18th May 2012

FR EE

Max 38º Min 30º

NO: 15452- Friday, May 18, 2012

www.kuwaittimes.net

Indo-Kuwait ties hailed See Page 6 KUWAIT: Members of a Kuwaiti media delegation are seen with Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari (center) yesterday.

(Inset) Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan meets Ansari. — Photos

by Majed Al-Sabeji

Local FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

From the editor’s desk

Democracy, Indian-style

By Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan Editor-in-Chief

myopinion@kuwaittimes.net

W

hile traveling with a delegation of journalists to India, I had the privilege of attending a parliament session in New Delhi. I could not stop myself from comparing between the Indian and the Kuwaiti parliaments. The set up is very similar to the parliament in Kuwait. Only, this building in India was historic and a sign of how old this country’s democracy is and how different it is compared to Kuwait. As soon as the political session began and the chairman walked in, a small group of lawmakers started shouting in a chaotic manner. I felt like I was at home again. The scene in Indian sessions is very similar to the fiascos in Kuwait but the substance and subjects that are being discussed are far from similar. For example, in India they don’t discuss banning Valentine’s Day or the number of foreign workers in the country or defending a citizen that has broken the law!

Speaking of the law, when I arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the first thing I saw was the son of an influential Indian family drunk and acting like a hooligan (after all, every basket has a bad apple). The police tried to control him calmly but he resisted and started shouting things like “Do you know who I am?

Do you know who my father is?” (two commonly used questions in Kuwait when anyone with ‘wasta’ is stopped by the police). The young man refused to comply with the police and was egoistic to the extent that he squared up to a police officer.

Within seconds the police showed him what they thought of him and who his father was and the guy was handcuffed and in tears saying: “Please, call my daddy. I just want to go home, I am sorry.” If this had happened in Kuwait a whole tribe would have invaded the airport, smashed a few officers and police vehicles and walked away. If anyone gets caught or arrested, then a few familiar parliamentarians would rally outside the police station, the court or Erada Square trying to make heroes out of those arrested thugs. Unfortunately, the government will give in and that thug will face the next parliamentary elections with the agenda of grilling the minister of interior and getting rid of the officers that caught and interrogated him.

I am beginning to understand why some Gulf states have Indian police officers. I guess it helps them implement the law when they don’t care who they are dealing with and who their father is and that’s exactly what’s missing in Kuwait. If the government does not put its foot down and protect its dedicated employees that implement and respect the law, then unfortunately many people will let things go and not take responsibility purely out of fear of parliamentary prosecution.

This is starting to sound like a mafia rather than a parliament.

Real Madrid fans attend the team’s friendly match against Kuwait’s national football team at Al-Kuwait SC stadium in Kaifan on Wednesday.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Local FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Kaffeeklatsch

Local Spotlight

Race to ruin

Volunteers hard to find

By Shakir Reshamwala

By Muna Al-Fuzai shakir@kuwaittimes.net

I

n the environmental Olympics, Kuwait is a runaway champion. Despite its small size and smaller population, the state regularly leaves larger industrial powerhouses choking in its smog as it races to the finish line. A perennial gold medallist in the per capita water and energy consumption races, Kuwait grabbed the silver medal in the ecological footprint marathon this week after a WWF report named it as the world’s second worst offender after neighboring Qatar, followed by fellow Gulf champs the United Arab Emirates.

Unsurprisingly, Kuwait is veritable a giant when it comes to global environment statistics. The damning ones, that is. An average person in Kuwait sploshes through 500 litres of water a day. This is evident every morning when millions of gallons of water flow down the drains as cars around the country are hosed down, when a simple wipe down would have sufficed. To add insult to injury, courtyards are then cleaned in a similar fashion with running water.

The country also consumes 413,000 barrels of oil daily just to meet energy needs. Despite the blazing sun and scorching hot weather, efforts to harness solar power are woefully few, if any.

Heavily subsidised petrol gives motorists no incentives to carpool or use public transport (which also needs a lot of improvement), while gas-guzzling SUVs unapologetically clog the streets.

The wastage does not end here. Entire villages can be fed from the food that is thrown out after weddings and other celebrations in Kuwait. Go to any supermarket and you will see trolleys laden with food items that will never be consumed. In spite of this buying frenzy, tonnes of foodstuff expire and perishables rot in warehouses across the state, which unscrupulous traders still try to sell in a cat-and-mouse game with the municipality that regularly announces major busts.

Though it may not be noticeable now, this rampant consumption has consequences. We may all be dead in the long run, as a smart aleck once remarked, but future generations will definitely pay the price for our shortsighted foibles.

muna@kuwaittimes.net

T

o volunteer is to serve society through your own interest, personal skills or learning, which in return produces a feeling of self-worth and respect, instead of money. That is the well known definition. But do we misunderstand what the term means here? In the Western world, you always find people who are ready to volunteer, to give their time to others in need or to support various organizations. The bottom line is that they give something dear to them for no cost or expectation to receive a reward.

Here in the Arab world, the concept is totally different and in many cases people who get involved in volunteer work expect to be rewarded at least by media focus. If someone objects to their poor performance, they tend to become angry, claiming that they don’t get paid for their services. Are we misinterpreting the concept of volunteer work? And how do we change this? Whose fault is it?

First, I believe it is the way we are brought up and educated. Our education system does not encourage social services. It focuses on self serving, providing and provoking! From kinder-

garten until twelfth grade, students do not practice volunteer work within their educational curricula or get exposed by school projects to social services.

Neither do families encourage their young children or teenagers to get involved in voluntary work visiting the aged or hospitals. Teenagers spend their weekends in the malls or with their computer games. I think parents should take the blame for this self-centered life. They teach their children to adapt until they grow up, and by the time those boys and girls are in their twenties, they don’t act like responsible adults. They don’t have much of an idea or experience on how to give a hand to others because they never experienced how to do so.

In the Western world, school projects are very important to pass or get a scholarship to a good college. But here our boys don’t have to think much of that.

Kuwaiti policy ensures that everyone can go to college, which makes it hard for them to consider any contributions to society and not for themselves. I think human development is not only about buildings and fancy cars and malls but it

is about human development, ethics, values and actions. I know that Islamic societies collect monetary donations to send to some other countries in times of crises, but that is not what I really mean.

I think voluntary work will help many to upgrade their thinking and ideas about menial jobs and that nothing in this life should be considered too small or trivial, as long as it serves others. For example, many think a cleaner’s job is ugly and small but if that cleaner stops collecting your trash for a day or two, then you will realize that what he does it is not small or silly at all. I want to see more youth groups practice more voluntary work in hospitals without expecting to get television interviews or public appreciation. I believe that we must give a hand to those who need, without being asked or expect a grant!

Just kiddin’, seriously

Satire Wire

Kuwait is for Kuwaitis

I

Cut Aishwarya some slack

By Sahar Moussa

By Sawsan Kazak

sahar@kuwaittimes.net

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

know that the match between Real Madrid and Kuwait national team that took place at Kuwait Sports Club stadium in Kaifan is the talk of the town. Real Madrid won 2-0 in the friendly game. Actually, I have nothing to comment about the subject except that it was a brave thing that the Kuwait national team played against these giants.

But what I have to comment on is the incident that happened with MP Mohammad AlJuwaihel last week, where he was accused of being drunk during a session at the National Assembly. I know that Juwaihel is a very controversial figure, and a lot of his actions are unacceptable, but does anyone really think that he would be that stupid to actually enter the Assembly drunk! From where I see it, it’s a cheap attempt to actually ruin his reputation and distract people from opening the subject about dual citizenship. He accused Kuwaiti tribes of taking advantage of Kuwait, a subject which was his campaign theme in the elections.

What happened in the Assembly room is somehow comparable to the football match last night where the giant extra-fit champion guests easily scored against the Kuwait national team.

The team themselves admitted their incapability to win against the Spanish team, but they tried anyway. The difference is that the game last night was friendly, unlike what happened in the Assembly room.

Dual citizenship is a big issue for Kuwaitis, because a lot of non-Kuwaitis have taken Kuwaiti citizenship and kept their other citizenship, taking advantage of Kuwait. They are taking its money, its wealth and they are not even living here or contributing to its development.

One of the big issues about dual citizenship is at election times when this problem is ruining the balance of Kuwait. It is manipulating the equilibrium and the numbers of the majority. And the best way to solve this problem is to sanitize the hybrid passports to check the people’s loyalty.

The second problem that Kuwaitis with one citizenship only are facing is when they want to get married. They have to wait a long time before they will be able to get a house because the people with dual citizenship, who are not even living in Kuwait, are taking their turn. The slogan “Kuwait is for Kuwaitis” is a very powerful slogan. A lot of people misinterpret it deliberately to mislead and influence the crowd, because it simply hits a nerve for people with dual citizenship.

So for the giants who are trying to crush the people who are trying to demand their rights and are asking for a loyalty test, first I suggest to clean your hands from the second nationality before asking someone to clean his blood from alcohol. And second, please will you come with a better accusation next time and stop insulting people’s intelligence.

B

ollywood actress Aishwarya Rai is arguably one of the most beautiful people in the world. Her piercing eyes, flawless skin and astonishing presence is what helped her to win Miss World in 1994. Pictures and videos of the 38year-old actress display her almost super-human beauty. About six months ago, Rai gave birth to a daughter, and like any mother she has subsequently put on some weight. For any new mother, a few extra pounds is not a big issue, but for Aishwarya it sparked an international debate.

Many people in the media voiced their unhappiness and even anger against the actress, stating that she should have been back to her normal weight by now and that they expect her to look better than she does. The backlash is based on expectations that actresses, or famous people in general, need to look perfect at all times. There is a belief that a beautiful woman cannot ever gain weight, age or look disheveled. She needs to have pouty red lips and a small waist; even if she has just given birth within the year.

Aishwarya’s beauty might seem super-human, but she is still just a normal woman who had a baby. For the media to turn on her and make her feel bad about a few post-delivery pounds is unfair. People’s expectations of her are not the actual guidelines of what is good for her and her body. The arguments against her new weight pointed to the fact that others in her situation were able to meet public expectations and that she has a responsibility to continue looking good, no matter what happens in her life.

Other people are just that, other people. Not everyone’s body reacts the same to pregnancy, ageing or diet. And as for looking perfect again, people need to realize that beauty can take on many shapes and sizes. Saying that Aishwarya needs to get back to her pre-baby body so that she can be considered beautiful again is unjust and a little ignorant.

Yes, she was a beautiful woman in her 20s and 30s and she will continue to be a beautiful woman for the rest of her life. Beauty does not stand still, it evolves, changes and adapts to different stages.

For years the debate over the effect of the media on a girl’s self-esteem has been raging. The ‘skinny’ pictures in the magazines, actresses in movies and models on the runway have all been accused of being the cause of anorexia and bulimia. Now that a woman steps out in her natural weight, she gets reprimanded for it. You would think the media would finally embrace an actress showing women around the world that it is normal to gain weight, and that it is not normal to be the ‘perfect’ size all of the time.

And finally, when Aishwarya won Miss World, she did so with a combination of outer beauty as well as inner beauty, personality and brains. Now that she weighs a few more pounds should not mean that she is no longer physically beautiful, and it definitely does not mean that she is any less beautiful on the inside, have any less personality and is any less smart than she was when she was a few pounds lighter.

Local

All in the family

FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Nepotism a major threat to Kuwait’s economy

By Lisa Conrad

“T

he prevalence of nepotism is an issue that the economy in the Middle East cannot maintain in the long-term. Currently, the culture in the Middle East dictates that relationships take priority over qualifications,” said local economist, Hajjaj Bukhadour. He further warned, “A lack of qualifications can be very detrimental to development.”

In the case of Kuwait, Bukhadour blamed nepotism as a key issue hindering growth and development in the country. “One of the reasons why Kuwait has fallen behind the rest of the GCC is because the management of businesses is based on relationships and family ties instead of qualifications.” He added, “It cannot continue like this; this is not the way forward in terms of development or profitable business.”

A key issue associated with hiring staff based on personal relationships is the negative impact it has on existing staff. “It is utterly demoralizing for all other staff,” said Hadi, an employee at a local company. “I have to spend my mornings training a fresh graduate who knows absolutely nothing about our field; not even the basics of business. Yet he got the job because his father has a senior position,” he said. Hiring unqualified staff, he said, puts unnecessary strain on the rest of the team, “I’m responsible for this kid’s training along with another colleague. The two of us have to stay at work late everyday now because the training is costing us time we need for our usual work, which we then have to make up for.”

The position, he added, should have gone to someone with at least five years of experience. The growing frustration in disenchanted staff members increases the turnover of staff, an expensive consequence, said Hadi, “I definitely will not stay here in the long term after being dragged through this.

Another manager’s son is graduating in a year, and I’m not going through it all again only to watch someone completely incapable rake in nearly double my salary.” Despite the many negative implications nepotism can have in the workplace, Bukhadour noted that there may be a few select benefits to hiring from within family or social circles. “People close to you may be more willing to accept lower benefits and longer working hours.” He added, however, that the risks greatly outweigh the possible benefits. “The assignment of management based on nepotism is extremely risky,” he said. “The initial founders of a company will have gone through the trials and tribulations first hand, but if they hire within their circle, the new staff will only have witnessed the hardships they went through,” he added.

The biggest risk, he noted, comes when the next generations of employees follow suit based on personal relationships and connections. “The third generation of employees haven’t experienced or witnessed any of the challenges that come with starting a business, so they have much less of an idea of how things work. This overall lack of experience and expertise reduces the likelihood that wealth will be maintained in the long term.” He added, “More often than not, they are not at the right level of experience or education for the role. Even if they are, the close ties often hinder their performance.” Hadi, who is experiencing the consequences of relationship-based hiring first-hand, agreed with Bukhadour’s predictions. “You slowly see the level of efficiency deteriorate as more and more inexperienced, inappropriate staff are brought in,” he said. “As things worsen, even the good, hardworking staff lose their motivation and end up following suit as they adopt the newer, slower, more inefficient norm brought into the office.”

Jalal, whose father owns a successful company in Kuwait, disagreed.

“When it’s your business or the business of your friend or family, you care about it more. It’s better to hire people you know and trust because they’re more likely to defend your interests.” He added, “This is how we traditionally do business in the region, based on close ties and trust. Not every business model or ideal is suited to every country.”

According to Hadi and Bukhadour, the times Jalal spoke of are but a distant memory of the reality in business now. “Everyone must be competitive and efficient in business, especially now. You cannot sink your company because your nephew didn’t feel like looking for a job elsewhere,” said Hadi.

“The only way to counter the inefficiency of companies built on personal ties is to transfer the entire thing into a public company. Doing so will ensure that newer, more qualified staff come in,” said Bukhadour.

“This is the only way to make sure that the problems are fixed, otherwise they’ll only continue to worsen: personal ties are not easy to break, no matter how inefficient the employee is,” he said. He added that once Chinese companies started going public, the country enjoyed a considerable boost in efficiency and development. The negative effect on development, he added, is already being felt in Kuwait as the trend has yet to change. For employees like Hadi, the experience has changed his plans for the future, “I wanted to stay in my current job in the long term as I thought it had good prospects. Now, however, I’m going to apply to a multinational company,” he said. “The multinationals are strict - you work harder, but at least it’s fair.

A heavier workload is nothing if it comes with at least a degree of justice.”

Local FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

NEW DELHI: Members of the Kuwaiti media delegation meet Indian Lower House Speaker Meira Kumar yesterday.— KUNA

Indians rush to send money home

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The record drop of the Indian rupee against the dollar and other currencies yesterday boosted money transfers from Kuwait to India, since there are many Indian expatriates living in Kuwait. According to Anny from Bahrain Exchange Company, more people came to their offices to transfer money to India. “Not only did more people come to transfer money to their families and relatives in India, but also the amount was a bit higher. This is a good chance to send, so they exploited it,” she told Kuwait Times. Reports stated yesterday that traders are expecting the rupee to fall further in coming days, with risk aversion hitting global markets. According to the Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the deteriorating international climate is the main reason for the fall of the rupee.

Tony, a 50-year-old Indian expatriate living in Kuwait, agreed that the recent drop of the rupee is in favor of those living and working outside India. “In fact this drop will satisfy our receivers back in India, as they will receive a bigger amount of rupees for the same usual amount that we transfer regularly,” he stated. “On the other hand, this drop of the Indian rupee will definitely result in a price hike in India. Traders will have to pay more for imported goods, so prices will increase. Even the price of local products will soon rise, as manufacturers will have to pay more for the raw materials used in production. Yet it’s a good chance to buy rupees now,” added Tony. Mohammed Sameer from Al-Muzaini Exchange Company advised people to exchange now. “This is the best time to buy rupees. I think there is no chance it will decrease even more. Today the price reached 194.5 rupees per 1 KD. Nobody expected this will happen and it is the best price since many years. I noticed more people came to transfer and exchange money to rupees,” he noted.

For some Indian expatriates, this drop came at the wrong time. “I would like to exploit this chance, but I don’t have money at present. It’s the middle of the month, and I already made my transfer to India at the end of last month,” lamented Saby, a 30year-old Indian expatriate. Lenin, a 35-year-old Indian, benefited from this chance and transferred some money when he heard this news. “It is a good opportunity to exchange to rupees as this is the best rate since many years. Of course I’m not happy that the Indian rupee dropped, but at least our family can benefit from the rate,” he pointed out.

SRINAGAR: Kashmiri women walk past a display of a garland made of Indian rupee currency notes, for sale at a market yesterday. — AP

Indian leaders hail Indo-Kuwait ties Kuwaiti journalists visit Indian parliament NEW DELHI: On the penultimate day of their ongoing five-day visit to governments have also maintained regular high-level contacts,” he said, India, the ten-member Kuwaiti journalist delegation visited the Indian welcoming the Kuwaiti journalists. Stressing enhanced bilateral trade parliament and met the Lower House Speaker Meira Kumar and Upper and Kuwaiti investment in India, he said “there is enough scope for House Chairman Hamid Ansari. Ansari is also the country’s vice-presi- Kuwaitis to make investments in India in different sectors. I assure you dent. As per the Indian constitution, India’s vice-president is also the that investment in India is always safe and solid with comparatively officio chairman of the Upper House of the Indian parliament. Both higher returns. Despite a global slowdown, India has grown at a satisfacIndian leaders laid out a hearty welcome to the visiting journalists and tory pace since 2008, when a meltdown hit the developed economies of expressed hope that their visit will prove to be another milestone in the world.” He said India has set a target of making investments of one solidifying the close and strong ties between the two countries. Ansari, trillion dollars in the next ten years, and “Kuwait can pitch in here”.

On US pressure on India to reduce oil imports from Iran, the Indian who paid an official visit to Kuwait in 2009, told the journalist-delegates that both nations enjoy ancient ties since pre-oil times. “Imprints of minister told the Kuwaiti journalists that India and Iran enjoy civilized Kuwait can still be seen along the Mumbai coast, where Kuwaiti traders ties and Iran meets nearly 11 percent of India’s crude oil needs. “We used to come to trade in spices and other commodities,” he said. He made it clear during the recent visit of US Secretary of State that no deciadded that the Indian community working in Kuwait praise their sion has been taken yet to reduce oil imports from Iran,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that due to employers. “People-to-people relationUS sanctions on Iran, India has been facships are very important as it proves to ing problems paying for Iranian oil. define the foreign policy of any two Touching on India’s foreign policy, countries,” he stated.

Krishna said his country wants peace and Speaker Kumar hailed the age-old tranquility in Asia and world over. “Our friendly ties between the two sides. She relations with our immediate neighbors emphasized that both India and Kuwait in Pakistan and China have been improvhave democratic set-ups and a written ing recently, and all diplomatic efforts constitution. “Democracy has flourished are being made to take them one step in India for 60 years and will continue to higher,” he added. On India’s recent milido so in the future. It’s a multi-religious tary build-up across the Chinese border, and multi-ethnic country, which houses Krishna said: “We safeguard our border the second largest Muslim population in like any other country does. Sometimes the world,” she said. media reports create problems where On the role of women in Indian polithere is none. There is a border concern tics, she informed the Kuwaiti journalists with China, and both nations underthat there are “one million elected stand this. It’s a very long border and female representatives” in India at differefforts are being made to resolve all ent levels, from villages to corporations border-related issues.” Allaying fears of to local bodies. “Besides, some of the top tensions between India and China, he positions in Indian politics, like president, said Indo-Chinese trade stood at over speaker, leader of the opposition and UPA chairperson are also occupied by NEW DELHI: Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd $74 billion last year. “If there was suspiwomen,” she added. On the role of Al-Rahman Al-Alyan (left) met with Indian cion between the two sides, such a female politicians in improving India- External Affairs Minister S M Krishna yester- huge trade would never have been comprehended,” Krishna added.

Pakistan relations, she informed the del- day. —Photo by Majed Al-Sabej Yesterday was the last day of the egates that the speaker of Pakistan’s parKuwaiti journalists’ visit to India. Adnan liament is her “close friend”.

“Recently, I visited Pakistan at the invitation from my Pakistani coun- Khalifa Al-Rashed, delegation coordinator, thanked the Indian and terpart and I was overwhelmed by the warmth and love they showered Kuwaiti foreign ministries for making their visit a success. He also on me. I have also invited Pakistani MPs to visit India in the near future,” thanked the Kuwaiti embassy in New Delhi and India’s embassy in she added. Before meeting the two Indian leaders, the Kuwaiti journal- Kuwait, the KUNA correspondent in India and Kuwait Television for proists visited the Parliament museum, where they got an insight into viding wide coverage. The delegation members included the Indian art, culture, the war of independence and India’s form of gover- Chairman of Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) Ahmed Yousef nance. Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said India Behbehani, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Anbaa daily Yousef Khaled Alenjoys close relations with Kuwait and there is a tremendous scope to Marzook, KUNA Editor-in-Chief Rashed Mohammad Al-Ruwaished, enhance bilateral trade, which stood at $12.3 billion last year, Krishna Al-Nahar Editor-in-Chief Emad Jawad Bukhamseen, Kuwait Times told the Kuwaiti journalists yesterday. He said that the free media of Editor-in-Chief, Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan, Al-Rai Editor-in-Chief both countries could play a constructive role in bringing the two coun- Majed Yousef Al-Ali, Al-Jarida Deputy Editor-in-Chief Saoud Rashed tries closer and diversifying bilateral links. “Our ties have been defined Al-Enezi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the weekly magazine ‘Al-Yaqaza’ Dalia Mostafa Al-Shater, delegation coordinator Adnan Khalifa Alby close geographical proximity and cultural affinity.

People on both sides have known each other for centuries, and both Rashed and photographer Majed Abdul Razzaq Al-Sabej. —KUNA

Local FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

By Nawara Fattahova

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KUWAIT: The Kuwait Harps Team celebrates a recent victory in Dubai.

By Ben Garcia

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reland’s famous national sporting event ‘Gaelic football’ is back in Kuwait. In fact, Kuwait Harps Team is in its second year after reestablishing the Gaelic football team in late 2010. The game was introduced in Kuwait in 1997, but some players returned to their countries of origin, (mostly Ireland), leaving a few players behind.

When Declan Hayes arrived in Kuwait in 2009, he thought of re-introducing the game. It took him almost a year to decide and gather a new group of players. Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the patronage of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is not football per se, but comes fairly close to the game as players are allowed to kick and play with the ball with both hands and feet. Gaelic football is played by teams of 15 on a rectangular grass pitch with H-shaped goals at each end.

It can be played by nine players, as is the case in Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf due to lack of facilities.

Though it is Ireland’s national game, it is also popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and other parts of Asia and Africa. The primary objective is to score by driving the ball through the goals. The team with the highest score at the end of the match wins. Almost every district and village in Ireland has a team of players, according to Hayes. Children aged four to seven are inducted into the game, he said. “That is how the Gaelic football game is spectacular and ever so famous in Ireland,” he said.

Hayes told Kuwait Times that the re-establishment of the Gaelic team in Kuwait has been possible with the support and assurance of Kentz Engineering. “Without their sponsorship, it would have been very difficult for us to restart again in Kuwait. But with their pioneering initiative, we were able to re-introduce the games here. In fact, we have been very successful. We just recently won the championship title in a tournament which took place in Dubai in March,” he beamed.

Hayes explained that GAA was abandoned in Kuwait in 2007 due to a lack of interest as a result of the transient nature of expat life here in Kuwait, where there is a constant ebb and flow of Irish people in and out of the country each year. Despite this, the Irish community has remained vibrant in Kuwait. As a result, once the time was right to again to establish a GAA club in Kuwait, the Kuwait Irish Society was there to support, resource and advise about developing a new club.

The Kuwait Harps Team started with just a handful of players, but now they have the required number of players in one team and will soon establish additional teams including women’s teams. “We entered a tournament in

Dubai in 2011, but were unsuccessful and did not win any title. In March 2012, we bagged most of the category’s awards plus the championship title. It was a phenomenal event and we won three divisions. It is really a major achievement for us,” he added.

During the last period of GAA activity in Kuwait, the Bahrain tournament in 1998 was the most notable in the club’s history as Kuwait sent two full men’s teams and two full women’s teams to compete. The men reached the finals of the senior’s category competition only to be beaten narrowly. The women’s team won the competition. These teams were built around a very strong nucleus of Irish players based in Kuwait.

With a new generation of players, the club holds weekly practices every Friday. Kentz Engineering sponsors a new kit incorporating the new colors of the club which are red, yellow and green. A new football kit with a new crest was developed as well with the help of O’Neill’s in Ireland. One thing Kuwait Harps is renowned for is the international dimension of their squad of players. “While many other clubs in the Gulf region can depend on a strong pool of Irish players, this is not the case in Kuwait. While a core of the Kuwait Harps club may be Irish, it relies heavily on the support of players from the international expat community. We also welcome locals who have shown an interest in the game,” he added.

The team is being captained by Mick Savage and is set to play in a scheduled tournament in Bahrain in November this year. They train once a week to prepare for the big tournaments. The next season and Bahrain tournament preparations will commence in September.

