearms,” said Hargar ten, emergenc y medicine chief at Froedtert Hospital and director of the Injury Research Centre at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “We have a public health issue to discuss. Do we wait for the next outbreak or is there something we can do to prevent it?”
About 260 million to 300 million firearms are owned by civilians in the United States; about one-third of American homes have one. Guns are used in two-thirds of homicides, according to the FBI. About 9 percent of all violent crimes involve a gun - roughly 338,000 cases each year. Mass shootings don’t seem to be on the rise, but not all police agencies report details like the number of victims per shooting and reporting lags by more than a year, so recent trends are not known. “The greater toll is not from these clusters but from endemic violence, the stuff that occurs every day and doesn’t make the headlines,” said Wintemute, the California researcher. More than 73,000 emergency room visits in 2010 were for firearm-related injuries, the federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. At the same time, violent
crime has been falling and the murder rate is less than half what it was two decades ago. And Gallup polls have shown suppor t for stricter gun laws has been falling since 1990. Last year 55 percent of Americans said gun laws should remain the same or become more lenient. Dr David Satcher tried to make gun violence a public health issue when he became CDC director in 1993. Four years later, laws that allow the carrying of concealed weapons drew attention when two women were shot at an Indianapolis restaurant after a patron’s gun fell out of his pocket and accidentally fired. Ironically, the victims were health educators in town for an American Public Health Association convention. That same year, Hargarten won a federal grant to establish the nation’s first Firearm Injur y Center at the
MILWAUKEE: In this photo, Dr Stephen W Hargarten poses for a photo at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin. — AP
Medical College of Wisconsin. “Unlike almost all other consumer products, there is no national product safety oversight of firearms,” he wrote in the Wisconsin Medical Journal. That’s just one aspect of a public health approach. Other elements: “Host” factors: What makes someone more likely to shoot, or someone more likely to be a victim. One recent study found firearm owners were more likely than those with no firearms at home to binge drink or to drink and drive, and other research has tied alcohol and gun violence. That suggests that people with driving under the influence convictions should be barred from buying a gun, Wintemute said. Product features: Which firearms are most dangerous and why. Manufacturers could be pressured to fix design defects that let guns go off accidentally, and to add technology that allows only the owner of the gun to fire it (many police officers and others are shot with their own weapons). Bans on assault weapons and multiple magazines that allow rapid and repeat firing are other possible steps. “Environmental” risk factors: What conditions allow or contribute to shootings. Gun shops must do background checks and refuse to sell firearms to people convicted of felonies or domestic violence misdemeanors, but those convicted of other violent misdemeanors can buy whatever they want. The rules also don’t apply to private sales, which one study estimates as 40 percent of the market. Disease patterns, observing how a problem spreads. Gun ownership - a precursor to gun violence - can spread “much like an infectious disease circulates,” said Daniel Webster, a health policy expert and co-director of the Johns Hopk ins Center for Gun Polic y and Research in Baltimore. “There’s sort of a contagion phenomenon” after a shooting, where people feel they need to have a gun for protection or retaliation, he said. That’s already evident in the wake of the Colorado movietheater shootings during a screening of the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Last week, repor ts popped up around the nation of people bringing guns to the “Batman” movie. Some of them said they did so for protection. — MCT
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
WHAT’S ON
SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! This summer, let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net
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Al-Jahra Copthorne Hotel & Resort hosts iftar Competitions in Patriotic songs ndo-Kuwait Friendship Society, Kuwait (www.indokuwaitfriendshipsociety.com) is planning to conduct competitions in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. This is the first time in Kuwait, an Indian Association is organizing contests in “Patriotic Songs” for both Indian and Kuwaiti School students. The first 3 places will be declared separately by Judges who are experts in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. Several prizes and awards will be handed over for the winning schools. Pradeep Rajkumar and A K S Abdul Nazar said that IKFS wants let our children learn what they mean as a “Patriotic” to their home country. 4 pages of spot Essay competition related to “Patriotism” also will be held in the same day as a spot registration. 1 Girl and 1 Boy student from each School can participate in the ESSAY contest. Dr. Mohamed Tareq, Chairman of the First Indian Model School in Kuwait “ Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS) already confirmed as a Co-Sponsor of the Program.
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l-Jahra Copthorne Hotel & Resort recently hosted an iftar party for its staff in celebration of the holy month of Ramadan. The event took place in Slayil Ballroom and was attended by more than 100 staff members, senior managers and their families. Highlight of the program is the presentation of special award to commendable staff for the exceptional service provided to the hotel and its valued guests. Ms. Rhea Dejando
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was awarded “Outstanding Service Excellence” for her dedication and professionalism. Ms. Dejando was chosen from a shortlist of 3 candidates for the title. Al-Jahra Copthorne Hotel & Resort General Manager, Dani Saleh said: “Ramadan is the season for giving and sharing and we wanted to share the spirit of the Holy Month with our staff. This get-together has a special significance
for all of us in celebrating Ramadan as well as celebrating the success of the hotel.” Part of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, one of the world’s largest hotel companies with more than 120 owned and managed hotels across 20 countries, the Al-Jahra Copthorne Hotel and Resort is located in Al-Jahra - a growing city within driving distance of the Saudi Arabian border, 25 minutes from the international airport and 20 minutes
from Kuwait City Centre. Part of the ‘Slayil Al-Jahra Tourist Resort’, the hotel has access to a shopping mall, theme park and numerous restaurants nearby. It offers an attentive, personal service as well as boasting business and convention centre services and an outdoor pool.
Aware Centre he AWARE Management is glad to inform you that Summer 3 Arabic language courses will begin on August 12, 2012 until September 26, 2012. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers & those working in the private business sector. Arabic classes at the AWARE Center are unique because students are provided with the chance to practice their Arabic through various social activities that aim at bringing Arabs and Westerners together.
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AWARE Arabic courses highlights * Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics * Better prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic * Combine language learning with cultural insights * Taught in multi-nationality group settings * Provide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs. For more information log onto: www.aware.com.kw.
Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons holds annual iftar elebrating the holy month of Ramadan, engineering group from Yusuf Ahmad Alghanim & Sons company invited all the workers of the group to a Ramadan iftar, held at AlDabbous Hall on July 25 and 30, 2011. One of the many aims of this social gathering is to strengthen the friendly environment amongst the staff away from the work atmosphere, especially in a
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month whose value are the communication, tolerance, cooperation, and equality. Ahmed Kassem Hammoud, Vice President and Samer Berkadar, Group General Manager - Engineering Group appreciated the efforts of workers and their contributions to the continued success of the company and developed, and stressed on pursuing this excellence and
outstanding performance of the group, and also to enhance the positive spirit amongst the workers for more development and productivity. They also referred to the value of giving and sharing that Ramadan holds, and that’s why this gathering is organized as part of the group’s strategy of internal communication. The iftar gathering concluded with an
awarding ceremony where some workers were awarded for their outstanding performance. And after the iftar, the attendees enjoyed the friendly chit chat time that reflected the family spirit that the workers have and live in the engineering group.
Attention Kids! EF VBS 12 starting from Aug 24, 2012. Six Exciting days of singing, games & bible stories for children of all ages. HURRY Limited Seats. Register Online www.cefkuwait.org.
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Four Seasons Resort Mauritius set for AfrAsia Golf Masters 2012
India’s Flag Hoisting Ceremony n the occasion of the Independence Day of India, a Flag Hoisting Ceremony will take place at the Indian Embassy premises on Arabian Gulf Street at 0700 hours on Wednesday, August 15, 2012. The flag hoisting will be followed by the reading of the message of the Honorable President of India and singing of patriotic songs. All Indian nationals are cordially invited to attend the function. The customary Open House Reception after the ceremony is not being held this year in view of the holy month of Ramadan.
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ombining a spectacular oceanfront course, professional players from the European Tour and 20 of the best French players, luxurious pool villa accommodations and a captivating calendar of gala dinners and cocktail events, the AfrAsia Golf Masters 2012 is a must for any keen golfer’s calendar. Taking place for the third consecutive year, the AfrAsia Golf Masters 2012 will be held at Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius at Anahita between December 9 and 16, on the championship course designed by the victor of the
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Burgan Bank celebrates Girgian with the special care complex urgan Bank recently celebrated Girgian at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor’s special care complex. The bank’s famous “BuBa” Kids Account character welcomed children, orphans as well as the elderly with a range of Girgi’an boxes, as well as other forms of entertainment that highlighted the importance and true spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Burgan Bank continues to support the different segments across the Kuwaiti society. The bank’s corporate social responsibility portfolio continues to grow with a wide array of initiatives that demonstrate its leadership as a financial institution that is socially dedicated.
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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20
‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to- 97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm. Registration for Ramadan STARS Squash Tournament begins Once again this year, the stage is set for the fourth annual ‘Ramadan STARS Squash Tournament’ to be held from August 3 to 9 at the Kazma Sporting Club, Adailiya. Abdulrahim Al-Awadi, the Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee has announced that doors are now open for registration to all those who are interested in participating, stating that the deadline for registration will be August 1. The participation in this tournament is open to all and will fall under three categories this year. The first category is for amateurs from
recent British Open, Ernie Els. The event will feature two days of Pro-Am, two half-days of Alliance, two half-days of Open Amateur competition and the professional tournament. Last year’s winner Gregory Havret, along with current world number 33 Nicolas Colsaerts, are already confirmed to appear in the tournament, with up to 28 more professional players still to be announced. Guests wishing to attend the AfrAsia Golf Masters can take advantage of the exclusive Four Seasons package, which
includes: seven nights in a private pool villa; daily breakfast; lunch at Four Seasons Golf Clubhouse; and all the gala dinners, cocktail events and restaurant dinners for each evening, as per the tournament program. The package is priced at EUR 2,750.00 per person (plus 15 percent VAT), based on two people sharing a Garden Pool Villa. Amateur golfers wishing to join in the action can register for the two day Pro-Am and two half-days of Open Amateur competition as part of a set package, with registration priced at EUR 600.00.
ages 17 and above, second category is for professional players from ages 20 and above and the third category is for ladies 17 and above. Following its last three years of grand success, the 4th annual Ramadan STARS Squash Tournament is being organized during Ramadan for squash lovers who will have an opportunity to practice the sport while being encouraged to develop their skills in a healthy, competitive and social environment. All details pertaining to the tournament and means to participate can be found on the tournaments facebook page under ‘Ramadan Stars Squash Tourney’ or follow the official twitter page @RamadanStars for updates. The registration is taking place at GO SPORT store located at The Avenues Mall. Alawadi also pointed out the great interest the ‘Ramadan Stars Squash tournament’ received from the private sector, where companies took the initiative in sponsoring the tournament. Alawadi expressed his gratitude and thanks to Kazma Sporting Clun, Go Sport, Comtel, Vio, Unite Colors and Alawadi Photography guaranteeing unique prizes for all winners.
days a week in the mornings from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm and in the evenings from 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm. On this occasion, Burgan Bank extends its best wishes to everyone during the holy month of Ramadan.
