20th May 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

Decades after ‘reunification’, a divided Jerusalem

Lightning Liu strengthens Olympic bid

NO: 15454

150 FILS

7 40 PAGES

www.kuwaittimes.net

JAMADI ALTHANI 29, 1433 AH

18

G8 leaders agree need for growth, stability Syria bloodshed, Iran nuke talks also discussed

Bahrain, Qatar, UAE issue Lebanon travel warning DUBAI: Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates urged their citizens to stay away from Lebanon, citing security concerns in a country where fighting prompted by sectarian tensions in neighbouring Syria has unsettled areas near a northern port. The three Gulf states’ Foreign Ministries urged all those already in Lebanon - a favourite destination for wealthy Gulf tourists - to leave because of the “security situation” in the country, the official news agencies BNA, QNA and WAM reported.

Heavy fighting has rocked Lebanon’s northern port of Tripoli in the past week. The clashes, mainly between government troops and gunmen in a Sunni Muslim district, have highlighted how violence in Syria can spill into Lebanon, a country that was garrisoned by Syrian troops until 2005. Tourists from Gulf states form the bulk of the wealthy visitors to Lebanon, whose vital tourism industry has been hit hard by unrest in neighbouring Syria.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon last month warned Saudis to stay away from Lebanon’s border areas, after two Saudi citizens were kidnapped and tortured for eight days, before being freed in a joint Saudi-Lebanese operation. Israel borders Lebanon to the south and Syria is its eastern neighbour. There have also been several cases of kidnappings for money in recent years in Lebanon, usually in remote parts of the country. — Reuters

CAMP DAVID, Maryland: (Clockwise from lower left) Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Monti, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Francois Hollande, US President Barack Obama, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (foreground, with back to camera) are seen at the start of the first working session of the G8 Summit yesterday. — AFP

Max 44º Min 29º High Tide 10:44 Low Tide 04:37 & 17:47

CAMP DAVID, Maryland: G8 host President Barack Obama declared the group “absolutely committed” to growth and fiscal reforms yesterday as leaders of the world’s major economies tried to bridge divisions over the eurozone’s deepening crisis. With the future of Europe’s currency union in doubt, Obama stressed the need for policies that would span competing demands for growth-friendly spending and German-backed budget cuts. “All of us are absolutely committed to making sure that both growth and stability, and fiscal consolidation, are a part of an overall package,” Obama said, while flanked by G8 leaders at his Camp David rural retreat.

The all-of-the-above approach masks deep divisions within the G8, that have seen the United States support French efforts to upend two years of Berlin-led austerityfirst policies. Critics say the existing single-minded focus on cutting Europe’s sky-high debt has fuelled rampant unemployment, brought Greece to the verge of bankruptcy and deepened crises in Italy and Spain. The coming weeks will tell if the G8’s new 30,000-foot view of mutually compatible austerity and stimulus survives contact with events on the ground.

Greece may be the first test after the clobbering in recent elections of pro-austerity parties left a cash-forreforms deal between Athens and the rest of Europe on life support. Fresh Greek polls are scheduled for June 17, but amid widespread public anger there is no certainty that supporters of the painful reforms will win. That would leave G8 members with a tough choice: loosen demands on Greece by backing more pro-growth policies, or stop assistance.

Continued on Page 13

Blast hits Syria military compound Bahrainis stage rally in support of Saudi union

BRINDISI, Italy: Policemen search the site after a blast near a school yesterday. — AFP

Teenager killed in Italy school blast BRINDISI, Italy: Italy was in shock yesterday after a 16-year-old girl died and seven other teens were gravely injured in a bomb blast at a school, as investigators cast doubt on possible involvement by the mafia. There were scenes of chaos and carnage when the powerful blast went off at the entrance of the building just as students were arriving for morning classes at the vocational high school in Brindisi in mafia-heavy southern Italy.

“I was opening the window and the blast

wave hit me. I saw kids on the ground. All blackened. Their books on fire. It was terrifying,” an employee at the prosecutor’s office next to the school told the Repubblica daily.

Another teenage student who witnessed the blast told local television: “I had just gone into the bar in front of the school. I saw everything falling.” A middle-aged woman, still under shock, said: “I saw a girl lying on the ground and Continued on Page 13

DUBAI: Thousands of Sunnis staged a rally in Manama yesterday in support of a controversial proposal to unite Bahrain with neighbouring Saudi Arabia, witnesses said. “Yes to unity,” read the banners of the demonstrators, out in the streets in response to calls from an alliance of 10 Sunni associations. “We will support the unity... (which) protects the allegiance of Gulf states to Arab and Islam,” an organiser, Sheikh Abullatif Al-Mahmud, told the crowds waving Bahraini flags alongside those of other Gulf Cooperation Council states.

The six members of the GCC, a grouping of the Sunni Arab monarchies in the Gulf, have been discussing a Saudi proposal that would lead to a form of closer political union. The first step in this process would be the union of Sunni-ruled Bahrain, which has a Shiite majority, with Saudi Arabia. The proposal has however prompted Bahraini Shiites, who began an uprising in Feb 2011, to protest.

Also in predominantly Shiite Iran, just across the Gulf, thousands of people demonstrated on Friday to protest the proposed union, which Iranian authorities have called an “American plan to annex Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.” Tensions have escalated between Iran and its Arab neighbours in the region since a Saudi-led Gulf force rolled into Bahrain in March 2011 to boost the kingdom’s security forces, which then crushed a Shiite-led uprising. — AFP

China activist leaves for US with family

BEIJING: Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng, in a wheelchair, is helped to head to a commercial flight yesterday at Beijing International Airport. — AP

BEIJING: Blind activist Chen Guangcheng and his family left China on a plane bound for the United States yesterday, ending weeks of uncertainty in a saga that sorely tested China-US relations. Chen was whisked to Beijing’s airport from the hospital where he had been treated after his dramatic escape from house arrest and flight to the US embassy which triggered a diplomatic crisis. “We can confirm that Chen Guangcheng, his wife and two children have departed China and are en route to the United States so he can pursue studies at an American university,” US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

Chen was given short notice earlier in the day to pack his belongings and leave the hospital where he had been waiting for more than two weeks for permission to depart from China. “I’m at the airport. I do not have a passport. I don’t know when I will be leaving. I think I’m going to New

York,” he told AFP by telephone. Once at the airport, Chen told a friend that he had finally received the passports for himself and his family that would enable them to depart. The United Airlines flight for New York believed to be carrying Chen and his family was originally scheduled for 3:45 pm (0745 GMT) but left after a delay of about two hours, according to airport staff.

One of China’s best-known activists, Chen won plaudits for investigating rights abuses including forced sterilisations and late-term abortions under China’s “onechild” family planning policy, but also served a jail term. Jiang Tianyong, a lawyer and close friend of Chen’s, said he had mixed feelings about leaving his home country. “He seemed to be reluctant to leave and didn’t consider it the optimal solution, even though he agreed that it was the best he could do to ensure his personal safety,” Jiang told AFP. Continued on Page 13

Syrian firefighters douse a burning truck at the site of a blast in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour yesterday. (Inset) A Syrian protester holds a sign during a demonstration against the Syrian regime in Geneva yesterday. — AFP/AP BEIRUT: A car bomb tore through the parking lot of a military compound in an eastern Syrian city yesterday, killing nine people in the latest in a series of blasts in recent months targeting security installations, the country’s state media reported.

The blast in Deir al-Zour took place as a top UN team was in the capital Damascus to discuss with Syrian officials the peace plan brokered by special

envoy Kofi Annan last month. Annan’s six-point plan paved the way for the deployment of about 260 UN observers, and also calls for a ceasefire and dialogue to end the conflict.

Footage broadcast on state TV of yesterday’s bombing showed damaged buildings, smoldering cars, and trucks flipped upside down.

Continued on Page 13

Chelsea crowned Champions

MUNICH: Chelsea’s Jose Bosingwa holds up the trophy at the end of the Champions League final football match between Bayern Munich and Chelsea yesterday. Didier Drogba scored the decisive penalty in the shootout as Chelsea beat Bayern to win after a dramatic 1-1 draw. — AP (See Page 20)

2

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

LOCAL

NA panel to hold ‘crucial’ meeting with CB governor Tougher measures in store KUWAIT: A parliamentary committee investigating graft allegations involving multi-million dinar bank deposits case, will hold a ‘crucial meeting’ with Central Bank Governor Mohammad Al-Hashel once the debate of grilling motions filed against Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali is completed.

The announcement was made by Committee President MP Musallam Al-Barrak who warned that tougher measures will be taken “if the government continues be uncooperative with investigations.”

The panel is probing allegations that lawmakers (previous Cabinet) received large deposits in their bank account from anonymous sources, leading to speculations that political bribery might have

been involved in the case that rocked the political scene and fueled public pressure that led to the Cabinet’s resignation and Parliament’s dissolution earlier this year. Al-Barrak told Al-Qabas recently that the Central Bank “deliberately places obstacles in the committee’s way so that the truth is not revealed,” adding that investigations have revealed that the CB holds the “keys to finding out the truth,” reported Al-Qabas.

Meanwhile, several MPs opposed Minister of Housing Shuwaib Al-Muwaizri’s decision to dismiss Salah Al-Mudhaf, General Director of the Savings and Credit Bank. “The arbitrary decision is a clear violation of an Amiri decree, according to which Al-Mudhaf was

appointed,” said Salafist MP Dr Mohammad Al-Kandari who announced that the incident would be investigated.

In Kuwaiti law, a direct order by the Amir referred to as an ‘Amiri decree’ cannot be overruled by a minister’s decision. “The minister should have waited for the results of the investigations committee before making his decision,” said MP Abdurrahman Al-Anjari in reference to an internal probe which began looking into allegations of financial violations.

MP Faisal Al-Yahya described the decision as “hasty” and “suspected to be incorrect from a legal standpoint.” “While I do not question AlMuwaizri’s integrity and commitment, I believe that his decision

was rushed,” Al-Yahya said. The minister “was required to commit to regulations after it became clear that the two men cannot work together,” reported Al-Jarida.

In other news, MP Nayef AlMerdas, President of Parliament’s interior and defense committee, announced that Minister of Defense Sheikh Ahmad Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, and Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah were invited to attend tomorrow’s (Monday) meeting to discuss the enrollment policy in the Ministry of Defense. The panel aims to “remove obstacles facing Kuwaitis seeking to enroll in Kuwaiti Army,” Al-Merdas told AlRai, announcing that the committee approved financial incentives.

New restrictions in issuing temporary passports for bedoons KUWAIT: A temporary Kuwaiti passport issued to stateless residents for travel purposes will be restricted to holders of 1965 census documents and children of Kuwaiti women, a local daily reported yesterday quoting a senior Cabinet insider.

The source said that the new stipulation was passed by the Cabinet and was referred to Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah, Interior Minister and Saleh Al-Fadhlah, President of the Central Agency of Illegal Residents.

As per the new regulation, obtaining a passport as per Article 17 of the Kuwaiti Citizenship Law requires that a bedoon produce an official document to prove that their ancestors lived in Kuwait when the first census was held in 1965.

Bedoons who have Kuwaiti mothers are still eligible to obtain a temporary passport.

Otherwise, the passport cannot be issued to a stateless resident unless he or she suffers from severe illness and a notarized medical certificate is provided.

Meanwhile, report quotes another source stating that the Central Agency has put the process of issuing new security identification cards to stateless residents on hold . It had planned to issue cards that bearing distinctive colors indicating the category under which each holder is classified in the agency’s records.

“Lack of budget” was cited as the reason, in addition to the fact that state departments are not prepared to enforce the new color-based system, the source said.

Women power seen through the lens

By Sawsan Kazak KUWAIT: The Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) recently inaugurated a photography exhibition at the CAP Platform, Kuwait in Shuwaikh.

The display showcases the work of six female photographers who are a

founded by female photographers from the Middle East.

The exhibition is a collection of six stories told from the point of view of the women’s camera lenses.

The photographers participating in the event are: Myriam Abdelaziz, Tamara Abdul Hadi, Laura

KUWAIT: One of the photographs by Dalia Khamissy. Her story is told by the mourning families of those that were kidnapped during the Lebanese Civil war. part of a photography collective called ‘Rawiya’, meaning ‘she who tells a story’. The Rawiya group was

Boushnak, Tanya Habouqa, Dalia Khamissy and Newsha Tavakolian.

The first story is told by Newsha

Tavakolian’s subject, Maria. Before her sex-change operation, Maria used to be called ‘Asgar’, and was a married man and truck driver. This subject believed that she was born the wrong sex. After years of suffering, Asgar decided to undergo an operation, christen her new self ‘Maria’ and was introduced to the family as a long-lost aunt. Maria’s life seemed to be going well for a while until local newspapers started running stories about her true identity. As a result of being featured in the media, Maria now lives alone in a small apartment, with no job.

Laura Boushnak, the second member of Rawiya, decided to make her subjects into storytellers as well. Throughout her series of portraits, she has photographed illiterate Arab women and asked them to participate by writing their own stories on prints of her work.

This series focuses on the class of literacy in Egypt where nearly half of the women can’t read or write.

Taniya Habjouqa invites viewers into the daily lives of women living in the Gaza Strip. A series of photographs prove that even in a place filled with ruin and destruction like Gaza Strip, one can always find joy, love and laughter.

The pictures demonstrate that no matter how hard a person’s situation is, they can always make the most of it. In these pictures, Habjouqa chronicles how women in Gaza are strongly motivated to pursue their education, continue caring for their families as well as have fun and enjoy the simple

beauty of life.

Dalia Khamissy’s story is told by the mourning families of those that were kidnapped during the Lebanese Civil war. It is estimated that over 17,000 people were kidnapped between 1975 and 1990.

Khamissy contacted some families of those who went missing and photographed the family members with the possessions they left behind.

As for photographer Myriam Abdelaziz, she introduces the viewers to an exceptional dialogue between the Egyptian people and the walls surrounding them. In the streets of downtown Cairo, members of the recent revolution have been expressing themselves on the walls. Abdelaziz’s photographs capture the cycle of graffiti that has been posted, highlighting the changes that Cairo is undergoing.

The portrait series, presented by Tamara Abdul Hadi’s, has been on since 2009. The photographer had seen Arab and Muslim men being negatively represented in the media after the September 11, 2001 events. Abdul Hadi attempts to break down the stereotypes surrounding Arab men by displaying a series of photographs that display the beauty and softness of Arab men from different parts of the world.

Location: Contemporar y Art Platform Kuwait Industrial Shuwaikh, Block 2, St. 28, Mezzanine level of the Life Centre “The Other Resurrection”. The exhibition will run from May 16 until May 30, 2012.

KUWAIT: The Dasman Institute for Diabetes held a training program in cooperation with Dandy University, Scotland titled ‘The Discovery Course’ over the weekend. The program covered all aspects related to diabetes. A number of professors and doctors paid a visit to the institute from Dandy University and other places from Scotland to supervise this program and train participants.

MoH reshuffles top officials KUWAIT: The Minister of Health Dr Ali Obaidi has sent Al-Sabah health zone Director Dr Abdullateef Al-Sahli, Capital health zone Director Dr Adel Al-Khatrash, Human Resources Director Mizyed AlMizyed and Budget Administration Director Mohammad Al-Rawayeh into retirement.

Sources said that Jahra health zone Director Dr Adel Al-Asfoor has been transferred to Al-Sabah health zone, and Hawally health zone Director Dr Abdel Azizi Al-Farhoud will be appointed in Asfoor’s place. Dr Tareq Al-Jasser will be appointed as the director of Capital health zone.

Mubarak Hospital Director Dr Khalid Abdul Ghani will serve as the director of Hawally health zone, and Dr Mohammad AlOwaidah will serve as the Director of Ibn Sina Hospital.

The reshuffling was done because the

government was keen to induct new blood to top positions. Several MPs hailed the step and considered it as ‘reformative’ procedure. Meanwhile, Dr Abdullateef Al-Sahli, Director of Al-Sabah Health zone said that waiting period at specialized clinics has been reduced by introducing overtime and evening shifts and increased work hours at Al-Razi Pharmacy.

On the other hand, Sameer Al-Asfoor, Assistant Undersecretary for Services and Maintenance Affairs said the new Jahra Hospital will be constructed at a total cost of KD 200 million.

He said that the ministry wanted to merge two projects into one to construct a comprehensive public hospital with 1,000 bed capacity. The hospital will be equipped and maintained for five years, built by Ministry of Public Works and equipped by Ministry of Health.

Safar proud of MPW rating KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Planning and Development Affairs Dr Fadhel Safar Ali Safar yesterday took great pride in giving the top ratings of Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS) to the Ministry of Public Works, the Central Statistical Office (CSO), and the Planning and Development Secretariat.

“I congratulate the personnel of the three state departments for the recognition of their sincere efforts in combating corruption and scaling up reforms,” a press release by the joint information panel of the development programs quoted the minister as saying.

“I call on all my colleagues to pursue the relentless combat against any forms of irregularities and corruption, and promote transparency in all state departments in order to speed up the development process,” he added.

The Ministry of Public Works came first in the transparency list for 2012 prepared by the KTS; the index covers 48 state departments. — KUNA

Doha hosts Middle East economic future forum DOHA: The 12th Doha Forum and Enriching the Middle East’s Economic Future Conference opens here today with participants discussing a host of issues like democracy, development and free trade in the Middle East, the Arab countries and the world. The three-day forum will touch upon political, economic, social, financial, strategic and human matters of pressing concern.

Over 660 participants from more than 84 countries and organizations are scheduled to attend the forum. They will discuss specific strategies for strengthening and diversifying the region’s economies. The conference will tackle several topics including: the Consequences of the Global Financial Crisis in Reshaping Economic Policy and Implications for the Arab and GCC countries, Future Trends in the Middle East and a Variety of Future Economic Visions in the Middle East and North Africa. — KUNA

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

local

News

in brief

Politically charged speech at mosques KUWAIT: Religious sermons delivered at certain mosques are politically charged and may incite sectarianism in society or damage country’s foreign relations, state officials warned recently. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs sources who spoke to Al-Qabas added that some imams began addressing political developments ever since the ministry stopped recording religious speeches. “Several complaints were made at MAIA as well as the Interior Ministry about attacks against Sunni or Shiite political groups,” a source said. An imam reportedly spoke condescendingly of a religious sector, eliciting similar reactions from other imams. “The government should regulate speech in mosques before they turn into time bombs,” a source said.

80 police deployed at Amghara scrapyard KUWAIT: More than 80 officers and policemen from Jahra police were deployed at Amghara scrapyard to secure the area from a possible fire. Police were deployed as a precautionary measure amidst suspicions that the recent fire incident was an act of arson. Also, a security campaign was held on Thursday and hundreds of residence permit violators were arrested.

KUWAIT: Municipality officials discovered several equipment, including loaders and dumpers operated by field officers at Mina Abdullah who were illegally sand mining. Warnings were issued to them, asking them to abide by the law.

Amir’s envoy attends banquet LONDON: His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s representative, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, attended a banquet held late on Friday by the Heir Apparent Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Prince Charles held the banquet in honor of the delegations attending celebrations to mark the diamond jubilee of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. HH Sheikh Nasser conveyed greetings of HH the Amir, HH the Crown Prince and the people of Kuwait.

KAC suffering from great negligence

Kuwait experiences 254 days of storm KUWAIT: Kuwait experiences 26 storms annually, amounting to 254 days of sandstorms, remarked Dr. Ali AlDawsarie Desert Studies researcher at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, pointing out that sandstorms do not cause allergies and pollen from plants carried by the storms spread allergen. He said that absence of adequate vegetation is the main reason why frequent sandstorms are caused. He emphasized that people have to adapt to the sandstorms because they have become a part of ecological system. He said it is necessary to plant trees around deserted areas to reduce the effects felt by storms that carry about five million tons of sand into Kuwait.

Privatization no solution

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) is suffering from great negligence which has caused problems with its fleet, shortage of services, and many delays. “The fleet is very old; it’s more than 20 years old, so technical problems are bound to occur. The delay which took place last Thursday and Friday isn’t an exceptional case for KAC,” Abu Yousef from the control section of the Civil Aviation at the Kuwait International Airport told the Kuwait Times yesterday.

Abu Yousef confirmed the delay of the KAC flight from Kuwait to Mumbai, Flight 301 which was supposed to fly on

Thursday at 10 pm to more than 24 hours. The delay of Flight 301 also postponed the departure of KAC Flight 302 from Mumbai to Kuwait. This caused complications for the passengers in both airports. Flight 301 only departed on Friday at 10:45 pm. Technical problems were the reason behind this delay,” he explained. When compared to other GCC airlines companies, KAC has a very small and old fleet, despite being one of the first carriers in the region. “KAC has been operating for more than 50 years, yet its fleet consists of about 11 to 12 aircraft. While Qatar Air ways for instance, was only established nine years ago, and their fleet includes 98 air-

School blocks metro route project

KUALA LUMPUR: Ambassador Dhrar Nasser AlTuwaijri and Cambodian Minister Men Sam An exchange mementos.

Kuwait, Cambodia to strengthen relations KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Cambodia Dhrar Nasser Al-Tuwaijri held talks with the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Assembly, Senate and Inspection Affairs Men Sam An on means to bolster bilateral cooperation between Kuwait and Cambodia.

Al-Tuwaijri said the Cambodian Deputy PM expressed hope the newly-opened Kuwaiti Embassy in Phnom Penh would give great impetus to Kuwaiti-Cambodian relations.

Sam An also stressed the importance of reciprocal visits among officials of both nations to help increase trade exchange and investments between the two nations.

The Kuwaiti ambassador said the Kuwait and Cambodia have great potential that could be used in developing bilateral cooperation in all domains.

Al-Tuwaijri also conveyed greetings of Kuwaiti Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of National Assembly Affairs Shueib Shabbab Al-Muweizri wishing for more prosperity and development between the two countries.—KUNA

KUWAIT: Construction of a metro route has met with an ‘obstacle,’ in the form of a school building in Hawally governorate blocking the designated route for the project, a local daily reported recently.

Letters exchanged between the Kuwait Municipality and the Ministry of Education, quoted by an Al-Jarida report yesterday includes a request to the MoE to look into the possibility of relocating Al-Najat School away from its current location. It lies in the way of the proposed metro project route.

In the meantime, the letter explains that the Municipality plans to proceed with attempts to modify the route, asking the MoE to coordinate with the Municipality before taking decisions to relocate the school.

The Kuwait Metro project has been included in the state’s development plan as a main requirement to revamp public transportation. The estimated length of the project is 160 km, and consists of 69 stations; 16 percent of which will lay underground.

According to Ministry of Public Works sources, a KD 3 million budget has been set aside to design the project to dig tunnels required for the metro project starting from the beginning of next year. The government relies heavily on the project as a solution for the persisting traffic jam problem, reported Al-Jarida In other news, the MPW plans to sign contracts for 20 major road projects in Kuwait, with a collective value estimated at KD 4 billion, Al-Anba daily reported, quoting a senior ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

craft. I think this is shameful,” added Abu Yousef.

“We are a rich country, and we have many resources and a huge public budget to spend on our national carrier which represents our country.

There is a shortage of spare parts and engineers. Kuwait has changed, nobody cares today. We need a strong decisionmaker to fix this problem, and to apply the law. Many committees were formed to discuss the problems and find solutions, but nobody is attending,” he further said.

From his point of view, the solution doesn’t lay in privatization, but if it helps, why not? “I don’t think we should

depend on the businessman to rescue KAC, as he shouldn’t be completely responsible for the national carrier. The government should change the present miserable situation of this corporation.

In Europe, those who don’t respect the law are punished but here, that isn’t the case,” he pointed out. Abu Yousef is worried of possible disasters as a result to the negligence. “I don’t predict that a disaster will happen. I think we should not wait till a serious accident happens or people to die to wake up and see the miserable situation of KAC. I always tried to do something to improve the corporation but nobody supported me, so I gave up,” he concluded.

Kuwait embassy participates in fundraising for child protection LONDON: Kuwait Embassy took part in the 53rd International Spring Fair organized by Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) to raise funds for child protection and family reunification services.

The fair witnessed large participation from Arab and nonArab countries including Kuwait.

The Kuwaiti pavilion attracted a large number of visitors. The pavilion official awarded the visiting UK Princess Alexandra a memorial gift in recognition of her great support to charity work.

The Fair’s chairperson Lady Davies voiced sincere thanks and gratitude to the Embassy of Kuwait for its continuous support for the Spring Fair. Davies said that Kuwait Ambassador Khaled Abdulaziz Duwaisan does not hesitate to support charity events. The annual international

Spring Fair is one of the largest and most colorful fairs to be held in London. It brings riches and flavors from around the world to London, supported by over 100

Diplomatic Missions. The Spring Fair raises vital funds for CFAB to carry out its unique role in uniting children and families across borders.—KUNA

4

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

Local Spotlight

Parties and one constituency

Is Iran really a threat?

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani henever you mention political parties, a person comes out to say, with affirmation, that parties do not suit us. Why? He answers with absolute confidence, and without thinking about how correct he is: “Look at what parties have done in Lebanon!” He says that with total ignorance of the real reasons behind the problems in Lebanon that have nothing to do in any shape or form with the existence of parties or not. Rather they have deep social and economic reasons.

Yet if we suppose, for the sake of argument, that Lebanon’s problems are due to the existence of parties, then why do we give examples of only bad experiences?

What about the prestigious and successful parties in other countries? What about the advanced world where the absolute majority of the inhabitants on the globe live, such as the USA, Europe, China, Russia, India, Australia, Canada, Latin America and South East Asia? Here political parties participate in government and public life too.

What about the many political organizations that exist here under various names, some of which are formed on a sectarian or affiliation basis without legal cover? According to the news published in daily papers, it is not strange for high ranking officials to visit their premises and receive invitations to participate in the government, yet despite that the government does not recognize them and does not know the number of its members or programs or the source of its financing?

Some people say political parties aim to take over power, which is true, because there will not be true democracy without political parties or a peaceful exchange by the executive authority (government), which is normally formed by the party which has the majority in the general elections. Because of that, and due to political developments in each country, some countries like Bahrain for example resorted to name parties as “Political Societies” to by-pass the problem of peaceful exchanges with the executive authority. It seems that this is the reason behind the proposal by some MPs to create “political entities” instead of political parties.

Anyhow, the most important thing here is to confirm that declaring political parties (or any other name agreed upon) is ahead, or at least along with the issue of amending the election constituencies, which is being talked about strongly in the political arena as steps towards political and democratic reform. It is a deserved move to get out of the tribal affiliation and sectarian influences, which were confirmed by the five constituency system which was adopted in 2006 under certain circumstances.

This passed alone, without the political reform package which includes the declaration of political parties on a national basis, and the adoption of the relative lists systems (a minimum listmit of 10 for example), has national programs side by side with the possibility of running for election as an individual. The establishment of an independent election authority, overlooking all matters related to the elections, should start with registration and go all the way to the Constitution and the declaration of final results. — Al-Jarida

W

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

ne can clearly observe several contradictions in the political scenario and attitude displayed by Kuwait. Kuwaitis can trace their roots and background either to Saudi Arabia or Iran. Some obtained citizenship after residing here for several years (like some well-known Palestinian families) or through marriage. A few may have been naturalized because of different reasons — a matter of speculation and suspicion in the National Assembly! Today, I am more interested in examining if Iran is actually a threat to us when compared to the population, beliefs and country status. This topic will be examined in two parts.

Kuwait covers an area of 17,820 square kilometers with a population of about 3.5 million including expatriates. Census statistics show that about 70 percent of Kuwaitis are Sunnis while the rest 30 percent are Shiites. A small number of Kuwaiti Christians exist too.

O

kuwait digest

Restoring balance of power

By Waleed Al-Rujaib he Parliament majority gave up the priorities which they announced during their election campaigns as a work plan after the election results. Their contradictions and incoherence emerged early.

This gave the opportunity to religious MPs to attempt Constitutional amendments that will make state laws biased towards the concept of a religious state instead of a civil state.

In the meantime, Parliament’s minority group has not done any better as they have so far filed a number of fruitless grilling motions, in addition to some members adopting unprecedented low levels of speech and behavior.

This inconsistent and chaotic approach is, in my opinion, aimed to spread frustration within society in addition to taking away the focus from political reforms that the government does not want, as they would limit its authority.

The Constitution needs amendments that boost freedoms and adopt a full parliamentary system of ruling. The approach mentioned above leads to spreading skepticism and concern within the public about political reform, which is exactly what the

T

government as well as religious groups in Parliament want.

The main reason behind the parliamentary chaos and the failure by the authorities to come up with a roadmap for development is the fact that MPs ran individually during elections, instead of running under lists that form political parties. This problem cannot be resolved by rearranging distribution of constituencies, or even merging them into one.

The first step towards achieving political and democratic reform is to allow the establishment of political parties.

A project to enforce a law to allow political parties has been proposed before, but it got lost in the middle of the chaos along with so many topics that the Kuwaiti people hope will be given priority.

Political forces, including the majority in Parliament and active politicians in society, need to live up to the responsibility of restoring the balance of power and correcting the current situation in which a small group in Parliament is controlling the work of Parliament as a whole.

— Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Leave space for logic

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

here is nothing worse than a ruler turning into a dictator, other than a whole population themselves changing into multi dictators with different opinions and faces. The worst thing is when most of the people in this converted situation become judges and executers, but this is what is happening these days in most Arab countries.

Verdicts against others, regardless of their position, are issued through media and social media.

Through my follow-up, I find the majority of the people in those countries have become small dictators. There is no opinion except theirs, and anything that others believe in is down and worth nothing.

I found that the majority have unfortunately refused to accept others, or in better terms, the opinion and the opposite opinion. They took sides.

This person follows that person and everything else is wrong. As if people in Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, and Bahrain have become football fans, dealing with politics and matters that concern the future of their country in the same way that they deal with the results of a football match of their favorite team, regardless of its performance.

Brotherhoods are one team, the Salaf one team and the pro government is one team. The majority is one team and the minority is one team. They issue political decisions in exactly the same way as they comment on a football match, as is happening now in most Arab countries.

Rarely do you find anyone ruling by logic.

Nobody is using their brain except in rare cases. All have revolted against their dictator governments, but then they themselves became dictators. It is as if every ruling dictator spreads the disease and virus of dictatorship among his people when he falls down. Everyone has become a dictator himself after he gets individual freedom.

Nothing of what I have mentioned is a criticism of the freedom which people have won, but it is a criticism of the people practicing that freedom.

Leave space for brain and logic, then freedom will be as straight as the principles and practices which we are all after, but are practicing freedom and criticism with the mentality of football fans. This is the catastrophe.

NOTE: It is a problem when freedom becomes a door through which thousands of dictators pass through. The catastrophe is that we are ready to throw accusations against anyone who opposes our opinion, even though we are right. — Al-Anbaa

T

I understand the concerns shared

by Gulf countries if they were to become united under the leadership of Saudi Arabia. Does that mean that we will have to obey Saudi Arabia’s rules or Kuwait’s regulations? What about countries’ identities and the civil rights of all Shiites and Sunnis, male and female? I think these are serious issues that need to be kept in mind if Kuwait decides to join this yetto-be formed union.

The bedoons issue is a hot topic now.

According to Human Rights Watch report, the number of bedoons in Kuwait totals to 120,000.

Since 2011, hundreds of bedoons from Jahra have taken to the streets demanding citizenship. They have clashed with security forces several times, but their problems remain unresolved.

In 2012, fresh protests were organized in Jahra and Sulaibiya where most bedoons reside. Many Kuwaiti political leaders believe that the bedoons are holders of foreign passports but choose to simply hide it. So, the saga of the stateless in Kuwait continues. Personally, I think that their situation could escalate if no prompt measures are taken.

Kuwait’s citizens have the freedom to express their opinion through social networking platforms like Twitter, private TV channels. These are easily accessible at all times!

News about Bahrain planning to join with Saudi Arabia(proposed Gulf Union) provoked many of its Shiite citizens to protest asserting that Bahrain was not for sale and that this plan would give Saudi Arabia an upper hand in Bahrain’s political affairs and future. This was clearly not welcomed by many Iranian officials and some people in other GCC countries, including Kuwait. Some feel that the so-called Gulf Union will benefit Saudi Arabia more than other countries, bearing in mind that not everyone agrees upon internal policies! I think I agree and understand that point and share concerns about the future. Will this unity have an impact on many of the historic privileges we enjoyed for a long time? What will happen to our Constitution, its articles and the many benefits that citizens enjoy in terms of individual freedom and freedom of expression?

I understand the concerns shared by Gulf countries if they were to become united under the leadership of Saudi Arabia. Does that mean that we will have to obey Saudi Arabia’s rules or Kuwait’s regulations? What about countries’ identities and the civil rights of all Shiites and Sunnis, male and female? I think these are serious issues that need to be kept in mind if Kuwait decides to join this yet-to-be formed union.

