17th Aug

03:42 03:52 05:17 11:53 15:27 18:27 17:49

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Ecuador decides to grant Assange asylum

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FR EE

Emsak: Fajer: Shoruk: Dohr: Asr: Maghreb: Eshaa:

Traditional by design

Murray, Djokovic win in straight sets in Mason

44 Max 47º Min 33º

www.kuwaittimes.net

NO: 15542- Friday, August 17, 2012

Lebanon grapples with Syria violence spillover See Page 9

MASNAA, Lebanon: A masked man from a Sunni group that blocked a road linked to the LebaneseSyrian border checks a Syrian car carrying Syrian passengers in eastern Lebanon yesterday. — AP

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Local Kuwait’s my business

Customers want results, not promises

By John P Hayes

local@kuwaittimes.net

“T

hank you for calling The Hayes Group.

We get results! . . . How may I help you?” Had you called my consulting firm in the USA, that’s how my receptionist would have greeted you. The key point was to always make sure that you - a client or prospective client knew what we could do for you. We could get results! The message separated us from all competitive businesses, and the greeting created a memorable moment for the people who called us.

One day, my receptionist was rushing to answer three calls at once and in her haste she simply said, “The Hayes Group. How may I help you?” The client on the other end of the phone hesitated before he asked, “Don’t you get results any more?” That client taught my receptionist and all of us who are in business - a valuable lesson. Customers expect results. They don’t want promises. They don’t want to hear, “We’ll do our best,” or “We’ll try.” Customers spend money for results - in other words, for benefits that they need or want.

Up until that time, my receptionist wasn’t sold on saying the words, “We get results.” She thought they were “silly” and “self-serving” and “unnecessary.” So I invited her to polish her resume and give it to me so that I could share it with several of my business colleagues, who I thought might want to hire a receptionist. She didn’t like my message, but she understood me, and that’s how she reluctantly added, “We get results” to our phone greeting. Then, the first time she didn’t say it, she understood its value!

“Please don’t fire me,” she said to me when she explained what had happened. Of course I didn’t fire her. Our client knew that she was in a hurry and by her not saying “We get results,” both she and he were reminded that indeed that’s what we do. (Or did, since I don’t own the business anymore).

Customers have countless choices. They don’t have to call your business. They don’t have to shop at your store. In fact, with online options they don’t even have to talk to anyone anymore and they can buy just about everything they need or want. And that’s all the more reason why you must differentiate your business. Grab every opportunity you can to educate your customers about why your business is the best choice.

Remind them that they are spending money wisely when they patronize your business. Ultimately (as you’ll recall from a previous column) you are in business to capture and keep your customers. You can’t do that by making promises or by “trying.”

You do that by delivering the results they desire!

NOTE: Dr John P Hayes is a marketing professor at Gulf University for Science & Technology.

Contact him at questions@hayesworldwide.com or via Twitter @drjohnhayes.

Local FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

KUWAIT: Worshippers are seen praying in AlRashid mosque in Adeliya and in Jaber Al-Ali mosque in South Surra on Laylat AlQader (The Night of Power). — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Conspiracy Theories

I am desperate

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

hat an interesting upcoming week! Guys, is anybody waiting for the Eid holidays to enjoy some relaxing time, family time, leisure time or any other kind of time. My day today started with an SMS from the meteorological department. By the way, they rarely predict before hand. But this week they are very energetic. They please us with the weather forecast for the Eid holidays. They said: “There will be soaring temperatures and dust storms by Tuesday.”

I thought “That’s Kuwait.” The most important thing to me is safety and security. I thought I would spend the week going to the gym to sweat off the sweets I ate during Ramadan especially gemaat (something similar to India’s gulab jamun).

But guess what? I arrived in the health club last night and discovered that they had started the maintenance of the pool which will finish on Tuesday. I said: “Thank you. You really have good timing with the meteorologists.”

If the weather is like this that means you cannot go out in Kuwait, too. You cannot go jogging or sunbathing unless you want to stay indoor and stroll up and down in Avenues. So, I thought to myself: “Let me fly somewhere nearby. Just open the net and see the skyrocketing ticket prices for Eid, provided that you find a seat. Maybe you will find seats on KAC but who wants to take it even for free. No, thanks.

Forget the airlines. What about the hotels? They have tripled their prices. I don’t blame them. It is open marker economy after all! All our citizens are trapped in the Gulf and most of the Gulf countries have asked their citizens not to fly to Lebanon and to leave immediately if they are there to avoid being kidnapped. This has become a new trend that has invaded the Arab mentality. If countries have disputes, the solution is to kidnap their citizens.

So, Beirut is off the list. Even the poor Lebanese who work in the Gulf will avoid going back home. Syria is taboo, of course. As the Syrian government is defecting by the minute and one after the other, even the UN mission was ordered to leave. Why vacation there? Poor Egypt! The most touristic country in the area is also partly off the travel list because of the army-Morsi situation. Bahrain has been off the tourism map for a long time. Do you know what, guys! I am so desperate from the Arabs, their boycotts and troubles. Why don’t we make peace with the Israelis and vacation in Tel Aviv for a change. It seems like the only safe place in the Middle East.

Follow me @badryaD

W

Local FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Eid celebrations in Kuwait incomplete without a dara’a

T

raditional garments that are usually kept in wardrobes throughout the year make a grand appearance at Ramadan’s events: both at ghabqas and other get-togethers. Eid celebrations, however, remain the place to parade the traditional Kuwaiti outfit, known as dara’a (long dress). Known also as qaftan in Morocco or galabiya in Egypt, these traditional dresses are very typical in the Arab world. Many have varied designs, depending on their origin. In Kuwait, the dara’a has recently been adorned with more unique stones that make them stand out.

Najeeba Al-Qadibi, a Kuwaiti designer, started designing special types of dara’a called nashel - which she says are the best quality of traditional Kuwaiti women’s outfits. She launched her dara’a business three years ago and has already established her brand in the local market. What makes the designs of Qadibi special from others is that she is using different and higher quality textiles, which she imports from outside Kuwait. “I know there are many local dara’a designers, but they do not provide high quality designs,” she said, and explained that she imports the textiles for her outfits from Dubai, Turkey, Egypt and other countries. “In this way, I will have different pieces from others. Just a few of my textiles are from the local market,” Al-Qadibi said.

NO: 15542

29

RAMADAN 29, 1433 AH What gift did he bring back from Allah from the miraculous night journey to the heavens?

A

fasting

B

Alzakah

C

Five times daily salah Najeeba Al-Qadibi

Local FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

This is not all that makes her designs special, however. She also adds unique and expensive decorations from antique pieces brought from Turkey. “These pieces are from the Ottoman era in Turkey and they are really expensive. I’m the only one using this technique in my designs. Also, all of my designs are heavy and suitable for special evening occasions,” she explained. All Najeeba’s designs are handmade. “I make five pieces of each design in sizes-medium and large. In case a Nashel is big, I can make alterations for the customers,” she says.

In her workshop she gives the tailor the design she has drawn and he prepares a model. She prefers to work with linen, cotton and chiffon to suit the weather in Kuwait. “If a model looks good we then execute the final design. Because I am quite busy, I don’t take orders for individual designs, and I only do my collections annually,” she said.

2012 was a lucky year for Najeeba because she took part in five different exhibitions and expanded her business beyond Kuwait. “Currently, I’m also cooperating with stores in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai, which are selling some of my designs.

I’m planning, in the future, to export my work to London, but this idea is still being developed,” she said, adding that she does not have a store in Kuwait. Due to the prevailing hot weather in Kuwait, most of her designs are suitable for the summer. “I usually don’t do winter nashels, however, there are some customers who like this type and demand it, so I’m adding some winter designs to my collections,” she added.

The dara’as and traditional costumes have changed with time and become more modern. She explained that constantly developing the style and adding new elements to the traditional costumes is what makes them original. “We recently changed jumpsuits to qaftan, so it’s in a more Arabic style. I also watch the international fashion shows and follow the latest fashion colors for each season,” noted Najeeba.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

’90 war

Local

Drama on unity contrasts current feuds Kuwait’s young population has little or no memory of the Iraqi invasion

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ach night for the past three weeks, families in Kuwait have been transfixed by a drama in which they already know the ending: Iraq forces will be driven out and the shattered nation will rebuild.

But a 30-part television serial on Iraq’s 1990 invasion has become more than just a retelling of the occupation and the brief but intense Gulf War. The series is being seen by many as a reminder of past national unity at a time when Kuwait is caught in a near endless cycle of tribal bickering and political showdowns between the Western-backed ruling family and conservative Islamists, who want to impose measures such as banning public concerts and blocking women athletes from major sporting events. Tensions over the Gulf Arab showdowns with Shiite power Iran also have brought pressures on Kuwait’s minority Shiites.

The series “Saher al-Lail” - “Insomniac” in Kuwait’s Arabic dialect - is the most ambitious attempt by a Kuwait TV network to portray the invasion and six-month occupation. It follows the story of an extended Kuwaiti family: a Kuwaiti diplomat married to an Iraqi; their son, an army officer held in prison; and the diplomat’s nephews and nieces in the resistance, including one who is captured and tortured by Saddam Hussein’s soldiers.

Across the Muslim world, television series are a staple of the Ramadan holy month, which draws to a close this weekend. The plots typically reach back into Islamic history for stories of bravery and betrayal. The Kuwait series, however, deals with a conflict whose wounds are still not fully healed over issues such as missing prisoners of war.

The screenplay writer, Fahad Al-Aliwa, said he attempted to steer away from the political complexities and contradictions of the occupation - which included fabricated testimony in Washington about Iraqi atrocities recounted by the Kuwait ambassador’s daughter pretending to be a refugee witness. Instead, Aliwa sought to celebrate the national myths of unwavering resistance and honor during the occupation, much like Hollywood’s World War II epics of the 1960s in which the Yanks always found a way to pull it out.“During these troubling times when sectarianism is tearing apart our society, I found it to be vital to remind people of a time when all their differences didn’t matter and what mattered was what they share in common: their country,” said Aliwa, who was 6 years old when Saddam’s tanks rolled across the border on Aug 2, 1990. “It is not my role to discuss politics.”

But indirectly, the messages of national unity stand as a counterpoint to the current divides in Kuwait. Kuwait’s parliament - the most politically empowered in the Gulf - is currently in limbo over disputes between the ruling family and lawmakers that include claims of widespread corruption.

A Kuwaiti man watches the Alrai TV drama series ‘Saher al lail’ online in his house in Salwa on Aug 13, 2012. —AP

Boycotts by parliament members have pushed the country closer to possible new elections, which were won by Islamist-led opposition groups in the last voting in February.

Shortly after the February election, Islamist lawmakers said they would seek constitutional changes to replace the country’s mix of legal codes with only Islamic sharia.

HH the Amir blocked the plan. But hardline conservatives have tried to exert themselves in other ways, including closing down an art exhibition deemed “profane”. The works feature men and women mingling and include images of liquor bottles. HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah issued a thinly veiled warning to the political opposition on Monday, saying he would “not tolerate” groups that impede “the process of development in the country”.

A Kuwaiti in his late 60s who would give his name only as Abu Nasser, or father of Nasser, believes the country has lost touch with its sense of national purpose, which many believe reached its zenith during the rebuilding years after US-led forces drove out Saddam’s troops in early 1991. “After more than two decades, we are still none

the wiser. People talk a lot about how the differences were obliterated, but things improved after the invasion for a little while only and then got worse,” said Abu Nasser, who volunteered to run a grocery store during the invasion. “I certainly hope that this drama series will have a positive impact on people.” He and several others interviewed

by AP refused to give their full names because issues about the occupation remain a highly sensitive topic in Kuwait.

Kuwaiti novelist and women’s rights activist Laila Al-Othman hoped the series would spur deeper study of the occupation

by Kuwait’s young population - with about than half the country below 30 years old and with little or no memory of the Iraqi invasion. “It’s important that they learn what happened and that they learn about the values of solidarity that helped the country get back on its feet after the invasion,” she said.

What took place during the invasion, including stories of torture, rape and summary killings, are clouded by rumors and conjecture. Very little has officially been documented aside from numbers of executions and stories of martyrs, which are

retold as part of an oral tradition where fact and embellishment are often blurred. But Aliwa also took pains to avoid stoking tensions between Kuwait and Iraq. The dialogue refers to Saddam, and the occupying troops are simply referred to as “they” without mentioning the word Iraqis.

A Kuwaiti man in his late 40s, who would give his name only as Abu Yousef, says he vividly remembers the killings. “A young man from our neighborhood - younger than I - was lying on the floor in front of his house in a pool of his own blood. I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said the man. “I stopped the car and got out, and to this day I remember this scene very well. I remember how his grief-stricken mother sobbed loudly and I remember how she sat next to his body as if waiting for him to wake up.”

He tempers his war stories with praise for the solidarity that comes from crisis. “It was as if all differences have melted away,” he said. “People helped each other out in every way they could. We operated the bakeries, cleaned the streets, helped those who needed money, and issues like sect and background didn’t come between us. We all learned the value of our solidarity.” — AP

Local FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and a delegation accompanying him returned to the homeland early yesterday morning after leading Kuwait’s delegation to the fourth extraordinary summit of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah. Sheikh Sabah also visited Madinah and performed umrah (minor pilgrimage) in Makkah prior to the summit. The Amir was received at the airport by HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (left), National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi (center) and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (right) among others. — KUNA

Kuwaiti citizens in Lebanon ‘safe’

Gulf states tell citizens to quit Lebanon BEIRUT: Kuwaiti citizens currently in Lebanon are “safe and sound”, said charge d’affaires in Kuwait’s embassy here Fahad Al-Masoud, noting that the consulate is working round the clock to secure their safe return home. AlMasoud said that today there are several flights for Kuwaiti citizens who want to get back home. He also called on Kuwaiti citizens who want to leave Lebanon to contact the embassy on these numbers: 0096171007748 or 009617005666. This action came on the backdrop of airport road being

blocked by the angry relatives of Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria.

Saudi Arabia, which is opposed to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, told its citizens on Wednesday to leave immediately after “clear threats against them”, Lebanon’s National News Agency said. The United Arab Emirates issued a similar warning, with Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahayan tweeting: “Unfortunately, the situation is very dangerous,” while Qatar and Bahrain followed suit.

Lebanon is one of Gulf tourists’ favourite destinations during the summer, as they seek to escape their searing hot climate for the cooler Mediterranean climate and the more liberal lifestyle.

But violence in Syria has spilled over into Lebanon, denting the country’s already fragile security situation, with cross-border shootings, shelling by the Syrian army, tit-for-tat kidnappings and sectarian clashes between groups which are divided over the revolt. — Agencies

News

in brief

Kyrgyzstan exempts Kuwaitis from visas KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry’s Consular Department announced yesterday that the Kyrgyzstan government issued a law on July 31 that exempts visiting Kuwaiti citizens from entering the country with a visa for 60 days. On the other hand, the department called in a press statement on all citizens wishing to conduct trading of gold or other metals from Ghana to follow official procedures, such as dealing with agencies and government bodies specialized or authorized in metal trading in Ghana.

Slacking employees censured KUWAIT: Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Abdulaziz Al-Ibrahim referred a number of municipality employees in Souk Al-Mubarakiya to investigation due to their absence during his sudden field inspection at municipality centers in the governorates of Al-Jahra and Al-Asima late Wednesday. Ibrahim, who is also the Minister of Water and Electricity, said in a statement that any failure by any employee is reflected negatively on the services provided by the municipality to citizens and residents.

Travel agencies report hike in reservations KUWAIT: A number of representatives of and workers at travel agencies reported “heavy booking action” for the Eid holidays after the slump during the holy month of Ramadan as Kuwaitis prefer to spend the fasting season at home with family and friends and postponed their touristic actions for later. In separate remarks with KUNA, they noted the period from the Eid holiday till end of school break saw hikes in reservation of 40-200 percent, with destinations such as Dubai and Istanbul particularly popular despite record-high prices for both.

There was such strong demand, they added, that some families had to postpone or even cancel their holidays, failing to secure bookings.

One particular hitch in the season was the political instability in Lebanon which resulted in the cancelation of bookings for Beirut, particularly after the warning issued by the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry against

nationals traveling to the Arab country, along with similar warnings by Gulf countries. When it came to new attractions and destinations this year, they noted there was particular interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria. Travel agent Hassan Abdulkarim said the relatively short holiday and political instability largely limited choices to destinations such as Dubai, Istanbul and east Asia. The surge in demand was met by airliners listing additional flights, “and it is by now extremely difficult to secure booking for the main destinations this season”.

One thing that confuses agents’ plans, he said, is that many Kuwaitis decide on their destinations and time of travel “with too little time left for arranging it all”.

Abdulkarim said that in addition to making it harder for the agent to arrange the trip, this means that the customer pays a lot more as a result of hike in prices and lack of

options. Mohammad Al-Tasabahji, a travel agency manager, told KUNA there are now 16 flights to Dubai per day for the Eid season, with only Kuwait Airways, Emirates, FlyDubai and Jazeera Airways offering direct flight.

There was a drop meanwhile in bookings for Cairo, Beirut, and Damascus as a result of the political situation and the majority of bookings to these destinations are by people visiting or returning home rather than tourists. When it comes to prices for Kuwaitis’ top destination Dubai, he said the prices are high compared to those seen before Ramadan, despite the offers of fourstar and five-star hotels. The increase in price stands between 45 and a whopping 85 percent, he noted. Bookings for Europe dropped due to the short holiday and the fall season, but London bookings were unaffected and the British capital remains as ever Kuwaitis’ top destination, he remarked. Al-

Tasabahji said there was increase in use of online booking, but noted this comes with limitations such as inability to change timings after making payment, and the fact that there is use of credit cards involved. This is why some customers still prefer to go through an agent.

Mubasher Asharaf, a bookings manager at a travel agency, said he saw Kuwaitis mainly opting for three destinations for Eid and the following weeks - Dubai for trips lasting no more than seven days, east Asia for 7-10 day trips, and Europe for trips over 10 days. Young customers, he pointed out, preferred Dubai, Bangkok, and Sharm ElSheikh, while families opted for Istanbul and Europe, along with Dubai with its attractive proximity. Prices for Dubai, he agreed, have surged considerably. “The surplus in demand leads to listing extra flights and the difficulty in securing bookings results in doubling of prices for tickets.” — KUNA

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Air strike kills over 30, OIC suspends Syria

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Ecuador grants asylum to Assange

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Thousands flee south India fearing revenge attacks

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MASNAA: Lebanese soldiers walk as they pass between tents that were set by Sunni group who blocked a road linked to the Lebanese-Syrian border yesterday. — AP

Lebanon kidnappings spark fears Shiite tribesmen seize 20, including a Turk BEIRUT/ALEPPO: Gulf Arab states began evacuating their citizens from Lebanon yesterday after kidnappings linked to Syria’s civil war showed violence has begun to spread across a region torn by sectarian divisions. A Lebanese Shiite clan seized more than 20 people in Beirut and said a Turkish hostage, whose country is a key backer of Syria’s mainly Sunni Muslim insurgency, would be the first to die if a kinsman held by Syrian rebels were killed.

The powerful Shiite Meqdad family is seeking to put pressure on rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to release clan member Hassan Al-Meqdad, who has been held by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) for two days.

The clan has targeted Syrians it believes belong to the FSA, as well as citizens of Turkey, one of the rebels’ regional sponsors. An earlier threat by the kidnappers to seize Saudis, Turks and Qataris to secure the release of a kinsman held

by Syrian rebels in Damascus bore ominous echoes of Lebanon’s own civil war - and Arab governments lost no time in urging visitors to

leave Beirut’s popular summer tourist haunts.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain all told their nationals to leave at once. Some nations have already begun flying their citizens home. “The snowball will grow,” warned Hatem Al-Meqdad, a senior member of the Meqdad family who said his brother Hassan was detained by the FSA two days ago. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, whose Alawite minority is an offshoot of Shiite Islam, has long relied on support from Shiite Iran and its Hezbollah allies.

He accuses the Sunni powers of the Gulf and Turkey of promoting the revolt against him, which grew out of Arab Spring demonstrations 18 months ago. While his opponents, and the Western powers which sympathise with them, insist they want to avoid the kind of sectarian blood-letting seen in Iraq, rebels who mostly come from Syria’s disadvantaged Sunni majority have seized Iranians and Lebanese there in recent weeks, saying they may be working for Assad.

Regional moves Lebanon’s Meqdad clan kidnapped more than 20 people on Wednesday in an action that will damage a Lebanese economy, for which Gulf tourists have played a part in recovery after 15 years of civil war ended in 1990. “We still haven’t even done one percent; we still haven’t really moved,” said a man who told reporters that he and his fellow masked gunmen from the Meqdad clan’s “military wing”. Speaking in Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled Dahiya district late on Wednesday he said they were ready to take more action against Syrian rebels in Lebanon.

Maher Al-Meqdad, the clan’s spokesman, said the Meqdads were only targeting the Free Syrian Army and Turks and that the number of Turkish captives “was likely to rise”. “If Hassan (Al-Meqdad) is killed, the first hostage we will kill is the Turk,” he told Reuters. “Regarding Saudis, Qataris and Gulf nationals, they are not targets for the Meqdad clan,” he said. The clan says Hezbollah had nothing to do with the kid-

nappings. The Turkish hostage told a Lebanese television channel he was being treated well.

Another station broadcast footage it said showed two Syrian hostages in the custody of masked gunmen from the Meqdad clan wearing fatigues and armed with rifles. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the kidnappings, but his government seemed largely powerless to act. “This brings us back to the days of the painful war, a page that Lebanese citizens have been trying to turn,” he said. Fighting in Syria has triggered violence across the border before - some of it linked to Syrian rebels bringing arms and supplies across Lebanon. But the round of hostage-taking on both sides adds a new factor for regional states, who are advancing their strategic interests while Russia and the West are deadlocked by their deep divisions over Syria. At a meeting in Saudi Arabia, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation suspended Syria yesterday, citing Assad’s suppression of the Syrian revolt, but there was little support for direct military involvement. — Reuters

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Iraq blasts, shootings kill 20, wound scores Security experts see Qaeda wing surging

BAHRAIN: In this photo, human rights activist Sayyed Yousif Al-Muhafdha (left) speaks to protesters during a march, calling for freedom for jailed rights activists seen on the poster at right. — AP

Bahrain activist jailed for 3 years for protests MANAMA: A prominent Bahraini human rights activist was found guilty yesterday of instigating and participating in several illegal gatherings and sentenced to three years in jail.

The unexpectedly stiff sentence against Nabeel Rajab will raise questions about the Western-backed Sunni monarchy’s commitment to reform, and embolden anti-government protesters who have been demonstrating the past 18 months for greater rights in the Gulf island kingdom, home to the US Navy’s 5th fleet.

Rajab, who is already serving a three-month sentence for posting anti-government comments on Twitter, was in court for the verdict. He is president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. Rajab’s attorney Mohammed al-Jishi said each of three cases yielded a year imprisonment, for a total of three years. Al-Jishi said he plans to appeal the ruling.

In a separate case involving comments made on social media site Twitter, a judge delayed issuing a verdict against Rajab’s appeal until Aug 23.

Bahrain has experienced near daily protests since February 2011 following an uprising by the kingdom’s Shiite majority seeking greater political rights from the Westernbacked Sunni monarchy. At least 50 people have died in the unrest and hundreds have been detained, including prominent rights activists and Shiite opposition leaders.

Shiites account for about 70 percent of Bahrain’s population of just over half a million people, but claim they face widespread discrimination and lack opportunities granted to the Sunni minority.

The country’s leaders have offered some reforms including restoring jobs for many Shiites pushed out from their posts at the start of the uprising and giving parliament more power. But the opposition says they fall short of Shiite demands for a greater voice in the country’s affairs and an elected government.

The unrest has put Washington into an awkward position.

US officials have called for efforts to reopen political dialogue in Bahrain, but are careful not to press too hard against the nation’s leadership and possibly jeopardize its important military ties.

Rights groups criticized the ruling against Rajab and said it raises questions over whether the regime is serious about reforms. They have called for his immediate release.

“It seems Bahrain’s rulers are far more comfortable with harsh repression than with the reforms King Hamad keeps promising,” said Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division.

“The government has yet to show that Nabeel Rajab did any more than exercise his right to free expression and peaceful assembly. He should be set free, not sent away from his family to prison.” — AP

BAGHDAD: A wave of attacks across Iraq yesterday killed at least 20 people, officials said, amid warnings of a potential escalation in violence to coincide with the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Officials reported more than a dozen explosions and shootings in 10 cities and towns nationwide that also left more than 100 people wounded, and which came a day after attacks killed 13 people. The latest unrest takes the overall death toll from violence this month to 165, according to an AFP tally based on security and medical sources.

In the north Baghdad neighbourhood of Husseiniyah, a car bomb killed at least six people and wounded 26, according to an interior ministry official and a medical source. Meanwhile in the town of Daquq, north of Baghdad in Kirkuk province, a suicide attacker blew himself up at an anti-terrorism department’s compound, according to provincial police Brigadier General Sarhad Qader. In the province’s eponymous capital, meanwhile, at least four car bombs were set off across the cityincluding two at the offices of the stateowned North Oil Company.

“I came to investigate one of the attacks near the company compound,” said police Colonel Abdullah Kadhim, head of Kirkuk city’s sniffer dog unit.