Players include enthusiasts Hayes, Michael McGeough, Oliver Gardner, Dale Forrester, Lloyd Collins, Adam Martin, Adam Roddy, Brian Martin Harney, Brendan Burns, Calum Erskine, Matt Dawson, Niall O’Aihragain, Mohamed Hersi, Hesham Al-Khamis and Padraig Keane under manager Declan Sawey. For more information about Gaelic football, email Hayes at jdeclanhayes_@hotmail.com or “Like” them on Facebook at Kuwait Harps GAA Club.

ost men and women yearn to remain slim. Overweight or obese individuals suffering from physical and psychological complications are ready to take any risk to lose weight within shortest possible time span. Some techniques work but others do not. Some are safe, while others may be dangerous.

Word of mouth plays great role in encouraging people to follow trends.

Recently, many bloggers, mostly women wrote about their experiences using an injection named Victoza to achieve drastic weight loss. It has been touted as the new ‘miracle’, claiming to help them lose between five and seven kilograms within two weeks. All bloggers believe it to be safe, with no side effects, sold legally in the pharmacy and approved by the Ministry of Health.

Huda, a 27-years-old, who has been using Victoza injections for two weeks, is satisfied with results. “I tried everything from laser sessions, burning fat and massages to reduce fat, but these did not work. I read the blog and held many discussions about the injection’s efficacy. I called up the clinic, went for a consultation, and then bought the injections from the pharmacy after the doctor instructed me on its usage. I lost six kilograms within two weeks,” she told Kuwait Times.

“I have been taking Victoza three times a week and am happy with the results. I cannot complain about any side effects. I also noticed that I do not eat less and feel comfortable. The doctor prescribed a one-month course to follow, and I will visit him again to take tests and review the results. The doctor told me that with time, I can reduce the dosage. I think it is great,” added Huda.

The nurse at the clinic that Huda visited noted that this injection has been available in the Kuwaiti market for about two years.

However, it recently gained much popularity. “Many patients came to the clinic and used Victoza. None of them have any complaints. We received positive feedback. The patients achieved great results and were satisfied. Also, any patient in doubt can surf the Internet and get more information about the drug. The doctor will also provide the patient with a diet chart to ensure that the patient is in good condition. Our clinic does not provide the injection, the doctor prescribes it for the patient,” she pointed out. She added that it is not mandatory to engage in vigorous sporting activities to improve results. Moderate exercises like jogging or walking will suffice. She added that only few patients suffered from nausea or dizziness. Symptoms vary from one patient to another.

“Victoza is available at our pharmacy and it costs KD 66 for a pack of two. I can sell it even without a doctor’s prescription. I do not instruct the patient how to take it because it is the doctor that has to do so. The doctor should also inform the patient about the dosage. I have noticed rising demand for it and have not received any complaints,” stressed Ashraf, a pharmacist in Kuwait City.

But Daliya, a pharmacist in Mishref warned that the medicine is only meant for diabetics. “Victoza is a drug for diabetics, especially those who do not respond to medications. It is similar to insulin. If a person who is not diabetic uses it, he or she may suffer from health related complications because it decreases blood sugar levels, which may be dangerous,” she explained.

Local FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Firemen battle huge Subhan blaze Worker dead after inhaling toxic fumes in Salmiya

Police crack down on social groups

By Sawsan Kazak

KUWAIT: Firemen fight a blaze in a warehouse in Subhan yesterday.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A huge fire broke out at dawn yesterday in a large 5,000 sq m warehouse in Subhan. It contained batteries, kitchen utensils, furniture, tyres and lumber, said security sources noting that firemen from Subhan and Mubarak Al-Kabeer rushed to the scene. They were later assisted by seven other fire brigades from the national guard, the army, Kuwait Oil Company and the municipality. Six firemen and two army soldiers were injured in the operation. Head of Operations at Kuwait airport Essam Al-Zamil said, “Traffic is normal and Kuwait International Airport is not affected by the smoke from the Subhan fire.” Zamil said landings and departures were proceeding as planned. Another fire broke out in a Shuwaikh industrial area carpentry spread over 1,000 sq m, said security sources, noting

that the fire resulted from bad storage and a lack of safety precautions.

Fumes kill builder A worker was killed and three others were injured after they inhaled toxic fumes while working on a water reservoir in the basement of a building under construction in Salmiya, said security sources. The sources explained that a large machine was being used to suck underground water from the under-construction reservoir, but it malfunctioned producing toxic gas and fumes.

Beached whale carcass A dead whale was found washed ashore at Dhubaieya beach, south of Kuwait City. Fahd Al-Dughaim, Ahmadi Municipality Manager, said the carcass was removed and buried in a landfill site at Abdullah Port.

Saadoun urges democracy before Gulf union moves Muwaizri defends decision to sack bank chief

By B Izzak KUWAIT: National Assembly Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun said yesterday that all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) should respect human rights and public freedoms, including popular participation before they develop the GCC into a union. In statements posted on his Twitter account, Saadoun said that the GCC states are left with no choice but to develop the council into an advanced form of a union in order to confront challenges threatening the existence of its member states.

The Gulf union, a proposal floated by Saudi Arabia a few months ago, is inevitable amid fast-paced regional and international changes, Saadoun said. “But it is also inevitable that such a development in relations is achieved only among similar regimes that are open to their peoples, especially in respecting human rights and public freedoms,” he said. Public freedoms should include “freedom of expression and the right to popular participation in decision making which we hope will happen soon in all the GCC states so that the union can be realized under its umbrella,” Saadoun said.

The GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with only the first two countries having an elected parliament. The rest have appointed or partially-elected Shura

councils. Saadoun also lashed out at the GCC security pact which Kuwait has refused to sign because some of its provisions violate articles of the Kuwaiti Constitution, especially extradition of citizens which is banned by the constitution. He said that it was reported that the interior ministers of the GCC states have approved the security pact in principle, adding that Kuwait must not accept the pact.

The Speaker added that the pact requires member states to extradite suspects on issues that are not punishable by law by a particular country, and is punishable under the other country’s law.

In another development, State Minister for Housing and Chairman of the state-owned Savings and Credit Bank Shuaib Al-Muwaizri strongly defended his decision to sack the director general of the bank Salah Al-Mudaf yesterday. Muwaizri said his removal was taken following serious violations committed by Mudhaf. The minister’s decision was criticized

by MPs Mohammad Al-Sager and Ahmad Lari who said that the decision was politicallymotivated and based on personal reasons, adding that it violated the regulations in Kuwait because Mudaf was appointed by an Amiri decree and can be removed only by a similar decree. Muwaizri, however, insisted that he only apply the law and if the two MPs believe that they were right, they should “grill me in the National Assembly to learn the true picture”.

KUWAIT: “Due to recent events in Kuwait and the deterioration in the general atmosphere surrounding the holding of events, I have to inform you that a decision has been taken to cancel the Ceilidh (traditional Irish and Scottish event),” states an email sent by one of the committee members of the Kuwait Caledonians social group. The “deterioration in atmosphere” that the email is referring to is the OLEK (Organization of Latinos in Kuwait) festival and the ANZAK (Australian, New Zealand Association in Kuwait) Ball that were were cut short by the CID (Criminal Investigations Department) recently.

“A few hours into the party that was held in a hotel ballroom, CID officers in plain clothes showed up,” says Laila, an expat that was present at the OLEK event last week. She explained that friends at her table told her to grab her stuff and leave, and that is what she did. “I did not know who was going on until I was upstairs, then my friends told me that they left in a hurry because they heard that police had arrived and they did not want any problems. Social groups in Kuwait are created to give the members a feeling of home, to let them connect to their roots even when they are miles away, but when they cut our parties short they prevent us from doing that,” explains Laila. She recalls that nothing happened in the party that called for police intervention and that the OLEK festival had been happening for years without incident.

“I walked out and past the morality police. I walked slowly and just exited the hotel,” says Chris, another expat who was attending the Latino festival, adding, “I was upset that I was not able to enjoy a great cultural event - it reminded me of home.”

Chris wanted to stay at the party but the sudden appearance of the “morality police” as he calls them put a damper on his night and he wanted to avoid any trouble. “I was told that the organizer of the event had her

civil ID card taken away, but it was returned the following day,” says Chris. He was very disappointed the evening was cut short given that “Kuwait law and customs were respectfully honored”.

“The Ceilidh is a Scottish night for dancing and eating,” explained a committee member of the Kuwait Caledonians who preferred to remain anonymous. He explained that the social group was forced to cancel their yearly event with very short notice due to the new regulations. “The hotel told one of the committee members that she had to sign a paper stating that the event would not have any dancing.

Apparently, the new rule is that you cannot have dancing, explained the committee member, adding, “Not much point of holding the event if we cannot dance, so we canceled the whole thing.” The hotel attempted to persuade the group to continue with the event anyway but they decided not to.”They told us to just tell people to stop dancing if police showed up, but who wants to hold an event with that over your head?” she said.

“I think they have changed the rules recently. This seems to be a new rule because we have held events in October, December and January,” said the Kuwait Caledonians’ member. He has been getting mysterious phone calls asking for details of upcoming events but with no follow-up.

“Recently, because we have been advertizing more, some people have been calling me with heavy Arab accents asking for details about the events but not wanting to give their information,” the committee member said.

The Kuwait Caledonians are planning a meeting to try to figure out what the future is going to be like for the social group if the ‘no-dancing’ rule is here to stay. “We are trying to figure out where we go from here,” the committee member says. He believes that if the new regulations are going to continue to be implemented, future events are going to have to be held at the embassy.

PM heads privatization council KUWAIT: HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah headed yesterday at Seif Palace the first meeting of the Kuwait Supreme Council of Privatization. Addressing the council members the premier underlined the important role of the council in regulating the state agencies’ privatization plans. “Kuwait is facing great challenges to end its economic dependence on oil revenues and move to a diverse economy based on evenhanded cooperation between the private and public sectors to implement the desire of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to turn Kuwait into a financial and commercial hub,” Sheikh Jaber said.

He pointed out that the state aims to help the private sector lead the Kuwaiti economy in the near future. Sheikh Jaber said the Supreme Council of Privatization will steer the restructuring process of state-owned companies to achieve the aspired economic progress. “The

privatization program aims to bolster the competitiveness of local companies to improve the quality of their products, create job opportunities, end government control of different economic activities and increase the contributions by citizens to the economy,” he said.

The prime minister said the privatization programs have to protect the rights of Kuwaiti employees and help them upgrade their skills to cope with the market demands, and take the necessary measures to oblige the private sector to protect the environment and raise the quality of products. He called for launching an awareness campaign to introduce the advantages of the privatization program to the people to assuage any of their fears. Minister of Public Works, Minister of State for Planning and Development and member of the privatization council Fadhel Safar said the council signals an important step forward towards addressing Kuwait’s main economic problems.

FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Death toll mounts as troops pound Rastan

12

Mladic trial halted over ‘irregularities’

Egypt Brotherhood goes into election hamstrung

15

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RIYADH: Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa (center) arrives to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in this file photo. — AFP

Bahrain warns Iran against interference Tehran urges Bahrainis to protest Saudi-Bahrain union

DUBAI: Bahrain yesterday warned Iran to stop interfering in its internal affairs while affirming its support for a union between the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa made the remarks a day after Iran called on its people to protest against the union that Gulf officials say will start with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

“The union... is a demand by the people of the GCC,” Sheikh Khaled said according to the official BNA news agency, adding that Bahrain “rejects Iranian interference in the affairs of the kingdom.” The minister said that “every once in a while, we hear Iranian claims that Bahrain is the 14th governorate” of the Islamic republic and that Bahrainis want to “return to the motherland.” “This meddling and this Iranian stance is not just directed against Bahrain, but against everybody” in the Gulf bloc.

Sheikh Khaled accused Iran of stoking tensions with its Arab neighbors, warning the Islamic republic would suffer the “consequences of these interventions.” On Wednesday, Iran’s Islamic Propagation Coordination Council, which organizes

state-backed protests, urged citizens to protest against what they called “the American plan to annex Bahrain to Saudi Arabia and express their anger against the lackey regimes of Al-Khalifa and Al-Saud.”

The calls for protest came after Tehran warned that Riyadh’s plans to form a union with Manama would deepen the crisis in Bahrain, where dozens of people, mostly Shiites, have been killed in violence since February 2011.

Saudi Arabia had earlier told Iran to keep out of its relations with Bahrain, a Shiitemajority but Sunni-ruled kingdom.

Bahrain’s Shiite-led opposition meanwhile has called for protests today against the union with Saudi Arabia. Tensions have escalated between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbors since a Saudi-led Gulf force rolled into Sunni-ruled Bahrain in March 2011 to boost the kingdom’s security forces which then crushed a month-old Shiite-led uprising against the regime. Shiite-dominated Iran has repeatedly voiced support for the protests in Bahrain and strongly condemned the deployment of Saudi-led forces.— AFP

News

in brief

Bomb threat on flight ISLAMABAD: A bomb threat delayed a Pakistani passenger flight bound for Dubai by four hours yesterday, with officials clearing it to take off after searches found no explosive device on board. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight was preparing for a scheduled 11:00 am departure from Lahore when an anonymous caller rang the airport claiming there was a bomb on board. “The plane has been thoroughly searched and no bomb was found, it has taken off at 3:00 pm,” Hasan said. Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Pervez George said all threats had to be taken seriously although most turned out to be hoaxes. Pakistan’s aviation industry has been in the spotlight after a Boeing 737 from the private airline Bhoja Air crashed near Islamabad on April 20, killing all 127 people on board. Last month, a PIA jet was forced to land shortly after takeoff from Karachi after a passenger made a hijack threat.

Mary Kennedy found dead NEW YORK: Mary Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F Kennedy Jr, was found dead on Wednesday at her home in a New York City suburb, an officer at the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office said. She was 52. Mary Kennedy had four children with Kennedy, the son of the late Senator Robert F Kennedy and nephew of President John F Kennedy. He is a prominent New York environmentalist. “We deeply regret the death of our beloved sister Mary, whose radiant and creative spirit will be sorely missed by those who loved her,” Mary Kennedy’s family said in a statement released by her lawyer. It made no reference to the cause of death. Her body was discovered by police in a building at the Kennedy property in Mount Kisco, according to a police statement, which did not identify the deceased directly. The medical examiner’s office confirmed the identity as Mary Kennedy.

International FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Syrian troops pound rebel bastion

HAMA: An image grab from video footage shows the body of a Syrian victim of recent violence in Khan Sheikhun. — AFP

Iran flouts UN sanctions, sends weapons to Syria Tehran seeking banned nuclear items UNITED NATIONS: Syria remains the top destination for Iranian arms shipments in violation of a UN Security Council ban on weapons exports by the Islamic Republic, according to a confidential report on Iran sanctions-busting seen by Reuters on Wednesday. Iran, like Russia, is one of Syria’s few allies as it presses ahead with a 14-month old assault on opposition forces determined to oust Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

News of the panel’s report came as Tehran and the UN International Atomic Energy Agency try narrow their differences on how to tackle concerns over Iran’s atomic program, and as Iran prepares for talks with the five permanent council members and Germany in Iraq next week.

The new report, submitted by a panel of sanctions-monitoring experts to the Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee, said the panel investigated three large illegal shipments of Iranian weapons over the past year.

“Iran has continued to defy the international community through illegal arms shipments,” it stated. “Two of these cases involved (Syria), as were the majority of cases inspected by the Panel during its previous mandate, underscoring that Syria continues to be the central party to illicit Iranian arms transfers.”

The third shipment involved rockets that Britain said last year were headed for Taleban fighters in Afghanistan. “The Panel recommends the designation (blacklisting) of two entities related to these interdictions,” it said.

“The report also takes note of information concerning arms shipments by Iran to other destinations.” The kinds of arms that Iran was attempting to send to Syria before the shipments were seized by Turkish authorities included assault rifles, machine guns, explosives, detonators, 60mm and 120mm mortal shells and other items, the panel said.

The most recent incident described in the report was an arms shipment discovered in a truck that Turkey seized on its border with Syria in February. Turkey announced last year that it was imposing an arms embargo on Syria. Diplomats said that the panel’s draft report may be changed by the Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee before it is submitted to the council itself for considera-

tion. It was unclear how long it would take the committee to pass the report to the Security Council. Last year’s expert panel report on Iran was never made public because Russia blocked its publication.

CIRCUMVENT SANCTIONS The report also discusses Iran’s attempts to circumvent sanctions on its nuclear program but notes that the four rounds of punitive measures the 15-nation Security Council imposed on Iran between 2006 and 2010 are having an impact. “Sanctions are slowing Iran’s procurement of some critical items required for its prohibited nuclear program,” it said. “At the same time prohibited activities continue, including uranium enrichment.”

Among the items Iran has attempted to procure for its nuclear program, the panel said, were nuclear-grade graphite, high-strength aluminum, aluminum, powder, specialized alloys, maraging steel, carbon fiber, magnets, vacuum pumps, turbines, electrical switchboards and helium gas detectors.

“The Panel identifies the acquisition of high-grade carbon fiber as one of a number of critical items Iran requires for the development of more advanced centrifuges,” the report said, adding that nations should be on alert for illicit attempts to acquire such items.

Iran rejects allegations by Western nations and their allies that it is secretly developing the capability to produce nuclear weapons. It has refused to suspend its enrichment program as demanded by the Security Council despite being hit with increasingly draconian UN and various national sanctions.

The report said Iran has been trying to circumvent UN and other unilateral sanctions on financial firms by using correspondence banking relationships with institutions not under sanctions, and appears to be relying on Iranians abroad to carry out such transfers.

Transfer traffic has risen sharply, it said. The panel said it had received information about a small firm set up abroad by an Iranian national that was involved in funds transfers to various recipients worldwide. The firm, which the report did not identify, had processed transfers amounting to some $11 billion over an 18-month period, it said. — Reuters

DAMASCUS: Syrian forces sent shells crashing into rebel stronghold Rastan yesterday, a watchdog said, hours after President Bashar Al-Assad branded the armed opposition as “criminals” infiltrated by Al-Qaeda. Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 30 shells smashed into Rastan in a 10-minute period after midnight, and urged UN observers monitoring a shaky truce to immediately rush to the town in central Homs province. “The army is trying to gradually destroy Rastan,” Abdel Rahman said. Rastan has for months been the focus of an offensive by the regime as it attempts to regain control of the town, defended by the largest concentration of rebel soldiers in the country and encircled by the army. On Monday, the UN Supervisory Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) reported heavy fighting near Rastan, where activists said at least 23 soldiers and seven civilians died in fierce clashes between government forces and rebels. The Britain-based Observatory alleged regime troops had this week carried out two “massacres” of civilians-one in Homs city in which 15 civilians were “summarily executed” and another in the town of Khan Sheikhun, in Idlib province, when they gunned down 20 people at a funeral procession.

Clashes across Syria continue despite an April 12 truce brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan as part of a six-point plan aimed at ending violence that has swept Syria since March 2011, when the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad erupted. Assad, in an interview with Russian state news channel Rossia-24, on Wednesday accused the West of ignoring violence by “terrorists” and said he would demand an explanation from Annan when he visits Damascus later this month.

He complained that, since the arrival of the UN observers there had been an increase in “terrorist attacks” despite a reduction in “direct confrontation” between government forces and their foes. “The West only talks about violence, violence on the government side. There is not a word about the terrorists.

We are still waiting,” he said. “I will ask him

(Annan) what this is about” when he next visits Syria. Assad denounced the armed opposition as a gang of “criminals” who he said contained religious extremists, including members of Al-Qaeda. He also said many “foreign mercenaries” from Arab states fighting for the rebels had been killed.

Russia, a key ally of Assad’s regime, cautioned Western powers on Thursday against launching “hasty” wars that could lead to the rise of radical Islamist factions and all-out regional war. “The consequence of hasty military operations in foreign states usually means that radicals come to power,” Russia’s premier and former president Dmitry Medvedev told a televised forum in Saint Petersburg. “And sometimes these actionswhich undermine state sovereignty-could result in a fully-fledged regional war,” he said, in clear reference to Moscow’s current standoff with the West over Syria.

Syria-linked violence flared again yesterday in the north Lebanon port city of Tripoli, where one person was killed and seven wounded, a security official said. The sectarian clashes erupted in the neighborhoods of Bab Al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen and saw both sides using rockets and machineguns, the official said. Jabal Mohsen is populated mainly by Alawites loyal to the regime of Assad, who belongs to the same Shiite Muslim sect, while Bab Al-Tebbaneh residents support the opposition seeking to oust the president.

Clashes between residents of the two districts earlier this week left nine people dead and sparked fears the revolt in Syria could engulf its tiny neighbor. Highlighting divisions within the Local Coordination Committees, a network of activists on the ground in Syria, threatened yesterday to pull out of the main opposition bloc over its “monopolization” of power. The threat came after Paris-based academic Burhan Ghalioun was re-elected head of the Syrian National Coalition in the face of some opposition within the group and rules that require the president’s rotation every three months. —AFP

American jihadi craves fast food, misses family NAIROBI: Top in Bible school, missing his family, and craving Chinese takeaways: an American extremist in Somalia’s Al-Qaeda affiliated rebels recounts his life in an autobiography he has penned. Titled “The Story of An American Jihadi” and posted on Islamist websites, the book claims to be written by Alabama-born Omar Hammami-better known as Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki (the American). If confirmed, the book-signed by Amriki “still alive and well” on May 16 would be the first confirmation he is alive after a furious dispute with Shebab leaders. In March, he issued a video warning he feared he would be killed.

“I guess I hope that Muslims around the world also take my life as an example,” he wrote in the book, detailing his time alongside Somali fighters as well as insurgents from the US, Britain, Yemen, Syria, Tunisia, Jordan.

“Not that I’m extremely special, but then again I haven’t seen too many middle class ‘white guys’ from Alabama in jihad these days. Hopefully others will say to themselves: I can do that too!” Amriki, who has reportedly been based in anarchic Somalia since late 2006 and is wanted by the US on terrorism

charges, has issued previous videos calling for foreign recruits, including singing rap songs praising jihad.

“I am not simply a disenfranchised foreigner who is jealous of America,” the 28-year old said, writing thousands of miles from the small town of Daphne, Alamaba where he grew up. “The real fear that Americans feel when they see an American in Somalia talking about jihad, is not how skillful he is at sneaking back across the borders with nuclear weapons,” he added. “The Americans fear that their cultural barrier has been broken, and now jihad has become a normal career choice of any youthful American Muslim.”

Britain’s security think tank, the Royal United Services Institute, estimates the total number of foreign fighters within the Shebab to be around 200. He explains he wrote the book because the “war of narratives has become even more important than the war of navies, napalm and knives.” Detailing his upbringing by a southern Baptist mother with Irish roots and a Muslim father with a Syrian background, Amriki documents teenage crushes on girls, deer hunting, and how he was once “the best student in Bible school.”— AFP

International FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

In Egypt’s vote, revolutionaries lack a candidate CAIRO: A black smoke covered Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

Around a dozen protesters who had been holding a weekslong sit-in demanding an end to military rule had come to the conclusion their gathering was useless. So over the weekend, they splashed gas on their tents and banners, burned them to ashes and left. Last year, Tahrir was the icon on the revolution, where hundreds of thousands massed daily in the uprising that ousted longtime authoritarian ruler Hosni Mubarak in the name of democracy. Now, it has seen better days, dirty and littered with trash. Street vendors sell everything from sandwiches to socks during the day. At night, young men peddle hashish.

Ahead of Egypt’s historic election for a new president next week, Tahrir Square’s woes reflect the disarray of the protest movement that called for a democratic transformation in the Arab world’s most populous nation. The revolutionary leaders, largely secular and leftist, have no viable candidate in the race.

Instead, the vote has boiled down to a choice between former members of Mubarak’s regime, who the revolutionaries believe will keep the old system intact and will not challenge the military’s grip on politics, and Islamists, who they worry will impose an equally authoritarian system but based on religion.

The youth groups behind the revolution are left divided and muddled over the election and how to handle the post-election era. Some groups call for a boycott of the vote. Many in the movement believe that the real confrontations are still to come when they press their agenda on whatever new government emerges. But they are divided even on how to do that. Some question the reliance on protests since Mubarak’s fall. Activists staged multiple protests in Tahrir the past year that repeatedly turned in to bloody clashes with police and the military. But they often failed to reach a unified list of demands or cre-

Egypt Brotherhood goes into election hamstrung CAIRO: Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has activated its formidable grassroots ahead of next week’s presidential vote, but the Islamists may have hemorrhaged the support that helped them take parliament earlier this year. Pressed in by the military rulers who took charge after president Hosni Mubarak’s ouster last year, and facing an electorate impatient with the weak parliament’s performance, the Islamists are desperate for executive power. “They created the circumstances by which they got burned,” said analyst Michael Wahid Hanna with US think tank The Century Foundation.

“They went along with the military transitional plan that increased the military’s power, and they stayed silent with a few exceptions because they saw the military as hastening their electoral victories,” he said.

Many voters may not sympathize with the fact that it is ultimately the ruling council of generals that decides policy, he added. In the run up to the legislative elections, the Muslim Brotherhood alienated other parties by breaking a pledge to contest no more than half the seats and ending up dominating parliament and senate, which they found to be largely powerless. After last February, with both houses under control, the Brotherhood then tried to dominate a constituent assembly boycotted by liberals, Coptic Christians and the influential Sunni Muslim Al-Azhar institute.

A court ruled the panel illegal and now parliament must elect a new one. The Islamists’ pressure on the ruling military to sack its government and allow the Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), to pick a cabinet also led nowhere. “All they see is the Brotherhood unable to do anything, involved in sideshows, not engaging in policy making and in fact screwing things up,” Hanna said.

Mahmud Ghozlan, a member of the Brotherhood’s executive bureau, said the movement was forced to put forward a candidate-breaking a previous vow-after it realized that it could not implement its program through parliament.

ate a cohesive political movement. And the turmoil turned sections of the population against them, guided by a persistent military line that the protesters were to blame for chaos.

“We are left with an orphaned revolution. The people don’t know what the revolution wants to do,” said Rami Sabri, a member of the Popular Socialist Alliance, a newly formed party. Support from Egyptians craving

stability amid the turmoil and economic woes has vaulted two former regime figures to front-runner status - ex-foreign minister Amr Moussa and ex-prime minister Ahmed Shafiq. The latest polls have them slightly on top, though the polls’ reliability is unknown.