Think about European Union. The union was not formed because the countries were riding high on emotions and fears of being attacked by neighbors. Forming a union is worthwhile only if each country commits to improve its economy, civil and human rights practices. So, the standards set should not be mere geographic proximity but other interests and respect. No country should dominate the other! The problem with Gulf countries is that the existing Council did not serve as a role model of unity that benefits citizens and residents.

This topic has brought in more differences between the Kuwaitis; some favored it while others like me are more skeptical. Now, if this move is motivated by perceiving Iran as a threat, then it is time to examine the Shiites’ say in this.

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

LOCAL

Gulf Arabs shun exercise but gobble their veggies Saudis, women stand out KUWAIT: Food Revolution Day, a global campaign to get people to eat better, is being marked in the Gulf with vegetable-oriented dinner parties, lectures on healthy eating and cooking classes for the kitchen-challenged.

But a new Gallup survey shows they will have to eat a lot of celery washed down with water in order to reduce their weight and improve their health: Less than half of adults in most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries say they exercised for 30 minutes or more at least three days a week. Older Gulf Arabs eat their veggies, or so they say, but younger ones do not. Aversion to exercise isn’t quite shared by everyone in the Gulf. Omanis are gym rats, compared to their neighbours, with 52 percent saying they met the Gallup benchmark.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the rate falls to 42 percent, in Bahrain and Qatar 38 percent, Kuwait 35 percent and in Saudi Arabia a mere 22 percent, according to the survey, which was conducted among Gulf Arabs last autumn.

Gallup reached some harsh conclusions based on the survey, especially for Saudis.

“Judging by their reported health habits, the prognosis across the region looks somewhat poor. Saudis’ life expectancy of 72 years, for example, is the GCC’s lowest,” Gallup said.

“Further, it is lower than in some far less economically developed countries and areas, such as the Palestinian territories and Syria.

This is unlikely to improve, given that the majority of Saudi respondents do not exercise at all.”

Obesity is a worldwide problem for the richest nations, but in the Gulf it is especially bad. Statistics compiled by Britain Government Office for Science found that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have more obese people as a percentage of their population 35.6 percent and 33.7 percent, respectively than anywhere else in the world except the

tiny Pacific island states of Nauru and Tonga.

Rising obesity levels have already triggered a dramatic increase in Type 2 diabetes. At 19.5 percent, the UAE ranks only behind Nauru for diabetes incidence, and is closely followed by Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Overweight has been linked to other health risks, including cancer and cardio-vascular disease.

Women are even less likely than men to go for a jog or swim. In Oman, the exercise capital of the Gulf, the gap between the two sexes is 15 percent, with just 45 percent of women saying they exercise at least 30 minutes, three days a week, compared with 60 percent of men. In Bahrain, the gap is 27 points: Just over half the men exercise but just 24 percent of women do the same.

In Saudi, 16 percent of women exercise versus 27 percent of men. But they can be forgiven: Women have few options for working out. An effort a year ago to bring school sports to girls stalled in the face of clerical opposition. But last month, the kingdom set up a ministerial committee to consider allowing women’s sports clubs, despite opposition to female exercise from religious conservatives. Saudi Arabia’s official; antipathy to women’s sports even earned it the approbation of Human Rights Watch, which published a report “Steps of the Devil” documenting the denial of sports to girls and women.

“Saudi government restrictions put athletics beyond the reach of almost all women.

There is no government sports infrastructure for women, with all designated buildings, sport clubs, courses, expert trainers, and referees limited exclusively to men,” the New Yorkbased organization said. “The ban on women’s private, for-fee sports clubs has forced women to restrict themselves to fitness gyms...

Membership fees there are beyond the means of many ordinary Saudi women and girls.”

A host of factors have been blamed for the bulge in waistlines, including rising urban incomes, the adoption of a western, fast-food diet and a decline in physical exercise.

“Twenty years of trying to live healthy kind of takes its toll, especially here in Dubai. You have a few places where you can get sort of healthy food - a few salads, Nandos, a Subway,” said Andreas Borgmann, a co-owner of Kcal, which serves healthy fast food such as chicken yogurt followed by a “sweet banana sushi” for dessert. “Nowhere where you can eat exactly what you want.”

Food Revolution Day, which is a project of UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s foundation, which aims to enhance awareness of how bad most people eat and what they can do to change it, namely cooking at home with more utensils than a microwave and a frozen dinner. On Saturday, the Jamie Oliver Foundation is helping people create local food “events” or hosting a dinner party.

In Dubai, Sarvin Haghighi, a health enthusiast from Iran, is giving a talk on how to “Listen To Your Body” and Ayesha Sayed is leading students from the UAE University organizing a Food Revolution Day event, according to the local daily The National.

In fact, Gulf Arabs eat a little better than they work out, according to Gallup. Between 46 percent and 58 percent of Gulf Arab report eating “a lot” of fruits and vegetables at least four days a week. That is, except the Saudis, where the rate falls to a third. Women tend to be bigger consumers of produce than men, even if they exercise less.

But young people are less likely to eat fruits and veggies than older adults, the survey found. For instance, in Oman, nearly two third of people aged 30 to 64 meet the vegetable-eating benchmark set by Gallup, versus just 49 percent of 15-to-29-year-olds.

— The Media Line

‘Education Ministry has surplus of teachers’ KUWAIT: As the Education Ministry prepares to honor former ministers Ahmad Al-Mulaifi and Dr. Moudhi Al-Humoud tomorrow, Mohammad AlKandari Assistant Undersecretary for Public Education said that there is a surplus of teachers in some specialties totalling to 3,449 including 1,297 in kindergarten, 611 in Islamic education, 597 in social studies, 569 in home economics and 475 in Arabic. He said that there is a shortage of

workers in other specialties like social work and library supervision. He said that coordination has been achieved with the Civil Service Commission to appoint expats to cover the shortage.

Al-Kandari said that more than 34,000 students in 12th grade will appear for examinations between June 10 and 21. Tests for elementary and intermediate students will begin on May 27, while examinations for 10th and 11th grades will begin on June

14, and 12th grade will be from June 10 to June 21.

Meanwhile, the laptop project that was approved two years ago is still being debated by Education Ministry officials.

Former minister Ahmad Al-Mulaifi wanted to exchange the laptop with the iPad because it is easier to use.

The current minster supports the introduction of technology to education, but sources said that minister Al-Hajraf is not con-

vinced about using a laptop and its distribution to students. He is worried that the laptop will face the same fate as the flash memory program where students failed to use them properly. Sources said the undersecretaries’ council will discuss the pros and cons of the project today. The issue of abandoning the project is not on the table, especially because the ministry has spent too much money on improving infrastructure. — Al-Watan

MADRID: Kuwaiti students seeking to pursue their education abroad will help develop their country in the future, Adel Al-Ayyar, Kuwait Ambassador to Spain said here yesterday. This statement came after a number of Kuwaiti students graduated with a Masters Degree from the IE Business School in Madrid. The ambassador affirmed that this school was among the most prestigious international universities, adding that the Kuwaiti students’ graduation reflected their sincere determination and will to pursue higher degrees. IE Business School is a graduate school located in Madrid.

It was founded in 1973.

Conqueror of the Everest to carry Olympic torch KUWAIT: Kuwaiti sports champion, Zed Al-Rifai, the first Arab to climb Mount Everest, has been chosen to be in the team that will carry the Olympic flame at the London summer games.

Al-Rifai said that Samsung Co., a partner in organizing the sports event, picked him because of his record of climbing the mountain in 2003. The Kuwaiti champion, who conquered earth’s highest mountain of 8,848 metres (29,029 feet) above sea level, will carry the torch for 400 meters.

He is one among nine others who have been chosen from the Middle East for the symbolic demonstration.

Al-Rifai had been chosen to carry the Olympic torch in Beijing in 2008.

However, ceremonial demonstration of the flame was cancelled due to an earthquake that struck the Asian nation that year. The national figure said he was pleased to carry the torch this year as it will coincide with the ninth anniversary of his trek to the Everest’s peak, on May 22, 2003. The torch which has been carried across 1,000 cities, towns and villages in several countries will be carried in London on July 27, signalling the inauguration of the international athletic contests. —KUNA

Charitable trusts commit violations KUWAIT: Inspection teams from Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour detected many violations committed by charitable trusts last week, including calls to donate to foreign entities without a license, as well as donate for Iftar meals as the month of Ramadan approaches. Sources said that

calls are being made by individuals and groups who do not have any link to charitable trusts that are not approved by the ministry. They said that advertisements are used in the streets, mosques and through SMS. They added that the ministry will take legal action against violators.

6

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

LOCAL

Teacher beats up student for ‘provocative glares’ Diehard Real Madrid fan missing KUWAIT: A high school teacher remains in custody after physically assaulting a student on misbehavior allegations, and going as far as to threatening the kid in front of police officers. The student called his father following the beating that took place inside the Salem Al-Mubarak High School in Riqqa. When he arrived, the man found his son waiting for him at the principal’s office with assault marks on his face. The two headed to the area’s police station where the teacher had already gone to file a case against the student. The student’s father interrupted the case and explained that the teacher had beaten his son on multiple occasions in the past. As the father was about to file battery charges, the teacher turned to the student and threatened him with further dire consequences. The teacher was taken into custody for investigations, during which he explained that he often loses his temper when the student glares at him provocatively in class.

Teenager missing Search is currently ongoing for a Kuwaiti teenager who disappeared following a family dispute over attending the football match between Kuwait and Real Madrid last week.

The 15-year-old boy who was a Real Madrid enthusiast was last seen on the day of the match after he went to attend the match despite his father telling him not to. The family grew concerned when he failed to return home following the match, and began to call his friends. One of them told the boy’s father that he had called him to pick him up after the match, but he wasn’t able to go. The family contacted the number which the boy had

called from, but it was answered by an Egyptian man who explained that the kid asked to use his phone after the match. The family headed to Al-Fahaheel police station afterwards to report their son missing.

Woman’s escape Police rushed to a location in Salmiya where a woman was reported seen trying to jump from a building, but it turned out she was attempting to escape from her apartment following a domestic dispute. Security officers stopped the Filipina woman as she was trying to make her way down from her apartment’s balcony. She was taken into custody for investigations during which she explained that she was running away from her Arab husband following an argument.

She was kept in custody until her husband was summoned.

Teen driver held A teenager faces multiple charges following his arrest recently while driving illegally under the influence apart from assaulting police officers in duty. The 17-year-old was driving a pickup truck in Mina Abdullah when he was pulled over by patrol officers, who advanced to arrest him after he failed to produce a driver’s license. The youngster verbally assaulted the officers and went on to spit at them before he was put under arrest. The young man eventually admitted being under the influence of drugs, and a medical check was ordered after he claimed to be exhausted from diabetes complications. The reports cleared him as being healthy. He was taken into custody to face charges.

Prostitution stopped Fifteen women were arrested in Ahmadi for offering unlicensed massage services which they also used to facilitate prostitution. The arrest took place during a recent crackdown carried out after police received information about prostitutes targeting customers in malls in Ahmadi. Fifteen Asian women were detained in the operation as suspects, and they later confessed luring customers for illegal services for KD 10. They are currently held pending deportation procedures.

Officers threatened A drug addict was arrested inside a clinic he rushed into looking for syringes, following negotiations which started when he threatened officers with his HIV positive blood. Police rushed to AlRoudhah polyclinic following a report about an addict storming the pharmacy, and immediately evacuated the place. As officers approached him, the man claimed he was an HIV/AIDS patient as he took out a razor blade and threatened to cut himself open. Police were able to calm the addict down following half an hour of negotiations, and took him in an ambulance as he was under the influence of drugs at the time.

Suicide case A domestic worker committed suicide inside a Sabah Al-Salem home, according to preliminary investigation results. Officers rushed to the scene after a Kuwaiti man reported finding the Ethiopian woman hanging dead inside her room. The body was taken to the coroner after investigations were carried out on the scene.

Investigations are currently ongoing to reveal circumstances behind the case.

—Al-Watan, Al-Rai, Al-Anbaa

‘Wataniya Hall’ inaugurated at KSE premises KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom announced the official inauguration of the “Wataniya Hall” located at the Kuwait Society of Engineers (KSE) premises which took place on May 15. The ceremony was attended by General Manager and CEO of

video technology. The hall was renovated and branded by Wataniya Telecom and will be called the “Wataniya Hall”.

Commenting on this event, Wataniya Telecom’s GM and CEO, Scott Gegenheimer said that

Wataniya Telecom, Scott Gegenheimer as well as Husam AlKhorafi Head of KSE in addition to a number of officials from both Wataniya Telecom and KSE. A ribbon cutting marked the official opening of the Hall which serves as a room to host training courses and workshops at KSE and is equipped with high-end audio and

“Wataniya’s cooperation with KSE symbolizes our pursuit to take part in local projects and make vital contributions to the development of our society and its members. We want to assist KSE in providing the latest scientific and technical training to its members which is on par with international standards. These engineers are big contributors to the develop-

ment of infrastructure in Kuwait and Wataniya wants to support and encourage them.”

Husam Al-Khorafi, Head of KSE highly praised Wataniya’s efforts and extended his gratitude by saying: “We would like to thank Wataniya for their valuable contribution to the Kuwait Engineers Society. Wataniya has always supported the community on many different levels. Their efforts and contributions in renovating the hall at KSE will be remembered at many future events held at the organization.”

Al-Khorafi concluded hoping for more cooperation to take place between KSE and Wataniya saying, “We are eager to collaborate on more effective training programs especially for Telecom Engineers as this will undoubtedly enhance their experience and will definitely showcase both KSE and Wataniya’s role in always supporting the community.”

Head of KSE Husam Al-Khorafi handed over notable trophies to Wataniya and Fono teams at the end of the ceremony. Trophies of appreciation were given to several senior members of Wataniya and Fono’s management; Scott Gegenheimer, Juha Korhonen the Chief Commercial Officer, Public Relations Director Abdolaziz Al-Balool, Khaled AlHousani GM at Fono, Tareq Beidas Fono Corporate Sales Senior Manager as well as Hazem Fayeq and Wael Hasabullah from sales.

‘1,302 legalized residency status in Kuwait’ KUWAIT: In the last four months, 1,302 individuals adjusted their residency status in the country, said an official here yesterday.

Lieut-Colonel Mohammad Al-Wohaib, Head of the Status Adjustment Department at the Central Apparatus for Illegal Residents, Issues told KUNA that those individuals legalized their stay and reverted to original nationalities.

He noted that the step entitled individuals to receive free residence permit and their families for a period of five years with the ability to renew the document. He affirmed that the Apparatus would continue to work with the government to provide more privileges related to health, education and work force. The official pointed out that Mubarak Al-Kabeer governorate’s office was opened to those willing to adjust their residency status.

Inspection campaigns for food safety intensified KUWAIT: The municipality has intensified its campaign of surprise inspection and search for expired food and products unfit for human consumption, the director general said yesterday.

Ahmad Al-Sebeeh said in a statement that the efforts signal the start of the municipal authorities’ inspection program for the summer season which will cover all the state governorates.

He pointed out the campaign aims to foil any bid to violate relevant laws and legislations and ensure that food products carry necessary specifications for human consumption.

Al-Sebeeh stressed that punitive action will be taken against the violators, lauding efforts of the inspection teams who have been working diligently round the clock. In this regard, Ahmadi Municipality has launched a broad inspection campaign in Mahbulah city.

“The inspection resulted in issuing

closure orders for two violating restaurants,” Ahmadi Municipality inspection chief Mishal Aba-Assafi said.

He added that legal action was taken

against other 47 violators.

Aba-Assafi revealed that the inspectors were ordered to tighten supervision on food stores, restaurants, factories, cooperative stores and malls to ensure that traders would not promote or trade in inedible products. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait celebrates Executive Vice President Elham Mahfouz being ranked tenth in the 100 strongest Arab businesswomen list released by Forbes Magazine in its May issue. “Elham Mahfouz’s exceptional management skills and long experience in the banking field enabled her to play a significant role in CBK’s administration during the past two years,” read an official statement from the bank released yesterday.

Forbes magazine’s selection depends on achievements garnered by businesswomen in shareholding companies as well as assessment of their ability in leading their companies towards stability.

MPs laud outcome of Kazan Summit MOSCOW: Participating Kuwaiti MPs applauded yesterday the positive outcome of Kazan Summit 2012 of Islamic Business and Finance held in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan Republic, south Russia over the past two days. “This summit helps strengthen and develop economic relations between Russia and the Muslim World,” Undersecretary of the Legislative Committee of Kuwaiti National Assembly MP Ammar Al-Ajmi said. He pointed out the meeting focused on long-term investment in the promising and resources-rich Tatarstan Republic.

Al-Ajimi added the conferees debated the role of economic cooperation in strengthening friendly relations and promoting understanding among world countries and civilizations.

The meeting tackled means to facilitate the promotion of economic and financial relationships based on Islamic principles, he said. Moreover, Al-Ajimi said the Kuwaiti delegation to the summit has held several fruitful meetings with senior officials in Tatarstan and Russia, including a meeting with President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. “We have urged the Russian officials to support Kuwait’s bid for United Nations Security Council membership,” Al-Ajimi revealed. MP Dr. Hamad Al-Matar disclosed that giant investment projects worth about $11 billion were promoted at the summit. “These promising projects deserve thorough study from Kuwait Investment Authority, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, “ he said. The Kuwaiti delegation also included Tawfiq Al-Wahib as well as Talal Al-Heban, an academic.

The IV International summit also included: a conference about Islamic economics and finance; a conference of representatives from the parliaments of OIC countries; and four roundtables, entitled “The role of international media in the development of economic relations between region Russia and OIC countries,” “The role of Islamic finance within the world financial system,” “Dialogue of civilizations,” and “Long-term investments of Muslim countries.”

The objectives of this annual summit are identifying the strategic development prospects of international economic relationships between Russia and Muslim countries; developing cooperation in the sphere of direct investment in private sectors of Russia and Muslim countries; organizing public discussions and the development of recommendations on Islamic financial system operation. —KUNA

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

US soldier to stand trial for 2009 Iraq shooting ‘Army mental health system failed’

ARAK: Photo shows Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities near the central city of Arak 150 miles southwest of Tehran. — AP

Crunch week for hopes of progress in Iran crisis VIENNA: Renewed efforts to take the heat out of the dangerously escalating Iran nuclear crisis face a stern test this week with two crunch meetings, first in Tehran tomorrow and then in Baghdad two days later. In Tehran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Yukiya Amano, in his first visit as director general, will press Iran for closer cooperation in order to relieve its long-held suspicions of a covert nuclear weapons program.

But a perhaps more important gathering comes on Wednesday in Baghdad when Iranian officials meet counterparts from the P5+1 world powers-Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, and Germany-plus the European Union. Both events follow earlier rounds, in the IAEA’s case last week and for the P5+1 in Istanbul last month, that found enough common ground and willingness to engage to at least meet again. But on both tracks, negotiators now face much more of a challenge as they tackle the thorny issues that have divided not only Iran and much of the international community, but also the P5+1 powers themselves, for years.

They also represent another try at finding a diplomatic solution to a crisis that has escalated since Barack Obama offered Tehran an “extended hand” if it “unclenched its fist” on becoming US president in January 2009. Since then Iran has significantly ramped up its nuclear program, leading to increased sanctions-including on its lifeblood oil sector-because of fears that its activities are not, as Tehran insists, purely peaceful. Most notably, Iran is now enriching uranium to purities of 20 percent, a significant jump towards 90-percent weapons grade and shortening the “breakout” time needed to create a bomb-if it decided to do so.

Israel has meanwhile strongly hinted that it could launch military strikes on Iran if diplomacy fails. Obama criticized in March “loose talk of war” but also said he would “not hesitate to use force when it is necessary”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday that Tehran could use the upcoming talks “to delay and deceive and buy time”. Iran, which has seen several nuclear scientists assassinated in

attacks it blames on Israel, has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz and has conducted military maneuvers including sending warships through the Suez Canal.

In October 2009, P5+1 talks with Iran in Geneva promised much but delivered nothing, with mooted fuel swap deals foundering and negotiations with world powers collapsing in Istanbul in January 2011. Earlier this year, after two visits to Tehran the IAEA broke off talks, saying that Iran was refusing to address suspicions of weapons research outlined in a key November report and to allow it access to the Parchin military site. But now both sides have shown a willingness to give diplomacy another try. “In a way both sides have walked up to the abyss and they have both decided they don’t want to go down it,” Trita Parsi, author of a new book about Obama and Iran called “A Single Roll of the Dice” said.

Iran “has its back against the wall”, said one Western diplomat. Tehran wants international acceptance of its right to peaceful nuclear activities, for sanctions to be lifted and for the threat of military action to disappear. It also wants to be reassured the West is not seeking regime change. The P5+1 will want Iran to take a series of steps that convince it once and for all that the real aim of Tehran’s nuclear activities are peaceful, including through closer cooperation with the IAEA. Neither meeting is expected to produce spectacular results, however, with diplomats saying the most likely outcome will be both sides setting the parameters for a lengthy process of compromises and give-and-take.

Even if Iran offers to suspend 20-percent enrichment or turn off the centrifuges at its Fordo site under a mountain near Qom, it will be disappointed if it expects to be offered sanctions relief in return, analysts said. “The results might not be that tangible,” one P5+1 diplomat said, playing down expectations for a meeting that he nevertheless said was highly important. “A positive outcome from Baghdad for us would be to come out and realize that we had a serious discussion with the Iranians on concrete aspects of their program and that they engaged in dialogue.”— AFP

Al-Maliki, in charm offensive, invites scholars to Baghdad WASHINGTON: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, concerned by his portrayal in US media as an autocratic leader intent on consolidating power, has invited several influential Washington scholars to Baghdad to meet his team next week. The rare invitation was extended to Kenneth Pollack of the Brookings Institution, Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institution and Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group, Reuters has learned.

“I think it a very smart and constructive step on his part,” said Pollack, a former CIA military analyst who served in President Bill Clinton’s White House and also authored an influential book backing the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. Maliki’s opponents have accused the Shiite leader of amassing power they fear will restore the dictatorship toppled by the United States when it felled Saddam Hussein. Iraqi officials said the idea behind inviting the scholars was to put out Baghdad’s side of the story and respond to a “deliberate distortion of reality” being promoted by Maliki’s opponents.

“He feels that there is an increasing hostile activity against Iraq and the Iraqi government that attempts to give an unfavorable and negative picture about the situation in Iraq,” said Ali Al-Mussawi, chief media adviser to the prime minister, responding to an enquiry made to Iraq’s embassy in Washington. President Barack Obama’s decision to withdraw all US troops from Iraq by the end of last year is blamed by critics for a political crisis that erupted as soon as they left and has raised fears the country could tip back into civil war. Maliki issued an arrest warrant for Iraqi Vice President Tareq Al-Hashemi, a Sunni, who fled Baghdad and is currently in Turkey.

Relations between Baghdad and the semiautonomous Kurdish Regional Government in the north have also dimmed.

Baghdad’s invitation takes place against the backdrop of an effective information campaign being waged against the Maliki government in Washington, particularly by the Kurds, who maintain a separate representative office in the US capital and have longstanding ties to officials here. “It is important for those interested in Iraqi affairs to see the situation on the ground and to listen to the voice of Iraqi govern-

SEATTLE: A US soldier accused of killing five fellow servicemen at a military combat stress center in Baghdad in 2009 has been ordered to stand trial in a US military court, officials said yesterday. Sergeant John Russell, who could face the death penalty if convicted, is accused of going on a shooting spree at Camp Liberty, near the Baghdad airport, in an assault the military said at the time could have been triggered by combat stress.

Russell, of the 54th Engineer Battalion based in Bamberg, Germany, faces five charges of premeditated murder, one charge of aggravated assault, and one charge of attempted murder in connection with the May 2009 shootings.

Two of the five people killed in the shooting were medical staff officers at the counseling center for soldiers experiencing combat stress. The others were soldiers. Russell’s civilian defense attorney, James Culp, told Reuters he was disappointed his client could face the death penalty. Culp wrote in a memo this year his client was “facing death because the Army’s mental health system failed him.”

Army Colonel James Pohl, who presided over a preliminary hearing in the case last year at

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, had called the death penalty an “inappropriate” punishment for Russell because of combat trauma concerns.

Referring Russell’s case to court-martial as a capital trial was surprising, according to civilian militar y defense attorney Dan Conway, who is not involved with the Russell case but has defended soldiers in similar circumstances. In the days following the shooting, Admiral Mike Mullen, then chairman of the US military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the incident highlighted the risks of multiple deployments on soldiers and underlined the need to redouble efforts to deal effectively with combat stress.

Before the shooting, Russell’s commander had determined that Russell should have his weapon taken away. In a statement issued by Joint Base Lewis-McChord, military officials said Russell, 47, had been referred by a General Court Martial Convening Authority for trial. “As it stands right now, he’s fit to stand trial,” said Lieutenant Colonel Gary Danger field, the base spokesman.

Danger field added the decision to refer Russell’s case as a capital punishment trial

News

in brief

CAIRO: This combination of photos shows Egyptian presidential candidates (from left) Amr Mussa, Ahmed Shafiq, Mohammed Morsi and Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh. None of the 13 candidates are likely to top 50 percent in voting on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 and Thursday, so a runoff vote is set for June 16-17. A president will be announced June 21. —AP

Amr Mussa, popular secular candidate in Egyptian vote CAIRO: Amr Mussa, a veteran foreign minister, former Arab League chief and the presidential election’s main secular candidate, vows to lead a multiconfessional Egypt in the face of the rising power of Islamists. His posters show him alternately smiling in casual attire, or serious and in suit and tie, posing in front of the country ’s ancient temples or petrochemical facilities. The indefatigable diplomat has for months been actively campaigning in the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt, far from the diplomatic corridors where he spent most of his career.

The fall of Hosni Mubarak, with whom he kept uneasy relations, has allowed him to display his presidential ambitions.

On February 4, 2011, just days before Mubarak stepped down, Mussa gave hints of his desire to succeed his former boss.”I am ready to serve as a citizen, who has the right to stand,” he said from the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo that overlooks Tahrir Square where crowds chanted to bring down the regime. His campaign posters, of minarets and church steeples side by side, sit well with the Christian electorate that represents around 10 percent of the population. Following the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi fundamentalist movements, who already control parliament, Mussa warns of the risk

of turning the country into a “research lab” for followers of political Islam.

Nonetheless, Mussa never fails to emphasize his Muslim identity, praying five times a day, even on his campaign bus. His post as Mubarak’s foreign minister for 10 years-from 1991 to 2001 - is a handicap that he counters by implying his relations with the former strongman had been strained. His popularity “was not comfortable” for Mubarak, he acknowledged in a recent interview with AFP. Mussa prefers to talk of the following decade when he headed the 22member Arab League, where some say he was banished in order to keep him away from domestic politics. His diatribes against Israel only added to his popularity among Egyptians. He makes no secret of his lack of enthusiasm for the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian Camp David accord, which according to him is “in the drawer”, although he insists he does not want to jeopardize peace with Israel.As head of the Arab League, he was one of the few regional leaders to sense the earthquake of the Arab Spring. In January 2011, days after the fall of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and shortly before the start of Egypt’s revolt, he caused a stir by warning “the anger and frustration is unprecedented” among the region’s people.— AFP

Yemeni clashes kill 34 militants, troops

BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki speaks during a press conference in Baghdad. — AP ment and average Iraqis, rather than being exposed only to the readings and voices of those who have political agendas,” AlMussawi said. He did not spell out who he meant but cited unnamed regional powers interested in seeing a weakened Iraq.

Baghdad is waging a bitter war of words with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who has accused Maliki of sidelining Sunni opponents while warning of mounting Sunni-Shiite tension. Erdogan has recently hosted Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani, as well as Ayad Allawi, Maliki’s rival and leader of the Sunni Iraqiya bloc.

Danielle Pletka, an advisor to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1992 until 2002, said she was looking forward to the Baghdad trip but dismissed the idea that Maliki’s recent bad press was purely a result of poor media relations. “I don’t think that that is a publicity problem,” said Pletka, who saw a direct link between Obama’s decision to pull out the troops to honor a US election campaign pledge and the subsequent measures taken by Baghdad. “Maliki consolidated power because we pulled the troops out. Let’s make that absolutely clear. They should not have pulled the troops out,” she said.— Reuters

was made because of the severity of what he called “blue-on-blue” killings. The shooting was among several incidents that have brought attention to the issue of combatrelated stress among soldiers.

A recent Army study estimated as many as 20 percent of the more than 2 million US troops who have ser ved in Iraq and Afghanistan could suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. In another case where defense lawyers have cited stress as a factor, Staff Sergeant Robert Bales is accused of killing 16 people, including nine children, in a shooting rampage in Afghanistan in March.

Bales was on his fourth deployment to a war zone in the past 10 years, and his civilian lawyer has said that post-traumatic stress disorder would likely be an element of his defense. In the Iraq case, Russell was moved from Fort Leavenworth to confinement at Joint Base Lewis-McChord earlier this year, Dangerfield said. Although the court-martial will likely be conducted at the Washington state base, “anything is subject to change,” he said. No trial date has been set for Russell, but Culp expects the trial to begin before the end of the year.— Reuters

ADEN: At least 22 Al-Qaeda-linked militants and 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed in clashes and air strikes overnight during a new US-backed offensive against insurgents in the south of the country, officials said yesterday. Fighting erupted late on Friday and carried on into yesterday on the outskirts of the southern city of Jaar, held

by Islamist militants, who have stepped up their campaign during months of political turmoil. Government troops, backed by US drone strikes, have been trying to push the insurgents out of strongholds in the south of the country, which lies near oil shipping routes through the Red Sea. Washington and Yemen’s neighbor Saudi Arabia both fear the instability in Yemen could give Al- Qaeda’s regional wing a stronger foothold in the region. “There is heavy fighting, and the armed elements are doing everything possible to stop the advance of (government) troops,” a government official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity. Government forces were about 1 km from Jaar, he added. Twelve Yemeni soldiers and 17 militants were killed in the fighting and an air strike killed three militants on the outskirts of the city, the official said. Another air strike destroyed a vehicle used by militants, killing two people inside in the southern province of Bayda, provincial governor Mohammed al-Ameri was quoted as saying on a defense ministry website.

Insurgents have seized swathes of territory in the south of the impoverished Arab country since mass protests erupted last year against then-President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Washington has stepped up drone attacks in Yemen since President Abd-

Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February. The Pentagon said earlier this month it had resumed sending military trainers to the Arab state. On Friday, an army official and residents said troops backed by local tribesmen had killed 10 suspec ted Islamist militants outside Jaar. Islamist militants linked to AlQaeda retreated on Thursday from the town of Lawder, about 80km north of Jaar, as warplanes attacked and ground t ro o p s a d v a n ce d o n i n s u rg e n t- h e l d towns.— Reuters

SANAA: Yemeni rights activists shout slogans during a demonstration in the capital Sanaa yesterday, demanding the prosecution of seven men who were accused by the Yemeni police of raping a 13-year-old girl. — AFP

16 Muslim pilgrims perish LUCKNOW: An overloaded bus carrying pilgrims to a Muslim shrine rammed into a parked truck and burst into flames overnight, killing 16 and injuring more than two dozen in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said yesterday. Some of the 78 passengers aboard the 54-seater bus had kerosene and cooking gas cylinders that helped to turn the bus “into a ball of fire,” Officer Iqbal Mallik said. Some passengers escaped through the back door of the bus and others through a window. Those injured with burns, including nine in serious condition, are being treated at a nearby state hospital. The bus operators are being investigated for illegally allowing flammable cooking items aboard instead of preparing food themselves, as is customary on Indian tours, State Labor Minister Waqar Ahmad said. “The permit of the tour operator has been canceled,” Ahmad said. The pilgrims from three villages in Sultanpur district were traveling to a shrine in Ajmer when the accident took place in Bahraich, about 130 kilometers southeast of Lucknow Tunnel blast kills 19 BEIJING: A blast in a tunnel killed 19 workers at a central Chinese highway construction site yesterday, authorities said. The explosion in Hunan province also injured one person, said two officials from the provincial work safety bureau who would only give their surnames, Li and Yang, a practice that is common among Chinese government employees. The blast occurred when a vehicle was unloading explosives in the tunnel of the highway that is being built between Yanling and Rucheng in Hunan province, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Accidents and explosions are common in China due to weak safety standards and lax building practices. In November, a massive explosion near an expressway ramp in southwestern China killed at least seven people and injured about 200. That blast was caused by three explosives-laden vehicles that caught fire, also destroying a garage and a food warehouse.

Turkish freighter capsizes ATHENS: Four sailors aboard a Turk ish freighter were missing yesterday after their ship capsized from a suspected cargo shift near the Ionian Sea island of Zakynthos, the Greek coastguard said. Another six men sailing on the Turkish-flagged freighter Erol Sankaya were previously rescued by coastguard vessels and other ships arriving for assistance, a coastguard spokeswoman said. “The freighter was sailing with a crew of 10 from Zakynthos to Turkey when it capsized in relatively good weather conditions off the Peloponnese port of Kyllini, probably owing to a cargo shift,” the spokeswoman said. The ship was carrying pomace wood, a type of biomass fuel drawn from olive kernels during oil extraction. Five Greek coastguard vessels continue the search, assisted by nearby freighters and cruise ships and a helicopter belonging to EU border agency Frontex, the spokeswoman said.