Burgan Bank announces branch timings for Ramadan Burgan Bank announced its new branch timings which will be applicable all throughout the holy month of Ramadan. All Burgan Bank branches will commence work in one shift from 10 am to 1:30 pm. Additionally, the Airport branch will be open seven
KIB announces Ramadan working hours Kuwait International Bank has announced its working hours during the holy month of Ramadan in a press statement released by the bank stating: “We would like to congratulate our valued customers on the start of the holy month of Ramadan, and we are glad to announce that the bank’s working hours will be from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm at the head offices and its 18 branches distributed around Kuwait.” Similar to every year, KIB services and products will be accessible to all customers during the bank’s working hours, and around the clock customers can perform their banking transactions and submit their enquiries through Al-Dawli Weyak which offers a dedicated 24/7 call center and can accessed from anywhere around the world. KIB customers can also use Al-Dawli Online and SMS Banking to further manage their accounts and banking needs around the clock. For more information on KIB’s services and products, please visit the bank’s website on www.kib.com.kw or check the latest updates on www.facebook.com/aldawlibank or follow us on Twitter @alDawliBank.
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
WHAT’S ON
Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian ConsulateGeneral in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE
Grand ghabqa at ICSK he Indian Community School, Kuwait had become a rendezvous for the dignitaries from various walks of life during the Ghabqa 2012 organized by the Board of Trustees of the school on August 9, 2012. It was a memorable fellowship for the school with friends, supporters, well wishers
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and surrounding community. Satish C. Mehta, the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait inaugurated the function. He conveyed the Ramadan greetings to all and appreciated the board’s secular outlook. The function started at 8:30 pm with prayer and recital of he Holy Quran. Vijay Karayi, Hon. Secretary of the Board
of Trustees welcomed the gathering. Rajan Daniel, the Hon Vice Chairman delivered the presidential address. Dr Saleh Al-Yaseen, Head, Kuwait Cultural Office Dubai and Former Under Secretary, Ministry of education Kuwait and Essa Abdul Rahman Al-Essa, sponsor, the ICSK were the guests of honour.
The function was felicitated by S K Wadhawan, President, Indian Business Council, Dr Narayanan Nampoori and Rajpal Thyagi (Board Members, ICSK). Archibald Menezes, Board Member of the ICSK rendered vote of thanks.
The Embassy of Argentina requests all Argentinean citizens in Kuwait to proceed to our official email ekuwa@mrecic.gov.ar in order to register or update contact information. The embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the embassy. The registration process helps the Argentinean Government to contact and assist Argentineans living abroad in case of any emergency. ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF BRITAIN Consular section at the British Embassy will be starting an online appointment booking system for our consular customers from Sunday, 01 July 2012. All information including how to make an appointment is now available on the embassy website. In addition, there is also a “Consular Appointment System” option under Quick links on the right hand side on the homepage, which should take you to the “Consular online booking appointment system” main page. Please be aware that from 01 July 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers for legalisation, notarial services and certificates (birth, death and marriages). If you have problems accessing the system or need to make an appointment for nonnotarial consular issues or have a consular emergency, please call 2259 4355/7/8 or email us on consularenquirieskuwait@fco.gov.uk. If you require consular assistance out of office hours (working hours: 0730-l430 hrs), please contact the Embassy on 2259 4320. ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF FRANCE
The French Embassy in Kuwait will be closed to the public on Wednesday August 15, 2012 on the occasion of the Assumption. On the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, the French Embassy in Kuwait will be closed on the first and the second day of Eid. ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF INDIA During the holy month of Ramadan, the office timings of the Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres of BLS International Visa Services Co, Kuwait, situated at (i) Emad Commercial Centre, Basement Floor, Ahmed Al Jaber Street, Sharq, Kuwait, and (ii) Mujamma Unood, 4th floor, Office No. 25-26 Makka Street, Fahaheel, Kuwait, will be from 8.00 am - 3.00 pm from Saturday to Thursday (i.e. six days a week). Tokens for submission of applications will NOT be issued after 2.00 pm. Delivery of passports and visas will be from 11.00 am onwards. Embassy of India, Kuwait, will maintain its usual working hours. ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea and its consular section will be closed on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 to observe Korean National Liberation Day. Work will be resumed at the Embassy on Thursday, August 16, 2012. ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF MEXICO The Embassy of Mexico is pleased to inform that it is located in CLIFFS Complex, Villa 6, Salmiya, block 9, Baghdad street, Jadda Lane 7. The working hours for consular issues are from 9:00 to 12:00 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 14:00 to 15:00 hours for lunch break. The Embassy of Mexico kindly requests all Mexicans citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the e-mail: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN
On the occasion of Pakistan Independence Day on August 14, 2012, a flag hoisting ceremony will be held at the premises of embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Jabriya, at 8:00 am. ■■■■■■■
EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES
In reference to our announcement last July 14 2012 announcing the transfer and opening of our new Philippine Overseas Labor Office due on August 1 , we regret to inform Filipinos in Kuwait that due to unavoidable circumstances, the August 1 opening will be moved to new date August 5. POLO will be closed to public transactions on July 30, 31 and August 1 & 2. For emergency please contact the POLO hotline at Tel 99558527.
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
TV PROGRAMS
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Ultimate Air Jaws Animal Cops Houston Monster Bug Wars Wildest Latin America Wild France Dolphin Days Dolphin Days Dogs 101: Specials Karina: Wild On Safari Austin Stevens Adventures Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Breed All About It Jeff Corwin Unleashed Jeff Corwin Unleashed Monster Bug Wars Wildlife SOS Orangutan Island Animal Cops Houston Vet On The Loose Vet On The Loose Animal Precinct Monster Bug Wars Karina: Wild On Safari Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Michaela’s Animal Road Trip Cats 101 Cats 101 Wildlife SOS Orangutan Island Monkey Life Animal Battlegrounds Wildest Africa Dogs 101: Specials Cats 101 Animal Cops Houston
00:35 DIY SOS 01:00 DIY SOS 01:30 MasterChef Australia 01:55 MasterChef Australia 02:45 MasterChef Australia 03:10 MasterChef Australia 03:40 MasterChef Australia 04:30 MasterChef Australia 05:15 MasterChef Australia 05:45 MasterChef Australia 06:35 MasterChef Australia 07:05 MasterChef Australia 07:50 MasterChef Australia 08:40 Celebrity Fantasy Homes 09:25 Bargain Hunt 10:10 Antiques Roadshow 11:05 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:25 10 Years Younger 13:15 Gok’s Fashion Fix 14:05 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 14:55 Antiques Roadshow 15:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 18:55 Masterchef: The Professionals 19:25 James Martin’s Champagne 19:55 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 21:20 Antiques Roadshow 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:45 Holmes On Homes
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BBC World News London Live Worlds Of English BBC World News London Live Sport Today Our World BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday India Business Report BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Hardtalk BBC World News
07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 BBC World News 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 BBC World News 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 BBC World News 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 BBC World News 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 16:30 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk
00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:00 05:25 05:50 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:55 07:20 07:45 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 Doo 10:55 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:20 13:35 14:00 14:50 15:15 Doo 15:40 16:00 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 17:55 18:10 18:35 19:00
Puppy In My Pocket Tom & Jerry Kids Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Popeye Classics Dexter’s Laboratory Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes The Scooby Doo Show Johnny Bravo The Flintstones The Jetsons Wacky Races The Garfield Show Tom & Jerry Kids Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Puppy In My Pocket Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm
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Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye The Jetsons Duck Dodgers
00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures... 06:25 Casper’s Scare School 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Johnny Test 08:05 Grim Adventures Of... 08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Chowder 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10 13:30 Sym-Bionic Titan 13:55 Foster’s Home For... 14:20 Foster’s Home For... 14:45 Angelo Rules 15:35 Powerpuff Girls 16:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 16:40 Johnny Test 17:05 Adventure Time 17:30 Regular Show 17:55 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 18:20 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 18:45 Young Justice 19:10 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:35 Adventure Time 20:00 Ben 10 20:25 Ben 10 20:50 Ben 10 21:15 Grim Adventures Of... 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder
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Living Golf World Sport World Report World Report Backstory Talk Asia Fareed Zakaria GPS CNN Newsroom Eco Solutions World’s Untold Stories World Sport Inside Africa World Report World Report World Sport World’s Untold Stories World Business Today Backstory African Voices World One Fareed Zakaria GPS News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange World Sport
ROAD TO PERDITION ON OSN ACTION HD
19:30 African Voices 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson
00:40 Finding Bigfoot 01:35 Finding Bigfoot 02:30 Finding Bigfoot 03:25 Finding Bigfoot 04:20 Finding Bigfoot 05:15 Finding Bigfoot 06:05 Finding Bigfoot 07:00 American Chopper 07:50 Mythbusters 08:45 Ultimate Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Kings 10:30 How Do They Do It? 10:55 How It’s Made 11:25 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 12:20 River Monsters 13:15 River Monsters 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Auction Kings 15:05 Ultimate Survival 16:00 American Chopper 16:55 Fifth Gear 17:20 American Loggers 18:15 Mythbusters 19:10 How Do They Do It? 19:40 How It’s Made 20:05 Border Security 20:35 Auction Kings 21:00 The Gadget Show 21:30 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 22:25 River Monsters 23:20 Robson Green’s Extreme Fishing Challenge
00:05 00:35 End? 01:25 02:15 02:45 03:35 04:00 04:25 End? 05:15 05:40 06:05 06:30 07:00 07:50 07:53 08:20 08:50 09:40 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:45 15:35 16:00 16:03 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:40
Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry? On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Deadly Sins Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Dr G: Medical Examiner
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Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles City Chase Rome Departures Travel Oz Travel Oz Don’t Tell My Mother Gone to save the planet Gone to save the planet Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles City Chase Rome Departures Travel Oz Travel Oz Don’t Tell My Mother Gone to save the planet Gone to save the planet Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles City Chase Rome Departures Travel Oz Travel Oz Don’t Tell My Mother Gone to save the planet Gone to save the planet Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles Madventures Madventures Long Way Down Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives: USA