“Suddenly, another bomb went off near me, and it damaged lots of cars and company property inside the parking lot.” Kadhim suffered wounds to his leg.

Provincial health chief Sadiq Omar Rasul put the toll from the attacks in Daquq and Kirkuk city at eight dead and 56 wounded. Qader said the victims included six police killed in the Daquq attack.

The violence in ethnically-mixed Kirkuk city was concentrated in its Kurdish-majority areas, and came on the anniversary of the founding of Iraq’s most powerful Kurdish party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

The KDP’s current leader Massud Barzani was also born on the same day his father founded the party. In the same province, two roadside bombs

near the home of a police captain in the town of Dibis killed his brother and wounded four others, including the captain himself, police and a doctor at nearby Kirkuk hospital said.

Attacks also struck Al-Garma, Tuz Khurmatu, Mosul, Taji, Khales and Baquba, leaving five dead and dozens wounded. In Al-Garma, near the former insurgent bastion of Fallujah west of

A day earlier, 13 people were killed in attacks north of Baghdad. On Monday, British security firm AKE Group warned that “terrorists in Iraq may be planning mass casualty explosive attacks against large gatherings of civilians to mark the end of Ramadan later this week.” “We haven’t received any specific intelligence on the matter but they (insurgents) may be ‘saving up’ their willing

KIRKUK: Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq yesterday. — AP Baghdad, four policemen were killed and three others wounded in a shooting at a checkpoint, according to police Major Enes Mahmud and Dr Omar Dalli at Fallujah hospital. As emergency responders and civilians rushed to the scene, a roadside bomb exploded, wounding three others.

Three roadside bombs exploded in Tuz Khurmatu near the home of a district chief, or mukhtar, killing his wife and leaving him and his three sons wounded, according to police and a local medic. Explosions in Mosul, Taji, Khales and on the outskirts of Baquba left 22 others wounded, security and medical officials said.

bombers for the closing period of the month, due around 17-18 August,” AKE analyst John Drake said.

The 165 people killed this month include at least 76 security force members, according to an AFP tally based on security and medical sources. While violence has decreased from its peak in 2006 and 2007, attacks remain common across Iraq.

There were attacks on 27 of the 31 days in July, and there has been at least one shooting or bombing every day this month. Official figures put the number of people killed in attacks in July at 325, the highest monthly death toll since August 2010. — AFP

UN watchdog may lower Iran uranium estimate VIENNA: The United Nations’ atomic watchdog may decide that less uranium is missing at an Iranian research site than it had previously thought, diplomats say, and that may go some way to easing concerns that it may have been diverted for military use. UN inspectors have asked Iran to explain a “discrepancy” after an inventory they made last year of natural uranium metal and process waste at the Tehran facility showed there was 19.8 kg less than the Iranian laboratory’s own count.

The United States is concerned the material may have been diverted to suspected weapons-related research activity. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, dismissed the reported discrepancy as “absolutely not an issue”. One Western diplomat said it had since been partly “explained” during talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Vienna-based UN watchdog, and that discussions on the issue were continuing.

But the details would only become clear in the IAEA’s next quarterly report on Iran’s disputed nuclear pro-

gramme, expected towards the end of August. “I’ve heard that the agency could be revising the figure lower,” another diplomat said, referring to the report prepared ahead of a Sept 10-14 meeting of the UN agency’s 35nation board, when Iran is again likely to dominate the agenda. A third envoy said it was also his understanding that the IAEA’s investigation had resulted in a reduction of the discrepancy, but he said the research was not yet complete. There was no immediate comment from the IAEA or Iran’s diplomatic mission in the Austrian capital.

Western concerns Experts say such a small quantity of natural uranium could not be used to make a bomb, but that the metal could be relevant to weapons-linked tests. In November last year, the IAEA presented a stash of intelligence indicating that Iran has undertaken research and experiments that could be relevant for developing atomic arms, prompting Western states to ratchet up sanctions on Tehran. — Reuters

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Israel wraps up national SMS missile alert test JERUSALEM: Israel yesterday wound up nationwide testing of an SMS warning system against missile attack, sending texts to mobile phones in Jerusalem and other parts of the country, a military spokeswoman said. The five-day exercise, which began on Sunday, took place to the backdrop of mounting speculation over a possible Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and a resulting Iranian counter-attack.

The army said that along with Jerusalem, yesterday’s test would include the Negev desert town of Arad, the northern cities of Afula and Hadera, and Upper Nazareth, a Jewish satellite of the Israeli Arab city.

A spokeswoman said that Nazareth itself, the largest Arab city in Israel, would not be included in the test, with military sources explaining that when the system became fully operational it would cover all communities. The army says the warning messages are being sent in Hebrew, Arabic, English

and Russian. They are meant to warn of an imminent missile attack by Iran or Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, which could become a reality if Israel decides to mount a military strike on nuclear facilities in Iran.

Israel believes the Islamic republic is trying to develop a military nuclear capability under the guise of its civilian programme which it says would pose an existential threat to the Jewish state. Opponents of an Israeli attack said yesterday that around 500 academics and retired military personnel had signed a petition calling on air force pilots to refuse to carry out a unilateral strike. “I understand the farreaching implications of this petition,” a statement quoted one of the signatories, Tel Aviv University law professor Menachem Mautner, as saying.

“The possibility of a decision to attack Iran has been keeping me awake for weeks.” The statement warns that injury to Iranian civilians as

a result of radioactive leakage from any of the targeted facilities could expose pilots to future war crimes charges. “We issue this appeal to you out of a deep sense of concern and anxiety,” the petition tells the airmen.

“Our fate, our very future lies very much in your hands.”

A poll released yesterday said that 61 percent of Jewish Israelis opposed a raid on Iran without US support. The survey, published by the independent Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) thinktank, also said that 57 percent of respondents believed talk of a preemptive strike is simply a tactic designed to pressure the Americans to take more resolute action against Iran.

“Most Jewish Israelis (56 percent) remain unconvinced that Israel will attack Iran without US cooperation in the near future,” it added. The IDI said the survey of 516 respondents was conducted by the Dahaf polling institute on August 7-8 and has a margin of

error of 4.5 percentage points. In recent weeks, the Israeli press has been flooded with reports citing anonymous top officials suggesting military action against Tehran’s nuclear facilities is imminent.

But US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta on Tuesday said Israel had not yet reached a decision on whether to mount an attack. US President Barack Obama has said Washington will stop Iran from “acquiring nuclear weapons”-a step further down the line from Israel’s red line, which says Tehran must not be allowed to acquire atomic weapons capability. There is concern in Washington that a unilateral Israeli strike may not destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, could spark Iranian retaliation worldwide and may drag the United States into another war in the Middle East. “Any kind of military action ought to be the last alternative, not the first,” Panetta said Tuesday. — AFP

Air strike kills over 30, OIC suspends Syria Syria rebels organise towns without Assad

LONDON: The Metropolitan Police holds a supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange outside the Ecuadorian Embassy yesterday as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange awaits the decision of the Ecuadorian Government on granting his asylum request. — AFP

Ecuador grants asylum to Assange LONDON: Ecuador said yesterday that it was granting asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a decision that thrilled supporters but will do little to defuse the standoff at the Latin American nation’s London embassy, where the Australian exhacker has been holed up for almost two months. Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said Ecuador believed Assange faced a real threat of political persecution - including the prospect of extradition to the United States, where Patino said the head of the secret-spilling website would not get a fair trial. “It is not impossible that he would be treated in a cruel manner, condemned to life in prison, or even the death penalty,” Patino told journalists in Quito, the Ecuadorean capital. “Ecuador is convinced that his procedural rights have been violated.”

Britain’s Foreign Office said it was disappointed by the decision, but that it still plans to fulfill its legal obligation to extradite Assange to Sweden, where he faces sexual assault allegations. Assange shot to prominence after WikiLeaks repeatedly released huge troves of US secret documents, moves which have outraged Americans and led to calls from American politicians to have him hunted down like a terrorist.

He is wanted in Sweden for questioning on allegations of sexual misconduct, but supporters fear the Scandinavian extradition effort is the opening gambit in a Washingtonorchestrated bid to make him stand trial in the United States.

Swedish officials, and the two women who have accused Assange, have denied that the extradition bid is politically motivated. Director of Public Prosecution Marianne Ny declined to comment on the asylum decision, saying the issue was a matter for Britain. Ecuador’s decision heartened supporters - there was a cheer outside the Ecuadorean Embassy when it was it announced - but is likely to have little practical effect on Assange’s current status. — AP

AAZAZ: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation suspended Syria, saying the Muslim world “can no longer accept a regime that massacres its people”, as 31 people were reported killed in an air strike. Regime forces were also bombarding the key battleground city of Aleppo in the north, activists said, while Damascus was shaken by a bomb attack targeting a military headquarters and a firefight near the prime minister’s office.

As the world’s main Muslim grouping the 57-member OIC wound up a summit in the Saudi holy city of Mecca early yesterday, UN investigators said the Syrian regime had committed crimes against humanity, including the Houla massacre in May. A statement issued at the end of the emergency OIC summit said participants had agreed on “the need to end immediately the acts of violence in Syria and to suspend that country from the OIC”. The final statement said there had been “deep concern at the massacres and inhuman acts suffered by the Syrian people”. OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu told a news conference the decision sent “a strong message from the Muslim world to the Syrian regime”.

“This world can no longer accept a regime that massacres its people using planes, tanks and heavy artillery,” he added. The move was welcomed by the United States as sending a “strong message” to President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. “Today’s action underscores the Assad regime’s increasing international isolation and the widespread support for the Syrian people and their struggle for a democratic state that represents their aspirations and respects their human rights,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

A report by the UN Commission of Inquiry said government forces and their

militia allies committed crimes against humanity including murder and torture, while the rebels had also carried out war crimes, but on a lesser scale. “The commission found reasonable grounds to

north of Syria, activists and residents reported another atrocity by the regime, with at least 31 people including children killed in an air strike in Aazaz, a rebel bastion near the second city Aleppo.

MAFRAQ: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius speaks at a press conference next to his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh (right), during a tour of the UNrun Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Jordan’s northern city of Mafraq yesterday. — AFP believe that government forces and the shabiha had committed the crimes against humanity of murder and of torture, war crimes and gross violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” the UN report said. It said they were responsible for the massacre in the central city of Houla in May when 108 civilians, including 49 children, were killed in a grisly attack that Assad himself had said was the work of “monsters”.

Rebel fighters were however not spared in the probe, which found them guilty of war crimes, including murder, extrajudicial execution and torture. In the

“Bashar did this. God help us, these animals will kill us all,” said one man, hoisting a bloodied arm from a pile of body parts on the pavement outside the local hospital. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 31 people were killed, including women and children, and another 200 wounded, warning the toll could rise.

“There are many people still trapped under the rubble,” said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. “The situation is horrific.” Dozens of residents were seen fleeing for nearby Turkey, many of them entire families carrying boxes of clothing and food on their heads. — AFP

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Security guard credited for thwarting DC shooting WASHINGTON: A man who had been a volunteer at a community center for gays walked into the lobby of a conservative political organization, assailed the group’s work, pulled a gun and opened fire. But the shooting Wednesday morning at the downtown Washington headquarters of the Family Research Council left only one person injured: the security guard. And after being struck in the arm, he helped wrestle the gunman to the floor, thwarting an attack that police fear could have turned deadly. “The security guard here is a hero, in my opinion,” DC. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said of Leo Johnson, who was conscious and in stable condition at an area hospital after the shooting. Police and the FBI

were investigating why the armed man, identified as 28-year-old Floyd Lee Corkins II of Herndon, Va., entered the front lobby of the conservative group, argued with the guard and opened fire. But one law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect made a negative reference about the group’s work and what it stands for before shooting. Corkins was being held on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, the FBI said in a news release Wednesday night.

Authorities were interviewing him and canvassing his neighborhood in Herndon, located about 24 miles from the nation’s capital.

Television news footage showed the suspect, a large man with a shaved head and an

unbuttoned striped shirt, being led to a car with his hands restrained. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer. Though authorities did not publicly reveal a motive, advocacy groups across the ideological spectrum condemned the violence, with some casting it as a hate crime. President Barack Obama was concerned about the well-being of the guard, a White House spokesman said, and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney also said he was appalled. “Today’s attack is the clearest sign we’ve seen that labeling pro-marriage groups as ‘hateful’ must end,” Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage, said in a statement. The Family Research Council,

headquartered in a busy downtown tourist district, strongly opposes gay marriage and abortion and says it advocates “faith, family and freedom in public policy and public opinion.” The group maintains a powerful lobbying presence on those causes, testifying before Congress and reviewing legislation. Its president, Tony Perkins, said the group’s main concern was with the wounded guard.

Corkins, who had been volunteering recently at a community center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, made a negative comment about the organization’s activity before the shooting, but the reference was not specific, one of the law enforcement officials said. —AP

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Punk trial exposes Putin to international criticism Russia places Riot judge under state protection

GOMA: Women protest against the decision to use a neutral force from Uganda-Rwanda-Burundi in front of a hotel where Defence chiefs from 11 African countries met yesterday. — AP

Over 60 miners dead in Congo shaft collapse KINSHASA: At least 60 miners were killed when a shaft collapsed in a remote part of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where local armed groups complicated rescue efforts, officials said yesterday. The local miners were digging for gold in shafts up to 100 metres (109 yards) underground when the accident occurred on Monday in Mambasa territory in Orientale Province, said Simon Pierre Bolombo, the provincial head of mines. He said the collapse had been caused by a landslide.

“It was deep in the forest, there was a landslide, at least 60 people have been killed,” Bolombo told Reuters by telephone from the town of Bunia in northeast Congo. Congo’s minister of mines, Martin Kabwelulu, told Reuters the workers were there illegally and that their shafts were deeper than the 30-metre (32-yard) limit required by the mining code for small-scale mining.

Hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Congo make a living in non-industrial mines, where safety precautions are almost nonexistent and accidents are common. The area where the mine is situated is currently in the hands of a local rebel group - known as Mai Mai Morgan - which will likely hamper any rescue efforts, Bolombo said. “(The mine) is controlled by the rebels There’s almost total insecurity, it’s difficult for us (to reach),” he added. Mining companies AngloGold Ashanti and Randgold operate in the region, which is known to be rich in tin and gold, although the accident did not take place on either company’s concession, officials said. Armed groups across eastern Congo use illegal and small-scale mining to help fund their activities, despite international attempts to stamp out so-called “conflict minerals”. — Reuters

11 dead in Afghan helicopter crash Taleban claim responsibility KABUL: Eleven people have been killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, including three US soldiers and four other foreign troops, the NATO-led coalition force in the country said yesterday. The cause of the crash, which Afghan authorities said was in the Shah Wali Kot district of southern Kandahar province, was under investigation, the International Security Assistance Force said in a statement.

“The crash resulted in the deaths of four International Security Assistance Force service members, three United States Forces-Afghanistan service members, three members of the Afghan National Security Forces, and one Afghan civilian interpreter,” ISAF said. The Taleban claimed responsibility for shooting down the helicopter, although the insurgency often exaggerates its victories and is quick to claim responsibility for any incident involving foreign troop deaths.

The area where the helicopter went down is an insurgent hotbed and supply route, lying north of Kandahar city near volatile Zabul and Uruzgan provinces. The Taleban shot down a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter in August 2011, killing all 38 people on board, including 25 US special operations soldiers. — Reuters

MOSCOW: Whatever verdict a Russian court delivers today for the women from punk band Punk Riot who taunted the Kremlin from a church altar, President Vladimir Putin has signalled he is no more willing to brook dissent as he begins a third term. The trial has caused an international outcry and crushed Western and opposition hopes that former KGB officer Putin might allow more political freedom and give courts more independence in the first few months of his new term. “Essentially, it is not three singers from Punk Riot who are on trial here. It is the entire state system of the Russian Federation which is on trial,” Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one the three defendants, said in her closing statement last week.

Tolokonnikova, 22, Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, and Maria Alyokhina, 24, face up to three years in jail for bursting into Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral in balaclavas, short skirts and bright tights and belting out a “punk prayer” protesting against Putin’s close ties with the Orthodox Church. Judge Marina Syrova is scheduled to start reading the verdict at 3 pm (1100 GMT) today and could hand down a sentence by the evening on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.

The three women, confined to a glass courtroom cage during the trial, say the Feb. 21 protest was part of a broad movement against Putin’s decision last year to return to the Kremlin and extend his effective 12-year rule as president or prime minister for at least six more years. His new term began on May 7. They deny intending to offend believers and say they are victims of a crackdown on dissent in which the Kremlin has rushed through legislation to tighten its hold on its opponents following big protests against Putin during the winter.

The trial has exposed Putin to international criticism for politically motivated prosecutions, including from the US State Department, human rights groups and pop stars. US singer Madonna donned a balaclava in a Moscow concert to show her support for Punk Riot and stripped to her bra to show the band name scrawled across her back.

Campaign groups plan new protests in cities such as New York, Paris and London on Friday.

The 59-year-old president’s opponents say Putin saw the trial as an opportunity to tarnish the reputation of the whole opposition, but that he misread public opinion. “The Kremlin thought the entire opposition would be tarred by the same brush when they portrayed Punk Riot in a bad light. But it hasn’t worked,” opposition leader Alexei Navalny said.

Kremlin influence over courts Putin has signalled he is aware of the danger of appearing intolerant. He told reporters in London that although they did “nothing good”, they should not be judged too harshly. He also insisted that it was for the court to decide the verdict, but few people in Russia believe that. “The decision, the ruling, is certainly not made in the courtroom. Like in any prominent political case in Russia, such rulings are made elsewhere,” said Masha Lipman, an analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Centre thinktank.

That is bad news for foreign investors who regard an independent judiciary and rule of law as vital for a safe and predictable investment environment in Russia. A sentence that is widely considered too harsh would open Putin to new criticism in Russia and abroad, might help drive more disillusioned young Russians into the arms of the opposition and could radicalise his opponents. A lenient sentence could win Putin plaudits but would risk alienating leaders of the influential Russian Orthodox Church, whose flock includes 70 percent of the population, though far fewer regularly attend services. It would also do little to convince foreign governments he has changed tack.

“A tough sentence on Friday would make divisions in society worse and feed radicalism. A more lenient sentence would seem a sensible compromise, but it would still not remove the damage that has already been done to Russian society and the Kremlin,” said former Kremlin spin doctor Gleb Pavlovsky.

LONDON: Three Amnesty International activists are dressed as the Russian Band Punk Rioters outside the Russian Embassy. — AP

A liberal Russian magazine, the New Times, said the negative publicity for Putin had been worse even than during the five-day war with Georgia in 2008, the arrest of wealthy businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky in 2003 and the forced break-up of his oil company, Yukos, after he fell out with the president. “Neither the war in Georgia ... nor the expropriation of Yukos and he second sentence blatantly ordered up against Mikhail Khodorkovsky, nor even Putin’s return to the Kremlin has done as much damage to his image in the civilised world as this trial,” it said.

No impact on policy Despite any damage to his image and foreign criticism, Putin is unlikely to change course. He won almost twothirds of votes in the March 4 presidential election and can still count on a lot of support in Russia’s provinces. Kremlin sources say anti-Western rhetoric swelled his support on March 4, and fine words about democracy matter much less to Russian voters than the nation’s leader showing a firm hand, sounding tough and standing up to foreign powers.

“Either you show weakness and you show that you are not confident, and then you are facing a risk of weakening even further - or you continue to crack down,” Lipman said.

“There is no way to stop on the path of cracking down and of repression.” The Kremlin has denied launching a crackdown or persecuting opponents and businessmen who criticise Putin.

His first 100 days in office included resisting Western efforts to oust Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and the passage of laws to tighten control of the Internet, push up fines for protesters and increase checks on foreign-funded lobby groups. The homes of some protest organisers have been searched, and state investigators have pressed theft charges against one opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, and are investigating another, Gennady Gudkov, over his business activities. While many Russians have little sympathy with the mainly middle-class protesters who have taken to the streets against Putin in big cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, anger over the treatment of Punk Riot could reinvigorate a protest movement that had stuttered in recent months after attracting large crowds in the winter. — Reuters

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

20 Shiites pulled off Pak bus and shot dead PESHAWAR: Gunmen pulled 20 Shiite Muslims from a bus and killed them at point blank range in Pakistan yesterday, the third such incident in six months, officials said. The incident happened in the northwestern district of Mansehra as the bus was travelling between Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the Pakistani army, and the mainly Shiite northern city of Gilgit. Officials said it was ambushed in the hills of Babusar Top, around 100 miles (160 kilometres) north of the capital Islamabad, although they differed over details of the incident.

“Ten to 12 people wearing army uniform stopped the bus and forced some people off the bus,” said Khalid Omarzai, administration chief in Mansehra.

“After checking their papers, they opened fire and at least 20 people are reported to have been killed. This is initial information and the final toll may go up. They are all Shiites,” he said. Local police official Shafiq Gul told AFP that the gunmen were masked, but said the victims were pulled from three separate vehicles in the district, which neighbours the Swat valley, a former Taleban stronghold.

“They stopped three vehicles, searched them and picked up people in three batches of five, six and nine and shot them dead. They were all Shiites,” he said.

Sectarian violence linked to Gilgit, a popular tourist destination for wealthy Pakistanis and expatriates who live in the country, has increased in recent months. It is

the capital of Pakistan’s far northern Gilgit-Baltistan region and is popular with mountaineers as a gateway to the Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges.

On February 28, gunmen in military fatigues hauled 18 Shiite Muslim men off buses travelling from Rawalpindi to Gilgit in the northern district of Kohistan, shooting them dead in cold blood. On April 3, a Sunni Muslim mob dragged nine Shiite Muslims from buses and also shot them dead in the town of Chilas, about 60 miles south of Gilgit. Human rights groups have heavily criticised Pakistan for failing to crack down on sectarian violence between the country’s majority Sunni and minority Shiite communities that has killed thousands. — AFP

Thousands flee south India fearing revenge attacks New clashes in NE India as tension mounts

KAMRS: In this photograph, the body of an Islamic militant, who attacked Pakistan’s Minhas Air Force base lies on a ground yesterday. — AFP

Taleban attack Pakistan air base, 10 dead: Report KAMRA: Heavily armed militants stormed a Pakistani air force base yesterday, sparking clashes that left 10 people dead and raised concerns about the safety of the country’s nuclear arsenal.

One security official was killed and a plane damaged in the predawn assault at PAF Base Minhas claimed by the Taleban as militants again showed their ability to penetrate a sensitive military site five years into an insurgency. The first strike on a base in more than a year came amid speculation that Pakistan could bow to US demands for an operation against militants in their main fortress of North Waziristan, in the tribal belt on the Afghan border.

An official denied there were nuclear weapons on the heavily guarded base, but the audacious assault raised further questions in the West about the dangers of Pakistan’s atomic weapons falling into extremists’ hands. The Pakistan Air Force said nine attackers dressed in military uniforms and armed with rocket propelled-grenades and suicide vests targeted the base and adjacent Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at 2:00 am.

The complex assembles Mirage and, with Chinese help, JF-17 fighter jets. PAF Minhas, in the town of Kamra in Punjab province 60 kilometres (35 miles) northwest of Islamabad, has been attacked twice before. “Eight miscreants were killed inside the Minhas base boundary wall and one miscreant exploded himself outside the perimeters where he was hiding,” the air force announced. It said there had been a shootout “for more than two hours” and 10 hours after the assault began, spokesman Tariq Mahmood confirmed the base was “totally safe”.

The Pakistani Taleban said planes at the base were being used to kill its fighters. Spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan dedicated the attack to late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and claimed four Taleban fighters were killed after destroying three aircraft and killed a dozen soldiers. Witnesses said the attackers came round the back, exploiting the holiest night of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan to remain undetected as long as possible.—AFP

BANGALORE: Thousands of panic-stricken Indians from the northeast were fleeing the southern city of Bangalore yesterday, spurred by rumors they would be attacked in retaliation for communal violence in their home state. Hundreds of students and workers from Assam state crowded Bangalore’s main railway station to try to board trains heading out of the city, while officials tried in vain to assure them of their safety. People pushed and shoved and some climbed in through train windows to make it past the crush at the doors.

The exodus followed clashes in Assam in recent weeks between members of the indigenous Bodo tribe and Muslims that killed more than 50 people and left 400,000 in displacement camps. The violence has spilled to other states where Bodos and other ethnic tribe members from the poor northeast have migrated in search of jobs.

Those fleeing Bangalore said they had heard text messages had been circulating threatening attacks by Muslims.

Jagadish Shettar, chief minister of Karnataka state, met separately with Assamese and Muslim leaders yesterday in an effort to restore calm. Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka. Shettar said no one had seen any threatening text messages and authorities were trying to find out who was behind the rumors. He said police and security forces were on alert and telephone helplines had been set up to give a sense of security to people in the city. Despite Shettar’s assurances, many from the northeast said they felt insecure. “As a person from the northeast, we always stick out in a crowd. And sometimes that makes us afraid of being easy targets,” said Ganesh Khanal, a garment industry worker trying to board a train at Bangalore railway station.

Khanal said he had been living in Bangalore for nearly three years but was returning to his home in Assam as soon as he could secure a ticket. Decades of ethnic strife and turmoil in India’s northeast have forced hundreds of thousands of young people to move out of the region in search of education and employment opportunities. They find jobs mostly in the service sector in the big cities, working in restaurants, shops and airlines. Also trying to leave was Rita Sarma, a college student at the railway station. “Everyone is saying don’t panic, nothing will happen,” Sarma said. “But I can’t help feeling scared all the time.”