73-year-old breaks record KATHMANDU: A 73-year-old Japanese mountaineer who became the oldest woman to conquer Mount Everest a decade ago smashed her own record yesterday, organizers said. Tamae Watanabe, who set off from Kathmandu early in April and climbed the world’s highest peak from the Tibet side, was accompanied by four team members including Japanese mountaineer and photographer Noriyuki Muraguchi.

“This morning at 7:00 am she reached the top.

She climbed from the north side and now she is descending,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, of the K athmandu-based Asian Trek k ing mountaineering agency. Watanabe made history when she scaled the 8,848-metre peak on May 16, 2002, taking the title of world’s oldest female Everest summiteer from Poland’s Anna Czer winsk a. Min Bahadur Sherchan, from Nepal, is the oldest man to conquer the mountain. He reached the summit in 2008 at the age of 76 years and 340 days.

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

DSK countersuit: Opening the door to sexual past?

Former IMF chief counter suing for defamation

BELGRADE: A man walks past a billboard showing presidential candidate proWestern former Serbian President Boris Tadic, reading: ‘For save future’. The runoff presidential elections in Serbia are scheduled today. — AP

Serbia’s pro-European Tadic set to win presidential vote BELGRADE: Serbia goes to the polls today to elect a new president with the incumbent pro-European Boris Tadic set for a victory over nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic. Surveys predict that Tadic, 54, will secure a fresh five-year mandate to lead Serbia, with some 58 percent of the vote in the run-off ahead of populist Nikolic’s 42 percent. The incumbent president-who brought the former international pariah state to the doorstep of the European Union with Serbia’s candidacy status in March focused his campaign on EU integration and economic development.

If elected, Tadic has vowed that during what would be his third and last presidential mandate, Serbia will start EU membership talks by the end of this year, with the aim of joining in five years. “May 20 is going to bring a big democratic decision-whether we will remain a stable country, or one burdened with problems,” Tadic told a final prepoll rally. Tadic came just ahead of Nikolic in the May 6 first round of presidential elections, but the nationalist challenger accused the incumbent of fraud.

The claims have been dismissed both by Serbia’s prosecutor and electoral officials but they have cast a shadow over the polls.

Nikolic insists that a probe into the claims by the state prosecutor was controlled by Tadic’s party and has vowed in this round to “personally fight” any attempt at election fraud. A one-time ally of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, Nikolic is a

recent convert to the European cause. The 60-year-old has vowed to stay on a proEuropean course but warned that he would not join the bloc at any cost.

“I support a two-door policy, both towards the East and the West,” he said in a heated TV debate with Tadic last week, accusing the incumbent of favoring only cooperation with the EU and US. Instead, Nikolic was also campaigning on populist promises, like tax hikes on the rich which would be used to increase pensions and welfare payments. Tadic has been able to pull ahead since the first round of vote, as he has since won the important backing of the Socialists-the third biggest party in the Serbian parliament. But whoever emerges as president would have to introduce painful reforms in order to restore the economic stability of the country where 24 percent of 7.5 million inhabitants are unemployed, one of the highest jobless rates in Europe. “Promises of a European future are nice, but I cannot live off nice words,” Vidoje Markovic, 34, who lost his job as a nurse in a state hospital due to budget cuts said.

Besides tackling economic problems, the president is also expected to boost further talks between Belgrade and Pristina aimed at improving relations between Serbia and its breakaway province Kosovo-a key condition for its EU integration. More than 6.7 million eligible voters will cast their ballots at more than 8.500 polling stations today from 7 am until 8 pm.— AFP

7 charged with terror crimes in IRA crackdown DUBLIN: Seven Irish republicans, including three relatives of a senior reputed Real IRA member and four others allegedly operating a forest rifle range, were arraigned yesterday on terror charges following a security sweep against militants plotting to sabotage Northern Ireland’s peace process. Three were charged with “directing terror,” a crime never before levied against a suspected Irish Republican Army member in Northern Ireland.

Use of the charge suggests that police and Britain’s domestic spy agency, MI5, believe they have caught senior members of the Real IRA faction and will present evidence from electronic surveillance and informers, typically the only means to convict senior figures. Three relatives of Colin Duffy, a reputed senior Real IRA figure, appeared in a courtroom southwest of Belfast surrounded by police officers in full riot gear. None offered pleas and all were ordered held without bail until their next court appearance June 8.

Duffy’s brothers, Paul, 47, and Damien, 42, and cousin Shane Duffy, 41, all were charged with four counts of preparing acts of terrorism, conspiring to murder and conspiring to cause explosions. Paul Duffy also was charged with directing ter-

rorism. Colin Duffy, who wasn’t charged as part of the latest sweep, was acquitted in January of murdering two off-duty British soldiers. He joined relatives and friends in the courtroom’s public gallery and cheered supportively as the three men were led away in handcuffs.

And in Omagh, the Northern Ireland town where the Real IRA committed the single deadliest bombing of the entire four-decade conflict, a woman and three men were arraigned on charges of preparing acts of terrorism, possessing a rifle and ammunition, and attending a Real IRA training camp in secluded woods near Omagh. Two of those charged, 37-year-old Sharon Rafferty and 46-year-old Sean Kelly, also were charged with directing terror. All four were ordered held without bail until their next court date Tuesday.

The Real IRA killed 29 people, mostly women and children, in an Aug. 15, 1998, car-bomb attack on the center of Omagh.

The group laid low for nearly a decade but in 2007 resumed attacks, chiefly against police and their civilian supporters.

Policemen testified that they had audio recordings of Rafferty and Kelly discussing how to target police officers, acquiring guns, running firearms training and financing Real IRA operations. —AP

Somali blasts kill 7 MOGADISHU: At least seven people, mostly Somali soldiers, were killed yesterday in bomb explosions in the Somali capital Mogadishu, officials and witnesses said. A roadside bomb planted under a tree killed four soldiers and one civilian in northern Mogadishu’s Karan district while at least two soldiers died in a separate grenade attack in Bakara market. “Four soldiers were killed when a bomb planted in the shade of a tree was detonated. One civilian was also killed in the attack and the security forces are conducting investigations,” Abdirahman Mumin, a Somali security official told AFP from the scene of the blast.

He attributed the attack to the Somali Islamist extremists who abandoned fixed positions in the capital last August and who have since concentrated on guerrilla tactics. “I think Al-Shebab planted the bomb during the night when nobody was in the area,” he said. In a second attack, unknown assailants hurled grenades at Somali soldiers who were pulling down illegal buildings near Bakara market, killing at least two of them. “There was a heavy explosion in Bakara market as the soldiers were destroying illegal buildings.

It was a grenade attack and I saw the dead bodies of two soldiers,” Dahir Moalim, a witness said.

Another witness, Shamso Mohamed, con-

firmed he had seen two soldiers killed in Bakara market. Somali forces and an 11,000strong African Union force, AMISOM, have made significant gains in recent months against Shebab militants, but despite the lull in street fighting, Mogadishu has been plagued by a series of suicide and grenade attacks since the Shebab reverted to guerrilla tactics. Earlier this month a mortar shell that was fired into a crowded neighborhood of the city killed seven civilians, including two children. Last month a suicide bomber blew herself up during an address by Somalia’s prime minister in Mogadishu, killing four people including the country’s Olympic and football bosses.

And in March a suicide bomber killed at least five people in an attack at the heavily guarded presidential palace. Somalia’s transitional administration has until August to set up a permanent government. UN powers earlier this month expressed concern that it is lagging behind on its timetable. The mandate of the transitional government has already been extended several times, and Western nations are saying it cannot be extended again. Fighting erupted in Somalia in the late 1980s, escalating into a brutal civil war following a 1991 coup, with rival militias, warlords and Islamist fighters battling ever since for control of the Horn of Africa nation.— AFP

NEW YORK: Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn struck back this week at the hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault with a sharply worded countersuit claiming defamation, but lawyers say the filing could backfire. Legal experts say Strauss-Kahn’s lawsuit could give New York maid Nafissatou Diallo’s attorneys greater freedom to present evidence of Strauss-Kahn’s sexual history, including allegations involving other women.

Without the defamation claim, “it would have been quite unlikely that they could bring up prior allegations,” said David Golomb, former president of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. “Now I believe he’s opened the door to all these things.” Diallo, a maid at the Sofitel Hotel in midtown Manhattan, claimed Strauss-Kahn forced her to perform oral sex in his suite last year. The scandal made headlines around the world, caused Strauss-Kahn to resign as head of the IMF and scuttled his expected bid for the French presidency.

Strauss-Kahn has said the sexual encounter was consensual, and prosecutors eventually dropped the criminal case after they grew concerned about Diallo’s credibility. They said she invented details about her past and altered her version of what happened intermediately following the incident in Strauss-Kahn’s suite. Diallo filed a civil lawsuit against him in August, weeks before the criminal charges were dismissed. On Monday, Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers filed counterclaims in Bronx County Supreme Court for defamation, emotional distress, malicious prosecution, abuse of process and false imprisonment.

Douglas Wigdor, one of Diallo’s lawyers, said the countersuit removed any barriers to introducing what he called Strauss-Kahn’s “prior bad acts.” “Some of it would have come in. Some of it wouldn’t have come in,” he said. “But there can be no question that the defense to his claim of emotional distress or damages to his reputation allow this evidence to come in.” Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

It had been unclear whether Diallo would be allowed to explore Strauss-Kahn’s past behavior in pursuit of her lawsuit against him. In civil cases, the judge typically has broad discretion to decide what is admissible evidence. The defamation counterclaim puts Strauss-Kahn’s reputation in play, allowing “the maid to demonstrate that he already had a bad reputation,” said Scott Coffina, a white-collar attorney at Drinker Biddle in Philadelphia. For example, Diallo’s attorneys could raise the example of French writer Tristane Banon, who accused Strauss-Kahn last year of having attacked her in 2003. French authorities dropped the investigation due to a lack of evidence and the statute of limitations.

Diallo’s attorneys also could mention that Strauss-Kahn is under investigation for his possible connection to a ring of call girls that French prosecutors say sent prostitutes to sex parties attended by

Nafissatou Diallo

Strauss-Kahn in Washington, Paris and the northern French city of Lille.

In 2008, the IMF investigated sexual harassment claims stemming from an affair Strauss-Kahn had with former IMF economist Piroska Nagy, concluding that he had shown poor judgment but had not abused his power. “It may have come in anyway, since the plaintiffs would have argued that it was a practice of his to engage in that manner with women,” said Daniel Arshack, a New York litigator. “Now it’s guaranteed to come in.”— Reuters

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Chavez breaks silence with 90-minute phone call CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ended a week-long silence yesterday to say he was resting, following a diet and trying to tame his work aholic ways as he recovers from cancer treatment. The usually garrulous and attentionseeking Chavez ’s disappearances from public view have become longer and more frequent this year.

That has fueled speculation his condition has worsened and may complicate a re-election bid in October.

Allies in the ruling Socialist Party say the 57-year-old leader remains on top of government affairs and is not mulling a succession. Chavez said he was working less than before his illness, but still about eight hours a day. “Unfortunately, I can’t carry on being the wild horse I was. I will rest and get well again,” he said during the roughly 90-minute ph one call, speaking in a firm voice and twice

breaking into song. “I didn’t used to sleep, now I’m working as the law dictates just eight hours a day, resting, following a diet,” the former soldier said. “I’ve spent this week shut away here working ... I’ll steadily be getting better.”

Chavez has been seen only twice in public since mid-April, presumably under strict doctor’s orders in his presidential palace. He made a halfhour appearance last Friday when he returned from Cuba after completing radiotherapy sessions. Despite rumors he was wheelchair-bound, Chavez walked unaided down the airplane stairs and then inspected a military guard of honor. Even on Twitter, where he is usually prolific and has a following of nearly 3 million people, Chavez has been uncharacteristically quiet. The official line is that he is recovering from tough treatment and will soon be

launching his campaign for the Oct 7 election in which he is being challenged by state governor Henrique Capriles.

Chavez wrongly claimed to be “completely cured” at the end of 2011, so many Venezuelans are skeptical about his condition, especially given the plethora of rumors and leaks from pro-opposition media citing medical sources. With the details of his health a state secret, all that is officially known is that Chavez has had three operations. Two malignant tumors were removed from his pelvic area.

The second was removed after what he called a recurrence of cancer this year. The implications of a downturn in his health are enormous less than five months from the election, when Chavez hopes to extend his 13-year rule of the OPEC member.— Reuters

CARACAS: TV grab shows Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez singing as he delivers a speech upon his arrival at the airport in Caracas. — AFP

Mexican army nabs 8 Gulf cartel members 4th high-ranking army officer detained

ALABAMA: Alabama Capitol Police handcuff immigration law protesters outside of the senate chamber at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery. — AP

Alabama governor signs bill tweaking immigration law MOBILE: Alabama’s governor signed into law revisions to the state’s controversial immigration statute on Friday, despite his earlier suggestions he might veto the measure because it did not make enough changes to the toughest state crackdown against illegal immigrants. Republican Governor Robert Bentley had publicly urged lawmakers to modify sections of the law that took effect last year and which sparked lawsuits by the Obama administration and immigrant rights groups that argued it is unconstitutional.

But legislators made only minor changes to the law, which has also been criticized by businesses and farmers in the Southern state, who say it has led to widespread departures of Hispanic workers and created a labor shortage. Supporters of the bill say it will help create jobs for legal residents by driving out undocumented workers and their families. “I don’t want to lose the progress we have made,” Bentley said in a statement after signing the revisions to the bill. The measure sent to Bentley included two provisions he had initially questioned. One involves a requirement that the names of illegal immigrants be published if they appear in court on charges of violating state law whether they have been convicted or not. The revised law also maintains a section from the original law that requires school systems to account for the immigration status of students unable to provide valid proof of residency. Olivia Turner, executive director of

the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said the governor should have pushed harder for changes to controversial parts of the law.

“Governor Bentley had the opportunity to send a message to lawmakers that the racial profiling, discrimination and fear these laws spark must be stopped,” she said. “Sadly, he declined. We are hopeful the courts will soon overturn these shameful measures once and for all.” Bentley acknowledged the new law was not without flaws, including the school provision, which has faced legal challenges and is currently suspended by a US appeals court.

“We can re-address this issue if the need arises,” he said. “However, as we worked with legislators during the special session, it became clear that the Legislature did not have the appetite for addressing further revisions at this time.” Alabama’s immigration law also requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they detain and suspect of being in the country illegally. Several US states have passed laws seeking to curb illegal immigration, arguing President Barack Obama and Congress have not done enough to address the issue. Many of the state measures face legal challenges. A US Supreme Court ruling is expected by the end of June on the federal government’s challenge of Arizona’s crackdown on illegal immigration. An estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants live in the United States and how to deal with them is a contentious political issue.—Reuters

Pilot dies as jet crashes CAMARILLO: A civilian piloting a militarycontracted jet was killed when his aircraft crashed into a Southern California farm field as he completed a training exercise, authorities said. The privately owned Hawker Hunter jet trainer went down Friday near Naval Base Ventura County, fire department spokesman Steve Swindle said.

The pilot was the only person aboard. The high-performance military-style aircraft, contracted to play the enemy in training exercises, took off from the base with another jet trainer and went down as it was returning.

Federal investigators are trying to determine what caused the plane to crash about two miles from the airport runway. “He was on final approach. He went down,” Swindle said. He said the sky in the area was “bright and crystal clear.” The farm field where the plane crashed is between Point Mugu State Park, Camarillo Airport, and the Naval base, some 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Debris from the crash covered an area about the size of a football field, Swindle said. There were no injuries on the ground and there was no fire, he said.

Sergio Mendoza, 23, was working in a nearby celery field when he saw the two planes flying together. He told the Ventura County Star he saw one jet on fire and it began breaking apart in the sky as he lost sight of it. Naval and fire personnel were at the crash site and investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board would take over the investigation, Swindle said. The British-built, single-seat Hawker

Hunter was owned by Airborne Tactical Advantage Co of Newport News, Va, known as ATAC. It provides aerial training to the military, including the Navy’s elite Fighter Weapons School.

Matt “Race” Bannon, director of business development for ATAC, confirmed that the pilot was also from the company but would not identify him or give any details until relatives were notified. “Our concern right now is with the family,” Bannon said. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. “I won’t even speculate as to anything,” Bannon said. Following company procedure after accidents, ATAC was immediately halting all its flights. The Naval base uses ATAC planes and pilots to provide adversarial support for its fleet of ships out of San Diego, base spokesman Vance Vasquez said. “They go out and play the bad guy, Vasquez said, “mimicking the enemy, jamming their radar, testing the fleet’s defenses.”

On March 6, one of the company ’s Israeli-built F-21 Kfir jets crashed into a building at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nev., killing the pilot. ATAC said at the time that although the investigation was continuing, there was no question that erratic and severe weather that had not been forecast contributed to the accident. Friday’s crash occurred on the anniversary of the crash of a commercial aerial refueling tanker during takeoff from the Ventura base’s air station at Point Mugu. All three crewmembers escaped on May 18, 2011, before fire destroyed the Boeing 707 registered to Omega Air Inc. of San Antonio, Texas.— AP

MEXICO CITY: The army says it has detained eight suspected members of the Gulf cartel and seized drugs, guns and hand grenades during investigations into the May 13 discovery of 49 dismembered bodies on a highway in northern Mexico. Mexico’s Defense Department says the suspects were caught Thursday as part of an operation designed to capture those responsible for the grisly discover y in the city of Cadereyta. But the department has not said whether the eight suspects were directly involved in those killings. The department said Friday that a total of 44 people have been detained and 140 guns and about four tons of marijuana have been seized during the investigations.

Authorities had previously suggested the rival Zetas cartel was responsible for the killings.

In another development, Mexico’s army announced yesterday that it had detained a fourth high-ranking officer during a civilian investigation into alleged military links to drug cartels. Three generals were previously detained.

The Defense Department said it brought in retired Lt Col Silvio Hernandez Soto for questioning, noting he was named in the same round of detention orders issued May 7 that included the other officers. However, the department did not specify what the allegations against him were. None of the officers has yet been charged.

Retired Gen Tomas Angeles Dauahare and

Gen Roberto Dawe Gonzalez were detained on Tuesday and are being held at least 40 days while prosecutors strengthen their case.

Retired Gen Ricardo Escorcia was brought in for questioning on Thursday. While a higherranking army official, three-star-Gen. Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, then head of Mexico’s antidrug agency, was arrested in 1997 and later convicted of aiding deceased drug lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes, the detentions this week represented the largest single group of high-ranking Mexican army officers detained in recent memory.

An official at the Attorney General’s Office said earlier that Angeles Dauahare and Dawe Gonzalez are suspected of protecting members of the Beltran Leyva cartel. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to discuss the case. The investigation against them is based on a case from 2009, the Attorney General’s Office said. President Felipe Calderon named Angeles Dauahare as assistant defense secretary in 2006. He left the post in 2008, when he retired. Dawe Gonzalez is currently assigned to a military base in the western state of Colima. Escorcia retired from active service in 2010 after reaching mandatory retirement age, but previously served as head of the military base in Cuernavaca, a city just south of the Mexican capital that has been considered Beltran Leyva territory.

The leader of the cartel, Arturo Beltran Leyva, was killed in a shootout with Mexican

marines at an apartment complex in Cuernavaca in 2009. The marines were reportedly called in to look for the capo after the army appeared to be slow to act on US intelligence indicating the drug lord’s location, according to a leaked US Embassy diplomatic cable from late 2009. Angeles Dauahare’s lawyer, Alejandro Ortega, said on Thursday that he hasn’t been allowed to talk to his client, but he said the general told his wife he is being accused of taking money from associates of Edgar Valdez Villareal, who was allegedly top hit man for Beltran Leyva. Valdez Villareal was arrested in 2010.

Ortega said the general supports himself with an army pension and owns a house and an apartment. He said the general’s wife also owns a house she inherited. A few senior military officers have been arrested for alleged links to traffickers during Mexico’s long struggle to control the cartels. Retired Gen Juan Manuel Barragan Espinosa was detained in February for alleged links to organized crime and Gen. Manuel Moreno Avina and 29 soldiers who were under his command in the border town of Ojinaga, across the border from Presidio, Texas, are being tried on charges of torture, homicide, drug trafficking and other crimes. More than 47,000 people have been killed in drug violence since Calderon deployed thousands of soldiers to drug hotspots, according to government figures. — Agencies

Journalist kidnapped and killed in Mexico MEXICO CITY: The tortured body of a Mexican police reporter was found on the side of a road in the northern state of Sonora on Friday, a day after he was kidnapped by gunmen while waiting at a car wash, authorities said.

Marco Antonio Avila Garcia’s body was found inside a black plastic bag near the city of Empalme, about 68 miles south of Ciudad Obregon, where he was abducted, said Sonora state prosecutors’ spokesman Jose Larrinaga.

Larrinaga said police also found a message signed by a cartel, but he wouldn’t reveal the message’s content. The 39-yearold reporter often wrote about organized crime for the sister newspapers Diario Sonora de la Tarde and El Regional of Ciudad Obregon, said Larrinaga. Avila was snatched and forced into a pickup truck Thursday by three masked gunmen as he waited for a company car to be washed in Ciudad Obregon. Eduardo Flores, director of the newspapers, told

The Associated Press that Avila wrote about drug trafficking but never mentioned cartels by name nor did investigative pieces.

“He wrote about drug trafficking, but nothing involved” about it, Flores said. “He wasn’t allowed to cover anything that would be considered aggressive by criminal groups.”

Flores said Avila was among the most experienced police reporters on his staff. The journalist never mentioned receiving threats or being afraid of covering the police beat. No threats had been received by the newspapers, he added. The reporter was married and had three small children. He worked at night and during the day was going to university. He recently graduated with a degree in chemistry, Flores said.

Mexico has become one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists in recent years, with media workers disproportionately targeted as a government offensive against drug car-

tels and rivalr y among crime gangs have resulted in tens of thousands of killings, kidnappings and extortion cases. Last week, gunmen opened fire on the offices of the El Manana newspaper in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. The week before, police found the mutilated bodies of three photojournalists inside plastic bags dumped in a canal in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz.

Prosecutions in journalist killings are rarely carried out, which is generally the case with most homicides and other serious crimes in Mexico. Mexico’s National Commission on Human Rights says 81 journalists were killed between 2000 and 2012. In addition, it said 14 of them have disappeared. Other press freedom groups differ with that number. The commission said Friday it has opened an investigation into the death of Rene Orta Salgado, a journalist who had quit working for El Sol de Cuernavaca newspaper in the resort city of

Marco Antonio Avila Garcia Cuernavaca in January. Police found Orta’s body inside his car’s trunk on Sunday; he had apparently been strangled. The commission did not provide a possible motive for his killing.—AP

Gay marriage remains ‘hot issue’ in Colorado DENVER: Minutes after President Barack Obama announced he supported gay marriage, the Democratic governor of Colorado choked back tears in Denver as he ordered state lawmakers to reconsider a civil-unions measure that Republicans had defeated the day before.

In the week that followed, the debate over equal rights for same-sex couples consumed the state Capitol. And while Republicans ultimately succeeded in k illing the measure, Republicans and Democrats alike acknowledge that the emotional standoff over the issue could help shape the White House campaign in this presidential battleground state this fall.

“Go back to your communities, go back to your neighborhoods, go back to your churches and let them know that the fight continues,” Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty implored gay-marriage opponents gathered outside the Capitol last Tuesday. He was looking to rally the state’s huge number of religious conservatives who long have been the foot-soldiers in efforts to both oppose civil unions and elect Republicans.

Democrats, in turn, predicted that their loyalists, as well as independents, will rally behind

Obama in Colorado given his support of samesex marriage. Obama planned to visit the state next Wednesday to deliver a commencement address at the US Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, before attending fundraisers in Denver. “That will have a positive impact on the chances of the president being re-elected and winning Colorado in November,” said Democratic Rep. Mark Ferrandino, a gay lawmaker who co-sponsored the civil unions legislation and said that its supporters would be “very active” in the fall on the issue.

Since 2008, equal rights for same-sex couples - either through civil unions or gay marriage - has flared red-hot in just a handful of the dozen or so battleground states where the White House race will be decided. Two of those states, Iowa and New Hampshire, now recognize gay marriage, while North Carolina recently took the opposite stance, voting to strengthen its ban against gay marriage. But the fight in Colorado - coming just as Obama disclosed his new position - was especially bitter, and feelings on both sides are raw. So Republicans and Democrats are bracing for social issues like gay marriage and civil unions to factor into voters’

calculations about whether to back the Democratic incumbent or presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, who opposes allowing gay people to get married.

The economy, to be sure, is certain to dominate the race in the state. Colorado’s unemployment rate is 7.9 percent, lower than in some swing states and marginally lower than the national average of 8.1 percent. But with joblessness falling, social issues like civil unions could well become more of an issue in voters’ minds. Less than six months before the election, Colorado’s nine electoral votes are up for grabs and the race here is expected to be competitive.

That’s largely because of the fickle nature of a state that’s evenly divided among registered Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Look no further than the state’s evolution on same-sex partnerships as evidence of its swing nature. Just six years ago, Coloradans overwhelmingly voted to change the state constitution to ban gay marriage after a campaign largely funded by Focus on the Family, a conservative group based in Colorado that’s influential across the nation.—AP

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Sri Lanka marks anniversary of Tigers’ defeat President rejects calls to pull troops in ex-war zone

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan army snipers march during the annual victory day parade. — AP Photos

Search on for ‘holy grail’ of hurricane forecasting MIAMI: Bill Read, the top US hurricane forecaster for the last 4-1/2 years, says researchers may be edging closer to finding the “holy grail” of hurricane forecasting.

But Read, who steps down as director of the Miami-based National Hurricane Center on June 1, acknowledged in an interview it could be the end of this decade before there is any significant improvement in forecasting the rapid intensity changes in a hurricane. “That’s still the holy grail if you will in hurricane forecast research, to try to capture those rapid changes in intensity,” Read said. Researchers have cut their errors in predicting the direction or track of a hurricane by about half in the past 15 years, giving people living in hurricane danger zones more time to get out of harm’s way.

While bolstering public safety, good track forecasts also give oil companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico more lead time to evacuate off-shore rigs and secure their facilities ahead of approaching storms. But Read and other leading forecasters say there has been almost no improvement in their ability to foresee the explosive growth that can convert a mild Category 1 hurricane into a destructive Category 5.

“For intensity, we haven’t improved anything significant,” Read said Thursday on the sidelines of the annual Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Fort Lauderdale. “We don’t even perhaps have a complete physical understanding of what causes the rapid change of intensity,” he added. “If we can’t forecast that, it’s hard for people to make the right decisions on evacuees. That’s why it’s so important.”

Read said a research program dubbed the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project, now entering its fourth year under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, had begun to show signs of progress in solving some of the mysteries of intensity forecasting. But

building better computer models to use as tools for intensity forecasting, which is the ultimate goal, will still depend on getting more information from inside hurricanes about things like the complex interaction between eyewalls, where the strongest winds are located, the sky above and the sea below.

UNDERSTANDING THE PHYSICS “By the end of the decade you might see some improvement. But I would couch that in the ‘hopeful’ rather than the ‘I guarantee it’ category,” Read said. Philip Klotzbach, who leads the Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team together with forecast pioneer Dr. William Gray, said it may take even more than a decade before there are any real breakthroughs in intensity forecasting and the ability to predict top hurricane windspeeds.

“I don’t think we necessarily understand all the physics yet of what goes into causing a hurricane to intensify,” said Klotzbach.

“You’ve got to have observations to feed into your model,” added Klotzbach, who also spoke in an interview at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference.

“There’s just a lot of internal characteristics of a storm that it’s really hard to study,” he said. “Unless you have an aircraft flying into it you don’t necessarily know what’s going on. You don’t have all those observations that you necessarily need to model it,” he said. Read, a meteorologist and National Weather Service veteran, has headed the National Hurricane Center since January 2008. His June 2 departure coincides with the start of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs through Nov. 30.

Several forecasters expect the season to be just below average in terms of the overall number of storms. NOAA will issue its initial forecast for the season at a news conference next Thursday.— Reuters

KABUL: An Afghan boy carries bricks on his back in Kabul, Afghanistan. — AP

Afghanistan fundraising goal elusive before NATO summit WASHINGTON: Just days before this weekend’s NATO summit, the United States remains short of its goal of raising $1.3 billion in security funds from its partners in Afghanistan, after a money-raising blitz failed to garner immediate contributions from allies facing fiscal and political pressures. Who will pay for Afghanistan’s future security will be central when President Barack Obama hosts leaders from NATO and other nations in his hometown of Chicago for the two-day summit starting on Sunday that will outline the Western path out of the long war. “ There was some hope that the kitty would be full by Chicago. That may not happen but it doesn’t mean we won’t achieve that goal in the future,” a US official said. “We expect a number of countries to pony up, and that’s a sign of progress toward sustaining (Afghan forces) in the years to come,” the official said. Going into the weekend, the United States remains $300 million to $500 million short of that goal. Western nations, grappling with fiscal crisis and mindful of dwindling support for the war, are eager to chart a course out of Afghanistan, even as the Taleban continues to pose a serious threat to the weak, corrupt Afghan government.

Afghanistan’s growing national police and army are at the core of NATO’s strategy for removing most foreign troops by the end of 2014 without triggering the collapse of its Western-backed government. Keeping those forces armed and fighting in a country still heavily reliant on outside aid will cost an estimated $4 billion a year. To supplement

American assistance, the Obama administration is asking its allies to provide $1.3 billion of that annually.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, speaking in Brussels last month, said Chicago would not be a “pledging conference.” But officials in Washington had hoped privately to secure those commitments before the summit, which is seen as an opportunity for Obama to brandish his foreign policy achievements before the November election. With other earlier goals for Chicago on hold - such as a once-hopedfor breakthrough in initial peace talks with the Taleban - a strong outside commitment to funding Afghan forces takes on more importance for NATO leaders at the summit.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PLEDGES Pledges made publicly and privately toward the goal now amount to $800 million to $1 billion. Of that Britain, Germany, and Australia have announced annual support for Afghan forces worth about $400 million combined. In addition, the Afghan government has committed $500 million a year. A NATO official told reporters in Kabul this week the alliance “hopes” the $4.1 billion total goal can be met in Chicago. While more support may be unveiled in the coming days, not all nations the United States has tapped have been ready to step forward. France, whose new president, Francois Hollande, has promised to accelerate the French departure from Afghanistan, is not expected to make a commitment at Chicago. —Reuters

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday rejected international calls to withdraw troops from the island’s former war zone as he marked the third anniversary of the Tamil rebels’ defeat. In a bullish address to the nation, Rajapakse said he could not dismantle military camps in the north because it would undermine national security in a country slowly emerging from nearly four decades of ethnic bloodshed. “The diaspora has not stopped their activities,” Rajapakse declared, referring to Tamil separatists abroad. “It is no secret that LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) leaders are freely operating abroad.”

“Some are shouting ‘remove camps, remove camps’,” Rajapakse added in his televised speech made at a military parade ground in the capital Colombo. But “these camps are not in another country. We have troops elsewhere in the country as well”. His remarks came hours after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G L Peiris in Washington that Colombo should de-militarise the former war zones and do more to protect human rights.

Rajapakse, who is already under fierce international pressure to probe allegations of war crimes, made it clear he would not bow to international demands. “As a member of the United Nations we sit as equals with other nations. We have friendly relations with all nations and we have the strength to solve our own problems,” he said. “We have just begun to raise our heads...

We have not forgotten the help neighboring nations and the international community extended us to defeat terrorism. Now we expect them to help us in our accelerated development.”

Last month, a delegation of lawmakers from neighboring India also asked Sri Lanka to de-mil-

itarize in particular the northern region, where the final battles were fought and the Tamil Tigers defeated in May 2009. Rajapakse denied that his forces were involved in the civil administration in the Tamil-dominated north, but made it clear that troops would not be removed. “What the Eelamist terrorists could not do (dislodge the army from the north) through decades of war, they are now trying to achieve through other means,” he said. “We will not allow it.”

Rajapakse’s troops ended 37 years of ethnic bloodshed by killing the leadership of the Tamil

Tigers in a bloody final offensive. Much of the military hardware that was used against the Tamil separatists was on display at Colombo’s sea-front Galle Face promenade yesterday, where Rajapakse inspected a military guard of honor. The offensive that finally crushed the Tigers triggered allegations of war crimes with rights groups saying that up to 40,000 civilians perished in the last months of fighting alone.

The United Nations estimates some 100,000 people died during the 1972-2009 ethnic conflict.— AFP

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa (center) rides in a jeep during a Victory Day parade in Colombo yesterday.