00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00
Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles City Chase Rome Departures Travel Oz Travel Oz Don’t Tell My Mother Gone to save the planet Gone to save the planet Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles City Chase Rome Departures Travel Oz Travel Oz Don’t Tell My Mother Gone to save the planet Gone to save the planet Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles City Chase Rome Departures Travel Oz Travel Oz Don’t Tell My Mother Gone to save the planet Gone to save the planet Kimchi Chronicles Kimchi Chronicles Madventures Madventures Long Way Down Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives: USA
Junk Men Curiosity: How Will The World Mighty Ships Game Changers Human Nature Junk Men Junk Men Curiosity: How Will The World Sci-Fi Science Sci-Fi Science Game Changers Game Changers Human Nature Head Rush Weird Connections Sci-Fi Science Sport Science Scrapheap Challenge Mega World Mega World Mega World Nyc: Inside Out Nyc: Inside Out Nyc: Inside Out The Gadget Show Head Rush Weird Connections Sci-Fi Science How Stuff Works Sport Science How The Universe Works Mighty Ships Mega World The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Mighty Ships Mega World Sport Science
00:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 00:55 Style Star 01:25 THS 02:20 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Then And Now 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 10:15 THS 12:05 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 12:35 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 13:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Giuliana & Bill 17:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 18:55 THS 19:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:55 Ice Loves Coco 21:25 Ice Loves Coco 21:55 Ice Loves Coco 22:25 E! Investigates 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians
00:30 00:55 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:10 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 Jones 11:10 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 Jones 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40
19:05 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40
Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered Australian Families Of Crime American Greed Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered On The Case With Paula Zahn Mystery Diagnosis Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol FBI Case Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry? True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Forensic Detectives FBI Case Files Real Emergency Calls
00:00 Megacities 01:00 Storm Worlds 02:00 Salvage Code Red 03:00 Megacities 04:00 Engineering Connections 05:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 06:00 Pirate Patrol 07:00 Naked Science 08:00 Megacities 09:00 Storm Worlds 10:00 Salvage Code Red 11:00 Megacities 12:00 Engineering Connections 13:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 14:00 Pirate Patrol 15:00 Naked Science 16:00 World’s Toughest Fixes 17:00 Storm Worlds 18:00 Salvage Code Red 19:00 Megacities 20:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 21:00 Hunter Hunted 22:00 Nomads 23:00 Naked Science
00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40
Aerial Assasins Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy The Living Edens World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals Wild Russia Built For The Kill The Living Edens World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals Planet Carnivore Planet Carnivore Predator CSI Monster Fish Hidden Worlds Hidden Worlds World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals The Pack The Pack Predator CSI The Living Edens World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals Planet Carnivore Planet Carnivore
Aerial Assasins Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy The Living Edens World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals Wild Russia
THE KINGʼS SPEECH ON OSN CINEMA 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
Built For The Kill The Living Edens World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals Planet Carnivore Planet Carnivore Predator CSI Monster Fish Hidden Worlds Hidden Worlds World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals The Pack The Pack Predator CSI The Living Edens World’s Deadliest Animals World’s Deadliest Animals Planet Carnivore Planet Carnivore
00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00
Assassination Games-18 Hackers-PG15 Rollerball-18 So Close-PG15 The Reunion-PG15 Twins Mission-PG15 Friday Night Lights-PG15 The Reunion-PG15 Arlington Road-PG15 Friday Night Lights-PG15 Sniper: Reloaded-18 Road To Perdition-18
01:00 African Cats: Kingdom Of Courage-PG 03:00 13-PG15 05:00 Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil-PG 07:00 A Trace Of Danger-PG15 09:00 African Cats: Kingdom Of Courage-PG 11:00 13-PG15 13:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 15:00 Ice Age-FAM 17:00 Kings Ransom-PG15 18:00 Unmatched-PG15 19:00 The King’s Speech-PG15 21:00 Paranormal Activity 2-18 23:00 Honey 2-PG15
00:00 Breaking In 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Friends 02:00 Friends 02:30 Seinfeld 03:00 Whitney 03:30 Last Man Standing 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Weird Science 06:00 Friends 06:30 Dharma And Greg 08:30 Whitney 09:00 Weird Science 09:30 Two And A Half Men 10:00 The Office 10:30 Dharma And Greg 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Friends 13:00 Weird Science 13:30 Dharma And Greg 14:00 Last Man Standing 14:30 The Office 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Friends 18:00 Whitney 18:30 Raising Hope 19:30 The Office 20:00 Friends With Benefits 20:30 Breaking In 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Wilfred 22:30 American Dad 23:00 Seinfeld 23:30 Friends With Benefits
00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
Bones Top Gear Specials Burn Notice Covert Affairs Desperate Housewives The View Good Morning America The Practice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Desperate Housewives The View Bones Covert Affairs Live Good Morning America The Practice The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Suits Justified Missing Top Gear Specials Desperate Housewives
00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00
Criminal Minds Top Gear Specials Grey’s Anatomy Bones Covert Affairs Grey’s Anatomy Criminal Minds Emmerdale Coronation Street Necessary Roughness Top Gear Specials Bones Burn Notice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness Criminal Minds Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness Suits Justified Missing Top Gear Specials Grey’s Anatomy
01:00 Alive-PG15 03:15 X-Men-PG15 05:15 Smoke Screen-PG15 07:00 True Justice: Deadly CrossingPG15 09:00 I Am Number Four-PG15 11:00 Smoke Screen-PG15 13:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 15:00 I Am Number Four-PG15 17:00 The Librarian: The Curse Of Judas Chalice-PG15 19:00 The Craigslist Killer-PG15 21:00 Double Impact-18 23:00 The Morgue-18
00:00 French Kiss-PG15 02:00 Frank McKlusky, C.I.-PG15 04:00 That’s What I Am-PG15 06:00 Mean Girls 2-PG15 08:00 Frank McKlusky, C.I.-PG15 10:00 Open Season 3-FAM 12:00 The Prince And Me 4: The Elephant Adventure-PG15 14:00 The Lightkeepers-PG15 16:00 Open Season 3-FAM 18:00 Bob Roberts-PG15 20:00 Joe Dirt-PG15 22:00 Failure To Launch-PG15
01:15 The Weather Man-18 03:00 Fargo-18 04:45 Don’t Look Back-PG15 06:45 2001: A Space Odyssey-PG15 09:00 The Third Wave-PG15 11:00 Bobby Jones: Stroke Of Genius-PG 13:15 Sundays At Tiffany’s-PG15 15:00 The Third Wave-PG15 17:00 Eight Below-PG
19:00 The Headless Woman-PG15 21:00 The Horse Whisperer-PG15 23:45 The Kid-18
01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 PG15 09:00 11:15 PG15 13:00 14:45 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00
Red-PG15 Cars 2-FAM Hurricane Season-PG15 My Girlfriend’s BoyfriendAnother Year-PG15 Justice For Natalee HollowayElevator Girl-PG15 Flash Of Genius-PG15 Another Year-PG15 Arthur-PG15 Hanna-PG15 Honey 2-PG15
00:00 Snow Dogs-PG 02:00 Winner & The Golden Child: Part II-FAM 04:00 The Borrowers-PG 06:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG 08:00 Emilie Jolie-PG 10:00 Good Boy!-PG 12:00 The Borrowers-PG 14:00 In Search Of The Titanic-PG 16:00 Kung Fu Magoo-FAM 18:00 Good Boy!-PG 20:00 Mia And The Migoo-PG 22:00 In Search Of The Titanic-PG
01:30 Super League 04:00 NRL Premiership 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony 10:00 Super League 12:00 Live NRL Premiership 14:00 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony 17:00 PGA Championship 21:30 Live Super League
02:00 NRL Premiership 04:00 Trans World Sport 05:00 The PGA Championship 10:30 Olympic Highlights 11:30 Olympic Highlights 12:30 Trans World Sport 13:30 Super Rugby Highlights 14:30 Futbol Mundial 15:00 NRL Premiership 17:00 Olympic Highlights 18:00 Olympic Highlights 19:00 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony 22:00 The PGA Championship
00:30 AFL Premiership 03:00 Trans World Sport 04:30 Super League 06:30 Total Rugby 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 World Match Racing Tour Highlights 09:00 AFL Premiership 11:30 City Centre Races 13:30 City Centre Races 15:00 Trans World Sport 16:00 World Match Racing Tour Highlights 17:00 Super Rugby Highlights 18:00 Golfing World 19:00 AFL Premiership 20:00 NRL Premiership 22:00 AFL Premiership
02:30 03:30 05:30 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 22:00 23:00
UFC The Ultimate Fighter WWE SmackDown V8 Supercars Highlights Mobil 1 The Grid WWE Bottomline WWE Experience NHL V8 Supercars Highlights V8 Supercars Highlights WWE Bottomline WWE Experience WWE SmackDown UFC 150 Prelims UFC 150 UFC The Ultimate Fighter NHL
Classifieds MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION
Airlines JZR ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD THY FDB MSR QTR ALK KAC THY DHX KAC BAW JZR KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY KAC QTR FDB ETD KAC GFA IRC UAE MEA MSR MSC JZR MSR OMA KNE QTR SVA MPH RJA KAC KAC QTR SYR KAC KAC ETD UAE UAL SVA GFA JZR BAB JZR ABY KAC KAC KAC MSC MSR KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI FDB MEA QTR GFA FDB ALK UAE JZR ETD QTR AIC GFA UAL TAR DLH CLX MSR THY KLM JZR PIA
Arrival Flights on Monday 13/8/2012 Flt Route 267 BEIRUT 620 ADDIS ABABA 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 768 ISTANBUL 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 549 ZURICH 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 555 ALEXANDRIA 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 284 DHAKA 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 344 CHENNAI 213 BAHRAIN 6521 LAMERD 871 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 645 MUSCAT 472 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 77 AMSTERDAM 640 AMMAN 788 JEDDAH 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 341 DAMASCUS 118 NEW YORK 538 SOHAG 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 510 RIYADH 215 BAHRAIN 177 DUBAI 436 BAHRAIN 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 542 CAIRO 786 JEDDAH 104 LONDON 405 SOHAG 620 ASSIUT 774 RIYADH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 742 DAMMAM 572 MUMBAI 61 DUBAI 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 59 DUBAI 229 COLOMBO 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 307 ABU DHABI 136 DOHA 975 CHENNAI 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 327 TUNIS 636 FRANKFURT 753 LUXEMBOURG 614 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 411 AMSTERDAM 539 CAIRO 239 SIALKOT
Time 0:50 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 3:10 3:20 3:25 4:05 4:10 4:35 5:00 6:15 6:30 6:40 7:15 7:35 7:50 8:05 8:20 8:25 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:20 9:30 9:45 10:00 10:15 10:45 10:55 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:30 14:00 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:40 14:55 15:00 15:05 15:15 15:55 16:00 16:10 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:40 18:45 19:00 19:10 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:45 20:55 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:35 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:20 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:40 23:45
Airlines AIC UAL DLH JZR MSR JAI PIA THY ETH THY UAE FDB ETD MSR QTR ALK QTR JZR RJA GFA THY KAC BAW ABY KAC UAE QTR FDB KAC ETD GFA IRC KAC KAC JZR MEA UAE MSR KAC MSC KAC JZR MSR OMA KAC KNE SVA KAC RJA KAC MPH QTR KAC JZR SYR ETD QTR UAE JZR GFA ABY UAL SVA JZR KAC BAB MSC MSR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC MEA FDB KAC GFA DHX ALK ETD UAE QTR KAC KAC QTR GFA KAC TAR JZR