Religious constituencies have elevated two Islamists: the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Morsi and a moderate, Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh.—AP

CAIRO: A huge advertisement billboard with a portrait of former Arab League General Secretary and presidential candidate Amr Mussa is seen in Cairo. The first round of Egypt’s upcoming elections will take place on May 23 and 24. — AFP

Yemen’s secessionists vow to crush Islamists World urged to wake up to Qaeda ‘plague’ BEIRUT: Foreign governments should back secessionists who want to recreate the vanished state of south Yemen, because it would crush the Islamist militants who have taken over much of the region, a secessionist leader said on Wednesday. In an interview late on Wednesday, Ali Salem Al-Beidh, last president of the socialist southern state whose 1990 union with the north crumbled into civil war four years later, said the united Yemeni state now fighting Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists was too dysfunctional to salvage.

“It’s a collection of tribal, military, and security cliques fighting over who’ll hold power,” Beidh said of the state led by President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who succeeded Ali Abdullah Saleh in February after a year of unrest. “They are not capable of building a democratic, civil state. The northern mentality cannot live within a state, whereas the mentality of the south cannot live without one.” Secessionist sentiment is rising in the south, where Al Hiraak Al Junuubi, a loose secessionist movement, sprang up in 2006-7 around cashiered southern army officers. It leads a protest campaign that security forces have countered with force and, according to Hiraak activists, arrests and torture.

Beidh represents a hard line in the Hiraak which wants the south to be recognized as the sovereign state it was before 1990 in talks over the future disposition of Yemen. Others suggest 3-5 years of federal rule before a referendum on separation. Germany is involved in efforts to coax southerners to take part in a national dialogue prescribed by the Gulf-brokered deal that saw Saleh give up power. Those talks would address southern grievances within the framework of a unified Yemen.

The uprising last year saw the military split into pro- and antiSaleh factions that fought each other and tribal militias, raising US and Saudi fears of civil war and a collapse of the state which would embolden the Yemeni franchise of Al-Qaeda. US officials say they recently thwarted a plot by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to bomb an airliner, the latest in a string of

abortive attacks the group has planned on US and Saudi targets from Yemen since 2009. Another group, Ansar Al-Sharia, flies AlQaeda’s flag over swathes of southern Yemen it seized from government forces as the uprising gained force last year, and in March routed Yemeni troops attempting to retake them. Its advance drew charges that Saleh - long a key to US “counter-terrorism” strategy - had ceded territory to create an enemy he would be needed to fight. Beidh cited the use of Islamists against the south in the civil war as proof of a long-standing relationship.

“This force doesn’t just threaten us; it threatens neighboring countries and shipping in the Arabian Sea and any aspiration to civilization,” he said. “We want international and regional powers to wake up to this fact and back us in confronting Al-Qaeda, to deliver our country from this plague,” he said. “With a little international support we could finish off Al-Qaeda.”

Beidh, who has been in exile in Germany and Oman since Saleh’s troops crushed southern forces in the civil war, said Hiraak forces were playing a role among regional militia now fighting Ansar Al-Sharia in southern Abyan province. Hadi’s government has launched an offensive against Ansar Al-Sharia in Abyan, with some participation by military trainers from the United States, which has accelerated its campaign of assassinations by drone strike since Hadi took office. Beidh acknowledged splits in the southern movement, but said there was consensus on the goal of resurrecting a state which once had relatively strong institutions and better standards of education and development than most Arab countries.

“Ninety percent of southerners, whatever their political affiliations, are in agreement about getting back their state, not secession, because we offered it up voluntarily in service of a greater project, and have been occupied since,” he said. He said he was open to support from the region to advance that cause, including from Iran, which the United States has accused of meddling in southern Yemen to expand its influence. —Reuters

International FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Terror law violates 1st Amendment: US judge NEW YORK: A judge on Wednesday struck down a portion of a law giving the government wide powers to regulate the detention, interrogation and prosecution of suspected terrorists, saying it left journalists, scholars and political activists facing the prospect of indefinite detention for exercising First Amendment rights. US District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan said in a written ruling that a single page of the law has a “chilling impact on First Amendment rights.”

She cited testimony by journalists that they feared their association with certain individuals overseas could result in their arrest because a provision of the law subjects to indefinite detention anyone who “substantially” or “directly” provides “support” to forces such as AlQaeda or the Taleban. She said the wording was too vague and encouraged Congress to change it. “An individual could run the risk of substantially supporting or directly supporting an associated force without even being aware that he or she was doing so,” the judge said.

She said the law also gave the government authority to move against individuals who engage in political speech with views that “may be extreme and unpopular as measured against views of an average individual.

“That, however, is precisely what the First Amendment protects,” Forrest wrote. She called the fears of journalists in particular real and reasonable, citing testimony at a March hearing by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Christopher Hedges, who has interviewed Al-Qaeda members, conversed with members of the Taleban during speaking engagements overseas and reported on 17 groups named on a list prepared by the State Department of known terrorist organizations.

He testified that the law has led him to consider altering speeches where members of Al-Qaeda or the Taleban might be present. Hedges called Forrest’s ruling “a tremendous step forward for the restoration of due process and the rule of law.” He said: “Ever since the law has come out, and because the law is so amorphous, the problem is you’re not sure what you can say, what you can do and what context you can have.” Hedges was among seven individuals and one organization that challenged the law with a January lawsuit. The National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law in December, allowing for the indefinite detention of US citizens suspected of terrorism.

Wednesday’s ruling does not affect another part of the law that enables the United States to indefinitely detain members of terrorist organizations, and the judge said the government has other legal authority it can use to detain those who support terrorists. A message left Wednesday with a spokeswoman for government lawyers was not immediately returned. Bruce Afran, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, called the ruling a “great victory for free speech.” “She’s held that the government cannot subject people to indefinite imprisonment for engaging in speech, journalism or advocacy, regardless of how unpopular those ideas might be to some people,” he said.

Attorney Carl Mayer, speaking for plaintiffs at oral arguments earlier this year, had noted that even President Barack Obama expressed reservations about certain aspects of the bill when he signed it into law.

After the ruling, Mayer called on the Obama administration to drop its decision to enforce the law. He also called on Congress to change it “to make it the law of the land that US citizens are entitled to trial by jury. They are not subject to military detention, policing and tribunals, all the things we fought a revolution to make sure would never happen in this land.”

The government had argued that the law did not change the practices of the United States since the Sept.

11 terrorist attacks and that the plaintiffs did not have legal standing to sue. In March, the judge seemed sympathetic to the government’s arguments until she asked a government attorney if he could assure the plaintiffs that they would not face detention under the law for their work. She wrote Wednesday that the failure of the government to make such a representation required her to assume that government takes the position that the law covers “a wide swath of expressive and associational conduct.”— AP

2 Mexican generals linked to drug gang Highest level military scandal MEXICO CITY: Investigators are questioning Mexico’s former deputy defense minister and a top army general for suspected links to organized crime, in the highest level scandal to hit the military in the five-year-old drug war. Mexican soldiers have detained retired general Tomas Angeles Dauahare and general Roberto Dawe Gonzalez and turned them over to the country’s organized crime unit, military and government officials said. Angeles Dauahare was No 2 in the armed forces under President Felipe Calderon and helped lead the government’s crackdown on drug cartels after soldiers were deployed to the streets in late 2006. He retired in 2008.

Dawe Gonzalez, still an active duty general, led an elite army unit in the western state of Colima and local media said he previously held posts in the violent states of Sinaloa and Chihuahua. An official at the attorney general’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the generals would be held for several days to give testimony and then could be called in front of a judge. “The generals are answering questions because they are allegedly tied to organized crime,” an official at the attorney general’s office said, on condition of anonymity.

Angeles Dauahare said through a lawyer that his detention was unjustified, daily Reforma newspaper reported. If the generals were convicted of drug trafficking, it would mark the most serious case of military corruption during Calderon’s administration.

“Traditionally the armed forces had a side role in the anti-drug fight, eradicating drug crops or stopping drug shipments,” said Alejandro Hope, a security analyst who formerly worked in the government intelligence agency.

“After 2006, they were more directly involved in public security, putting them at a higher risk of contact (with drug gangs),” he said.

PAST ARMY CORRUPTION About 55,000 people have been killed in drug violence over the past five years as rival cartels fight each other and government forces. Worsening drug-related attacks in major cities are eroding support for Calderon’s conservative National Action Party, or PAN, ahead of a July 1 presidential vote. Over the weekend, police found 49 headless bodies on a highway in northern Mexico, the latest in a recent series of brutal massacres where mutilated corpses have been hung from bridges or shoved in iceboxes. Opinion polls show Calderon’s party is trailing by double digits behind opposition candidate Enrique Pena Nieto from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which says the government’s drug strategy is failing.

Traditionally, the military has been seen as less susceptible to cartel bribes and intimidation than badly paid local and state police forces, who are often easily swayed by drug gang pay offs. But there have been cases of military corruption in the past. Angeles Dauahare himself oversaw the landmark trial of two generals convicted of working with drug gangs in 2002. Those two generals were convicted of links to the Juarez cartel once headed by the late Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who was known as the “Lord of the Skies” for flying plane loads of cocaine into the United States. Since then, the Sinaloa cartel - headed by Mexico’s most wanted man Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman - has expanded its power and is locked in a bloody battle over smuggling routes with the Zetas gang, founded by deserters from the Mexican army. — Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR: Mexican brothers Simon Gonzalez Villarreal (left) and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal cover their faces from media as they leave the courtroom in police custody after a verdict in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Three Mexican brothers were sentenced to hang in Malaysia on drug trafficking charges in the climax of a long-running trial that followed their 2008 arrest at an alleged drugs factory. — AFP

Castro’s daughter Mariela to visit US HAVANA: Cuban President Raul Castro’s daughter is scheduled to visit California next week to speak at a conference of experts on Latin America during a rare US trip by a member of Cuba’s ruling family. Sexologist Mariela Castro, 50, will discuss Cuba’s policies on sexual issues on May 24 at a Latin American Studies Association (LASA) conference in San Francisco, an association spokesman said on Wednesday. Mariela Castro heads the communist island nation’s National Center for Sex Education and is an outspoken advocate for gay rights. Her father Raul Castro, 80, took over as president four years ago from his ailing older brother Fidel Castro, who ruled the island for 49 years after taking power in a 1959 revolution.

A US State Department spokesman in Washington refused to confirm during a briefing whether Mariela Castro had been granted a visa to visit the country, which has been Cuba’s ideological foe for more than half a century. The spokesman for LASA, an international group based at the University of Pittsburgh for peo-

ple who study Latin America, said she was registered to attend the conference, scheduled for the speech and likely has a visa. In Washington, US Senator Robert Menendez, an anti-Castro Cuban exile, said in a statement he was “disappointed by the decision to give Mariela Castro a visa and questioned whether the government had the authority to do so. “”Ms. Castro is a vociferous advocate of the (Castro) regime and opponent of democracy, who has defended the regime’s brutal repression of democracy activists,” the New Jersey Democrat said.

“Neither the United States Government nor the Latin American Studies Association should be in the business of providing a totalitarian regime, like the one in Cuba, with a platform from which to espouse its twisted rhetoric,” Menendez added. Menendez said a US presidential proclamation prohibited travel visas for members of Cuba’s government or its Communist Party. A State Department spokesman told Reuters in an email the same proclamation “provided authority for granting exceptions.—Reuters

International FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

North Korea building reactor WASHINGTON: North Korea appears to be moving ahead with the building of a light-water reactor that could be used to support its nuclear weapons program, according to satellite images released Wednesday. The signs of progress come amid fears that the secretive communist state is planning a new nuclear test, although experts said that the new reactor is likely still years away from being operational. Commercial satellite images, taken on April 30 and analyzed by Johns Hopkins University’s US-Korea Institute, showed advances at the site of a new reactor at the Yongbyon complex with added concrete, steel and roof work. “It appears that the North may now be nearing completion of the reactor containment building,” said a blog entry on the institute’s website, 38north.org.

The construction of the reactor, along with a uranium enrichment plant, “is an important indication of the North’s intention to move forward with the expansion of its nuclear weapons stockpile in the future,” it said. But it said the facility was unlikely to be operational before 2014 or 2015 as North Korea would still need to install heavy equipment including a turbine generator. North Korea first disclosed construction on a new reactor in 2010 to visiting US scientists and also showed them a uranium enrichment plant that was said to produce low-enriched fuel for the new facility.

While both were ostensibly for civilian power, the enrichment plant could be converted to produce highly enriched uranium for bombs. Scientists say that the light water reactor could also be run to produce plutonium. North Korea, whose nuclear program is based on plutonium, has tested two nuclear bombs and has hinted that it may conduct a third explosion. Young leader Kim Jong-Un’s regime said it would suspend nuclear and missile tests along with uranium enrichment under a February 29 deal with the United States. But the agreement quickly collapsed after North Korea launched a rocket on April 13 in what US officials believe was a disguised, albeit unsuccessful, missile test.—AFP

With US shift to Asia, NATO faces new era WASHINGTON: With its focus shifting to Asia, the United States will seek a less dominant role in NATO in the future but will still turn to European allies “when the chips are down,” experts say. Washington’s emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region does not render NATO irrelevant but the change signals a new era in which European states will have to be ready to manage security problems in their neighborhood without expecting the American military to lead the way as in the past. As NATO gathers for a summit Sunday and Monday in Chicago, the message from Washington amounts to “don’t count on us for everything,” said Barry Pavel, a former senior official at the Pentagon and White House.

For challenges that do not constitute a threat to all alliance members, “the Bosnias, the Kosovos, the US is not going to be there all the time,” Pavel, now at the Atlantic Council think tank said. NATO’s air war in Libya last year, in which Europeans led the operation with support from the United States as well as non-NATO Gulf states, was an example of how the alliance could evolve. But for the model to succeed, NATO’s European members will have to invest in aircraft, weapons and training, analysts say. The Libya intervention exposed serious shortcomings in Europe’s military power and a transatlantic gap in capabilities, with Washington far ahead of its partners.

In one of his last speeches as US defense secretary, Robert Gates issued a stark warning that if European governments failed to heed the lessons of the Libya operation and invest in their armed forces, NATO faced “a dim, if not dismal future.”

Gates, a veteran of the Cold War era, said that without a change in current trends, the next generation of American leaders might not consider it worth investing in the NATO alliance. Although the Pentagon plans to withdraw two Army brigades from Europe, the United States looks firmly committed to NATO, with a lead role in missile defense for Europe, counter-piracy naval operations off the Horn of Africa and an alliance-led war in Afghanistan. By stressing the importance of China’s rise, the United States hopes to nudge its NATO partners to pay more attention to Asia and forge security ties with countries that have strong links to Washington, including Japan, South Korea and Australia, experts say. —AFP

KABUL: Mohammed Jawad, 60, sells eggs on a road in Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday.— AP

NATO’s rush for exit risks Afghan collapse Suicide squad kills 7, injures 12 KABUL: NATO’s rush to get out of a “quagmire” in Afghanistan risks the collapse of the state and strategic failure for the Western alliance in its decadelong war, a former EU adviser has warned. “The intervention veered from ‘too little too late’ in its crucial early years, to one of ‘too much too late’,” said Barbara Stapleton, who was deputy to the EU special representative for Afghanistan, in a report. The report for the independent Afghanistan Analysts Network, entitled “Beating a Retreat”, comes ahead of a NATO summit in Chicago that will hammer out details of the withdrawal of some 130,000 troops by the end of 2014.

Stapleton criticizes the inflexibility of the deadline, saying the transition of security to Afghan control “cannot be divorced from actual conditions on the ground with respect to security, governance and development”. “The idea that the official transition timeline can generate even minimally conducive conditions on the Afghan ground-that would substantiate claims that the transition strategy can succeed-is a delusion,” she wrote. Going head regardless, “increases the risk of the Afghan state’s collapse and with it, the prospect of strategic failure for NATO”.

NATO and its International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, rejected the analysis. “Clearly the international community is doing anything

but retreating from Afghanistan,” an ISAF spokesman, Lieutenant Commander Brian Badura said. “The evidence of the long-term commitment to Afghanistan, particularly in this past month, overwhelmingly shows the Afghan people that the nations comprising the ISAF coalition have an interest in long-term success for Afghanistan and the region.” Germany and the United States have just signed strategic agreements with the Afghan government to allow for cooperation until 2024. Britain, France and India have already signed their own bilateral agreements, Badura said.

NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, Simon Gass, said “transition has been one of the success stories of the last 10 years-growing Afghan National Security Forces ready and able to protect Afghans, with ISAF support”.

“As more of the country enters transition the Afghan people will feel the benefits of NATO and Afghanistan working together. After 2014 such a partnership can only be strengthened.” The United States led an invasion of Afghanistan to topple the Taleban regime for harboring Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks-and has been fighting an insurgency by the hardline Islamists ever since.

AFGHAN SUICIDE SQUAD Meanwhile, gunmen dressed in

Afghan police uniforms and wearing suicide vests stormed a government compound yesterday, killing seven people and wounding 12 others in the southwest, police said. The four attackers targeted the offices of Governor Mohammad Ikhpolwak in Farah, capital of the southwestern province Farah, which borders Iran and is considered a troublespot for the decade-old Taleban insurgency. The assault underscored the major security challenges as Afghanistan heads to a NATO summit in Chicago on Sunday with a demand for $4.1 billion a year to bankroll its security forces after Western troops pull out in 2014. “Four suicide bombers in Afghan police uniforms armed with suicide vests and rocket-propelled grenades today attacked a government compound in Farah, exchanging fire with police,” said Mohammad Ghaus Malyar, provincial deputy security chief.

“As a result, seven people were killed-six police and one civilian-and 12 others were wounded including three policemen and nine civilians,” Malyar added. Officials said the four attackers also died. Two of the attackers detonated their suicide vests and the other two were shot dead by police, said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi. The ministry blamed the attack on “terrorists”, a phrase Afghan officials use to refer to Taleban insurgents and other militants.— Agencies

International FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Minorities now surpass whites in US births WASHINGTON: For the first time, racial and ethnic minorities make up more than half the children born in the US, capping decades of heady immigration growth that is now slowing. New 2011 census estimates highlight sweeping changes in the nation’s racial makeup and the prolonged impact of a weak economy, which is now resulting in fewer Hispanics entering the US. “This is an important landmark,” said Roderick Harrison, a former chief of racial statistics at the Census Bureau who is now a sociologist at Howard University. “This generation is growing up much more accustomed to diversity than its elders.”

The report comes as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the legality of a strict immigration law in Arizona, with many states weighing similar get-tough measures. “We remain in a dangerous period where those appealing to anti-

immigration elements are fueling a divisiveness and hostility that might take decades to overcome,” Harrison said. As a whole, the nation’s minority population continues to rise, following a higherthan-expected Hispanic count in the 2010 census. Minorities increased 1.9 percent to 114.1 million, or 36.6 percent of the total US population, lifted by prior waves of immigration that brought in young families and boosted the number of Hispanic women in their prime childbearing years. But a recent slowdown in the growth of the Hispanic and Asian populations is shifting notions on when the tipping point in US diversity will come - the time when non-Hispanic whites become a minority. After 2010 census results suggested a crossover as early as 2040, demographers now believe the pivotal moment may be pushed back several years when new

Police brace for ‘Red Shirt’ rally BANGKOK: Thai police are braced for a “huge turnout” at a Bangkok rally marking the second anniversary of a deadly military crackdown on “Red Shirt” opposition street protests, a police spokesman said yesterday. At least 1,200 officers will be deployed tomorrow in the retail heart of Bangkok, authorities said, where the 2010 protests in support of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra descended into the kingdom’s worst violence in decades. “We expect a huge turnout but at this stage I have no estimate of the numbers,” said police spokesman Colonel Preeda Sataworn.

Red Shirt leader Thida Thavornseth said more than 100,000 people from across the country could converge on Bangkok for the 12-hour gathering at the Ratchaprasong intersection, close to upmarket hotels and shopping malls.

More than 90 people, mostly civilians, were killed and nearly 1,900 wounded during the two months of rallies, which ended on May 19 2010 after the government of then premier Abhisit Vejjajiva sent in armed troops.

The Red Shirts have called on the new government, led by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck, to prosecute soldiers and officials responsible for causing scores of deaths and hundreds of injuries, many to unarmed demonstrators. Thailand has seen a string of violent protests since 2005, involving the arch royalist and nationalist Yellow Shirts, the mainly rural workingclass Red Shirts and several smaller factions. Rights groups say the military-and some armed elements within the Red Shirts-have so far evaded justice for their roles in the violence, causing anguish to the victims’ families.

“The government needs to prosecute all those responsible for crimes, whatever their political affiliation or official position, to end the cycle of violence and impunity,” said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch. Yingluck’s government came to power last year with a promise of reconciliation in the deeply divided nation. Her government in January agreed a 2.0 billion baht ($65 million) pot to compensate all victims of political unrest in recent years. But criminal investigations into the 2010 deaths have yet to lead to any prosecutions and the government is debating plans to offer a sweeping amnesty for the violence as part of reconciliation efforts.

The opposition says the proposed amnesty aims to bring home Thaksin, who lives abroad, to avoid a jail term for corruption. He also faces terrorism charges relating to the 2010 violence. Families of the victims have also decried the idea of an amnesty. Nutthaputt Akahad, the brother of a nurse who was gunned down in the grounds of a Buddhist temple while treating injured Red Shirts on May 19, said Thailand risked becoming a “lawless country” unless the killers are prosecuted. “We have sacrificed our loved ones, some have sacrificed their freedom, but we can’t sacrifice the truth, we can’t sacrifice justice,” he said at an event on Tuesday in the run-up to the anniversary.— AFP

projections are released in December.

The annual growth rates for Hispanics and Asians fell sharply last year to just over 2 percent, roughly half the rates in 2000 and the lowest in more than a decade. The black growth rate stayed flat at 1 percent. The immigrants staying put in the US for now include Narcisa Marcelino, 34, a single mother who lives with her two daughters, ages 10 and 5, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. After crossing into the US from Mexico in 2000, she followed her brother to the eastern part of the state just outside the BaltimoreWashington region. The Martinsburg area is known for hiring hundreds of migrants annually to work in fruit orchards. Its Hispanic growth climbed from 14 percent to 18 percent between 2000 and 2005 before shrinking last year to 3.3 percent, still above the national average. Marcelino says she sells food

from her home to make ends meet for her family and continues to hope that one day she will get a hearing with immigration officials to stay legally in the US She aspires to open a restaurant and is learning English at a community college so she can help other Spanish-language speakers. If she is eventually deported, “it wouldn’t be that tragic,” Marcelino said.

“But because the children have been born here, this is their country. And there are more opportunities for them here.”

Of the 30 large metropolitan areas showing the fastest Hispanic growth in the previous decade, all showed slower growth in 2011 than in the peak Hispanic growth years of 2005-2006, when the construction boom attracted new migrants to low-wage work. They include Lakeland, Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta; Provo, Utah; Las Vegas; and Phoenix. —AP

Mladic trial halted over ‘irregularities’ Prosecution describes horror of Srebrenica massacre THE HAGUE: The war crimes trial of former Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic was abruptly halted yesterday, just a day after it opened, because of prosecution “irregularities” in the highprofile case. The decision was announced by the presiding judge shortly after the prosecution described the “horror” of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre it says was orchestrated by Mladic, the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II. “The hearing is adjourned sine die,” said judge Alphons Orie, three hours into the trial’s second day at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

He said there were “irregularities” in the transfer of prosecution documents to the defense to enable it to prepare for the trial, but that the court hoped to announce a date soon for the resumption of proceedings. Mladic, the so-called “Butcher of Bosnia” is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide over the 1992-1995 war in the Balkan state and in particular the Srebrenica massacre of almost 8,000 Muslim men and boys. “Mladic himself was on the ground and personally involved,” prosecuting counsel Peter McCloskey told the court, showing footage of the former general triumphantly entering Srebrenica and congratulating his men.

“We give this town to the Serbs as a gift,” Mladic said in the video footage taken in Srebrenica after the mass killings in what was meant to be a UN-protected enclave on July 11, 2005. Prosecutors say Mladic orchestrated the mass killings as part of a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in the 1992-95 Bosnian war that killed 100,000 people and left 2.2 million homeless. McCloskey showed the court photographs of graves in Srebenica, saying: “This is an example of the horror created by Mladic.”

He said most military orders were given orally, but that certain “crucial” docu-

THE HAGUE: Gen Ratko Mladic is seen on the second day of his trial at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague. — AP ments had survived and that former Mladic subordinates were willing to testify against him. Now 70, Mladic, dubbed the “Butcher of Bosnia”, has been indicted on 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. “Ratko Mladic assumed the mantle of the criminal goal of ethnically cleansing Bosnia,” prosecutor Dermot Groome told the court on the opening day of the trial on Wednesday. “The prosecution will present evidence that will show without reasonable doubt the hand of Mr Mladic in each of these crimes,” Groome said, as relatives of the Srebrenica victims watched the proceedings on a live broadcast in Sarajevo.

The former Bosnian Serb commander had pleaded not guilty to the charges at an earlier court hearing last June. He faces life imprisonment if convicted. In his opening address, the prosecutor displayed population maps showing the ethnic distribution in Bosnia before and

after the war, explaining how mixed or predominantly Muslim municipalities became exclusively Serbian after a campaign of ethnic cleansing he said was one of Mladic’s “strategic objectives”.

Prosecutors also hold Mladic responsible for the 44-month siege of Sarajevo where his forces waged a “terror campaign” of sniping and shelling that left an estimated 10,000 people dead, the vast majority of them civilians. “Sarajevo was a model of diversity, a cosmopolitan city,” said Groome. “They (Bosnian Serb leaders) sought to destroy it, to sever the city in half, with the Serbs living in one part and the non-Serbs in another part.”