At ‘bridge to nowhere,’ Romney blasts Obama GOP candidate edging up in polls HILLSBOROUGH: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney returned to his economic message on Friday, highlighting a “bridge to nowhere” rebuilt by stimulus money and warning the US economy could suffer a fiscal crisis like California’s if he is not elected in November. Rising in the polls this week, Romney is eager to follow through by hammering at the White House’s handling of the weak economy. He used the backdrop of a 1860s-era bridge in New Hampshire to illustrate what he called the wasteful government spending of President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan passed in 2009. The stone bridge, rebuilt with more than $150,000 of stimulus funds, crosses a river but ends abruptly on one side with an 8-foot drop to a grassy field near a Ford dealership.

“This is the absolute ‘bridge to nowhere’ if there ever was one,” Romney told a crowd of supporters. “ That’s your stimulus dollars at work - a bridge that goes nowhere.”

A notorious “bridge to nowhere” that connected the Alaskan mainland with an isolated island became a symbol of congressional pork-barrel projects, spurring public outrage and leading lawmakers last year to impose a temporary ban on earmarks - special-interest projects added to major bills.

Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, says he would cut spending and put America on the path to a balanced budget if he defeats Obama in the Nov. 6 election. He pointed to the

stimulus as an example of the president’s failed leadership.

“It is, without question, the largest one-time careless expenditure of government money in American history,” he said of the stimulus. Supporters of the stimulus said it helped prevent the United States from slipping into a economic depression. After two

faced a huge fiscal hole and high taxes like California’s if he is not elected this autumn.

“There are only two ways to go: Like America in the past,” Romney said. “Or like California, where they raise taxes higher and higher and higher. They scare away employers ... and they have huge deficits,” he said in a telephone town-hall

Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney weeks of a news agenda dominated by gay marriage, bullying accusations, Obama’s trip to Afghanistan and controversy over a conservative group’s plan to make ads about Obama’s controversial ex-pastor, Romney sought to refocus attention on the economy, perceived as Obama’s main weakness.

PATH TO CALIFORNIA The former Massachusetts governor warned that the US economy

meeting with voters from four swing states. The comments were a departure for Romney, who usually holds up Europe’s economic troubles, not California’s $15.7 billion budget gap, as an example of a doom-laden scenario for the American economy.

Romney’s poll numbers are rising despite his coming under fire from the Obama campaign this week for cutting blue-collar jobs when he headed the Bain Capital

private equity firm. A Gallup sevenday average rolling survey had Romney ahead on Friday by 1 percentage point at 46 percent. In an effort to look presidential, Romney released his first paid general election television ad on Friday that laid out his agenda for the first day if he is elected. The video said he would approve the proposed Keystone pipeline from Canada, which Obama put on hold earlier this year, propose “tax cuts and reform that reward job creators” and issue an order to scrap th e healthcare law.

The Obama campaign accused Romney of mishandling debt when he was governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. “Mitt Romney knows a lot about broken promises - his tenure in Massachusetts was defined by them, especially of the issues of debt, spending and jobs,” the campaign said. In 2002, Romney promised he’d use his private sector experience to cut spending and debt, but both increased on his watch and he left Massachusetts with the largest per-capita debt in the nation.”.

Helping Romney’s rise in the polls in recent weeks have been moves

by Republicans to rally round him now that his main opponents for the nomination have dropped out of the race.

Romney spoke by phone to George W Bush after the former president told ABC News that he supports, the nearest he has come to an endorsement. Romney thanked Bush for his remark, a campaign aide said. — Reuters

No bail for Italian sailors in India despite protests Rome summons Indian ambassador THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An Indian court denied bail yesterday to two Italian sailors charged with the murder at sea of two Indian fishermen they mistook for pirates, hours after Rome recalled its ambassador from New Delhi in an increasingly surly diplomatic row. The court rejected the bail pleas on grounds the two men might try to escape, said a public prosecutor in the southern state of Kerala, where the men are detained. “ The judge accepted the prosecution’s apprehension that the accused may escape from the country and tamper with the evidence,” D Mohanraj, a prosecutor handling the case said. A lawyer for the defense said they would appeal. In a further escalation of the spat, India’s ambassador in Italy was summoned to the foreign ministry which “firmly signaled the unacceptable judicial developments related to the Italian sailors,” the ministry said in a statement.

India says the case of marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone is a matter for the courts and cannot be influenced by political or diplomatic pressure. Italy wants the men tried at home and says the government should intervene. Italy called back its ambassador for consultations shortly after murder charges were formalized on Friday to express “profound dis-

pleasure” with the Indian government’s handling of the case. “We are sending a strong signal to avoid damaging our relationship,” said Italy ’s deputy foreign minister, Staffan de Mistura, on his third mission to India to push for the sailors to be released into Italian custody.

The ambassador was recalled after three telephone calls by Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, a visit by Italy’s defence minister and his own missions to India, de Mistura told Reuters from Kerala. An official at India’s foreign ministry, who asked not to be identified, said it was unusual that a person of de Mistura’s rank would spend so much time on a case of this nature. “It does not bother us, but he needs to understand that it is not a UN job in Iraq or Afghanistan, where hands-on diplomacy might help,” the official said. “It doesn’t work here like that, he needs to understand we are slow, things move through a glacial process, but that’s how it is, diplomatic pressure won’t work.”

PIRATE ATTACKS The two sailors were stationed on a merchant ship passing the southern Indian coast and were tasked with protecting it from pirate attacks. They fired warning shots at the fishing boat on Feb. 15, believing it to be a pirate ves-

sel, they said. Investigators say the fishing boat was unarmed and the shots killed the two fishermen, who were part of a larger crew. Italy says the incident occurred in international waters and that jurisdiction over the marines should lie with Rome. In April, it paid $190,000 to each of the victims families as compensation. In return, the families dropped their cases against the marines, but the state’s case continues. Latorre and Girone are expected to be moved from prison to a juvenile detention facility in the next few days. The next hearing in the case is due on May 25, Kerala’s deputy public prosecutor said on Friday.

Attacks on ships have increased in the eastern side of the Arabian Sea, as better security around the Horn of Africa has pushed Somali pirates to make raids as far over as the Maldives.

The waters close to India are generally considered safer. The marines were charged with murder soon after the incident in February. Under Indian law, initial charges are formalized by police after investigation and before a trial can begin. One of the murder charges carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, but another can be punished by death, though the central government would have to approve that. India has not used the death penalty for several years.—Reuters

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Prez sworn in as E Timor celebrates independence TASI TOLU, East Timor: Former guerrilla leader and ex-army chief Taur Matan Ruak pledged to “respect the constitution” as he was sworn in as East Timor’s new president yesterday. Ruak, 55, also vowed to “engage for the well-being of the country” in a ceremony after midnight, hours before celebrations to mark 10 years of independence from Indonesia’s brutal occupation. Ruak takes over from Jose RamosHorta, a Nobel laureate whose international stature gave prominence to the largely ceremonial role. The new president made his pledge as the national anthem played in the background at Tasi Tolu, a beachside area on the outskirts of the capital Dili where the country declared independence from Indonesia on May 20, 2002.

Ruak signed a register, then amid applause by thousands of ordinary Timorese and guests that included Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, he smiled and clasped his predecessor in his arms. In a country with scant public transportation, many ordinary Timorese arrived on foot to watch the ceremony. This is a crucial year for the country of 1.1 million also known as Timor-Leste. It will choose a new prime minister and government in general elections on July 7, then at year’s end will bid goodbye to UN forces stationed there since 1999.

Ruak won a run-off election last month that was widely lauded as peaceful and fair. He takes over a country that is hobbled by extreme poverty, corruption and an over-reliance on energy revenues. But the unstable nation has now enjoyed several years of

DILI: An East Timorese family salvages driftwood to be used as firewood along the coast of Dili. A quarter of East Timor’s population was killed during Indonesia’s 24-year occupation. — AFP

peace. The UN has said that peacekeepers will pull out as planned by year’s end if the general elections are also peaceful. The former Portuguese colony voted for independence in a UN-supervised referendum in 1999, after Indonesia’s 24-year occupation had left

up to 183,000 people dead from fighting, disease and starvation.

The Indonesian military and anti-independence militias went on a savage campaign of retribution after the vote, ravaging the new nation’s infrastruc-

ture and killing more than 1,000 people. “It’s good that Yudhoyono is coming,” Ina Varella Bradidge, a 35year-old humanitarian worker in Dili, said before the ceremony. “It will make him remember who won the war.” Yudhoyono and the first lady yesterday prayed together with about 100 Timorese families at Dili’s Santa Cruz cemetery, where Indonesian troops fired on a memorial procession in November 1991, killing more than 250 people.

The UN administered East Timor until May 20, 2002, when sovereignty was formally handed to its first president. Since then the nation has suffered bouts of violence - a political crisis in 2006 killed 37 people and displaced tens of thousands, and RamosHorta was lucky to survive an assassination attempt in 2008. There has been no major political unrest since then, and government spending has increased dramatically in line with East Timor’s increased energy income.

Still, the grinding poverty is visible everywhere. In Dili, away from the venues for the weekend celebrations, mud canals flood slum neighbourhoods after rains, barely clothed children play in the streets, and infrastructure is limited to a few paved roads, a single port and a tiny airport. The International Monetary Fund calls East Timor the “most oil-dependent economy in the world” after the discovery of large fields of oil and natural gas at sea. Petroleum products account for more than 90 percent of total government revenue. A special fund, geared for development spending now and to cushion the next generation, recently swelled to $10 billion. — AFP

China exploiting Western commercial technology Beijing pursuing steady military build-up

KENGTUNG: Lt Gen Ywet Sitt (left) leader of Shan State Army (SSA), and Gen Soe Win, chief of Myanmar government negotiation group meet in Kengtung, eastern Shan State yesterday. It was second round of peace talks between the government and Shan rebels. — AP

Myanmar’s rebel group vows to eradicate drugs KENGTUNG: Ethnic rebels engaged in peace talks with Myanmar’s government pledged yesterday to wipe out drugs in Shan statewhere much of the country’s opium and amphetamines are produced. Calling for a cross-border blitz on drugs, the Restoration Council of Shan State and its military wing the Shan State Army South (RCSS/SSA) urged funds to be made available to poppy farmers who abandon the crop and for traffickers to be punished. “RCSS wants total eradication of narcotic drugs,” the group said in a document released with the SSA after the latest round of peace talks with the government. “As the ethnic armed groups and the government have made ceasefire(s) to solve the political issues... the RCSS will cooperate with the government through the drug eradication plan.” Myanmar’s multiple ethnic rebel organizations generally use profits from narcotics, among other resources such as teak and jade, to fund their operations, analysts say.

Shan state was labeled a production hub for drugs by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) last year, which also branded Myanmar a “major source of methamphetamine pills and opiates in Southeast Asia”. Methamphetamine-known as “ice” in its crystalline form and “yaba” when produced as tablets-has been a boom industry in impoverished Myanmar, and yesterday’s statement was a rare recognition by the rebels of soaring output. The rebels also pledged to co-operate with neighboring

China, Loas and Thailand to “control” the cross-border movement of chemicals used to make the pills, often in small easily hidden jungle factories.

Central to drug control efforts, the group said, is “uplifting the living standards of the poppy farmers” who should be given crops or livestock and offered training to find new revenue sources. It also urged punishment for “persons or armed groups protecting, owning, trading, producing and carrying narcotic drugs”. Earlier General Soe Win, Myanmar’s deputy commander-in-chief of the army who is leading the government delegation at the discussions in Kengtung, Shan State, expressed hope of a “beneficial agreement” being reached.

The Shan State Army South agreed to a ceasefire with the government in December in response to peace overtures from reformist president Thein Sein. It had been one of the biggest rebel groups fighting Myanmar’s army, mostly from guerrilla outposts bordering Thailand. The movement’s exact demands are not clear, but they have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades. The mainly Buddhist Shan are the country’s second-biggest ethnic group, accounting for about nine percent of the population, and Shan State covers a vast area of northeastern Myanmar. The country, which is slowly emerging from decades of military rule, is the world’s second-largest opium poppy grower after Afghanistan. — AFP

WASHINGTON: China is exploiting Western commercial technology, conducting aggressive cyber espionage and buying more antiship missiles as part of a steady military buildup, the Pentagon said yesterday. Beijing aims to take advantage of “mostly US” defenserelated technologies in the private sector in a concerted effort to modernize the country’s armed forces and extend China’s reach in the Asia-Pacific region, the Pentagon wrote in a report to Congress.

The annual assessment of China’s military resembled previous reports but adopted more diplomatic language, possibly to avoid aggravating delicate relations with Beijing, analysts said. “I am struck by the decidedly mellow tone,” Christopher Johnson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said. Chinese officials are sure to privately welcome the report’s wording, after having been irritated by a strategy document issued by President Barack Obama in January that portrayed China as a military rival. “This is much friendlier” than the January strategy paper, Johnson noted.

The report said Beijing had a goal of leveraging “legally and illegally acquired dual-use and military-related technologies to its advantage.” “Interactions with Western aviation manufacturing firms may also inadvertently benefit China’s defense aviation industry,” the Pentagon warned. Echoing recent warnings from intelligence officials, the Pentagon also blamed China for “many” of the world’s cyber intrusions over the past year targeting US government and commercial networks, including companies “that directly support US defense programs.”

The report warned that “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage,” and predicted that those spying efforts would continue.

China’s investments in cyber warfare were cause for “concern,” said David Helvey, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia and Asia Pacific security affairs. Beijing was clearly “looking at ways to use cyber for offensive operations,” Helvey told reporters.

The American military has long worried that China could potentially limit the reach of US naval ships in the western Pacific with new weapons, and the Pentagon report underlined those concerns.

China “is also acquiring and fielding greater

numbers of conventional medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) to increase the range at which it can conduct precision strikes against land targets and naval ships, including aircraft carriers, operating far from China’s shores beyond the first island chain,” said the report.

Beijing is pouring money into advanced air defenses, submarines, anti-satellite weapons and anti-ship missiles that could all be used to deny an adversary access to strategic areas, such as the South China Sea, it said. US strategists-and some defense contractors-often refer to the threat posed by China’s so-called “carrier-killer” missiles, but Helvey said the anti-ship weapons currently have “limited operational capability.” China’s military budget officially reached $106 billion in 2012, an 11.2 percent increase.

But the US report said China’s defense budget does not include major expenditures such as improvements to nuclear forces or purchases of foreign-made weapons. Real defense spending amounts to $120 to $180 billion, the report said. US military spending,

BEIJING: A Chinese paramilitary blocks access to the old VIP terminal where blind rights activist Chen Guangcheng was believed to be after leaving the Chaoyang Hospital yesterday. Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng left for US yesterday. — AFP

Thais mark ‘Red Shirt’ crackdown BANGKOK: Buddhist monks led prayers as tens of thousands gathered yesterday in Bangkok to mark the second anniversary of deadly clashes between soldiers and “Red Shirt” protesters. The scene yesterday was a sharp contrast with two years earlier, when Thailand was at war with itself and troops moved in to crush a nine-week anti-government protest that left more than 90 people dead and

2,000 injured. It was the country’s worst political violence in decades.

Many speakers addressed the crowd yesterday to demand justice. There have been no charges filed and no prosecutions for any of the killings. A group of 100 orange-robed monks led a solemn prayer for the dead. But the mood was also festive.

Music blared from speakers as people sang and

BANGKOK: Protesters attend a prayer session during a rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok yesterday. — AP

however, still dwarfs Chinese investments, with the Pentagon’s proposed budget for 2013 at more than $600 billion. Despite a sustained increase in defense spending over the past decade, China has experienced setbacks with some satellite launches and ambitious projects to produce a fifth-generation fighter jet and modern aircraft carrier still face challenges, according to the report.

Although looking to expand its traditional missions to include counter-piracy and humanitarian efforts, the top priority of the People’s Liberation Army remains a possible conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The report said China is focused on preventing the United States from intervening successfully in support of Taiwan. The document was released as the House of Representatives voted to force the US government to sell 66 new fighter-jets to Taiwan. President Barack Obama’s administration, anxious to keep ties with China on track, is only planning to upgrade existing planes. The measure still needs Senate approval. — AFP

danced in the streets of central Bangkok, with several of the city’s main boulevards closed to traffic to accommodate the sprawling rally.

“Coming here today, I feel free and lighthearted.

I don’t have to fear for my life like two years ago,” said Kalong Srisang, a 52-year-old factory worker from the outskirts of Bangkok. “Back then we wanted democracy for the people. Now we’ve got it. We just have to make sure it’s here to stay.” Ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was to speak to protesters via video link later yesterday. He fled into exile after being ousted by a 2006 military coup, and was convicted of corruption in absentia. The 2010 conflict was largely between the poor and rural masses, many of whom backed Thaksin, and supporters of Thailand’s traditional power holders in the royal palace and the military.

Part of the reason for the current state of peace is because Thaksin’s supporters have been appeased by the new prime minister, Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra. She won her 2011 campaign by a landslide, ending the premiership of Abhisit Vejjajiva, a staunch Thaksin opponent who ordered the May 19, 2010, crackdown on anti-government protesters who were demanding that his government immediately resign. Much of the us-versus-them vitriol has dissipated, giving way - for now - to an apparent acceptance on both sides that while neither the current government nor its predecessors are perfect, elections may be better than street violence for deciding the country’s future.—AP

Adopted minister sparks Korean soul searching SEOUL: The appointment of Fleur Pellerin as France’s first South Korean-born minister has prompted soul searching over social values in the country of her birth where she was adopted at the age of six months.

Media and the ruling party said her appointment was a testament to French tolerance that South Korea could learn a lesson from, amid growing controversy over discrimination against immigrants and their children in the Asian nation. President Francois Hollande has named 38-year-old technocrat as the minister in charge of small and medium enterprises and the digital economy.

Newspapers in Seoul on Friday splashed frontpages with her picture and carried stories about her life while the ruling New Frontier Party expressed hope her appointment will help cement friendly ties between Seoul and Paris.

In a play on her first name, the Hankook Ilbo daily said Pellerin, born in Seoul and adopted by French parents at the age of six months, had finally “bloomed as a flower in Paris” after being “abandoned” in South Korea. The independent Hankyoreh Daily said editorially yesterday that Pellerin was a good example of France’s success in inte-

grating people of foreign origin and a “testament to the country’s progressive values.”

“Unfortunately, when it comes to adoption, there is little difference between the Korea of 1974, from which Pellerin was adopted, and Korea today,” the daily said, noting that South Korea remains one of the leading sources of babies for overseas adoption.

While rejoicing in the fact that an ethnic Korean has become a French minister, it said, South Koreans should also pay heed to “the soundness of French society which raised one child with skin of a different color and an unfortunate background to become a minister.” “We need to take a hard critical look at ourselves as we ostracize and assault others on the basis of the cursory differences in skin color or sexual preference,” the Hankyoreh added. Controversy is growing over discriminations against immigrants and their offspring in schools and workplaces in South Korea amid a growing number of international marriages. In a statement Friday, the ruling New Frontier Party also said South Korea should learn from Pellerin’s case and France’s efforts to provide equal opportunity to all its people regardless of their origins.—AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

NEWS

Palestinians carry an injured man during clashes with Jewish settlers in the West Bank village of Assira Al-Kibliya yesterday. Several Palestinians were injured during the clashes. — AP

Jewish settlers uproot trees near Hebron HEBRON: Dozens of Palestinian olive trees and grape vines were destroyed and anti-Arab graffiti was daubed in groves of the West Bank village of Beit Omar, residents said. The villagers said the attack had taken place on Friday night or early yesterday and blamed it on Jewish settlers of nearby Bat Ayin settlement, which lies north of the town of Hebron.

Hebrew graffiti reading “death to Arabs” and “price tag” was also found sprayed on boulders in the area. “Price tag” is the name generally used for attacks carried out against Arabs and Palestinians and their property in response to Israeli government action against settlements in the West Bank. The Israeli army

said it was unaware of the incident.

Elsewhere on the West Bank, Palestinians said settlers from Yitzhar attacked the village of Asira Al-Qibliya, near the northern city of Nablus. According to Palestinian witnesses and security forces, 50 settlers attacked Palestinians with stones. The Israeli army fired tear gas to disperse the clashes and two Palestinians were wounded by stones, the sources said. A weekly protest took place in Beit Omar yesterday against the expropriation of Palestinian farming land by Israel due to the expansion of the settlement of Karmei Tsur.

Separately, South Africa is planning to require “Made in the Occupied Palestinian

Territories” labels on products from Jewish settlements in place of “Made in Israel” labels, the trade ministry said yesterday. The move prompted a furious response from Israel’s foreign ministry which described it as “racist”. “For now, there is no decision but people should know that South Africa recognises Israel inside the 1948 UN borders,” Macdonald Netshitenzhe, the trade ministry’s director for trade policies and legislations, told AFP. “Now coming to the issue of Palestine and Israel, a product from Israel has to be manufactured or produced within the borders of 1948,” he said.

Any territories taken over by Israel in the wake of the war which accompanied its inde-

pendence in 1948 - such as the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which were occupied in 1967 would not be included in that definition.

“Therefore, for the goods or vegetables which are grown in the area where Israel invaded other Arab countries, South Africa says, you better say these products are grown in Palestine or Occupied Palestinian Territories,” Netshitenzhe added. Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said on Wednesday the move was aimed at helping “South Africans who do not support Israel, but who in fact do support the Palestinians, to identify those products”. “This doesn’t, however, mean any kind of boycott of Israeli products,” he said, in

remarks quoted by South African news agency SAPA. Israel’s foreign ministry reacted angrily to the news, with spokesman Yigal Palmor telling AFP that South Africa’s ambassador to Israel would be summoned for an explanation in the coming days. “This is not a political objection to settlements, rather the act of singling out a state by a special marking system based on national-political criteria. Therefore, it is by essence a racist move,” Palmor said. “It is shocking to think that South Africa, of all countries, would display such callousness, and is blindly marching down the slippery slope of racism.” — AFP

China activist leaves for US with family

Blast hits Syria military compound

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

Chen, who had been held under house arrest after being released from a four-year jail term in Sept 2010, fled his home in the eastern province of Shandong on April 22 under the noses of plain-clothes security officers. In a video address to China’s Premier Wen Jiabao that was posted online, Chen said he had suffered repeated beatings and expressed serious concerns for his wife and family. He pitched up at the US embassy in Beijing, less than a week before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due to visit China for high-level talks.

Chinese and American diplomats scrambled to find a solution, and reached an initial agreement under which Chen would stay in China under more agreeable conditions. Chen left the embassy but regretted it almost immediately, telling journalists that he now wanted to go to the United States. China later relented, saying he could apply to go abroad like any other Chinese citizen.

Chen, who has been invited to study law at New York University, was in touch Wednesday with Chinese officials who told him they planned to give him a passport within 15 days. In the event it came much quicker.

“We are looking forward to his arrival in the United States later today,” Nuland said. “We also express our appreciation for the manner in which we were able to resolve this matter and to support Mr. Chen’s desire to study in the US and pursue his goals.”

Li Jinsong, another friend and lawyer, said there was a possibility that Chen’s impact would lessen once the selftaught “barefoot lawyer”, who was famed for his grass-

roots work, had left China. “But he and his family have been through much hardship over the past seven and eight years, and I’m happy that they can go abroad and enjoy a bit of safety and freedom,” he said.

In a gripping account of his escape, Chen told AFP that after weeks of preparation to put his guards off the scent, his wife pushed him over a wall built around his small home. He broke his foot when he landed on the other side, but undeterred he scrambled in pain to a neighbour’s pig sty where he hid until nightfall. After a long and painful journey through fields and over walls, he eventually made his way to the home of a friend - one of several who would help him during his odyssey.

In a live telephone call to a hearing of the US Congress on Tuesday - his second this month -Chen accused Chinese authorities of a pattern of abuse against his extended family. He said a charge of intentional homicide levelled against his nephew, after he attacked a local official who broke into his family’s home after discovering Chen’s escape, was motivated by revenge. The official survived the attack.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said it was “relieved” that Chen had been allowed to leave China, but that it was no time to declare a “mission accomplished”.

“The US government and other foreign governments need to redouble their efforts to seek the protection of those relatives, friends and suppor ters of Chen Guangcheng who remain in China and are vulnerable to unlawful official reprisals merely due to their association with Chen and support for his cause,” it said. — AFP

Teenager killed in Italy school blast Continued from Page 1 another one who got up and started shouting: ‘Melissa! Melissa!’” The victim was identified as Melissa Bassi, who later died of her injuries in hospital, Fabiano Amati, a local representative of the civil protection agency, told news channel Sky TG24.

The explosive was composed of three gas canisters with a timer device hidden in a container next to a wall just outside the school, Italian media reported. Outside the school, textbooks and notebooks, their pages fluttering in the breeze, and a backpack littered the street near where the bomb exploded. It was unclear if the blast was triggered by a remote control or by a timer. Hospital official Paola Ciannamea said that one of the injured girls, who is also 16, was in a “very serious condition” with injuries to her chest. The other victims being treated are all suffering from extensive burns and five more have been discharged from hospital with lighter injuries.

The blast went off at around 7:45 am (0545 GMT). Most Italian schoolchildren and students attend classes yesterday.

Students at the school, which teaches social work, tourism and fashion, were due to hold a fashion show later in the day. The bomb caused shockwaves across Italy, with Prime Minister Mario Monti ordering flags flown at half-mast for three days. The government called it “an extremely grave and atrocious criminal act”. The president of neighbouring France, Francois Hollande, expressed his country’s “deep solidarity” with Italy in the face of this “odious attack”. The Vatican called it a “an

absolutely horrific and vile act.” Local regional governor Nichi Vendola said: “This is a horrific attack that feels like sacrilege. We must act firmly and with determination.”

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast and Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri said investigators were looking into “numerous hypotheses”.

Local chief prosecutor Cataldo Motta said it would be illogical for the mafia to be behind the bombing as it seeks support from the population. “Local mafia organisations want social consensus. This act would go against their interests because it would alienate any sympathy,” Motta said. The perpetrator “might not be a mafia organisation,” he added. Italian media pointed out that the school is named after the wife of famous anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, who was assassinated with her husband and three bodyguards in a bomb attack by the mafia 20 years ago on Wednesday. Asked about the coincidence, Motta said: “Too many coincidences could be just that. We have to ask ourselves who benefits. In general, there are claims of responsibility for terrorist attacks. We have received none.”

Brindisi mayor Mimmo Consales also cast doubt on a mafia link saying: “Frankly the device, the methods used do not correspond to organised crime.”Local civil society groups including anti-mafia campaigners organised a large demonstration in the city later on Saturday in a gesture of solidarity. The Sacra Corona Unita, the local mafia in the Apulia region, is involved in drug smuggling and human trafficking. The group has been targeted by numerous police raids in recent years and its influence is believed to be on the wane. — AFP

Debris filled a street that was stained with blood. State television said the vehicle was rigged with 1,000 kg of explosives and that the suicide blast left a crater five meters wide and more than 2 m deep, and heavily damaged buildings up to 100 away. The state-run news agency SANA said the blast hit the parking lot of a military residential compound, while an opposition group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that the bomb went off close to the city branches of the Military Intelligence Directorate and Air Force Intelligence. State TV said UN observers based in the city visited the site of the blast.

Attacks such as the one in Deir al-Zour, which once served as a transit hub for militants heading to fight US forces in neighboring Iraq, have raised fears that Al-Qaedalinked jihadis have made serious inroads into Syria’s rebel movement. No one claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attack. A group calling itself the Al-Nusra Front has claimed some previous attacks through statements posted on militant websites. Little is known about the group, although Western intelligence officials say it could be a front for a branch of Al-Qaeda militants from Iraq operating in Syria.

The last major bombing targeted an intelligence building in Damascus on May 10. It struck during morning rush hour and the high death toll - some 55 people - made it the deadliest such attack since the uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime began in March of last year. Some of the tactics used in Damascus - a small blast drawing attention prior to a larger one - were reminiscent of AlQaeda attacks during Iraq’s insurgency. On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he believes that “alarmingly and surprisingly,” Al-Qaeda must have been behind the May 10 attack in the Syrian capital. “The recent terrorist attacks in Damascus suggest that these attacks

were carefully orchestrated,” he said. “Having seen the scale and sophistication of these terrorist attacks, one might think that this terrorist attack was done by a certain group with organization and clear intent.”

Yesterday’s blast came a day after the state-run news agency SANA reported that authorities foiled an attempt to blow up a car rigged with explosives in Deir al-Zour city and detained those involved. Deir el-Zour province, of which the city is the provincial capital, was a major crossing point for jihadis traveling to Iraq to fight after the 2003 US-led invasion. During the war, the US and Iraqi governments repeatedly accused Syria of allowing foreign fighters from across the Arab world to pass through, but Damascus said it could not stop smuggling networks from crossing the long desert border. In 2008, a cross-border raid by US special forces killed the Al-Qaeda-linked head of a smuggling network and seven other people in the province.

Since the ceasefire, which is part of Annan’s plan, went into effect on April 12, there have been daily reports of clashes between Syrian troops and rebels. Still, the level of violence has dropped since the UN observers began arriving last month. A senior UN delegation that included Babacar Gaye, military adviser to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous was expected to meet with Syrian Foreign Minister WalidAalMoallem yesterday. The chief of the UN observers in Syria, Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, and Annan deputy Jean-Marie Guehenno were also to take part in the meeting.

Ladsous told reporters yesterday that he met with some observers and “reminded them of the importance of the mission which is basically to save lives by confirming the reduction in the level of overall violence.” He added that a drop in bloodshed would help create conditions “that could be conducive to some political processes being started by the initiative of the joint special envoy.” — AP

G8 leaders agree need for growth...

Continued from Page 1 Financial markets are already betting that if anti-austerity parties win again, Germany will turn off the bailout tap, a decision that would likely force a Greek default and exit from the eurozone. The prospect of Greece’s eurozone exit - which could have steep repercussions for the US economy and perhaps his chances of re-election - had spurred Obama to wade neck-deep into European political waters.

There he risked the ire of his guest and Europe’s paymaster German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has demanded reforms to assuage stiff domestic opposition to repeated taxpayer-funded bailouts.

The tension between the Obama and Merkel was evident Friday when a dressed-down president greeted G8 leaders at his cabin for an informal dinner that would last more than two hours. Obama welcomed Merkel with a cordial: “How’ve you been?” When her response came: a shrug and pursed lips, Obama conceded: “Well, you have a few things on your mind.”

Looking to the longer-term, discussion is stirring about the need for specific stimulus spending funded by common European bonds - a measure some say would satisfy the need for austerity and stimulus. “We need to compliment the fiscal consolidation efforts for reforms with investment,” European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso told AFP ahead of the summit. But according to one senior European politician not taking part in the discussions at Camp David, finding projects that could quickly

stimulate the Greek or other economies may not be easy, and the plan may yet be overtaken by events. Greek and Spanish citizens have been pulling cash from their bank accounts, risking a fully fledged bank run.

Friday night’s discussions at Camp David’s rustic collection of cabins in the wooded Catoctin Mountains in Maryland focused heavily the ongoing bloodshed in Syria.

Obama said yesterday the G8 agreed that the political process in Syria should move forward “in a more timely fashion”. “We had a discussion about Syria, we all believe that a peaceful resolution and a political transition in Syria is preferable.” But as the UN weighs sending more military observers to the country, it was not clear whether Russia and the rest of the G8 had bridged differences over the fate of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

There was also broad G8 agreement about how to tackle upcoming talks with Iran. Obama said world powers were “hopeful” about the talks in Baghdad on Wednesday, emphasizing that the leaders agreed on how to tackle the crisis, in an implicit contrast to Iran’s deepening isolation.

Diplomats said the weekend would also see agreement on how to help newly free Arab nations recover state assets moved abroad by members of previous regimes. The G8 club of developed nations includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. After the Camp David talks wrapped up late yesterday afternoon, Obama was to fly to his hometown of Chicago where he will host a two-day NATO meeting at which the Afghanistan war will be the central topic.— Agencies

14

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

opinion

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait.

E MAIL :info@kuwaittimes.net Website: www.kuwaittimes.net

Issues

Syria deaths mount, but no alternative seen to Annan plan

By Tim Witcher odies are piling up in Syria while President Bashar Al-Assad sits entrenched in his palace, but the international powers say there is no alternative to UN observers watching a non-existent ceasefire. Two bombs that exploded near UN convoys in the first month of the UN mission highlighted how the unarmed military monitors are on one of the most perilous enterprises undertaken by the United Nations. Syria is “very, very, dangerous,” said Edmond Mulet, assistant secretary general for UN peacekeeping. “They are there unarmed and there is no ceasefire, there is no peace agreement, there is no dialogue between the parties and it’s an urban warfare.

“This is something we have never seen before.

We have never placed our military observers in a situation like this. So we have to adapt, we have to be flexible, we have to be imaginative to do our work,” he said. The UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) is now close to its full strength of 300 monitors. But western countries are still predicting UNSMIS will not be renewed after its first 90 day mandate at midnight on July 20. “There is a risk that at any moment military observers will be killed or injured,” said Britain’s UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant.