Depature Flights on Monday 13/8/2012 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 554 ALEXANDRIA 615 CAIRO 573 MUMBAI 206 PESHAWAR 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 769 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 550 COLOMBO 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 126 SHARJAH 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 537 SOHAG 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 6522 LAMERD 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 776 JEDDAH 405 BEIRUT 872 DUBAI 619 ASSIUT 103 LONDON 406 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 646 MUSCAT 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 641 AMMAN 773 RIYADH 77 AL MAKTOUM 135 DOHA 741 DAMMAM 538 CAIRO 342 DAMASCUS 304 ABU DHABI 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 134 BAHRAIN 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 439 BAHRAIN 402 ALEXANDRIA 621 ALEXANDRIA 283 DHAKA 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 331 TRIVANDRUM 351 KOCHI 403 BEIRUT 60 DUBAI 543 CAIRO 222 BAHRAIN 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 308 ABU DHABI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 147 DOHA 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 328 DUBAI 502 LUXOR
Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:30 0:35 0:50 1:10 2:15 2:45 3:40 3:45 3:50 4:05 4:20 4:50 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 7:05 7:10 8:10 8:25 9:05 9:35 9:40 10:00 10:05 10:05 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:20 12:25 12:30 13:00 13:10 13:20 14:30 15:00 15:05 15:15 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:10 16:15 16:30 16:50 16:55 17:20 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:10 23:30 23:40 23:45 23:55
Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)
ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for single Indian bachelor in two bedroom flat in Khaitan near Kuwait Finance House. Contact: 66141908. (C 4102) 12-8-2012 Sharing accommodation available for a Keralite bachelor at Sharq, near Amiri hospital, beside Holiday Inn. Call 99387111. Sharing accommodation for Christian couples or working ladies in Abbassiya. Contact: 66538532. (C 4099) 9-8-2012
excellent condition, km 20000, KD 2,950. Tel: 66729295. (C 4097) 7-8-2012
CHANGE OF NAME I, Rejimol Joseph holder of Indian Passport No: J5394310 hereby change my name REJIMOL JOSEPH PARAMMAVIL. (C 4098) 8-8-2012 I, Rajee Ramanathan Koolathu, daughter of Koolath Velappan Ramanathan holder of Indian Passport No. K1677756 have embraced Islam religion with new name Fathima Raja. (C 4095) 6-8-2012
SITUATION VACANT
FOR SALE Toyota Prado 2006, golden color, 6 clr, full options, KD 4,900. Tel: 50699345. (C 4096) Mitsubishi Galant 2011,
A Kuwaiti family looks to hire a driver with a Kuwaiti license, transferable visa and good knowledge of Kuwait areas. Contact: 99401126. (C 4103) 12-8-2012
POLICE STATION
Al-Madena Police Station 22434064 Al-Murqab Police Station 22435865 Al-Daiya Police Station 22544200 Al-Fayha’a Police Station 22547133 Al-Qadissiya Police Station22515277 Al-Nugra Police Station 22616662 Al-Salmiya Police Station 25714406 Al-Dasma Police Station 22530801 GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net
The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw
Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw
Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw
Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw
Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw
Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw
Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw
Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw
Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw
Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw
Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw
Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw
Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw
Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw
Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw
Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw
Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw
Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw
Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw
Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw
Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org
34
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
stars CROSSWORD 766
STAR TRACK
CALVIN & HOBBES
Aries (March 21-April 19) A little extra interest is available at this time, to sort out some of those relationship problems you have kept pushing aside. Better deal with them, or they could make you irritable. Your ideas may not find the support you would like for now, but if you are patient and others see this effort to be patient, you may be surprised at the results. A surprise this afternoon may find you and a friend creating some unique type of jewelry or art that one could wear. There is satisfaction in creating something that someone else thinks is fun. This craft may have come from some art you learned as a child. The afternoon turns into evening quickly as you teach others your tricks. You are ready for the workweek ahead and may spend a little time in stargazing later tonight.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) There is an accent on hospitality today. You could be entertaining or perhaps you will open your home to guests or family members that are out of town. This should be one of those days when everything goes well—great for social get-togethers with lighthearted conversation. Any past tensions can be easily straightened out. This is also a perfect day to go to a concert, take a drive, start a vacation or express your love for someone. Relating with old chums is easy and extremely pleasant during this time. Relations with a spouse or business partner are on a solid ground. Expressing affections should come easily and can do positive things for your disposition. There is a sense of togetherness with close friends and relatives even into the evening.
POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. An Indian unit of length having different values in different localities. 4. Small New Zealand broadleaf evergreen tree often cultivated in warm regions as an ornamental. 10. System of measurement based on centimeters and grams and seconds. 13. A benevolent aspect of Devi. 14. Old World genus of annual to perennial herbs. 15. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects. 16. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters. 17. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann. 18. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey). 19. Being without physical aid. 22. Covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak. 24. A radioactive element of the actinide series. 25. A large commercial and industrial city in northeastern Texas. 27. A software system that facilitates the creation and maintenance and use of an electronic database. 29. A light strong brittle gray toxic bivalent metallic element. 30. Any small compartment. 34. A colorless and odorless inert gas. 35. (of persons) Highest in rank or authority or office. 38. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code. 40. An Indian side dish of yogurt and chopped cucumbers and spices. 42. Being one more than three. 43. Highly excited. 45. Type genus of the Otariidae. 48. A superior grade of black tea. 51. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. 52. Activity involved in maintaining something in good working order. 55. A soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element. 58. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people. 59. A fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance. 62. A beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water. 63. A large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet. 64. Wild sheep of semidesert regions in central Asia. 65. Someone who engages in arbitrage (who purchases securities in one market for immediate resale in another in the hope of profiting from the price differential). 66. The state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by. 67. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread. 68. Type genus of the family Myacidae. DOWN 1. Either of two spiral-horned antelopes of the African bush. 2. A strategically located monarchy on the southern and eastern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula. 3. A deep bow. 4. Scottish sea captain who was hired to protect British shipping in the Indian Ocean and then was accused of piracy and hanged (1645-1701). 5. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms. 6. A genus of Ploceidae. 7. A reptile genus of Iguanidae. 8. Catch fire. 9. Earlier a god. 10. A sudden very loud noise. 11. A measuring instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity or for testing conformity with a standard. 12. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae. 20. A gonadotropic hormone that is secreted by the anterior pituitary. 21. The younger brother of Edwy who became king of Northumbria when it renounced Edwy. 23. United States writer (born in Poland) who wrote in Yiddish (1880-1957). 26. 16 ounces. 28. (informal) Exceptionally good. 31. (Akkadian) God of wisdom. 32. Being seven more than fifty. 33. Rock that in its molten form (as magma) issues from volcanos. 36. Small European freshwater fish with a slender bluish-green body. 37. A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn. 39. United States educator and theologian (1802-1887). 41. (British) A lottery in which tickets are drawn from a revolving drum. 42. Earlier a god. 44. A unit of force equal to the force exerted by gravity. 46. A federation of North American labor unions that merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1955. 47. Desert shrub of Syria and Arabia having small white flowers. 48. How long something has existed. 49. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables. 50. A drama set to music. 53. (obstetrics) The number of live-born children a woman has delivered. 54. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike. 55. A chronic skin disease occurring primarily in women between the ages of 20 and 40. 56. Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality. 57. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. 60. Gone by. 61. Horny projecting mouth of a bird.
Yesterday’s Solution
Gemini (May 21-June 20) You are interested in reading the rest of a great book—or at least a couple of chapters this morning. Later you could be in a learning mood and want to study about a new skill. At any rate, most of this day you will have your head in a book of some sort. This is an excellent time to sit down alone and get many things accomplished—including reading. This is a good time to write with originality. Perhaps you will catch up on some of the letters you want to send to friends and family. Later this afternoon is a great time for taking part in social activities with friends. Perhaps an early movie would be fun. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others just now and others gain new insights from just being with you.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
NON SEQUITUR
You are in a good mood and totally recharged this morning. You may feel as though you could control the world. There is not only a desire for outdoor, physical activity at this time, but there will most likely be ample opportunities to partake in it. However, you should be careful of taking any undo risks or thrill-seeking stunts at this time. You will be in a position to exert influence and change your environment and relationships. If you feel that you have that extra push today, you may want to put this interest to real use and repair or clean around your living area. Avoid dangerous settings for now; you could be prone to run into objects just now. Avoid extravagance and self-indulgence that may also accompany the energies of the next few days.
Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a time when romance is strong. You may experience many situations when a new relationship may be possible, particularly one of a physical, loving nature. Additionally, this is a time when your powers of creativity are great. Communication is good with the opposite sex and you must allow some time to pass before making up your mind to focus on just one person. There are new understandings and new interests in intellectual affairs. Later today, on the home front, your nurturing instincts may be best focused on your favorite animal. Roommates or family members may be touchy tonight. There could be some tension, but sensing that others need a bit of compassion, as well as a little alone time, is very beneficial.