Railway authorities in Bangalore were adding extra coaches on trains heading to Gauhati, the main city in Assam, to help deal with the rush of people. India’s Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said extra trains were plying between Bangalore and Assam to enable people to return to their home state.

The recent rioting in Assam between ethnic Bodos and Muslim settlers mainly involved land rights. The rioting has largely been brought under control, although sporadic outbreaks have occurred in the past few days.

On Saturday, two people died and dozens were injured in Mumbai in clashes between police and thousands of Muslims protesting the deaths of Muslims in rioting last month in Assam. Police fired guns into the air to disperse the protesters, who threw rocks and damaged about a dozen buses and police vans in India’s financial hub.

Outbreaks of violence have also been reported from the southern city of Hyderabad and the western cities of Pune and Nashik, said Bijoya Chakravarty, a lawmaker from Karnataka. The Bodos and the Muslim settlers, who mostly came from the former East Pakistan before it became Bangladesh in 1971, have clashed repeatedly over the years but the recent violence is

the worst since the mid-1990s.

Meanwhile, an angry mob torched a bus and burnt a road bridge in a restive region of northeast India yesterday as violence blamed for a spike in inter-religious tension across the country flared again. Police said the army and paramilitary troopers had been called out in the Nalbari and Kamrup districts of the state of Assam after clashes between Muslims and members of the local Bodo tribal community. The unrest, which the Bodos and some politicians blame on an influx of Muslim settlers from nearby Bangladesh, has claimed 80 lives and displaced more than 400,000 people in the past three weeks.

Muslims blocked a highway yesterday to protest against an overnight incident in which a group of Bodos set ablaze a car near Rangiya, 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Assam’s main city of Guwahati, police said.

“At least one bus and a wooden bridge were set ablaze by some miscreants and police had to resort to blank firing to disperse the mob trying to block the highway,” police official G Singh said. There have also been reported reprisals against people from the northeast of India, who travel across the country to study or work and are easily identifiable by their more East Asian features. — Agencies

BANGALORE: Women from India’s northeastern states wait with their baggage to board trains home, at a railway station yesterday. — AP

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Ship diverts to Australia fearing asylum seekers CANBERRA: The captain of a merchant ship bound for Singapore changed course for Australia this week, fearing that desperate asylum seekers he had rescued in Indonesian waters posed a threat to his crew, officials said yesterday. News of the high seas drama broke as Australia’s Senate was due to pass strict new laws yesterday aimed at deterring the waves of asylum seekers from across Asia and the Middle East who have been making the dangerous journey to Australian shores.

One of the asylum seekers fell overboard before the rescue and is believed to have drowned, while the surviving 67 have been in an Australian immigration detention center since Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said. Clare said they could be deported to tent camps in the Pacific countries of Nauru or Papua New Guinea under the new law. The opposition has called for the asylum seekers, all men, to be charged with piracy for using threats to divert the 265-meter (870-foot) ship.

What exactly happened on the ship remains unclear, but accounts of the incident show the captain felt the situation could grow dangerous and pose a threat to his crew if he didn’t divert. Wallenius Marine, the Singapore-based operator of the rescue ship MV

Parsifal, said the men were 71 kilometers (44 miles) south of the main Indonesian island of Java in a crowded fishing boat headed for the Australian territory of Christmas Island, 400 kilometers (250 miles) to the south, when they made a distress call to Australian rescue authorities Tuesday morning.

Australian authorities alerted all merchant shipping in the area, and the Parsifal, a Singapore flagged Swedish-owned car carrier, was the first to respond.

Having fulfilled his obligation under maritime law to rescue the asylum seekers, the captain ordered his crew to continue to Singapore, the ship’s intended destination. “When the asylum seekers on the boat found out about this, they became very aggressive and the master of the ship made the decision to turn the vessel around and head to Christmas Island,” Clare told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Claire said the captain, who has not been named, radioed authorities to tell them “he was concerned for his crew’s safety.” Australian authorities provided a navy patrol boat escort at the captain’s request. Wallenius Marine said in its statement that the men had threatened to harm themselves, but “there was no physical aggression.”

Clare said he did not have details of the behavior of the asylum seekers, reported by The West Australian newspaper to be from the Middle East. The asylum seekers were delivered to the immigration detention center on Christmas Island late Tuesday, hours after the government warned that any new boat arrivals could be sent to Nauru, a tiny atoll, or an island off Papua New Guinea, Australia’s nearest neighbor, to have their refugee claims assessed.

The minor Greens party has condemned the plan as cruel. The Australian Federal Police said in a statement they had had spoken to the captain who “did not wish to pursue this matter at this time.” Police were continuing to investigate. The merchant ship was headed to Singapore yesterday and the captain was not available for comment, the ship’s operator said. Military reconnaissance teams were to fly to Papua New Guinea yesterday and Nauru on Friday to plan the new detention camps. The first asylum seekers are to be sent to Nauru within a month. More than 7,600 asylum seekers - many from war-torn countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Sri Lanka have reached Christmas Island in more than 100 boats so far this year. — AP

Japan to deport pro-China island activists: Officials Activists win overwhelming support online

In this undated photo taken by Masaki Iwata of Univesrity of the Ryukyus and released by the university, a normal adult pale grass blue butterfly suckles nectar from a flower. — AP

Japan N-leak hits butterflies TOKYO: Radiation from the leaking Fukushima nuclear plant following last year’s tsunami caused mutations in some butterflies and damaged the local environment though humans seem relatively unaffected, researchers say. The mutations - including dented eyes and stunted wings - are the first evidence that the radiation has caused genetic changes in living organisms. They are likely to add to concerns among ordinary people about potential health risks among humans though there is no evidence of it yet.

Scientists say more study is needed to link human health with the Fukushima disaster.

The catastrophic meltdowns in three reactors of Fukushima Daiichi power plant after it was damaged by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 prompted a public backlash against nuclear power, and forced the government to reassess resource-scarce Japan’s entire energy strategy. But the most visible example of the radiation’s effect was claimed by a group of Japanese researchers who found radical physical changes successive generations of a type of butterfly, which they said was caused by radiation exposure. They also said that threat to humans - a much larger and longer-lived species - remains unclear.

“Our findings suggest that the contaminants are causing ecological damage. I do not know its implication to humans,” Joji Otaki of the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, a member of the team that conducted the research, told The Associated Press in an email. A separate study, released this week, found very low levels of radioactivity in people who were living near the Fukushima plant when it suffered the meltdowns. The paper, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, measured cesium levels in 8,066 adults and 1,432 children and found average doses of less than 1 millisievert, which are considered safe. It was the first such study measuring internal exposures to cesium in a large number of people from the disaster.—AP

TOKYO: Japan is considering deporting 14 Chinese activists arrested for landing without authorization on disputed islands in the East China Sea, as harsh criticisms and repeated demands for their release erupted yesterday in China.

The protesters had traveled by boat from Hong Kong to the uninhabited islands controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. They were arrested Wednesday after five of them landed on one of the five-island group, known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese. Japanese police and coast guard officials were questioning the protesters in Okinawa, a nearby island state. Coast guard officials said Japan has to decide whether to pursue criminal investigation or repatriate them

by Friday night.

“We are considering various options, including a possibility of repatriation,” said Coast Guard official Yoshiyuki Terakado. He said Japan will make a decision for all 14 people by Friday night, although he declined to elaborate. Japanese media reports said the activists are most likely to be deported.

Chinese activists last landed on the island in 1996, and seven who were arrested were repatriated quickly.

China’s state media yesterday said Japan’s handling of the activists is hurting the bilateral relations and that China will engage in strong diplomacy with Japan.

“The real test of power comes in the diplomatic tussle between China and Japan after the landing,” the state-run Global Times said in an editorial. “China should insist that any so-called lawful trial by Japan is unacceptable and that no concession shall be made.” In Beijing, dozens of people rallied outside the Japanese embassy, demanding the protesters’ release and chanting anti-

Japanese slogans. The activists have also won overwhelming support online, and Chinese consumers started boycotting Japanese products.

In Hong Kong, supporters marched to a Japanese consulate building, demanding the activists’ immediate release. Some of the participants burned Japanese flags. China has also sent embassy officials to Hong Kong from Tokyo, as well as Hong Kong immigration officials, to Okinawa to assist the activists. The handling of the arrested activists is extremely sensitive. Japan has the option of repatriating them or sending them to criminal court.

Japan’s arrest and weekslong detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain in 2010 after his vessel collided with Japanese patrol boats near the disputed islands triggered the worst diplomatic

dispute in years between the countries, prompting Beijing to suspend some exports and cancel high-level talks.

Japan says it has controlled the five main islands for more than 100 years. It has been trying to place four that are privately held under state ownership to bolster its territorial claim. Chinese patrol vessels have been spotted frequently in the waters, prompting Tokyo to repeatedly protest and beef up its own patrols in the area. The United States, Japan’s key ally, said it would not take sides and urged calm among involved parties. “We expect he claimants to resolve the issue through peaceful measures and any kind of provocations are not helpful in that regard,” said US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Wednesday. — AP

HONG KONG: Anti-Japan protesters with a placard reading “Down with Japanese militarism” tear mock Japanese Rising Sun Flags during a rally outside the Japanese Consulate General yesterday. — AP

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Gunfire was audible in Sikh temple shooting MILWAUKEE: The woman’s voice is hushed, but even in her whisper her terror is evident. In a barely audible voice she gives the 911 dispatcher the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin’s address and pleads, “Hurry up, please.” The dispatcher already has fielded enough calls to surmise there’s a shooter at the temple in suburban Milwaukee.

She reassures the woman, “We’ve got help on the way.

OK? OK? Ma’am?” There’s no reply. The chilling exchange was among a series of 911 calls that flooded Milwaukee County’s emergency services the morning of Aug. 5, when a white supremacist opened fire before a Sunday prayer service, killing six worshippers and wounding three others. The recordings were released Wednesday.

Sounds of apparent gunfire can be heard on some of the calls. On others, there are only several seconds of silence or muffled wails before the call get disconnected. One of the earliest calls comes in about 10:25 am.

“There’s a shooting,” a man says frantically. A series of

what sounds like gunshots can be heard in the background. As the dispatcher tries to ask him whether anyone was hit, the man repeats, “There’s a shooting.

Shooting.”

One woman reports she heard gunfire and that someone was shot. Another man calls and reports “many shooting, many gunfires.” At one point, with phones ringing nonstop, a dispatcher mutters, “Oh my god.” When the gunfire began in the parking lot, two children raced into the kitchen and warned people to take cover. The only hiding place was a small pantry that has has enough room for three to four people stand comfortably. With no other choice, 13 women, along with a man and the two kids, crammed inside for almost two hours.

One caller apparently was a woman who was hiding inside the temple. She told the dispatcher, “We need help, somebody shooting outside.” The dispatcher asked if she had seen the shooter. The woman replied, “I

don’t know, we have to hide now.” The dispatcher told her police were on the scene and the woman said, “OK, thank you.” She lowered her voice to a whisper and repeated, “Thank you.”

One of the callers was a man who lived nearby. “Yes, I need an ambulance,” he said. “Guy came to my house, he’s lying in my front yard bleeding.” Outside the temple, gunman Wade Michael Page also ambushed and shot and wounded a police officer who responded to the 911 calls. Page fatally shot himself in the head after being wounded by another officer. FBI investigators say they’re hoping to learn as much about Page’s motive as they can, but acknowledge they may never know for certain why he chose to attack the temple. Temple officials have since fixed most of the damage, repairing shattered windows and painting walls. But they left one dime-sized bullet hole unrepaired as a memorial to the victims. A small gold plate below the hole is engraved with “We Are One. 8-5-12”. — AP

US reality TV show under fire for trivializing warfare ‘Civilians die in ways that are anything but entertaining’

CHILLICOTHE: Three-year-old Tristan Williams from Jackson, Ohio, cheers US Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney during a campaign event at the Ross County Court House. — AFP

Romney VP pick is well off but not megarich WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney found a running mate wealthier than most of us. Although not nearly as rich as Romney, Rep Paul Ryan has a net worth of about $4.5 million and earned at least $344,000 last year, putting him in the top 5 percent of income earners. Most of his money comes from his marriage and inheritances. At a glance, Ryan’s finances reflect an upper middle-class family: Ryan mortgages his home six bedrooms with 5,700 square feet on less than one acre - though it’s no gilded mansion. He and his wife, Janna, support three children, and she’s now a stay-at-home mom.

But a review of Ryan’s financial statements by The Associated Press shows he is in the wealthiest percentiles of Americans. His income is between $344,000 and $1.4 million. Much of his money comes from a trust fund set up following his mother-in-law’s death, as well as investments in natural resources. He also earns an annual salary as a member of Congress of $174,000. Romney’s choice of Ryan could be a lightning rod for Democrats who have criticized Ryan for his proposed cuts to federal programs for the poor and sick. Ryan’s supporters said his budget plan is a serious discussion about government’s relationship with Americans and tough medicine for a Washington that for years has spent more than it collects.

The Romney campaign declined to discuss Ryan’s assets, saying his financial statements speak for themselves.

Much of Ryan’s wealth includes his wife’s assets and her family’s businesses in Oklahoma, where her family members are Democratic heavyweights. As much as $80,000 of the Ryans’ income in 2011 came from dividends in four of his father-and-law’s interests in Madill, Okla.: mining company Ava O Ltd., gravel-rights firm Blondie & Brownie, timber milling company Red River Pine Ltd. and an unspecified investment in the Little Land Co.—AP

NEW YORK: An NBC television reality show featuring US celebrities competing in quasimilitary drills is coming under fire from Nobel laureates and other critics who say the idea trivializes a deadly serious subject. Nine Nobel prize winners have called on the network to cancel the program, titled “Stars Earn Stripes,” which debuted Monday hours after a protest outside NBC’s offices in New York. The premiere earned lackluster ratings despite being heavily promoted during the broadcast of the London Olympic Games.

The contest focuses on eight celebrities paired with military troops who put them through exercises and pseudo “missions” that are supposed to resemble the real thing endured by US soldiers. The Pentagon declined to cooperate with the show’s producers on the project but Wesley Clark, the former NATO commander during the Kosovo war who later ran an unsuccessful campaign for the US presidency, hosts the program.

Laila Ali, daughter of the legendary boxer Mohamed Ali, Todd Palin, husband of the former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and other contestants weighed down with a soldier’s gear crawl through mud, jump off a helicopter into a lake, break down doors and shoot at targets.

The show attempts to recreate the sights and sounds of a demanding drill, with barbed wire, spectacular explosions and automatic assault rifles, while some contestants fail to hook onto a helicopter rope.

“This is not a joke. I know there is a chance I can die,” says actor Dean Cain, star of the 1990s TV series ‘The New Adventures of Superman,’ between car commercials and pizza advertisements. NBC portrayed the show as a “homage” to the American military, which had about 6,500 troops killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade.

But South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu and eight other Nobel peace prize winners have denounced the show in a letter to NBC, saying the program was “trying to somehow sanitize war by likening it to an athletic competition.” “Real war is down in the dirt deadly. People-military and civiliansdie in ways that are anything but entertaining,” said the letter that included signatures

from Tutu, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Rigoberta Menchu, Jody Williams, Betty Williams, Mairead Maguire, Shirin Ebadi, Jose RamosHorta and Oscar Arias Sanchez.

NBC rejected the criticism. “This show is not a glorification of war, but a glorification of service,” the network said. Throughout the program, the contestants express their admiration for those who serve in uniform, and say that the winnings will be donated to military charities. On Monday evening, about 100 people gathered outside NBC studies to protest the show and present a petition that calls for the program’s cancelation.

The petition had more than 26,000 signatures by Tuesday, according to the website site actionroots.com. “Six soldiers were killed in Afghanistan last Friday. This is not a game,” said activist Joan Wile, founder of “grandmothers against the war.”

“It is an abomination that a major television network is presenting a reality show glamorizing war while our young people die

in real wars,” she said. The US military often cooperates with film and television productions, but in this case no armed service branch was interested in working with NBC, according to Philip Strub, head of the Pentagon’s liaison office for Hollywood.

“There was no enthusiasm. Basically the services didn’t want to get involved and we didn’t either. So it was a unanimous decision to not get involved,” Strub told AFP. “I’m always uneasy with these manipulated, artificial kinds of environments. We don’t feel it communicates much about us and it’s a distraction and it’s time consuming,” he said. The military has cooperated with documentary makers on programs portraying training and selection for the Navy SEALs and other elite units, allowing production companies to film drills and bases. The US Marine Corps previously cooperated on a celebrity boot camp television show and came away disappointed with the result, Strub added. — AFP

NEW YORK: Demonstrators gather outside the New York NBC studios in Manhattan to protest the debut of a new reality show which they say presents war as a “game.” — AFP

International FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Hawaii ranches struggle under drought conditions HONOLULU: Extremely dry conditions in parts of Hawaii are forcing some ranchers to reduce their herd as they struggle to grow grass to feed cattle. Thirsty invasive axis deer are encroaching on crops as they seek water. A little more than half of Hawaii is in a drought, according to the US Drought Monitor, a facet of the islands’ varied weather that has been posing problems for local ranchers for years. While large swaths of the mainland United States are in the midst of the worst drought in decades, the far-away Hawaiian islands in the middle of the Pacific are familiar with occasional drought. The wide-ranging weather of the islands can bring rainfall on one side of an island but be very dry just a few miles away.

Ponoholo Ranch, one of the three biggest on the Big Island of Hawaii, is heading into its eighth year of drought conditions. “It’s our biggest challenge now,” said Sabrina White, a manager at the ranch in North Kohala. “It’s too dry. We don’t have the grass we need to feed the cows.” They’ve had to reduce their herd by about 2,000. Other ranchers in other parts of the state, where there are pockets of extreme drought conditions, are reporting the same to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. There have been reports of dried out pastures on the southern point of the Big Island, with ranchers have to haul thousands of gallons of water. Dry conditions on Molokai have caused an increase in crop damage by axis deer. Maui County continues to call for a reduction in water usage in some areas, the weather service said.

According to the US Drought Monitor, 54 percent of Hawaii is in a drought now, compared with about 21 percent a year ago. Nearly 9 percent - mainly leeward parts of the Big Island, Maui and Molokai - are suffering from extreme drought. Most of Hawaii’s largest ranch, Parker Ranch, sits in the red spot that the drought monitor marks to show extreme drought.

The ranch is on 130,000 acres, mostly in Kamuela.

Ranchers have had to move cattle from the very dry areas on the slopes of Mauna Kea to the wetter, Waimea side of the ranch, said Keoki Wood, livestock operations manager. “Different parts of the ranch are affected differently,” he said. “We’re seeing some areas that haven’t seen any forage production for over a year now.” They’ve even had to sell off cows that aren’t producing calves.

Still, it’s not as bad as it was in 2010, when the drought was more wide-spread and reduced yields for important crops such as macadamia nuts and coffee, said Kevin Kodama, a hydrologist with the weather service. “Since June 2008, some places in the state have seen severe drought or worse,” he said. “It’s a significant drought because it’s been so long and so intense.”

Ponoholo Ranch is on a skinny swath of land that’s stretches 10 miles from rain forest climate, down to the ocean. “The bottom of the ranch, toward the ocean, it’s total desert,” White said. “It’s just one more year of drought. Each year, it just gets worse and worse.” Even the Garden Island of Kauai, which is under moderate drought in the lower elevations of the east and southeast parts of the island, is seeing pastures degraded to the point that ranchers are also having to reduce herd sizes, the weather service said.

The drought is a big topic for the Hawaii Cattleman’s Council, Wood said. He noted that shipping companies have even reduced shipping rates for feed supplements for cattle. While the weather service noted some calls for water reduction in Maui County, fresh water reservoirs as of Wednesday morning were about 80 percent capacity, said Paul Meyer, deputy director of the county Department of Water Supply.

“That’s not to say we don’t watch that very carefully because it’s been very, very dry,” he said. — AP

Wildfires blaze across US West 8,000 firefighters battle wildfires in California SALMON: Wildfires roared out of control across the sun-scorched US West on Wednesday and threatened to engulf two small towns in Idaho as firefighters managed to partially dampen a monster blaze that has destroyed more than 60 homes in Washington state.

All told, the fires have blackened more than half a million acres across Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California, destroying homes and outbuildings, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate ahead of the flames and killing a young firefighter. In Idaho, authorities told some 1,000 residents around the south-central communities of Featherville and Pine to prepare for evacuation as a blaze that has consumed more than 63,000 acres (25,495 hectares) raged just miles from the two towns.

“We’re adopting a posture that it’s not if it’s going to hit Featherville and Pine, but when,” Elmore County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Gary Walker said, adding that the early warning was designed to prevent “a big, mass confusion once we have to get people out of there.” The Trinity Ridge fire that menaces Featherville and Pine erupted after a utility terrain vehicle caught fire on Aug 3. Strong winds sent flames racing across parched grasslands and sagebrush and into tinder-dry pine forests, federal fire information officer Brandon Hampton said. The blaze was 5 percent contained, and roads to the two high mountain desert towns about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Boise have been blocked to everyone except residents and firefighters. “The prediction is it’s going to burn until we get a weather pattern that brings a season-changing event, a substantial amount of snow or rain,” Hampton said, adding there was a high probability that the fire would make a run into the towns over the next two days.

Wildfires have consumed roughly 6 million acres across the nation so far in 2012, above the 10-year average of 4.9 million acres, figures from the National Interagency Fire Center show. In Washington state, firefighters battling the destructive Taylor Bridge Fire tearing through grasslands and wooded areas

between the towns of Cle Elum and Ellensburg were aided by a shift in winds and said they hoped to have a quarter of the blaze under control by Wednesday evening.

‘It doesn’t look good’ Incident commander Rex Reed said Wednesday marked “a good day” for firefighters working against a blaze that has already gutted 60 homes and a number of other structures since it erupted on Monday afternoon at a construction site near Cle Elum, about 70 miles (120 km) southeast of Seattle. But thick smoke still hung over Cle Elum, and Reed said officials worried that winds that died down overnight could shift again and drive flames north into the Wenatchee National Forest or east toward farm communities.

“I don’t know if our house is still there,” said Victoria English, 30, as she sat at a fruit stand along Interstate 90 southeast of Cle Elum.

“It doesn’t look good.” Other residents with houses threatened by the fire stayed behind, determined to protect their homes as best they could. “I just remodeled the back of my house,” said Brian Ebinger, who watered his lawn while smoke from the 22,600-acre fire rose from the nearby hills. “I ain’t going to give up that easy.”

In California, 8,000 firefighters battled wildfires up and down the state that forced the evacuation of three southern California communities, closed parks and campgrounds, and threatened homes and a major power-transmission line. In northern California, firefighters had largely contained two fires that had burned a combined 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) and threatened hundreds of homes and a clothing-optional hot-spring resort in Lake County. In San Diego County, five lightning-sparked fires charred some 9,000 acres (3,642 hectares) in and around AnzaBorrego Desert State Park. The nearby communities of San Felipe and Ranchita had to be evacuated, along with the park’s campground, Riverside County Fire spokeswoman Blanca Mercado said.—Reuters

CLE ELUM, Washington: Firefighters stand in view of a tree on fire Wednesday, Aug 15, 2012, near Cle Elum, Wash. — AP

Trial set in NYC therapist death NEW YORK : A mentally ill man twice declared too sick to be tried for the meat-cleaver killing of a psychotherapist appears headed toward trial nearly five years after her death. David Tarloff’s lawyers said Wednesday they weren’t challenging state doctors’ June finding that their schizophrenic client’s condition has improved enough for court. A judge set a Jan 7 trial date. Tarloff has come close to trial previously. Lawyers were choosing a jury in 2010 when his behavior derailed the proceeding.

Tarloff, 44, is charged with murdering psychologist Kathryn Faughey in February 2008 after a bizarre robbery plot went awry.

He plans an insanity defense. He spoke up repeatedly during Wednesday’s brief hearing to point out his history of mental problems - including hallucinations “since I was 20 years old,” he said at one point before his lawyers advised him not to continue.

Tarloff has a history of psychiatric hospitalizations and delusions, sometimes thinking that he’s the Messiah and that God and the devil speak to him, his lawyer and psychiatrists have said.

Tarloff told police he was aiming to get $50,000 to whisk his mother from a nursing home to Hawaii when he set out to rob Faughey’s officemate, psychiatrist Dr Kent Shinbach. Shinback had been involved in Tarloff’s first hospitalization, 17 years earlier.

Tarloff encountered Faughey first and believed she was going to kill him, he told authorities. Faughey was slashed 15 times, and Shinbach was seriously hurt trying to help her. Tarloff was deemed mentally incompetent for trial for about a year after his arrest.

Then he was found fit, but his condition deteriorated again during jury selection in 2010. After refusing to leave a courthouse holding cell or respond to questions, and then running naked around a psychiatric ward, he was evaluated and declared unfit again.

After seeing a trial date set once again Wednesday, Faughey’s brother Michael said her relatives “just want to make sure that he stays fit, that we can go to a trial and go to a completion of trial.”