“There have been some close shaves, so it is a situation we are keeping under close review.”

Artillery attacks on towns have reduced since the mission deployed, but the death toll is still high. “It is the same strategy with a different tactic,” said one senior UN diplomat. “Instead of killing 100 they kill 60 and arrest 500.” Rights groups and other sources say there has been an explosion in targeted killings.

The UN says well over 9,000 people have been killed in Syria in the past 15 months.

Assad has shown no sign of willingness to start political talks. And the opposition is still too divided for negotiations, diplomats said. No one has a Plan B to propose however to the peace plan of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan. “I know lots of questions have been asked about what happens if the plan fails,” Annan said last week. “I am waiting for some suggestions as to what else we do. If there are better ideas I will be the first to jump onto it.”

“The failure of the Assad government to comply with the Annan plan fuels this vicious circle of violence” said Germany’s UN ambassador Peter Wittig.

But he added that the international community is sticking with Annan. “There is no credible alternative.” Most diplomats and observers say the a new Security Council battle over Syria is likely when the 90 day mandate ends. Russia, Assad’s main international ally, may demand an extension of UNSMIS, along with fellow permanent member China, India, Pakistan and South Africa.

The United States, Britain and France, the three Western permanent members, are not yet sure how to call time on the mission. Even US officials who most opposed UNSMIS are not yet calling Annan’s plan a failure. Richard Gowan, a specialist at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University, has predicted that the Annan mission will be a “heroic failure”. But he said “it’s important that the Western powers allow Annan to declare failure himself, or Russia will attack them for killing his mission. “Annan may feel he cannot give up, as this might be the final act in his long career as an international official. But if he feels that his plan is now dead, he should realize that there is greater honor in declaring this than carrying on hopelessly,” Gowan said. The debate on what happens after 90 days is likely to be taken up at the NATO summit on today and tomorrow. “If Annan does not call off the attempt then it could put us in confrontation with him,” said a senior western diplomat. “Then Russia will block sanctions and everything.” “If Annan recommends sanctions then Russia and China could go on the attack against him,” added another Security Council envoy.

The Syrian opposition and some Middle East countries would like a military solution. “But for the moment no country in the West has signed up for this,” said the envoy.

“We may well conclude down the line that (the plan) doesn’t work and a different tack has to be taken. And that would be a very sad day and a tough day for the region,” Annan said. —AFP

B

All articles appearing on these pages are the personal opinion of the writers. Kuwait Times takes no responsibility for views expressed therein. Kuwait Times invites readers to voice their opinions. Please send submissions via email to: opinion@kuwaittimes.net or via snail mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. The editor reserves the right to edit any submission as necessary.

Muddled leadership leaves economy adrift

By Ross Colvin and Manoj Kumar ear God,” wrote economist Rajeev Malik as he called on the Almighty to help India’s “rudderless” government in a biting critique that underscored a growing frustration at home and abroad with the stewardship of Asia’s third-largest economy. Writing in India’s Business Standard newspaper, the well-respected Malik echoed the exasperation of Indian and foreign business groups pressing for the government to swiftly implement major economic reforms and formulate a coherent strategy to deal with its mounting problems.

Another newspaper said India could be heading to a Greek-style crisis. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Congress Party blames unreliable allies in his coalition government for blocking major reforms aimed at opening up the economy to much-needed foreign investment and tackling obstacles in the way of growth, from creaking infrastructure to endemic corruption. “Political paralysis” has become the favoured shorthand of politicians, journalists and other India watchers.

But events since the announcement of the 2012/13 budget in March suggest a deeper dysfunction: a leadership vacuum that has led to empty promises and muddled policy decisions, most notably on tax reform. They also raise questions about the most important economic relationship in government - the one between Singh, who engineered the opening up of India’s economy in 1991, and his former boss, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Foreign companies looking for action are frustrated by the government’s determinedly rosy view of the future that appears to ignore a recent raft of negative economic data. The finance ministry pitched for a credit rating upgrade in a meeting with Fitch Ratings on

“D

Thursday even though Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services cut the country’s credit outlook just last month. Self-awareness could avert a “macro-economic train wreck,” wrote Ron Somers, president of the US-India Business Council.

India’s economic growth has slumped to a near three-year low and its current account deficit is the highest since 1980, a gap that is difficult to control when the rupee is at a record low. The government has projected a budget deficit of 5.9 percent of GDP, which Moody’s Investor Service says is credit negative. Inflation is the highest among the socalled BRICS group of major developing countries, and industrial production contracted unexpectedly in March. “We have a fullblown crisis on our hands,” said Rajiv Kumar, secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “The Indian growth story is intact,” Mukherjee insisted in a speech to parliament this week as Singh sat impassively at his side in the upper house of parliament.

The Hindustan Times warned on Friday of a Greek-style debt crisis unless the government took firm action to rein in its fiscal and current account deficits. “But increasingly the sense is that the government simply lacks the political capacity to make tough decisions,” it said. The government was forced late last year to backtrack on plans to open up the $450 billion supermarket sector to foreign firms such as Wal-Mart Stores after a political backlash, including from within the coalition.

Just this month, it delayed plans to tax foreign investors after an exodus of funds, partly driven by concerns the tax could be applied retroactively, battered the rupee. “It is not an exaggeration to state that the magnitude of the economic damage and mismanagement by the Congress party under Dr Singh’s watch will be embarrassing for even a student of

introductory economics,” Malik wrote. Singh, who turns 80 this year, struggles to control an unruly coalition government made up of mercurial allies pulling in different directions.

Earlier this month he was forced to play peacemaker between his squabbling food, trade and farm ministers who could not agree on crop export policy.

A quiet intellectual who once described himself as an “accidental politician”, Singh also appears to have little influence over his politically more powerful finance minister. “He (Singh) has zero influence over Mukherjee,” said a senior representative of Indian industry who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. The two are reported to have different views on the economy.

Singh is a big picture economist who is more concerned with integrating India into the global economy. Mukherjee is known as Congress’s trouble-shooter, an astute politician who favours populist policies that will play well domestically.

Govinda Rao, one of Singh’s economic advisers, dismisses suggestions of friction between the prime minister and the man who was once his political master. Mukherjee was finance minister between 1982-1984 when Singh was central bank governor. But he acknowledges that Singh struggles to exert control over his cabinet.

“As finance minister, Manmohan Singh was great, but as prime minister he has to discipline everybody and he is not a political heavyweight,” said Rao, stressing that he was speaking in his personal capacity and not as Singh’s adviser.

Both offices for the prime minister and the finance minister declined to comment. A close Mukherjee aide, who didn’t want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the minister and Singh “respect each other and are on talking terms”. Indeed,

insiders say the two men have a polite but formal relationship and that Singh does not openly question Mukherjee’s decisions even though he may have misgivings, suggesting Mukherjee has free rein over economic policy.

“Pranab was 100 percent responsible for the budget. This year he thought he would do what he likes. I think he is out of his depth. He has incompetent staff, and he is paying the price,” said Sanjaya Baru, a former media adviser to Singh.

Mukherjee may also be distracted by his own ambitions - he is a leading candidate to become the country’s next president, a position he is known to covet. He initially shrugged off the outrage of investors and business groups over his vaguely worded proposals in March to crack down on tax evasion, insisting that what India was proposing was no different to practices in other major economies. Last week he relented, announcing a one-year delay in implementing the proposals.

But the damage to investor sentiment was already done. Tim Roemer, who was US ambassador to India between 2009 and 2011, said US businessmen were watching the latest developments and “starting to scratch their heads”. “On the one hand the US has grown the strategic homeland security and counter-terrorism relationship to historic levels, but on the other hand the business community is increasingly frustrated and fatigued by flip-flops and roll-backs and reversals of decisions,” he said. The government insists it is committed to taking further steps to liberalise the economy and attract foreign investment but the window of opportunity is fast closing. As campaigning gets underway for general elections that must be held by 2014, political compromise and the tough economic reforms that investors are clamouring for will become even less likely. — Reuters

Spat bares Turk plunge into power game

By Jonathon Burch bitter rift with Iraq has exposed Turkey’s role in a wider Middle East power struggle, with Ankara acting to protect its stability and prosperity from an Iranian-Iraqi “Shiite axis” it fears in the wake of the US military withdrawal from Iraq. Turkey, a Sunni Muslim but secular regional power bordering Iraq, Iran and Syria, long tried to play regional mediator as Shiite Muslim giant Iran and Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia jostled for sway in a region now undergoing political upheaval. But the fall-out wrought by Arab Spring uprisings and the US exit from Iraq have forced Turkey to make tricky adjustments by cutting old alliances and forming new ones, jettisoning its “zero problems with the neighbours” policy.

That shift, coupled with a more aggressive diplomacy personified by an increasingly combative Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has thrust Turkey into a regional strategic game pitting Gulf Arab states and Ankara against Iran. “What is really critical is the American withdrawal from Iraq, because that basically made Iraq a much more open playing field for the Iranians,” said Soli Ozel, a prominent Turkish academic and commentator. “Inexorably, perhaps unwillingly, Turkey began to find itself a part of the sectarian games as opposed to the position that it very delicately tried to preserve which was being above sectarianism.”

Turkish officials have been waging a war of words with Baghdad since December when Shiite Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki ordered the arrest of Sunni Vice President Tareq Al-Hashemi, based on allegations that he ran death squads. The row is symptomatic of Turkish anxiety that the country’s rising “soft power”, based on a booming economy and relative democratic stability ushered in by Erdogan after a long era of military coups, could be threatened by a nascent “Shiite axis”

A

embodied by Iran and Maliki’s Tehran-backed Baghdad government. “This is about an escalating power struggle in Baghdad combined with the regional conflict between Iran, Turkey and the Gulf Arab states being played out in Syria and Iraq,” said Hasan Turunc, a fellow at Oxford University.

Gulf Arabs and Turkey alike want to see a street uprising and insurgency in Syria unseat President Bashar Al-Assad to help roll back the regional clout of his close ally, Iran and prevent any spillover of its increasingly sectarian bloodshed. Turkey accuses Maliki of sowing sectarian discord by trying to sideline his Sunni rivals - Maliki also called on parliament to remove his Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Saleh Al-Mutlaq - and has warned of a regional Shiite-Sunni “cold war”.

Maliki says it is Ankara that is stirring sectarian tension, calling Turkey a “hostile nation” meddling in Iraq’s internal affairs. Erdogan and Maliki have exchanged public insults and both countries have summoned each other’s top diplomats over the past few months in tit-fortat manoeuvres. Compounding tension, Turkish leaders have met publicly with Hashemi, now sheltering in Istanbul after fleeing Iraq in December. Interpol is seeking the arrest of Hashemi, who is being tried in absentia in Iraq. Hashemi denies the charges.

Ankara’s aversion to Maliki is not new. For years, Turkey cultivated close links with Sunni groups in Iraq and it supported the Sunnibacked Iraqiya bloc against Maliki in the 2010 parliamentary election. “Even before the last US soldier was beyond the borders Maliki ordered the arrest of Hashemi, and Turkey took a very strong position. Turkey never really liked Maliki,” said Ozel. Turkey, anxious to protect trade interests in Iraq amid fears that any renewed Iraqi sectarian war could wash over its borders, long strived to encourage a precarious balance between Iraq’s Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish factions.

This was no better exemplified than by

Erdogan’s trip to Iraq in March 2011 when he made sure to visit all three centres of power: Baghdad, the Shiite stronghold of Najaf, and Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in the north. But that balancing act, analysts say, ended after the US troop withdrawal from Iraq at the end of last year. Turkey has since publicly received the president of the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, Masoud Barzani, and Maliki’s rival and Iraqiya leader, Ayad Allawi.

For its part, Iran has seen Turkey’s shift in orientation in towards its own backyard, a region it once deemed “backward”, as a more potent challenge to its aspirations to Middle East predominance than the old, purely proEurope Turkey. As with Iraq, Turkey has traditionally tried to mediate over Iran, particularly Tehran’s controversial nuclear ambitions. But friction between Turkey and Iran has mounted over their backing of opposing sides in Syria’s conflagration and Ankara’s assent to housing part of a NATO missile defence shield that the United States says is directed against the Islamic Republic.

Some Iranian officials also objected to Turkey playing host to a revival of talks between the six global powers and Iran to head off confrontation over its shadowy nuclear program. The talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States did go ahead in Istanbul in April but not before Erdogan lashed out at Tehran, saying the Iranians “lacked honesty” and were “losing their international prestige”.

Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and now chairman of the Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies thinktank, said Erdogan’s increasingly strident approach was aggravating strains in ties between Ankara and its neighbours. “It is his posturing that has led to crises with our neighbours. If he hadn’t approached matters in a polarising, black-and-white fashion, we wouldn’t have lost the ability to manage these

relationships,” Ulgen said. “Instead of being the last person to intervene, very often he is the first to react. What he says then becomes policy, and limits Turkey’s room for manoeuvre; it corners us and policy becomes ossified.”

One entity that has profited from this regional power tussle is the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. Once branded a “bandit” by Turkey, Barzani has been wooed

by Erdogan for the purpose of close relations as Ankara has sought out new allies in a transforming region. Barzani needs the support of a powerful neighbour that can act as a conduit for its oil supplies. In turn, Turkey is relying on Barzani to clamp down on the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is waging a separatist insurgency in Turkey and whose leadership is based in northern Iraq.

Visiting Turkey last month, Barzani called on the PKK to disarm and said he would not allow any militant group to operate freely in northern Iraq. However, analysts say he is unlikely to bring about any concrete change because of PKK sympathies among many of Barzani’s supporters. Despite strained relations with the Baghdad government, trade with Iraq is booming. Turkey sold more than $8 billion of goods to Iraq last year, making it Turkey’s second biggest export market after Germany. According to Turkey’s finance minister, about 70 percent of exports to Iraq are to the north.

While some observers say Turkey could stand to lose some state-funded projects in Iraq as relations sour, it is unlikely that trade between Turkey and Iraq will suffer in the long-term. “Compare it to Turkey’s relations with Israel. Turkey and Israel are at odds and there is a lot of public outrage in both countries, however, if you look at economic relations, they are growing,” said Oxford University’s Turunc. “Trade and commerce do not necessarily get influenced by the daily political rhetoric and the same can be said for Iraq.” — Reuters

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

sp orts Ajmal eyes No. 1 bowling spot ISLAMABAD: Pakistan offspinner Saeed Ajmal will resume his pursuit of the top bowler ranking in the upcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka. Ajmal is currently second in test rankings behind South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn. He is also second in the ODI ratings behind another South Africa fast bowler, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

“I have set a goal for myself and that is to be No. 1 in Test rankings after the series against Sri Lanka,” Ajmal said yesterday. The offspinner took 18 wickets in last year’s three-test series against Sri Lanka and 24 wickets against England earlier this year.

Both series were played in the United Arab Emirates, where Pakistan won 1-0 and 3-0, respectively. He finished 2011 as the leading wicket-taker in tests with 50. The Pakistan team leaves for Sri Lanka on May 28 to play two Twenty20s, five ODIs and three test matches. In the meantime the players are training at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where four practice matches - two Twenty20s and two one-dayers - will be played over the next week.

Ajmal appeared to put off England’s batsmen when he threatened to bowl a mystery ball during the series in the UAE. However, the offspinner didn’t need that delivery as English batsmen struggled against his ‘doosra’ - a delivery that spins away from a right-handed batsman.—AP

Eftimova to miss Games

Australian cricketer released on bail NEW DELHI: Indian authorities have released Australian cricketer Luke Pomersbach on bail yesterday, a day after the Royal Challengers Bangalore player was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman and assaulting her fiance. Police said the incident occurred at a party in the woman’s hotel room in Delhi on Thursday after Bangalore’s game against Delhi Daredevils.

A Delhi court yesterday ordered him to turn over his passport and released him on bail of 60,000 rupees ($1,088). The 27-year-old Pomersbach, a one-time Australia batsman who played a Twenty20 international in 2007, called the allegations against him “sickening” and said he was “very relieved” to be released. “I am looking

forward to get to the bottom of the investigation,” he said, adding that he had “faith in the justice system” in India.

Pomersbach hasn’t played for Bangalore in this year’s Indian Premier League, and Bangalore franchise owner Vijay Mallya said Friday that he would not be selected until the case was resolved. The IPL said it would not comment until the police investigation was finished. This is not the first time Pomersbach has run into trouble with police. He pleaded guilty to driving with an excessive blood alcohol level and obstructing police in 2009 when he had tried to escape police custody after a car accident in Perth. The incident led to his suspension by the West Australian Cricket Association.—AP

SOFIA: Sprinter Inna Eftimova seems certain to miss the London Olympics after she tested positive for human growth hormone somatropin at the world athletics championship in South Korea last year, the Bulgarian said on Friday.

“I’m shocked,” Eftimova, who will turn 24 next month, told local channel bTV. “I still don’t have an explanation because the championships in Daegu were held 10 months ago.

“I received e-mails from (world anti-doping agency) WADA and (world’s athletics governing body) IAAF and I was informed that I could complicate the situation if I decide to appeal.”

Eftimova, who competed at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, was expected to run in three events in London the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.

“I was preparing for the Olympics and we’re hoping to form a strong relay team,” added Eftimova. “And suddenly ... I still don’t know anything about my punishment but I’ll not give up and I’ll come back even stronger.” Bulgarian sport has been marred by a series of doping offences in the last few months. — Reuters

Braves beat Rays in interleague ST. PETERSBURG: Atlanta’s Tommy Hanson pitched seven effective innings to guide the Braves to a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays as Major League Baseball interleague play began on Friday. Hanson (5-3) allowed two runs.

Freddie Freeman drove in two runs and had a run-scoring double while Brian McCann hit an RBI single that put the Braves up 4-2 in the fifth.

Martin Prado added a solo homer in the seventh.

Braves veteran Chipper Jones left after seven innings because of a bruised left calf. Rays starter James Shields (6-2) gave up four runs in six innings.

Orioles 2, Nationals 1 In Washington, Nick Markakis homered into the second deck in the 11th inning to end a tight pitchers’ duel and lead Washington over local rival Baltimore. Markakis’ blast off Nationals reliever Ryan Mattheus (2-1) helped the Orioles record their sixth extra-inning road win this season and notch their fourth straight win overall.

Four Orioles relievers followed starter Jake Arrieta, including Kevin Gregg (2-1) in the 10th inning. Pedro Strop allowed two runners to reach base in the bottom of the 11th before finishing off the Nationals for the save.

Nationals starter Edwin Jackson (1-2) was an undeserving loser, having only allowed one run in eight innings with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Dodgers 6, Cardinals 5 In Los Angeles, A.J. Ellis drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning, giving Los Angeles victory over St. Louis in a clash of two National League division leaders. Los Angeles’ Adam Kennedy had

in two runs and Michael Young broke out of a slump with two hits and an RBI to lift Texas over state rival Houston.

Rangers starter Neftali Feliz allowed one run in 4 2-3 innings - his shortest start of the year. He was relieved by Robbie Ross (5-0), who allowed one hit in 2 1-3 innings for the win.

Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez (3-4) gave up a season-worst 10 hits in six innings. Texas’ Josh Hamilton went 1 for 5, a day after his 16-game hitting streak ended. Ian Kinsler added three hits for the Rangers.

Yankees 4, Reds 0 In New York, comeback pitcher Andy Pettitte threw eight scoreless innings for his first regularseason win in two years, leading New York over Cincinnati. Making his second major league start since ending his one-year retirement, the 39-yearold Pettitte (1-1) struck out nine and walked one, throwing 78 of 115 pitches for strikes.

Given a 1-0 lead on Alex Rodriguez’s RBI grounder in the fourth, Pettitte pitched well enough to make it stand up. Robinson Cano hit a solo homer off Bronson Arroyo (2-2) in the eighth and Raul Ibanez hit a two-run drive, his eighth homer of the season.

Giants 8, Athletics 6 In San Francisco, Barry Zito outdid his old team, pitching San Francisco past Oakland in the Bay Bridge Series opener.

Hector Sanchez had two RBIs to back Zito (3-1), who won the 2002 AL Cy Young Award across the bay in Oakland but left for a $126 million, sevenyear deal with the Giants before the 2007 season.

Beckham’s solo shot and a two-run drive by Paul Konerko in the first were the only runs allowed by Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija (4-2).

Matt Thornton (2-3) won in relief for the White Sox. After striking out his only batter on three pitches, Wood left to a rousing ovation at Wrigley Field. He plans to announce his retirement Slate yesterday.

D’backs 6, Royals 4 In Kansas City, Miguel Montero had three RBIs, driving in the go-ahead runs with a double in the eighth inning, as Arizona beat Kansas City.

The Royals had tied it in the seventh before Kelvin Herrera (0-1) gave up back-to-back singles to Willie Bloomquist and Justin Upton to start the eighth. Montero’s second double of the game gave the Diamondbacks the lead.

Chris Young returned from injury to add a pair of RBIs for the Diamondbacks. Arizona’s Brad Ziegler (3-1) took the win.

Mariners 4, Rockies 0 In Denver, Kevin Millwood pitched his first shutout in nearly nine years, guiding Seattle to victory over Colorado. Millwood (2-4) didn’t allow his first hit until there were two outs in the sixth. He struck out seven and walked one in his 22nd career complete game.

Mike Carp hit a sol homer for the Mariners.

Colorado’s Alex White (0-3) was the hard-luck loser, dropping his sixth straight start despite only allowing two runs in seven innings.

Angels 4, Padres 2 In San Diego, Jered Weaver shut down San Diego, pitching Los Angeles to victory. Making his third start since throwing his first career nohitter, Weaver (6-1) held San Diego two runs in seven innings. He also did well with the bat, reaching bat twice and scoring once. Mike Trout had an RBI triple among his three hits for the Angels.

Twins 11, Brewers 3 In Milwaukee, Scott Diamond won his third straight start, leading Minnesota to a big win over Milwaukee. Diamond (3-0) gave up a run in the first, ending the 14-inning scoreless stretch he put together over two starts since being called up from the minors. He went on to give up three runs in 5 1-3 innings.

Josh Willingham hit a two-run homer for the Twins while Joe Mauer had three hits and three RBIs and Denard Span had four hits and three RBIs. Brewers starter Marco Estrada (0-3) gave up four runs in five innings. — AP

MLB results/standings ST PETERSBURG: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Elliot Johnson (left) forces Atlanta Braves’ Jason Heyward at second base and fires the ball to first to turn a second-inning double play on Braves’ Eric Hinske during an interleague baseball game. — AP

four hits against his former team and James Loney drove in two runs. Cardinals first baseman Lance Berkman, who had previously struggled against Dodgers pitcher Ted Lilly, was not in St. Louis’ starting lineup despite having led the NL with 22 road home runs last season.

He came up with two outs in the ninth as a pinch-hitter and hit a shot beyond right-center for his first homer in 41 at-bats this season - ending the longest season-opening drought of his 14year career.

Marlins 3, Indians 2 In Cleveland, Carlos Zambrano pitched seven strong innings to guide Miami to a narrow win over Cleveland. Zambrano (2-2) gave up two runs as he continued a strong first season in Miami. He has a 1.96 ERA in eight starts with his new team.

Heath Bell worked the ninth for a save.

The Marlins broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Hanley Ramirez. All three Miami runs were scored by batters who walked. Indians starter Tony Sipp (0-2) took the loss as Cleveland had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Blue Jays 14, Mets 5 In Toronto, JP Arencibia and Rajai Davis each hit two home runs and Yan Gomes added his first career homer as Toronto blasted New York.

Arencibia hit a three-run homer in the first off Jonathon Niese (2-2) and finished with a careerhigh six RBIs as the Blue Jays won their third straight. Trailing by nine, the Mets gave their weary bullpen a break by turning to catcher Rob Johnson to pitch the eighth. Johnson shone on the mound, producing New York’s only 1-2-3 inning of the night, including a strike out to end it.

Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (5-1) allowed just one run in six innings.

Rangers 4, Astros 1 In Houston, Adrian Beltre homered and drove

Oakland couldn’t overcome a shaky night by starter Jarrod Parker (1-2) and lost their 10th straight in San Francisco’s waterfront ballpark dating to 2009.

Phillies 6, Red Sox 4 In Philadelphia, Cole Hamels pitched seven strong innings and Jonathan Papelbon saved his first game against his former team as Philadelphia downed Boston and notched a sixth straight victory. Hamels (6-1) gave up six hits while striking out nine and walking one.

Freddy Galvis and Hunter Pence homered for the Phillies and streaking Carlos Ruiz went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs for Philadelphia, which moved two games above .500 for the first time this season. Red Sox starter Daniel Bard (3-5) allowed five runs with five walks in five innings.

Tigers 6, Pirates 0 In Detroit, Justin Verlander came within two outs of his third no-hitter, allowing only a ninthinning single as Detroit beat Pittsburgh.

Verlander, last year’s AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner, nearly became the sixth major league pitcher with at least three career no-hitters.

But with one out in the ninth, Josh Harrison flicked a slider into shallow center field for a single. Verlander (5-1) quickly finished off the Pirates with a pair of groundouts, completing his one-hit gem with 12 strikeouts. It was his sixth career shutout and 16th complete game.

Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder hit consecutive RBI doubles in the first off Charlie Morton (24). Delmon Young added a solo homer in the fourth.

White Sox 3, Cubs 2 In Chicago, Gordon Beckham hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning to lift the White Sox over the Cubs in the all-Chicago clash, while Cubs favorite Kerry Wood played his final game.

Chicago White Sox 3, Chicago Cubs 2; NY Yankees 4, Cincinnati 0; Miami 3, Cleveland 2; Detroit 6, Pittsburgh 0; Baltimore 2, Washington 1 (11 innings); Philadelphia 6, Boston 4; Toronto 14, NY Mets 5; Atlanta 5, Tampa Bay 3; Texas 4, Houston 1; Arizona 6, Kansas City 4; Minnesota 11, Milwaukee 3; Seattle 4, Colorado 0; LA Angels 7, San Diego 2; LA Dodgers 6, St. Louis 5; San Francisco 8, Oakland 6.

American League Eastern Division W L Baltimore 26 14 Tampa Bay 24 16 Toronto 22 18 NY Yankees 21 18 Boston 18 21 Central Division Cleveland 22 17 Detroit 19 20 Chicago White Sox 19 21 Kansas City 15 23 Minnesota 13 26 Western Division Texas 25 15 Oakland 20 20 LA Angels 18 22 Seattle 17 24 National League Eastern Division Atlanta 25 15 Washington 23 16 NY Mets 21 18 Miami 21 18 Philadelphia 21 19 Central Division St. Louis 22 17 Cincinnati 19 19 Pittsburgh 18 21 Houston 17 22 Milwaukee 16 23 Chicago Cubs 15 24 Western Division LA Dodgers 26 13 San Francisco 20 19 Arizona 18 22 Colorado 15 23 San Diego 14 26

PCT .650 .600 .550 .538 .462

GB 2 4 4.5 7.5

.564 .487 .475 .395 .333

3 3.5 6.5 9

.625 .500 .450 .415

5 7 8.5

.625 .590 .538 .538 .525

1.5 3.5 3.5 4

.564 .500 .462 .436 .410 .385

2.5 4 5 6 7

.667 .513 .450 .395 .350

6 8.5 10.5 12.5

BRISBANE: Queensland Reds players Scott Higginbotham (left) and Eddie Quirk (right) tackle Golden Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies (center) during their Super 15 rugby union match. — AFP

Reds thrash Lions in Brisbane BRISBANE: Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper took 17 minutes to stamp his mark on the game, and showed glimpses of his mercurial ability, as the Queensland Reds beat the bottom-placed Lions 34-20 in their Super Rugby clash at Lang Park yesterday.

Cooper linked well with scrumhalf Will Genia, who was superb for the Reds as he scored one try and set up another, while Mike Harris slotted 14 points for the Queenslanders, who closed the gap on the ACT Brumbies in the Australian conference. The Brumbies, who beat the Hurricanes 37-25 on Friday are on 44 points, while the Reds are on 36 and still within sight of the top-six playoffs. The Reds and Brumbies clash next week in Canberra.

“Not happy with the whole 80 minutes, happy with parts of it, but we had a job to do.

We got it done so now we go on to meet the Brumbies,” Reds captain James Horwill said.

“Quade showed some Quade-esque moments, so that’s good for us. He pulled up okay and looks good so that’s only positive for him.” Cooper had trotted on to Lang Park behind his team with a noticeable limp.

The strapping on his right leg emphasised the fact he was playing his first match in seven

months since he destroyed the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the rugby World Cup last October. The 24-year-old appeared tentative in the opening exchanges, as did the Reds, with the Lions making most of the play and being rewarded with two penalties to Elton Jantjies.

Cooper finally got himself in the game in the 18th minute when he spotted a slight gap between two forwards and while his sidestep was less exaggerated than it was pre-injury, he accelerated through the gap and found his runner inside to set up an attacking ruck.

He then handled at least three other times as the Reds hammered away at the line before openside flanker Liam Gill crashed over and with Mike Harris converting, the Reds took the lead they never relinquished.

Harris added two penalties in the first half to give the Reds a 13-6 lead which they built on without Cooper after the break. Cooper had not expected to play the full match.

The Reds forwards continued to lay the platform with hooker Saia Faingaa crashing over early in the second half, while Genia was given quality possession and time to unleash players outside him.— Reuters

Crusaders pound Blues after Blackadder volley CHRISTCHURCH: The Canterbury Crusaders responded to the verbal rocket they received from coach Todd Blackadder earlier in the week by clinically demolishing the Auckland Blues 59-12 in their Super Rugby match in Christchurch yesterday.

The normally measured Blackadder, not prone to verbal outbursts, ripped into the seven-times champions after they lost 28-19 to the Melbourne Rebels last week and left them in no uncertain terms he expected better against the Blues. The Crusaders ruthlessly responded.

Hooker Corey Flynn (twice), loose forwards Matt Todd and Richie McCaw, wingers Adam Whitelock and Zac Guildford, lock Luke Romano, scrumhalf Andy Ellis and replacement Tom Marshall all scored tries for the Crusaders.

All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter also resumed goal-kicking after recovering from a groin surgery and added six conversions before he was replaced by Tyler Bleyendaal, who added a late conversion.

The Christchurch-based side moved to 42 points and remained in the playoffs hunt in fifth-place overall and second in the New Zealand conference behind the Waikato Chiefs (45), who have a bye and will be awarded four points at the end of the round.

“We were clinical when we had the ball, played at the right end of the filed and the opportunites we got we made them count,” McCaw said in a pitchside interview. “When it comes together like tonight, it’s pretty pleasing.”

While they had been lacking in execution and blighted by poor decision-making and terrible kicking last week in Melbourne, the Crusaders could do little wrong against the Blues at Rugby League Park.

Hard nosed, straight running that drew defenders and allowed players to be put into space also opened numerous holes in the Auckland defence and destroyed the Blues by halftime with five tries and a 31-0 lead.

The Blues, who had beaten the Lions last week to move off the bottom of the table, missed too many tackles and had no answer to the intensity the Crusaders forwards brought to the contact area.

The visitors had few opportunites to score and it took them until the final quarter before replacement Lachie Munro scored in

the corner. He added a second try after the fulltime hooter had sounded. “The Crusaders were outstanding. They were full of fire from their loss last weekend and we copped it,” Blues captain Luke Braid said.

“Their tempo was really fast and it was hard for us to set a D (defensive) line.” — Reuters

Highlanders stop Bulls charge DUNEDIN: Lock Jarrad Hoeata scored a late try as the Otago Highlanders upset the Bulls 16-11 in their Super Rugby match at Otago Regional Stadium yesterday and kept alive their hopes of a playoff spot. The Highlanders had lost their two previous games and were in danger of losing touch with the New Zealand conference leaders the Waikato Chiefs (45) and second-placed Canterbury Crusaders (37). The Highlanders moved to 39 points with the win.

The Bulls had been at the top of the table on 46 points and could now be over-hauled by the Stormers (45) in the South African conference. “Pretty big game for us, we’d lost two on the trot and the way the competition is we’re still in the hunt,” Highlanders captain Jamie Mackintosh said. “It was a pretty physical game and fast.”

The Bulls had taken a 6-3 lead into the halftime break, Morne Steyn kicking two penalties while Mike Delany replying with one for the home side. The match was played between the 22-metre areas, with the South Africans content to use Steyn’s tactical kicking to get them down field. Delany levelled the score early in the second half with his second penalty as the Highlanders put immense pressure on the Bulls defensive line.

Prop Dean Greyling was subsequently sinbinned in the 56th minute after referee Ian Smith had warned them for constant infringing.

Hoeata, who had one try disallowed by the television match official, crossed from the ensuing attacking scrum as the home side patiently built phases and committed defenders before the 2011 All Blacks smashed over. — Reuters

17

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

S P ORT S

Flame for Games arrives in Britain

GLADSTONE: Natalie Gulbis hits a tee shot on the third hole during second round match against Amy Yang, of South Korea, in the LPGA Sybase Match Play Championship golf competition. —AP

Lewis advances in Sybase GLADSTONE: Stacy Lewis is the top American left in the Sybase Match Play Championship, and it’s really not a surprise. Lewis has been the best American on the LPGA Tour all season.