It was in pursuit of a “Greater Serbia” that Mladic allegedly also ordered his troops to “cleanse” other Bosnian towns, driving out Croats, Muslims and other non-Serbs. After the war, Mladic continued his military career but went into hiding in 2000 after the fall of his ally in Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic. —AFP

Business FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

London Islamic bank eyes ME expansion

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi freezes Iran transactions

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ATHENS: A woman withdraws money from a branch of Piraeus bank in central Athens yesterday. Some 700 million euros ($894 million) were withdrawn from Greek banks on May 14, President Carolos Papoulias said, warning that the situation would worsen in coming days. — AFP

ECB stops operations with Greek banks IMF chief warns of cost of Greek exit from euro FRANKFURT/ATHENS: The European Central Bank has stopped offering liquidity to some Greek banks it does not consider solvent, and international concern about the euro zone rose as Athens called new elections that look set to be won by parties opposing austerity measures.

Fears that Athens is on the brink of crashing out of the euro zone and igniting a renewed financial crisis have rattled global markets and alarmed world leaders, with Greece set to figure high on the agenda at a G8 summit later this week. The risk of the contagion spreading to bigger European economies that are vulnerable due to high debt or weak banks has sent stocks and commodities tumbling, and driven Europe’s single currency towards its lowest levels this year. “The core question will be not Greece, but Spain and Italy,” World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Wednesday. If Greece left the euro zone, the ripple effects could be very damaging and reminiscent of when Lehman Brothers investment bank collapsed in 2008, spreading panic on global financial markets.

Recession-hit Spain, which faces deep concerns over the health of its banks, is set to see its medi-

um-term borrowing costs rise sharply at an auction on Thursday of 1.5-2.5 billion euros of bonds expiring in 2015 and 2016.

Highlighting the fragile state of Greece’s banking system, the ECB said on Wednesday it had stopped providing liquidity to some lenders because their capital was too depleted, confirming an earlier report by Reuters.

“As recapitalisation wasn’t in place, the ECB stopped monetary policy operations,” a euro zone central bank source told Reuters, declining to be identified. That meant the affected banks can no longer offer assets to the ECB as collateral for loans, and would have to seek costlier emergency financing from the Bank of Greece.

It was not immediately clear which banks, or how many of them, were affected. One person familiar with the matter said the capital of four Greek banks was so low they were operating with negative equity. International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde warned of “extremely expensive” consequences were Greece to leave the euro zone, a once taboo possibility that European leaders have now begun to discuss

openly. Echoing Zoellick’s comments, Lagarde told Dutch television any Greek departure from the euro “would be extremely expensive and hard, and not just for Greece”.

In March, Greece agreed to extensive budget cuts as conditions of a 130 billion euro ($165 billion) bailout package organised by the European Union and International Monetary Fund. But the country has had no elected government since an inconclusive election on May 6 at which parties opposed to the unpopular austerity measures that were part of the bailout did well, raising the chance that the rescue funds could be halted and push the country towards bankruptcy and out of the euro. The failure of pro- and anti-bailout parties to agree on a coalition forced President Karolos Papoulias to call the second election in two months, and prompted him to say the chaos risked causing panic and a run on bank deposits. A new opinion poll confirmed that leftists who reject the bailout are poised to win next month, and the two establishment parties that agreed to the rescue are sinking further. A little-known judge was installed as head of an emergency government on

Wednesday and a senior finance ministry official appointed as finance minister in the early hours of Thursday, but the administration will have no power to take political decisions, only steer the country to the election on June 17. “The only thing we are doing is waiting,” said a government official who declined to be named. An EU official conceded other Group of Eight countries, whose leaders meet at US President Barack Obama’s Camp David retreat at the weekend, had signalled heightened concern at the deepening political crisis in Athens.

“We have been confronted ... by a number of concerns on what might happen,” the official said.

“This concern has become more pronounced after the result of the Greek elections.”

The leftists argue they can tear up the bailout deal and keep the euro, but European leaders say that if Greece fails to meet promises to them, lenders will pull the plug on financing. Greeks have withdrawn hundreds of millions of euros from banks in recent days as the fears grow that the country might be forced out of the euro zone, although there has been no sign of a run on Athens bank branches. —Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

UAE current account surplus quadruples in 2011 DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates’ current account surplus quadrupled to 112.7 billion dirhams ($30.7 billion) in 2011 as both crude and non-oil exports soared, the central bank’s annual report showed yesterday.

The surplus surged to 8.5 percent of gross domestic product last year from 2.4 percent, or 26.6 billion dirhams, in 2010, according to a Reuters calculation. The 2011 calculation is based on a GDP estimate by the International Monetary Fund since the UAE’s statistics office has yet to release GDP data for last year. The OPEC member’s 2010 balance of payments data has been revised.

Last year’s outcome is smaller than the IMF estimate for a surplus of 9.2 percent of GDP, released following regular consultations with the country in February and March. The value of UAE

hydrocarbon exports surged nearly 50 percent to 409.9 billion dirhams last year ($111 billion), helped by robust oil prices and higher output as a part of the OPEC drive to help cover shortfalls due to a civil war in Libya.

Crude accounted for 81 percent of hydrocarbon exports of the UAE, one of the world’s top five oil exporters, with the rest almost evenly divided between gas and petroleum products. A Reuters poll in March showed analysts expecting the UAE’s hydrocarbon export revenue of $110 billion in 2012.

Non-oil exports jumped 22 percent to 228.0 billion dirhams, while re-exports rose 23 percent to 396.5 billion, the data showed. Imports to the $360 billion economy, the second largest in the Arab world, were also up 23 percent last year, at 742.4 billion dirhams.

The net balance on the UAE capital and financial account turned negative in 2011, reaching 60.4 billion dirhams, which indicates a net outflow of capital from the Gulf country, the central bank said.

“This was due mainly to a net outflow of capital by the public sector, in the amount of 95.0 billion dirhams, while the net inflow of private capital was in the amount of 34.6 billion in 2011,” it said.

Direct investment soared 40 percent to 28.2 billion dirhams in 2011, the highest level since 50.4 billion in 2008, when the global crisis pierced Dubai’s property bubble. Remittances sent home by UAE nationals working abroad rose to 41.2 billion dirhams last year from 38.8 billion in 2010, the report showed.

The UAE, which has one of the highest incomes per capita globally, served as

a safe haven for last year for foreign capital seeking a refuge from the wave of social unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. The central bank’s foreign currency assets increased to 169.4 billion dirhams in 2011 from 153.4 billion in the previous year. Its investments abroad into highly rated securities, government bonds and treasury bills rose to 72.3 billion dirhams from 68.4 billion in 2010, the report said.

The central bank did not give further details on the nature of its investments. It has traditionally kept the majority of its reserves in dollar-denominated assets due to its currency peg to the U.S. dollar.

The UAE’s economic growth is forecast to ease to 3.1 percent this year, a Reuters poll showed in March, from the IMF estimated 4.9 percent in 2011, partly due to a global slowdown. — Reuters

London Islamic bank eyes ME expansion Awaiting approval from Gulf authorities

NEW YORK: Specialist Mike Pistillo, left, and trader Gregory Rowe, right, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. Stocks are slipping in early trading as unease over Europe overshadows an encouraging US employment report and good results from big retailers including Wal-Mart Stores. — AP

US jobless claims steady, labour worries persist WASHINGTON: New US claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, according to government data yesterday that will do little to ease concerns about a recent slowdown in jobs growth.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits held steady at a seasonally adjusted 370,000, the Labor Department said. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 370,000 from the previously reported 367,000.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims falling to 365,000 last week. The four-week moving average for new claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends, fell 4,750 to 375,000. “We are really not showing much momentum in the labor market at this time,” said Sean Incremona, an economist at 4Cast in New York. Futures for US stocks added to losses following the data’s publication.

The data comes on the heels of three straight months of slowing employment gains. Companies added 115,000 new jobs to their payrolls in April, the fewest in six months.

Yesterday’s report on claims covered the week for May’s payrolls survey.

The four-week average of new applications fell marginally between the April and May survey periods, suggesting not much change in labor market conditions.

Still, many economists think the April report gave an overly dim view of the economy, and pin the pull-back in job creation as payback for a mild winter that boosted gains in prior months. The US Federal Reserve appears disinclined to ramp up its support for the economy anytime soon unless the recovery stumbles.

Minutes from the Fed’s April meeting released on Wednesday supported that view.

While growth in hiring has slowed, the economy has given other signs of more spark. Data on Wednesday showed groundbreaking for U.S. homes rebounded in April and factory activity gained momentum. Wal-Mart Stores Inc posted a better-thanexpected quarterly profit yesterday as Walmart US saw more shoppers come into existing stores and spend more. A report by RealtyTrac showed foreclosure activity on US homes dropped in April to the lowest level in nearly five years. —Reuters

LONDON: Sharia-compliant Bank of London and the Middle East (BLME) is targeting the thousands of rich Gulf residents who have ties to the UK to boost its corporate and private banking business.

Britain’s largest standalone sharia bank was set up in London in 2006 and does not have a presence in the Middle East, although expansion into this region was always part of the long-term plan.

It is now awaiting regulatory approval to start operations in the Gulf, initially with a representative office this year, and a branch or subsidiary in the longer term, Chief Executive Humphrey Percy told Reuters in an interview.

“The premise on which we set up BLME, which was to send skills and products and services and human capital in both directions, between London and the Middle East ... is just as valid now as in 2006,” said Percy. The bank, which fully complies with Islamic principles, including a ban on interest, was founded in 2006 with the backing of Kuwaiti investors, including Boubyan Bank. The UK is the largest Islamic finance centre in Europe, with 19 billion dollars out of global assets of 1.7 trillion dollars and is home to five fully sharia-compliant banks, data from the UK Islamic Finance Secretariat (UKIFS) estimates. Whilst a fraction of the size of the con-

ventional banking sphere, BLME, which offers corporate banking and wealth management, will look to tap into the pools of investment money in the oilrich Gulf that have been relatively untouched by the global financial crisis.

It has assets under management of around 100 million pounds ($159.2 million) across three funds.

Earlier this year, the bank launched a property advisory service for private clients mostly domiciled in the Middle East, looking for advice on acquisitions as well as help with financing.

“At the moment the asset class of choice in the Middle East is property, in particular central London property,” said Percy.

Although weathering the global financial crisis of 2008 with relative stability, the bank posted its first loss in 2011, after a 14.6 million-pound loss on a loan to a Turkish manufacturing business.

“This particular client chose very much the eleventh hour, literally the last week of the year, not to repay us and in those circumstances the board felt it had no alternative but to make a full provision and pursue them robustly in 2012,” said Percy.

Stripping out impairment charges, operating profit for 2011 would have risen 10 percent on the previous year to 4.35 million pounds. —Reuters

HOBOKEN: In this Sunday, May 13, 2012, photo, gas prices are displayed on a board at a Hess station in Hoboken, NJ Oil and gasoline prices are sinking, giving relief to businesses and consumers who a few weeks ago seemed about to face the highest fuel prices ever. — AP

Business FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

US sees momentum in Asia-Pacific trade talks DALLAS: Talks on a free trade agreement between the United States and eight countries in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region made good progress over the past week, but tough issues remain, the top US trade negotiator on the deal said on Wednesday.

“While we have work ahead, we see a clear path forward toward conclusion of most of the more than 20 chapters of the agreement,” Barbara Weisel, assistant US trade representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, told reporters at the end of the 12th round of talks on the proposed pact.

The nine countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement will meet again in early July in San Diego and “hope to use that round to make a major step forward toward conclusion of the agreement,” Weisel said.

The TPP is a key element of President Barack Obama’s so-called pivot toward Asia

to help propel US economic growth. It is seen as an important tool to keep the United States anchored in the region as China’s economic might grows.

The eight other TPP countries - Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei - comprise the fourth-largest US market for goods and services exports. Japan, Canada and Mexico asked six months ago to join the talks, but current members have not made a decision on that yet. Negotiators face a host of difficult issues, ranging from Vietnam’s interest in better access to the US textile and clothing market to US demands for tough new rules on “state-owned enterprises” to make sure they don’t have an unfair trade advantage in the region over private companies.

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk told a textile industry group on Tuesday that Vietnam was fiercely resisting US demands

for a “yarn forward” rule, which would require that all the materials that go into clothing originate and be assembled in a TPP country to qualify for duty-free treatment. “They don’t want to do this stuff. I don’t blame them. If you were Vietnam, you’d negotiate the same way,” Kirk said, adding the United States would just have to show the same “resolve” in pushing its position. While the United States has reduced or eliminated tariffs on many goods, its duties on clothing remain high.

Nearly 70 percent of all the duties collected by the United States on imports from TPP countries come from clothing, according to the TPP Apparel Coalition, which represents U.S. retailers and clothing importers. Weisel said negotiators were pushing for a “comprehensive” agreement liberalizing trade in all products, but would not say if that meant all tariffs and other trade barriers would be

eliminated under the pact. The United States restricts imports of dairy and sugar and other TPP countries have similar measures to protect their own sensitive sectors.

Weisel said negotiators have begun to dig into the tough “market access” issues but the hardest decisions would probably be left for the end.

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk and top trade officials from the other eight TPP countries will meet in early June in Kazan, Russia on the sidelines of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers meeting. Weisel, who resisted predicting how soon countries could reach a final agreement, said the nine TPP ministers would “discuss progress achieved to date and agree on a plan forward.” The top trade officials will also discuss Japan, Canada and Mexico’s applications to join the talks. — Reuters

HSBC doubles turnaround target, sees revenue boost Achieves $2bn cost savings

METHUEN: In this Feb 20, 2012, file photo, customers walk into and out of a Wal-Mart store in Methuen, Mass. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported a 10.1 percent increase in first-quarter profit that beat Wall Street estimates, reported yesterday. — AP

European stocks slump, Euro, dollar hits low LONDON: Europe’s main stock markets tumbled yesterday and the euro hit a new four-month dollar low as worries spiked over the eurozone debt crisis that is plaguing Greece and now circling Spain.

In afternoon deals, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped 0.92 percent to 5,355.57 points and Frankfurt’s DAX 30 slid 0.45 percent to 6,355.84 points. In Paris, the CAC 40 shed 0.92 percent to 3,020.55, while Milan’s FTSE Mib tumbled 1.44 percent and Madrid’s IBEX 35 slumped 1.39 percent.

In foreign exchange deals, the European single currency nosedived to a new four-month low at $1.2667. It later recovered to $1.2696, still down from $1.2715 late in New York on Wednesday.

“Markets are worried about eurozone bank deposit runs and an escalating banking crisis,” VTB Capital economist Neil MacKinnon told AFP. Shares in Spain’s state-rescued lender Bankia plunged Thursday on the back of newspaper reports that clients had withdrawn more than one billion euros in the past week, while Greeks have also reportedly stepped up pulling funds out of their banks.

Spain’s daily newspaper El Mundo reported that Bankia managers told the board the bank had lost a “similar amount” of deposits this week as the 1.16 billion euros withdrawn by clients in the first quarter of the year. Spain’s fourth-largest bank had 112 billion euros in deposits from clients at the end of the first quarter. It shares plunged by over a quarter at one point but later recovered to show a loss of 13.9 percent at 1.425 euros in afternoon trading. In another gloomy omen, official data confirmed that Spain sank into recession with a 0.3-percent contraction in the first quarter of 2012, matching the decline of the previous quarter.—AFP

HONG KONG/LONDON: HSBC doubled the annual revenue boost expected from its turnaround plan to $2 billion, as Europe’s biggest bank picks 22 markets to drive its growth and eyes more cost cutting to cope with new regulations in the wake of the financial crisis.

Chief Executive Stuart Gulliver said on Thursday that, one year into a three-year recovery plan, HSBC was on target to meet profitability and cost savings targets.

Gulliver said his biggest external worry “is absolutely how the euro zone plays out and whether Greece stays in, whether firewalls are high enough to protect Spain and, frankly, whether markets take things into their own hands before June 17,” when Greece holds new elections.

Gulliver wants to streamline HSBC and focus more on its fast-growing Asian markets. It faces regulatory pressure to reduce its risks and has conceded it has more work to do to revive its lagging European and U.S. businesses.

“Investors have been sceptical about our ability to get our hands around HSBC. The scepticism was about anybody’s ability to move such a large firm and change its direction,” Gulliver told reporters before a presentation to analysts.

“At the year one report card we can evidence that on things we can control we are demonstrating significant traction. We are delivering with good momentum given a difficult backdrop.”

Analysts said the update was reassuring, but think it will be a challenge hitting cost targets. “HSBC should come out and be honest about it. In reality, there was a force majeure in Europe blowing up, and they will need more than three years to meet their targets,” said Mizuho Securities analyst Jim Antos in Hong Kong.

HSBC’s London-listed shares were down 1.7 percent at 525 pence at 1040 GMT, its lowest level for four months, and compared to a 2.5 percent fall by the Europe bank index as the sector was rattled again by fears over the euro zone.

The bank has achieved annualised cost

savings of $2 billion, absorbing $1.2 billion of wage inflation in emerging markets and $400 million of extra regulatory costs last year. It expects savings to rise to $3.5 billion by 2013.

HSBC has sold 28 businesses, taking 15,000 staff off its payroll, and releasing about $55 billion risk-weighted assets, the bank said. The sales brought in $5.9 billion.

A return to higher interest rates will substantially boost revenues, Gulliver said.

HSBC makes money from the massive excess deposits it holds, but Gulliver said it steered clear of risk. Rival J.P.Morgan last week shocked investors by revealing a $2 billion trading loss as it attempted to make higher profits from its excess deposits.

HSBC’s balance sheet management unit does not take synthetic credit risk, and its low risk appetite was why it had $153 billion on deposit at central banks, Gulliver said.

Having focused on shrinking the bank,

Gulliver is also attempting to show the bank’s growth potential.

In addition to its core “home” markets of Britain and Hong Kong, he identified 20 priority growth markets, including China, India, Indonesia, Germany, Turkey, the United States and Brazil.

Those markets account for about 92 percent of group profit. “Those are the 22 countries we are going to focus our investment on,” Gulliver said, signalling no appetite for acquisitions.

HSBC has 89 million customers in 85 countries and has been accused of “planting flags” around the world without enough attention on economic returns.

Gulliver set out targets a year ago to get return on equity a key measure of profitability - above 12 percent, and to cut costs below 52 percent of revenue. The bank improved both in the first quarter, with an underlying RoE near 11 percent and cost efficiency at 55 percent. — Reuters

LISBON: Commuters queue for a bus at the Cais do Sodre hub station during the first day of a partial strike by Lisbon’s subway workers, yesterday, in Lisbon, Portugal. Subway workers went on strike to protest salary cuts. — AP

Business FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi freezes Iran transactions ‘Action could affect crude imports’

SEOUL: This handout photo released by LG Electronics yesterday shows South Korean models displaying a new version LG Electronics Optimus smartphone at an unveiling ceremony in Seoul. — AFP

Global demand for gold dips MUMBAI: Global demand for gold fell 5.0 percent in the first quarter of 2012 but demand in China hit record highs and outstripped that of megabuyer India, the World Gold Council said yesterday. Demand worldwide fell to 1,097.6 tonnes in the quarter ended March, worth an estimated $59.7 billion, with gold prices on average 16 percent higher than those seen in the same period last year, the council said in its latest report.

Reduced demand for gold from global central banks, jewellery and technology sectors outweighed a rise in investment demand for gold. Yet Chinese consumption of the yellow metal hit new highs on investor concerns over inflation, rising 10 percent to a record 255.2 tonnes and outstripping rival India which saw a sharp decline, the WGC said.

Demand in India was down 29 percent from a year earlier to 207.6 tonnes, hit by a jewellers’ strike, a weak rupee and government policy aimed at reducing gold imports and the country’s wide current account deficit.

“China and India have seen continuing economic growth and whilst China’s economy is expected to slow, it will nonetheless surpass the rates of growth in the West,” said Marcus Grubb, managing director (investment) at the WGC. In 2011, India saw a 7.0 percent decline in demand year-onyear to 933.4 tonnes, while demand from China jumped 20.0 percent to 769.8 tonnes. Grubb said Chinese demand over 2012 is expected to outstrip that of India, traditionally the world’s largest consumer and importer of gold.

The two countries, which have both been battling high inflation, account for about half of the world’s gold demand combined. Global demand surpassed $200 billion for the first time in 2011 as demand for the metal as a safe-haven investment surged, the WGC said in its annual report in February.— AFP

TOKYO: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, which handles most of Japan’s payments for oil imports from Iran, said yesterday it had frozen transactions with Iranian banks after being ordered to do so by the New York District Court earlier this month.

The head of the Japan’s banking lobby group said the action could affect crude imports, although the country’s biggest refiner said it was not facing a problem paying for Iranian oil. The move stems from a US court decision in 2007 that ordered Iran to pay more than $2.6 billion to survivors and victims’ family members of the 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Lebanon, a bank spokesman said.

The bank filed an objection to the court ruling on Wednesday, another spokesman said. Among Japan’s three biggest banks only Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ received the order, banking sources in Tokyo said on Thursday. Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ was targeted because it accounts for almost all Iranian assets handled by Japanese banks, they said.

Banking sources said the rest of the trade was handled by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. “Iranian oil accounts for more than 10 percent of Japan’s oil imports. If banks can’t make settlements for Iranian oil, this will affect the nation’s energy policy,” Yasuhiro Sato, president of Mizuho Financial Group and chairman of the Japanese Bankers Association, said yesterday at a monthly press briefing.

“The issue needs to be addressed by concerned parties including the government,” Sato said. The banking unit of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group did not comment on the amount of assets it has frozen. A spokeswoman at rival Mizuho said the bank had not received a freezing order.

Although the court case is unrelated, the development comes as western governments are imposing further sanctions on Iran to stop the country from pursuing what they say is a nuclear weapons programme, a claim the Islamic republic

denies. An EU ban on importing Iranian oil, which takes effect on July 1, will also prevent European insurers and reinsurers from covering tankers carrying its crude anywhere in the world. Sanctions imposed by the United States earlier and the measures being introduced by the EU have cut oil shipments to Japan, one of the biggest buyers of crude from the Islamic republic.

The move against Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ has not affected payments for Iranian oil at the moment, Japan’s top oil refiner, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. said yesterday. A JX Nippon Oil spokesman declined to discuss other details, including whether it was considering an alternative payment mechanism.

There have been hundreds of billions of dollars in default judgments against Iran levied by US courts in favour of

Americans, and in most cases Iran has ignored the legal proceedings in the United States. This case was brought by relatives and survivors of the 1983 attack on a barracks in Beirut housing US and French members of a multinational peacekeeping force.

A judge in Washington ruled in 2007 that Tehran had provided financial and logistical support to the militant group Hezbollah in carrying out the suicide bombing that killed 241 soldiers. The US Senate will consider new Iran sanctions yesterday with the chamber’s Democratic leader, Harry Reid, set to seek approval of a new package of oil and economic sanctions aimed at further pressuring Iran to abandon its nuclear programme, a Democratic leadership aide said. — Reuters

TOKYO: Pedestrians pass before a logo of the Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ in Tokyo yesterday. A Japanese bank has halted transactions by the Iranian government after a US court ordered a $2.6 billion asset freeze over the 1983 bombing of US barracks in Beirut. — AFP

Myanmar mega-project on a road to nowhere DAWEI: A simple, red sign on a white beach marks the start of a billion-dollar highway that will, one day, lead to a vast industrial project to be built close to impoverished Myanmar’s border with Thailand.

But with years to go before it is up and running, the $50 billion port and industrial complex in the southern city of Dawei is already struggling to look relevant as Myanmar emerges from untouchable state to Asia’s latest Eldorado.

Conceived during the day’s of military rule when Myanmar faced crippling sanctions, the project was at the time a very welcome offer of major foreign investment. Officials insist that nothing has changed despite the rapidly growing list of investors looking hopefully at a rapidly changing Myanmar.

“It will go ahead,” said Tin Maung Swe, an official from Myanmar’s Home Ministry who works as liaison officer on the project

which he says has the backing of reformist President Thein Sein.

“I’m staying here,” he told a group of journalists on a rare trip to the site. “I can contact the president directly.” The visit was laid on this month by the project’s developer, Italian-Thai Development Pcl, Thailand’s biggest construction company, which first made a deal with the Myanmar Port Authority in 2008 when few investors would, or could, go near the country.

The tour coincided with the debt-laden company’s struggle to tempt investors to fund the $8.5 billion it needs for the first phase, details of which it hopes to finalise by the end of the year. Italian-Thai - the “Italian” refers to one of its founders 54 years ago - is pressing ahead and has started to relocate 30,000 people to make way for the 250 sq km (97 sq mile) complex which will allow in pollution-belching heavy industry that Thailand doesn’t want.

Even the government has raised ques-

tions about Dawei. Energy Minister Than Htay told Reuters in January that the country could develop home-grown special economic zones more quickly, including one south of the commercial capital, Yangon, and another on the Bay of Bengal, where a China-Myanmar pipeline starts.

Slow progress on the project and Italian-Thai’s own financial difficulties reinforce the scepticism of some analysts. It hasn’t helped confidence that the construction of a huge 4,000-megawatt coalfired power plant destined for the zone was vetoed this year after an outcry over the environmental impact.

“It’s very challenging for Italian-Thai,” said Kasem Prunratanamala, head of research at CIMB Securities in Bangkok, who visited the site in February. “The company’s balance sheet is not strong because it has a debt burden, which could raise doubts about the viability of the project.”

But around the site, preparatory work is

going ahead. In one big area of scrubland outside the zone, workers are clearing the land and knocking in support pillars for two-storey cement houses that villagers will be relocated to.

More than 1,800 families, most of them reliant on farming, will move there from five villages inside a 42 sq km zone set aside for heavy industry. “We have already paid compensation for about 5 percent of these areas,” said Panno Kraiwanit, the Italian-Thai project manager in charge of relocation.

In total, about 30,000 people from 16 villages will move out by the end of next year, with Italian-Thai footing the bill to compensate them for housing and the loss of livelihoods from rubber, betel and cashew nut and other crops.

The company is also committed to providing infrastructure, power and water, schools and medical services for the new communities.—Reuters

Business FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Japan’s economy grows 4.1% amid recovery TOKYO: Japan’s economy grew at an annual rate of 4.1 percent in the first quarter amid a gradual recovery from last year’s catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. The Cabinet Office said yesterday that the preliminary growth figures showed that a rebound in consumer spending was lifting the world’s thirdbiggest economy.