ZITS
Virgo (August 23-September 22) Working in the fall garden early this morning and tending to household chores this afternoon will probably find you whistling a happy tune. You may be busy cleaning, shopping and putting things into place. This should be one of those very welcome days during which you feel good and so does everyone else. You feel nothing but affection toward everybody around you and they in turn reflect it all back to you. Your benevolence extends to strangers as well; everyone you attract will be in a good mood. ENJOY! This afternoon is a great time to write those letters, play with hobbies, visit friends and reflect and understand your own situation. Emotions in particular, or the feelings of those around you, may be very clear. A nice time.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM
You could be leading a group, teaching a spiritual class or giving a lecture about your favorite hobby. You are sensitive to the needs of others and at this time you are in a good position to communicate concerning groups. If you are selling a product today you will gain much attention. You could be most persuasive with others, especially if you are willing to work some sort of trade to get what you want. The situation is a natural for selfexpression and opens a door to your sharing your particular ideas. This evening, finding good conversation with those you love is easy. You draw emotional nourishment and a sense of security from ideals, friends and social involvement. Health and work goals are on you mind this evening.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Take a look at your nutrition and think about a little diet change for this next week—you will be pleased with the results. Do not overextend yourself for this day although, if you have made a promise to a friend, keep it! This afternoon you will be helping your friend in some way and can be assured the universe will pay back your efforts. This evening may be a tough time to solve puzzles so watching a movie, reading a book or planning your next party might keep you happily busy. If the next party is mostly for young people, now would be a good time to put a few plans together, perhaps a treasure hunt. You have items around the house that would make some fantastic invitations. Picture of participant’s faces would be a blast on the invitation.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Unpredictable opportunities come up today that will allow you to have a festive sort of day. It is certainly time for relaxing and enjoying your day. New clothes that allow you to enjoy the out-of-doors more comfortably gives you a chance to take a little time away from your usual routine. Later today someone from your past may come into view and the two of you catch up on past events of your youth. You may spend a little time at each other’s houses to see old picture albums, gardens and other subjects of interest. This person has plenty of nice things to share and appreciates your tastes or belongings. An instinctive urge to get serious about taking care of yourself at many levels is emphasized. You may concentrate on diet and exercise this evening.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Concentrate on your personal goals today—firm up ongoing projects or begin new ones. Work alone, if possible, because the encouragement or advice of others is not necessary today. It could be that you are spending time to write a chapter in your novel. Now is your chance to be you, for yourself! Do not forget to include some physical activity today; balance. This is a time when you can expect a little progress as well as some type of extra support or recognition from those around you. You may feel that you are in touch and in harmony with others; the lines of communication are open. The support you need is available. A healing may take place between yourself and a friend or family member. Someone learns to let go with love. To
Yesterday’s Solution Yester
Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Concern today may center on family, marital status and information relating to a new addition to your family. This is a great time to reflect and understand new goals and accomplishments for the future—where you have been and where you are going. The emotions and feelings of those around you may be very clear. There is a new understanding. There is also a yearning to broaden horizons and reach for the ultimate, a kind of spiritual wanderlust at this time. There may be some heavy-duty planning with regard to foreign travel. Review and study of law, politics, education, travel or religion is in the forecast and you may find yourself accumulating a great deal of support from loved ones. While you are at it, you may decide to update your own resume.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
Word Sleuth Solution
Travel and mental development at high levels are major themes in your life these days. This is a time to broaden your horizons both intellectually and spiritually. Education, publishing, broadcasting, advertising, legal and political interests all offer opportunities, if you are interested. It may be necessary for you to persuade others of a new way to see or approach a subject. You are successful when it comes to being persuasive with others. A particular situation presents itself this afternoon and you have insight into how you want to enjoy the circumstances. A good conversation with those you love is possible. Others see things your way! This evening you may find that someone very close to you understands you better than you thought.
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital
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Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd
23915883 23715414 23726558
Jahra
Modern Jahra Madina Munawara
Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92
24575518 24566622
Capital
Ahlam Khaldiya Coop
Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop
22436184 24833967
Farwaniya
New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan
Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11
24734000 24881201 24726638
Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop
Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop
25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241
Hawally
ST TATE T OF K KUW WAIT A
Te el.: 161
DIRECTORA AT TE GENE GENERAL OF CIVIL AV VIA ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEP PARTMENT A
262 - 2630 Ext.: 2627
WWW.MET.GOV V.KW .
Hot with light to moderate freshening gradually north westerly wind, with speed of 15 - 40 km/h causing raising dust over open areas
BY Y NIGHT:
Relatively hot with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of 12 - 32 km/h
No Current Warnings arnin a
WA ARNING
22459381
47 °C
35 °C
Ayoun Al-Kibla
22451082
KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT
48 °C
30 °C
Al-Mirqab
22456536
NUW WA AISEEB
49 °C
32 °C
WA AFRA
ST TAT TION
48 °C
30 °C
SALMI
48 °C
30 °C
ABDAL LY
48 °C
31 °C
Sharq
22465401
Salmiya
25746401
Jabriya
25316254
JAL ALIY YA AH
46 °C
31 °C
Maidan Hawally
25623444
FAILAKA A
47 °C
32 °C
Bayan
25388462
AHMADI POR RT
45 °C
36 °C
Mishref
25381200
UMM AL-MARADEM
40 °C
34 °C
W.Hawally
22630786
WA ARBA A - BUBY YAN A
47 °C
27 °C
Sabah
24810221
Jahra
24770319
SFC. CHART
12/08/2012 0000 UTC
4 DA AY YS FORECAST Temperatures DA AY
DA AT TE
WEA ATHER T
MAX.
MIN.
Wind Direction
Wind Speed
New Jahra
24575755 Monday
13/08
hot + raising dust
48 °C
34 °C
NW
15 - 40 km/h
West Jahra
24772608
Tuesday
14/08
hot
48 °C
35 °C
NW
15 - 35 km/h
South Jahra
24775066
Weednesday
15/08
hot
47 °C
35 °C
NW
12 - 35 km/h
North Jahra
24775992
Thursday
16/08
hot
46 °C
33 °C
NW
12 - 35 km/h
North Jleeb
24311795
24892674
Al-Omariya
24719048
N.Kheitan
24710044
Fintas
PRA RA AY YER TIMES
RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPORT
Fajr
03:49
MAX. Temp.
47 °C
Sunrise
05:15
MIN. Temp.
35 °C
Zuhr
11:53
MAX. RH
21 %
Asr
15:28
MIN. RH
04 %
Sunset
18:31
MAX. Wiind
N 57 km/h
Isha
19:54
TOT TAL AL RAIINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.
.1 mm
All times are local time unless otherwise stated.
23900322
PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists
Paediatricians
Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf
22547272
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Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari
22617700
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25625030/60
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23729596/23729581
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22635047
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22613623/0
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23729596/23729581
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2572-6666 ext 8321
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25665898 25340300
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25710444
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22621099
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25713514
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23713100
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24334282
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25655535
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Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan
22655539
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25343406
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22641071/2
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25739272
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22562226
22618787
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22561444
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22619557
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22525888
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25653755
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25620111
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22610044
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25327148
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22666300 25728004
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25355515
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24726446
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25654300/3
info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com
3729596/3729581
Neurologists
22639939
Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman
Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri
25633324
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25345875
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22636464
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25322030
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22633135
Kaizen center 25716707
25339330
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25722291
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22666288
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Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688
22545171
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24810598
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22545171
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24742838
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22434853
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22545051
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24711433
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24316983
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23927002
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24316983
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23980088
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23711183
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23262845
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25610011
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25616368
INTERNATIONAL CALLS
BY Y DA AY:
KUW WA AIT CITY
Firdous
Al-Shohada’a
Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours
MIN. REC.
24884079
22418714
Fax: 24348714
MAX. EXP P.
Al-Ardhiya
Al-Madena
25330060
Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah
25722290
Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad
24555050 Ext 210
Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123
2611555-2622555
William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677
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Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677
36
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
lifest yle G o s s i p
ussell Brand wishes he had helped Amy Winehouse come off drugs. The comedian - who has been sober for over 10 years after battling heroin addiction - has revealed he still feels guilty about not helping the late soul singer get clean when he first realized she was struggling with addiction. Russell told The Sun newspaper: “I got clean at the age of 27, the age Amy was when she died. “Amy’s death was a paradoxical unsurprising shock. I felt like I could have done something to help-to give her the chance I had. “When she died, it was this feeling of, ‘Agh, I knew that was going to happen.’ And I
R
had this flickering sense that I should have done something about that. “I feel a bit guilty that there was nothing I did.” The 37-year-old funnyman recalled seeing the troubled star who was found dead in her London home last July - on the party scene and being disturbed by her behavior, prompting him to ask others to help her. Russell explained: “I loved Amy on the basis that I thought she was really, really brilliant. “I recognized that this person has got it, she has got this thing. She is not happy, she is on edge. “She drank this glass of champagne and threw it over her shoulder once. “I said,
‘What are you doing that for?’ She said. ‘I was doing it to impress you.’ I said, ‘Well... don’t’, and then she started flicking lit cigarettes around the room. “That’s when I got the sense of the ticking clock and spoke to other people, ‘Hey, we need to do something’.” The ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ actor hopes to raise awareness about the way society treats drug addicts in his new BBC3 documentary, ‘Russell Brand: From Addiction To Recovery’.
radley Cooper is on the lookout for a new dog sitter. The ‘Hangover’ star is besotted with his pet pooch, Charlotte, and when he’s not at his Los Angeles home, he wants someone to be there to care for the 10-year-old chow/retriever mix and cater for her every need. A source told National Enquirer magazine: “Bradley needs someone to look after his beloved Charlotte while he’s away. He loves Charlotte like a child and is being extremely picky. Besides walking and feeding her, the person must know how to administer pet CPR in case of an emergency and be willing to sleep in the same bed as Charlotte.” Bradley is offering $30 an hour to whoever takes the job and once he has
B
annii Minogue struggles to carr y her son because he is so big. The 40-year-old singer has two-year-old Ethan with former partner Kris Smith and thinks it is “funny” that he is already aboveaverage size for his age. She said: “He is sooo big. He’s as big as a three year old. “It’s funny, because he’s still just a little baby and he needs mummy to pick him up but it’s getting harder. He’s heavy but he’s just a complete and utter bundle of joy. Ethan has been my rock.” Dannii also struggled to lift Ethan when he was just a few months old as a thyroid condition left her zapped of all energy. She said: “It was a scary time because I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I remember looking at Ethan in the cot and thinking, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to pick him up’ - I had that little energy.” Following the thyroid problem, Dannii then contracted appendicitis and admits it is only now that she feels back to full health again. She told Britain’s Glamour magazine: “To have the thyroid condition and then the appendicitis, it was a lot for my body to take because only 10 months earlier I’d had a C-section to have Ethan. “Now, for the first time in ages, I really feel like I’m back in my body. I have to take tablets every day for my thyroid and I have regular blood tests to monitor it, but I finally feel good again.”