On Friday, Lewis won the first four holes and rolled to a 4-and-3 decision over Sandra Gal in the second round at Hamilton Farm Golf Club.

The tournament has become a minefield for the tour ’s marque players.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen, No. 4 ranked Ai Miyazato and American stars Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome and Michelle Wie went down in the opening round.

Cristie Kerr, last year’s runner-up and the No. 5 ranked player, lost Friday along with No. 7 Jiyai Shin and No. 14 Karrie Webb. Eleven of the 20 seeded players in the 64-woman field have been eliminated.

“I don’t think Suzann losing really opens things up for me,” said Lewis, who was in Pettersen’s bracket. “I think I’ve got a lot of tough matches still ahead of me, and there were a lot of upsets yesterday, so it just shows what match play is.

Anything could happen on any given day.” There’s still talent at the top.

Top-ranked Yani Tseng posted a 3and-1 win over American Katie Futcher, and No. 2 ranked Na Yeon Choi was a 3and-2 winner of fellow South Korean Jenny Shin.

The 27-year-old Lewis has more pressing problems. Her third-round opponent will be Sun Young Yoo, who won this event two years ago and the tour’s first major earlier this year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

“Sun Young’s having a great year,” Lewis said. “She’s playing really well.” So is Lewis. She has a win and four other top10 finishes with earnings of $436,746, fourth best on tour. Her sights are set on being the top American.

“That’s the reason I go out and play every day,” Lewis said. “I think I’ve probably been playing as good, if not better, than a lot of the American players and I haven’t got noticed yet, and that’s what drives me every day to go out and get better and to keep playing and to keep winning matches. I think if you’re up on that leaderboard enough and you win enough golf tournaments, people will

start to take notice. “I haven’t been noticed, but it’s driving me every day.”

Lewis never gave Gal a chance. The former Arkansas star played 15 holes in 5-under par. She made birdies of 4, 10 and 30 feet on the first three holes and won the fourth when Gal bogeyed. The German moved within 2-down after 11 holes, but Lewis birdied the 13th and 14th to open daylight again.

Tseng, who has won three events this year, was down 1 after seven holes, but she won four holes between Nos. 11 and 17 to move on.

Choi never trailed in her match with Shin and closed out her countrywoman with a birdie at the par-3 16th. Kerr saved par from a greenside bunker at No. 18 to extend the match, but she hit her second shot into a lateral hazard on the first playoff hole and had to take a drop.

Hurst opened the door a little by missing the green and knocking her third about 4 feet past the cup. However, Kerr, winless since 2010, missed her bogey putt and conceded the match. There were a couple of surprises again.

Jodi Ewart of England, who knocked out Pettersen in the opening round, sent another Scandanavian to the sideline with a 3-and-1 win over veteran Sophie Gustafson. The 24-year-old will face Azahara Munoz. The Spaniard beat Webb 2 and 1.

American Angela Stanford, the No. 12 seed and the runner-up to Yoo two years ago, was impressive with a front-running 4-and-3 win over Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea. Stanford will play Hurst in the third round. Anna Nordqvist of Sweden upset Jiyai Shin 2 and 1, winning three of the final five holes.

The weekend will be double rounds.

The third round and the quarterfinals will be played late yesterday, and the semifinals and championship today.

Julieta Granada of Paraguay posted the most impressive win on Friday with a 6-and-5 thrashing of Ryann O’Toole, who eliminated Lincicome in the first round.

Americans Mina Harigae and Jennifer Johnson both lost Friday after posting upsets in the first round. A day after beating Creamer, Johnson lost 2 and 1 to Karine Icher. Harigae, who defeated Wie, was beaten 3 and 2 by U.S. Women’s Open champion So Yeon Ryu. —AP

Dufner charges ahead TEXAS: American Jason Dufner birdied four of his last five holes to go a stroke clear of a congested leaderboard in Friday’s second round of the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

Three weeks after clinching his maiden PGA Tour victory at the New Orleans Classic, Dufner fired a four-under-par 66 in the toughest conditions of the day to post a seven-under total of 133.

The laid-back American with the distinctive pre-shot waggle birdied 14, 15, 16 and 18 to finish ahead of compatriots Matt Kuchar (68), Chad Campbell (66), Ryan Palmer (70), Pat Perez (67) and Dicky Pride (68), plus Australian Marc Leishman (69).

Defending champion Keegan Bradley (68), fellow American Charley Hoffman (69) and Japan’s Ryuji Imada (68) were a further stroke back at five under.

Dufner was delighted to take control of the tournament after playing in the afternoon when the gusting winds were at their strongest.

“The wind picked up a good bit ... so made it premium on putting the ball in the fairway so you could be more aggressive into the greens,” the 35-yearold told reporters after mixing seven birdies with three bogeys.

“It was a nice way to finish, and I’m looking forward to the weekend. I’ve played pretty solid ... not as clean as I would like today because of the conditions but I was able to grind it out and got fortunate there on the last couple of holes.”

Dufner, who twice chipped in for birdie during the second round, plans

to make the most of his triumphant experience in New Orleans as he bids for a second PGA Tour victory.

“I feel good about my game,” he said.

“Usually when you’re feeling good you’re going to go into the weekend leading or close to the lead, and I’ve been fortunate to be in that position.

“I closed out one a couple of weeks ago ... hopefully the experience that I had in New Orleans will build for me and I will have confidence going into the weekend.”

World number five Kuchar, who won his fourth PGA Tour title at the elite Players Championship on Sunday, was delighted to claw his way back into contention after dropping three shots in his first six holes. “I got going on the wrong side of things,” the 33-year-old said after ending the day with six birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey at the parfour 14th.

“A bogey on 12, that was a hard hole, and on 14 where the tee is up, it shouldn’t be that hard. I made a double-bogey there, and it was going the wrong way.

“Glad to bounce back. At 16, the parfive, I took advantage of that so I’m pleased with the way I was able to hang in there.”

American world number 10 Phil Mickelson and former world number one Ernie Els of South Africa each carded 69s to end the day six strokes off the pace. The cut fell at two-over-par 142 with former major winners Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Leonard and Yang Yong-eun, and Australian world number 13 Adam Scott, among those failing to advance. —Reuters

CULDROSE: The flame for the London Olympics burned brightly on British soil on Friday after David Beckham stepped off a special flight from the Games birthplace of Greece to light a cauldron with a golden torch.

The British Airways ‘Firefly’ Flight 2012 from Athens landed on time at the Culdrose naval air station with Britain’s Princess Anne, Games chairman Seb Coe and the former England soccer captain among the delegation.

The flame will start a 70-day torch relay around Britain late yesterday, with triple Olympic gold medallist sailor Ben Ainslie carrying it on the first leg from Land’s End on the south-west tip of England. The Games start on July 27.

London mayor Boris Johnson, his mane of unruly blond hair trimmed for the occasion, declared the moment to be “a big accelerator of the heartbeat”.

“We’ve got 70 days to go,” he told reporters before heading back to London on the golden-liveried plane.

“For someone in my position this is the final furlong for us and that’s when the horses start to change places and so this is going to make the difference now between a good Games and a great Games.”

British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg welcomed the Olympic torch on behalf of the British government on a clear evening in marked contrast to the torrential rain left behind in Athens.

“It is a fantastic moment for us, particularly at a time when there is so much anxiety and concern about the economy and other things, to be uplifted by this whole experience and to be able to showcase ourselves to the world as an open-hearted, generous, dynamic, positive country,” he

told the BBC. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the country as a whole.”

The arrival of the flame, with Princess Anne carrying it in a special lantern down the steps from the plane, was covered live on Britain’s main BBC station with the plane circling overhead before

flame’s arrival bodes well. “The plane landed bang on time, in fact it was early,” he declared enthusiastically.

“We circled over Cornwall like a custard-colored comet and that is a metaphor in my view for everything that has happened so far in the London Olympics. It’s been

Spyros Capralos.

Coe, who will head off to Munich late yesterday to watch his beloved Chelsea play Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, was confident the torch relay would light the fire for anyone still ambivalent about the Games. “It does have a big impact,” he said.

NEWQUAY: Olympic torch bearers exchange the flame as they carry the torch through Newquay in south-west England. The Olympic torch relay started yesterday at Land’s End, the southwest tip of England, to begin an 8,000-mile (12,875-kilometre) journey around Britain, with a detour to also visit the Irish capital Dublin. —AFP landing to fit in with the schedules.

“It’s only when the torch comes into your possession that you realise,” the Princess said as she handed the lantern to one of the special security team who will guard it.

Beckham soon lit the Olympic torch and ignited a cauldron with the flame, which was then due to be transferred to Lands End for late yesterday’s relay start.

Johnson said the manner of the

either on time or ahead of time and it’s under budget.”

On Thursday, the flame had been handed over at a damp ceremony in the Athens marble stadium that hosted the first modern Games in 1896.

The flame, lit from the sun’s rays at the home of the ancient Games in Olympia a week ago, was presented under grey and rainy skies to former Olympian Princess Anne by the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee

“I saw the test event the other day with a cardboard torch going from Leicester to Peterborough and they (the spectators) were three and four deep on the pavement, in the little villages. “And every week I get letters from people who are talking about the things they are doing to mark the fact the torch is coming through.

There’s an emotional connect with this that I’m not sure all torch relays have got.”—Reuters

Mayfield stops Serrano

Kyle Busch in action in this file photo

Busch captures pole for Sprint All-Star race CONCORD: Kyle Busch has been a force on the NASCAR circuit for years, but of his 24 Sprint Cup victories, none have come at his favorite track - Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has nine top-10 finishes in 16 starts. Victory lane, though, has proven to be elusive. He’s hoping that’s all about to change after capturing the pole for late yesterday’s Sprint All-Star race for the second straight year. Busch completed the unique three-lap qualifying that included a mandatory four-tire pit stop in 1 minute, 59.11 seconds, wrestling the pole away from Ryan Newman.

While winning the pole puts Busch and his No. 18 Toyota in great position to win his first All-Star race, it certainly doesn’t guarantee a first-place finish - and the $1 million prize that comes with a win. In fact, winning the pole has proven to be a bit of a curse. The last pole winner to win the All-Star race was Davey Allison in 1992. Just don’t tell Busch that.

“I don’t have a win here in a cup car, so we’re definitely trying to break through that threshold,” Busch said. “To do that you have to be able to put a whole night together and I haven’t been able to do that here in the past. Last year we ran a smart race and a good race, but we came up a little short. Hopefully the lessons we learn there will allow things to turn out different this time.”

It appeared for a while that Newman’s time

of 1:59.82 might hold up after 17 other drivers were unable to beat him. However, Busch, who was the fastest during practice and the last driver to hit the track for qualifying, pushed Newman to the outside row.

Denny Hamlin will start third, followed by Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick. Jimmie Johnson qualified sixth, while Paul Menard, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Regan Smith round out the top 10. Defending champion Carl Edwards will start 13th. The All-Star race format has changed significantly this year. The 90-lap race will be split into four 20-lap segments preceding a 10lap shootout. There will be a mandatory pit stop prior to the final 10 laps.

The new format places a premium on winning one of the four segments and showcases the importance of the pit crew. The winner of each segment will move to the front of the field right before the cars head down pit road for their mandatory stop. Drivers will then line up in the order they leave pit road to start the final segment. Busch’s strategy is to win the first segment.

“If you win that first segment that sets your pace for the whole night,” Busch said. “From that point out all you have to do is stay out of trouble and make it to their final segment where they have the realign and you start in the top four.” —AP

ALBANY: Karim Mayfield floored Raymond Serrano at the fourth-round bell, and then landed a solid right hand less than a minute into the fifth that stopped the challenger in the NABO junior welterweight title fight Friday night.

Mayfield and Serrano both swung at the bell of the fourth round, but Mayfield’s punch landed, sending Serrano (18-1) to the canvas. Serrano eventually returned to his corner, wobbling and recovering barely enough to go out for the fifth “I stayed composed,” Mayfield said. “My corner told me that was a shot that was going to be hard to recover from. A minute’s time wasn’t long enough time to recover from a shot like that. In my mind I was thinking, I don’t want to let this opportunity go where I could’ve gotten him out of there, but didn’t.” Mayfield (16-0-2 10 KOs) came out with a flurry in the fifth, and referee Eddie Claudio stopped it with Serrano staggering 47 seconds in.

“He fought a good fight,” Serrano said. “He caught me with a good shot. I’ll be back.”

Mayfield, listed shorter by an inch and crouching to make himself shorter, effectively ducked under many of Serrano’s punches in the first three rounds. Mayfield sent Serrano down in the third with a right counter and two more punches.

“I’m only 5-7, maybe even giving myself two inches,” Mayfield said. “When you got Karim Mayfield a guy that’s shorter than you and a guy goes down lower, it’s a little timid, because you don’t want to be reaching down to jab. Coming up with that coiling style is very intimidating, because you have to reach down, and I’m actually reaching up while you’re reaching down. I knew I could make opportunities from that.” Serrano was game, especially starting out. “I was surprised how easy it was for me to hit him,” Serrano said.

“He’s strong.” “He’s a pit bull,” Mayfield said. But Mayfield crouched and kept his distance in the opening two rounds and was able to counter in the third. He nearly ended it with his right hand at the bell to end the fourth.

“Honestly, I was hoping he was a little timid - but he wasn’t,” Mayfield said. “I caught him with a great shot that put him down. That normally should’ve put a lot of guys out. He shouldn’t have gotten up from that, because I caught him flush.” In the junior middleweight undercard, Kevin Rooney Jr. lost for the second time, beaten by late replacement Anthony Jones in a four-round decision. The southpaw Jones, who also fought and won four rounds nine days ago, came out aggressively and barely let up. Jones knocked Rooney down twice - in the first round and solidly with a straight left in the second. Rooney landed two good rights in the third round, including an overhand right, but it wasn’t enough. Rooney falls to 4-2. —AP

NBK takes three MasterCard Cardholders to UEFA Champions League final in Munich KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) announced the three winners recently of a fully-paid trip to Munich to attend the final match of the UEFA Champions League 2011/2012, in collaboration with MasterCard International.

Razi Ahmad Al Awadi, Ahmed Salem Al Gowainem and Thunayan Adel Al Ghanem flew to Munich, all expenses paid by NBK, to watch the UEFA Champions League finals,

scheduled to be played late yesterday, one of the most popular sporting events in the world. The campaign offered NBK MasterCard Cardholders chances to win three travel packages to the semi final matches and three for the final match. Each travel package includes two round trip airline tickets, hotel accommodation, transfer service and match tickets for both winner and a guest.

NBK Credit Cards are accepted worldwide

and are the safest, most convenient and rewarding way to pay. Benefits include free travel insurance, complimentary airport lounge access, concierge service, purchase protection, extended warranty and more. The award winning NBK Rewards loyalty program rewards NBK Credit Cardholders with a range of valuable discounts and a point redemption schemes redeemable at numerous shops and restaurants throughout Kuwait.

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

S P ORT S

Liu sparkles at Diamond League SHANGHAI: Athletes compete in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Diamond League Athletics meeting. —AP

Diamond League results 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Men’s 100m Asafa Powell (Jamaica) Michael Rodgers (US) Nesta Carter (Jamaica) Darvis Patton (US) Mario Forsythe (Jamaica) Su Bingtian (China) Michael Frater (Jamaica) Kim Collins (St Kitts and Nevis)

10.02 10.08 10.16 10.22 10.26 10.31 10.32 10.34

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Men’s 800m Leonard Kirwa Kosencha (Kenya) Timothy Kitum (Kenya) Andre Olivier (South Africa) Andreas Bube (Denmark) Jeffrey Riseley (Australia) Alfred Kirwa Yego (Kenya) Asbel Kiprop (Kenya) Marcin Lewandowski (Poland)

1:46.04 1:46.20 1:46.74 1:46.78 1:46.79 1:47.14 1:47.97 1:48.51

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Men’s 400m Hurdles Angelo Taylor (US) Justin Gaymon (US) Cheng Wen (China) Aleksandr Derevyagin (Russia) L.J. Van Zyl (South Africa) Li Zhilong (China) Yuta Imazeki (Japan) Isa Phillips (Jamaica)

48.98 49.07 49.59 50.33 50.38 50.47 50.48 50.59

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Men’s Pole Vault Yang Yansheng (China) Bjoern Otto (Germany) Malte Mohr (Germany) Brad Walker (US) Konstadinos Filippidis (Greece) Hendrik Gruber (Germany) Zhang Wei (China) Mark Hollis (US)

5.65 5.65 5.55 5.55 5.45 5.45 5.30 5.30

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Men’s Shot Put Reese Hoffa (US) Dylan Armstrong (Canada) Ryan Whiting (US) Christian Cantwell (US) Asmir Kolasinac (Serbia) Nedzad Mulabegovic (Croatia) Wang Guangfu (China) Wang Like (China)

20.98 20.93 20.73 20.57 19.80 19.65 19.26 18.52

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Men’s Javelin Throw Vitezslav Vesely (Czech Republic) Matthias De Zordo (Germany) Ari Mannio (Finland) Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway) Tero Pitkaemaeki (Finland) Chen Qi (China) Robert Oosthuizen (South Africa) Jiang Xingyu (China)

85.40 81.62 80.91 79.53 77.99 76.45 75.48 75.47

1.

2.

3.

4.

Women’s 200m Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 22.50 Carmelita Jeter (US) 22.62 Blessing Okagbare (Nigeria) 22.71 Anneisha McLaughlin (Jamaica) 22.79

5.

6.

7.

8.

ChaRonda Williams (US) Tiffany Townsend (US) Aleen Bailey (Jamaica) Wei Yongli (China)

22.80 22.93 23.02 23.53

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Women’s 400m Novlene Williams-Mills (Jamaica) Amantle Montsho (Botswana) Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica) Shericka Williams (Jamaica) Debbie Dunn (US) Antonina Yefremova (Ukraine) Tang Xiaoyin (China) Chen Jingwen (China)

50.00 50.83 51.81 52.21 52.80 53.40 54.35 54.37

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Women’s 1500m Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia) 3:57.77 Abeba Arigawe (Ethiopia) 3:59.23 Btissam Lakhouad (Morocco) 4:01.69 Hellen Obiri (Kenya) 4:03.15 Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (Kenya) 4:03.82 Kaila McKnight (Australia) 4:05.61 Eunice Sum (Kenya) 4:05.90 Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya) 4:07.34

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Milcah Chemos Cheywa (Kenya) 9:15.81 Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) 9:16.83 Lydiah Chepkurui (Kenya) 9:22.66 Mercy Njoroge (Kenya) 9:26.50 Lydia Jebet Rotich (Kenya) 9:35.34 Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi (Kenya) 9:38.80 Li Zhenzhu (China) 9:39.75 Barbara Parker (Jersey) 9:40.16

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Women’s High Jump Chaunte Lowe (US) Zheng Xingjuan (China) Marina Aitova (Kazakhstan) Inika McPherson (US) Svetlana Radzivil (Uzbekistan) Airine Palsyte (Lithuania) Viktoriya Styopina (Ukraine) Levern Spencer (St Lucia)

1.92 1.92 1.88 1.88 1.88 1.88 1.84 1.84

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Women’s Long Jump Janay DeLoach (US) Blessing Okagbare (Nigeria) Funmi Jimoh (US) Viktoriya Rybalko (Ukraine) Wang Wupin (China) Ivana Spanovic (Serbia) Cornelia Deiac (Romania) Shara Proctor (Britain)

6.73 6.64 6.53 6.38 6.38 6.37 6.37 6.31

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Women’s Discus Throw Sandra Perkovic (Croatia) Stephanie Brown Trafton (US) Dani Samuels (Australia) Zinaida Sendriute (Lithuania) Su Xinyue (China) Aretha Thurmond (US) Yang Fei (China) Sabine Rumpf (Germany)

68.24 64.20 62.34 61.49 60.05 58.41 58.06 56.36

FRANCE: Spanish rider Dani Pedrosa drives his Honda during a second free practice session of the French MotoGP Grand Prix. —AFP

Pedrosa takes French pole LE MANS: Spaniard Dani Pedrosa will start in pole position in today’s French MotoGP after posting the fastest time in a rain-hit qualifying session yesterday.

The 26-year-old Honda rider, winner of 15 MotoGPs, will start from pole for the 38th time, his 20th in the elite category, after edging out team-mate and world champion Casey Stoner of Australia by 0.303sec. Italian Yamaha rider Andrea Dovizioso was third fastest. Stoner and Pedrosa, who last year broke a collarbone in this race that ruled him out for several rounds, were the only two riders to go under the 1min 34sec mark.

“I’m not usually a pole guy but we must work hard on the bike. I hope for some good settings for dry and wet,” said Pedrosa, whose last pole was at the Czech Grand Prix in 2011.

“Let’s see what the weather does tomorrow but we have to be ready to go fast in any conditions. The race is very long, 28 laps, and everything can change during the race, so I hope to have a good start and to be able to keep a good pace until the end.”

Championship leader Stoner, who will quit the sport at the end of the year, said the weather had hit his push for pole position.

“We’re really happy to be on front row, but qualifying definitely didn’t go to plan,” said the Australian, who has won two of the three races this season.

“The track was drying out and we knew we had the pace, you just had to be a little

cautious in some areas that were still holding water. We felt we were fast enough to be on pole position but every time I was on a good lap or building up to one, I got held up. “I think we’re looking good for the race, we’re pretty comfortable in dry conditions but we still have warm up and a chance for the others to find something extra, so we’re going to have to improve our bike a little also and wait for the race as the weather conditions are still unpredictable.”

Dovizioso’s best qualifying performance of the season so far was all the more creditable as he relegated the official Yamaha stable duo of 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo and American Ben Spies onto the second row.

Italian great Valentino Rossi will start from the third line of the grid on his Ducati, along with Frenchman Randy de Puniet on an Aprilia.

It was Rossi’s best qualifying performance of the season. “I had to pass a rider on my good lap, otherwise I could have been faster, but anyway, I’d say that it’s going pretty well,” he said.

“I’m a bit sorry not to have made the second row, which was pretty close, but the fact remains that this is our best qualifying session of the season and that we were also at the same level in this morning’s dry session.”

British rider Ben Crutchlow was fastest in qualifying for a large part of the session but will start from the fifth row.—AFP

SHANGHAI: China’s Liu Xiang put himself in pole position for the Olympic 110m hurdles yesterday as he beat the world outdoor and indoor champions with a season-leading 12.97sec at the Shanghai Diamond League meet.

On a wet track, the Athens 2004 gold-medallist won it comfortably from America’s David Oliver and world outdoor champion Jason Richardson, before ripping off his vest in an excited celebration in front of his home fans.

“I am extremely happy. It was a wonderful race, what everyone wanted to see,” said Shanghai native Liu. “I hope to keep this form and give full play to my training. My dream is to stand on the Olympic track.” Oliver timed 13.13 and Richardson clocked 13.16, while world indoor champion Aries Merritt was fourth. But with just two months to go, Liu now looks like the man to beat in London.

Liu became China’s first ever Olympic track champion at Athens 2004 but four years later, he caused national angst when he dramatically pulled out injured in front of a packed Bird’s Nest Stadium at Beijing 2008.

At last year’s world championships, Liu took silver behind Richardson in a highly contentious race after he was obstructed by Olympic title-holder Dayron Robles, who was later disqualified.

This year, Liu beat Robles over 60m in February and was runner-up to Merritt at the world indoor championships in March. And he was an easy winner earlier this month at a World Challenge meet in Japan.

In other results, Jamaican Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown beat America’s Carmelita Jeter in the women’s 100m, while former world record-holder Asafa Powell raised his hopes for London by winning the men’s 100m in 10.02sec. Powell, beaten by a resurgent Justin Gatlin in this month’s opening Diamond League meeting in Doha, timed six hundredths of a second quicker than America’s Michael Rodgers, who

was recently hit with a nine-month, retroactive drug ban. Powell, 29, has vowed to go “all out” at London 2012 as he bids to erase his reputation of shrinking on the big stage. But he is expected to be outshone by compatriots Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, the Olympic and world champions.

“It was a good result. Technically it was good.

We did a lot of work in Jamaica,” said Powell. “It’s still two months to the Olympics. I’m satisfied.

Shanghai is a good meet, the crowd is fantastic...

I’m excited.”

But there was heartbreak for Australia’s Olympic pole-vault champion Steve Hooker, who bombed out after failing his first three jumps-a serious setback as he tries to battle back from an

alarming crisis of confidence. The fortunes of Hooker, who has also been hit by injury, sank so low that he was forced to qualify for London at a specially sanctioned meet held in front of just 150 supporters at his own, purpose-built training facility in Perth.

Hooker missed three jumps at 5.30 metres.

China’s Yang Yansheng won the event with 5.65 with German Bjorn Otto second. Otto holds the season-leading vault of 5.82.

Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele also had an evening to forget as the Olympic champion finished fifth in the men’s 5,000m, nearly four seconds behind the winner, fellow Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet, who timed 13min 11.00sec.—AFP

SHANGHAI: Liu Xiang of China (center) wins the men’s 110 metre hurdle event with Jason Richardson of the US (right) and Aries Merritt of the US (left) trailing during the Diamond League athletics meet. —AFP

76ers stun Celtics as Lakers silence Thunder PHILADELPHIA: Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala scored five straight points in the final 90 seconds as the 76ers stormed back from 15 points down to stun the Boston Celtics 92-83 on Friday and square their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series at 2-2.

The young Sixers were a team reborn in the second half and refused to roll over for the championship-tested Celtics. Iguodala, whose clutch performances in this postseason is turning around the often negative sentiment from fans, put the Sixers ahead 85-83 and buried a 3-pointer for a five-point lead. Iguodala scored 16 points, Evan Turner had 16 and Lou Williams added 15 for the Sixers, who will travel to Boston for Game 5 tomorrow. Boston’s Kevin Garnett had his first bad outing in an otherwise monster series with nine points.

The Sixers just kept attacking, turning a first half of airballs, botched dunks and sloppy defense into a full-blown display of near-flawless basketball.

Thaddeus Young’s thunderous slam tied the game 63-63 in the middle of the fourth. And when Jodie Meeks drained a 3-pointer on the Sixers’ next trip down the court for Philadelphia’s first lead, 20,000 fans erupted.

Williams hounded Paul Pierce and forced a turnover, fed the ball to a streaking Turner for a dunk and put the lead at 68-65.

Pierce had 24 points and Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 15 assists for

LOS ANGELES: Kobe Bryant No. 24 of the Los Angeles Lakers catches a pass as he fends off Derek Fisher No. 37 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. —AFP the Celtics. Garnett, who turned 36 yesterday, missed nine of 12 shots.

Down 15 at the half, the hosts found their spark, their legs and their shooting touch to crank up the pressure on the Celtics.

Philadelphia’s 10 baskets in the third were one more than their total for the entire first half and their 28 points were three shy off their halftime total.

Lakers 99, Thunder 96 In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant made

18 free throws without a miss and scored 14 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, leading Los Angeles to victory over Oklahoma City, cutting the series deficit to 2-1.

Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) swiped the ball from an opponent and hit two free throws with 12.9 seconds left, the third-seeded Lakers shook off the memory of their late collapse in Game 2.

When Thunder star Kevin Durant missed a potential tying 3-pointer

before Andrew Bynum blocked a shot at the buzzer, the Lakers’ frenzied crowd celebrated only their second victory in the past six playoff games.

Durant scored 31 points before missing his last shot for Oklahoma City, which could have moved to the brink of its second straight trip to the Western Conference finals. Instead, the Thunder lost for the first time in the postseason.

Game 4 in the back-to-back set late yesterday in Los Angeles.

Russell Westbrook and James Harden scored 21 points apiece for the Thunder, who couldn’t match the Lakers’ late-game execution. Los Angeles finished on a 6-2 run in the final 33 seconds, all on free throws.

Bynum had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who got 12 points apiece from Pau Gasol, Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake. Gasol also had 11 rebounds and six assists.

Oklahoma City’s bench celebrated a 92-87 lead on Westbrook’s breakaway dunk with 2:55 to play, but the Lakers trimmed away with Gasol’s free throws, Bryant’s layup and several possessions of tenacious defense. Bryant’s free throws put the Lakers ahead with 1:09 to play.

Durant immediately hit a go-ahead jumper with a hand squarely in his face, but Bryant added two more free throws - his 15th and 16th - to put Los Angeles ahead 95-94. The Lakers finished 41 of 42 from the line, and the Thunder were 26 of 28.—AP

Georges clinches Californian stage BIG BEAR LAKE: Sylvain Georges won the sixth stage of the Tour of California on Friday after a daring solo ride through the mountains.

The Frenchman found himself out alone in front for the last quarter of the 186.3 kilometre (115.7 mile) stage from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake after leading a seven-man breakaway. “”For me it’s the most beautiful victory of my career,” said Georges.

“I’ve never arrived solo for victory like this and it was incredibly special. It’s a beautiful race with all the big teams.” Georges managed to hang on as the main field started to reel him in over the closing stages as he pedalled his way to the end of the lung-bursting trip, crossing the line after five hours, seven minutes and six seconds.

Georges finished 28 seconds ahead of Slovakia’s sprint specialist Peter Sagan, who won each of the first four stages of the tour with his bursts of speed, but surrendered the overall lead to American Daniel Zabriskie in Thursday’s decisive time-trial. “”The big leaders let a breakaway go,” said Georges. “”After the second mountain sprint, I tempted fate and was able to hold it to the end. I didn’t think they knew who I was.”

Sagan’s countryman Peter Velits came third in Friday’s stage, while Zabriskie finished safely in the main pack to retain the leader’s yellow jersey.

With two stages to go, Zabriskie led his countryman Tejey van Garderen by 34 seconds. Robert Gesink of the Netherlands remained third, a further five seconds adrift.

The eight-day event resumes late yesterday with the penultimate stage of the eight-day event, another gruelling mountain climb over 126 kilometres (78.3 miles) from Ontario to Mt Baldy. The Tour ends today with a shortened but glitzy stage from Beverly Hills to downtown Los Angeles.—Reuters

ITALY: Costa Rica cyclist Andrey Amador celebrates on the podium after finishing first in the 14th stage of the Tour of Italy cycling race.—AFP

Amador wins Giro 14th stage CERVINIA: Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal, of the Garmin team, claimed the overall leader’s pink jersey after Costa Rican Andrey Amador (Movistar) won the 14th stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday.

The Canadian, who was fourth in the stage, now sits 9sec ahead of overnight leader Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain (Katusha), with Astana’s Italian rider Paolo Tiralongo in third at 41sec.

Hesjedal was 17sec down on Rodriguez at the start of the wet and cold stage, but finished 26sec ahead of the main peloton.

Amador, whose mother is Russian, clocked 5hr 33min 36sec over the stage, a testing 206km run from Cherasco to here,

boasting two stiff climbs at Joux and Cervinia, with the finish line at over 2,000m altitude. The Costa Rican was first home in a sprint off with his last two breakaway companions, Czech Jan Barta and Italian Alessandro De Marchi. It was the 25-yearold Amador’s first stage success in four years as a professional cyclist.

Amador had caught up with Barta after the first climb, and then struck out alone, but was himself reeled in on the 27km-long second climb by the Czech and De Marchi.

Today’s 15th stage sees the riders tackle a 169km run from Busto Arsizio and Lecco, with three climbs scheduled before a final 7.8km ascent above Lake Como.—AFP

19

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

SPORTS

Baffert’s silence could speak volumes BALTIMORE: One good thing about losing the Kentucky Derby is that nobody wants much of your time for two solid weeks.

Bob Baffert’s countdown still had 36 hours or so left to run Friday morning when the silver-tongued Hall of Fame trainer stepped outside his barn at Pimlico Race Course and looked at the grandstand looming in the distance.

“I don’t really get charged up until we walk over there,” Baffert said. “That’s when it really becomes the Preakness to me.” He’s won the race five times in 11 tries, three of those with the Kentucky Derby winner in his barn and twice with spoilers, who have history on their side.

Only 32 horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in the 130-plus times both races have been run, yet Baffert had three of those, only to lose each time in the Belmont Stakes.

That won’t be a problem this year,

since rival California trainer Doug O’Neill’s bay colt, I’ll Have Another, ran down Baffert’s Bodemeister in the final few strides at Churchill Downs two weeks ago.

“When you come in with the Derby winner, you’re on such a high that if things don’t go your way, you still feel like, ‘No big deal,’” Baffert recalled. “On the other hand, if you come in here still thinking you should have won (the Derby), at least you know you’re going to get a better trip. There’s fewer horses and a lot less racing luck involved.”

Pimlico handicapper Frank Carulli apparently felt the same way, making Bodemeister the morning-line 8-5 favorite over I’ll Have Another, the second choice at 5-2.