After the March 11 disaster last year, many Japanese were in mourning and stayed away from stores, theaters and pubs. That compounded the damage from disruptions to manufacturing in

northeastern Japan, where many auto and electronics plants ground to a halt, and other parts of the country.

The latest data showed that private consumption grew at an annual rate of 4.4 percent.

Consumer spending makes up more than half of Japan’s economy.

“The numbers show a solid Japanese economic recovery,” said Satoshi Osanai, economist at Daiwa Institute of Research in Tokyo.

Consumer spending got a significant lift from government subsidies for green

vehicles that sent buyers to dealerships for hybrids and other fuel-efficient models. But prospects remained uncertain for the current quarter because of fears about the European economy and other factors that could crimp expansion.

“Economic growth is likely to slow down and could head into a contraction,” said Osanai. Also robust was public investment at 23.6 percent, reflecting reconstruction spending on housing and other building work in the devastated northeastern region.

Japan’s economy grew 1.0 percent in

the quarter ended March from the October-December 2011 quarter. That was better than the 0.7 percent projected by analysts in Japan, and translates to a 4.1 percent expansion in annualized terms. The latest growth marks a third straight quarter of growth, although still at fragile rates. The economy was virtually flat October-December but did not shrink. Corporate spending was weak during the January-March period, shrinking 3.9 percent from the previous quarter, or an annualized rate of 14.8 percent. — AP

Toshiba shares jump, drops TV operations TOKYO: Toshiba shares surged almost six percent yesterday after saying it had stopped making televisions in Japan where a strong yen has hurt exports as slow demand and falling prices also ate into earnings. The IT-and-engineering conglomerate later unveiled its mid-term business plan in which it forecast operating profit to more than double over the next three years on the back of emerging market growth.

Toshiba, the maker of Regza brand televisions, shuttered production lines at its last remaining domestic TV plant in Fukaya, near Tokyo, at the end of March. It has already shifted most of its television production to factories in China, Indonesia, Egypt and Poland, citing a tumble in domestic demand for ending its Japanese production.

“The fall (in domestic demand) was beyond what we expected,” Toshiba President Norio Sasaki told a news briefing yesterday in Tokyo. “Over-supply has driven down prices. We did what we could to counter the trend, but it was beyond what we could do.”

Sasaki, however, said the firm would not abandon the TV market, as some analysts have suggested for rival Sony, which is mired in massive losses. The move is the latest development highlighting the plunging fortunes of Japan’s once worldbeating electronics firms. A strong yen, intense global competition-particularly from South Korean firms-and falling retail prices of televisions have left Japanese manufacturers swimming in red ink for the past financial year. The industry received a temporary boost from a now-ended government stimulus programme aimed at encouraging the purchase of energy-efficient appliances, but demand has slackened in an economy that has been limping along for years.

Domestic television demand also surged when the nation stopped analogue broadcasting last July, by which time nearly all households and corporations had bought new televisions capable of receiving digital broadcasts. “After those events, domestic demand fell so we have reduced production accordingly”, a Toshiba spokesman told AFP earlier yesterday.

In its earnings report last week Toshiba still booked a profit of about $918 million in its fiscal year ended in March, although that was nearly half its earnings in the previous 12 months. The firm’s shares surged 5.57 percent to 322 yen yesterday.— AFP

TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda, third right, the new chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, poses with the group’s vice chairmen, from left, Yoshiyasu Nao, Mazda Motor Corp.

President Takashi Yamauchi, Honda Motor Co. President Takanobu Ito, Toyoda, Nissan Motor Co. Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko, pose for photographers during a press conference in Tokyo yesterday. — AP

New Japan auto chief to keep production ‘Companies working hard should be rewarded’

TOKYO: Toshiba Corporation President & CEO Norio Sasaki delivers his company’s management policy on the fisical year of 2012 in Tokyo yesterday. Toshiba shares jumped nearly 6.0 percent after the firm said it had stopped making televisions in Japan. — AFP

TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda took the helm at Japan’s auto industry group yesterday with a promise to keep production and jobs at home to help along the country’s recovery from last year’s disaster.

Toyoda also sharply criticized government plans to raise Japan’s sale tax as a “moral hazard” yesterday, and urged what he called overly high taxation on car ownership to be reformed first.

“Companies that are working hard should be rewarded,” he said at a Tokyo news conference to mark the start of his stint as head of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. Japan has a complex system of taxation on cars estimated to be about twice or triple those in Great Britain and Germany, and a whopping 49 times the U.S. Toyoda said

production, technological innovation and suppliers must be kept in Japan, but the consumption tax hike threatens to “hollow out” the mainstay of Japan Inc. The auto industry provides more than 5 million jobs in Japan, including auto workers, suppliers and dealers.

Japanese automakers including Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and Toyota are all making strong comebacks from production disruptions caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and flooding in Thailand last year.

Much of that revival is coming from growth in markets such as fast-growing China, India and Brazil. In March, vehicle production in Japan doubled from a year earlier to more than 980,000 vehicles, highlighting a recovery from the devastating quake and tsunami last year, according to JAMA.

Auto demand has gotten a perk lately from government-backed subsidies for ecological models, including hybrids and other fuel-efficient products. Fears are already growing about a fallout if the subsidies end.

But in the longer-run, Toyota and other automakers all face serious challenges in Japan - a market that has been stagnant for years, and where younger people are losing interest in driving.

Vehicle demand in Japan in 2011 totaled 4.2 million vehicles, down 15 percent from the previous year, but is expected to grow 19 percent to 5 million vehicles this year, according to the association.”In these tough times, we must take up the challenge of bringing revival back to Japan and of bringing back smiles to Japan,” said Toyoda. — AP

Opinion FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Gulf union plan stumbles as wary leaders seek detail Project seen as hastily conceived by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders and officials attend a summit meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh on May 14, 2012. — AFP

By Andrew Hammond

S

audi Arabia’s thrust for a Gulf Union, driven by fear of Arab Spring contagion and spreading Iranian influence, has stumbled on misgivings among smaller neighbours about a loss of sovereignty and increasing domination by Riyadh. Gulf diplomats, officials and analysts expressed surprise that Saudi Arabia had opened itself up to such a public setback. The union proposal, initially designed to contain Shiite dissent in Bahrain and counter the growing sway of Shiite Iran, surprised Gulf Arab leaders when King Abdullah first unveiled it at a summit in December. Rather than fade away, it acquired momentum when a Saudi minister outlined plans for shared foreign and defence policy last month.

Yet when the meetings ended on Monday, there was little hiding the fact that some leaders in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) had put the brakes on the project, if not shot it down entirely. “These things need to be looked at in depth,” said Ghanem Al-Najjar, professor of political science at Kuwait University. “You don’t just decide that you will have unity, by trying to create some sort of unified body against Iran and to handle the development created by the Arab uprisings,” he said, referring to street revolts that have toppled several dictators since early 2011 and have rattled GCC member Bahrain’s monarchy.

It will “take time” to get all Gulf countries on board, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters after the GCC summit, explaining that Gulf leaders wanted to know “details and details of the details” of how Saudi Arabia imagined a “union” bringing them closer than they are now. He even stated baldly that there was “no step to have a special relationship between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia” - despite fanfare to the contrary in pro-government Bahraini media - while admitting both leaderships would welcome a closer association.

“They had no idea really what they wanted

the union to look like, then they came on Sunday to try to work things out and couldn’t agree. By Sunday night there were strong rumours it wasn’t going well,” said a Qatarbased analyst familiar with the talks. Saudi officials were angry and disappointed, he said.

People with access to the room where the leaders met noted few smiling faces, in contrast to most such events, and even sensed anger among some of them. Revealingly, heads of state from Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) did not attend the summit, which brought leaders from the other three member states - Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Oman, UAE, Kuwait Objections The Saudis envisage close economic, political and military coordination and a new decision-making body based in Riyadh, replacing the current Secretariat of the 31-year-old GCC. Reports from officials, diplomats and media suggest that Oman, Kuwait and the UAE mounted the strongest objections to the union proposals, fearing being lorded over by the Saudis as well as difficulties in integrating varying social and political systems. A Saudi spokesman was not available to comment.

“The UAE will not accept a single country taking over a union, so that issue has to be clear,” a UAE official told Reuters, pointing to the UAE’s 2009 withdrawal from a monetary union over Saudi insistence that Riyadh host the central bank. Asked if he thought the union would eventually happen, the official added: “Let’s just say it will take more time.”

Saudi Arabia is by far the biggest and most powerful state in the group of major, US-aligned oil and gas producers. Although the six states look similar on the surface Arab, conservative Muslim and with similar social customs - there are wide differences of tribe, history, sect and geography among them, particularly in Bahrain with its Shiite majority, as well as in their degree of openness to Western culture. Oman, which has long sought to protect its identity deriving in

part from a distinctive Indian Ocean coast and maritime tradition, said as early as 2006 that it would not join the as-yet unrealised single currency project. “The UAE may not be as keen on a stronger union because they may worry about Saudi Arabia being dominant within that,” a Western diplomat said.

Missile Shield Dispute Dubai-based defence analyst Theodore Karasik said the UAE was also concerned that rushing into a Gulf Union could endanger progress already made in delicate defence negotiations. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are arguing over where to locate the central command of a Gulf missile shield that the United States has pushed them on as the best means of defence against Iran, but they are reticent about sharing data. “A GCC military technical committee has been working on a shared anti-ballistic missile plan for the last few years and now there’s a debate about where it should be based - the UAE or Saudi,” Karasik said.

Kuwaiti parliament speaker Ahmed AlSaadoun said equal levels of political openness in each country should precede a closer political compact. Saudi Arabia has no elected parliament, while Kuwait has the most lively political culture. “Freedom of expression and the right of popular participation in decisionmaking..., we hope (that) will be achieved in all GCC states shortly so the union can be established,” Saadoun said on Twitter.

“Leaders of Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Oman expressed concern about a loss of identity of individual states and pointed to differences in law between the countries,” the Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabas commented. “A lot of GCC decisions have still not been implemented. It would be better to get these done first.”

Even the rise of Iran over the past decade and the Arab Spring uprisings have failed to put all GCC six on the same page, while lingering border disputes have often marred ties among states where personalised, dynastic rule is the norm. While Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE want a strong policy to stem

Iranian influence in the region, Qatar and Oman have hedged their bets by nurturing good relations with Tehran.

Bahraini Enthusiasm The only country to wholeheartedly welcome the fast track to Gulf Union appears to have been Bahrain, where many see the proposal as a way of crushing an uprising led by majority Shi’ite Muslims who they believe have backing from Iran. “I believe the union between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will happen 100 percent, with maybe the others coming afterwards,” said Anwar Eshki, a Saudi analyst and ex-adviser to the cabinet. Bahrain, whose economy relies on oil from a field shared with Saudi Arabia, allowed Riyadh to send in Saudi troops in an initial attempt to suppress the protests last year.

But the turmoil has revived, economic growth has been cut in half and a sense of crisis pervades an island state increasingly divided by sect where hardliners on both sides gain ground. Iran has strongly objected to the Saudi move to formalise its influence over Bahrain, with parliamentarians saying it would deepen divisions on the island and speaker Ali Larijani even suggesting it should be Iran that Bahrain integrates with. Nabeel Al-Hamer, media adviser to Bahrain’s King Hamad, tried to reassure supporters afterwards, promising a Riyadh summit in coming months to sign a unity charter including Qatar.

Bahrain’s opposition movement dismissed the entire project as just the latest manoeuvre by aloof, entrenched rulers to put off the day when they cede powers to an elected government. “This is an attempt to escape a political resolution by putting Bahrain under the hegemony of Saudi Arabia, which wants to show it is the big power in the region,” said political activist Abdulnabi Al-Ekri. “I think it will be a failure.” —Reuters

FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012 www.kuwaittimes.net

In a photograph taken on May 10, 2012, Pearl Lam, curator of Pearl Lam Galleries, poses in front of art work in her studio in Hong Kong.

Top†artists, wealthy collectors and heavy-hitting dealers from around the world are descending on Hong Kong this week for the Hong Kong International Art Fair, Asia’s premier artmarket. — AFP

Health FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Dumbbells are not for dumb belles The truth about women and strength-training

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anting to gain weight and sexy curves in the right places? Forget all you hear about women, weight lifting, and “bulking up”, etc.

The truth is that gaining weight for women isn’t that different to men. When it comes to putting on weight you will need to select a plan that is based on your natural body shape. The reason is that your body tends to put on weight first in places that come most natural.

Hence if you want to gain weight all over (as opposed to only on your waist) then your weight gain program will need to reflect this.

It’s important to also realize that it’s difficult to identify your body shape when you are underweight. As a result, you might need to adjust your weight gain plan as you start to fill out and your shape becomes more noticeable. However, there are three generic body shapes all women should be mindful of.

The Apple Body Shape The “apple” body shape is characterized by a wide torso and large abdomen. Men who have an apple body shape are said to have a “beer belly”, a “pot belly”, or “love handles”. Women who have an apple body shape tend to put on weight in the face, neck, chest and waist. Due to genetics you are more likely to be gaining weight on your upper body but having skinny legs. In order to gain a nice shape you will need the right exercise and diet.

The Pear Body Shape The body is classified as pear-shaped if the waist-tohip ratio, i.e., the size of the waist divided by the size of the hips, is 0.80 or lower. If the ratio is higher than 0.80, the body is classified as apple-shaped. Women who have a pear body shape tend to put on weight on the hips and thighs and not the upper body. In order to gain sexy curves you will need the right weight gain diet plan, which is very important, but you really need to focus on certain workout routines to target the problem areas.

The Proportionate Body Shape Idealized by many women. The good news is that you will gain weight all over. Both exercise and diet is the key.

Whenever I suggest to women clients about using weights I usually get a lot of push back. I would like to clarify myths and share some truths.

1. Weightlifting does burn calories. If it burns calories for men it works the same for the female population. To really gain quality lean muscle mass you need to pay strict attention to your diet to compensate for the effort you are making in the gym and to help repair and rebuild muscle tissue!

2. You will not look more like a man, unless you are taking steroids. Men and women were born with different hormones. Not every man who works out with weights looks like Arnold either. Therefore any muscle gain you get as a result of diet and training will only serve

to accentuate the feminine shape you already have. You will look sexy and feel better about yourself!

3. If you lift weights while on a weight gain diet you will not look fat. In reality you will be performing fat burning in the gym while building muscle. Reduce the fat around a tight, toned muscle and others will notice.

Weights can help you achieve the sexy body and be prettier than ever before. Why is that? Because with weight you not only burn calories but you target parts of your body that you may want to tighten and develop.

For example you may have hit a wall on development in the posterior area with the stair climber, but lunges with dumb bells may give that little extra target that you desire. Lifting weights can also help to build confidence. I recommend machines for beginners. If you are a beginner then you may start at the machines. It helps build some strength and range of motion to move the weight.

But there is something positive in confidence when you can move from machines to free weights. Also movements with weights are not restricted so you can really target those muscle groups.

Exactly what does it take to achieve good results?

Well, it takes a real dedication to your diet and workout program. You would be required to exercise at least four or five times each week. And more importantly, it takes a real wanting to see that new lean and toned body in the mirror. www.gainingweight.info

FOOD FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Everyday cooking

Canned tuna

By Sawsan Kazak

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here are some weeks we just don’t feel like doing our groceries. And within a few days, the cupboards are empty, the fridge only contains condiments and we are at home starving and regretting the fact that we didn’t get any groceries. There is one ingredient that never seems to run out in the kitchen; canned tuna. It’s almost like this product has a shelf life that would outlast us. We never remember buying it but it is always there

when we are in a bind. It might not be the fanciest food, but with the right preparation and respect, it can become some of the most delicious. The following recipes use canned tuna and elevate this humble item to gourmet status.

Send your suggestions to: sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

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rain the liquid from the tuna cans. If you are using tuna packed in water, reserve a tablespoon of the tuna water, and add a teaspoon of olive oil to the tuna mixture in the next step. In a medium bowl, mix together the tuna, mustard, torn white bread, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, parsley, chives, and hot sauce. Sprinkle on salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste the mixture before adding the egg to see if it needs more seasoning to your taste. Mix in the egg. Divide the mixture into 4 parts. With each part, form into a ball and then flatten into a patty. Place onto a wax paper lined tray and chill for an hour. (You can skip the chilling if you want, chilling just helps the patties stay together when you cook them.)

8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta 1 can tuna, drained 1 can peas, drained 8 ounces Classico(r) Creamy Alfredo Sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil

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ring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine tuna, peas, Alfredo sauce, garlic powder, oregano, and basil; mix well. Cook until heated through and add cooked pasta; mix well. Adjust seasoning as needed; serve.

Easy tuna casserole

2 6-ounce cans tuna 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup white bread torn into small pieces 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp water (or liquid from the cans of tuna) 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, green onions, or shallots Salt and freshly ground black pepper A couple squirts of Crystal hot sauce or tabasco 1 raw egg 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 teaspoon butter

Tuna Pasta with Peas

Tuna patties

3 cups cooked macaroni 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups French fried onions

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reheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a 9x13-inch baking dish, combine the macaroni, tuna, and soup. Mix well, and then top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly.

Sprinkle with fried onions, and bake for another 5 minutes.

Tuna salad sandwich 1 (6 ounce) can of tuna fish (if packed in water, drain it, and add a teaspoon of good quality olive oil) 1/3 cup of cottage cheese 2 Tablespoons of mayonaise 1/4 purple onion, chopped finely 1 celery stalk, chopped finely 1 Tablespoon of capers Juice of half of a lemon Pinch or two of dill 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

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ix all of the ingredients. Serve on toast, either open faced, or in a regular sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. For a low carb option, serve on sliced lettuce.

BOOKS FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

THE DOORS’ JOHN DENSMORE - RIDERS ON THE STORM

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espite some mixed reviews, this book gets a special prize for sensitivity. At least that was the word most used to describe the writing style as fans got a closer look at the Doors’ John Densmore and his crazy life. It’s wishful, reminiscent, and incredibly honest: something that is difficult to do when everyone expects perfection of you. In addition quite a few new fans have commented that the piece itself is well-written and thought out. Here is an example of a satisfied customer.

EMINEM - THE WAY I AM minem has a way with words. He also has a way with scandals. Seems like the making for a fabulous book, and indeed he has his share of fabulous feedback from diehard fans. After listening to The Way I Am, (originally a song), we noticed the same thing many people struggled with: Eminem’s power is in his lyrics, not necessarily his prose (yes, there is a difference). The main thrill for his fans was the insider information; apparently he reveals a significant amount about him that has been previously kept under wraps. The writing itself didn’t seem to draw any praise, but what really got his readers excited was the noteworthy spread of pictures and lyric sheets with his own comments written in.

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KURT COBAIN - JOURNALS ddly enough there is a strong following of people under the age of 20 reviewing and rating this book. Sure, combing through the strange and somewhat cryptic comments was daunting, but we got the message. This is definitely an unconventional autobiography, as it’s a collection of entries from Kobain’s personal journal and was published after his death, creating an extremely personal in-depth look at the tormented musical genius of Nirvana’s leading man. Readers get a privileged and somewhat shameful glimpse of a Kobain’s most intimate thoughts, and the fans can’t get enough of it.

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OZZY OSBOURNE - I AM OZZY ho could have known! Ozzy Osbourne is actually a good writer.

Readers found this book both funny and engaging, stating that it was a look inside the twisted mind of one of the most uninhibited artists of his time. The title leaves much to be desired, but the book itself has been said to be nothing short of just Ozzy, clear, uncensored and true to form. It makes us wonder though: What exactly is it that he writes about?

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MICHAEL JACKSON - MOONWALK

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e-released in 2009 as a result of MJ’s death, it is important to note that despite a million and one publications on the King of Pop, this is his one and only autobiography. There is little to contradict the fact that this is a must-read. Given the controversy constantly hovering over Jackson’s head, the rumors of his craziness, the color of his skin, his relationship with children, it seems the star had become an utter joke. Perhaps it is appropriate that after his death the re-release of his book allowed him to clarify his story for those nonbelievers, and many were deeply touched. The perspective is important as well, given that the book itself was written in 1988, before “Wacko Jacko” ever made his debut and when his moonwalk dance moves had just become legendary.

LANCE BASS - OUT OF SYNC h Lance, you know we’ll always be crazy for you, and you’re always in our hearts. And yes, just like our terrible plays on long forgotten N’sync songs, Lance’s book is up there in our top ten least creative autobiography titles. However, given the timing of his book release, significantly after the rise and fall of the boy band, it seems more of a ploy to get attention and a quick buck. It could be those baby blue eyes, but against all odds this book seems to have struck a few of the right notes among fans of all ages.

O BOB DYLAN - CHRONICLES o one can question Bob Dylan’s right to an autobiography, the man is a legend and an icon, and is one of the more well known artistes of the 20th century (and well into the 21st). While he doesn’t need this book to guarantee him immortality, he definitely did use it to give his biggest fans a thrill.

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GUNS N ROSES’ SLASH - SLASH ndeed, Slash is excessive. Also extremely addicted to an extreme amount of things and probably a lot of fun (against most people’s better judgment). The book, a firsthand account of one of the most controversial members of one of the world’s most controversial bands, is a whirlwind adventure, one that has captivated quite a few readers. Noteworthy is the fact that many of these readers were not fans of the band prior to reading the book but felt a deep connection to the author. Understandably, they also felt their minds had been opened to many things they had never expected.

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GORILLAZ - RISE OF THE OGRE o yes, the Gorillaz isn’t a “real band,” and some may wonder why it is that they wrote an autobiography, or whether that even makes sense. But there is something very tempting about this book...not to mention its funny and extremely creative. You try writing an autobiography that isn’t about you and is really about the lives of imaginary psychedelic cartoon characters! Perhaps Mr. Bieber can take some tips.

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Pe t s FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

An angel on four legs Program provides peace for patients and their pets ell Katherine to go protect her mom, and the diminutive Jack Russell terrier jumps to Dolores Starcher’s side. The companionship is one of the few pleasures the 75-year-old woman, who suffers from progressive supranuclear palsy, or PSP, can still enjoy. Not only is the pint-sized pooch Starcher’s protector, she is also her buddy and a constant source of pleasure, said Susan Oblisk, Starcher’s daughter. “She calls Katherine her little angel,” Oblisk said.

Starcher, a patient in Summa Health System’s Palliative Care and Hospice Services, can keep the dog by her side because she is enrolled in Summa’s Pet Peace of Mind program that assists terminally ill people and their pets.

Pets are a lifeline and the reason people get out of their beds on some days, said Lori Flesher, a licensed social worker and bereavement coordinator for Summa. “Pets need us as much as we need them and they give us so much back. During a serious illness a person may experience physical and emotional changes that may make other people uncomfortable and so others may pull away or treat the person who is ill differently. But pets stick with us no matter what by providing unconditional love, listening to us and providing physical contact,” she said.

Kathy Bailey of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a volunteer in the program since its inception in 2009, visits Starcher and brings food for Katherine, named after actor Catherine ZetaJones. The program, funded in part by a $5,000 grant from the Banfield Charitable Trust and matched by Summa, is staffed by volunteers, said Summa volunteer coordinator Angela Tetrick.

“It’s designed to assist hospice patients and their families where they are least able to care for their pets. We try to help where there is a financial need for food, supplies, medicine and veterinary care,” Tetrick said.

Future plans for the program include dog walking, pet cleanup, fostering, and pet transportation, she said.

The most unusual situation where the group was called upon was to help with a flock of chickens: “You could tell this patient’s life was all about these chickens.

The whole house was decorated with chickens and chickens were all over the backyard,” she said. Starcher was diagnosed with

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Catherine, the Jack Russell Terrier, is held by her owner Dolores Starcher in her homein Munroe Falls, Ohio. —MCT photos PSP six years ago after moving in with her daughter and son-in-law, Reese Oblisk, following the death of her husband, Al. The couple had a spacious addition built onto their home just for Starcher.

Susan Oblisk realized right away that there was something wrong with her mother after she lost her balance, sending them both to the ground in a free fall. To make matters worse, Oblisk landed on a coffee cup with her mother on top of her. “It hurt. I was crying and I said, ‘Mom, we really need to find out what’s wrong with you,’” Oblisk remembers.

It wasn’t the first time Starcher had fallen, Oblisk said. She suspects her stepfather had been concealing his wife’s condition for several years. “I think he knew for a long time that something was wrong with Mom and covered for her,” she said. The following week, Oblisk took her mother to see a neurologist who immediately gave them the diagnosis.

PSP is a rare degenerative neurological disease that affects one in every 100,000 people older than 60. The disease appears to affect men more than women, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke. Some of its early symptoms mimic those of Parkinson’s disease, a

much more common illness. Although the cause is unknown, the disease attacks a portion of the brain involved in eye movement and balance. The damage results in a progressive lack of coordination, stiffness of the neck and trunk, eating and breathing problems and the ability to control eye movement. PSP gets progressively worse over time. There is no cure, according to the institute, but tests are being conducted to discover the cause.

Starcher, who was the lead majorette at Copley High School, now has limited vision and stiffness in her neck that causes her chin to tilt upwards. Her facial movements are restricted and her eyes remain wide open all common symptoms of PSP. “This disease is horrible and it affects us all. She isn’t just my mom - she’s my best friend,” said Oblisk.

As she always did for herself, Starcher insists her caretaker, Shari Aikens, apply her lipstick and blush each morning. Prior to a visit last week with Summa employees and Bailey, she insisted Aikens put mascara on her, too. “I need my eye marker,” Starcher told Aikens as she prepared to have her photo taken.

Aikens works with her patient every day, signing words and building puzzles that Starcher feels by touch rather than sight.

Together, they enjoy birds at a feeder just outside her window. Katherine never fails to greet Starcher when she wakes up each day, said Aikens: “She gets right up there on the bed and kisses her. She loves it.”