Being competent for trial means being able to understand court proceedings and help in one’s defense. It doesn’t rule out an insanity defense, which requires showing that a person was so mentally ill when committing a crime that he or she didn’t know it was wrong.

If Tarloff is tried and convicted, he could face up to life in prison. If acquitted because of insanity, he could be held indefinitely in a mental institution. “The case is not so much about whether he remains in custody - it’s about where he remains in custody,” said one of Tarloff’s lawyers, Bryan Konoski. — AP

Business FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Qatar Telecom offers $2.2b for Wataniya stake

India’s Maruti to restart riot-hit plant on Aug 21 PAGE 20

PAGE 22

ROME: People walk past closed shops in downtown Rome, yesterday. Europe is edging closer to recession, dragged down by the crippling debt problems of the 17 countries that use the euro.

Eurostat, Europe’s statistics agency, revealed that the economies of both the eurozone and the European Union, which has 27 countries, shrank by a quarterly rate of 0.2 percent in the second quarter of the year. — AP

US jobless claims up 2,000 New homes falls 1.1% in July WASHINGTON: The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits edged higher last week although a trend reading fell close to a four-year low, pointing to healing in the still-struggling labor market.

Other data yesterday showed groundbreaking on new US homes fell in July in a reminder of the housing market’s weakness despite some recent signs of recovery. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 366,000, the Labor Department said.

That was in line with economists’ forecasts in a Reuters poll.

Claims data, which swung wildly in July due to shifts in seasonal auto plant shutdowns, are now giving a clearer picture of modest improvement in the labor market.

The data reinforces the view that economic growth could pick up in the second half of the year. But even then, the recovery is seen to be lackluster and perhaps in need of more support from the Federal Reserve.

“Overall, they (the data) are consistent with our outlook that growth will be a little bit better in the US but not as upbeat as some people think,” said Brian Kim, a currency strategist at RBS Securities in Stamford, Connecticut. “We’re still looking at possible Fed action in September and these numbers don’t really alter that view.”

The four-week moving average for new claims, a better measure of labor market trends, dropped 5,500 to 363,750.

That was the lowest since March - and the second lowest since April 2008.

US nonfarm payrolls increased 163,000 in July after three months of gains below 100,000, although the unemployment rate ticked higher to 8.3 percent. The pickup in hiring last month, along with gains in retail sales and manufacturing output, has dampened expectations the Fed could announce at its next meeting a plan to stimulate the economy with a third round of bond purchases. Officials at the Fed next review policy on Sept. 12-13.

US stock index futures held onto earlier gains following the data. The US economy still faces a number of threats, including the looming possibility the government will raise taxes and cut spending next year. That is already hurting business sentiment.

Europe’s festering debt crisis also menaces and is weighing on the global economy. China’s Commerce Ministry said yesterday the outlook for its exports has darkened. Wal-Mart Stores Inc forecast full-year earnings that could fall short of Wall Street expectations as growth in international markets slows, even as its US discount stores saw improved sales in a tepid US economy. Another report due on Thursday is expected to show factory activity contracted in the mid-Atlantic region for the fourth straight month in August.

That would be the second regional manufacturing

report to show contraction during the month. On Wednesday, the New York Federal Reserve bank said factory activity slipped this month for the first time since October 2011.

In another somewhat downbeat sign, the Commerce Department said housing starts dropped 1.1 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 746,000 units. The reading was below the median forecast in a Reuters poll of a 757,000-unit rate.

The government also revised lower its estimates for starts in recent months. But economists said the readings, which are prone to significant revisions, still pointed to healing in the housing market. “This is nothing but normal statistical noise,” said Stephen Stanley, an economist at Pierpont Securities in Stamford, Connecticut.

The US housing market, which fell into a deep rut six years ago, has been a relative bright spot in the economy this year. Home prices have shown signs of stabilizing and many economists think housing construction will give a small boost to the economy this year.

There were also some positive signals in Thursday’s report. New permits for building homes rose 6.8 percent in July to a 812,000 unit pace, the highest rate since August 2008. But outside of housing, the broader economy has looked wobbly this year, which could hold back gains in home building. — Reuters

Business FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

UAE banks told to extend loan maturities ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates’ central bank has told lenders to extend maturities on certain personal loans held

by UAE citizens by more than four years, the latest initiative aimed at reducing their debt burdens.

In a circular sent to banks earlier this week, the regulator told banks to reschedule citizens’ loans by more than 48 months if the repayment exceeds 50 percent of gross salary and other income. The loans can be rescheduled

provided no fresh money is borrowed, the circular added. Banks were also told to segregate personal loans used to buy real estate, with the borrower’s consent, and set them up as separate loans.

Payments on those should also not exceed 50 percent of the total salary.

The UAE has taken a raft of steps to help citizens carrying high debt burdens.

In May, it announced plans to settle defaulted loans owed by its citizens - up to $1.36 million each - after a presiden-

tial decree, in the second such move this year. UAE citizens took out massive personal loans during the boom years between 2003 to 2008 but found themselves struggling to repay debt after the global financial crisis and property downturn across much of the country.

The central bank has brought in new regulations on personal lending by banks in the UAE, fuelled by concerns over the debts individuals were taking on. In May 2011, the central bank

capped personal borrowing at 20-times an individual’s monthly salary, with monthly repayments also capped at 50 percent of an individual’s salary and regular income. Personal loans could have a maximum tenor of four years.

This year, it also capped the interest rate banks charge on credit cards at 18 percent annually. Banks in the UAE previously charged between 27 percent and 36 percent a year, much higher than many other Gulf Arab states. —Reuters

Qatar Telecom offers $2.2b for Wataniya stake Kuwait sovereign fund owns 23.5% stake in Wataniya

LOS ANGELES: Wooden shipping pallets are used to create a security perimeter outside a Wal-Mart store in Los Angeles, California before dawn in this November 27, 2009 file photo. Retail giant Walmart reported higher quarterly profits yesterday as sales at US stores rose 2.2 percent. — AFP

Arab Bank chairman quits over CEO dispute AMMAN: The chairman of Jordan-based Arab Bank, Abdel Hamid Shoman, resigned yesterday after a dispute with key shareholders and the bank’s chief executive, he said in an internal memo seen by Reuters.

Sources at the bank, one of the Middle East’s largest financial institutions, said key shareholders failed to back Shoman, whose family founded the bank in Jerusalem, after a monthslong dispute with CEO Nemah al-Sabbagh over his management of the bank came to a head.

“We refuse to be part of a bank which has strayed from the founder’s vision for it,” the memo, which was sent to the bank’s employees and signed by Shoman and his wife and daughter, who also resigned as board members, read.

The family owns a 5 percent stake in the bank. One key shareholder who attended a meeting with Shoman this week and requested anonymity said: “We decided not to back Mr Shoman when the CEO complained he was interfering in the executive decision-making of the bank.”

Another senior banker in the bank said Shoman resigned after the board rejected harsh accusations against Sabbagh levelled by the chairman and seen as overt intervention in the day-to-day running of the bank. “Key shareholders stopped Shoman. He was acting as an executive chairman so they took the side of the CEO,” the banker said.

The bank had no immediate comment. Banking sources said they did not see the move negatively affecting the bank under Sabbagh, a veteran banker who has maintained its conservative image since his 2010 appointment.

The firm is one of the Arab world’s largest privately owned banks, with over 20 percent owned by the family of Lebanon’s former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005, and a similar stake held by Jordan’s social pension fund.

The rest is mainly held by long-term private investors. Arab Bank owns 40 percent of Saudi Arabia’s Arab National Bank ANB. Based in Amman but with only a fifth of its assets and a quarter of its deposits in Jordan, the bank has built a reputation for low vulnerability to major political upheaval.

Investment analysts say the bank has traditionally had a lower risk appetite than peers. Despite the regional downturn, its traditionally loyal Arab customer base raised deposits by more than 3.6 percent to $32 billion at the end of June 2012 against the same period last year.

First-half net profit rose 10 percent to $360 million thanks to lower provisions and a rise in operating income, despite the political upheaval that hit the region.— Reuters

DOHA/DUBAI: Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is offering $2.2 billion to buy the remaining 47.5 percent stake it does not already own in Kuwaiti telecom company Wataniya as the state-owned operator eyes acquisitions to ward off threats from rivals.

The former state monopoly, which already owns 52.5 percent of Wataniya, will pay 2.6 dinars per share, an 18 percent premium to Wataniya’s last traded price, through a tender offer open to shareholders.

Qtel has been raising stakes in its subsidiaries, taking advantage of the gas-rich Gulf state’s healthy financial position at a time when other large telecom firms are shying away from deals.

The company has received approval for the transaction from the Gulf state’s market regulator, Capital Markets Authority (CMA), it said in a statement yesterday.

Shares in Qtel rose 0.5 percent at 0815 GMT and are up 12 percent yearto-date. “Increased competition and pressures on the industry from new entrants as well as incumbents will most likely erode value over time and require increasingly dynamic responses,” Qtel Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Bin

Mohammed Bin Saud al-Thani said.

In June, Qtel agreed to double its stake in Iraq’s No. 2 operator Asiacell to 60 percent for $1.47 billion, seeking to exploit rising demand for broadband.

Qtel also owns a majority stake in Omani telecom operator Nawras. It bought its existing Wataniya stake in 2007 for about $3.7 billion.

Before they were halted when Qtel submitted its initial offer, Wataniya shares were trading at around 2008 levels, below some analysts’ targets, weighed by political turbulence that has dragged the Kuwait bourse to an eightyear low.

Investors were failing to take account of revenue growth prospects, high cash flow and low debt, analysts said, giving Qtel the chance to be the first full owner of a listed Gulf telecoms operator - possibly at a knockdown price.

The next major hurdle for Qtel is gaining the assent of Kuwait Investment Authority, the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund, which has a 23.5 percent stake in Wataniya.

The fund is yet to decide whether to tender its Wataniya stake to the offer, a source familiar with the matter said.

“The KIA stake is going to be key as the

fund owns a similar stake in other telcos in Kuwait, including Zain,” a second source said, adding: “if they sell Wataniya, does that mean they will be willing sellers of the rest? We will have to wait and see.”

In 2010, when UAE telecom company Etisalat bid around $12 billion to take control of Kuwait’s Zain, the sovereign fund was not willing to sell its holding, the source said, declining to be identified as the matter is not public.

Etisalat eventually pulled its bid, citing several reasons including a divided Zain board.

Kuwait’s No. 2 telecom operator has operations in Kuwait, Tunisia, Algeria, the Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives. Its main draws are its Algeria and Tunisia units, accounting for about 85 percent of customers and 60 percent of revenue.

Wataniya reported a 49 percent drop in second-quarter profit, hit by foreign exchange losses from its Algeria unit and increased domestic competition.

Qtel is being advised by Barclays Capital and the investment banking arm of National Bank of Kuwait on the Wataniya buy, a banking source said in June. — Reuters

BETHEL PARK: In this May 18, 2011 photo, a display of Wet/Dry vacuums is shown at a Sears store in Bethel Park, Pa. The company reported yesterday that it lost $132 million, or $1.25 per share, for the period ended July 28. — AP

Business FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

In China, cheap and cheerful phones outsmart Apple SHANGHAI: In China’s booming smartphone market, which is set this year to overtake the United States as the world’s largest, a host of littleknown local firms are primed with cheap phones to squeeze market share from US giant Apple Inc’s iPhone.

In the latest local challenge to the iPhone, Xiaomi Technology on Thursday launched the successor to its popular MiOne (MI) smartphone.

The MI2 has specifications that exceed those of the iPhone 4S and sells for less than half the price.

Smartphones from Xiaomi - founded only two years ago but already worth more than Blackberry maker Research in Motion , according to pri-

vate market valuations - have proved so popular they sell out in minutes after going on sale online. The company, founded by CEO Lei Jun, said last month its first-half revenue was close to $1 billion as it sold more than 3 million phones.

Mirroring Apple’s annual worldwide developers conference (WWDC), where devotees would pay to listen to Steve Jobs showcasing new products, the informally-clad Lei charged Xiaomi fans 199 yuan ($31.30) to attend the Beijing launch, with the proceeds going to charity. Over 1,000 people flocked to the event.

While iPhone sales will increase in China, Apple’s market share may stagnate or even dip as the market’s

changing demographics mean the iPhone flourishes in just a handful of wealthy Chinese cities, analysts said.

Industry researcher IDC estimates that in China last year, smartphones costing less than $200 made up 40 percent of shipments, while devices costing $700 and more accounted for 11 percent of the market.

“The sweet spot of affordability in China is 800-1,500 yuan ($130-$240),” said Michael Clendenin, managing director of Shanghai-based consultancy RedTech Advisors. “The ‘Lao Bai Xing’, or man in the street, is going to go for these mid-tier phones.”

Li Xing, 35, lauding the Xiaomi phone’s signal capabilities at the launch event, said: “I preferred not to

use Apple because I didn’t want my phone to be a luxury product, it’s just a phone.” The MI2, which goes on sale in October at 1,999 yuan ($310), has a quad-core processor, 8 mega-pixel camera and a voice-assistant similar to Apple’s Siri.

“Other phones are just phones, but a Xiaomi phone is very human-friendly,” said Chen Zhen, 31. Apple releases a single iPhone model a year at a price - around $800 - equivalent to about two months pay for an urban Chinese, who make up half of China’s 1.3 billion population. Analysts say the real growth in China is in cheaper smartphones where a wide variety of models at different prices appeal to firsttime buyers. — Reuters

Asia markets mixed, yen boosts Tokyo Oil turns lower after big gains

SEOUL: Hanwha Group chairman Kim Seung-Youn (C) arrives for his trial at the Seoul Western District Court in Seoul yesterday. The head of one of South Korea’s biggest business groups was sentenced to four years in prison for diverting company funds. — AFP

S Korea business tycoon jailed for embezzlement SEOUL: The chairman of Hanwha Corp., one of South Korea’s largest industrial conglomerates, was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 5.1 billion won ($4.5 million) for embezzlement in a ruling that experts say shows a tougher stance against wrongdoing by leaders of the country’s mightiest companies. Kim Seung-youn used his influence over Hanwha affiliates to aid his brother’s near-bankrupt companies, which caused over 288 billion won in losses at the Hanwha-controlled businesses, Seoul Western District Court said in a statement Thursday. Hanwha is South Korea’s 10th largest chaebol as the country’s conglomerates are known.

The court also found Kim guilty of forcing Hanwha’s affiliates to sell shares in an oil company to his sister at below-market prices to help his sister’s attempt to acquire the company.

He also dodged taxes by trading shares under his employees’ names. According to documents that authorities confiscated from Hanwha headquarters, employees were instructed to regard Kim as a god-like figure and “an object of absolute obedience.” The company’s authoritarian culture allowed Kim to steal corporate funds, the court said. It was not his first scrape with the law. He was pardoned in 2008 after a conviction for beating a worker.

Following Thursday’s ruling, Kim was taken into custody to start serving his prison sentence, a surprising development in South Korea where chaebol bosses are national icons and often regarded as beyond the reach of the law.

According to Chaebul.com, a website on South Korea’s leading conglomerates, courts gave suspended sentences to the seven executives from the top 10 chaebol who were convicted of crimes since 1990. Presidential pardons have often followed convictions of chaebol bosses. “The chief of South Korea’s top 10 business being immediately jailed after the first ruling, that is an important sign that shows a change in the South Korean society,” said Kim Sang-jo, a professor of economics at Hansung University. — AP

HONG KONG: Asian markets were mixed yesterday, with Tokyo the best performer as the yen weakened against the dollar owing to dimming expectations of fresh monetary easing by the US Federal Reserve.

With few catalysts to drive action during the holiday season trade was light, although shares were kept buoyant by lingering hopes for a restart of sovereign bond-buying by the European Central Bank and new stimulus in China.

Tokyo rose 1.88 percent, or 167.72 points, to 9,092.76, Sydney climbed 1.14 percent, or 49.0 points, to 4,330.2 and Seoul closed flat, adding 0.95 points, to 1,957.91. But Hong Kong gave up its morning gains and slipped 0.45 percent, or 89.34 points, to 19,962.95 while Shanghai shed 0.32 percent, or 6.75 points, to 2,112.20.

Exporters on Japan’s Nikkei were the main beneficiaries of the weakening yen, which eased to a four-week low against the dollar. The dollar bought 79.20 yen in late afternoon Asian trade, up from 78.87 yen in New York late Wednesday.

“The current dollar/yen level is a big support for local shares, since large manufacturers forecast the dollar to average 78.95 yen this fiscal year,” Masayuki Doshida, Rakuten Securities senior market analyst in Japan, told Dow Jones Newswires.

A weaker yen makes exporters’ goods less expensive overseas. Honda Motor closed up 2.09 percent while Mazda Motor was up 3.26 percent, electronics giant Panasonic surged 5.52 percent and Nippon Steel climbed 4.29 percent.

Also on forex markets the euro bought $1.2270 and 97.15 yen compared with $1.2285 and 96.91 yen in New York. Traders have an eye on Europe as worries about Athens spiked again following a report in the

Financial Times that Greece will call for a two-year extension to its tough austerity programme.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will make the request when he meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande next week, the newspaper said Wednesday. “Concerns that this proposal may get short shrift when Greek PM Samaras meets with Mrs Merkel and other EU leaders next week is set to keep euro sentiment fragile at best,” National Australia Bank said in a note.

Wall Street provided very little direction for Asian traders. New data from the United States showed inflation was flat and that national industrial production grew 0.6 percent month on month in July, mainly driven by the auto sector.

Manufacturing in the New York area posted a surprise drop however.

The National Association of Homebuilders’ activity index rose by two points to 37 — still low, but the highest level since early 2007, indicating greater optimism among companies that build housing.

The Dow edged down 0.06 percent while the S&P 500 added 0.11 percent and the tech-rich Nasdaq gained a more substantial 0.34 percent.

Oil prices turned lower after big gains in the United States. New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for September, was down nine cents to $94.24 a barrel in the afternoon and Brent North Sea crude for September dropped five cents to $116.20. Gold was at $1,601.50 at 0810 GMT, compared to $1,594.67 on Wednesday. — AFP

TOKYO: A man looks at a securities firm’s electronic stock board in Tokyo yesterday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 1.88 percent to 9,092.76 yesterday. — AP

Business FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Iran seeks higher returns on S Korea bank accounts SEOUL: Iran has asked South Korea to increase the interest rate on billions of dollars of its cash trapped in two government-owned banks, a Korean central bank source said yesterday. The move seems designed to send a message to Iran’s fourth-biggest oil buyer that its compliance with Western sanctions, which led to a 17 percent cut in its imports of crude from the Islamic Republic in the first half of 2012, will carry a cost.

Iran’s central bank has won-denominated accounts at Industrial Bank of Korea and Woori Bank, both owned by the Korean government, to settle payment for its oil sales to Seoul, and its product imports from the Northeast Asian country.

Iran cannot repatriate the money because of the sanctions. “Iran considers interest rates of 0.1 percent are too low and has requested to raise them or move the money to other banks,” a Bank of

Korea source who has direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters by telephone, but gave no other details.

The source declined to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to the media. Iranian embassy officials in Seoul could not be reached for comment outside business hours. Disagreement over the accounts could cause payment delays for South Korean firms, domestic media have said, although it is unlikely that Tehran, whose major interest is to keep crude flowing to top consumers, will completely shut them.

“The move appears to pressure South Korea to resume its oil imports as Seoul halted the imports even after it received a sanction exemption from the United States,” said one oil analyst, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

South Korean refiners plan to resume buying crude from Iran in September after a two-month hiatus due to a

China still can meet growth target: Wen BEIJING: China’s premier says the country should meet this year’s economic targets but is warning hardship could continue for some time and trade conditions will be grim.

During a visit to eastern China, Premier Wen Jiabao cited a small improvement in industrial output and said employment is stable, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The report gave no direct indication whether Beijing might be considering more interest rate cuts or other stimulus measures to boost growth that slumped to a three-year low of 7.6 percent in the quarter ending in June. That is relatively robust compared with the United States, Europe and Japan but has hurt Chinese companies that depend on higher growth to drive sales.

“We have the conditions and capabilities, and will be sure to fulfill this year’s economic and social development targets,” Wen was quoted as saying. However, he also “warned that the foundation for economic stabilization is still unstable, and that economic hardships may continue for some time.” The government has cut rates twice since the start of June and is pumping money into the economy through higher investment by state companies. Authorities are resisting calls for more aggressive action after their huge stimulus in response to the 2008 global crisis fueled inflation and a wasteful building boom.

The ruling Communist Party’s growth target for the year is 7.5 percent. Private sector analysts expect full-year growth of about 8 percent. The slowdown raises the risk of job losses and unrest at a time when the ruling party is trying to enforce calm ahead of a handover of power this year to younger leaders.

Analysts initially expected China’s relatively robust economy to recover starting early this year but have pushed back that time frame following a drumbeat of bad news from Europe and the United States.

Export growth in July collapsed to 1 percent, well below already anemic forecasts of about 5 percent, and factory output and consumer spending weakened despite the stimulus efforts. The slump is due in part to government efforts in 2010-11 to cool overheating and inflation with lending and investment curbs. Chinese leaders reversed course last year and eased some controls after global demand plunged but have kept in place controls on home purchases and investment to prevent overbuilding and a surge in housing costs.

Wen called on local authorities to “carry out work in line with new conditions and local realities,” Xinhua said, without giving details. The premier pointed to improvements in some areas where the plunge in sales has driven thousands of small exporters out of business.

Wen said industrial production in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces in the southeast and Jiangsu, north of Shanghai, rose by 1.4, 1.9 and 0.7 percentage points in July compared with output in the first half.—AP

European Union embargo that made shipping the oil difficult, government and refining sources have said.

Since July 1, South Korea has suspended imports of Iranian crude due to a European ban on insuring tankers that carry Iranian oil, leaving the accounts with no cash inflow. Quoting industry sources, South Korea’s news agency Yonhap said Iran wanted interest rates of around 3 percent a year, which is usually paid for a six-month deposit in Korea, and if talks with its existing banks failed, it was considering switching to two other banks, NH Nonghyup and Korea Eximbank.

Officials at both NH Nonghyup, a bank funded by a farmers group, and Korea Eximbank, which is owned by the Korean government, said no request had been made by Iran, nor had they considered such a scenario. “The risks are higher than the payback,” one official said.

“Even if we have such accounts, we can

only offer 0.1 percent as it is not a certain-term deposit account, but an account where you can withdraw money whenever you want.”

Holding accounts for the central bank of Iran carries an implied risk for any bank under US sanctions. If the United States were to remove its waiver to South Korea, the financial institution that executes oil transactions could be sanctioned.

However, it is unlikely Iran will close its Korean accounts completely as Tehran wants to keep its crude flowing to South Korea, China, India and Japan, which are its top four customers, who buy more than half its oil exports.

They have slashed Iranian purchases this year, though, under pressure from the EU and US sanctions, aimed at squeezing its oil income to curb its nuclear programme, which the West fears is directed at developing weapons, a motive Iran denies. — Reuters

India’s Maruti to restart riot-hit plant on Aug 21 Fires 500 workers over riot NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest car maker, said yesterday it would restart production at its Manesar factory on Aug. 21 after sacking 500 workers over a deadly riot that shut the plant, costing tens of millions of dollars in lost output.

The 550,000 vehicles-a-year factory in Manesar in north India, where the unit of Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp makes its best-selling Swift hatchback, has been idle since the July 18 clash between workers and management.

The company will start producing 150 cars a day from Tuesday, less than 10 percent of its average daily production before the violence in which a manager was killed and more than 100 people injured.

The resumption of production comes just in time for India’s festival season, when people tend to make big-ticket purchases. Deepak Jain, an auto analyst with the brokerage Sharekhan, estimated the company would be able to produce 300 cars daily in two weeks and about 500 in a month.

“Maruti has always managed to surprise the market with the way it has managed to bounce back from several strikes and ramp up production,” he said. The company has seen a revenue loss of about $256 million because of the shutdown, according to Reuters calculations, while analysts estimate it has been losing about $15 million a day.

A one-month shutdown would cut parent Suzuki’s operating profit by about 6 billion yen ($76.1 million), equal to 5 percent of the Japanese car maker’s forecast for the year, according to analysts. Production will start initially with 300 workers and the company will increase output gradually, the chairman of the company, R.C. Bhargava, told a news conference, adding that he could not say when the factory would be back to full capacity.

Labour troubles at Maruti have put the spotlight on the country’s decades-

NEW DELHI: This photograph taken on July 19, 2012 shows Indian private security guards looking at the burnt reception office at the main gate at the Maruti Suzuki Production Facility in Manesar, about 45 kms from New Delhi.

India’s top carmaker Maruti Suzuki said yesterday that more than 500 workers had been sacked after staff rioted at a plant near New Delhi last month. — AFP old labour laws. Other foreign car makers, such as Hyundai and Honda, have seen labour unrest at their Indian plants in recent years, and industry groups have renewed calls for the government to overhaul laws they say tie their hands.

India’s labour laws make it difficult for big companies to fire permanent workers so instead, companies hire contractors, to the anger of the unions.

Contractors at the Manesar factory said they were paid much less than permanent workers for doing the same skilled work.

The company will not employ contract workers in its production line anymore, Bhargava said, a move that could pressure margins due to higher staff costs but is seen as ensuring stability.

While the sacking of the 500 workers is likely to raise anger, the decision not to employ contract workers will be seen

as a concession to the unions.