“That a lot of respect in my mind,” said O’Neill, who’s enjoyed his turn in the sport’s spotlight. “If you would have said a few years ago, ‘Hey, would you

feel respected if you’re 5-2 in the Preakness?’ I would have said, ‘Sign me up.’ “ O’Neill’s willingness to mix it up was apparent when he made the drive from Louisville right after the Derby. Baffert said that after the blistering pace Bodemeister set in that race, he expected to find little left of his horse besides “hair and lactic acid.”

No wonder. Bodemeister’s opening half-mile of 45.39 seconds was the fifthfastest in Derby history, and none of the four horses with faster splits finished better than 13th. Only two went on to run in the Preakness, with Top Avenger finishing last in 1981 and Groovy finishing sixth of seven horses in 1986. Even so, Baffert didn’t seem overly concerned.

“The horse is deceiving. He will fool you. I think Mike (Smith, his jockey) didn’t realize he was going 45. If they didn’t have a clock there,” Baffert added,

“I would have thought he was going 47.”

Most handicappers have cast the Preakness as a two-horse race. Because there won’t be a crowded field nor any speed horses to hem Bodemeister in, O’Neill was inclined to agree. Though I’ll Have Another didn’t make his move until the horses turned for home in the 1 1/4mile Derby, his trainer isn’t inclined to let Bodemeister get loose on the lead at the 1 1/16-mile Preakness.

“If somebody gets an easy lead, I want it to be us,” O’Neill said. “If we’re sitting behind, I want it to be a pretty heated pace. Those are the two scenarios I’d like to see.”

Baffert claims not to have thought the race through that far.

“I just can’t map out a strategy. If he came from off the pace, I’d map out a strategy, you know, ‘Mike, you need to do this, this and this.’ But his strategy is just to break well and keep him in a com-

fortable mode. “He knows what to do,” Baffert said, referring to his jockey or his horse or maybe both.

A moment later, Bode, the youngest of Baffert’s kids and Bodemeister’s namesake, came running out of the barn, puncturing the relative silence with laughs. Baffert watched the scene and smiled ruefully.

“It’s been quiet all week. Every time I brought the loser of the Derby here and won, it’s been really quiet all week. ... He just got here,” Baffert said, referring to the boy, “and he doesn’t like the pressure of being asked about Bodemeister too much. When the horse got beat, he took it a little bit like it’s his horse. “I didn’t want him to be mad at me, that I didn’t do a good job training his horse or anything. He’s funny about that,” Baffert said, lowering his voice. After a week of not saying too much, Baffert wasn’t about to tempt fate now.—AP

Djokovic, Nadal in Rome Masters final rematch

Goa Maroons, Skynet Raiders in q-finals GOA ROLLING TROPHY KUWAIT: Defending champions and hosts Goa Maroons confirmed their quarterfinal berth edging out a spirited FC Sparx 3-1, while Skynet Raiders SC went through some anxious moments before finally overcoming Real Betalbatim FC 2-1 and AVC Sports & CA upstaged United Friends Club 3-2 to be the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the 18th edition of the prestigious GOA Rolling Trophy organized by Goan Overseas Association (Goa Maroons) under the auspices of KIFF and sponsored

by Bassem International Trading Company at the MOH ground, Shuwaikh (Kuwait).

Steven Rodrigues continuing his fine form was the hero for injury plagued Goa Maroons as he scored once in the first half from an exquisite cross by hard working midfielder Everest and completed his hattrick with two more in the second half, thereby taking his tally to 7 goals in 4 matches this season.

FC Sparx should take heart from the fact that they played an excellent game and although substitute Mohammed Vazeel did pull one back during the second half, their inexperience and some fine keeping by Glen in the Maroons goal denied them further goals.

Earlier, in an evenly matched contest and fluctuating fortunes between AVC & United Friends Club (UFC), Manual D’Costa

put UFC in front only for veteran Melwin Fernandes to equalize for AVC with a close range volley. Remedio Fernandes put UFC once again in the front in the second half, but the lead did not last long with the ever dependable Braulio Rodrigues equalizing for AVC to level the scores.

It was however against the run of play that Milton Estracio scored from a counter move for AVC, taking his team to the semi finals where they will meet the winners of Navelim YC versus DHL FC who are due to play this coming Friday.

In the last match of the day, 10-man Skynet Raiders edged out Real Betalbatim in an engrossing match that was high on drama. Skynet took the lead in the 15th minute through Sattyaraj Mohan, but Viet D’Silva playing his first match on the MOH ground equalized for Real Betalbatim.

Skynet Raiders lost their goalkeeper due to injury towards the end of the first half and being short of substitutes continued playing with 10 men with Alexio Goes replacing the injured goalkeeper.

However, Real Betalbatim could not take advantage of having an extra man on the field and it was Sathyaraj Mohan who once again found the net for Skynet Raiders to ensure his team qualified for the quarter finals where they will meet Gulf Cable FC who have already qualified.

ROME: World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic swept past Roger Federer yesterday to set up a Rome Masters final rematch with five-time winner Rafael Nadal.

Top seed Djokovic ended Federer’s brilliant run of recent clay form, defeating the world number two, and last week’s Madrid champion, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) while Nadal reached a seventh Rome final with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-0 win over compatriot David Ferrer.

Federer saved a match point for 5-5 in the second set as he broke Djokovic on a stinging forehand winner. But Federer could not extend that battling instinct into the tiebreaker, with Djokovic taking victory on his second winning chance as the Swiss put a backhand long after an hour and 39 minutes on court. After defeating Ferrer for the 12th consecutive time on clay, Nadal will face Djokovic for the 32nd time today, with the Spaniard going into the contest holding a 17-14 lead.

Nadal won their last meeting in April for the Monte Carlo title, snapping a run of seven consecutive losses to his rival in finals dating back to March 2011.

Djokovic controlled Federer in their first meeting since the US Open semis last autumn when Federer held two match points but lost. Since that disappointment he has won seven ATP titles.

Djokovic, appearing in his fifth straight semi-final in Rome, improved to 22-3 at the venue, one of the few where Federer does not own a trophy after losing 2003 and 2006 finals. Federer had won 14 of 24 matches in their series coming in, including three of four on clay.

Nadal, winner of the Foro Italico trophy in five of seven appearances in the Italian capital, also won a 39th straight claycourt semifinal and has not lost at the final-four stage on the surface since 2003.

Ferrer, a legendary scrambler on the dirt, was beaten by his countryman in Rome for the third time as Nadal polished his career record here to 35-2. He now stands 15-4 in the pair’s series.

“It was unbelievable how David started, he had great rhythm, no errors, was playing aggressive and moving well,” said Nadal.

“All I could do was try to keep the score close as I thought he could not go on at that level. “After the first six or seven games, our levels became more equal. “It is great to be in another Rome final, the final preparation

Match on TV (Local Timings)

Italian Cup Juventus v Napoli Al Jazeera Sport +1

22:00

before Roland Garros.”

Nadal, with claycourt titles this season in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, added: “Even if I lose I feel I’ve had a great preparation during the red clay season. Reaching the final is the best thing that could have happened.

My clay season has been almost perfect. “It’s unbelievable to be in seven of them here but I’m expecting a tough match today.”

Play progressed at a glacial pace on Saturday, with the first four games taking 33 minutes which was longer than Federer’s winning first set on Friday against Andreas Seppi. The second game took up half of that time as Nadal fought off seven break points to finally hold for 2-1. Ferrer double-faulted

away a service game to trail 3-2 as his rival started to get a grip on the match.

Nadal won the 84-minute marathon in a tiebreaker and then began to sprint in the second set to take a 3-0 lead. Ferrer saved five break points in the fourth game before falling to defeat.

Spain’s 10-time Grand Slam champion will be competing in his 70th career ATP final on Sunday, defending a record of 4821. He and Federer currently share the record for Masters titles won at 20 each.

Nadal has 15 wins on clay this season against one defeat, which came in Madrid against compatriot Fernando Verdasco last week.—AFP

ROME: Russia’s Maria Sharapova returns the ball to Germany’s Angelique Kerber during their semifinal match at the Italian Open tennis tournament.—AP

Impressive Sharapova to face Li in Rome final ROME: Defending champion Maria Sharapova will take on Li Na of China in the Italian Open final after a confident 6-3 6-4 victory over Germany’s Angelique Kerber yesterday.

The Russian world number two gained revenge on 12th seed Kerber for a defeat earlier this year, overpowering her opponent with heavy ground strokes.

Li received a walkover into the final after title favourite Serena Williams withdrew on Saturday with a lower back injury. A winner in Stuttgart last month, Sharapova broke early in both sets and was never headed as she reached her fifth final of the year.

Serena Williams said she expected to be 100 percent fit for next week’s French

Open despite pulling out of the event yesterday “as a precaution”.

“If it’s not 100 percent it’s better not to play and make it worse,” the world number six said. “But I am in good form, I have a few days to get better and I am confident I will be 100 percent fit for the French Open.” When she won the title in Madrid last weekend, Williams described her male counterparts as “weenies” for complaining about the slippery nature of the blue clay, saying the women were “way tougher than men”.

But yesterday, the former world number one admitted she might have to eat her words. “I guess it turns out I was the weenie,” she said via Twitter.—Reuters

Morkel and Yadav shine as Delhi shatters Punjab hopes DHARAMSHALA: Pace bowlers Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav shared seven wickets as Delhi Daredevils geared up for the playoffs with a resounding six-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

Morkel grabbed 4-20 and Yadav took 3-19 as Punjab was restricted to 141-8 after being put in to bat on a lively track at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. Delhi scored 145-4 in 18.2 overs with opener David Warner slamming a 44ball 79 with four sixes and 10 fours.

The task was made easy for Delhi as Warner started aggressively, hitting a six off the first delivery he faced from Praveen Kumar and later hitting other seamer Parvinder Awana for 23 runs in an over, including three sixes.

Warner was dropped by Gurkeerat Singh at the square-leg boundary off the last ball of that over from Awana, when on 46, and continued to unleash a barrage of boundaries.

“It was a good end to the league stage for us,” said Delhi captain Mahela Jayawardene, leading the side in place of Virender Sehwag. “We will start

all over again in the playoffs but will look to take the confidence ahead.”

Earlier, Morkel and Yadav ripped through the Punjab batting and the home side was reduced to 20-4 in the sixth over before fighting back.

Yadav removed openers Adam Gilchrist and Mandeep Singh while also getting rid of David Hussey. Morkel removed Paul Valthaty in his opening spell and then came back to dismiss well-set batsmen Azhar Mahmood and Gurkeerat Singh in his second spell.

The total was lent some respectability as No. 5 batsman Siddharth Chitnis chipped in with a 36ball 38 and then Pakistan allrounder Mahmood (36) and Gurkeerat Singh (26) added 45 runs for the sixth wicket. Delhi, which was the first team to book a passage to the knockout stage, ensured it would remain the top-ranked team as it finished with 11 wins and five losses. Punjab, needing a win to stay in contention, finished with eight wins and eight losses.

The result also meant Mumbai Indians went through along with Delhi and Kolkata Knight

Riders. Two-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore remain in contention for the fourth spot.

Elsewhere, Kolkata scored an easy 34-run win over Pune Warriors to ensure second place with 10 wins, five losses and a no-result.

Bangaladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (42) and New Zealander Brendon McCullum (41) helped Kolkata score 136-4 after electing to bat on a slow pitch at Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium in Pune.

Hasan came back to take two wickets as Pune, already out of playoffs contention, managed to score only 102-8.

Scores: Delhi Daredevils 145-4 in 18.2 overs (David Warner 79; Ryan Harris 2-19, Azhar Mahmood 2-23) def. Kings XI Punjab 141-8 (Siddharth Chitnis 38, Azhar Mahmood 36; Morne Morkel 4-20, Umesh Yadav 3-29). Kolkata Knight Riders 136-4 (Shakib Al Hasan 42, Brendon McCullum 41; Wayne Parnell 218) def. Pune Warriors 102-8 (Yusuf Pathan 2-12, Shakib Al Hasan 2-18).—AP

DHARMSALA: Delhi Daredevils’ David Warner bats during their Indian Premier League cricket match against Kings XI Punjab. —AP

Impressive Sharapova to face Li in Rome final

Pedrosa takes French pole

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

19

18

76ers stun Celtics as Lakers silence Thunder

Page 18

MUNICH: Chelsea team celebrate with the trophy at the end of the Champions League final soccer match against Bayern Munich. —AP

Chelsea champion of Champions Drogba makes amends for Moscow misery

MUNICH: Didier Drogba was the hero as Chelsea shattered Bayern Munich’s Champions League dream here yesterday with victory in a nail-biting penalty shootout at the Allianz Arena.

Drogba stepped up to rifle home the winning penalty for Chelsea after earlier saving his side with an equalising goal two minutes from time to cancel out what looked like a winner from Thomas Mueller as the match finished at 1-1.

It was an agonising defeat for Bayern, who saw midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger miss with their final kick to give Drogba the opportunity to score the penalty to clinch the shoot-out 4-3.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech also saved brilliantly from Ivica Ovic to get Chelsea back into the shoot-out after Juan Mata had missed the Premier League side’s opening effort.

Drogba’s winning spot-kick was a fairytale ending for the 34-year-old Ivorian striker, who had been sent off in the final minutes of Chelsea’s Champions League final defeat in Moscow four years ago.

But the loss left Bayern shattered as

their dream of lifting their fifth European title before their own fans at their home ground ended in agony.

A match Bayern had dominated went to penalties after a frenetic finish to normal time, with Mueller heading Bayern into the lead seven minutes from time only for Drogba to equalise for Chelsea in the 88th minute.

A dramatic start to extra-time then saw Bayern’s former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben miss a penalty-saved by Cechafter Drogba had needlessly brought down Franck Ribery in the area.

For much of the match a Bayern victory had looked the likeliest outcome, with the Bundesliga giants revelling in the raucous support of their home fans.

They suffered an early setback when Schweinsteiger was booked for a nervy handball after only two minutes, but thereafter they enjoyed a virtual monopoly of possession.

Schweinsteiger was the first to set alarms off in the Chelsea back four, having his shot deflected behind by Gary Cahill after only three minutes.

Toni Kroos was next, his low shot drifting just wide of Cech’s upright. Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo had sprung a surprise by handing a first Champions League start to youngster Ryan Bertrand in an effort to cut off the supply lines to Arjen Robben down the right flank.

However the wily Dutchman found space with ease in the eighth minute, cutting in from the flank and curling a shot over the bar.

The former Chelsea winger produced the best chance of the half on 21 minutes, teasing the ball past Jose Bosingwa to dart into the area. Robben’s shot was low and hard, but Cech stuck out a leg and the ball cannoned to safety.

The closing stages of the half saw Bayern up the tempo and they carved out a string of openings that they could well have scored from.

On 36 minutes Ribery and Diego Contento combined down the left to send Contento racing away. The left-back whipped in an inviting cross but Mueller could only slash his first-time volley wide of the post.

Chelsea, largely anonymous in attack until that point, then forced Neuer into his first save of the match. A sweeping counter-attack saw captain Frank Lampard lay off to Salomon Kalou whose thumping low drive was gathered at the near post by the Bayern keeper.

Bayern’s pressure should have earned a reward but Mario Gomez squandered two promising openings shortly before half-time, slicing from close range on 39 minutes and then blazing over from just inside the area after losing Cahill.

The second half followed largely the same pattern as the first, with Bayern having a goal disallowed for offside by Ribery on 54 minutes.

The Germans were thwarted by some dogged Chelsea defending, with Cole saving the Londoners with a series of telling interventions.

It looked all over for Chelsea when Mueller headed in to put Bayern 1-0 seven minutes from time. But Drogba had other ideas to set up the extra-time finale.

However Chelsea looked to have squandered parity in the fourth minute of

MUNICH: Chelsea’s Didier Drogba holds up the trophy in front of Roman Abramovich at the end of the Champions League final. extra-time, when Drogba needlessly clipped Ribery to concede the softest of penalties from referee Pedro Proenca.

Once again though Chelse’sa refusal to yield came to their rescue, Cech diving low to his left to thwart Robben’s spot-kick

West Ham clinch EPL promotion

Hearts crush Hibs in Scottish Cup final GLASGOW: Hearts crushed local rivals Hibernian 5-1 at Hampden Park yesterday to win the first all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup final since 1896.

Hearts, who last won the competition in 2006, surged into a two-goal lead thanks to Darren Barr and Rudi Skacel before James McPake got one back for Hibs before the break.

The turning point came soon after half-time when Hibs defender Pa Saikou Kujabi was sent off for conceding a penalty converted by Danny Grainger and further goals from Ryan McGowan and Skacel completed the rout.

“It was a great result and a great game for my team so I’m very proud,” Hearts manager Paulo Sergio said. “I’m feeling very happy and it’s great to see the joy of all our supporters who came to Hampden. It’s a great moment.”

His Hibernian counterpart, who was sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson in the 89th minute for making a gesture seemingly aimed at Hearts fans, said the result left him desperately disappointed.

“I think this week and last week shows what’s wrong with the football club; there’s just an acceptance and softness about the place that we need to change,” Pat Fenlon said.

Hopes were high amongst the Hibs support that their 110-year wait to win the cup would come to an end as the match kicked off in front of a capacity crowd at the national stadium.

But it was the Jambos’ fans who were celebrating in the 14th minute when Barr gave

them the lead. Grainger’s corner caused chaos in the Hibs box and when McGowan’s shot was deflected into the path of Barr the defender showed quick reactions to poke the ball past Mark Brown.

Hearts doubled their advantage in the 27th minute. Ian Black picked out Skacel with a clever pass at the edge of the box and his shot on the turn took a slight deflection off McPake to fly over the helpless Brown into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Hearts were running their rivals ragged and came close to a third in the 35th minute when Driver’s cross landed to Santana at the far post but his goal bound shot was stopped on the line by McPake.

The defender then became a hero at the other end of the pitch when he pulled one back for Hibs in the 41st minute. Thomas Soares beat the offside trap to send a low cross into the box and McPake stretched out a leg to direct it past Jamie MacDonald.

However, any hopes of a Hibs revival were extinguished 30 seconds after the restart when Hearts were awarded a penalty after Kujabi saw red for pulling Santan’s shirt, although the initial foul looked to have taken place outside the box.

Kujabi, who was booked in the first half, was shown a straight red and Grainger blasted his spot kick into the top left-hand corner after sending Brown the wrong way.

Hearts extended their lead in the 49th minute when McGowan added a fourth.

with his legs as the tension rose to excruciating levels.

Substitute Olic almost won it for Bayern in the 108th minute, but his shot flashed across goal as the game went to penalties.—AFP

GLASGOW: Hearts’ Lithuanian soccer player Marius Zaliuskas (centre) celebrates with his teammates after winning the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park. —AP Grainger’s corner was sent towards goal by Skacel and after Brown stopped the shot on the line McGowan dived to head the ball into the net from two yards out. Things got worse for Hibs in the 75th minute when Skacel got his second of the game.

Santana picked him out at the edge of the

box and the Czech avoided three Hibs defenders to fire an angled drive past Brown that went in off the post.

That completed the rout as Hearts extended their three-year unbeaten run against their Edinburgh rivals to lift the Cup they last won in 2006.—AFP

LONDON: West Ham clinched promotion to the Premier League as Ricardo Vaz Te’s late winner sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Blackpool in the Championship play-off final at Wembley yesterday. Sam Allardyce’s side survived a nervous start to take the lead through Carlton Cole’s first half strike, but Tom Ince equalised soon after the break and Blackpool had several good chances to go ahead. Portuguese forward Vaz Te made the Seasiders pay for their profligacy when he struck from close-range in the 87th minute to ensure the Hammers returned to the top-flight just 12 months after relegation.

Vaz Te’s winner was crucial for a club who had invested heavily in winning promotion and the east London outfit’s place in the Premier League will rake in between £45 million and £90 million in increased revenue according to varying reports.

“Blackpool were every bit as good as us but we just swung it in our favour. It’s 49 games this season and it’s the first time we’ve won a game in the last few minutes,” Allardyce said.

“I’m just delighted to be back in the Premier League. It means everything to me because I had been in the Premier League for 10 years or so (before being sacked by Blackburn in 2010).

“It was difficult at the start to turn this club around but we have come good at the end.” Blackpool boss Ian Holloway added: “Sometimes in life it goes against you but you have to congratulate your opponents.

“I thought my lot gave a great account of themselves, we created more than enough chances to win the game. We’ve got to get on and bounce straight back.”

Defeat was cruel on Blackpool, who almost made the perfect start when poor defending from Matt Taylor allowed Stephen Dobbie to squeeze past him and drive in a low strike that Robert Green pushed onto his near post. That narrow escape seemed to unsettle West Ham and their defence parted with alarming ease as Matt Phillips surged clear, only to shoot tamely at Green with just the goalkeeper to beat.—AFP

Business

Murdoch denies planning to spin off UK newspapers Page 22

Obama to Congress: Put in place banking rules now

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

Page 23

Kuwait equities remain in red zone

Major German union gets highest pay rise in 20 years Page 25

Page 24

LUDHIYANA: Indian laborers dig through rotting wheat at Khamano village 40 kilometers from Ludhiana yesterday. The Indian government may export 4-5 million tons of wheat lying in Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouses in a bid to cope with the storage crisis, the food ministry has said. — AFP

EBRD backs 1.0bn euro investment for Mideast Chakrabarti replaces Mirow as new president LONDON: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development yesterday approved investment of 1.0 billion euros for expansion into north Africa and the Middle East under its first British president.

After years concentrating mainly on investment in private-sector firms across the former Soviet bloc, the EBRD said it was extending its reach in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings.

It is planning an initial investment equivalent to $1.28 billion in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan, although it stressed that it would continue to seek to support growth in eastern Europe amid the euro-zone crisis.

The announcement came on the final day of the EBRD’s annual meeting in London and after the bank on Friday selected top British civil servant Suma Chakrabarti as its president until 2016. Chak rabar ti replaced

Thomas Mirow from Germany in a surprise result. The pair were to hold a joint press conference at the bank’s London headquarters around 1415 GMT. A statement issued ahead of the conference said: “The EBRD’s shareholders agreed on Saturday to the creation of a 1.0 billion euro special fund to start investments in emerging Arab democracies in response to the wave of political change in parts of the Middle East and north Africa.

“The fund is being financed out of the Bank’s reserves and will allow the Bank to start operations as a prelude to full-scale investment in the new region after an extension of the EBRD’s geographic remit has been ratified.”

It added in a statement: “The EBRD is planning to invest specifically in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan. It has opened preliminary offices

in all four of these countries, appointed a managing director for the region and hired additional staff with regional experience.”

The EBRD said it would focus on the development of the private sector in those countries, fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, with the first projects likely to be concluded around September.

“The Bank expects to be able to eventually invest up to 2.5 billion euros a year in the new region, while not detracting from investments in its existing countries of operations, where funding totalled 9.1 billion euros in 2011,” it added.

Founded in 1991 to help former Soviet bloc countries such as Hungary, Kazakhstan and Russia to switch and adapt to a market economy, the EBRD will from July be led by its first president who is neither German or French.

For the first time at the EBRD, shareholders considered more than one candidate for the role of president after European Union finance ministers failed to reach a consensus in the run-up to the meeting. Chakrabarti’s victory came as a surprise as it supposedly broke an unwritten rule that a Briton would not run for the presidency in return for the bank being based in London.

British finance minister George Osborne said Chakrabarti’s victory was “the product of a serious campaign and strong diplomacy” and because Britain’s top civil servant at the justice ministry was “the best person for the job.”

Euro-zone titans Germany and France had wanted the position to go to Frenchman Philippe de Fontaine Vive Curtaz, a vice president of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Britain is not a member of the euro-zone.

Mirow, who has successfully steered the bank through the financial crisis, had hoped to win a second term but fought the contest without Berlin’s backing.

Chakrabarti beat off two other rival candidates-ex-Polish prime minister Jan Krzysztof Bielecki and former Serbian deputy prime minister Bozidar Djelic.

The EBRD meanwhile said at the start of its meeting on Friday that the euro-zone debt crisis would slash growth this year across its current and future “transition” countries of operation. It forecast growth of 3.1 percent this year across a region that comprises 33 countries, including the four Arab nations plus Turkey and Mongolia-down sharply from 4.6 percent in 2011. The bank’s shareholders comprise 63 governments plus the European Union and the EIB. — AFP

Greece bridles at Merkel referendum suggestion

NAHUALA: Domingo Coti carries wood to sell for $US 3 as he walks to the local market in Nahuala, Guatemala on Friday. — AP

KCIC posts KD 4.75m in net profits for Q1-2012 KUWAIT: Kuwait China Investment Company (KCIC) announced yesterday its net profits skyrocketed by 157 percent to KD 4.75 million in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the corresponding period last year. The profits per share amounted to 93.5 percent in the three months ending on March 31, 2012, according to a press release issued by the Kuwait-based company.

The value of the company’s assets went up by 6.15 percent by the end of 2011 which contributed to the growth of the value of invested capital by 5.62 percent in Q1-2012, it said. The total value of the Q1 revenues amounted to KD 5.80 million which reflects an increase by

124 percent over the KD 2.59 million revenues made in Q1-2011.

The profits of the financial assets doubled in this period from the figure of Q1-2011.

KCIC’s investments in other companies started to contribute positively in the company’s revenues, accounting for KD 0.64 million, the statement noted. The total net value of assets topped KD 87.15 million, growing up by 6.15 percent from the end of 2011. Commenting on the excellent financial results, KCIC’s Managing Director Ahmad Abdullatif AlHamad said his company was able to reduce its losses in 2011 by a half thanks to the new strategy. —KUNA

ATHENS: Greek political leaders reacted angrily yesterday to a suggestion, attributed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, that the country hold a referendum on euro membership alongside an election next month.

The chancellor’s move-despite a denial by Berlin-went down badly with leaders sensitive to any comments from Germany, which has insisted that Athens stick to tough austerity measures agreed in return for a massive EU-IMF bailout.

“The Greek people have no need for a referendum to demonstrate their choice for the euro, they have already made enough costly sacrifices to show that,” said Antonis Samaras, leader of the conservative New Democracy party which won inconclusive May 6 polls. Merkel’s suggestion, “above all coming in the run-up to the election, is regrettable and unacceptable,” Samaras said in a statement. “The Greek people has the right to respect from its (European) partners.”

The office of the caretaker prime minister said Friday that Merkel “conveyed thoughts (to the president) on holding a referendum alongside the election, on the question of whether Greek citizens wish to remain in the euro-zone.”

The suggestion was turned down, a statement said, because the caretaker government only has the authority to organize the new polls, expected June 17.

Berlin bluntly denied any such move. “The information reported that the chancellor had suggested a referendum to the Greek President Carolos Papoulias is wrong,” a Merkel spokeswoman said. Alexis Tsipras,

leader of the radical left Syriza party which came second in the May 6 vote on a campaign against the austerity policies, alluded to Germany’s wartime record in Greece, a hugely sensitive and controversial period.

“Madame Merkel is used to talking to Greek political leaders as if she was addressing a protectorate,” Tsipras said. “Greeks are going to give a definitive answer (in the upcoming polls) and are going to put an end to the policies of austerity and submission, they will open the way for progressive forces across Europe,” he added.

The leader of the socialist Pasok party, which along with New Democracy backed the EU-IMF accord and suffered accordingly on May 6, said only the Greek parliament and government had the authority to call a referendum. “The question for Greece is not whether it stays in the euro or not, but whether it can get out of the crisis,” Evangelos Venizelos said.

Greek newspapers were even more critical-”Merkel Ultimatum,” was the pro-Socialist Ta Nea front page headline. “It’s a Merkel Bomb for a euro referendum, an unprecedented political intervention which makes things worse,” wrote Eleftheros Typos on the right, while financial daily Naftemporiki also spoke of a “political bomb.”

The Merkel imbroglio comes at a bad time, with the chancellor in Washington for G8 talks hosted by US President Barack Obama who has shown himself more sympathetic to the need for growth than austerity as Greece tops the agenda.

Obama said Friday he supported Greece staying in the euro-zone, a region of “extraor-

dinary importance” not only for Europe but also for the global economy. Up to now, Merkel has insisted that Greece must stick to the austerity terms in the bailout deal or risk losing access to debt funding-effectively forcing it out of the euro-zone. But in recent months, calls for the focus to be rebalanced towards growth have increased, with new French President Francois Hollande winning office earlier this month on a pledge for change. Yesterday, President Papoulias formally dissolved the parliament elected on May 6, with date of the elections officially confirmed as June 17, with the new assembly to meet for the first time on June 28.

Despite the brickbats, it is clear that in effect the new polls are fast becoming a straight vote on Greek acceptance of the bailout deal and its continued place in the euro-zone.

After recent polls put Syriza in the lead, a survey Friday showed the race narrowing, giving New Democracy 23.1 percent of the vote, up from the 18.85 percent it won on May 6, with Syriza on 21 percent, up from 16.8 percent. Fears that the new poll might not be able to produce a viable government committed to the bailout have roiled global markets and snared Spain where the government is struggling to stabilize its stricken banking system. “Time is clearly running out,” London-based analysts Capital Economics warned in a note over Greece’s continued political paralysis. “If the government does not meet the conditions required to receive the next tranche of the bailout, it could run out of money before the end of the summer.” — AFP

22

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

BUSINESS

Murdoch denies planning to spin off UK newspapers

10 ways to stay upbeat during your job search Bayt.com weekly report Staying upbeat when faced with multiple rejections (or worse, when faced with no response from employers) is hard. Even if you start off as being quiet optimistic about your prospects, but as time passes, constant disappointment can get you depressed and make you lose your sheen. To help you out, the career experts at the Middle East’s #1 job site Bayt.com present you with 10 ways to avoid the job search doldrums and stay motivated and upbeat.

1. Recognize if you are in a slump The first step to getting out of the doldrums is to recognize that you are indeed in a slump. If you are suffering from the job search blues, take some time off to re-energize and get back the focus, strength and inner peace you need to go ahead with your job search. Reach out to the people you trust for assistance and don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you need it.

2. Organize your day Lounging about and procrastinating at home will not further your job search, it will only feed your inertia and panic. Treat your job search with the same vigor, organizational skills and discipline as you would at work.

Draw up a ‘Job Search Checklist’ with daily, weekly and monthly goals. By organizing your weekdays in this strict disciplined manner you will maintain a feeling of control over the job search and lose the panic many jobseekers feel due to the feeling of helplessness and loss of control over their life.

3. Build a support network around you Don’t let negativity discourage or distract you from your job search.

Instead, observe and learn from successful, happy professionals who are where you would like to be and enlist their support in getting there. Seek to surround yourself with encouraging upbeat people who will inspire and motivate you rather than bring you down. Enthusiasm is contagious and the more keen and confident those around you are, the more confident you will be in your strengths, abilities and marketability.

4. Stay motivated Learn from the success stories of others and the advice of motivational experts on how to stay motivated. The inspiration and motivation that you need can come from self-help books and autobiographies of those who made it in the industry.

5. Remind yourself of your past accomplishments It is often easy to lose all confidence in yourself if your job search is extending indefinitely and there are no positive outcomes in sight.

Whenever you think you have reached a dead-end and your confidence is waning, picture your last major success and remind yourself of how you got there, then visualize yourself repeating that success in your new endeavors and outline a roadmap for getting there. You may want to keep a photo of yourself after that last accomplishment prominently displayed to remind yourself constantly of your capabilities.

LONDON: Rupert Murdoch has denied reports that News Corp is considering spinning off its British newspapers to protect the rest of his media empire from a phone hacking scandal.

The Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times newspapers said executives at the company were looking into ways to split off the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times, published by its News International unit.

However, Murdoch, chief executive of News Corp, said in a statement late on Friday: “News Corporation remains firmly committed to our publishing businesses, including News International, and any suggestion to the con-

trary is wholly inaccurate. Publishing is a core component of our future.”

British police are examining claims that journalists at the News of the World - a paper shut by Murdoch last July - routinely hacked into the phones of hundreds of celebrities, politicians and victims of crime to generate front-page stories.

They are also investigating whether staff hacked into computers and made illegal payments to public officials, including the police, to get ahead in their reporting.

The Daily Telegraph and the FT said News Corp was discussing putting the News International titles into a trust. A News

6. Learn a new skill Use this time in between jobs to learn a new skill. You can take up a training course to fine -tune your technical skills in your chosen industry.

If you’ve had a long-time hobby such as photography or gardening, this would be a good time to enroll yourself into a professional photography or landscaping course. This may just open up an alternative career path for you.

7. Reward yourself for achieving short term goals Don’t dwell on the downside. Set realistic shor t-term goals that advance your long-term objectives and on a daily basis revisit and reward yourself for your positive accomplishments for the day. These goals may include a specific number of CVs sent out, interviews gained, cold calls made, new skills acquired, professional books completed etc.

Make sure your goals are reasonable and focus on achieving them one goal at a time.

8. Do some volunteer work Volunteering is one way to feel more useful, widen your all-important networking circle and in some cases, beef up your CV. You will enjoy the learning that comes with a new activity as well as the immense sense of satisfaction that comes with helping others if you are involved in charitable works.