When Starcher isn’t busy during the day, you can find Katherine perched in her lap or surveying the activity in the room from the back of Starcher’s chair, her preferred place to rest. Starcher, who was an artist, handdecorated some of the most beautiful touches in her former Hudson home, said her daughter. Oblisk has tried to keep her mother surrounded by her favorite things, including a copy of the Mona Lisa, family photos, her own furniture - and of course, Katherine. —MCT

Beauty FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Beauty at your fingertips

How to give yourself a perfect manicure at home

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beautifully manicured hand used to be the province of women with enough money to spend on a professional manicure on a weekly basis. Not anymore. With more women working as professionals and executives, a manicure is no longer considered a luxury, but rather an important part of daily grooming. If you want to keep your nails looking professionally manicured, but don’t want the weekly hassle and expense of salon manicures, you need to learn tips and tricks of simple home manicures. You can give and get perfect manicures at home with just a few easy techniques.

Cleaning Before beginning your manicure, wash your hands thoroughly with a scrub brush, making sure you get under the nails. Clean the tops of the nail as well. Let them dry completely. Use polish remover and a cotton ball to remove all traces of any old polish completely.

Once your nails are completely clean and bare, look at them carefully just to make sure there are no signs of injury or damage to the nails or the cuticles. Applying polish to damaged nails could invite infection.

Shaping Next, use an emery board to file and shape the nail on each finger. Start with your little finger, and use short strokes to file from the outside edge of the nail toward the center in the same direction. File with two or three short strokes and then one longer smooth stroke. If you file your nail this way, you will avoid any splitting. The single longer stroke blends and smoothes the edge of the nail so it is uniform. Nails grow in a variety of shapes and sizes, but there are four basic shapes: pointed, oval, round and square. Typically, the squarer the nail is, the stronger it will be. You should consider what you do with your hands when deciding how to shape them with your manicure.

Treating your cuticles Apply cuticle remover, and let it sit for a minute or so. Ideally, you should soak your hand in a solution of antibacterial soap and water for a few minutes. Dry your hand, and then carefully push back the cuticle with an orangewood stick that is wrapped in cotton. Be gentle so you don’t tear the cuticle; it hurts and it isn’t pretty. Repeat with the other hand. Treat yourself after this part by giving each finger and hand a quick massage.

Polishing your nails Start with a base coat first. It will protect the fingernail, and it will help your color go on smoothly and last longer. Start with the little finger on each hand. Use light strokes, starting at the bottom and gliding upward. You should use three strokes on each finger.

Polish the middle of the nail first and then either side.

As you stroke on the polish, try to get the same amount of polish on the brush each time so the nail polish goes on smoothly. Use two coats of polish, but be sure to let it dry completely in between. Wrap an orange stick in cotton that has been dampened with nail polish remover to clean up any stray drips or slips. Finally, apply your top coat. Try not to skip the top coat unless you are in a real hurry, as it will help the rest of your polish last.

Dry your nails If necessary, use a quick-dry product. These little beauties come in a spray, a pump or a polish, so choose your favorite but use one. A quick-dry product will dry your polish in a snap, protecting the surface from bumps or smears. If you have ever worn nail polish, you

know the frustration of smeared polish that never even got a chance to dry.

Manicure maintenance When you are all done and your nail polish has dried, clean your tools, such as your nail clippers, with a disinfectant. Don’t share your manicure tools with anyone else to avoid infection.

To make your manicure last, try to wear gloves when performing any activity that will require wear and tear on your nails, such as washing the dishes. Also make sure to use hand cream and moisturize your cuticles.

Don’t worry if your first home manicure doesn’t look salon-perfect. This art is easily mastered. Many women perform their own manicures and never tell a soul. If you schedule your home manicure as a relaxing gift to yourself, you will soon find out how soothing a ritual doing your nails can become. If you follow this step-bystep guide and practice just a bit, your nails will never give away your secrets to a perfect home manicure. www.life123.com

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Lil’father Kim’s has Alzheimer’s disease

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he rapper-and-actress has taken her dad Linwood Jones into her home so she can care for him as he has a “small case” of the dementia condition - which affects the memory and motor skills of sufferers - and she made the decision to put their personal history aside to help him. She told the New York Post newspaper: “My father had ex-wife troubles. Also health issues. He shakes.

Spills coffee and food. We have to cook for him, pour his juice. His sickness wasn’t diagnosed, but it’s a small case of Alzheimer’s. I know about ‘Honour Thy Father and Mother.’ My father and I were estranged, but I’ve taken him in. He lives with me.” Kim had been estranged from her father after he decided to throw her out of his home when she was just a teenager after raising her as a single parent when he split from her mother Ruby Mae when the ‘Magic Stick’ hitmaker was nine. Kim knows she has a reputation as a bad girl because she was jailed for a year for conspiracy and perjury in March 2005 for lying in court about her and her friends involvement in a 2001 shooting outside the Hot 97 radio studios in Manhattan, New York.

But the ‘Superhero Movie’ actress is adamant her reputation is unjustified because she is actually a good person with morals. She insisted: “People around me know I do good. My mom lived with me until I went away. She’s now in Delaware. “Nobody gives me a chance. It was difficult when I went away. It’s still difficult. But God’s working on helping to understand me. Someday people will. I can’t help people thinking I’m a badass ... Look, a girlfriend of mine got pregnant. Her husband’s abusive. So she’s staying with me. I know about respect. I listen to whoever needs. I take care of all my friends to the fullest. It’s a blessing - and a curse.”

Decker was named after a horse T

he ‘Battleship’ actress revealed her parents loved the moniker of her mother’s best friend’s horse Brooke and decided on the more “formal” version of it for their daughter. She told Vanity Fair magazine: “I’m named after a horse.

My mom’s best friend had a horse named Brooke, so my dad suggested ‘Brooklyn’ as a more formal version, and it just stuck - and now I live in Brooklyn part-time, so go figure.” The former model married tennis star Andy Roddick in 2009 and while both are busy forging successful careers, Brooklyn can’t wait to have kids. She said: “I think that I’d like to try to be a superwoman and have kids and work, so we’ll see if I can actually accomplish that. But, if we’re talking dream scenario, that would probably be it.”

Brooklyn, 25, quit modeling at the height of her career in 2010 to focus on acting and although it was a success, she admitted her agent wasn’t too happy with her at first. She said: “The Sports Illustrated cover was the last thing I shot. That week, I told my agent, ‘You know what, I really ... I don’t want to be a model anymore. I really want to do movies.’ And I think he wanted to wring my neck at the moment.”

Theron ‘hated’ saying mirror mirror, on the wall C

harlize Theron “hated” saying the line “mirror mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all” in ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’. The actress plays the story’s villainous Queen Ravenna in the modern take on the ‘Snow White’ fairytale, and admitted she “dreaded” having to deliver the story’s most famous line. She told British radio station Magic 105.4: “I just dreaded it. We worked so hard to really find a foundation to ground the story emotionally in reality, and that was, for me, the only part that

was kind of a throwback. “In a way it’s like, ‘My name is Bond, James Bond,’ something that is so ... How do you do that in a way that people aren’t like, ‘Meh?’ And they decided to make me shoot that on my first day so I was just sweating bullets. I hated it, I hated it.” While the movie which also stars Chris Hemsworth as Eric the Huntsman and Kristen Stewart as Snow White - shares more of the darker tone of the original Grimm Brothers fairytale than the light-heartedness of the iconic Disney animation, it does have its comic

moments, provided by the seven dwarves, two of whom are played by English actors Ray Winstone and Ian McShane, who left an impression on Chris. Speaking at the film’s London premiere on Tuesday, Chris said: “Some of my favorite stuff to work on and watch in the movie was sitting around listening to those guys. “I mean they are iconic on and off screen, Ray Winston and Ian McShane. The film is heavy, its dark and when they come in there is a whole new layer and some humor and there’s tragedy as well.”

The Wanted’s

George gets homesick T

he ‘Glad You Came’ singer - who hails from Manchester, North West England - has been jetting all over the world with since finding success with his bandmates and while he loves being a international pop star, he admits it can sometimes be tough as he misses his home comforts. He said: “I struggle with homesickness quite badly. I’m even homesick in London!

That’s the hardest thing, especially when stuff happens at home and you can’t be there. I speak to my mum about four or five times a week cos we’re very close, so it’s nice getting to spend time with her. I tell her everything ... within reason!” Max and the rest of the British boy band - Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuinness, Siva Kaneswara and Tom Parker - have even taken the US by storm and he admits they were shocked with their success stateside. In an interview with Top of the Pops magazine, he said: “So many boy bands have killed it at home and tried to break America, but something doesn’t translate - I don’t know why; I can’t put my finger on it. But I think we’ve just caught it at the right moment, because British acts are doing so well. It’s been surprising, but lovely.”

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Childhood stuntman

Cruise

Jackson’s costume collection to be auctioned

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om Cruise has been doing his own stunts since he was 12.

The ‘Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol’ actor is famous for doing his own stunts - from motorbike chases, to hanging off the 124th floor of the tallest building in the world and has been teaching himself from a very early age. He told Playboy magazine: “From as early as I can remember, I wanted to ride motorcycles and race cars. I wanted to do jumps and stunts. Every birthday I wanted only a motorcycle. By the time I was 12, I’d bought my own. “I crashed a lot, because I like to go fast. I’d create ramps to try to jump over garbage cans on my bike, figuring it out on my own.” However, the 49-year-od star’s stunts weren’t always successful and he suffered his fair share of injuries, including breaking his nose three times. He added:

“I’ve broken my leg. The first time [I broke my nose], I got hit by a fastball. Another time, I got hit with a baseball bat by accident.

“Then I rejarred it on a motorcycle. No one thought about helmets or pads back then. When I was 18, on the set of ‘Taps’, I met the stunt guys. I was like, ‘You train for stuff like this?’ Back in the day there were no videos of this stuff.” Tom continues to train hard for all his films, and sometimes surprises even himself with how much he bulks up. He added: “For ‘The Last Samurai’ I spent a year training six hours a day, seven days a week to be able to handle a sword and do it on uneven terrain. You’ve got to build the body up for impact. I remember trying to put my shirt on at one point and couldn’t because my forearms had gotten so big.”

Temperley says new store is perfect timing

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lice Temperley says the time is right for her to open a flagship store. The designer’s label Temperley London is opening its first ever flagship store in London’s Mayfair this November and she says the timing couldn’t be better. She said: “It just felt like the right time to enter a new phase of expansion. It’s an important time to be in Britain and after 10 years we felt that we really needed a flagship. The recession slowed us down a little, but we’re much more solid now about our plans and the future. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and it was important to me to be more central and to be able to show the world what we’ve been up do. It’s nice not to feel hidden.” Alice says she’s working hard on the interior of the new store as she wants to get it just right. She added to vogue.co.uk: “I’m working with friend to create lots of hand-paintings. We’ll be redesigning the rails but a lot of it will be designed from scratch. It’ll have a French salon feel with a decorative twist. There will be an opening party nearer the time and a private dressing area too. I’m really so excited.”— Bang Showbiz

Moss gives out makeovers at Claridge’s K

ate Moss was spotted giving out makeovers at Claridge’s hotel on Tuesday night.The 38-year-old supermodel came to the aid of a fellow guest, who suffered a malfunction when her ‘magic sponge’ - a hair accessory used to create a stylish bun - failed to stay in place at a charity event at the plush London hotel. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “The girl’s hair had started coming loose from her bun and one of her pals mentioned that you could see her ‘magic sponge’. “Kate too pity on the poor girl who was struggling to fix it and took matters into her own hands. “She told her, ‘I can’t let another woman go out there with her sponge showing. The she grabbed hold of the girl, set her in front of the mirror and whipped out all the hairpins holding her hairdo in place and started again from scratch.

“Within minutes, she was standing back, admiring her handiwork and telling her she was good to go.” Later that evening, Kate, who attended the Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraising dinner with her husband Jamie Hince, helped Ronnie Wood to auction his own self-portrait for the good cause, before taking to the dancefloor.

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ichael Jackson’s costume collection is to be auctioned in December. Between 50 and 100 of the late singer’s famous fashions, including his iconic right-hand crystal glove - which is expected to fetch more than $400,000 - will go on a worldwide tour this year before going under the hammer at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California, on December 2. The items are created by Michael’s long-time costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, and many of the pieces are signed by the King of Pop. Michael’s custom shirts, a gold belt, jackets seen in his performances of ‘Beat It’ and ‘Bad’, a black stage jacket he donned at his 1993 Super Bowl appearance and a leotard he wore on his ‘Bad’ tour will all be sold at the auction, some of which haven’t been seen in public since Michael died in June 2009 of acute Propofol intoxication. The collection will begin its tourat the Museo de la Moda in Santiago, Chile, before heading to other South American countries, as well as Europe, Asia and the US and proceeds from teh auction will go towards Guide Dogs of America and the Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas. A spokesperson from the auction house said: “There is no doubt that Michael Jackson was a global fashion icon as well as award winning and beloved musician. “His wardrobe dictated many of the styles throughout the last few decades. Jackson played a very intimate role in the designs and completion of every costume and piece of clothing he wore both on stage and in his personal life.’

50 Cent hospitalized

50

Cent has reportedly been hospitalized with a stomach virus. The ‘In Da Club’ rapper tweeted a picture of himself surrounded by cuddly toys - including a giraffe, and elephant and a lion - in his bed, saying he wasn’t looking forward to being operated on.

Alongside the picture, he tweeted: “I don’t want to go into surgery.”

Appealing to his friend, champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, for support, he added: “@FloydMayweather call my phone why your phone off. (sic)” XXL Magazine reported 50 was suffering a stomach virus, and while Floyd wasn’t specific about his pal’s illness, he asked fans to pray for him. He told US radio station V103’s Ryan Cameron: “Please keep 50 Cent in your prayers he is in the hospital and he is extremely sick ... we will remain positive.” Although he is claiming to be ill, 50 reassured fans his latest release is ready. He tweeted: “I’m in the hospital but my gangsta grillz LOST TAPE is done so it will be out on time. (sic)” Floyd also found time to joke, posting a message under another picture his rap friend posted of him watching an old TV from his bed: “While you’re in the hospital they need to get you a flat screen TV.”

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MAY 18 , 2012

Chuck Brown, pioneer of go-go funk music, dies

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Swift gives $4 million to Country Hall of Fame expansion

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aylor Swift has taught a generation of kids to appreciate country music over the last five years. Now, she’s donating $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to make sure that education continues. The gift is the largest given to the museum by an artist and is the second largest from an individual, officials said. It will fund the Taylor Swift Education Center, an exhibit and classroom space scheduled to open in 2014. “In terms of what it will allow us to do, we do education very well now,” museum director Kyle Young said. “It will allow us to do what we do better, serve more people, develop new programs and I’m happy to say that as we talked through this opportunity with Taylor, she very much wants to be involved in an advisory capacity in what we do. Is there a better person out there who’s in touch with a young audience? I think not. I was joking we should be paying her to do that. I was only joking.”

The new education center is part of the museum’s $75 million “Working on a Building” expansion project that will increase the space more than 200,000 square feet to 350,000. The expansion is part of the new convention center project in downtown Nashville and will include a new concert theater, more room for exhibits and archives, and a shared entrance with a new hotel. Swift’s education center will have its own exterior entrance and is 7,500 square feet-plus spread over two stories. It will include three classrooms and exhibit space and will allow the museum to add to its youth education programs.

The new space will house interactive activities such as a musical petting zoo and a “wet” classroom space to make concert posters and other art projects. The expansion also would allow the museum to start new programs and workshops and for teens and senior citizens as well as continuing workshops. The 22-year-old singer-songwriter is country music’s top-selling artist and current ambassador to the world. —AP

huck Brown, who styled a unique mix of funk, soul and Latin party sounds to create go-go music in the nation’s capital, has died after suffering from pneumonia. He was 75. Brown, widely acclaimed as the “Godfather of go-go” for his pioneering sound, died Wednesday at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore. Hospital spokesman Gary Stephenson confirmed Brown had died after a hospital stay that began April 18. Thanks to Brown and his deep, gravelly voice, go-go music was uniquely identified with Washington. That’s where he continued to play the city’s club circuit to a loyal audience late in life.

Mayor Vincent Gray said the nation’s capital will be a different place without him. Mournful admirers of the musician were called Wednesday evening to an impromptu candlelight vigil in Washington, where a sound truck was to blast a special Chuck Brown music mix to the crowd before a prayer session for him. “Go-go is D.C.’s very own unique contribution to the world of pop music,” he said. “Today is a very sad day for music lovers the world over.” In 2007 Brown told The Associated Press that go-go was influenced by sounds and fast beats he heard early in life, growing up in North Carolina and Virginia, combined with his experience later, playing with a Latin band.

“Go-go is a music that continues on and on, and it’s a call and response communication with the audience,” Brown said. Go-go was heavy on percussion with drummers as lead players, accented by guitar riffs, keyboards and horns.

Sometimes the musicians would play for two or three hours without stopping. In between tunes, Brown would keep the thunk of percussion going and talk to the crowd. Brown’s hit “Bustin’ Loose” with his group, the Soul Searchers, helped define go-go’s sound. It spent several weeks atop the R&B chart in 1979. Rapper Nelly later sampled Brown’s “Bustin’ Loose” in 2002 for his massive hit “Hot in Herre,” which won Nelly a Grammy.

Brown didn’t get credit at first, though, and “had to go through some legalities to get it right, but we knew, once we heard the song, that’s Chuck Brown,” said Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott, lead singer of the go-go band EU (Experience Unlimited.) In 2007, rapper Eve sampled Brown’s song, “Blow Your Whistle,” in her hit single “Tambourine.”

Brown told the AP he admired such artists. “Go-Go had some influence on rap because a lot of rap musicians come to my shows,” he said. “Some of them were students at Howard University. People like Puff Daddy, he’s been to see us when he was a young Howard University student.” Spike

Lee, a fan of Brown’s, used go-go for his movie “School Daze.”“Chuck Brown Will Always Be ‘Bustin’ Loose’ - the Godfather of Go-Go,” Lee said through a spokeswoman.

Elliot said Brown had been a father figure since he was a teen when he aspired to be a rocker like Jimmy Hendrix but realized he wouldn’t make it that way as a young black man.

When he saw Brown perform, he said he “instantly knew” what he wanted to do.

File photo shows master of ceremonies Chuck Brown speaks during a program to celebrate the legacy of the late Martin Luther King, Jr at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington. — AP “Chuck Brown is going to live on forever. I’m going to make sure of that,” Elliott said. “When they see me, I want them to see a reflection of Chuck because he inspired me so much.” He added: “The go-go sound is still going strong.”

When Brown was younger, he spent some time in jail. While behind bars, he traded five cartons of cigarettes for his first guitar. After he was freed in 1962, Brown played with several bands and then formed the Soul Searchers. To comply with terms of his parole, they couldn’t play where alcohol was served, so they went to churches, recreation halls and youth centers. — AP

Britney is

back - and so are the brickbats

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New ‘X Factor’ judge Britney Spears attends the FOX network upfront presentation party at Wollman Rink in New York. — AP

ritney Spears hasn’t even taken her seat as the new judge of “The X Factor,” but the pop icon is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before the celebrity knives were out, raising the question of how well the singer, who went through a public meltdown in 2007, can handle all the newfound attention.

Her dress, nails, shoes, legs and figure have all come in for scrutiny - most of it negative - in a taste of what may come when the show returns to TV in September for two nights a week over four months. The New York Daily News ran photos of the “Toxic” singer’s “bloody picked fingernails”. It also showed a close-up of her thighs, commenting that she “appeared in a short white mini dress that showed off her famous pop star legs - and what looks to be a bit of cellulite.”

Spears, famed for raunchy dance routines and music videos in her heyday, is now 30years-old and a mother of two. Outside her sell-out global concert tours, she has been

largely shielded from the media since a career and personal breakdown in 2007 that resulted in her affairs being handed over to her father.

Mary Fischer at The Stir on website cafemom.com, said the singer was “a hot mess” in the cream dress she wore for her New York appearance on Monday before Fox TV network executives and advertisers.

“She might as well have just thrown on a nightgown or racy piece of lingerie. She would’ve achieved the same effect (showing off the fact that she’s shed a bit of weight and gotten her groove back), but she wouldn’t have looked like she was trying so hard,” Fischer said. She suggested Spears should take a tip from Prince William’s wife and style icon Kate Middleton who “is the definition of being sexy without revealing too much skin.”—Reuters

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MAY 18 , 2012

Wearing a dress by Versus, actress and member of the Jury Diane Kruger arrives.

Member of the jury, German actress Diane Kruger poses as she arrives for the screening of ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ and the opening ceremony .

(From left) Members of the jury, Alexander Payne, Ewan McGregor, Diane Kruger, Hiam Abbass, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Andrea Arnold, jury president Nanni Moretti, Raoul Peck, Emmanuelle Devos pose during the opening ceremony at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday. — AFP photos

Kruger shines on Cannes red carpet D

iane Kruger must have arrived in France with a lot of luggage. On Wednesday, Day 1 of the 12-day Cannes Film Festival, Kruger, a member of the prestigious jury, turned up in two different outfits. She wore an edgy burgundy cocktail dress with a pleated skirt and black cord-laced straps by Versus by Versace for her first photo call, and a fancier, more feminine aquacolored silk draped dress by Giambattista Valli later for the red-carpet premiere of “Moonrise Kingdom.” “This girl knows how to edit

herself perfectly,” says designer Rachel Roy, who is keeping tabs on the Cannes fashion show from New York.

Of the aqua gown, Roy says, “The transparency and draping is reminiscent of the Jacqueline Kennedy mint green moment, yet modern. ... Pure elegance.” Also on the red carpet, Eva Longoria chose a frilly Marchesa column gown in blush tulle with a dramatic ruffled skirt and train, and Jessica Chastain wore a light-pink, scoop-neck gown by Alexander McQueen. Eva Herzigova did pink,

too - hers a Dolce & Gabbana. Lana Del Rey attended in a black, scalloped, strapless Alberta Ferretti gown. Some of the men captured the more relaxed vibe of the seaside resort: Bill Murray put on a plaid jacket, and Ewan McGregor paired his navy cotton suit

by Marni with white lace-up shoes and a star-print tie.—AP

Cannes’ female-free

Kuwaiti director delighted directors line-up criticized for participation in Cannes

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t this year’s Cannes Film Festival, there are directors in their 30s and their 80s, directors from Europe and North America, directors from Asia and the Middle East - but no women. Not, at least, among the 22 films competing for the coveted Palme D’Or, an absence that has drawn criticism from feminists - and a defense from the festival’s artistic director. Thierry Fremaux argues it’s not his fault that filmmaking remains primarily “a male sport.”“I don’t select films because the film is directed by a man, a woman, white, black, young, an old man,” said Fremaux, who has led the festival since 2001. “I select films because I think they deserve to be in selection.

“It wouldn’t be very nice to select a film because the film is not good but it is directed by a woman,” he added. Last year, four female directors made the main competition lineup, including Britain’s Lynne Ramsay and Australia’s Julia Leigh. The festival’s critics say this year’s choice suggests that was a blip, rather than a trend. The French feminist group La Barbe took the festival to task for excluding women with a petition published in Le Monde and The Guardian newspapers. The letter, whose signatories included filmmaker Virginie Despentes and writer Nancy Huston, said sarcastically that the lineup “sends a powerful message ... Above all, never let the girls think they can one day have the presumptuousness to make movies or to climb those famous Festival Palace steps, except when attached to the arm of a Prince Charming.”

It’s not that women are in short supply at Cannes. They abound - most prominently onscreen and on the red carpet. The French Riviera film festival is synonymous with female glamour, from Sophia Loren and Monica Bellucci to Penelope Cruz and Angelina Jolie.

Women also are plentiful in off-screen cinema roles, from the traditional enclaves of hair and makeup to film editing, where experts like Martin Scorsese’s longtime collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker are considered among the best in the business. “There are a lot of women (in editing) because they are close to the directors, and the directors are men,” said Colette Farrugia, a film editor with 30 years of experience in the business.

Female feature directors remain rare, despite high-profile successes like Kathryn Bigelow, whose war film “The Hurt Locker” won six Academy Awards, including best director making her the only woman ever to win that prize. Research by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University found that just 5 percent of last year’s 250 highest-grossing films were directed by women, a lower level than a decade earlier.

Some have suggested forms of affirmative action, or quotas, for female filmmakers, but directors oppose the idea.—AP

K

uwaiti young Director Sadegh Behbahani expressed his happiness for choosing his film ‘Al-Salheyya’ to take part in the 65th Cannes Film Festival that kicked off in Cannes, southern France. He expressed in remarks to KUNA his content of participation in one of the most important international cinema festivals, contesting in the group of short movies. He stressed on the importance that young Kuwaiti filmmakers join such international events that enhance image of Kuwait abroad. The premier of the movie received positive reaction from filmmakers and Arab critics who praised the talent of this young Kuwaiti film director.

Behbahani hailed significance of official support in activating role of the national cinema and taking part in local, regional, Arab and international film festivals. He described Cannes festival as the most important event that contributed in presenting the most important actors, actresses and film directors to the world, including Kuwaiti leading director Khalid Al Siddiq, who presented his first featured movie ‘ Bas Ya Bahar.’—KUNA

(From left) Egyptian actress Menna Shalaby, actor Bassem Samra, actress Nahed El Sebai and Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah pose during the photocall of ‘Baad El Mawkeaa (After The Battle’) presented in competition at the 65th Cannes film festival yesterday in Cannes. — AFP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

A worker walks past an artwork displayed at Asia’s premier art fair ‘Art HK’ in Hong Kong on May 16, 2012. The four-day event now in its fifth edition opened yesterday, bringing artists, collectors and dealers from around the world to a city whose booming market illustrates a shift in wealth from West to East. — AFP

‘Dog TV’ to soothe canine souls lead a dog’s life. Good food. Long walks. A fulfilling job chasing off the mailman. So what’s all this about a television channel that’s created just for Fido? Dog TV says it’s “the first television channel for dogs,” with “scientifically developed” 24/7 programming full of frisky hounds like me running leashless in lush green fields to soothing strains of meditative music. “Most of the time, dogs are interested more in their owners than in TV,” Dog TV’s creator Yossi Uzrad, owner himself of a Labrador and a rescue mutt, told my master the other day. “But if you leave them alone for a few hours, definitely it will entertain them.”