The company will start hiring additional employees from Sept. 2. “The decision to not let contract workers work in the production line is well thought of and although this will push production back, it will make sure normalcy is restored when the plant reopens,” said Gajendra Nagpal, chief executive at brokerage Unicon Financial Intermediaries. After last month’s violence, police initially sought to detain all 2,500 workers who may have been present at the time. Most of those workers fled. Police now say only a few hundred workers may have been involved in the riot which broke out after one employee faced disciplinary action. Company officials say workers attacked senior management during discussions, while the union said its representatives were attacked first.— Reuters

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE 99 Baghdad lies in ruins, destroyed by the marauding armies of Hulagu Khan. The brave librarians of the great Dar Al-Hikma rush to save the glory of the ancient world’s accumulated wisdom, little knowing that centuries later their efforts will bear strange fruit. While the Noor Stones were created to save the library, their power has transcended that task and in our own time has provided extraordinary abilities to an international group of young people, the world’s newest superheroes known as… The 99.

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2012, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

www.the99.org

Opinion FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

New NY Times CEO must grow sales, skirt strife First time Thompson dealing with full-on commercial pressure

By Jennifer Saba

T

he tasks that now confront Mark Thompson, the newly appointed chief executive of The New York Times Company, are essentially the same ones he faced at the BBC: usher a storied, but staid brand into an increasingly digital and global world while navigating a delicate balance between often competing political power centers. The only difference is that now he must do it in a commercial enterprise where building advertising and content sales is paramount, rather than a government-protected one where the vast majority of revenue comes from viewers paying license fees. The BBC’s commercial revenue was, for example, only $348.44 million according to its annual report for 2011/12 published in July, against $5.66 billion from licensing fees.

“This is the first time that Mark Thompson has been seriously exposed to full-on commercial pressure,” said Steve Hewlett, a media consultant and BBC broadcaster. “Doing digital development at the BBC when you don’t have to make a return is one thing; doing it when you’ve got shareholders breathing down your neck

Thompson, 55, spent his entire career at the BBC, rising from a trainee in 1979 to stints on shows such as ‘Newsnight’ and the ‘Nine O’Clock News’ by age 30 before eventually becoming Director General, which is regarded as the UK television industry’s most powerful post. and a deteriorating business is another.”

That’s not to say that Thompson isn’t up for the task. Sources say the Oxford-educated executive isn’t scared of making tough decisions, from cost-cutting measures like canceling beloved shows and instituting layoffs to joining the fight to stop Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp from taking control of satellite broadcaster BSKyB. Thompson, 55, spent his entire career at the BBC, rising from a trainee in 1979 to stints on shows such as ‘Newsnight’ and the ‘Nine O’Clock News’ by age 30 before eventually becoming Director General, which is regarded as the UK television industry’s

most powerful post. He joins the New York Times Company during a period of unprecedented change at the media group and in the wider US newspaper industry, which has seen big declines in print circulation and advertising, and little sign that online revenue can make up much of the difference. Readers are increasingly getting their news from smartphones and tablets, prompting a mass loss of advertising dollars from the printed product. Print advertising revenue at the Times Co fell 8 percent in the second quarter, while digital advertising slid almost 2 percent.

Indeed, sources said one of the biggest question marks surrounding Thompson is whether he will be able to apply his skill at

Tribune and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. The Times Co’s revenue and share price have shrunk along with its asset base.

Revenue for the first half of the year is down 30 percent from the same period four years ago and stood at $1 billion. Its share price has plunged from a high of $53 to below $10 currently.

By contrast, according to its annual report published in July, the BBC generated a total of $6.52 billion from licensing fees, commercial operations and its world and monitoring services. The business challenges would be enough to deal with for any new CEO, but Thompson must also navigate the internal politics of the controlling Ochs/Sulzberger family. Sources say that

In this April 12, 2007 file photo, British Broadcasting Corporation Director-General Mark Thompson pauses during a news conference calling for the release of kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The New York Times Co on Aug 14, 2012 named Thompson as its president and CEO. — AP cajoling British lawmakers and taxpayers to pony up money to getting Madison Avenue, a constituency with which he has limited experience, to buy advertising on behalf of its clients. The Times Co was once a sprawling media conglomerate with TV and radio stations, magazines, dozens of newspapers, and stakes in sports franchises like the Boston Red Sox baseball team and Liverpool football club. But over the years it has been shedding its assets - last week, the company said it was in discussions to sell its Internet property About.com for a reported $270 million and in December it sold its regional newspaper group for $143 million.

As a result, the company has dwindled to its flagship paper, the New York Times - still one of the most prominent newspapers in the world - and three sister publications, the Boston Globe, the International Herald

though he is CEO, Thompson will actually serve as a lieutenant to Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr, who has firm control over the company. Thompson’s predecessor, Janet Robinson, abruptly left the company in December after a 28-year career amid what sources described as clashes with Sulzberger over direction and other matters. “It’s a company that’s run by the family,” said Doug Arthur, an analyst with Evercore Partners. “To me the question is why did he take it?”

One possible explanation for why Thompson took the job could simply be location. Thompson is married to American writer Jane Blumberg and has three children, and according to a former associate they vacation every year at her family’s home in the states. This source added that Thompson’s wife wanted to be closer to her

family. And analyst Arthur also noted that, despite being family controlled, as CEO Thompson will have some degree of autonomy to operate the business and prove that he is capable of running a publicly traded company. A Times Co representative declined comment for this story.

Digital and International In hiring Thompson, Sulzberger is getting an executive who respects journalistic integrity, but isn’t afraid to make tough decisions to bring spending on news gathering in line with economic reality. While Sulzberger, who is also the publisher of the New York Times, has resisted the deep newsroom cuts that have hit most major dailies, Thompson was forced to undertake austerity measures that included large-scale layoffs at the BBC. “He has actually been very effective getting organizations to perform well with reduced resources,” said Emily Bell, a former Guardian news executive and current director of digital journalism at Columbia University.

Thompson also brings to the Times Co established credentials in growing digital and international businesses. He is credited with helping to develop the iPlayer, an application that enables viewers to catch up on missed programs for free online. It is widely considered a huge success. He has also helped grow BBC.com into a major global web portal, attracting 57 million unique monthly visitors worldwide in June, according to comScore. Last year, the Times Co rolled out a pay model for its digital products that has so far proved convincing in getting readers to pay for news. Total paid digital subscriptions for NYTimes.com and BostonGlobe.com climbed 13 percent to 532,000 at the end of the second quarter.

Thompson’s deal-making with other media outlets, specifically a joint venture with ITV, and successful efforts with BBC America and other for-profit international offshoots of the public broadcaster dovetail with Sulzberger’s view that the Times Co’s future is in video and social media and mobile global expansion. A source inside the New York Times’ newsroom told Reuters on Tuesday that the biggest question being asked about Thompson’s hire was “whether this is a signal that we are going to be getting more into the TV business, or is he just going to take what we do already and distribute it more broadly globally”. But some sources echoed the opinion of UK media analyst Clare Enders, who thinks that Thompson is going to have a difficult time replicating his BBC success at the Times Co. “This is not an appointment that is crying to you: ‘This is the man who is going to transform the costs of the organization, alter the business model beyond recognition so the organization survives, maximize cash,’ all the things public company shareholders would typically be looking for,” said Enders. — Reuters

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Years

www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead smiles during a press conference to promote her movie "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. —AP

FOOD FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Stirring up sweet memories with

vanilla pudding V

anilla pudding can bring out the kid in you, especially as it conjures up memories of those huge institutional cans cranked open in summer camp dining halls or the tiny cups your mom would tuck into your school lunchbox. Part of the appeal of vanilla pudding lies in its simplicity. It personifies the nostalgic flavors of childhood.

Yet, vanilla pudding can be a key ingredient in more complicated desserts designed to please adults, treats like

tarts and trifles and homemade ice pops. That’s due to the clean, clear flavor you get, especially from homemade versions.

Alice Medrich, a baker and teacher living in Berkeley, Calif., says vanilla pudding serves as a valuable backdrop for other flavors, whether that’s a nutmeg-spiced tart shell, a sprinkling of crumbled toffee on top or a spoonful of fresh fruit. Vanilla pudding is also a superb showcase, naturally, for that dis-

tinctive vanilla flavor.

Shaina Olmanson, the Falcon Heights, Minn.-based writer of the “Food for My Family” blog, also zeros in on the “creamy sweetness” of vanilla pudding that “puts a period at the end of the meal.” “It’s like vanilla ice cream,” says Olmanson, author of “Desserts in Jars: 50 Sweet Treats That Shine” (Harvard Common Press, $16.95). “It’s simple, sweet and satisfies the need you have for that last sweet bite.”

While vanilla pudding can be a nostalgic reminder for “those in the older age groups when parents made real pudding,” Medrich says vanilla pudding appeals to all generations today as a delicious, no-fuss dessert. That vanilla pudding can be made without eggs is especially appealing.

“For the new cook or a cook scared of eggs it’s easy to make. They don’t have to worry about the eggs curdling,” she says. Cooks can control the richness by using half-and-half or cream instead of milk, if they want to use a dairy product at all.

“I’m certain, though I haven’t done it, you could make vanilla pudding without dairy using coconut or hemp milk,” Medrich says, suggesting cooks also experiment with different sugars, like brown or raw. “The key to vanilla pudding, I think, is to let it shine,” Olmanson says. “Use great vanilla. The better the quality the better the taste.”

Chill: 1 hour Servings: 4 (cup each) Note: Tasters found this pudding from Shaina Olmanson’s “Desserts in Jars” to be absolutely delicious.

RICH VANILLA PUDDING Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 15 minutes

WAYS TO SERVE IT UP Present your pudding simply with whipped cream or fresh fruit. Or trans-

Ingredients: 1/3 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1teaspoon salt Vanilla beans scraped from 1 vanilla bean pod 3 egg yolks 2 cups whole milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces 1. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla bean seeds in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the egg yolks until well combined. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking to incorporate.

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 10-15 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat; whisk in the butter one piece at a time, making sure each piece is incorporated before adding the next. Cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap; refrigerate until set, 1 to 2 hours.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 254 calories, 13 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 166 mg cholesterol, 28 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 133 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

FOOD FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

form it with these ideas from Shaina Olmanson author of “Desserts in Jars.”

1. Make vanilla pudding pops, right.

Lightly grease commercially available ice pop molds, Olmanson uses the wrapper from a stick of butter for the task, then pour in the pudding. Freeze. “It’s creamy and sweet and everything you want in (an ice pop) but it doesn’t freeze so hard,” she says.

2. Place pound-cake slices in a cake pan.

Pour vanilla pudding hot off the stove over the pound cake. Let it cool and set. Top with fresh fruit.

3. Use pudding in layered desserts, such as a trifle or parfait. “Creamy layers act as the glue that holds it all together,” she writes.

TAHITIAN VANILLA PUDDING Alice Medrich, a baker and teacher living in Berkeley, Calif., uses this egg-free vanilla pudding as a tart filling topped with a dried cherry compote in her book “Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts” (Artisan, $25.95). You may use a sauce made with fresh cherries instead, or garnish with fresh fruit and, perhaps, a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Medrich uses Tahitian vanilla in the pudding for its “exotic flavor and nuances of cherry,” she writes. You may substitute Mexican or Bourbon vanilla for the Tahitian, or use a vanilla bean: Heat the milk and cream with a whole vanilla bean until steaming hot, cover and let steep 15 minutes. Remove the bean, set aside and proceed with the recipe. You can also serve this pudding without the tart shell, plain or

2 teaspoons Tahitian vanilla

dressed up in a parfait.

Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 26 minutes Chill: 3 hours Makes: 8 servings Crust: 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon pure Tahitian vanilla 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons flour For the filling: 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups half-and-half

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. For the crust, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Add flour; mix just until well-blended. If the dough seems too soft and gooey, let it stand for a few minutes to firm up.

2. Press the dough in a thin, even layer over the bottom and up the sides of a 9 {inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough squarely into the corners of the pan to avoid extra-thick edges.

(Crust may be prepared 2 or 3 days ahead, wrapped and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking.)

3. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is fully golden brown, 20-25 minutes. If the crust puffs up during baking, gently press it down with the back of a fork and prick it a few times. Cool crust on a rack.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a heavy medium saucepan. Add about 3 tablespoons of the half-and-half; whisk to form a smooth paste. Whisk in the remain-

ing half-and-half. Using a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom, sides and corners of the pan, until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble at the edges, about 5 minutes.

Continue to cook and stir, 1 more minute.

Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.

5. Scrape the hot pudding into the crust.

Level with a spatula. Let cool, 1 hour; refrigerate tart at least 2 hours to allow the pudding to set. Cover the tart once the filling is set.

Nutrition information per serving: 307 calories, 19 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 136 mg sodium, 0 g fiber. — MCT

Beauty FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Here’s the mane point

Heat can damage your hair like nobody’s business R

elaxed hair, by its definition, undergoes controlled damage in order to straighten it, but maintaining this hair in a healthy fashion is possible with several simple steps. If you’re not currently following most of these tips, your hair may not be as healthy as it can be. All hair should be pampered, but relaxed hair requires even more special treatment due to its processed nature. See if these seven tips for maintaining healthy relaxed hair can’t help you get your straight tresses into the best shape possible.

1. See a professional for chemical applications This is typically where you’ll spend the most money in maintaining relaxed hair, but it’s worth investing in a trusted stylist for touch-ups and/or coloring. They’re licensed for a reason. Too many women (and children and men) are walking around today with damaged hair that’s the result of home treatments. Find a stylist you trust. This may not be easy; you may have to try several salons and get recommendations before you find someone you’re happy with. Once you find a professional and build a good relationship with her, she should be able to advise you whether a lye or no-lye relaxer is best for you, which cuts will best flatter your face and how to care for your hair on a daily basis.

2. Avoid overprocessing Applying relaxers to previously processed hair or leaving chemicals on for too long are two of the most common mistakes made when it comes to straightening. While home kits are easier to use than ever and cheaper than having a professional apply treatments, these products also make it easy to overprocess the hair. Not waiting the recommended time frame between touch-ups is another risky relaxer move. Consistently applying straightening chemicals to previously processed hair will eventually lead to damage, breakage and possible permanent hair loss. Even if you must apply your own relaxers, have a trusted friend help you with back sections of the hair whenever possible. Better yet, however, save those pennies and see a stylist for this task.

3. Choose low or no-heat styling Flat irons and curling irons are very convenient, but daily use will eventually lead to dryness and damage. Heat tools are fine for occasional use, but try to get into the habit of low or no-heat styling when you can.

Examples of styling techniques that don’t require a lot of heat include: Wet sets Wrapping Satin-covered rollers Curlformers Flexi-rods

Also, try any of these hairstyles that don’t need to have ends “bumped” or curled: Buns Braids Updos 4.Wrap and protect at night Not only does wrapping your hair at night save you time in the morning, but it also protects your delicate tresses while sleeping, especially if you add in extra protection in the form of a silky hair cover or pillowcase. When you mold your hair to the shape of your head, you preserve body and volume in a low-maintenance fashion that requires absolutely no heat.

sively dry if not cared for properly. They’re the oldest and most fragile parts of your hair and they need to be treated with extreme care.

However, they’re not going to last forever and it’s better to get rid of split and dry ends sooner rather than later. If you routinely pamper your hair and observe other good hair care practices, you’ll need to trim less often than someone who flat irons daily or never deep conditions.

5.Condition regularly Relaxers strip away some of the hair’s natural oils during the process of straightening; replacing moisture is essential to keeping hair in good shape. Instead of greasy, petrolatum-laden products, which don’t actually moisturize the hair but only coat it, rely on good quality conditioners to maintain proper moisture levels in your hair. Follow each shampoo with a rinseout conditioner and deep condition two to four times per month, depending on your hair’s needs.

7.Wear protective styles Why protective styles such as chignons, updos and braids? Because these hairdos keep your hair’s ends up and out of sight, which allows them to retain moisture, which in turn leads to more hair retention. Even if your goal is not to grow hair down your back, healthy ends are still important, as they fit into an overall healthy head of hair. www.blackhair.about.com

6.Trim as needed The ends of your hair can become exces-

Protective styles to try W

hat’s the deal with protective styles? Many women with long hair swear by them. They insist that keeping their hair’s ends up and out of sight helps them to retain precious length. So is it true?

Protective styles don’t make your hair grow, but they do make it possible to prevent breakage since your hair may be breaking off faster than it grows. What protective styles do is keep your ends “protected.” Try any of these protective styles and see if you experience more hair retention. Just make sure, no matter which way you wear your hair, that your ends are put away.

1. Bun or Chignon This is a simple style that works for any occasion, especially dressy or formal ones. All you need are hairpins and a covered elastic band.

Buns work on relaxed and natural hair with a relative amount of ease.

You can part your hair down the center or on one side if you prefer.

2. Two-Strand Twists Twists work best on natural hair.

Relaxed strands are simply too straight and slippery to hold twists in place without unraveling. They work for children and for adults. You can fashion twists in various ways while still protecting your delicate ends.

3. Braids You can braid your natural hair or you can opt for braid extensions.

Whether your braids are all yours or created with enhancements, you still need to care for your hair and scalp while you’re wearing them.

4. Weaves How many times have you heard a woman say that she got a weave and her hair just grew like weeds?

The reason this seems to be so is

because a properly cared for weave is a great protective style. If your hair is braided completely beneath it, it’s not subject to sun, wind, rain or other weather. For maximum hair growth, however, it’s still important to care for the hair beneath the weave.

5. Flat Twists Similar to cornrows, flat twists are created with two sections of hair instead of three. Flat twists offer more versatility because unlike twostrand twists, flat twists work equally well on relaxed or natural hair. If your hair extends past the nape of your neck, you can gather the ends of flat twists and fashion them into a ponytail or bun. www.blackhair.about.com

Books FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Nota Bene

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f your choice of hotel depends on which one offers the highest threadcount in its Egyptian-cotton sheets, Nota Bene is for you. These guides for the discerning traveller are subscriber only and published 10 times a year with regular updates on its members’ website. There is also a section dedicated to news and short comment-style pieces addressing issues that evidently preoccupy the minds of stylish travellers the world over, such as the demise of the design hotel. Nota Bene prides itself on its impartiality, gives frank appraisals and is thorough - all the stays are paid for, which presumably goes some way to justifying the £235 subscription fee. A large chunk of the editorial space is dedicated to dissecting what’s on offer at the various hotels, bars and restaurants. The tone is unashamedly condescending, some might say it could just be taking itself a little too seriously.

There are more than 30 guides to a clutch of suitably fashionable destinations including Rome, the Aeolian Islands, Marrakech and the CÙte d’Azur, with the likes of Shanghai, the Napa Valley and an issue dedicated to safaris out soon.

1 HIP Hotels

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hat hotel aficionado, aspiring or otherwise, doesn’t have at least one copy of Herbert Ypma’s much-emulated HIP Hotels on their bookshelf? Of course, HIP doesn’t just stand for trendy but for Highly Individual Place. Suitably fabulous hotels from Italian palazzos to thatched Balinese idylls, cherrypicked from across the world by globetrotting Ypma, feature in the guides with droolinducing photographs. And, while those photographs can occasionally be kind to their subjects, there’s no denying that Ypma has hit on a publishing phenomenon - there are currently nine HIP Hotels guides in the series, published on themes including “Escape”, “Ski”, “France”, “Italy” and “Orient”. Fans don’t have to wait long for the next instalment, the gargantuan 528-page HIP Hotels Atlas, containing more than 80 choices, some new and some old favourites picked from previous publications.

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Top pocket-sized travel guides

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ometimes size really does matter, as proved by the dinky little Z-Guide series. About the size of two credit cards stacked on top of each other, these ingenious guides unfold to 24 times their size, revealing an easy-to-read map, the reverse of which is crammed with useful information. A number of subsections offer practical advice about transport, a list of the major sights, cafes, restaurants, all of which are numbered and marked on the map. Other elements include a handy column offering suggestions for a “Perfect Day” and a small box dedicated to something particular to the city, such

as a walking-tour through Georgian Dublin. The guides are very useful for a weekend break and now cover more than 70 destinations, stretching across Europe, North America, the Far East and Australia, with new titles such as Tokyo, Lisbon and Vienna in the pipeline.

Luxe

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Osterie d’Italia

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arlo Petrini’s Slow Food movement, founded in 1986 to promote the idea of savouring food, drink and diversity, has gone from strength to strength in recent years. While the movement itself has more than 83,000 members worldwide, it has also spawned a number of useful publications including this weighty tome. Now in its 16th year, no self-respecting foodie should be without a copy of Osterie d’Italia on a visit to Italy. Forget that it’s all in Italian - you need the addresses and phone numbers.

Guides are updated annually and the 2006 edition, due out later this year, will contain more than 1,700 restaurant recommendations across Italy. The restaurants in the guide are not necessarily the most expensive joints in town (one of the criteria is that the menu costs no more than €35 - about £25 -per head), just good examples of the local cuisine. Some restaurants are tucked down alleyways in unlikely areas, but stick with it - recommendations rarely disappoint. Each region of Italy is given a chapter with maps at the beginning pinpointing the towns and villages containing “Slow Food” restaurants. Entries that have noteworthy local food, wine and cheese are denoted with an extra snail, bottle or a round of cheese respectively.

Osterie d’Italia is published by Slow Food Editore, price €20.34 (£14.50). It is available from www.slowfood.com.

uxe is a Hong Kong-based publisher offering a refreshing tongue-in-cheek approach to guidebook writing. You will find the tone either fabulously witty or fantastically irritating depending on your point of view. There is no denying its series of guides’ usefulness however, offering some of the most up-to-date recommendations in many major Asian and Australian destinations.

These small concertina-style guides are very useful if you have limited time. A whistlestop visit to Bangkok was greatly enhanced by one of its tips to get a riverside restaurant to pick me up for dinner by boat. The guides offer a short and sweet list of three or four places to stay for varying budgets, restaurants, bars, clubs, sightseeing highlights and half-day shopping itineraries, as well as plenty of hidden places. There are many amusing asides, and useful local knowledge, such as not needing to tip taxi drivers in Shanghai, as well as practical information, such as where to find the local tourist office. All the information is gathered by a panel of 20 local residents, so you feel as though you are getting privileged information. Recent guides include Melbourne, Beijing, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

This month sees the addition of Seoul and Dubai as well as updates for the current titles: Bali, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sydney and Tokyo.

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Te c h n o l o g y FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Left-handers and the pitfalls of technology W hen the iPhone 4 hit shops in 2010, some customers could not use the new Apple device to either call or surf the Internet. The reason was that holding the device in the left hand could in some cases cover the phone’s antennae, thereby cutting off reception. Apparently, the designers, technicians and testers at Apple did not think about the needs of left-handers or just ignored them. And that is nothing new, according to Agnes Maria Forsthofer, a member of an association for left-handed people in Germany. “There are essentially no devices fitted for left-handers.”

Even standard devices like a mouse or keyboard have some pitfalls for left-handed users. The number pad for example is difficult to use with your left hand.

“There are only a few keyboards where the number pad is on the left side,” said Barbara Sattler, who heads an information centre for left-handers in Germany. But such solutions are only practical in places where the left-hander works alone. Sharing a computer that has such special devices with right-handers is difficult. Sattler suggests left-handers should rather get a separate number pad with a USB connection, like those available for laptops.

The mouse can cause issues for left-handers. Most of the time they are located on the right side of the keyboard. A wireless mouse solves most of the problems and the system settings in Windows allows for the keys to be changed. There is no standard for the extreme lefthander, said Stefan Gutwinski, neuroscientist of the university psychiatric ward of the Charite at St. Hedwig Hospital in Berlin.

“Extreme handedness is rather seldom - right-handers do some things with their left hand and lefthanders do some things with their right hand,” he said. And they differ from case to case. Some, for example, have no problem typing a text message on their phone with their right hand - others absolutely need their left hand.

But there are some devices with which nearly every left-hander has problems, including for example an ergonomic mouse. Their asymmetric shape supposedly gives them a better fit in the user’s hand - but only in the right hand. “But the symmetric shape has prevailed,” said Sattler.

There are other examples of the technology world being unfriendly to left-handers, for example in the case of camcorders. “They are completely equipped to be controlled with the right hand,” said Sattler. Even photography cameras

often have the controls on the right side. Sattler said there are no real solutions in such cases. “The demand for special left-handed products is not high enough,” she said. Separate production for lefthanders is not profitable for manufacturers. The only choice often for lefties is to get used to it.

Neuroscientist Gutwinski said it’s often not that difficult. “Left-han-

ders often have a pronounced tendency for ambidexterity because they are already used to doing things with their right hands from childhood.”

Nevertheless, it has been shown that the older the user, the more difficulty left-handers have in getting accustomed to new devices which have to be operated with the right hand. In the case of

smartphones it would seem initially that it doesn’t matter which hand is used on a touchscreen. But since many devices have the onoff or volume buttons on the right side, operating the device with just your left hand is not easy.

Sattler urges left-handers to take the device in their hand before buying it and really give it a good test. —dpa

Internet news Sigma’s compact camera has 46 megapixels Sigma has packed an image sensor with 46 megapixels into its new compact camera, the DP2 Merrill. It weighs about 330 grams, is about 6 centimeters thick and comes with a 2.8/30 mm wide angle lens. RAW format pictures from the sensor have a resolution of 4,704 X 3,136 pixels, coming in at about 45 megabytes. It only takes video in VGA (640 X 480 pixels) format. It sells for 1,099 euros (1,345 dollars).