D
eremy Renner “freaked out” when he jumped into freezing water for ‘The Bourne Legacy’. The 41-year-old actor did his own stunts when working on the action movie and admits the icy swim was the toughest challenge of all. He said: “For all the stunts I was well prepared. But the water? Below 32 degrees? There was nothing I could do to prepare for that. And it freaked me out. Let’s just say it wasn’t very pleasant.” The action star found fight scenes much easier to film, even though they caused some injuries. He told Britain’s Glamour magazine: “Those scenes are like a well-oiled machine because they have to be
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smooth, fast and vicious. “Of course, if you’re doing hand-to-hand stuff, there are going to be black eyes. I had to give a few.” The movie doesn’t star the franchise’s previous lead actor Matt Damon, but he was happy to give Jeremy advice on the film series - particularly when it came to the stunts. Jeremy said: “Damon’s a good dude. I spoke to him briefly before I started on the film. He gave me one piece of advice and that was listening to the stunt co-coordinator, Dan Bradley, when it comes to the stunt stuff.”
ita Ora bases her look on Gwen Stefani. The ‘How We Do (party)’ singer is a huge fan of her the No Doubt frontwoman’s style - which includes bright blonde hair and striking red lips - and says she uses it as an inspiration on how to dress. She said: “I love Gwen Stefani. She’s so cool and her style is amazing. Clearly I’m influenced by her red lips and blonde hair! She’s one of my idols. I love her a lot, and I’ll wear the comparison high on my shoulder. I like anyone who can be confident with themselves. Also Rihanna’s hot, so to be compared to
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sorted Charlotte’s care, he wants to get another pooch from a rescue home. The source added: “Once he finds the right girl or guy to care for his pet, he wants another rescue pooch.” Bradley - who has previously dated Renee Zellweger, Jennifer Aniston and Scarlett Johansson is often seen out and about with Charlotte and she has been a constant presence in his life.
egan Fox believes she and husband Brian Austin Green were “destined” for each other. The stunning actress met the former ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ star in 2004 when she was just 18 and she says she knew he was The One for her, despite their 12-year age gap. Megan - who is currently pregnant with the couple’s first child - said: “The first time I saw him I got butterflies! The first time he casually touched me, there was so much electricity. I truly feel like he’s my soulmate. We’re destined to live this part of our lives together.” Megan - who married Brian in 2010 in Hawaii following a brief split - also says being a stepmother to Brian’s 10year-old son Kassius makes her extremely happy. She told Now magazine: “A lot of things make me happy. But I feel unbelievably happy when my stepson tells me I’m beautiful. When I started living with Brian, his son was only two and I was 18. I’ve been looking after Kassius since he was three - its part of my world that very few people really ever understood about me. I love being a stepmom and the experience grounds me when nothing makes sense in my life.”
M
esse Eisenberg thinks Mia Wasikowska is “wonderful”. The pair star together in forthcoming movie ‘The Double’ which follows a clerk who loses his mind when he suspects his identity has been assimilated by a co-worker - and the ‘Social Network’ star was very impressed by the actress’ versatility. He said: “She is obviously, you know, wonderful. “The tone of the movie we’re doing is so strange. Within any given moment we are on all ends of the emotional spectrum. All the characters in this movie navigate this very strange world of being funny, but real and tragic and whimsical and her character is kind of enigmatic, traffic, but oddly pleasant. “She is able to kind of find all these different aspects in a way that is totally consistent with the very odd tone.” Jesse isn’t the only person to be thrilled to have Mia as a co-star; fellow Australian Nicole Kidman loved working with the young actress in ‘Stoker’. She told Britain’s Vogue magazine: “She’s deeply intelligent and drop-dead gorgeous. In my opinion, she’s the best of her generation.”
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her is a compliment.” Rita, 21, also says she will never be seen wearing jeans as she doesn’t think they suit her. She said: “I hate jeans. I don’t think they’re flattering - I haven’t worn them in years. I love clothes that make me feel sexy. “I don’t have a stylist - my look is all me and there are no rules, ladies! I just like to dress how I want to and in whatever makes my comfortable. I also prefer trainers over heels.” —Bang Showbiz
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
lifestyle F e a t u r e s
In this picture taken on July 21, 2012, Afghan-born French archaeologist Zemaryalai Tarzi points as he talks to an AFP journalist in Bamiyan. — AFP photos
“I
t’s there,” says an archaeologist pointing to the ground, where fragments of a Buddha statue from the ancient Gandhara civilization have been covered up to stop them being stolen or vandalized. Just months before the US-led invasion in 2001, the Taliban regime shocked the world by destroying two giant, 1,500-year-old Buddhas in the rocky Bamiyan valley, branding them un-Islamic. More than 10 years on Western experts say Afghanistan’s ancient Buddhist and early Islamic heritage is little safer. At the foot of the cliff where the two Buddhas used to stand 130 kilometers (80 miles) west of Kabul, an archaeological site has been found and parts of a third Buddha, lying down, were discovered in 2008. The area of the lying Buddha is around half the size of a football pitch. A dozen statues or more lie under tons of stone and earth. “We covered everything up because the ground is private and to prevent looting,” says Zemaryalai Tarzi, the 75-year-old French archaeologist born in Afghanistan who is leading the project. Tarzi says he dug first in the potato fields to find artefacts, which he buried again afterwards. All around him, under a large area of farmland, he says, lie exceptional treasures. In the West,
the presence of such riches would lead to a large-scale excavation, frantic research and in time, glorious museum exhibitions. In Afghanistan, ground down by poverty and three decades of war, it is the opposite. “The safest place is to leave heritage underground,” says Brendan Cassar, head of the UNESCO mission in Afghanistan, adding that policing the thousands of prehistoric, Buddhist and Islamic sites dotted around the country was impossible. Below ground, the relics are protected from endemic looting, illegal smuggling and the corrosive effects of freezing winters. “There is looting on a large or small scale at 99.9 percent of sites,” says Philippe Marquis, director of a French archaeological delegation in Afghanistan. Middlemen pay Afghans $4 to $5 a day to dig up artefacts, which are smuggled abroad and sold for tens of thousands of dollars in European and Asian capitals, he says. Cassar believes the solution is educating locals about the value of their history and the need to implement the law, and a global campaign using Interpol and customs to stop smuggling. UNESCO added the rocky Bamiyan valley, with its old forts, temples and cave paintings, to its list of endangered heritage sites in 2003. But sites have been
Afghan laborers work at an archaeological site.
destroyed throughout the country. Hadda in the east was home to thousands of Greco-Buddhist sculptures dating from the 1st century BC to 1st century AD, but it was devastated in the 1990s civil war. Hundreds of pieces have disappeared or been destroyed. Marquis says the old city of Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern province of Helmand-whose 11thcentury arch appears on the 100 Afghani ($2) banknote-was irreparably damaged by an influx of refugees. A Chinese copper mining company has been granted a concession over an area in Logar province, south of Kabul, that includes an ancient Buddhist monastery, and researchers fear the ruins will largely be destroyed. Archaeologists complain that culture is only a secondary consideration to development and security. “Cultural issues are never the priority. Security, yes, which eats up 40 percent of the Afghan state budget,” says Habiba Sorabi, the governor of Bamiyan province, where few public resources are allotted to archaeology. A meeting in Paris last year decided one of the two niches that housed Bamiyan’s giant Buddhas should be left empty as testimony to the destruction, while experts should look at partially reassembling the other statue on site. But local archaeologist Farid Haidary says “lots of
money” was spent on restoring the Buddhas before the Taliban destroyed them. “What’s the point in building something if the Taliban, who are 20 kilometers away, destroy it afterwards?” he asks. —AFP
Afghan-born French archaeologist Zemaryalai Tarzi stands next to an archaeological artifact in Bamiyan.
L Bollywood actor Salman Khan looks on during a promotional event for the forthcoming film Ek Tha Tiger in New Delhi yesterday. Ek Tha Tiger, a spy thriller in which Khan plays a lead role, is scheduled to be released on August 15. — AFP
E
dinburgh’s annual international festival of the arts, founded to boost morale in the austere days after World War Two, has opened its 65th season with an acclaimed version of Frederick Delius’s “A Mass of Life” amid expectations that the success of the London Olympics will boost audiences in Scotland’s capital. The city’s annual book festival also hit its stride on Saturday with the promise of a global discussion on the importance and place of literature in society. The Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) and book festival combine with huge gathering of artistic talent in the Fringe, the everpopular Royal Military Tattoo and the city’s art galleries in the largest annual gathering of the arts in the world. Moves to promote the Edinburgh scene to Olympic visitors appear to have paid off, with sources saying EIF ticket sales this year were up around eight percent over 2011, and an increase in sales also noted by the Fringe and book festivals. Scotland’s festivals are worth some 250 million pounds ($392.27 million) annually to the country’s economy, with the Fringe alone - which this year brings a record 23,000 performer to Edinburgh - worth around 140 million pounds to the city. Edinburgh will also host a conference organized by the EIF and the British Council of more than 30 ministers of culture from around the world at the Scottish parliament today and tomorrow to discuss the place and importance of culture
in the global society. The EIF’s opening concert on Friday night to a packed audience at the Usher Hall was described by The Scotsman newspaper as “a glorious gold-standard performance”. Music critic Kenneth Walton said the seldom-heard setting by English-born Delius of the work of German poet-philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche as “the musical equivalent of a glitter-strewn ticket-tape parade”. He had high praise for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and an augmented Edinburgh Festival Chorus, all under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis. The EIF is presenting a wide range and challenging selection of opera, theatre, music, dance and debate through its run to September 2. The book festival, in cooperation with the British Council, is staging a debate with 50 leading international authors between August 17 and 21 covering a range of topics from censorship and politics to style versus content and the future of the novel. The debate will then travel to events across the world over the next 12 months. Some 800 writers from 44 countries are taking part in 750 events at the book festival, which runs to August 27. — Reuters
ike Adam Yauch and his Beastie Boys cohorts once sang, “I might stick around or I might be afad, but I won’t sell my songs for no TV ad.” Yauch, who died in May at the age of 47 following a long battle with cancer, explicitly banned his music from being used in advertisements in his will before he died Rolling Stone reports.“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in no event may my image or name or any music or any artistic property created by me be used for advertising purposes,” the will reads, with the phrase “or any music or any artistic property created by me” added in handwriting. In the will, Yauch also names his wife, Dechen, as the executor of his estate, with Dechen and their daughter, Tenzin Losel, named as the beneficiaries of his $6.4 million estate. It appears that Yauch’s fellow Beasties, Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz, seem intent on honoring the wishes of their deceased partner, who went by the nom du rap MCA. Horovitz and Diamond, along with Dechen Yauch, filed suit against the Monster energy drink company, claiming that the company used dozens of Beasties songs in its promotional material without the group’s permission. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York on Wednesday, claims that Monster used the Beastie Boys’ “So Watcha Want,” “Sabotage” and “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” in promotional videos for Monster products, including a video for the Monster promotional event “Ruckus in the Rockies.” — Reuters
Beastie Boys
Enrique Iglesias, right, is joined onstage by guest performer Pitbull during his performance at the Honda Center.