Yes. Home alone. Never a good thing for us pack animals.

Humans, take note. Dog TV premiered in April on two cable networks in San Diego, California, where Uzrad said the take-up has been “really much more than we predicted.” Its Israeli producers, Jasmine Television, hope to see Dog TV on cable systems elsewhere in the United States and abroad in the coming months. Don’t have cable? It’s also available as streaming video for $9.99 a month, along with apps for the usual smartphones and tablets. “It’s probably much cheaper” than a day of doggie day care, which in the United States can run for $35 to $50, Uzrad said. Oh, and no commercials-not even for dog food.

Americans own 78.2 million dogs, and even with a sluggish economy, they’ve kept up spending on their pets-more than $52 billion this year alone, according to the American Pet Products Association. Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorist at Tufts University in Massachusetts, is Dog TV’s “chief scientist.”

He says he’s long been recommending television as an antidote for dogs with separation anxiety. “I call it environmental enrichment and I’ve been doing it for years,” said Dodman, who pointed to a growing body of published scientific research papers into how pets relate to television.

“The point of this is not to have dogs sitting down and watching TV for hours on end like we might,” he added. “It’s just that there’s something in the room that breaks the monotony of being home alone.” Studies have indicated that 60 to 70 percent

I

of Americans already leave a television or radio on when they leave their dogs alone, so what’s special about the programming on Dog TV? Motion, for one thing-at least that’s what caught my eye when my master parked his iPad in front of my nose for the sake of journalistic research. I perked up for a few seconds at the sight of King Charles Spaniel puppies playing with dog toys. I did it again for an animated ball rolling back and

‘Bandit’ watches Dog TV May 10, 2012 in Washington, DC. forth, back and forth, back and forth across the screen.

I then promptly went back to snoozing, which happens to be another Dog TV theme: yellow retrievers napping to soothing “bio-acoustically engineered” melodies typically played on a single instrument. “The worst (soundtrack) would be ‘The 1812 Overture’ or heavy metal,” Dodman said. The programming probably couldn’t have gotten off the ground without digital television. Conventional analog sets functioned with diagonal scans that humans couldn’t see, but we dogs should. “Analog TV

flickers,” Uzrad said. “Dogs can’t see the picture in the proper way.” Digital changes everything.

Alexandra Horowitz, a Columbia University psychologist and author of “Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know,” who is not connected with Dog TV, said she welcomed attempts to find something dogs will enjoy doing. “Given their sensory experience and social ancestry, though, I would love to see owners focused more on olfactory experiences for their dogs-’Smell TV’ would be great-and social outings,” she said. My inner hound can sure relate to that. It’s also possible that Dog TV will cultivate a loyal following among folks who just enjoy looking for hours on end at cute dogs in colorful places. Or it might just stir my owners to get off the couch and get the leash, so I can take them out for a walk. — AFP

Technology FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Glasses or full resolution?

There is hope for lovers of 3D films who find glasses annoying

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hree-dimensional home cinema sounds great. But what equipment is needed and are the devices even compatible with each other? Perhaps the most important question is which 3D technology is the best to use. Only those who carefully plan their step into the third dimension will be happy with their investment. Those who want to make their home cinema ready for 3D must first decide which 3D technology they want to use.

“There are the polarizing filter and the shutter technologies, and both work with their own corresponding glasses,” said Christoph de Leuw from Germany’s Audio Video Foto Bild magazine.

Every variation has its advantages and disadvantages. “The biggest advantage of the shutter glasses is that each eye has a completely HD picture,” de Leuw said. They provide a more focused and clear picture than with polarizing filter glasses with technically halved resolution. As opposed to polarizing filter devices, not only must the display and picture control be set up for the shutter technology but a station must also be integrated into the television to control

the active glasses. This makes it not only technically more complex but also more difficult and more expensive than the polarizing filter technology, said technology expert Peter Knaak from the German consumer protection group Stiftung Warentest. “Shutter glasses start at about 40 euros (52 dollars) while polarizing filter glasses only cost 1 euro,” he said.

While polarizing filter glasses can be used for every device that uses that 3D technology, shutter glasses can be used less extensively. “The glasses from different manufacturers are not compatible with each other,” said Roland Stehle from German consumer electronics association GfU. But that will change soon. “There is already a standard in the works but the procedure is not yet complete,” he said.

More and more 3D-capable devices are being sold. “Especially larger televisions with more than a metre screen diagonal can have 3D,” said Stehle. Usually they are very good 2D devices that have an additional 3D function. The offering of 3D films on Blu-ray or 3D video games, meanwhile, is still pretty manageable. “But that is slow-

ly increasing,” said de Leuw. There are also individual television stations with 3D offerings - including films and football broadcasts.

Blu-rays with 3D films are compatible with both technologies. And there are also no problems with the playing devices for the discs - as they in general must be 3Dcapable. “Televisions produce their signals accordingly,” said Knaak. So users cannot really choose a wrong device as was the case not long ago in the HD format war between Blu-ray and the now forgotten HD-DVD. De Leuw warned about deceptive 3D films, especially older films that were described as 3D movies. “With films that were not originally shot in 3D but converted and converted retroactively, the picture can appear very artificial and prosaic,” he said. “Real 3D films are only available on Blu-ray. You should always be sceptical with 3D-DVD.” The same goes for converters that promise to convert two-dimensional pictures into three-dimensional. “These devices still work with red-green glasses and cannot come close to the quality of

current 3D technology,” according to de Leuw.

There is hope for lovers of 3D films who find glasses annoying. There is a glassesless 3D technology in the works and the first devices with the technology are already in stores. But the technology, according to Knaak, is not yet entirely developed. “I still have not seen a really good demo,” he said. The 3D effects only appear if the viewers are in a certain position, but nine people can watch in 3D from nine fields of view. However, said Knaak, “the 3D effect is extremely dependent on head movement. You can very easily get out of the field of view, making the 3D picture collapse.”— dpa

Comics

C R O S S W O R D

6 7 8

FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

To Yester

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS

1. 10 grams.

4. An engagement fought between two military forces.

10. The address of a web page on the world wide web.

13. A slippery or viscous liquid or liquefiable substance not miscible with water.

14. A narcotic drug that contains opium or an opium derivative.

15. (meaning literally `born') Used to indicate the maiden or family name of a married woman.

16. A thrusting blow with a knife.

18. The capital and largest city of Japan.

19. Australian clover fern.

21. Any branch of Shinto other than Kokka.

22. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

23. Edible bulb of an onion plant.

24. Being ten more than one hundred eighty.

26. A governor of a province in ancient Persia.

28. Diabetes caused by a relative or absolute deficiency of insulin and characterized by polyuria.

30. Being ten more than one hundred.

31. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

32. Liquid containing proteins and electrolytes including the liquid in blood plasma and interstitial fluid.

35. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

36. An edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle.

38. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

41. An expression of greeting.

42. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

44. Being one more than ninety.

46. Covered with paving material.

48. A farewell remark.

50. A crown-like jewelled headdress worn by women on formal occasions.

51. The largest continent with 60% of the earth's population.

53. (informal) Of the highest quality.

54. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

55. A full skirt with a gathered waistband.

57. White crystalline compound used as a food additive to enhance flavor.

60. Type genus of the Amiidae.

61. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

65. (British) Your grandmother.

67. Using speech rather than writing.

68. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

69. Squash bugs.

70. A small cake leavened with yeast.

DOWN 1. Sleep in a convenient place.

2. Your friends and acquaintances.

3. Sea milkwort.

4. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.

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

6. (Greek legend) The greedy king of Phrygia who Dionysus gave the power to turn everything he touched into gold.

7. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

8. A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series).

9. (of a musical instrument) Intermediate between alto and baritone or bass.

10. Not fully developed or mature.

11. Make anew.

12. A historical area and former kingdom in northwestern Spain.

17. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

20. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

25. Being one more than eighty.

27. Pulled or drawn tight.

29. A master's degree in business.

33. A human female who does housework.

34. A tax on employees and employers that is used to fund the Social Security system.

37. (computer science) A kind of computer architecture that has a large number of instructions hard coded into the cpu chip.

39. New Zealand conifer.

40. An elaborate song for solo voice.

43. A genus of Anatidae.

45. A bin for holding coal.

46. (Greek legend) The greedy king of Phrygia who Dionysus gave the power to turn everything he touched into gold.

47. An inland sea in northwestern Turkey.

48. Make anew.

49. (Irish) Mother of the Tuatha De Danann.

52. East Indian silk cotton tree yielding fibers inferior to kapok.

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

57. A state in northwestern United States on the Pacific.

58. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

59. Offering fun and gaiety.

62. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

63. An associate degree in applied science.

64. A numbered compartment in a post office where mail is put to be called for.

65. The 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

66. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

Yesterday’s Solution

W h a t ’s O n FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Embassy Information

Abhijeet, Sharif and Malik to storm Kuwait

A

fter hosting a memorable event ‘Ambassadors of Comedy’ with International artists Aron, Dean and Nitin, ICS now gears up with full package of cultural entertainment ‘Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main’. ICS will host a renowned playback singer from Bollywood Abhijeet and world famous theater cum comedy king Umar Sharif from Pakistan on 18th May Friday, at 7 pm. The Chief Guest for the event will be Ambassador of India to Kuwait.

Abhijeet Bhattacharya - the name needs no introduction. He has given his voice for actors such as Shahrukh Khan, Anil Kapoor Mithun Chakraborty, Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Akshay Kumar, Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, Saif Ali Khan, Bobby Deol, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgan, among many others.

Umar Sharif World Fame Theater & Comedy King Umar Sharif became one

of the most well known stage performers in Pakistan after his extremely popular 1989 comedy stage plays ‘Bakra Qistoon Paey and Buddha Ghar Pe Hai’. In both plays he starred with another comedy legend Moin Akhter. Much of his success comes from the fact that he started to record his shows on videos. ‘Yes Sir Eid, No Sir Eid’ followed ‘Bakra Qistoon Paey’ that was the world’s first drama in the history of video drama to be recorded on the video cassette.

His videos and shows are very popularity. He has written more than 100 stage plays, few films and books those are based on Poetry and hit plays or dramas. Indian cultural Society is committed to bringing young talents and also to promote talents in Kuwait. There will be new fragrance of voice from Bollywood Tarannum Malik. So join us @ Dr Kamil Al Rayes Auditorium, AIS opposite Police Station Maidan Hawally Kuwait.

Announcements Mother’s Day The American Women’s League will be celebrating Mother’s Day Breakfast at the Regency Hotel. On Saturday, May 19th. From 9:00 am to 11:00 am. For more information email: awlkuwait@yahoo.com Come join us and become a member!

Free Arabic course IPC is opening an Intensive Basic Arabic Course for ladies commencing from June 3 to July 8, 2012. The class will be from 5-7 pm for three days a week. Registration is on! For information, call 22512257.

Yoga with the Golden Era Club The Golden Era Club presents ‘The Eight Fold Path to Yoga’ on 25th May; 5 to 7 pm. Yoga here! Yoga there! Yoga everywhere!

Yet, few comprehend Yoga’s true nature! Join Yoga Guru Aacharya Shashikala Pushkarna - on this unique journey to the true ‘union’ between the mind, body and spirit. All seniors (60+) are cordially invited. Venue- House #34, next to Abu-Tammam Intermediate School for Boys, Sate Alhusari St., Block 2, Rumaithiya.

Open House for Indian Citizens The Ambassador of India will be holding an Open House for Indian citizens to address their problems/grievances on Wednesdays of the second and the fourth week of every month between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs at the embassy. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day. To ensure timely action/follow-up by the Embassy, it is requested that, wherever possible, Indian citizens should exhaust the existing channels of interaction/grievance redressal and bring their problems/issues in writing with supporting documents. It may be mentioned that Embassy of India’s Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizen on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the consular officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) could be contacted.

Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances. Similarly, a labor wing Help Desk functions from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs in the Labor Hall to address the labor related issue. There is also a 24X7 Help Line (Tel No. 25674163) to assist labors in distress. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned Attaches in the labor section and the head of the labor wing could be contacted.

EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break.

Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.uae.gc.ca. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF CYPRUS The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus requests Cypriot citizens living in Kuwait to register with the Embassy has moved. This registration service is provided so that the Embassy can update its contact list and assist Cypriot citizens in cases of emergencies.

Registration information can be emailed to cyprusembassykwt@gmail.com or faxed to 22253227 or given by phone to 65906048 (Mrs Christine). nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturday to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF MEXICO The Embassy of Mexico is pleased to inform that it is located in CLIFFS Complex, Villa 6, Salmiya, block 9, Baghdad street, Jadda Lane 7. The working hours for consular issues are from 9:00 to 12:00 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 14:00 to 15:00 hours for lunch break. The Embassy of Mexico kindly requests all Mexicans citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the email: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NEPAL The Embassy of Nepal has moved from its current location to a new place in Jabriya, Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections are installed, the Embassy may be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org

TV Listings FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 01:40 Maneaters 02:35 Wild Britain With Ray Mears 03:00 Wild Britain With Ray Mears 03:30 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 03:55 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 04:25 Wildest Africa 05:20 Wildlife SOS 05:45 Escape To Chimp Eden 06:10 Last Chance Highway 07:00 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 07:25 Baby Planet 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Extraordinary Dogs 09:10 Safari Sisters 09:35 Safari Sisters 10:05 Wildest Africa 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Animal Cops South Africa 12:50 Vet On The Loose 13:15 Vet On The Loose 13:45 Wild Africa Rescue 14:10 Wildlife SOS 14:40 Wildest Africa 15:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 Growing Up...

17:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 18:20 America’s Cutest...

19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Escape To Chimp Eden 20:10 Killer Jellyfish 21:05 Wildest Africa 22:00 Into The Dragon’s Lair 22:55 I Was Bitten 23:50 K9 Cops

00:00 Newsday 00:30 Asia Business Report 00:45 Sport Today 01:00 Newsday 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Hardtalk 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 World Business Report 04:45 BBC World News 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 World Business Report 05:45 BBC World News 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 Sport Today 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 Hardtalk 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 BBC World News 11:00 GMT With George Alagiah 11:30 GMT With George Alagiah 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 Impact 13:30 One Square Mile 14:00 Impact 14:30 World Business Report 14:45 Sport Today 15:00 World Have Your Say 15:30 World Have Your Say 16:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 16:30 The Hub With Nik Gowing 16:40 Weekend World 17:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 18:30 World Have Your Say Extra 18:40 Weekend World 19:00 BBC World News 19:30 Middle East Business Report 20:00 BBC World News America 20:30 World Football Focus 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 Sport Today 21:40 Weekend World 22:00 BBC World News America 22:30 One Square Mile 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 Newsnight

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:05 05:55 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:15 07:40 08:05 08:55 09:45 10:10 10:35 11:25 11:50 12:15 13:05 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:45 15:35 16:25 17:15 17:40 18:05 18:30 18:55 19:20 19:45 20:10 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:00 22:50 23:15 23:40

Bakugan: New Vestroia Powerpuff Girls Courage The Cowardly Dog The Amazing World Of Gumball Ben 10 Adventure Time Powerpuff Girls Generator Rex Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Angelo Rules Casper’s Scare School Eliot Kid The Amazing World Of Gumball Adventure Time Regular Show Grim Adventures Of...

Courage The Cowardly Dog Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Powerpuff Girls Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Ed, Edd n Eddy Ben 10: Alien Force Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders Redakai: Conquer The Kairu Camp Lazlo Powerpuff Girls Angelo Rules Grim Adventures Of...

The Amazing World Of Gumball Adventure Time Regular Show Ben 10 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge Hero 108 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Courage The Cowardly Dog Ben 10: Alien Force The Powerpuff Girls Cow And Chicken Codename: Kids Next Door Ben 10 Ben 10 Chowder

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Jackass 3.5-R Men In Black-PG15 Men In Black II-PG Fighting-PG15 So Close-PG15 Cross-18 Ladder 49-PG15 So Close-PG15 Men In Black-PG15 Men In Black II-PG The Eagle-PG15 Law Abiding Citizen-18

01:00 The Killer Inside Me-18 03:00 According To Greta-PG15 04:45 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-PG15 07:00 Just Wright-PG15 09:00 According To Greta-PG15 10:45 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-PG15 13:00 Just Wright-PG15 15:00 Date Night-PG15 17:00 Love The Beast-PG 19:00 How Do You Know-PG15 21:00 Faster-PG15 23:00 The Roommate-PG15

00:30 01:00 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Curb Your Enthusiasm Perfect Couples Wilfred Weird Science The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Seinfeld Mr. Sunshine Melissa And Joey Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Weird Science

08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 23:00 23:30

Perfect Couples Seinfeld Cougar Town How I Met Your Mother Melissa And Joey The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Mr. Sunshine Weird Science Seinfeld Melissa And Joey Wilfred How I Met Your Mother Cougar Town The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Mr. Sunshine Late Night With Jimmy Fallon New Girl Happy Endings 30 Rock Modern Family The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Curb Your Enthusiasm Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

American Idol Downton Abbey Scandal Damages Good Morning America The Invisible Man Emmerdale The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View American Idol Good Morning America The Invisible Man The Ellen DeGeneres Show Castle Glee American Idol Smash Survivor: One World Damages

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Falling Skies Downton Abbey Combat Hospital American Idol Scandal Falling Skies Emmerdale Hot In Cleveland Surface Scandal American Idol The Chicago Code The Ellen DeGeneres Show Surface Falling Skies The Chicago Code The Ellen DeGeneres Show Castle Glee American Idol Smash Survivor: One World Combat Hospital

01:00 Men In Black-PG15 03:00 Men In Black II-PG 05:00 Bats-18 07:00 Blank Slate-PG15 09:00 Odysseus: Voyage To The Underworld-PG15 11:00 Largo Winch 2-PG15 13:00 Rocky II-PG15 15:00 Men In Black-PG15 17:00 Men In Black II-PG 19:00 Empire-18 21:00 Road To Perdition-18 23:00 Dread-PG15

00:00 French And Saunders Still Alive-18 02:00 Snow Dogs-PG 04:00 A Pyromaniac’s Love Story-PG15 06:00 Everybody Wants To Be ItalianPG15 08:00 Happy Ever Afters-PG15 10:00 Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement-FAM 12:00 The Open Road-PG15 14:00 Inspector Gadget (1999)-PG15 16:00 Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement-FAM 18:00 Jack Goes Boating-PG15 20:00 Evan Almighty-PG15 22:00 Cemetery Junction-PG15

01:15 Stand By Me-18 03:00 The Chamber-18 05:00 Blind Mountain-PG15 07:00 Shipwrecked-PG 09:00 Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World-PG15 11:00 Glorious 39-PG15 13:15 Star Trek III: The Search For SpockPG15 15:00 Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World-PG15 17:00 Secretariat-PG15 19:15 Phone Booth-PG15 21:00 The Maiden Heist-PG15 23:00 Elizabethtown-PG15

01:00 03:30 05:09 07:09 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:30 16:15 18:00 20:00 22:00 PG15

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN ON OSN ACTION HD

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Beautiful Boy-18 Like Mike-PG The Last Airbender-PG Paper Man-PG15 Marmaduke-PG Legend Of The Guardians-PG 9-PG Senna-PG15 Marmaduke-PG The Dilemma-PG15 127 Hours-PG15 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps-

Ramses Of Egypt-PG Bat Cat And Bitsy-FAM The Lucky Dragon-PG Ramses Of Egypt-PG Globehunters-FAM Mars Needs Moms-PG Alex & Alexis-FAM Cats & Dogs-PG Garfield’s Pet Force-FAM Mars Needs Moms-PG Paws-PG Alex & Alexis-FAM

00:00 MSNBC Hardball W/ Chris Matthews 01:00 MSNBC Politicsnation 02:00 Live NBC Nightly News 03:00 MSNBC The Ed Show 04:00 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 05:00 MSNBC The Last Word W/ Lawrence O’Donnell 06:35 ABC Nightline 08:00 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 09:00 MSNBC The Last Word W/ Lawrence O’Donnell 10:00 ABC World News Now 10:30 Live ABC World News Now 11:00 NBC Early Today 11:30 ABC America This Morning 12:30 Live ABC America This Morning 13:00 Live ABC America This Morning 13:30 MSNBC First Look 14:00 Live NBC Today Show 17:57 Live MSNBC Hardball W/ Chris Matthews 18:38 Live MSNBC The Ed Show 19:19 Live MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 20:00 MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports 21:00 MSNBC Newsnation 22:00 MSNBC Martin Bashir 23:00 MSNBC The Dylan Ratigan Show

00:00 02:05 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Town-18 The Flyboys-PG15 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never-PG Diary Of A Wimpy Kid-PG Family Gathering-PG15 Call Of The Wild-PG15 Country Strong-PG15 Soul Surfer-PG15 Family Gathering-PG15 Unstoppable-PG15 Hop-PG Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-18

00:00 07:00 10:30 12:30 13:00 21:00 21:30

Test Cricket Premier League Darts Live Super Rugby European Tour Weekly Live Test Cricket Futbol Mundial Live Super League

00:30 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:30 15:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:30 23:00

Trans World Sport NRL Full Time SPL Highlights Total Rugby Sevens World Series Futbol Mundial SPL Highlights Trans World Sport Mobil 1 The Grid Futbol Mundial Super Rugby Highlights Total Rugby Golfing World Premier League Darts Trans World Sport Super Rugby NRL Premiership AFL Premiership Total Rugby Super Rugby

02:00 02:30 06:00 07:00 12:15 12:45 15:00 19:00 19:30 21:30

Futbol Mundial Premier League Darts Golfing World European PGA Tour NRL Full Time Live NRL Premiership Live European PGA Tour Total Rugby Super Rugby European PGA Tour

01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:30 11:30 12:30 15:30 17:00 19:30 20:30 23:30

WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line UFC Unleashed Live UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed WWE SmackDown Live V8 Supercars WWE Bottomline WWE Vintage Collection Live AFL Premiership V8 Supercars LIVE Scottish FA Cup UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC V8 Supercars

FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

INTERNATIONAL CALLS Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345 00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689 00241 00220 00995 0049 00233 00350 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

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for Indian only near Kuwait Finance House, Khaitan. Contact: 66141908.

(C 4007) Semi furnished spacious room with attached bath in a C-A/C flat in Hawally near Dar Al-Shifa Hospital, suitable for an executive bachelor or spinster. Contact: 97706970.

(C 4008) Sharing accommodation available in Mahboula for non-smoking Keralite.

Contact: 66725394. (C 4009) Single room in flat, separate bathroom, 1st floor, flat-1, near HighWay Center (Time Out), Abbasiya, rent KD 90/Contact: 55108310/ 66494240. (C 3998) 16-5-2012

SITUATION VACANT Required a live-in house maid Sri Lankan or Filipino for an Indian family in Farwaniya, salary KD 120/(for one month). Contact: 66473343. (C 4001) FOR SALE Laptop Dell, Model D510, Ram 1GB, HD 60 GB, DVD + CD Writer Combo, Wi-Fi + Bluetooth, display 15�, excellent condition, price KD 50/-. Contact: 99322585.

(C 4012)

15-5-2012 Nissan Sunny 2007, Golden color, 114,000 km, 1.6L, KD 600 cash + KD 46 (for 23 Months) or KD 1,600/- cash, negotiable.

Contact: 66925390/ 66604286.

(C 4003) 14-5-2012

to S. Sameer Mohamed.

(C 4002)

CHANGE OF NAME I, Saldana Rita, holder of Indian passport No. G1350852 converted to Islam do hereby change my name to Sameera. (C 4005) 15-5-2012 I, Subramaniyan Saravanan, s/o Subramaniyan, holder of Indian passport No. G9950267 converted to Islam do hereby change my name

SITUATION VACANT Required a live-in house maid Sri Lankan or Filipino for an Indian family in Farwaniya, salary KD 120/(for one month). Contact: 66473343. (C 4001) 12-5-2012

Hospitals Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:30 11:44 15:20 18:31 19:57

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

112 Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital Amiri Hospital Maternity Hospital Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital Chest Hospital Farwaniya Hospital Adan Hospital Ibn Sina Hospital Al-Razi Hospital Physiotherapy Hospital

24812000 22450005 24843100 25312700 24849400 24892010 23940620 24840300 24846000 24874330/9

Clinics Rabiya Rawdha Adailiya Khaldiya Khaifan Shamiya Shuwaikh Abdullah Salim Al-Nuzha Industrial Shuwaikh Al-Qadisiya Dasmah Bneid Al-Ghar Al-Shaab Al-Kibla Ayoun Al-Kibla Mirqab Sharq Salmiya Jabriya Maidan Hawally Bayan

24732263 22517733 22517144 24848075 24849807 24848913 24814507 22549134 22526804 24814764 22515088 22532265 22531908 22518752 22459381 22451082 22456536 22465401 25746401 25316254 25623444 25388462

Sports FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Darvish steers Rangers past Athletics

ATLANTA: Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton follows through with a two-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves . — AP

Marlins down Braves ATLANTA: Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and possibly saved two runs with a diving catch as the Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 8-4 on Wednesday, adding another win to their impressive May record.

Miami is 12-3 this month after a slow start in April. The Marlins moved three games over .500 for the first time this season. The Marlins led 6-1 off struggling Braves pitcher Mike Minor (2-3) before Atlanta scored three runs off Mark Buehrle (3-4) in the sixth.

Stanton’s homer, which drove in Austin Kearns after his second double, pushed the lead to 8-4 in the seventh. Kearns and Emilio Bonifacio each had two hits and drove in two runs. Omar Infante had two hits and scored two runs.

Minor (2-3) gave up six runs in 4 2-3 innings, the fourth straight start he has allowed six or more runs. His ERA is at 7.09 and his spot in the rotation looks shaky.

Nationals 7, Pirates 4 In Washington, Adam LaRoche broke open a tight game with a homer and a three-run double to bring up his 1,000th career hit and power Washington past Pittsburgh. LaRoche, with his 999th hit, and Xavier Nady hit consecutive homers off Erik Bedard (2-5) in the sixth. Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez (5-1) struck out 10 batters in seven innings, taking over the National League’s strikeout lead with 60, ahead of teammat Stephen Strasburg.