Repair notebooks yourself with a screwdriver When it’s time to replace a display or a noisy fan, or add more memory or hard drive space, don’t automatically race to the professionals with your laptop. With the proper instructions, it’s possible to do a lot of this kind of work yourself. Websites like www.insidemylaptop.com or www.ifixit.com provide step-by-step descriptions with photos that can help anyone figure out their computer. The sites also include notes on special projects, like how to turn an old notebook display into a digital picture frame.

Denon’s new docking stations come with curves Denon is releasing two new iPhone/iPod docking stations. Products in the Cocoon line all come with speakers that link to the device’s docks, but can also play music sent wirelessly from the devices thanks to Airplay and DNLA. They can also receive wireless radio. Cocoon Home comes in white and black, while the smaller Cocoon Portable only comes in black. The Portable comes with a handle, a rechargeable battery and a partially waterproof cover. Both cost about 599 euros (732 dollars).

Use QR codes to create order in your home QR codes - the checkered fields seen in so many modern advertisements - can be put to use in organizing your home. If you’ve got a room full of boxes and don’t know what’s in them, go to Boxmeup. There, users can create inventory lists for boxes - or any other kind of container - and get a print-out label, consisting of a QR code. Slap the label on the box and, when it’s time to find out what’s in it, scan the label with an Android mobile to call the contents list back up. As a bonus, lists can be edited at any time.

Fujifilm camera has 20X zoom Fufifilm’s new superzoom camera is called the F800EXR and, along with its 16-megapixel sensor, has 20X analog zoom, giving it a focal width of 25 to 500 millimetres. It also includes an intelligent digital zoom that should improve enlargements. A mechanical stabilizer should reduce blurs. Coming out in August, it will be available in black, red, or white for 329 euros (400 dollars).

Automatically delete Chrome data If you want to delete information like history, downloads, caches, cookies or plug-in information after using the Chrome browser, you can do so with a few clicks. Hitting Ctrl-Alt-N keeps the browser from recording the data in the first place by creating an incognito window. There’s also the Click & Clean expansion which, once installed, automatically deletes all data trails every time Chrome is shut down. —dpa

Lifestyle FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Lady Gaga blasts PETA: ‘Violent, abusive and childish’

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ady Gaga is fighting back against PETA, after the animal-rights organization blasted her for seeming to wear fur. While acknowledging that she respects the animal rights movement, the “Poker Face” singer lays into the more militant factions of the movement, accusing them of waging “violent, abusive and childish campaigns.”

“To the fans,” Gaga wrote in a blog post on her website. “I want you to know that I care deeply about your feelings and views, and I will always support your philosophies about life ... I do not however support violent, abusive, and childish campaigns for ANY CAUSE. Particularly one that I respect. ‘Animal Rights.’

The singer also makes no apologies for wearing clothes derived from animals, whether it’s alligator-skin accessories or the meat dress she infamously wore to the MTV Video Music Awards a couple of years ago. As far as Gaga is concerned, if it’s in the name of art and/or fashion, it’s fair game. “I have truly always stayed away from skinned fur, especially I have never been able to afford a nice one, but this does not mean my morals are rigid and that I won’t bend at the sight of an

Lady Gaga

absolute art piece of a coat,” Gaga asserts. “I have no chains about this. You see a carcass; I see a museum piËce de resistance.”

As for PETA’s habit of flour-bombing people wearing fur, Gaga suggests a more practical use of the foodstuff. “And to campaigners, Save your flour to make bread for the children who are hungry,” the singer writes. PETA senior vice president Dan Mathews blasted Gaga in an open letter Monday, saying that she had publicly disavowed fur on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show, but has since been photographed wearing the pelts of various animals, including a wolf carcass in a promotional photo for the Robert Rodriguez film “Machete Kills.”

“What happened? Are your stylists telling you that it’s fake, or are you a turncoat?” Mathews asked. “As we plan our fall campaigns, please tell us whether what you gracefully told Ellen was heartfelt or just a pose.”— Reuters

Jackson’s father drops lawsuit against Murray

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File photo shows Michael Jackson’s father Joe Jackson leaving the family residence in the Encino section of Los Angeles for his sonís funeral. — AP

ichael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray has one less thing to worry about. Joe Jackson, the father of the deceased pop singer Michael Jackson, has dropped his wrongful death lawsuit against Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the musician’s death. In a court document filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday and obtained by TheWrap, Jackson asks that the suit be dismissed without prejudice.

The elder Jackson brought the suit in June 2010, a year after his son’s death at the age of 50, asking for unspecified damages and a jury trial. It is unclear why Jackson decided to drop the suit; his attorney has not yet replied to TheWrap’s

request for comment. However, the phrase “you can’t get blood from a stone” comes to mind - Murray is currently in jail, serving his sentence for involuntary manslaughter.

Murray was found guilty of causing Jackson’s death last year. The singer died of acute propofol intoxication. Murray admitted to administering the anesthetic to Jackson on an almost daily basis in the weeks leading up to his death, and was found to have been negligent in treating Jackson, deviating from the standard of care on multiple fronts. — Reuters

Whitney Houston

Zombies get new lease of life in

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top-motion films have been breathing life into inanimate objects for over a century, but”ParaNorman” takes on the undead, bringing zombies, ghosts and ghouls to a quirky family comedy.

“ParaNorman” - in US movie theaters on Friday - follows the journey of a young misfit with the ability to

speak to the dead. Norman must save his unsuspecting town from an impending zombie apocalypse, aided by his friends, family and even the school bully on an adventure that has car chases, angry mobs and a surprising twist.

The team at the Laika studio, which was behind the critically acclaimed 2009 fantasy animation film “Coraline,” were not only eager to add horror to the stop-motion genre - they also wanted to make the “most ambitious stop-frame movie ever.” “It’s very influenced by the movies I grew up watching, which I think then therefore taps into the adult stuff with the John Carpenter and John Hughes element to it,” director Christopher Butler told Reuters. He added that the makers had referenced 1980s horror classics such as “Halloween.”

“We always thought of what would happen if the kids from ‘The Breakfast Club’ ended up in ‘The Fog’,” he said. “We pushed boundaries with ‘Coraline’ and did everything you’re not supposed to do in stop-motion on this.” A team of 60 artists crafted 178 puppets of the 61 characters in “ParaNorman,” with 28 puppets alone for Norman, each incorporating 275 strands of goat hair, thread and wire to create the hero’s signature spiky hair style. The film utilized new technology along with the laborious stop-motion technique, using 3D elements that could generate up to 1.5 million facial expressions for misfit hero Norman, voiced by Australian newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee. “I just love his character so much.—Reuters

Grammy Museum unveils tribute to Whitney Houston

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he Grammy Museum unveiled a tribute to Whitney Houston on Wednesday, put together by family members to celebrate the late pop star’s career. The exhibit, titled “Whitney!

Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston,” features items such as the singer’s iconic gowns, some of her Grammy awards, film scripts, modeling shots and personal memorabilia.

Highlights include a beaded gown that Houston wore at the 1994 Grammy Awards, private letters from legendary music producer Clive Davis and a tea cup that Houston drank out of before each performance. “We have picked the things that people will find the most interesting and, in many cases, bring back fun memories,” her sister-in-law and former manager Pat Houston told reporters. “We are really very overjoyed that we are here today to represent and be a part of such a wonderful and splendid career of such a beautiful and talented woman,” Houston said.

Pat Houston was joined on Wednesday by the singer’s brother Gary and sister-in-law Donna, who worked with the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles to curate the exhibition. Houston’s mother Cissy, her 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and her exhusband Bobby Brown did not attend. Houston, 48, drowned accidentally in a hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills in February from what authorities said was heart disease and the effects of cocaine. The exhibit makes no mention of her turbulent personal life and history of drug abuse. Grammy Museum officials said the exhibit was put together after fans asked why there was no homage to her following her death. It will run until February 2013. Houston’s final film, “Sparkle,” is released in movie theaters today. — Reuters

Lifestyle FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Leave Kristen Stewart alone, Jodie Foster says K

risten Stewart has found her white knight during her time of personal and professional turmoil. And that white knight is Jodie Foster. Stewart’s co-star in the 2002 film “Panic Room” has penned a lengthy essay reflecting on the plight of Stewart, who lately has been embroiled in scandal after admitting to cheating on her boy friend and “Twilight” co-star Robert Pattinson with her “Snow White and the Huntsman” director Rupert Sanders.

The take-away message from Foster’s essay? The invasion of privacy created by tabloid and paparazzi culture can be a soul-crushing experience for a young actor, and Stewart’s personal life is nobody’s business but her own. In the essay, published by the Daily Beast on Wednesday, Foster criticizes what she calls “the gladiator

sport of celebrity culture,” adding, “if I were a young actor today I would quit before I started.”

Blasting those who have become obsessed with Stewart’s entangled love life, Foster writes, “Just to set the

record straight, a salary for a given onscreen performance does not include the right to invade anyone’s privacy, to destroy someone’s sense of self.”

Stewart ‘fessed up and apologized for the dalliance with Sanders last month, shortly after Us Weekly published pictures of the two of them canoodling.

“I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I’ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected,” Stewart said in a statement.

“This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I’m so sorry.” — AP

Elvis Presley’s ex-wife, daughter at Graceland bash F

Candles are reflected in a photo of Elvis Presley.

Priscilla Presley, left, and Lisa Marie Presley speak to fans gathered at a candlelight vigil at Graceland, Elvis Presley’s Memphis, Tenn home, on Wednesday. — AP/AFP photos

ans of Elvis Presley cheered as his daughter and ex-wife appeared publicly at Graceland to personally thank them for their loyalty, 35 years after the music legend’s death. Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley spoke for little more than a minute on Wednesday at the start of an allnight candlelight vigil in memory of the king of rock ‘n’ roll, who died suddenly on August 16, 1977 at the age of 42. But it was enough to thrill the mainly older but passionately dedicated crowd that returns every year to Presley’s beloved home in Memphis to celebrate his life and music. “I know this is something Elvis would never ever have believed would have taken place here,” said Priscilla, in a white suit, looking out over a sea of candles across all six lanes of Elvis Presley Boulevard.

“You know this: he loved his fans, and this is proof that you love him... We thank you very, very much for all that you do to keep his legacy going on and on and on,” she said. Lisa Marie, 44, who opted for a dark outfit, said: “”I’ve always avoided this because I thought it would be too emotional but I really felt it was important to come down here tonight and be with you.

“We love you. I love you very, very much and I am honored to see you here and we’re grateful that you are in our lives and we’re really happy to be part of this tonight with you.”

The music-themed gates of Graceland, where Elvis is buried with his parents amid statues of Jesus Christ in a small “meditation garden” next to a swimming pool, stayed open all night to a steady stream of candle-bearing well-wishers. Graceland spokesman Kevin Kern said the turnout-on a hot and dry summer evening-was expected to match or exceed the record 75,000 who turned up for the vigil for the 30th anniversary of Presley’s death in 2007.”There are lot of folks who don’t come until after the vigil starts,” Kern said. “We have folks who trickle in throughout the

Candle-bearing fans of Elvis Presley gather at Graceland mansion in Memphis. night and it continues well into the next morning.”

In what has become a yearly ritual of near-religious proportions, Wednesday’s vigil included a brief moment of silence, plus several of Presley’s more spiritual recordings, played over loudspeakers. Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorced in 1973 after six years of marriage, but they remained close and, after his death, she played a pivotal role in turning Graceland into a major tourist attraction. Their daughter Lisa Marie, whose four husbands notably included Michael Jackson from 1994 to 1996, is a singer-songwriter who released her first album in seven years, “Storm and Grace,” earlier this year.

The candlelight vigil is a high point of the nine-day “Elvis Week” that includes a tribute artist championship and, on Thursday, a stadium concert saluting the gospel and blues music that influenced Presley’s life work. “We tell people, if you

haven’t come to Elvis Week, you won’t ever understand why we’re here,” said Janet Mathis, a community college administrator from Texas, as she waited her turn to enter Graceland.

“Everybody (here) has the same ideology, basically,” added her retired husband Warren Mathis. “We’re here to pay tribute to Elvis and to be part of something that’s ongoing.” Memphis natives Barbara Humphreys and Marynelle Vickers turned up with T-shirts bearing snapshots from the day in August 1961 when they went to Graceland and met Presley in person. They agreed that no pop star today can compare to Presley-not ever teen idol Justin Bieber.

“I can assure you,” Vickers said, “when he (Bieber) is gone, there will never be people standing in line like this.” —AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Universal denies dropping Stewart from next ‘Snow White’

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risten Stewart may reprise her role as Snow White after all. Universal Pictures has denied a report stating that the studio had dropped the actress from the project in the aftermath of her infidelities with the original “Snow White and the Huntsman” director Rupert Sanders.

“We are extremely proud of ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and we’re currently exploring all options to continue the franchise,” Donna Langely, the co-chairman of Universal Pictures, said in a statement to TheWrap. “Any reports that Kristen Stewart has been dropped are false.”

The Hollywood Reporter cited unnamed sources on Tuesday saying Universal dropped Stewart from the next film in the franchise. Universal has been planning a sequel to this summer’s film, which was a modest success at the box office, with a production budget of $170 million and a global gross of roughly $389 million. It

This film image released by Universal Pictures shows actors Chris Hemsworth, from left, Kristen Stewart and director Rupert Sanders on the set of ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’. —AP

appears Universal is particularly interested in a spinoff focused on the Huntsman character, played by Chris Hemsworth. Whether the next film is a straight-up sequel or a spinoff, the studio is not searching for a new Snow White.

This was corroborated to TheWrap by another individual with knowledge of the situation. The studio is looking to hire new writers as David Koepp was hired to write a sequel rather than a spinoff. It remains unclear whether Sanders would direct, though it’s hard to imagine he would be given the recent tabloid frenzy sparked by his extramarital romance with Stewart.

Sanders is married, and Stewart was dating “Twilight” co-star Robert Pattinson.

Universal has optioned the Dean Unkefer book “90 Church: the True Story of the Narcotics Squad From Hell,” with Sanders likely directing, reuniting him with producers Joe Roth and Palak Patel. —Reuters

Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and Actor/Writer/Director Sylvester Stallone arrive at Lionsgate Films’ ‘The Expendables 2’ premiere on August 15, 2012 in Hollywood, California.

(Right) Cast member Jason Statham.— AFP photos

‘Expendables 2’ fleet-footed and engaging Review

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apping off the summer box office with explosive action, “The Expendables 2” offers the send-off that adrenaline junkies are seeking before the more sedate pace of fall releases. As he proved with the original installment, Sylvester Stallone grasps the action-oriented DNA of the films’ badass cast of reprobate mercenaries with an intuition derived from dozens of genre roles.

Without wasting any time on setup, the sequel finds Barney Ross (Stallone) and his team of hard-bitten mercenaries on a clandestine mission to extract a kidnapped Chinese billionaire in Nepal, where they discover that someone has gotten there before them Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger), another operative for their contractor, Mr. Church (Bruce Willis). Freeing Trench and the billionaire from their captors, the team returns to the States, where Church confronts Barney with an unpleasant reminder: The Expendables’ leader owes Church $5 million in confiscated cash from a previous job. But he is prepared to make a deal if Barney takes on a new assignment.

The catch is that he will need to place Church’s operative on his team, Chinese tech expert Maggie (Yu Nan). Since the Expendables are an all-male crew, the addition of a woman almost immediately throws group dynamics out of kilter. Their assignment is to retrieve an undisclosed item from a

high-tech electronic safe aboard a downed plane that has crashed in Albania. Although new team member and Afghanistan vet Billy (Liam Hemsworth), an expert sniper, reluctantly tells Barney that this is his last outing, the rest of the Expendables relish another mission, including second-in-command Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) and team members Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews).

As soon as Maggie has decoded the safe aboard the crashed plane and extracted the contents, the Expendables are ambushed by an Eastern European crime cartel led by the sadistic Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme), who forces Barney to turn over the device from the safe and then kills a key team member.

Maggie later reveals that the item stolen by Vilain is a miniature computer containing the location of a five-ton cache of plutonium that the Russians stashed in an abandoned mine during the Cold War. Motivated as much by revenge as their realigned mission to prevent Vilain from selling the weapons-grade nuclear material to a list of willing buyers, the Expendables take off in pursuit of their adversaries, with Barney’s directive uppermost in their minds: “Track them, find them, kill them.”

While most of the original film’s action transpired in Latin America, Expendables 2

Actor Sylvester Stallone poses with US Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer. relocates to Bulgaria, which offers appropriately expansive vistas and credible locations for the Eastern European settings. Taking over directing duties from Stallone, Simon West preserves the hardboiled action and wisecracking cast dynamics of the original, channeling some of the B-movie tonal elements he might have picked up directing Con Air. Managing the complexity of stunts, aircraft

and vehicle pileups and frequent shootouts that comprise the majority of the running time is a major challenge that West executes with elan, even adding unexpected grace notes to some otherwise routine scenes.

Abetted by cinematographer and actionadventure specialist Shelly Johnson, whose camera placement and movement are spoton, the action choreography never disappoints. Numerous gunfights, combat set pieces and fight scenes are muscularly staged and skillfully supported by Todd E. Miller’s editing, though the sheer sound volume grows repetitive and wearying.

With such an expansive cast, there’s a risk that the quality of performances might be diluted by the quantity of recognizable actors.

But co-screenwriter Richard Wenk and Stallone have generously given both major players and cameo actors their own often quite -humorous character traits and dialogue. When Schwarzenegger is onscreen, much of the banter is at the former California governor’s expense - though, much as ever, he gets some memorable lines himself.

Working with a fairly routine action-adventure scenario, the filmmakers can leave the cast to adequately fill out their roles. Since many of the leads have well-known personas from past films and franchises, performances are a blend of action-hero impassivity and sendups of familiar characters.

Lifestyle FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Art Aquarium?

Booming middle class fuels Brazil beauty market

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he beauty industry is booming in Brazil, where meticulous manicures, sophisticated scents and impeccable make-up are a must-have for women who have made the country the sector’s world number three. Last week, Sao Paulo hosted “Nails Fashion Week”where about a dozen domestic and foreign brands are offering up the latest trends in nail color as well as stilettos, make-up and eyewear in a bid to seduce new customers. “We created this event in order to spark new trends and seal new partnerships. Some brands participate but many others came to check it out. The idea is to keep getting bigger,” event founder Luciana Medeiros told AFP. For the first time this year, the salon featured more than nail products, as organizers and vendors alike have realized that the Brazilian beauty products market is expanding quickly. About 40 million people have joined the middle class in the past decade in the Latin American powerhouse, now the world’s sixth-largest economy-and beauty retailers see opportunities for major sales. US door-to-door beauty products seller Avon has an enormous interest in Brazil, with the company’s local marketing chief Ricardo Patrocinio saying the business is “growing in very interesting proportions” in the country.

“Consumers have increased purchasing power and are open to buying different kinds of products,” Patrocinio said. According to a study by market research firm Euromonitor cited recently by a Brazilian industry association, the sector generated $43 billion in sales in 2011, up 19 percent from the previous year. That means Brazil now accounts for 10 percent of the global beauty products market, putting it in third place behind the United States and Japan.

Cutting-edge market The Brazilian Association of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Industry attributes the growth to several factors, including the increasing number of women in the workplace and the seemingly constant launches of new products. Economist Marcelo Neri of the Getulio Vargas Foundation says socioeconomic factors are definitely in play. “Women are working more, have more money and are having fewer children, which allows them to have even more money. Between 2001 and 2009, women’s incomes rose 38 percent, against just 16 percent for men,” Neri told AFP. “In Brazil, those who are successful... can start buying products to which they did not have access before. There are 40 million of them.”

Renata Leite, a marketing executive for Colorama, a nail polish brand bought a decade ago by French cosmetics giant L’Oreal, said her company’s products have a broad-based appeal: from the working poor to the upper class. “We hope to turn Brazil into a cutting-edge market that sets trends. This market can do that,” Leite said. Alexandre Zolko, who launched the footwear brand My Shoes three years ago, is also counting on Brazil’s growing middle class to help grow his business. He says his motto is “accessible luxury.”

“My products are aimed at those using credit cards,” he said on the sidelines of Nails Fashion Week.

According to official data, Brazil’s middle class now has about 95 million people, or about half the country’s population. — AFP

1,000 goldfish swim in a tank as part of an art exhibition ‘Art Aquarium’ during a press preview in Tokyo yesterday. The exhibition, designed by aquarist Hidetomo Kimura, begins from today through September 24. —AFP photos

Miss World pageant meets Chinese mining city

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ore than 100 beauty queens from around the globe have descended on the northern Chinese mining city of Ordos on the edge of the Gobi desert ahead of the Miss World final this Saturday. Built on the arid and sparsely populated steppes of Inner Mongolia and around 700 kilometers (440 miles) from the nearest beach, Ordos makes an unlikely setting for the world’s biggest beauty pageant. But that will not stop the 116 contestants-the highest number ever-from donning their finest evening gowns and swimwear on Saturday night for the contest, which is watched annually by around a billion people around the globe.

Ordos has grown rich over the last decade on the back of a coal mining boom that has transformed it from a sandstorm-afflicted backwater into one of China’s wealthiest cities. The boom triggered a frenzy of building in the city, but the local government has been unable to fill the vast tower blocks that have sprung up, earning it the title of China’s biggest ghost town. Reigning Miss World Ivian Sarcos of Venezuela will hand over her crown on Saturday in the futuristic Ordos stadium, which sits alongside a vast town square dedicated to legendary Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan.

The beauty queens have been in China rehearsing for nearly a month, soaking up traditional Mongolian culture by churning yoghurt in a nomadic yurt dwelling, and donning local dress to mount a sand dune, according to Miss World’s website. Contestants vying for this year’s title include a Kazakh doctor and a Peruvian medical student, but the bookmakers are tipping Miss Mexico, 20-yearold Mariana Reynoso, for the crown.

“There’s a lot of good feeling surrounding the Mexican contestant,” said Tony Kenny, spokesman for bookmaker William Hill, which is offering odds of 2/1 on Reynoso. Other favorites include Miss China and Miss Nepal, with other countries lagging so far behind as to be “more or less write offs”, according to Alex Donohue of rival bookmaker Ladbrokes.

While the popularity of the contest, first held in 1951, has waned in the West, continued interest in in Asian countries ensures that the final rakes in a global television audience of more than a billion viewers. Sweden’s Kiki Hakansson was the first Miss World, while Oscarwinning US actress Halle Berry was a finalist in 1986 and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai took the crown in 1994. Venezuela has produced the most Miss Worlds, with six titleholders, while India and Britain claim five titles each.

China has already hosted the competition five times, most recently in 2010 on the tropical southern island of Hainan. In 2002, the pageant was moved from Nigeria to Britain after more than 200 people died in clashes sparked when a newspaper suggested the Prophet Mohammed would have chosen a wife from among the contestants had he been alive. — AFP

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Al-Madena Al-Shohada’a Al-Shuwaikh Al-Nuzha Sabhan Al-Helaly Al-Fayhaa Al-Farwaniya Al-Sulaibikhat Al-Fahaheel Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Ahmadi Al-Mangaf Al-Shuaiba Al-Jahra Al-Salmiya

22418714 22545171 24810598 22545171 24742838 22434853 22545051 24711433 24316983 23927002 24316983 23980088 23711183 23262845 25610011 25616368

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Clinics Rabiya

24732263

Rawdha

22517733

Adailiya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Khaifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Qadisiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor non smoking, one big room, Amman street, opposite to Al Rashid hospital. Contact: 66232356.

(C 4106) 15-8-2012 Sharing accommodation available for a bachelor, with an Indian family at Salmiya near Edee store. Contact: 97947562.

(C 4104) One room available for sharing separate bath and sharing kitchen available at Abbassiya near Indian Learners School from Sept 1, preferably ladies with a Keralite family. Mob: 99821508. (C 4105) 14-8-2012 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

SITUATION VACANT A Kuwaiti family looks to hire a driver with a Kuwaiti license, transferable visa and good knowledge of Kuwait areas. Contact: 99401126.

(C 4103) 16-8-2012 A Kuwaiti family looks to hire a driver with a Kuwaiti license, transferable visa and good knowledge of Kuwait areas. Contact: 99401126.

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

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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 THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988 Prayer timings

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:52 11:52 15:28 18:28 19:49

Pets FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

On a wild goose chase There’s a new sheriff in town when geese invade ot geese? Meet Border Patrol Agent Vic, a specially trained border collie guaranteed to eliminate your pesky, web-footed problem without ever showing a fang.

That’s a distinction claimed by Denny and Kathy Ray, owners of Pond Wiser, an aquatic and lawn care business that employs a dog for Canada goose management on and around its clients’ lakes and ponds. “Geese droppings are not only a problem on land,” said Ray, of Jackson Township, Ohio. “They produce nitrogen that fertilizes algae and weeds” that also plagues pond owners.

The company specializes in the installation and maintenance of water gardens, lakes and ponds. The business recently expanded into goose control when Ray, who is licensed and certified through the Ohio Department of Agriculture, realized the serious problems the waterfowl are causing his customers. It is estimated that a Canada goose leaves as much as 3 pounds of fecal matter a day around the water sites they inhabit.