A
Canadian memorabilia dealer who worked with Michael Jackson’s mother on a tribute book, and whose websites used the singer’s image and music, violated copyrights held by Jackson’s estate, a judge ruled on Friday. A federal judge in Los Angeles granted an injunction blocking entrepreneur Howard Mann from using the websites “michaeljacksonsecretvault.com” and “MJgives.com” and other similar domain names, saying he had infringed the dead singer’s intellectual property. “ There is undisputed evidence that (Mann) intended in bad faith to profit from use of Jackson’s name, by registering multiple domain names containing his name or the initials ‘MJ’ to sell Jackson-related products,” U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson wrote in his ruling. The executors of Jackson’s estate filed the case against Mann in January 2011, 18 months after the “Thriller” singer’s sudden death in Los Angeles from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol. The estate holds the copyright to Jackson’s image and music for the benefit of the singer’s mother Katherine and his three children. Judge Pregerson sided with executors, who claimed that the websites run by Mann used copyright protected clips of Jackson’s song “Destiny”, a logo featuring the self-styled “King of Pop” and art from the posthumous concert movie “This Is It”.
Mann has worked with Katherine Jackson on several projects since 2009, including a 2010 “Never Can Say Goodbye” coffee table book featuring recollections of her son, as well as a DVD and calendar featuring what were described as never before seen photos and video. All were sold through the “secretvault” website. Mann claimed he obtained the rights to the material at a bankruptcy sale involving members of Jackson’s family several years ago. The “www.michaeljacksonsecretvault.com” site failed to load on Friday and Mann could not immediately be reached for comment. Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for Jackson’s Estate, said a court date set for Sept. 4 will involve “how much in damages the Michael Jackson Estate is entitled to collect from Mann and his various entities.” The two executors, John McClain and John Branca, said in a statement they were “extremely pleased” with the Court’s ruling which will prevents Mann from “continuing to unlawfully profit from Michael Jackson and his intellectual property.” — Reuters
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
lifestyle T R A V E L
Built in 1887 the Center Church sits on a hill on Lopez Island in Washington state. — MCT
A sculpture by local artist Ron Norman frames a cyclist on Lopez Island.
Sampling the laid-back pleasures of Washington state’s
Lopez Island
ty. We’re rewarded for maintaining our ecosystem.” Another proud businessman, Michael Cherveny, 33, came from Hawaii and last year opened Village Cycles (www.villagecycles.net) in Lopez Village. It’s the second bike-rental shop on the island, which is considered the San Juans’ best cycling island because it’s the flattest, with scenic rural roads. Cherveny led me on a bike ride to Shark Reef Park, where we left our bikes unlocked-that’s Lopez-and walked on a trail through salal and ferns to a rocky perch overlooking Cattle Pass. The narrow channel that flushes saltwater from the crowded archipelago into the Strait of Juan de Fuca was uncharacteristically serene. “I came down here once and saw two eagles in courtship in midair-it’s quite the dance they do!” said Cherveny, lounging on a boulder in his tie-dye sweatshirt and European cycling cap. “And there are usual-
By Brian J. Cantwell
O
ne hates to define a place by its cliches, but sometimes there’s truth to be found. “On Lopez, everybody does ‘The Wave,’” an Orcas Islander told me before I embarked for Lopez. It’s a bit like what you see on the back roads of Hawaii, where locals salute each other with the “hang loose” sign. But the Lopez wave isn’t that demonstrative. In fact, it’s barely a wave at all-more a lifting of one finger from the steering wheel when cars pass. Of “the big three” islands in the San Juans-San Juan Island, Orcas and Lopezthis is the only place you’ll regularly get waved at. It’s emblematic of Lopez, which is about half as big as the others and, with about 2,400 year-round residents, has half the population of its next most-populous sister, Orcas. It seems the Lopez populace is still rooted in a time when everyone knew everyone else. So they wave. An island of farms and more farms, pretty little bays and more pretty little bays, Lopez has a laid-back lifestyle, and that’s the other cliche. “Have you heard, they call it Slow-pez?” a Seattle friend with a Lopez vacation home asked before I left the city. “Some people call the islanders Slowpezians,” said John Warsen, my Long Island, N.Y.-bred host, when I checked in at Lopez Farm Cottages. “Everybody calls it Slowpez,” I heard again as I rented a bike at the local cycling shop. I guess it’s unanimous: Welcome to life in the slow lane. Just off the ferry, as a pickup passed from the other direction, I got the wave. Wanting to be friendly, I lifted two fingers, immediately branding myself a rashly exuberant offislander. “It changes how you drive! I used to hold my hand on the bottom of the wheel, and now I have to have it up top!” said Tim Shea, a former Bellevue, Wash., restaurateur, who with his wife, Kristin Shea, moved to Lopez this past winter and took over Lopez Village’s long-established Bay Cafe. They’ve renamed it simply “The Bay.” Lopez, named for Gonzalo Lopez de Haro, a Spanish sea captain who explored the islands in 1791, is something of a paradox. The first stop for Washington State Ferries as they plod the route from Anacortes into the San Juans, Lopez is the closest to the outside world. Yet it feels the most rural and least touristed of the commercially developed ferr y-ser ved San Juans. (Insular, residential Shaw Island is a whole different stor y, which we’ll tell another time.) “We’re not far enough, everybody has to go a little farther-to the source of the Nile!” chuckled Warsen, whose five modern, cozy cottages edge a grassy meadow dotted by giant glacial-erratic stones that give mute testimony to the island’s geological past (www.lopezfarmcottages.com).
Holly B’s Bakery is a center of activity in Lopez Village.
“My understanding of Lopez is: First, they logged it, and the wood went to Seattle; then they grew fruit here, which also went to Seattle, until Eastern Washington got irrigated and they started growing fruit there; so then they fished for salmon here, and now the ‘run’ is tourists!” Warsen said. But in the battle for visitors, Lopez is a minor power, if only because there aren’t that many places to stay. Warsen’s is one of a handful of commercial lodgings. The one place that calls itself a resort, the Lopez Islander, is a 60-year-old, 30-room motel with marina on shallow Fisherman Bay, the island’s principal harbor (www.lopezfun.com). A few bed-andbreakfast inns, cottages and vacationhome rentals add to the mix, along with waterfront campgrounds at Odlin County Park and Spencer Spit State Park. Coming for a summer weekend? Better have a reservation. Island life revolves around the one town, Lopez Village, where Holly B’s Bakery seems the center of the universe. I nibbled a turkey and Gruyere croissant while looking over the bulletin board outside, with an ad for roasting chickens from Super Natural Farm, along with notices for a Saturday yoga circle and the big production of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts. The biggest news in town was when the island’s only supermarket moved into a fancy, larger building two years ago. Not much changes fast on Lopez. “It’s a dream come true for me,” said Chamber of Commerce manager Lia Noreen, a refugee from urban life. “I live smack dab in the middle of the island. We can see the Olympics, and we have an eagle’s nest nearby. My husband whistles and they come for trout that he catches in the lake.” Slow the pace may be, but the Sheas,
If you go Getting to Lopez Island: It’s a 40-minute ride to Lopez aboard Washington State Ferries from Anacortes. Standard-size car with driver: $40.30 round-trip in summer, additional for passengers. In summer, avoid peak times (Friday afternoons island-bound, Sunday or holiday afternoons on return trips) or plan on generous time for car lines. For schedules and waittime alerts: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. Another option is Kenmore Air seaplane to Fisherman Bay (www.kenmoreair.com).
ly seals down on the rocks here. It just brings peace and solitude to me, to get to experience nature in ways I haven’t before.” On our ride back, we passed perhaps the prettiest little white steepled, picketfenced, hilltop-perching church in existence. Built in 1887, Center Church is still used for Lutheran and Catholic services. We pedaled past farms with sheep and cattle, hedges of wild roses, old orchards and a Grange hall or two. I felt my heartbeat slow. And every time we passed a car, I waved, slipping into the Slow-pezian lifestyle. It barely required lifting a finger. Sizing it up: Lopez Island Square miles: 29.5 Population: About 2,400 Character: The population ranges from sustainability-focused folks in solar-powered “sweat equity” homes at Lopez Village to, occasionally, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who vacations on his 387-acre Sperry Peninsula. While Orcas Island has its twee lanes named Loon Song and Otter’s Lair, tongue-in-cheek street signs on Lopez mark “Dir t Road,” “Dusty Road” and Dunweedin Lane (think about it).
A horse dines on hay on Lopez Island.
the new cafe owners, feel confident about the business climate. They’ve brought white tablecloths, fancy wineglasses and an upmarket menu to Lopez (www.baycafe.com). So far, the results have encouraged them. “And I haven’t worn a tie since I got up here, and that’s awesome!” Tim Shea said. Like many island restaurants, they emphasize local farm products. Lopez has no shortage there. Dedicated farmers include 34-year-old Nick Jones, of Jones Family Farms ( jffarms.com), whom I met at an open house on the shell-strewn beach at Shoal Bay, where he farms clams and oysters. Showing a small crowd of islanders a Quonset hut where he’s just starting to seed geoducks, he talked passionately about his self-taught profession. “This is some of the absolute best shellfish in the world. We’re rewarded for our water quali-
Sailboats are seen through a picnic shelter at Spencer Spit State Park on Lopez Island.