Cardinals 4, Giants 1 In San Francisco, Jaime Garcia matched his career high with nine strikeouts, directing St. Louis over San Francisco. Garcia (3-2) gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings.

David Freese hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning, while Skip Schumaker added a two-run double in the eighth for the Cardinals.

In a matchup of the past two World Series champions, the Giants didn’t do enough to back Madison Bumgarner (5-3). He gave up four runs in 7 1-3 innings.

Reds 6, Mets 3 In New York, Todd Frazier homered twice in Cincinnati’s win over New York. The Reds put together three straight hits off Jon Rauch (3-2) in the eighth, ending in Brandon Phillips’ game-tying single. Rauch was replaced by Tim Byrdak, who gave up the go-ahead run; Jay Bruce’s sacrifice fly. After another change on the mound, Frazier homered off D.J. Carrasco’s second pitch. Jose Arredondo (3-1)

pitched a perfect inning of relief for the Reds to take the win.

Padres 4, Dodgers 2 In San Diego, Chase Headley homered, doubled and drove in three runs, proving to be the difference for San Diego against Los Angeles.

Headley’s efforts helped Padres starter Clayton Richard (2-5) snap a personal fivegame losing skid, giving up two runs in seven innings.

Dodgers starter Chris Capuano (5-1) took a 2-1 lead into the sixth. Cameron Maybin and Chris Denorfia opened the inning with singles before Headley doubled to bring them both in.

Phillies 9, Cubs 2 In Chicago, Carlos Ruiz hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning as Philadelphia overran Chicago. Ruiz’s homer off Shawn Camp (2-2) was followed by a sixrun ninth inning, highlighted by Hector Luna’s first career grand slam in his first at-bat with the Phillies. Jose Contreras (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh to earn the win.

Astros 8, Brewers 3 In Houston, Carlos Lee had three hits, including his first homer in more than three weeks, and three RBIs in Houston’s win over Milwaukee.

Lee’s home run was a solo shot in the seventh inning that put Houston up 8-1. Lee also singled and scored in the second then drove in two runs with a single in Houston’s threerun third.

Astros starter Bud Norris (4-1) yielded just one run in seven innings while notching a season-high nine strikeouts. He improved to 3-0 in his past four starts and helped Houston end a four-game skid. Brewers starter Randy Wolf (2-4) allowed seven runs in four innings.

Rockies 6, D’backs 1 In Denver, veteran Jamie Moyer pitched neatly into the seventh inning and even drove in two runs with the bat as Colorado defeated Arizona.

The 49-year-old Moyer legged out a base hit in the fourth when he dribbled a two-run single between the pitcher and the first baseman who made a futile lunge in an attempt to tag. Moyer (2-3) allowed one earned run in 6 1-3 innings, striking out five. He outpitched Patrick Corbin (2-2), who gave up six runs in six innings. — AP

ARLINGTON: Texas’ Yu Darvish pitched 7 2-3 strong innings to steer the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday.

Darvish (6-1) struck out seven. After giving up his only run in the first, Darvish settled down and retired 11 of the last 15 batters he faced. He lowered his ERA to 2.60.

Adrian Beltre hit a two-run homer for the Rangers. Oakland rookie pitcher Tommy Milone (5-3) gave up four runs in seven innings.

three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead Los Angeles over Chicago. Jim Eppard was with the Angels for the first time as hitting coach after replacing Mickey Hatcher, who was fired on Tuesday.

Los Angeles starter Jerome Williams (41) won his fourth straight decision, allowing two runs over eight innings with five strikeouts and no walks. White Sox starter Gavin Floyd (3-4) surrendered seven runs in six innings, including both home runs.

Rays 2, Red Sox 1 In St. Petersburg, Florida, Jeremy Hellickson pitched six solid innings to guide Tampa Bay to victory and end Boston’s five-game winning streak.

Hellickson (4-0) allowed one run and struck out six en route to winning a careerbest sixth consecutive decision, dating to last season.

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for the save. Luke Scott had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly for Tampa Bay. Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz (4-2) gave up six hits over fiveplus innings.

Twins 11, Tigers 7 In Detroit, Jamey Carroll hit a two-run double in the sixth to give the lead to Minnesota, which outlasted a sloppy Detroit. The Tigers made four errors in the first three innings yet still led 7-6 when Carroll came up with men on first and second in the sixth. His double off Duane Below (2-1) scored both runners.

Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer for the Twins in the second, and Trevor Plouffe’s two-run shot in the ninth made it 11-7. Minnesota’s Alex Burnett (1-0) got the win in relief after starter Nick Blackburn lasted only two innings. — AP

Blue Jays 8, Yankees 1 In Toronto, Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer and J.P. Arencibia added a two-run drive in Toronto’s win over New York.

Jose Bautista and Kelly Johnson added solo home runs as the Blue Jays tagged Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda (3-5) for seven runs, matching a career-worst. Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek (3-4) snapped a fourstart losing streak, notching five strikeouts.

Orioles 4, Royals 3 In Kansas City, Adam Jones homered in the 15th inning, lifting Baltimore to a marathon victory over Kansas City.

Jones was hitless in six at-bats before connecting for his team-leading 12th home run of the season- nine of which have either tied a game or put the Orioles ahead.

With one out, he sent a pitch from Nate Adcock (0-1), the fifth Kansas City pitcher, far over the left field wall.

The Orioles improved to 5-0 in extrainning road games. Baltimore’s Kevin Gregg (1-1) pitched two hitless innings for the win. Jim Johnson earned the save.

Indians 9, Mariners 3 In Cleveland, Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start to guide Cleveland to victory over Seattle. Jimenez (4-3) gave up three runs over six innings.

Travis Hafner hit his fifth homer and drove in three runs, while Shin-Soo Choo had three hits for the Indians, who hit a season-best five doubles.

Seattle starter Felix Hernandez (3-3) gave up six earned runs in only 3 2-3 innings. He and Jimenez combined for a 34-minute, 59-pitch first inning that ended with Cleveland ahead 4-1.

Angels 7, White Sox 2 In Anaheim, Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead

ARLINGTON: Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11), of Japan, throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Devils edge Rangers, tie series NEW YORK: David Clarkson’s deflected goal early in the third period stood as the winner as the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Wednesday to even the NHL Eastern Conference finals at 1-1.

Ryan Carter and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for the Devils, while defenseman Bryce Salvador added two assists, and Martin Brodeur stopped 23 shots.

“We had to keep going to the net, and we were doing some good things,” Clarkson said. “We’ve been playing some good hockey and we’ve got to continue to do it. That is a big win for us.”

Marc Staal and rookie Chris Kreider scored in the second for the Rangers. Top-seeded New York, which had 24 saves by Henrik Lundqvist, hasn’t had a two-game lead at any point in this postseason.

Game 3 will be tomorrow in New Jersey. The Devils got their elusive first goal of the series late in the first period. After Brian Boyle was sent off for slashing Zach Parise, the Devils controlled the puck at the Rangers end through the powerplay.

Marek Zidlicky curled with the puck to the center of the blue line and slid a pass down to the left circle to Kovalchuk, who calmly and patiently drifted in and snapped a shot up and under the crossbar for his sixth goal of the playoffs and fourth on the power play. After spending much of the first penned in their own end, the Rangers managed to not only equalize but go ahead thanks to their previously inept power play.

With Alexei Ponikarovsky off for interference, Staal fired a shot that sailed wide of the net and struck the back boards before popping back in front and pinballing into the net off Salvador and Brodeur at 2:23. The goal was originally credited to Derek Stepan but the puck managed to miss him both on the way toward the net and on the bounce back.

Staal nearly netted another moments later when he ripped a drive that Brodeur had to lunge fully to his left to snare with his glove.

Kreider scored for the second straight game to

NEW YORK: New Jersey Devils’ David Clarkson (23) celebrates after scoring during the third period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference final playoff series as New York Rangers’ Derek Stepan (21) skates away. — AP

give the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 12:19. Anton Stralman let go a shot from above the right circle that ticked Kreider’s stick and fluttered past Brodeur.

Late in the second, New Jersey got even at 2-2 when Salvador wound up for a shot at the blue line and fired a drive that Carter — with his back to the net — brilliantly deflected past Lundqvist. Marian Gaborik perhaps should have done better in trying to block the shot, and he was benched, even during New York’s power play in the third.

The Devils kept the pressure on the Rangers at

the start of the third and were soon rewarded with Clarkson’s winner, as he tipped in an Adam Henrique shot.

Clarkson has three goals in this postseason, and every one has been a winner, including the clincher against Philadelphia in Game 5 of the second round.

“Mr. Clutch? I don’t know about that,” Clarkson said. “I’m going to skate up and down and finish the checks and just bounce off people. It’s just a great feeling to be able to contribute. To get a tip on that felt pretty good.”—AP

Greece prepares to hand Olympic flame to London

ATHENS: A torchbearer runs with the flame during the Olympic flame relay for the 2012 London Olympics, in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens yesterday. — AP

ATHENS: Greece formally hands over the Olympic flame to a London delegation led

by Princess Anne and including David Beckham late yesterday at the Panathenaic stadium where the first modern Games were held in 1896. Seb Coe, chairman of the London organising committee LOCOG, spoke of a ‘massive, massive moment’ as the clock ticks down to the Games opening on July 27 while London Mayor Boris Johnson was typically ebullient.“It’s an amazing day for us. This is the moment when we prepare to take the torch and the eyes of the world are swivelling to London,” Johnson told reporters.

“I think they will see a city that has made phenomenal progress in getting ready...by any measure, London is extraordinarily well prepared.” Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as well as a former Games competitor, will receive the flame from the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos, in the ceremony. Greek president Karolos Papoulias, whose debt-stricken country risks bankruptcy and an exit from the European single currency, is also due to attend after naming a caretaker Prime Minister in an emergency government on Wednesday to lead Greece to new elections next month.

Former England soccer captain Beckham,

born in east London where the new Olympic Park has taken shape, will play a role in the proceedings with five young Britons chosen for their commitment to sport and promoting Olympic values. The youngsters will join Princess Anne, who is president of the British Olympic Association, in receiving the flame.

Greek rowing world champion Christina Giazitzidou will carry the flame into the stadium, built in 330BC and reconstructed for 1896, after it travels from its overnight perch on the golden rock of the Acropolis down through the centre of Athens. The final two torchbearers will be Greek weightlifter Pyrros Dimas and Chinese gymnast Li Ning, who lit the cauldron at the 2008 Beijing Games.

The lighting at ancient Olympia last week by an actress playing the role of high priestess brought bittersweet emotions for some of the spectators, emphasising how far Greece had fallen from its glorious past. Coe said the response to the torch relay around Greece since last Thursday had been extraordinary, despite the economic difficulties. “It’s reminded them that, for all the current challenges, you can’t expunge 28 centuries of history. This is uniquely theirs and a moment of celebration,” he said. The flame will be kept overnight in lanterns at the British embassy in Athens and then flown on the golden-liveried ‘Firefly’, British Airways Flight 2012, to a navy base in Culdrose near Land’s End in south-west England.—Reuters

Sports FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Willstrop looks to turn tables on Matthew LONDON: World number one James Willstrop believes he can end his losing streak this weekend against World Open champion Nick Matthew to tip the balance of one of the sport’s most high-profile rivalries in his favor.

Top-seeded Willstrop reached the quarter-finals of the British Open at London’s O2 Arena late on Wednesday with a tenaciously carved-out 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 win over his former England colleague Alister Walker, suggesting he is in a rich vein of form.

But Matthew is the defending champion and even though he is only seeded three here, he may be many people’s favourite to triumph again in Sunday’s final. Matthew joined Willstrop in the quarter-finals on Thursday with a hard-

fought 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 win over another England colleague, Tom Richards. Willstrop’s problem is that although he played brilliantly and held a match point against Matthew in the last British Open final three years ago in Manchester, he has since lost 10 times in a row to his life-long rival on the PSA Tour. But as the younger man, he believes his chance will soon come. “Nick was number one for a long time and then, in January, I took over,” Willstrop told The Guardian newspaper.

“He beat me in February and got it back and then, in March, I was determined to become number one again.”

That happened after the North American Open at Richmond in Virginia, where Willstrop said he had played “a blinder” in

the final to beat the brilliant former World Open champion from Egypt, Ramy Ashour, in straight games.

“Nick’s game has stifled me at times,” Willstrop admitted. “He has had it over me quite substantially. He’s won our last 16 or 17 matches. That’s a lot. He’s been on this run against me because, for two years, he was the best in the world.

“But now I’m number one. And at 31, Nick’s at his peak, and I’m 28 and getting better all the time.” Willstrop also denied that the defeats have left psychological baggage.

“None of them have been devastating losses and he was beating everyone else as well,” he pointed out. “I look at my defeats sensibly and realise I’ve played very well against Nick. I’m ready to beat

him again.”

Matthew, however, denied there will be extra pressure on him as the titleholder. “I don’t go into this week feeling like a defending champion,” he said.

“I feel like one of many with the same possibilities, as one of those who is trying to win the tournament. And I’m still looking to be number one again.”

Willstrop has earned a meeting on Friday with Mohamed El Shorbagy, the former world junior champion from Egypt, but has both Ashour and Amr Shabana, the four times former world champion, in his half.

Matthew could progress to a semifinal repeat of November’s World Open final with Gregory Gaultier, the former world number one from France. — AFP

Celtics, Thunder roll

ROME: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after losing a point during the match against Juan Monaco of Argentina at the Italian Open tennis tournament. — AP

Djokovic into Rome last eight ROME: Holder Novak Djokovic staged a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 comeback over Argentine Juan Monaco to earn a place in the quarter-finals at a windy Rome Masters yesterday.

With gusts making life a challenge on the red clay, top seed Djokovic had to smash a racquet into useless bits of composite material to get himself going after losing the opening set to “Pico,” best friend of Rafael Nadal on the ATP. The outburst came after the Argentine had finally converted on a fifth set point in the blustery conditions. The Serb went down a break in the second set but got it back with one more for insurance as he levelled at a set apiece. It took a break for 5-3 in the final set to put the Serb into position to close out victory on his second match point.

Djokovic finished with 16 winners and 40 unforced errors, a symptom of the windy conditions which have bothered players all week. He now leads Monaco 6-0 as the pair played for the first time on the South American’s preferred surface.

Rome is one of the four Masters 1000 titles which Djokovic has won in multiple editions, along with Indian Wells, Miami and Canada.

Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer knocked out French 11th seed Gilles Simon 6-0, 7-6 (7/5), while Madrid finalist Tomas Berdych, seeded seventh, reached the last eight as he put out Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

On the women’s side, top seed Victoria Azarenka faces a French Open fitness battle after a right shoulder injury forced her to withdraw before her third-round match.

The Belarus player pulled out prior to her third-round match, handing a walkover win to Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.

With just 10 days until the start of the French Open, the Belarusian will hope for a quick recovery ahead of her bid for a second straight grand slam title.

Wimbledon winner and fourth seed Petra Kvitova battled to overcome Romanian Sorona Cirstea 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 while German 12th seed Angelique Kerber beat German compatriot Julia Goerges 6-4, 6-1. Italy’s Flavia Pennetta continued to thrill home fans, crushing Petra Cetkovska 6-0, 6-1. — AFP

PHILADELPHIA: Boston’s Kevin Garnett scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dominated the second quarter to set up the Celtics’ 107-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and establish a 2-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Whistled for a costly illegal pick late in a Game 2 loss, Garnett responded by crushing the Sixers early and never let them think about a fourth-quarter comeback.

Garnett scored 13 of Boston’s 32 points in the second quarter as the Celtics won comfortably after two tight games to start the series.

Rajon Rondo had 23 points and 14 assists for Boston while Paul Pierce, playing with an injured knee, had 24 points and 12 rebounds. Game 4 is today in Philadelphia.

Garnett yapped his way down the court after several big early buckets and clearly enjoyed taking it to the Sixers. He buried those 10 to 16 footers with ease in the second quarter to turn a sevenpoint deficit into a 13-point lead.

Pierce is coping with a knee ligament injury that has robbed him of his jump shot and slowed him down on both sides of the ball. He scored only 21 points combined in the first two games.

He charged the lane in the first quarter for a couple of angry-looking dunks.

He even pounded the backboard for emphasis after one as if to show the Sixers he still had some lift in those legs.

Thaddeus Young scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday had 15 for the Sixers.

Lou Williams and Jodie Meeks each scored 13. Starters Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner combined for only 11 points.

Young scored three baskets and the rest of the Sixers had only two in the decisive second quarter. Boston coach Doc Rivers kept Rondo, Pierce and Ray Allen in the game until the final minutes even though the game was well out of reach.

Thunder 77, Lakers 75 In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant rattled in the go-ahead basket with a running shot from the baseline with 18 seconds left, completing Okahoma City’s thrilling comeback win over Los Angeles, taking a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.

OKLAHOMA: Steve Blake No. 5 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives around Derek Fisher No. 37 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. —AP Durant scored 22 points for the Thunder, who trailed by seven points with two minutes left before surging back with a series of defensive stops by its stars as the Lakers got nothing from their last six possessions. The Thunder suddenly came alive after a timeout, with Los Angeles holding its largest lead of the game.

James Harden drove for a layup before Durant used his height advantage to reach up and tip away a pass from Kobe Bryant, who he was guarding. Durant ran out for a dunk at the other end before Russell Westbrook forced another turnover by aggressively challenging an outlet pass to Bryant along the sideline.

Harden made the next stop, blocking Bryant’s jumper on the next Lakers possession and getting a layup in transition to cut the deficit to one in the final minute. Bryant couldn’t connect again, this time on a 3-pointer, giving the

Thunder the ball back with the chance to take the lead and Durant was able to make it happen.

Steve Blake missed a 3-pointer with about 5 seconds left after Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) couldn’t get the ball to Bryant on the inbounds play.

Durant was then fouled with 0.3 seconds left and made his first try before missing the second on purpose.

The Lakers got a desperation last try but World Peace’s long pass for Andrew Bynum was intercepted by Harden.

Westbrook added 15 points for Oklahoma City, which matched its lowest scoring total of the season but still got the win.

Historically, the loss makes a huge difference. Los Angeles is 29-12 when splitting the first two games of a sevengame series and has lost 17 of 19 when falling into a 2-0 hole. Bryant and Bynum scored 20 points each for the Lakers, who will host Game 3 today. — AP

Sports FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2012

Montpellier must finish the job before partying PARIS: Montpellier must stay fully focused as they still need one point to secure their first Ligue 1 soccer title, coach Rene Girard warned ahead of their final game at Auxerre, even though fans are already planning a welcome parade.

The Southerners, who are on 79 points, three ahead of second-placed Paris St Germain, will be crowned for the first time since the club was created in 1974 if they get at least a point at relegated Auxerre on Sunday.

If PSG fail to win at Lorient, Montpellier will clinch the title regardless of their result in Burgundy. Players and fans are already planning to celebrate Champions League qualification with the team riding a double-decker bus to the city’s main square on Monday.

Girard said the party would be a success only if they finished the job. “It’s always difficult to keep everybody focused,” he told reporters after being named best coach of the season.

“The boys are fully aware that if we want to give our story a proper end, we need to go get this title.

Otherwise, something will be missing.”

Montpellier will be without suspended playmaker Younes Belhanda, who said this week he wanted to stay at the club next season after having previously considered moving. In Paris, no party has been scheduled as a Champions League spot was the minimum goal for the Qatari-backed club and players say they still have a small chance of stealing the league crown if they win at strugglers Lorient.

“We know it will not only depend on ourselves but it’s soccer, everything is possible,” midfielder Blaise Matuidi told the club website (www.psg.fr).

“We have to throw ourselves completely into the race, as we have done in the past three games. This is our last chance and we must be sure we won’t have any regrets,” fullback Christophe Jallet said.

Paris will be without suspended winger Jeremy Menez, while centre back Alex and midfielder Mohamed Sissoko are doubtful because of minor injuries. Lorient, who are 14th on 39 points, one above the relegation zone, will fight to stay in the top flight, along with seven other teams.

Nineteenth-placed Dijon, who are two points from safety, travel to seventh-placed Stade Rennes, who are on 57, one behind fifth-placed Girondins Bordeaux, and are chasing the Europa League qualifying berth.

Girondins, the 2009 champions who recovered from a poor start to the season, are one point ahead of sixthplaced St Etienne whom they visit on Sunday.—Reuters

Chelsea, Bayern bid for glory in Champions League final LONDON: When the draw for the later stages of the Champions League opened the way for Barcelona and Real Madrid to meet in the final in Munich, not many people would have placed their bets on one involving Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

The prospect of a dream El Clasico played out between the Spanish giants in Munich seemed highly likely, if not inevitable.

But German club’s semi-final penalty shootout win over Real and Chelsea’s heroic rearguard action in Barcelona has produced an intriguing showdown to an unpredictable competition.

Bayern’s dreams of lifting the trophy in their home stadium had been at the top of their agenda since before the start of the season.

Chelsea’s billionaire Russian owner, Roman Abramovich has had his eyes on the trophy since he bought the club in 2003, although even he must have thought the chances of lifting it this season were slight as their campaign appeared to disintegrate under coach Andre Villas-Boas.

But after Villas-Boas was sacked in March and replaced by caretaker Roberto di Matteo, Chelsea’s season came alive and they find themselves on the brink of being crowned European champions for the first time. However, they did not recover their league form sufficiently to finish in the top four and ended sixth, their lowest position for a decade, which means if they fail to win on Saturday, they will not be in the Champions League next season.

It is one of the reasons Di Matteo’s future is still in doubt, although he said at his first pre-final news briefing on Monday: “I am not thinking about myself.

“What is at stake is that we have a chance to bring the European title home for the first time in this club’s history - and that’s all that is important.

“We go into the game with the quality and experience to win it. I have the motivation to do something extra-ordinary for this club. This will be a one-shot chance and with all the problems we have with injuries and suspensions it’s causing me a headache.” Chelsea will be without suspended captain John Terry, fellow defend-

COBHAM: Chelsea’s Fernando Torres (right) takes a ball around Salomon Kalou during a training session at the Cobham training ground. Chelsea will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League final in Munich tomorrow. —AP er Branislav Ivanovic and midfielders Ramires and Raul Meireles. Defenders Gary Cahill and David Luiz could be fit after injury but midfielder Florent Malouda is 50-50. Bayern have home advantage but go into the game after losing 5-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final last weekend and also have three players suspended - defensive midfielder Holger Badstuber, and midfielders David Alaba and Luiz Gustavo.

Only two sides have lifted the European Cup at home: Real Madrid in 1957 and Inter Milan in 1965, and the last team to play at home - AS Roma in 1984 - lost on penalties to Liverpool. Back in the summer club bosses feared even getting to the Allianz Arena for the showdown would be a long shot after they were drawn in the “group of death” as club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge called it alongside Manchester City, Villarreal and Napoli. Few would have thought it would be Bayern and Napoli that went on but Bayern progressed steadily under Jupp Heynckes, in his third spell at the club and winner of the

Champions League title with Real Madrid in 1998. Advancing in the Champions League proved an easier task than imagined, but an injury to Bastian Schweinsteiger and a loss of form for winger Arjen Robben spelt trouble after the winter break as champions Dortmund galloped away in the league with Bayern dropping to second place.

Their domestic loss of form, however, did not spill over into the Champions League with the Bavarians crushing Basel 7-1 on aggregate to book their quarterfinal spot. Another devastating performance against Olympique Marseille, where they won both legs 2-0, set up a mouthwatering semi-final against nine-times winners Real Madrid. “We have eliminated the Spanish champions and the English champions,” said Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger this week. “We have dominated in this competition and this final overshadows everything else,” he said as Bayern hope for a fifth European Cup success on a glorious night — at home.—Reuters

Universidad hold Libertad in Copa

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s Vasco da Gama’s Romulo (left) fights for the ball against Brazil’s Corinthians’ Emerson (right) during a Copa Libertadores soccer match.—AP

SAO PAULO: Universidad de Chile earned a 1-1 draw at Paraguay’s Libertad in the opening match of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal Wednesday.

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian clubs Vasco da Gama and Corinthians played out a 0-0 draw in their first-leg matchup.

Playmaker Gustavo Lorenzetti scored the equalizer for Universidad de Chile with a long-range shot in the 56th minute. The ball deflected off a defender before hitting the net in the far corner.

Midfielder Victor Caceres opened the scoring for Libertad with a shot from inside the area in the eighth, sliding feet first to convert a low cross by Luciano Civelli.

Universidad de Chile won last year’s Copa Sudamericana, the most important South American competition behind the Copa Libertadores.

The return leg of the quarterfinal is next Thursday in Chile and Universidad can advance with a 0-0 draw because it scored an away goal in Paraguay.

Vasco da Gama and Corinthians played cautiously under pouring rain at the Sao Januario stadium and will decide a place in the semifinals in next week’s second leg in Sao Paulo.

Alecsandro scored with a header in the 71st, but the goal was disallowed because the Vasco striker was ruled offside. It was a matchup between Brazil’s most successful teams last year.

Corinthians won the Brazilian league and Vasco captured the Brazilian Cup. Vasco also was runner-up to Corinthians in the Brazilian championship. Corinthians is Brazil’s secondmost popular club behind Flamengo, and the Copa Libertadores is the only major competition it is yet to win.

Among its titles is FIFA’s inaugural Club

World Cup in 2000. Vasco is trying to win Latin America’s most important club competition for the first time since 1998. Juninho, a member of Brazil’s squad in the 2006 World Cup, had one of Vasco’s scoring chances late in the first half but couldn’t get a shot off after clearing two defenders inside the area. Eder Luis also came close in the 51st with a low shot saved by Corinthians goalkeeper Cassio.

Corinthians threatened with a header by Jorge Henrique in the 60th, but Vasco goalkeeper Fernando Prass made a great save to keep the score even.

The other two quarterfinals will be played on Thursday: Velez Sarsfield of Argentina will host defending champion Santos of Brazil, while fellow Brazilian club Fluminense will play sixtime champion Boca Juniors in Argentina.—AP

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Djokovic into Rome last eight Page 46

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Thunder, Celtics Advance Page 46

OKLAHOMA: City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (left) tumbles over Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum during the first quarter of Game 2 in an NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference semifinal. —AP