The birds are so adaptable and tolerant to Ohio environs, they will establish nesting grounds on any pond, whether it’s in a backyard, golf course or public park. “One of our clients has a driveway that winds around a lake. The property near the lake got so bad it was like a Slip’N Slide,” Ray said.

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The couple began researching ways to humanely get rid of the vagrants when their numbers began increasing in the area several years ago. In February, the couple purchased the highly trained, 2-year-old border collie from a Virginia breeder of sheep-herding dogs. Vic, who was considered too submissive to subdue ornery herds of sheep, has a perfect temperament for controlling the birds, said Barbara Ray, (no relation) owner of Big Bend Farm in Millboro, Va., who sold the dog to the couple.

Denny Ray and Vic patrol each of their clients’ properties twice each day until the gaggles of geese are gone.

The collie earned his stripes about two months ago, shortly after going to work on a Jackson Township, Ohio, property that includes an 8-acre lake. The pond was home to as many as 150 geese when Vic rode into town in Ray’s pickup truck. On Wednesday, only a handful of geese were brave enough to venture onto the lake as Vic patrolled. Most had decided dealing with the dog is more trouble than it’s worth and had moved to less hostile territory. There has been no evidence of any nesting sites on the property this spring, either, Ray said. “(Border collies) resemble a coyote or a wolf, and that is the geese’s biggest predator. If they nest, coyotes

will eat the eggs. Just having Vic around discourages them,” Ray said.

The border collie breed is considered very intelligent and easily trainable, but responds best to the voice of only one master. “If (Kathy) gives him a command, he looks at me as if he’s saying, ‘Am I supposed to do that?’” Ray said.

When he is working, Vic doesn’t move a muscle unless he receives a command from Ray, nor does he show any aggression to the geese, Kathy Ray said.

“PETA and the Humane Society highly support the use of border collies. They are the only dogs that have been proven not to hurt the geese,” she said. The company has employed other methods of goose management in the past, such as using strobe lighting as a deterrent and running snare lines around the lake, both with limited success, Denny Ray said.

Geese are becoming year-round residents in Ohio and no longer fear people, making them aggressive during nesting season. But they are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and their management is strictly regulated.

After evaluating the size of a property and the number of birds in residence, Ray offers customized geese management packages that are specific to the client’s needs. — MCT

Vic, a border collie, chases geese away from pond in Jackson Township, Ohio.

Stars

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Aries (March 21-April 19) You are a solid supporter of others, especially when you can easily see that others are on the right path. You will help, if called upon to do so, but your energy level could seem a bit low just now.

Once you decide to attack a problem—others had better step aside.

You have a stick-to-itiveness that often finds you in the thick of things.

You may have time to investigate ways in which to improve your working position this afternoon. It could be a good time to dare to be a little unconventional. You will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Your career could open up by taking the road less traveled—new approaches. This time is a time of feeling more sure of yourself and confident with your decisions.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a great day to shine when it comes to practical matters and work-related affairs. Events may line up in your favor and push you over the top to new heights of accomplishments. A promotion or recognition for accomplishments could be forthcoming. Your mind may be very clear now and your thoughts brought to a sharp focus. It is easy to organize your thoughts and communication of all kinds is furthered. Some new piece of equipment or method of working is available for your testing—a new vehicle, a computer, message equipment, etc. There is a lot of enthusiasm to dive into any sort of project you want to do now. There are opportunities to explore a country fruit stand this afternoon or perhaps a new restaurant with a loved one.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) A person to whom you are close is likely to be riding an emotional whirlwind. It is imperative for you to keep a perspective where such things are concerned. Your psychic or intuitive abilities are heightened. You may sense and feel things that others do not. It is not a time when you are at your most practical. Enjoy a little time alone before making any heavyduty decisions just now. Where business is concerned, it might be wise to stay grounded or focused as much as possible by taking your regular breaks and setting aside some time for a little exercise—perhaps during the noon break. You have great staying power and you will find the afternoon much more productive. You are very dependable and stable. Whistle a happy tune!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Fate sends opportunity your way—especially if you listen to your instincts. Travel and education can help uncover some of the answers that will give you the power or advantage you seek: do not cut yourself off from such experiences. Mass communication can be financially rewarding in some ways—think about advertising, broadcasting or publishing. This is a great time to be with others and to work together. You may be sought after as just the person for a particular job. Your management and directional abilities are in high focus. Close personal ties to other people are a focal point for your feelings—marriage and other partnerships could be a key arena for this. A change of residence may soon be made in order to take advantage of new career opportunities.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a day for practical decisions—no fast moves for you just now. Solving the problems of difficult customers seems to be your cup of tea—at least for today! You may be able to stop a situation from repeating itself with a suggestion in writing to some higher-up today or tomorrow. You have clear vision into your own inner sense of how you appreciate and love. This is a good time to examine and think about what is of lasting value. You are a mentor to many—keep up the good work. Make this a green evening—perhaps for healing and composure after a tough day.

Surround yourself with pretty plants and wear cool, light green or lime colors. Have fun—enjoy, mint, lime, pistachio or rainbow sherbets in the form of drinks, ice cream or coolers.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Situations and people you thought you could rely on might not be as solid as you think. Talk things over and find out what is really happening; you should be able to enhance your security. There is a feeling that things will work out right if left alone, but this can be misleading. Plans, decisions and problems prove easy to solve and may even turn out lucky.

Good advice from a guide or older person is of benefit; this is a good day.

You make your way now by using practical vision and common sense. This could be some kind of high-water mark for your career, recognition, etc.

You may find that you enjoy your job or the responsibility it entails more than usual. You create some family harmony this evening—a little song, a little joke, etc., etc.

Libra (September 23-October 22) It could be easy to lose yourself in one flight of fancy or another. Normally, clear ideas are easy but something could be holding you back. It may be hard to be logical or consistent. Considering this, you may want to involve yourself in some form of exercise before eating at the noon hour today. This should help to bring your energies into a working level until you get a focus. It is possible that you have recently achieved your ambitions or goals and it is now time to review and make new goals. It could also be that it is just the right time to have a better focus on where you want to be in the future. Staying in the present would be nice but it would also be like staying in the past. Time is moving—get with the program and move with the times.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) There is a need for compromise and for coming to an understanding. This is a time of decision, when small changes can have big effects later. If you are careful with your words, you will avoid some difficult situations. Make the right choice and it rebounds to your benefit; the wrong one or no choice at all, does you no favors. You may receive some recognition or special attention regarding your particular skills and abilities. Important financial decisions require more information than you have just now. It’s important to gather all the facts necessary to give you a realistic idea of what you are getting into and when you might expect results. Take a little trip, or get outside today—enjoy. Social relationships are a special focus this evening.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Goals and security needs are a focus in your life at this time and they tend to be clashing with each other just now. Striking a balance between the two is necessary. Now is the time to act and decide; failure to do so can upset a delicate emotional or physical balance. You may want to rethink your short-term goals—you will soon find the help you need for what you want to accomplish. You may have a heightened interest in health and diet, as well as an urge to get things organized. There is a lot of mental busywork today. Because you may be a bit direct with people, your friends or close family members may be few. However, the people that draw close to you respect your input. Tonight may be the perfect time to entertain or be entertained.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Career choices and direction seem to indicate a loss of freedom. This could mean you have a new job or a different position within the company for which you work. Your confidence, however, will see you through any difficulties. There could be a hidden link that will highlight your point of view—be patient. Remember to use your mind and not your emotions for now; your emotions are a good warning but not always a good guide. Your ambitions go hand-in-hand with communication and the two should never be far apart. Your time after work for the next few weeks may be extremely important. Enjoy your family this evening. There may be talk tonight about some ideas for travel. Diet, exercise and work are most important to you now.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Positive things are happening in the career sector of your life. The advances you make now depend upon your own ambition and drive, which are strong. You are able to use good common sense—you can feel trends and make all the right moves. This may mean a change of job or an advancement of some sort within the workplace. This is a time to get ahead by taking action. Fresh insight comes to you through mass media such as broadcasting, publishing and advertising. You may gain a completely new perspective. This should prove to be a nice day and will move along quite well. You could feel real support and harmony at this time for circumstances and those around you. There are indications that you could be influenced to gamble this evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Your mind is full of practical ideas, especially related to your job skills. You should be able to come up with new ideas that will manage things better and make things run efficiently. There is some misconception that you can correct or create a new understanding for others today. You enjoy working with your mind and can usually find a solution to even the worst problems. Your skills in this regard make you expert at counseling and guiding others. As you tackle your budgeting problems this evening, you will put your analytical abilities to work on yourself. If you have a bit of restraint, you will soon be able to pay off some past bills. Doing things for yourself may become your motto. A close relationship offers a lot of potential for growth.

COUNTRY CODES Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 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 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

Stars

C R O S S W O R D

7 7 0

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday始s Solution

ACROSS 1. (football) Of advancing the ball by throwing it.

5. A deep opening in the earth's surface.

10. (Norse mythology) Wife of Thor and guardian of the home.

13. A theocratic republic in the Middle East in western Asia.

14. A member of a seafaring group of North American Indians who lived on the Pacific coast of British Columbia and southwestern Alaska.

15. Being ten more than one hundred thirty.

16. Of or relating to or like or in the manner of the Roman Seneca.

18. A water wheel with buckets attached to the rim.

20. (Norse mythology) The heavenly dwelling of the Norse gods (the Aesir) and slain war heroes.

21. A trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group.

23. Small beads made from polished shells and formerly used as money by native Americans.

24. Scottish sea captain who was hired to protect British shipping in the Indian Ocean and then was accused of piracy and hanged (1645-1701).

26. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

28. A member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times.

31. The cry made by sheep.

32. Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog.

35. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

37. Fertility goddess in ancient Greek mythology.

39. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing.

40. Submerged aquatic plant having narrow leaves and small flowers.

41. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

43. Before noon.

44. (prefix) Opposite or opposing or neutralizing.

45. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

48. West Indian evergreen with medium to long leaves.

51. Superclass of eel-shaped chordates lacking jaws and pelvic fins.

56. The 3 goddesses of fate or destiny.

59. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

60. A summary that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.

62. Of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section.

63. Floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile).

64. Surveying instrument consisting of the upper movable part of a theodolite including the telescope and its attachments.

66. A doctor's degree in education.

67. A period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event.

68. Small wooden bat with a flat surface.

69. (used as a combining form) Recent or new.

DOWN 1. A city in Tuscany.

2. (Greek mythology) Greek god of war.

3. North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng.

4. Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy.

5. A cloth used as a head covering (and veil and shawl) by Muslim and Hindu women.

6. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

7. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

8. A state in north central United States.

9. An adult male person (as opposed to a woman).

10. Make a high-pitched, screeching noise, as of a door.

11. A monocotyledonous genus of the family Iridaceae.

12. Emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design.

17. Baby bed with high sides.

19. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

22. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

25. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

27. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

29. A port city in northwestern Algeria and the country's 2nd largest city.

30. The rate of moving (especially walking or running).

33. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

34. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

36. 1,000 baiza equal 1 riyal-omani.

38. Suggestive of the supernatural.

42. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

46. A city in western Germany near the Dutch and Belgian borders.

47. A Hindu disciple of a swami.

49. Strike with disgust or revulsion.

50. A vacuum tube in which a hot cathode emits a beam of electrons that pass through a high voltage anode and are focused or deflected before hitting a phosphorescent screen.

52. Wild ox of mountainous areas of eastern India.

53. Kamarupan languages spoken in northeastern India and western Burma.

54. A device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned.

55. Harsh or corrosive in tone.

57. An officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer.

58. (prefix) Within.

61. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

65. A Mid-Atlantic state.

Yesterday始s Solution

Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Yankees triumph over Rangers NEW YORK: Freddy Garcia put in the third straight dominant performance by New York’s starting pitchers, leading the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers in Wednesday’s meeting of American League divisional leaders.

Garcia (7-5) matched David Phelps and Hiroki Kuroda with another stellar start. He gave up only four hits in 6 2-3 innings as the Yankees notched a seventh win in eight games, including three in a row over the Rangers.

The two runs Garcia conceded were both homers by Josh Hamilton, who became the second player to reach 100 RBIs this season - Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera was first - with his career-high 33rd homer of the season. That came in the fourth inning and was followed by another in the sixth.

Nick Swisher gave the Yankees the lead with an RBI double in a three-run third inning. Rafael Soriano struck out Hamilton leading off the ninth and recorded the save.

the third perfect game in the majors this season. The others to not allow any hits or walks over nine innings were Chicago’s Philip Humber and San Francisco’s Matt Cain.

With one out to go, Tampa Bay batter Sean Rodriguez got

Tigers 5, Twins 1 In Minneapolis, Miguel Cabrera became the first player in Tigers history to reach 30 home runs in five straight seasons as Detroit downed Minnesota.

Cabrera’s opposite-field solo shot in the first opened the scoring. He also singled in the fifth off Cole De Vries (2-4) to push his majors-leading total to 103 RBIs. Tigers starter Max Scherzer (12-6) pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out 10 to move ahead of teammate Justin Verlander for the AL lead.

Detroit is two games behind Chicago for the NL Central lead. The two teams play each other seven times over the remainder of the season.

Orioles 5, Red Sox 3 Baltimore sent 10 batters to the plate during a five-run sixth inning that rallied the Orioles to a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox in the American League on Wednesday.

Baltimore trailed 2-0 before getting to Boston pitcher Aaron Cook (3-6), who sparked the turnaround with a throwing error on a potential inning-ending double-play. The miscue led to three unearned runs. Rookie Miguel Gonzalez (5-2) allowed two runs in six innings to help the Orioles move a game ahead of Tampa Bay for the top AL wild-card spot.

White Sox 9, Blue Jays 5 In Toronto, Adam Dunn hit his major league-leading 34th home run, while Dayan Viciedo and DeWayne Wise also connected as Chicago beat Toronto. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd (9-9) allowed three earned runs in six innings to snap a threestart winless streak. He had an 0-3 record with and 8.25 ERA in three career starts at Toronto, but turned that around. Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (8-10) allowed six runs in six-plus innings.

Mariners 1, Rays 0 In Seattle, Felix Hernandez pitched Seattle’s first perfect game and the 23rd in majorsl history as the Mariners edged Tampa Bay. The Mariners’ ace had 12 strikeouts in recording

Angels 8, Indians 4 In Anaheim, Mike Trout and Chris Iannetta homered to help Los Angeles build a big lead en route to beating Cleveland against Roberto Hernandez in his season debut with Cleveland, and Ervin Santana breezed to a victory.

Angels starter Ervin Santana (6-10) allowed one run and one one walk in seven innings. Santana had been 1-8 in his career against the Indians - the only win being a no-hitter in 2001 - but breezed to victory on Wednesday. Roberto Hernandez, formally known as Fausto Carmona, took the loss in his season debut with the Indians.

NEW YORK: Yankees’ Freddy Garcia pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at the Yankee Stadium. —AP ahead of Hernandez 2-0 in the count. Hernandez came back with two straight breaking balls for strikes and completed the perfect game with a called third strike. Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson (7-8) took the loss despite pitching seven impressive innings.

Royals 3, Athletics 2 In Kansas City, Will Smith pitched seven strong innings to guide Kansas City to a tight win over Oakland. Smith (4-4), a 23year-old rookie, limited the A’s to two runs while striking out five and walking one.

The Royals rallied in the seventh. With two outs, Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain hit consecutive doubles, the first Kansas City extra-base hits of the game. Cain, who was in a 2for-24 skid, doubled home Hosmer to tie the score.

Chris Getz then fouled off five pitches with two strikes against him before getting another double to bring home Cain.

Greg Holland worked around a leadoff single in the ninth to notch the save. A’s starter Brandon McCarthy (6-4) lost for the first time since April 21, snapping his career-best six-game winning streak. — AP

Giants suffer defeat SAN FRANCISCO: Washington’s Stephen Strasburg outpitched Tim Lincecum in face-off of National League aces, leading the Nationals to a 6-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

Strasburg (14-5) didn’t have to face All-Star Game MVP Melky Cabrera, who was suspended for 50 games earlier in the day for a positive testosterone test.

Strasburg struck out seven in six innings to win his third straight start, while Lincecum’s (6-13) latest shaky outing was over after just four innings.

Danny Espinosa hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning for the NL East-leading Nationals, who won their fourth straight series and now head home for key series against divisional opponents New York and Atlanta. San Francisco lost its share of the NL West lead.

Dodgers 9, Pirates 3 In Pittsburgh, Clayton Kershaw won his fourth consecutive start as Los Angeles beat Pittsburgh and moved into sole first place in the NL West. Kershaw (116) allowed three runs in eight innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. He also contributed at the plate, hitting two singles. Matt Kemp had a two-run double and scored during the Dodgers’ three-run fourth against Wandy Rodriguez (7-12). The Dodgers have won six of their past seven games, claiming sole possession of the division lead for the first time since July 13. The Pirates have lost six of seven and might have also lost second baseman Neil Walker, who left the game in the first inning with a dislocated finger on his right hand.

Reds 6, Mets 1 In Cincinnati, Scott Rolen and Todd Frazier hit back-to-back home runs to power Cincinnati past New York and to its fifth straight win.

Reds starter Mike Leake (5-7) pitched his second complete game of the season. He faced only three batters over the minimum, issuing no walks. He also had an RBI single.

The Reds pitchers extended their streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 28, the team’s longest since a 32-inning streak in June 1963, before the Mets scored the tying run in the fourth.

Rolen, who missed seven games with lower back problems, broke the tie with his homer. Two pitches later, Frazier went long. Mets starter R.A. Dickey (15-4) gave up an equal season-worst 10 hits.

Cardinals 5, D’backs 2 In St. Louis, Adam Wainwright allowed two runs over six innings, steering St. Louis past Arizona.

Wainwright (11-10) is 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA over his past five starts. David Freese and Allen Craig hit homers for the Cardinals, who are seven in a row against the Diamondbacks dating to last year.

Arizona starter Joe Saunders (6-9) allowed five runs in six innings, the first time he had conceded more than three runs in 11 road starts.

Braves 6, Padres 1 In Atlanta, Dan Uggla’s three-run homer in the third inning was enough for Atlanta to beat San Diego. Uggla is hitting only .215 but has homered in two straight games for the Braves, who remained 4 1-2 games behind Washington in the NL East. Atlanta starter Paul Maholm (11-7) gave up one run in seven innings in his first home win since his July 30 trade from the Cubs.

Padres starter Edinson Volquez (7-9) gave up six runs in only 3 2-3 innings. He has not completed the fourth inning in his past three starts.

Marlins 9, Phillies 2 In Miami, Greg Dobbs drove in Miami’s first run in 31 innings then hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth to help the Marlins beat Philadelphia.

Miami ended a franchise-record scoring drought, including three consecutive shutout loss-

SAN FRANCISCO: Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg delivers against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning. — AP es, when Dobbs hit an RBI single in the fourth. His homer put Miami ahead 3-2.

Marlins starter Mark Buehrle (10-11) achieved the 10-win milestone on his sixth try. He has had double digits wins for 12 straight years. The lefty allowed two runs in seven innings. Phillies starter Roy Halladay (6-7) allowed three runs in seven innings.

Rockies 7, Brewers 6 In Denver, Tyler Colvin hit a two-run double down the first base line in the ninth inning, rallying Colorado to a win over Milwaukee.

With one out in the ninth, Wilin Rosario hit a single off Jim Henderson (0-2) and Eric Young Jr., who homered earlier in the game, also singled to put runners at the corners.

Colvin followed with his double, giving the Rockies their first home sweep since May. Colorado reliever Will Harris (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his first major league win. The Brewers have lost five of six.

Cubs 7, Astros 2 In Chicago, David DeJesus homered twice and tied a career best with four hits, leading Chicago over Houston. Cubs starter Justin Germano (2-2) allowed two runs over 6 1-3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Houston’s Bud Norris (5-10) failed to win for the 13th consecutive start. He gave up six runs over 3 13 innings. He exited early after being hit in the foot by a line drive, sustaining a cut. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Bettman says, ‘wide gap’ exists in NHL labor talks TORONTO: The wide gap that existed in labor talks between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association was hardly bridged on Wednesday, a day after the union presented its counterproposal and with the threat of a lockout now only a month away. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the two sides are “still apart, far apart,” and “not on the same page,” in making his first public comments since having a chance to read through the NHLPA’s offer. Adding that he was “a little disappointed” that the union has yet to present its full proposal, Bettman said the league isn’t even at the point of making a counteroffer.

“I think there are still a number of issues where we’re looking at the world differently,” Bettman said, after the two sides met for about an hour at the NHLPA headquarters in Toronto. “So there’s still a wide gap between us, and not much time to go.” NHLPA executive director Don Fehr described the gap between the two sides as “a pretty substantial monetary gulf.” But he placed the blame on the NHL for creating the gap in the first place with the cutbacks in salary and limitations placed on free agency the league made in its initial offer last month.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires on Sept. 15, and the NHL has already warned that it will lock out its players if a new deal is not reached by then.

The NHL regular season is set to open Oct. 11.

Bettman’s response to the NHLPA’s proposal and the large gap that remains between the two sides is regarded as a significant setback. That considerably raises fears that the NHL could be headed for its fourth labor dispute in 20 years. That’s a timeframe that includes the 2004-05 season which was wiped out entirely by a lockout; and dates to April 1, 1992, when a 10-day players’ strike led to 30 games being postponed and rescheduled.

Bettman was pleased that the union, in its proposal, stuck to the framework of a cap system and acknowledged the league has economic issues that need to be addressed. The problem was the union didn’t entirely satisfy those concerns from the owners’ perspective.

“What the issues are and how they get solved and how deep the issues go is something we’re not yet on the same page,” Bettman said.

Fehr disagreed by saying the union made significant concessions and addressed the league’s concerns. The

trouble was, he said, the union’s proposal wasn’t what the NHL asked for. “It’s not a circumstance in which the players are just going to say, ‘OK, take everything from us,’” Fehr said. “That’s basically what it was: ‘You had a 24 percent reduction last time, so let’s have another one.’

That was their proposal. That’s what created the gulf.”

Under the league’s proposal, Fehr said, players’ salaries would be scaled back to the level they were before the previous lockout.

Fehr also disagreed with Bettman’s suggestion that the union has not presented its full proposal. He said the NHL has “almost everything” except for certain player contract issues that are tied to economics. He said the union is considering addressing those issues next week.

Though talks on a sub-committee level are scheduled to continue, Bettman and Fehr won’t return to the table until next week. Fehr is leaving negotiations to meet with players in both Chicago and Kelowna, British Columbia, to update them on talks.

Fehr did say he will stay in touch with Bettman by phone. The union’s counterproposal stood in stark contrast to what the NHL made in its initial proposal a month earlier.—AP

Simpson back to defend title GREENSBORO: US Open champion Webb Simpson returns to a “perfect” venue where he enjoyed “the most important week” of his career for his title defence at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Twelve months ago, Simpson clinched his maiden victory on the PGA Tour by three shots, after two near-misses earlier in the season, and he is excited to be back at Sedgefield Country Club as the title holder. “I was looking forward to this week ever since last year winning here,” Simpson, who lives in nearby Raleigh, North Carolina, told reporters on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s opening round. “All my memories here are just awesome.

“To break through, have my first victory here an hour-anda-half from where I grew up and an hour-and-a-half from where I live now... it was a perfect place to break through and win.” Simpson was especially delighted to finally silence all the questions over his ability to triumph on the US circuit. “The number of times I put myself in position to win and didn’t get it done, I took the positives from those experiences and learned from them,” he said.

“I was playing really well coming in this week last year and I didn’t expect to win but I felt confident that I could win. I don’t think I would have won Boston or the US Open had I not won here.” Simpson’s breakthrough catapulted him into the spotlight as he went on to win his second title at the Deutsche Bank Championship just two starts later before ending his 2011 campaign second in the FedExCup standings and the money list. He then trumped all of that when he clinched his first major title by one shot at the U.S. Open in June after overhauling overnight leaders Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell in the final round. Though Simpson missed the cut in last week’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, he was not overly concerned as it was his first start in a month as he took time off to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.

“I’m kind of relieved I’m back in competition now. I got the rust off. It will help this week and I got to go home a couple of days extra,” the 27-year-old said, referring to his missed cut in the season’s final major.

“I wasn’t planning on it but with the stretch I have coming up I think in the end it will be a blessing in disguise. “Having family just keeps things in perspective and, I’m okay if I don’t play well this week. Will coming into the world has reminded me of that already.”

This week’s event has attracted a strong field as it is the last stop in the regular season before the PGA Tour’s lucrative end-of-season finale gets under way next week.

Only the top 125 players after this week qualify for the first of the four FedExCup playoffs, the Aug. 23-26 Barclays tournament, and several notable names are on the outside looking in.—Reuters

COLORADO: In this photo provided by the USGA, Albin Choi, of Canada, plays out of the greenside bunker on the eighth hole during the first round of match play at the U.S. Amateur golf championship. — AP

Thomas advances in US Amateur CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE: Justin Thomas righted himself after nearly falling out of contention in stroke-play qualifying, and he carried his momentum into the first round of match play Wednesday at the U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills. The 19-year-old Thomas, a member of the golf team at the University of Alabama, beat Barry Dyche of Charlotte, NC, 3 and 1 to advance to the round of 32.