Diet Care launches Kuwait’s latest cookbook for low-cal Middle Eastern food just got healthier KUWAIT: Diet Care, Kuwait’s leading nutritional services provider, launched Kuwait’s first cookbook for preparing healthy Arabic and international dishes that are also low in calories while keeping the great and delicious taste of Arabic and international food that everyone loves. Diet Care has developed and produced this cookbook as part of its ongoing efforts to promote healthy eating in Kuwait and combating the obesity epidemic in the country, which has the second highest obesity rate in the world according to research by BMC public health journal. Diet Care Assistant Production General Manager, Mariam Al- Othman said: “This cookbook doesn’t just provide healthy recipes, it helps
households make their signature Arabic and international dishes that they love in a healthier way. It is also rich in tips and contains essential calorie count control and other information to help families track what they’re eating. “Healthy Cooking”, the book’s title, is a definite must-have in every family kitchen.” The nutritional content was developed at Diet Care by some of Kuwait’s leading dietitians and nutritionists. The team spent four months formulating the various recipes and ensuring that it tasted great and was healthy and low in calories at the same time. Diet Care Dietetics Operations Manager, Sarah Dimashkieh added: “Lack of information plays a pivotal part in the unhealthy eating habits in
Kuwait, this is the reason we adapted a “tell-it-all” approach with the cookbook. “Healthy Cooking” by Diet Care stands as a measure we have taken to ensure the community is in fact privy to healthy recipes.” The cookbook consists of recipes from various parts of the world including traditional Arabic items to Asian and even South American dishes. It also includes the nutritional contents for each recipe, healthy cooking tips and a quick-guide to the benefits of the various nutrients found in the recipe. Three thousand copies of the “Healthy Cooking” by Diet Care cookbook have been published and are available throughout Diet Care branches and boutiques.
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
lifestyle
Display cases filled with historic documents and painted portraits of former governors line the Hall of Governors on the second floor of the Capitol in Albany.
History of NY Capitol put on display A
sample of the items on display in New York’s Capitol and its attached Empire State Plaza:
* Military uniforms, including an 1855 “chapeaubras” hat, a 1943 “Ike” jacket with stripes and ribbons worn by a New Yorker and a Revolutionary War soldier’s kit with a canteen, ammunition, powder horn and haversack. * A massive 1813 portrait of President George Washington that dominates the main public entrance to the Capitol. * Handwritten letters from Gov. Theodore
Roosevelt and documents signed by Attorney General Martin Van Buren, the future president. * A Revolutionary War musket. * Gen. Benedict Arnold’s treason papers. * American flags dating to 1861. * Critical documents leading to providing women the right to vote and other artifacts from the suffrage movement. * Artifacts of the Legislative Correspondents Association featuring exploits of some historic reporters and a 1943 letter from President Franklin Roosevelt to his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, about the death of a reporter.
A portrait of George Washington adorns a lobby.
* Some of the earliest worker protections born of the labor movement dating to 1911. * A 1966 Harley-Davidson motorcycle used by State Police, a rickety looking 1924 Ford T T “Runabout” truck used on upstate farms, a 1908 Model K car sold by Sears & Roebuck, a 1931 Pierce-Arrow limousine built in Buffalo to carry seven passengers in style and a 1932 Packard Phaeton purchased by Gov. Franklin Roosevelt to use in Albany. It was used in 1982 to transport Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands when they visited Albany. — AP
A stretched Lincoln Continental used by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller sits on display. Commemorative trowels used by Franklin Roosevelt at groundbreaking ceremonies sit on display.
A wagon used by women during the suffrage movement.
Signatures of delegates, including Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, who ratified the US Constitution, fill pages of a convention journal on display.
Documents from Martin Van Buren, when he served as New York attorney general, appear on display at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. —AP
An original New York state seal attached to a document signed by Weapons and a canteen from the Revolutionary and George French and Indian wars sit on display. ental used by Clinton. Gov. Nelson Rockefeller sits on display.
A stretched Lincoln Continental used by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller.
Archaeologists cover up Afghan heritage
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MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2012
Egyptian Mohammed al Tonsi, 38, chants religious songs and bangs a drum as he walks along a decorated street marking Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt. Al Tonsi is a “Musahharati” who wakes faithful Muslims for their prayers and a pre-dawn meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. — AP
Ramadan criers on the decline in Iraq B
eating a small drum and walking through the streets of his neighborhood in the early hours, Luay Sabbah shouts, “Suhoor! Suhoor!” Plying a craft that
Mousaherati have largely fallen victim to security measures implemented following the 2003 US-led invasion. — AFP
Mousaherati have been told by local security officials “to only move in stable areas”.
is increasingly rare in Iraq. The 20-something spends his pre-dawn hours, like his counterparts nationwide, waking neighborhood residents for the meal that precedes a Muslim’s daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan, known as the suhoor. But he is among the few remaining men of his kind, known in formal Arabic as a mousaher and referred to in Iraq as a mousaherati, who walk the streets of neighborhoods, clad in traditional dishdashas, waking Muslims so they can eat before the sun rises. They have largely fallen victim to tough security measures implemented to combat the violence that erupted following the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein. Combined with longerterm trends such as improved technology that had been contributing to a slow decline of the mousaherati in Iraq, the security restrictions have accelerated a drop in their numbers in several cities. “Mousaheratis have disappeared almost completely,” Sabbah says, as he walks through the streets of the city of Samarra, 110 kilometers (70 miles) north of Baghdad. “There are only some left now, and even they only work sporadically, not every day,” adds Sabah, who inherited the position from his father, who did the job for 18 years until his death in 2008. Authorities normally impose a blanket ban on movement in Samarra between midnight and 4:00 am, with similar curfews in place in other major cities including the capital. But for Ramadan, which began in mid-July and concludes around August 18, security officials loosen those restrictions, allowing
Louai inherited the position of “mousaherati” from his father. — AFP Sabah and others to move around Samarra. When Ramadan finishes and local residents mark the Eid Al-Fitr festival, mousaheratis visit homes in the neighborhoods they walked and accept small donations for their work. But because the funds are often paltry, mousaheratis maintain jobs throughout the year-Sabah, for example, sells cooking oil. Mousaheratis are common across the Muslim world, but their numbers have dwindled in Iraq. Beating his own drum for suhoor “In the old days, each alleyway would have its own mousaherati, beating his own drum for suhoor,” recalls Abu Jassim, or father of Jassim, a retiree who was sitting in
a greengrocer in Baghdad’s main commercial Karrada neighborhood. “Sometimes, their voices would cross over, because there were so many of them. Children would greet them with screams of happiness when they were on our streets, but now, the fear and insecurity have made them stay away.” In the years following the 2003 invasion, Iraq was engulfed in sectarian violence, peaking from 2006 to 2008, when tens of thousands were killed in rampant bloodshed. Security has improved since, but attacks are still common and the country has been struck by a relative spike in unrest since the beginning of Ramadan-the first week of August alone saw 69 people killed. A lega-
cy of that violence has been city-wide curfews, but also blast walls that have segregated entire neighborhoods and numerous checkpoints, making movement difficult. In Baquba, capital of one of Iraq’s most violent provinces, Ahmed Abbas had to seek the approval of local security officials, who told the 27-year-old mousaherati “to only move in stable areas.” A combination of the poor security in the city along with the restrictions on movement even for mousaheratis has led to a halving of their numbers compared to last year, when around 60 walked the streets of Baquba before sunrise, according to one provincial council member who declined to be named. Meanwhile, Mosul, one of Iraq’s most violent cities, and the surrounding province of Nineveh no longer sees mousaheratis at all, according to religious officials. “Mousaheratis have vanished completely in recent years in Mosul because of the security situation, and the absence of support from local officials,” complained Mohammed Khaled al-Araibi, an official working with the national Sunni religious foundation’s Nineveh offices. One Mosul resident, construction worker Mukhlis Jarallah, noted that in previous years “large neighborhoods would wake up to the sounds of an old grandfather.” But, he continued, “ The invasion swept away the mousaherati.” — AFP
Dutch reality show to offer one-way tickets to Mars
A
s the world marvels at the latest US Mars landing, a Dutch start-up is aiming to beat NASA at its own game by sending the first humans to the red planetand film all as a reality show. The big hitch: it’s a one-way trip. Fact, fiction or publicity stunt from the land that launched reality TV? The start-up, called “Mars One”, says it is dead serious about landing four astronauts on Mars by 2023, seven years ahead of the US space agency’s target, and plans to start the search for volunteers next year. Experts are sceptical, but “Mars One” has won backing from none other than Dutch Nobel laureate Gerard’t Hooft, who won the 1999 prize for physics. “My first reaction was: ‘this will never work’. But a closer look at the project convinced me. I really think this is possible,”‘t Hooft told AFP. No one has yet tried to put man on Mars and scientists question whether radiation exposure would even allow humans to survive the trip. As for space agencies’ attempts since 1960 to land unmanned craft, only about half have succeeded, with the US in the clear lead. And though six missions did make it to Mars-including NASA’s Curiosity rover that set down Aug 5 to hunt for signs of past life and prepare for a possible human missionscientists have no way, yet, to get space-
craft back. Sound discouraging? Not to the man behind “Mars One”, mechanical engineer Bas Lansdorp, 35. He estimates its pricetag at a hefty $6 billion, more than twice the $2.5 billion for Curiosity, NASA’s biggest mission yet, and said the idea for financing came after talks with Paul Romer, one of the Dutch creators of “Big Brother”, the first reality show in 1999 that was a smash hit and spawned
Handout photo obtained on June 21, 2012 from Mars One shows an artist’s rendition of a settlement on Mars. —AFP
Handout photo obtained on June 21, 2012 from Mars One shows an artist’s rendition of a capsule landing on Mars.
versions, and big profits, worldwide. “Funding will be made possible through the media spectacle built around the adventure,” he told AFP. For Lansdorp, “the conquest of the red planet is the most important step in the history of mankind,” even if he concedes that many aspects of “Mars One” are still uncertain. Among these are the ethics and legality of asking people to finish their lives in outer
space, under TV scrutiny. Other critics say “Mars One” seems more focused on the monetization-rather than the feasibility-of the project. Under Lansdorp’s plan, choosing and training the astronauts, their months-long space journey and their lives on Mars would all be televised-along the lines of “Big Brother” where a small group was isolated in a house and constantly filmed by TV cameras.
‘Possible, in theory’ The Dutch engineer, who previously worked in the field of wind power, has teamed up with a physicist, an industrial designer and a communications specialist. They would run the operation, he said, and technical aspects like building a space ship and living quarters on Mars would be outsourced to companies that were “most qualified”. He has even drawn up a schedule. Selection and training of astronauts is set to start next year, and then modules for the space station, food and robotic vehicles would be sent between 2016 and 2022. A first group of four men and women would set foot on Mars in April 2023, Lansdorp told AFP, with others to follow until there was a colony of 20 people a decade later. They would mainly conduct scientific experiments, notably looking for signs of life, like Curiosity. On a planet with an average temperature of minus 55 degrees C (minus 67 F) whose atmosphere mainly of carbon dioxide, Lansdorp said oxygen would be produced from water found below Mars’ surface. For Chris Welch, an engineering professor at France’s International Space University in Strasbourg, getting oxygen this way was “possible in theory” but highly uncertain. —AFP