“It was a well-fought match, but this is the US Amateur and there are no easy matches,” said Thomas, whose Alabama teammate, Bobby Wyatt, entered match play as the top seed in the 64-player field after tying the tournament record by shooting a 9-under 132 in the two-day, 36-hole qualifying rounds.

The 20-year-old Wyatt followed up his medal-winning qualifying effort with a 4-and-2 victory over Taylor Hancock of Clearwater, Fla. “I didn’t play my best today, but I played well enough. I advanced,” said Wyatt, who will face Australian Matthew Stieger, a 7-and-5 winner over Jade Scott of Daingerfield, Texas. In other matches, thirdseeded Pan Cheng-Tsung of Taiwan beat Evan Bowser of Dearborn, Mich., 4 and 3. Bowser, at 17, was the youngest player to qualify for match play. “Things are going pretty well,” said Pan, who plays at the University of Washington. “I drove well. I putted well. I just feel good.

You know, I feel like I can beat anyone out here, especially with the performance I had during stroke play.” The oldest player still in it, 55year-old physician Douglas Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., was a 3-and-2 winner over 34-year-old Andrew Biggadike of Ridgewood, NJ. Jordan

Spieth of Dallas, third in the world amateur rankings, lost his opening match to Belgium’s Thomas Peters, who finished 1 up.

Thomas, seeded 16th, said he was brimming with confidence after managing to turn his play around midway through the final round of stroke play. “I was 8 over through 10 holes in my round (Tuesday) and I was 3 over for the tournament and looking like I wasn’t going to make the cut,” Thomas said. “But I finished 5 under on my last seven holes, and that was a huge mental boost for me. It just kind of gave me a lot of confidence knowing that I could do that out there. I feel good about my game right now.”

Thomas has certainly shown the ability to go far in the tournament. He shot a 5-under 65 on the first day of qualifying at the CommonGround course and followed with a 3-over 74 at Cherry Hills on Tuesday. “I feel like I can make a really good run at this. I mean, anybody can,” Thomas said. “Whatever is meant to be is going to happen. Hopefully, it involves me holding the trophy at the end of the week, but really that stuff is a total tossup and anybody’s guess.”

Thomas will face Max Homa of Valencia, Calif., on Thursday. The two met this year when Homa, who plays for the University of California, beat Thomas in a match at the NCAA Division I tournament, though Cal lost to Alabama in the overall semifinal match.

The 17th-seeded Homa, playing in the amateur for the third year in a row, got past Canadian Corey Conners 5 and 4 to set up the rematch with his college rival.—AP

Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

Al-Roudhan Tournament KUWAIT: The team of Canavaro’s friends gave a dazzling show during the match that was held with the stars of Al-Roudhan Indoor Soccer Tournament. The match was competitive as the world stars impressed the crowd with their skills. The match ended 5-4 in favor of Al-Roudhan team.

Canavaro expressed his pleasure at the warm reception by fans

at the Martyr Fahad Al-Ahmad Hall in Daeya. Meanwhile Edgar Davis said that what he saw during the tournament was impressive.

Meanwhile the teams of the Late Ahmad Al-Roumi and Kuwait Steel qualified for the final match after defeating Sameer Saeed and Humaidhi in the semi final match respectively.

Preview

Bledisloe battle kicks off new tournament SYDNEY: Australia and New Zealand clash in the opening round of the newly expanded Rugby Championship tomorrow, with history suggesting the Bledisloe Cup battle could decide the eventual destination of the title.

Australia beat New Zealand in Brisbane last year on the way to ending their trans-Tasman rivals’ run of seven titles in nine seasons and a similarly strong showing in Sydney is crucial to their hopes of success ahead of the return fixture in Auckland. The All Blacks are favorites for tomorrow’s match, and the title, after exacting revenge for last season’s loss with a comfortable 20-6 win in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals last October.

Added to that, the current New Zealand squad looks stronger than the World Cup-winning one, with an injuryfree Dan Carter back in the number 10 shirt.

For Australia things are less clear, even though bookmakers rate the Wallabies as the All Blacks’s only serious rivals for the title ahead of South Africa and new boys Argentina. Coach Robbie Deans has opted to start with just six of the 15 who started the World Cup semi-final in Auckland 10 months ago.

“You’d think he’s either admitted to himself he got it wrong for the semi-final or he wants to play a different game and doesn’t have the confidence in those guys to do it,” said New Zealand coach Steve Hansen, who has won all three of his matches since replacing Graham Henry. The All Blacks, who beat Ireland 60-0 last time out, expect to maintain their hold on the Bledisloe Cup they last surrendered in 2002 but the Australians have had longer to prepare because of their franchises early Super Rugby exits.

Deans needs to show he has made best use of that time with his position under renewed scrutiny since the Wallabies slumped to a miserable 9-6 home loss to Scotland in June. The subsequent 3-0 series win against a talented but erratic Wales did little to boost confidence, with two of the three victories clinched through late penalties. With New Zealand captain Richie McCaw back in his favoured openside flanker position and the visitors expected to dominate up front, much will depend on what Berrick Barnes can do at flyhalf for the Wallabies. Barnes owed his initial selection against Wales to an injury to Quade Cooper but performed well and the latter has failed to even make Australia’s bench for tomorrow.—Reuters

Murray, Djokovic win in straight sets in Mason MASON: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer won their opening matches at the Western & Southern Open in straight sets Wednesday, getting accustomed to the heat after spending the last two weeks in London and Canada.

Djokovic got the bronze medal at the Olympics in London, then won the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Sunday night.

He was a little off in his opening set on a court baked in sunshine and 86-degree heat, before pulling away from Andreas Seppi of Italy 7-6 (4), 6-2.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to try to stay fit for every single tournament and try to perform your best,” Djokovic said.

“I mean, in the last three, four weeks, I have changed three different cities, places, surfaces, conditions. I’m still trying to figure out where I am.”

Murray had the best moment of his career at Wimbledon, winning the Olympic gold on home soil. He had to withdraw from the Rogers Cup because of a sore knee, which he blamed on the transition from grass to hard courts.

Murray, the defending champion in Cincinnati, moved around the court well during his 6-2, 6-4 win over Sam Querrey. The American repeatedly missed open shots while falling behind and managed only two break points during the match, both of which Murray saved.

“It felt fine,” Murray said of his knee. “I moved well today. It still was giving me a little bit of trouble in practice for a couple of days before the tournament, but it felt fine, much better on the court today. I moved well, so I’m hoping it won’t be a problem.”

Federer had no trouble in his evening match against Russia’s Alex Bogomolov, winning 6-3, 6-2 in exactly one hour. He served 12 aces and didn’t face a break point until the final game of the match.

MASON: Andy Murray of Great Britain hits a forehand against Sam Querrey during day five of the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center.—AFP Federer skipped the Rogers Cup, so it ranked No. 3 in the world, will meet was his first match back on a hard court. Sloane Stephens of the United States, “It’s nice to be back on the hard courts,” who got into the tournament as a wild Federer said. “I served really well. He card. “I’ll just go out and play my game,” Stephens said, adding with a smile, “I’m struggled to get into some rallies.”

On the women’s side, top-seeded not going to tell you how I’m going to Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland also play, because she’ll probably read this advanced to the third round with a 6-4, and know how to play.”

Venus Williams won the gold medal 6-3 win over Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden.

Venus Williams moved on with her sec- in doubles with her sister in London and arrived for the tournament in suburban ond three-set victory in two days.

Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan Cincinnati upbeat. She needed three quit her match while trailing in the sec- sets and 2 hours, 23 minutes to win her ond set, overcome by the heat, and also opening match Tuesday, then followed dropped out of her later doubles match. it with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Radwanska, who received a first-round Russia’s Chanelle Scheepers in the afterbye, felt a little rusty. “The first match is noon heat that lasted an hour and 46 always more difficult, with the different minutes.

After Scheepers’ long return ended it, balls and conditions,” she said. “I was happy to get through it, especially since Williams briefly raised her arm in celebration, walked slowly to the net to it was very hot. Hopefully, I’ll better.”

Radwanska, who lost to Serena shake hands, and sat down and rubbed Williams in the Wimbledon final and is her forehead with both hands.—AP

Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

PSG already under pressure PARIS: A scrappy draw in their home opener has left massive French title favorites Paris St Germain already feeling the pressure and a trip to AC Ajaccio on Sunday is hardly the match they would have picked to ease the tension.

The Qatari-backed club have spent millions for a second successive close season but this time have brought in truly top names such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva as they try to run away with Ligue 1. Their resources dwarf even their biggest rivals Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyon but their supremacy was not apparent last weekend when they went 2-0 behind at home to modest Lorient only for an Ibrahimovic brace to spare their blushes.

In contrast Ajaccio, backed by their fervent Corsican fans, are on a high after winning 1-0 at Nice in their season opener having clambered to safety last term when relegation seemed almost a certainty.

PSG playmaker Javier Pastore, suspended against Lorient, is likely to return to the lineup on Sunday (1900 GMT) and is fully aware of what the huge investment at the club means in an otherwise lower profile European league. “Nowadays we are obliged to win all our matches,” the Argentine told the official club website. “We didn’t manage that in our first match but the start of a season is always the most difficult. We need to be calmer, play our game and go to Ajaccio to fight for the title from the start.”

Centre back Thiago Silva, bought from AC Milan along with Ibrahimovic, is set for his debut having turned out for Brazil’s Olympic side last weekend.

Other standout games include 2009 champions Girondins Bordeaux, who won 3-2 at Evian in their first game, entertaining perennial European hopefuls Stade Rennes on Sunday (1500) when Marseille take on Sochaux in Elie Baup’s first home game in charge.

The 2010 champions, who endured a dreadful season last term which led to Didier Deschamps quitting for the France job, beat promoted Reims 1-0 on the first weekend.

Lyon are also at home to new boys Troyes on Saturday (1500) while champions Montpellier, who stunned PSG and most of European football by taking the title last term, visit Lorient (1800). Lille, champions two seasons ago and still getting used to life without new Chelsea winger Eden Hazard, welcome Nancy on Friday (1845). —Reuters

Rogerio Ceni

Rogerio scores bizarre own goal RIO DE JANEIRO: Sao Paulo’s talismanic goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored one of the oddest own goals of the season as his side sank without trace against Nautico in the Brazilian championship.

Rogerio dashed out of his goal to punch clear a corner but instead the ball somehow looped high and backwards into the net despite the presence of three defenders on the line.

The 61st minute goal completed a 3-0 defeat on an unhappy evening all round for Sao Paulo and the 39-yearold Rogerio, who has scored more than 100 goals from free kicks and penalties and recently returned to action after a six-month injury layoff.

Kieza opened the scoring for the Recife-based hosts in the 12th minute and Araujo added a second before the half hour.

Dutchman Clarence Seedorf scored the second goal in Botafogo’s 2-0 win over Sport Recife although it was still an unpleasant fixture for Oswaldo de Oliveira, coach of the

home team. The match was played in front of a sparse crowd of 4,000 at the Joao Havelange stadium and they still jeered Oliveira even after the second goal.

Ronaldinho’s Atletico Mineiro stayed top after hitting the woodwork three times in a 1-1 draw at 10-man Atletico Goianiense, who had Joilson sent off in the 21st minute for elbowing an opponent.

Ernandes have given Goianiense a shock ninth-minute lead and, although Bernard headed the equaliser before the half hour, Mineiro were unable to find a winner with Ronaldinho, Jo and Pierre all finding the frame of the goal.

Mineiro have 39 points from 16 games, three more than Fluminense, who drew 1-1 with Cruzeiro. Palmeiras, who had former Brazil and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari serving the second game of a two-match suspension, moved out of the relegation zone by beating Flamengo 1-0 with a goal by Hernan Barcos. The tetchy encounter produced 12 yellow cards and a red for Flamengo’s Ibsen in the 32nd minute. —Reuters

US end drought on Mexican soil

Michael Orozco

MEXICO: Michael Orozco scored a late winner as the United States upset Mexico 1-0 in a stirring soccer friendly on Wednesday to register their first win away to their arch-rivals.

Orozco’s 80th-minute goal was complemented by a pair of fine saves by US goalkeeper Tim Howard in the last 10 minutes to secure victory at Mexico City’s intimidating Azteca stadium.

US coaches hugged on the sideline on the final whistle while American players dropped to their knees in celebration. “It was a fantastic team performance,” US manager Jurgen Klinsmann told reporters. “Getting that win here, it’s quite enjoyable. I think it’s huge for all American fans and for the team. We were well aware we’d never won at Azteca stadium.”

Facing a dangerous attack led by striker Javier Hernandez, the US surrendered possession for most of the match and appeared con-

tent to escape with a draw.

But the game turned when Brek Shea made a surprise run on the left wing and played a ball that was back-heeled by Terrance Boyd and knocked in goal by Orozco.

Mexico entered the match with a 23-0-1 home record against the Americans whose previous best result on Mexican soil was 0-0 in 1998.

The US’s triumph was built on a watertight defence that nullified the hosts’ relentless attacking. Mexico finished with 19 shots on goal to the visitors’ seven, and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. Hernandez came close to breaking US hearts in the 88th minute with a spectacular header, but Howard saved it to bring the Mexicans back to earth after their Olympic team’s gold medal triumph at the London Games last week. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

English football: It’s all about Manchester

Robin van Persie

Van Persie arrival gives Utd selection dilemma LONDON: The imminent arrival of Robin van Persie gives Manchester United an embarrassment of riches in attack as the deposed Premier League champions begin their quest to wrest the title back from local rival Manchester City this weekend.

It also gives manager Alex Ferguson a huge selection dilemma ahead of United’s first game, against Everton at Goodison Park on Monday.

If Van Persie is thrown straight into the fray, who will partner him up front out of Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez? Will Rooney, currently United’s star striker, drop into midfield to take on the playmaker mantle he was sometimes assigned last season? And what happens to record signing Dimitar Berbatov, who was the Premier League’s top scorer in the 2010-11 season?

Whatever Ferguson decides, opposition defenses shouldn’t have a moment’s peace against United this season. “He is on his way up from London for a medical later this afternoon,” Ferguson said Thursday of Van Persie, who is set to cost United a reported 24 million pounds ($38 million). “We hope all the things will be tied up, although sometimes medicals do take a bit longer. I am sure he will be available for Monday’s game.”

City won its first title in 44 years in dramatic circumstances last season, scoring two injury-time goals in its final game to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 and top the standings on goal difference from United.

Roberto Mancini’s side starts as slight favorites with British bookmakers to win the league this season, too, and begins its campaign on Sunday with a home game against promoted Southampton.

Chelsea, which lost to City 3-2 in the Community Shield on Sunday, plays its first competitive match as European champion when it visits Wigan on Sunday and has a fresh look to its forward options following the signings of attacking midfielders Oscar, Eden Hazard and Marko Marin. Fernando Torres starts the season as the No. 1 striker after the departure of Didier Drogba.

Arsenal’s first game is against Sunderland, with manager Arsene Wenger hoping the recruitment of forwards Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud can counter the loss of Van Persie.

Tottenham and Liverpool will look to threaten the division’s established powers under the stewardship of new, young managers in Andre Villas-Boas and Brendan Rodgers, respectively. Spurs travel to Newcastle in the standout fixture of the opening round of matches, while Liverpool is away at West Bromwich Albion.

Most eyes, however, will be centered on how quickly Van Persie can make his presence felt at United, whose star-studded strikeforce rivals City’s as the best in the league.—AP

LONDON: As Olympic memories start to fade, Britain’s sporting focus looks set to move from London to Manchester this weekend as a new Premier League season gets underway. For although the London clubs led by Champions League winner Chelsea and Arsenal would like to be in the footballing spotlight, everything points to this season finishing like the last - as a straight Manchester derby between City and United.

City had to wait until the fourth minute of injury time on a nerveshredding final day of last season to win its first league title since 1968.

However, more than a billion dollars poured into the club by its Abu Dhabibased owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had already marked it out as the team to beat since the previous August.

Only United was able to keep up with the frenetic pace, thanks mainly to the sheer personal drive of 70-yearold manager Alex Ferguson rather than any inspirational football by his players. Goal difference eventually separated the blue and red sides of Manchester after both clubs finished on 89 points, with Arsenal trailing a distant third on 70.

And that’s the scale of the problem facing any club based outside Manchester’s ring road this season.

Nineteen points is not a gap, it’s a gulf. What’s more, City clearly intends to keep it that way.

Manager Roberto Mancini has been signed up to a new five-year contract, at a reported cost of 37 million pounds ($57 million), which will bring more stability to the team. The club has just signed England midfielder Jack Rodwell from Everton for an estimated 12 million pounds and remains in the market for new signings before the transfer window closes on Aug. 31. On top of that, domestic rather than European success still seems to be the main yardstick for Mancini.

“Chelsea took maybe 10 years to win the Champions League, because it is not easy to win this competition,”

Mancini said during a preseason tour.

“We would like to win it this season, of course, but our main target is the Premier League and a domestic trophy.”

City gave some idea of that intent by storming back from a goal down last weekend to beat Chelsea 3-2 in the Community Shield. Anxious to keep up with the “noisy neighbors”, as

Roberto Mancini Ferguson once termed his crosstown rivals, United fans have been hoping that some of the funds raised by the club’s flotation on the New York stock exchange would find their way into transfer fees.

Those hopes look to have been answered on Wednesday night when United agreed a deal to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal. The Netherlands forward was the Premier League’s top scorer last season with 30 goals, and should form a fearsome strike partnership with Wayne Rooney. Long before the deal for Van Persie, though, Ferguson had already had some good news with the return from long-term injury of club captain and central defender Nemanja Vidic.

The Serbia international is clearly anxious to make amends. “Maybe we relaxed a bit last season,” Vidic said recently. “We were punished and we can’t allow that to happen again.”

Despite finishing only sixth last time around, FA Cup winner Chelsea still looks like the side most likely to test Manchester’s grip on the title.

Victory over Bayern Munich in that Champions League final fulfilled a

dream held by club owner Roman Abramovich since buying the Blues in 2003, and ought to ease at least some of the pressure on coach Roberto Di Matteo. The departure to China of the club’s aging striker Didier Drogba is bound to be a loss. However, the arrival from Lille of the most exciting player in French football, playmaker Eden Hazard, should be a real cause

Sir Alex Ferguson for celebration and there is certainly more to come from the likes of Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge.

Arsenal is meanwhile wondering if Van Persie’s replacements will be able to fill the Dutchman’s goalscoring boots. With his departure have been telegraphed well in advance, the usually cost-conscious club has already signed no fewer than three new attacking players: Germany’s Lukas Podolski, France’s Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla of Spain. Beyond these four teams, though, there is really only room for cameo roles.

Tottenham finished a creditable fourth last season and was only denied a Champions League slot by Chelsea’s penalty shootout victory over Bayern.

Along with the talent of winger Gareth Bale, the spotlight will also be trained on Spurs’ new coach Andre Villas-Boas, who was sacked in March by Chelsea.

Liverpool will meanwhile look to build on a League Cup victory, a new coach in Brendan Rodgers and a hope that English football fans will forgive its hugely talented striker Luis Suarez for racially abusing United’s Patrice Evra last season. — AP

Titans duel for La Liga and ‘world hegemony’ MADRID: Records promise to tumble again in the 2012-13 La Liga season as world powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona resume their duel for supremacy, threatening to cast Spain’s other 18 clubs even further adrift.

Jose Mourinho’s Real had to smash league points and goal-scoring tallies to end arch-rivals Barca’s three-year hold on La Liga last May, driven to exceptional heights by their rivalry with one of the greatest club teams of all time.

Barca have a change of face at the helm for the new campaign with the untested Tito Vilanova having big shoes to fill as Pep Guardiola’s replacement, but after four years as assistant he brings a strong thread of continuity with him.

“This duel of titans forces the clubs and the players to become better,” Mourinho, whose side start out at home to Valencia on Sunday (1700 GMT), told Portuguese television this week. “The two clubs are fighting for world football hegemony.” Spanish football is basking in glory after the national team completed an unprecedented treble by win-

ning Euro 2012 in July, having also scooped the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008.

Real and Barca supplied 11 of the 13 players who featured in Spain’s 4-0 rout of Italy in last month’s final in Kiev and with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi added to the equation, their firepower is increased further.

As with the club rivalry, the goal-scoring duel between Ronaldo and Messi appears to spur them to ever greater heights, and Argentine World Player of the Year amassed 50 league goals last season, to better Ronaldo’s previous record of 40. Real are closing on Tottenham Hotspur’s Croatian playmaker Luka Modric to strengthen their midfield, otherwise their relatively young squad has remained largely unchanged.

Barca, who host Real Sociedad on Sunday (1900), have added explosive Spain full back Jordi Alba to their ranks for 14 million euros, and are seeking another defensive reinforcement before the end of the month. — Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012

AUSTRIA : Andreas Ivanschitz (left) of Austria fights for ball with Caner Erkin (right) of Turkey during a friendly football match at Ernst-Happel stadium in Vienna. — AFP

Brazil, Argentina enjoy big wins England, Spain and Portugal triumph LONDON: It wasn’t so long ago that Lionel Messi was being criticized for failing to translate his Barcelona form on the international stage. Not anymore.

The reigning three-time world player of the year took his tally for Argentina to nine goals in his last five matches by scoring the team’s second in a 3-1 win over 10-man Germany on a busy round of international friendlies on Wednesday.

It was a successful night for another South American power, too, with Brazil recovering in style from its loss to Mexico in the Olympic final by beating Sweden 3-0 away. Brazil great Pele was in the crowd at the Rasunda stadium, where as a 17-yearold prodigy he scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final between the two sides.

World champion Spain beat Puerto Rico 2-1 away in its first match since retaining its continental title at the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo was on target for Portugal in its 2-0 win over Panama in Faro.

England beat Italy 2-1 thanks to Jermain Defoe’s late goal, France drew 0-0 with Uruguay and Belgium beat the Netherlands 4-2 in other high-profile friendlies as European teams used the matches to assess their squad options ahead of the World Cup qualification campaign that

starts next month.

Messi, the scorer of 73 goals for Barcelona last season, seems to be revelling in his role as Argentina captain since being given the armband by coach Alejandro Sabella, scoring hat tricks against Switzerland and Brazil already in 2012. The diminutive forward had a penalty saved against Germany in the 32nd minute by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who came on as a substitute moments earlier after fellow goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler was given a straight red card for a professional foul.

But Messi made up for it by ending a free-flowing move with a neat finish in the 52nd minute, adding to an own goal scored

by Sami Khedira on the stroke of halftime.

Angel di Maria, who was brought down by Zieler for the penalty, sealed the win with a long-range strike in the 73rd.

“Germany is a world power in football and very strong,” said Messi, who struck a shot against the post late on. “But then we had the extra man and could let the ball do the work. We could control the game and deserved to win.”

Benedikt Hoewedes scored a late consolation for Germany, which lost to Italy in the semifinals of Euro 2012. Brazil was playing its first match since losing the Olympic final 2-1 to Mexico, and coach Mano Menezes kept faith with the majority of the team

that played at Wembley Stadium.

One of the retained players, Leandro Damiao, gave Brazil the lead in the 32nd with a header from Neymar’s cross before Pato scored twice in a three-minute span late on, with his second coming from the penalty spot. “We wanted to leave a strong impression and I think the national team played a good game where we created many chances and we scored three goals,” Menezes said. Attacking midfielders Santi Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas scored in the final four minutes of the first half to set Spain on its way to victory in San Juan, six weeks after thrashing Italy 4-0 in the final of Euro 2012. Marc Cintron reduced the deficit in the 65th for Puerto Rico, a former colony of Spain and ranked 138th in the world.

Ronaldo, who will return to domestic action along with Messi this weekend, scored his 36th international goal for Portugal after Panama had midfielder Gabriel Gomez sent off for elbowing Joao Moutinho. Portugal was already ahead 1-0 by that stage thanks to Nelson Oliveira’s first goal for his country.

England’s reserves shone in the neutral territory of Bern, Switzerland, where Roy Hodgson’s team took revenge on Italy following the loss in a penalty shootout to the Italians in the Euro quarterfinals.

Daniele De Rossi headed Italy into the

lead from a corner in the 15th but Phil Jagielka equalized from the same route 12 minutes later and Defoe crowned an encouraging second-half display with a stunning diagonal finish into the top corner in the 79th. France, the Netherlands and Russia were playing their first games under new coaches and neither Didier Deschamps, Louis van Gaal nor Fabio Capello started their tenures with victories.

The French lacked a cutting edge at home to Uruguay after dominating the match in Le Havre, while the Dutch were beaten for the fourth straight game, having lost every group match at Euro 2012.

Their defensive problems were there for all to see as they conceded three avoidable goals between the 75th and the 80th.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had put the Dutch 2-1 ahead in the 55th but Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku and Jan Vertonghen gave Belgium victory over its neighbor.

Alan Dzagoev looked like he would be giving Capello a first win in charge of Russia when he scored with a low free kick but Max Gradel equalized for Ivory Coast in a 11 draw in Moscow.

Other notable wins came from Slovakia, which beat Denmark 3-1, Switzerland, which defeated Croatia 4-2, and Estonia, which beat Euro 2012 co-host Poland 1-0 at home.—AP

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English football: It’s all about Manchester Page 46

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FRANKFURT: Germany’s defender Holger Badstuber (right) vies for the ball with Argentina’s striker Lionel Messi during the friendly football match. —AFP

Brazil, Argentina enjoy big wins Page 47