9. Count your blessings No matter how strenuous and uphill the job search may be remember your blessings in other areas of your life and be thankful. Keep things in perspective at all times and don’t lose sight of your successes and accomplishments.

10 Don’t lose balance Include exercise and relaxation in your weekly schedule as well as other means to expend positive energy, let off steam and indulge in activities you enjoy. Whether it’s a daily 30 minute walk around the block, an hour of power yoga, cycling with the kids after school or an hour spent gardening, don’t lose sight of the activities that you enjoy best and that maintain a critical balance in your life.

International spokeswoman hosed down the report, saying in a statement: “There are absolutely no plans to put News International into a separate trust.”

Selling the newspapers to one or more wealthy individuals was another option under consideration, the FT said, quoting two people familiar with the company.

They noted no decisions had been made and a spin-off or a sale might not happen, the FT added.

The Daily Telegraph said a proposal to go into a joint venture with a media partner was also on the table, without citing its sources. —Reuters

Dollar falls against euro for first time in a week

HYDERABAD: A hand-painted map of India is seen beside job-seekers waiting to be interviewed at a career fair held at a school in Hyderabad yesterday. Over 3,000 people attended the fair. Foreign investors have been turned off the country of 1.2 billion people due to recent regulatory moves by the government, which has stalled on a pro-growth reform agenda aimed at opening up the economy. —AFP

Aramco launches Jizan bids, Rabigh seeks revised offers unit, crude distillation unit, vacuum distillation unit, and other units - was due to close mid-August, sources said.

Aramco and Sumitomo asked bidders to revise their proposals for a package called CP1 for cumene, phenol and cyclohexanone by May 30 with bidding validity due at the end of next month.

The revision is due to the cancellation of the CP2 package for caprolactam and Nylon-6, as CP1 provides feedstock for the cancelled package.

South Korean group Daelim Industrial had submitted the lowest bids for CP1.

Sources said last week, British company Petrofac and South Korea group Engineering and Construction were among contractors that will be part of building the second phase. —Reuters

KHOBAR: Saudi Aramco has invited bids for the construction of a new refinery in Jizan, an underdeveloped province bordering Yemen, industry sources said.

Aramco has also asked for revised offers for one of nine construction packages to expand the Rabigh petrochemical complex with Sumitomo Chemical, they said on Thursday. The refinery in Jizan will have a capacity of 400,000 barrels per day and is far from oilfields on the Gulf coast.

Expected to be in operation in 2016, the refinery is part of plans by Aramco, increasingly looking to expand in downstream activities, to raise its domestic refining output capacity to 3.5 million bpd by 2016. Bidding for the nine Jizan packages - including a hydrocracker, diesel hydrotreater, hydrogen production

Saudi bourse hits 3-month low on oil, global fears since Feb 20. “What we’re seeing is a reaction to the global market. All eyes on Monday will be watching how early trades deal with Greece and the euro zone crisis,” says Hisham Tuffaha, asset manager at Bakheet Investment Group.

World stocks suffered on Friday as investors fled risky investments for safehaven assets amid growing concerns over the debt crisis afflicting Greece and other euro-zone economies. —Reuters

RIYADH: Saudi Arabian shares dropped nearly 2 percent to a three-month low, weighed by declines in the heavyweight banking and petrochemical sectors, after a fall in oil prices and global stocks.

The all-share index closed 1.9 percent lower at 6,966 points, 8.6 percent higher than at the start of the year but a 12 percent drop from a 44-month high hit on April 3.

It is the index’s lowest closing level

NEW YORK: The dollar fell against the euro for the first time in a week, as excitement about Facebook’s initial public offering overshadowed problems in Europe. The euro rose to $1.2737 in late trading Friday from $1.2714 late Thursday. For the week, the euro is still down 1.6 percent against the dollar.

The euro has been falling against the dollar ever since Greece held elections in early this month.

Greek voters gave support to anti-austerity parties, but politicians failed to create a new government. As a result, Greece will be holding another round of elections June 17. With no new data in the US Friday, Facebook’s much-anticipated first day as a public company was the focus on Wall Street. The stock closed at $38.23, up 23 cents from its starting price.

Traders are also looking ahead to see what news will come out of this weekend’s G8 summit. Leaders from eight of the world’s biggest economies will be discussing Europe’s ongoing debt crisis in Washington. In other trading Friday, the British pound rose to $1.5803 from $1.5816 late Thursday. The dollar fell to 79.08 Japanese yen from 79.28 yen and to 0.9430 Swiss franc from 0.9447 Swiss franc. The dollar rose to 1.0213 Canadian dollar from 1.0174 Canadian dollar. —AP

Saudi non-oil exports rise 31% RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rose 31 percent in 2011 to 176.6 billion riyals ($47.1 billion) compared to 2010, Arab News reported yesterday citing the Central Department of Statistics.

Petrochemicals and plastics combined accounted for 114.9 billion riyals, Arab News reported, reflecting last year’s surging commodities prices which helped staterun producer Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) achieve record profits. By volume, 2011 exports rose by 5 percent on the year.

The largest export markets for Saudi goods were China, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and India.

Meanwhile, Arabian Bemco Contracting Co (Bemco) has won a 4.7 billion riyals ($1.25 billion) contract from Saudi Electricity Co (SEC) to build a power plant outside the capital Riyadh, an industry source familiar with the project said yesterday. SEC, a state-owned utility company, said on Wednesday it had signed the contract to build the PP12 plant, which has a capacity of 2,175 megawatts, without naming the contractor.

Investments in power projects from 2012 to 2021 would amount to 452 billion riyals to meet rapid economic growth in the world’s largest oil exporter, SEC said in a statement carried by the official Saudi news agency, SPA. SEC has revised upwards its estimates for the amount it will invest in power projects over the next decade to more than 400 billion Saudi riyals ($106.6 billion) from 300 billion riyals, the kingdom’s deputy electricity minister said. —Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4410000 .3530000 .2940000 .2740000 .2750000 .0040000 .0020000 .0756880 .7374080 .3830000 .0710000 .7228970 .0040000 .0430000

.2820000 .4510000 .3610000 .3030000 .2830000 .2830000 .0070000 .0035000 .0764490 .7448200 .4000000 .0770000 .7301620 .0072000 .0500000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2788000 .2809000 GB Pound/KD .4436410 .4469820 Euro .3552050 .3578810 Swiss francs .2957460 .2979740 Canadian dollars .2757260 .2778030 Danish Kroner .0477860 .0481450 Swedish Kroner .0390120 .0393060 Australian dlr .2775040 .2795940 Hong Kong dlr .0358900 .0361610 Singapore dlr .2205520 .2222130 Japanese yen .0034730 .0034990 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0051980 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0021860 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0031040 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0034470 UAE dirhams .0759360 .0765080 Bahraini dinars .7398170 .7453890 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3973130 Saudi Riyal/KD .0743660 .0749270 Omani riyals .7244380 .7298950 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0065950

Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal 10 Tola

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar

SELL CASH 278.800 744.780

SELL DRAFT 277.300 744.780

Sterling Pound US Dollar

3.670 277.900 550.000 45.700 49.100 167.800 47.990 362.000 36.740 5.350 0.032 0.160 0.229 3.640 396.870 0.189 92.750 44.600 4.310 215.200 1.814 48.200 727.440 3.170 6.830 77.470 74.770 221.150 36.170 2.668 447.300 40.100 301.500 4.300 9.310 198.263 76.360 280.400 1.350 GOLD 1,679.810 TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 445.300 280.000

3.420 276.400

221.100 46.352 360.500 36.590 5.140 0.032

396.830 0.188 92.750 3.220 213.700 727.260 3.090 6.505 77.040 74.770 221.150 36.170 2.158 445.300 300.000 4.300 9.140 76.260 280.000

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

SELL DRAFT 280.61 279.53 301.04 359.13 280.00 445.84 3.60 3.420 5.112 2.173 3.220 3.083 76.19 744.79 46.27 398.35 727.70 77.21 74.76

SELL CASH 288.00 281.50 303.00 360.00 280.25 451.00 3.65 3.550 5.535 2.400 3.385 3.200 76.50 743.50 47.75 394.50 726.00 77.50 74.90

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Selling Rate 279.950 280.950 447.925 357.300 297.345 741.150 76.195 76.840 74.615 394.070 46.344 2.169 5.152 3.088 3.423 6.533 686.710 4.480 9.000 5.895 3.320 88.815

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 280.000 Pak Rupees 3.082 Indian Rupees 5.165 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.175 Bangladesh Taka 3.424 Philippines Peso 6.570 UAE Dirhams 76.335 Saudi Riyals 74.820 Bahraini Dinars 744.400 Egyptian Pounds 46.335 Pound Sterling 450.500 Indonesian Rupiah 3.090 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Euro 362.400 Canadian Dollars 282.000 Nepali rupee 3.350

Al Mulla Exchange Currency US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 280.000 358.850 445.100 276.200 3.525 5.123 46.265 2.159 3.417 6.478 3.078 744.650 76.150 74.650

*Rates are subject to change

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

BUSINESS

Is GOP trying to sabotage economy to hurt Obama?

WASHINGTON: Are Republican lawmakers deliberately stalling the economic recovery to hurt President Barack Obama’s re-election chances?

Some top Democrats say yes, pointing to GOP stances on the debt limit and other issues that they claim are causing unnecessary economic anxiety and retarding growth.

The latest Democratic complaint came after House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that when Congress raises the nation’s borrowing cap in early 2013, he will again insist on big spending cuts to offset the increase. Boehner, R-Ohio, continues to reject higher tax rates, which Democrats demand from the wealthy.

That led Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, to say Boehner is virtually assuring another debt-ceiling crisis as bad or worse than the one that shook financial markets nine months ago. “The last thing the country needs is a rerun of last summer’s debacle that nearly brought down our economy,” Schumer said in a statement. In an interview, Schumer added: “I hope that the speaker is not doing this because he doesn’t want to see the economy improve, because what he said will certainly rattle the markets.”

Boehner responded in a statement: “Republicans have passed nearly 30 bills that would help small businesses create jobs and we are waiting on Senate Democrats to vote on these common-sense measures. The failure to act on these jobs bills, as well as our crushing debt burden, is undermining economic growth and job creation.”

Democrats say Republicans loaded their jobs bills with provisions certain to doom them in the Senate, such as restrictions on unions and on regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency.

Regardless of whether Schumer’s suspicions are

right, there’s evidence that unceasing partisan gridlock and the prospect of big tax increases and spending cuts in January are causing some companies to postpone expansions. Even small economic slowdowns are bad news for Obama, who is seeking re-election amid high unemployment.

The Washington Post this past week compiled a list of military contractors, hospitals and universities that are delaying hires and bracing for cuts, partly because of fears that Washington’s partisan divisions will not abate. The most obvious showdown will happen soon after the Nov. 6 election.

Unless a lame-duck Congress can make deals, the economy will suffer a double whammy of large tax increases and spending cuts, starting Jan. 1. The tax increases would hit virtually every working American and the spending cuts would affect military and domestic programs.

Economists say that what Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke calls a “fiscal cliff” could possibly lead to another severe recession. On top of that, perhaps by late January or so, Congress and the president - be it Obama or Republican Mitt Romney - will again confront the need to raise the country’s borrowing limit or else trigger a first-ever government failure to pay its debts. A partisan showdown over this issue last summer led to a downgrade in the nation’s credit worthiness and a sharp stock market drop.

These crucial decisions will occur after the presidential election. But investors, planners and business owners make decisions about hiring, expansion and investments months in advance. The more they worry about a serious economic downturn in nine months or so, the more reluctant they are to expand operations and hire workers now.

“All that uncertainty has us cautious, and we’re scaling back our hiring expectations,” said Eric Remington, vice president of Kaman Corp., which

recently canceled plans to hire 200 new workers at a defense aerospace plant in Jacksonville, Fla. “The law is, the automatic cuts will take effect on Jan. 1,” he said. “Everyone says, ‘Don’t worry, that won’t happen.’ But we’ve got a business to run, and we’ve got to plan.” Schumer and other top Democrats have said for months that GOP lawmakers may be trying to strangle the economic recovery for political reasons. “Their strategy is to suffocate the economy for the sake of what they think will be a political victory,” Obama’s campaign manager, Jim Messina, wrote in an email to supporters last October, when Congress was debating a jobs bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said his Republican counterpart was not cooperating on that legislation “in hopes that he can get my job, perhaps.” Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, told The Associated Press last year that some GOP lawmakers, “through their intransigence, cleverly set up a situation for America’s economy to fail, either by needlessly driving us to default, or needlessly driving us into massive public-sector layoffs.”

Federal, state and local government layoffs have been under way for months. They may be necessary to reduce deficits and survive recessions. But they increase unemployment, a problem for any president seeking a second term.

Since February 2010, when the economy began consistently adding jobs, the private sector has gained 4.2 million positions. But federal, state and local governments during that time have cut more than 500,000 jobs. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California did not ascribe partisan motives to Boehner’s latest warnings about the next debt ceiling showdown. But she said he may be unnecessarily hurting the economy. “It already can be damaging, just the fact that it’s brought up,” Pelosi

told reporters on Thursday.

Republicans say it’s absurd to make such an accusation. They point to bipartisan efforts to pass jobs-creation bills, trade pacts and, after some arguments, an extension of the payroll tax cut that Obama originally had proposed for only one year.

GOP lawmakers want Congress to act this year to ensure that none of the Bush-era income tax cuts will expire, as scheduled, on Jan 1. Such assurance, they say, could lead investors and business owners to start expanding and hiring now.

Democrats say the move, by itself, would increase the deficit dramatically. They want to end the tax cuts for the wealthiest and they note that the economy boomed during Bill Clinton’s presidency, before the big tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 were enacted.

Boehner’s aides say the speaker supports tax law changes, including eliminating some loopholes and exemptions, that could result in greater revenue even if rates remain the same or are reduced.

As for the debt limit, “allowing America to default would be irresponsible,” Boehner said Tuesday at an economic forum. “But it would be more irresponsible to raise the debt ceiling without taking dramatic steps to reduce spending and reform the budget process.”

Democrats say that’s precisely the type of economic saber-rattling that can frighten investors and employers, and damage Obama’s re-election hopes. Boehner disagrees. “I said that we should not wait until the 11th hour to address these issues,” Boehner told reporters Thursday. “The only ones who are talking about drama or brinksmanship are my Democrat colleagues.”

The danger of another credit-rating downgrade “comes from continued inaction on the deficit, and our piling debt,” he said, not from “calls for action.” — AP

Obama to Congress: Put in place banking rules now ‘More teeth needed for Wall Street reforms’

FRANKFURT: German police officers escort an anti-capitalism protest march with some 20,000 people in Frankfurt yesterday. — AP

20,000 march at Frankfurt Occupy protest rally BERLIN: Some 20,000 activists took part in a major rally of the local Occupy movement in Frankfurt yesterday, German police said.

Protesters peacefully filled the city center of continental Europe’s biggest financial hub in their protest against the dominance of banks and what they perceive to be untamed capitalism, Frankfurt police spokesman Ruediger Regis said.

Police revised the initial turnout estimate of 10,000 quickly upward to 20,000 as protesters jammed Frankfurt’s downtown business district on what was a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon.

A spokesman for the organizers, Roland Suess, said turnout has already reached 25,000. Organizers had told authorities that they expect between 10,000 and 40,000 participants.

The protest group calling itself Blockupy has called for blocking the access to the European Central Bank, which is located in Frankfurt’s business district.

Last year, thousands in Germany took to

the streets in rallies during the worldwide Occupy movement. But as Germany’s economy is proving to be robust and unemployment at a record-low those protests have mostly fizzled out.

But Europe’s lingering debt crisis has given new fuel to some protests, even though Germany Europe’s biggest economy - suffers none of the austerity measures now heavily affecting some southern European nations such as Greece, Portugal and Spain. An Occupy tent camp in front of the ECB was cleared on Wednesday as a safety measure ahead of Saturday’s protest.

Some 340 activists left, some of them carried by police. Authorities say the camp can be re-erected late Sunday.

Police on Friday temporarily detained some 400 demonstrators during unauthorized Blockupy protests by thousands of activists after they erected barricades and staged sit-ins. Some 5,000 police officers are assigned to keep the weekend protests in check. — AP

WASHINGTON: (From left): French First Lady Valerie Trierweiler, French Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade Minister Pierre Moscovici, and French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius listen during French President Francois Hollande news conference at the French Embassy in Washington on Friday. — AP

ArcelorMittal’s Kazakh workers seek pay hike ALMATY: Workers at a Kazakhstan plant owned by Luxembourg-based steel giant ArcelorMittal have held a demonstration to demand higher salaries. The company said that Saturday’s rally in the industrial town of Temirtau was legal and that an official from ArcelorMittal’s personnel department met with workers to discuss their grievances.

Any signs of industrial dispute have been greeted with intense caution in

Kazakhstan since a long-running sit-in demonstration over salaries in a western oil town culminated in December in deadly riots. Trade unions are seeking a 30 percent wage rise, but ArcelorMittal’s management says that is unfeasible and that it has to take reduced industrial output into account when considering pay increases.

Local news portal eKaraganda.kz said around 3,000 workers took part in the Temirtau demonstration. — AP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama says the big trading loss at JPMorgan Chase shows the need for Congress to finally put in place banking rules he signed into law two years ago.

He also is calling on lawmakers to stop trying to weaken the regulations.

The $2 billion loss has renewed calls by Democratic lawmakers for tougher rules on major financial institutions. “Without Wall Street reform, we could have found ourselves with the taxpayers once again on the hook for Wall Street’s mistakes,” Obama said in his weekly media address Saturday. He added: “We’ve got to finish the job of implementing this reform and putting these rules in place.”

Obama promoted rules that would require big banks or financial institutions to have more cash on hand to cover losses and that would take away big bonuses and paydays from failed CEOs.

The president said financial institutions that “aren’t cheating customers or making risky bets that could damage the whole economy” have nothing to fear from reforms. “Yes, it discourages big banks and financial institutions from making risky bets with taxpayer insured money.

And it encourages them to do things that actually help the economy - like extending loans to entrepreneurs with good ideas, to middle-class families who want to buy a home, to students who want to pursue higher education,” he said.

Though Congress passed the tougher oversight of the financial sector in 2010, the law gave bank regulators time to write the new rules.

One focus of the financial oversight overhaul is a provision that restricts banks’ ability to trade for their own profit, a practice known as proprietary trading. It is named for Paul Volcker, a former Federal Reserve chairman. But a draft of

the rule has failed to satisfy either banks, which says it would disrupt some of their core functions, or advocates of stronger regulation who say it would have prevented JPMorgan’s loss.

In the Republican’s weekly address, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson faulted what he called a “do-nothing Senate” under Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada for the frustrations he said he has felt in his 16 months in Congress. Noting that the Senate hasn’t passed a budget in three years, Johnson said House Republicans have fulfilled their responsibilities by passing a budget but that Senate Democrats have not fulfilled theirs.

This past week, the Senate rejected by a 99-0 vote a budget that Republicans offered up based on an Obama proposal in February.

Four other budget plans also were voted down. — AP

French PM says EU must discuss ECB role, growth PARIS: An informal European Union leaders summit must send a strong signal of support to the Greek people and discuss a wide range of options, including protectionism and direct ECB lending to Greece, France’s new prime minister said.

The Brussels meeting is expected to focus on new French President Francois Hollande’s call for measures to kick-start growth across the 27country bloc, especially in the 17nation euro zone, while maintaining efforts to cut budget deficits.

“All issues must be put on the table: finance, the banking system, growth, protectionism,” Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told Liberation newspaper in an interview.

“We must send a strong signal to the Greek people and to all Europeans.”

During his successful campaign for the May 6 presidential runoff, Hollande said the European Central Bank should actively help struggling euro zone states by lending them money via the region’s bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Asked if the possibility of the ECB lending to EU states would be on the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting, Ayrault said: “It will form part of the discussions. No subject is taboo.” “The idea is to open a way out of this crisis without strangling our peoples,” he said.

The prime minister, the veteran leader of the Socialist grouping in parliament, said EU structural funds should also be diverted to Greece to help stimulate growth there.

“There is a climate of uncertainty which is pushing Greece towards a banking panic and political instability,” he told the newspaper. “We must respond by helping the country find the way back to growth.” — Reuters

NEW YORK: Robert McCooey, Nasdaq Senior Vice President for New Listings and Capital Markets, watches electronic screens during the IPO for Facebook at Nasdaq on Friday in New York. The social media company priced its IPO on Thursday at $38 per share, and beginning Friday regular investors will have a chance to buy shares. —AP

Merkel says Germany needs European market BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday that Germany’s economic health depends on that of the European Union, even though exports to the region are at a 20-year low.

“We have to take advantage of our export opportunities. That means we must protect our markets in the European Union and ensure a stable currency and growth,” she said in her weekly podcast address.

“A solid budget policy-in the form of the budget pact-must be tied to growth initiatives” in Europe, added Merkel, who is currently in the United States for a Group of Eight summit addressing the euro crisis. That comment echoes the stance she took in a meeting this week in Berlin with France’s new President Francois Hollande, who has called to renegotiate the EU fiscal pact, a treaty pushed through by Merkel that aims to instil greater budgetary discipline in Europe.

German exports to the EU fell to 59.2 percent of its overall exports last year, the lowest level in 20 years after a steady five-year fall. In 2007, the year before the global financial crisis, 64.6 percent of Germany’s exports went to the EU, but the figure has dropped as emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Russia and especially China have

shown growing appetite for German imports.

A lawmaker from Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party meanwhile called for Greece to exit the euro-zone, contradicting the chancellor’s position. “That could open the path to growth,” Wolfgang Bosbach, a senior member of the CDU who has been critical of Merkel, said in an interview to be published Monday in weekly economic magazine Wirtschaftswoche.

“We could also negotiate a sort of European Marshall Plan for Greece,” he said, referring to the post-World War II economic recovery program drawn up for Europe and financed by the United States.

Bosbach, who is on the party’s right wing, voted against the second multi-billion-euro Greek rescue package, which the German parliament passed by 496 votes to 90 in February.

Bosbach said that a third aid package would only make things “more expensive, not better”.

Merkel and Hollande said after their meeting Tuesday they both wanted to keep Greece in the eurozone and were prepared “to study the possibility of additional growth measures in Greece” if Athens asked. —AFP

BUSINESS

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

Kuwait equities remain in red zone BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week in the red zone. The price index ended last week with a decrease amounted to 0.27%, while the weighted index declined by 2.33% compared to the closings of the week before, where KSX-15 Index declined by 3%. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover decreased by 54.82%, compared to the preceding week, reaching K.D 17.20 million, whereas trading volume average was 170.33 million shares, recording decrease of 71.04%.

Last week witnessed launching of the new trading system “X-Stream”, which was installed by Nasdaq OMX and included the supply of new technology to help improve transparency and surveillance. The new index also included multiple changes like eliminating the minimum tradable unit to be one share, maximizing limit order size to be 5,000,000 shares, creating new market indices including new market index “KSX-15”, and dividing the market into 15 sectors, each one has price and weighted indices.

In addition, more companies announced its first quarter financial results during last week, the number of declared companies reached 81% so far. The total number of declared companies reached 166 out of 204 listed companies, realizing approximately KD 487.91 million, with a decline of 22.90% compared to same companies’ results for 2011.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,429.10 points, down by 0.27% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 2.33% weekly loss after closing at 409.45 points. Moreover, the KSX-15 index recorded 3% weekly loss after closing at 969.99 points.

79.97 million or 42.01% of last week’s total market trading value. The Real Estate sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 39.15 million represented 20.57 % of the total market trading value.

Sectors’ Indices With the end of last week, most sectors of the Kuwait Stock Exchange closed Decline. The Telecommunications sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 3.83% to end the week’s activity at 961.21 points. The Banks sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 2.25%, closing at 977.50 points, followed by the Consumer Services sector, as its index closed at 982.21 points at a loss of 1.78%.

On the other hand, highest gainer was the Technology sector, achieving 6.66% growth rate as its index closed at 1,066.63 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Insurance sector’s index closed at 1,036.79 points recording 3.68%

increase. The Oil & Gas sector came in third as its index achieved 0.92% growth, ending the week at 1,009.18 points.

Sectors’ activity The Financial Services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 1.35 billion shares changing hands, representing 45.87% of the total market trading volume. The Real Estate sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 30.07% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 884.12 million shares. On the other hand, the Financial Services sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization declined by 2.37% during last week to reach KD 27.86 billion. With the end of last week, most sectors of the Kuwait Stock Exchange recorded a decline in value, The Telecommunications sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization reached KD 3.89 billion, decreasing by 5.48%. The Banks sector was the second in terms of recorded decline with 2.57% decrease after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 13.40 billion. The third place was for the Consumer goods sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 622.39 million by the end of the week, recording a decline of 2.52%. The Industrials sector was the least declining with 1.10% recorded decrease after its market capitalization amounted to KD 3.08 billion. On the other hand, The Technology sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 76.71 million, increasing by 3.23%. The Basic Materials sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 0.88% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 651.94 million. The Real Estate sector was the least growing with 0.20% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 1.42 billion.

— Prepared by the Studies & Research Department, Bayan Investment Co

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

business

Facebook’s dull debut caps down US markets WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK NEW YORK: A dull debut for Facebook, one of the most heavily anticipated public offerings in years, crowned another down week for US markets as euro-zone instability kept fear levels high among investors.

Facebook’s $16 billion IPO Friday very nearly turned into a flop, with underwriters reportedly forced to prop the shares up to keep them from going below the $38 subscription price.

But with fears of an unavoidable march in Greece toward euro-zone pullout and Spain looking like it needs a rescue, buyers generally fled the market for the safety of cash and US and German bonds.

For the week the blue chip-focused Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 3.5 percent to 12,369.38. The broad-based S&P 500 lost 5.3 percent, to 1,295.22, while the Nasdaq, the exchange that listed Facebook, gave up 4.3 percent to 2,778.79. For all the hype that was the Facebook IPO, valuing the eight-year-old company at more than $100 billion, it was the political stalemate that forced Greece to call elections for the second time in weeks, and the sharp deterioration of Spain’s banks, that drove the market.

“Market confidence continued to erode this week due to events in Europe, including capital flight from Greece and the downgrade of several Spanish banks,” said economists Paul Edelstein and Nigel Gault at IHS Global Insight. The worries that austerityfatigued Greece might readily decide to leave the euro-zone and default on its debt pushed the dollar up against the euro nearly four percent and pressed US and German interest rates to all-time low levels.

Since the beginning of May the S&P 500 has lost 8.8 percent and the Nasdaq 7.3 percent, and all three indices were lower than they were a year ago. Analysts pointed to more weak-though not decisively so-data on the economy, and minutes from the

Federal Reserve’s recent policy meeting that showed the central bankers still worried about anemic growth.

Corporate reports were mixed, but many lowered their expectations for the rest of the year, casting a pall on the optimists.

“Looking ahead, global stock markets are likely to continue to struggle in the near term as the euro-zone casts a new dark shadow on markets,” said John Praveen of Prudential International Investments Advisers. “A European recession and fiscal restraint in the US keep the overall risks tilted decisively to the downside,” said analysts at Nomura Securities. Trade in the coming week will be shaped by fresh April data on existing home sales (Tuesday) and new home sales ( Wednesday), and durable goods orders Thursday. It’s going to take more than Facebook’s initial public offering to push the stock market higher. Facebook shares rose 23 cents above their $38 offering price. It seemed like everything else fell.

The Dow Jones industrial average has been in a slump over the past two weeks as traders saw an escalating risk that Greece could leave the euro, causing more disruptions in markets. Remember the go-go days of May 1, 2012? The Dow was up 8.7 percent for the year. After Friday, it’s up just 1.2 percent. On Friday the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 73.11 points, to close at 12,369.38. It fell 3.5 percent for the week. The Dow has now declined on 12 of the last 13 trading days. Nine of the 10 industry groups in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell.

Financials dropped the most, 1.1 percent.

First, Facebook Trading for the year ’s most eagerly awaited initial public offering was delayed about 30 minutes because of a glitch at Nasdaq. Nasdaq said the problem was with sending messages about whether trades

had been executed. It was almost two-anda-half hours before it said its trade messages were working normally.

The glitch sent shares of Nasdaq OMX Group Inc., parent company of the Nasdaq market, down 4.4 percent. Facebook shares were priced at $38 and initially traded as high as $45. They closed at $38.23.

Europe was the bigger worr y for investors. The Fitch ratings agency dropped Greece to the lowest possible grade for a country not in default Thursday.

Fitch said Greece’s departure from the euro “would be probable” if elections next month do not reverse political trends in Greece, which have brought in politicians opposed to the terms of Europe’s bailout.

Also, ratings agency Moody’s downgraded 16 Spanish banks late Thursday, three days after downgrading Italy’s, noting they are vulnerable to huge losses on government debt.

Representatives of the G-8 are meeting this weekend at Camp David, looking for assurances that leaders in Europe can contain damage if Greece leaves the euro.

“Despite all the attention on the Facebook IPO, I think there’s still lots of underlying uncertainty surrounding this European debt situation,” said Scott Wren, senior equity strategist for Wells Fargo Advisors in St. Louis. “This Greek situation isn’t good. I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Probably the same with Spain.”

Borrowing costs for Italy rose slightly to 5.76 percent on Friday. The yield on Spain’s 10-year bond fell slightly to 6.2 percent, a level that’s still very high by historic standards.

European shares edged lower, following several days of big losses. Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.1 percent, Germany’s DAX lost 0.6 percent and France’s CAC-40 fell 0.1 per-

cent. “The serious investors remain very concerned about the developments in Europe,” said Jim Russell, regional investment director for US Bank Wealth Management in Cincinnati. “ We think Facebook is a little bit of a sideshow. Great company. But maybe one that’s valued on the high side of most people’s tastes.” The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 9.64 points to close at 1,295.22. The Nasdaq composite index fell 34.90 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 2,778.79.

Hewlett-Packard fell 2.7 percent - the biggest decline among the Dow’s 30 stocks - after it said it might eliminate up to 30,000 jobs because of dwindling demand for personal computers.

Gap fell 2.3 percent even though it issued higher guidance for the year.

There were bright spots. Salesforce.com jumped 8.8 percent after the maker of web-based business software reported better-than-expected earnings and raised its guidance for the year. Foot Locker rose 8.3 percent after its quarterly profit jumped 36 percent, sprinting past Wall Street predictions and setting a company record for quarterly earnings.

Yahoo rose 3.7 percent after Dow Jones’ tech website AllThingsD.com reported that the web portal is close to a deal to sell a large part of its stake in China’s Alibaba Group. Many investors view the Alibaba stake as Yahoo’s most valuable asset.

Oil prices fell $1.08 to $91.48. Along with stocks, oil has dropped rapidly in recent days because slowing economies use less of it. — Agencies

NEW YORK: Specialist Mike Pistillo (left) and trader Gregory Rowe (right) work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.—AP

Major German union gets highest pay rise in 20 years IG Metall pay gains could give euro-zone relief ATLANTA: An unidentified passenger uses a Delta Airlines self check-in kiosk at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. Some passengers buying tickets on Delta’s website this spring saw different prices just because they were logged into their frequent flier accounts. — AP

Delta details airfare search glitch MINNEAPOLIS: Delta Air Lines said a glitch that appeared to show different airfares to frequent fliers happened because it was trying out a new company to power flight searches on its website.

The airline has taken heat from customers after reports that people who logged into its website with their frequent flier number were offered higher fares than those who searched anonymously. Frequent fliers are an airline’s mostvalued customers, and the idea that they were asked to pay more has rankled travelers.

Late Friday afternoon, the Transportation Department said it is “looking into the Delta pricing issue.” Spokesman Bill Mosley refused to elaborate. The airline offered is first detailed explanation of what went wrong in an interview with The Associated Press Friday.

Delta and other airlines use third-party companies such as Google’s ITA Software to deliver results when customers search for flights. Those search providers sift through all the available seats, possible connecting flights and different fares to show flight options to customers.

Delta was thinking about switching search providers, so starting on April 20 it ran a side-by-side experiment, Bob Kupbens, the airline’s head of e-commerce told The Associated Press. People who logged in with their frequent flier number saw results from the airline’s current search provider. People who searched anonymously got results from the experimental provider. Delta declined to name either company. “We don’t want to take all of our best customers, who we care the most about, and put them immediately onto a new search engine,” Kupbens said. Ultimately, he said, the airline hoped the switch in search companies would provide travelers with faster and more-relevant search results.

The problem was that one of the search engines included flight possibilities that the other one didn’t, Kupbens said. For example, one search might include a cheaper flight with a less-desirable connection, while the other one didn’t include that option. A customer would see that one result had cheaper options than the other.

Kupbens said the airline never sold customers the same exact roundtrip flights at different prices. “To be clear, we never - and couldn’t have, based on the technology - we never sold the exact same itinerary for a different price. So what customers were seeing was a difference in search results, not a different price for the same itinerary,” he said.

Delta ended the side-by-side test on May 9. Kupbens said the problem was not with the experimental search provider, but with the way Delta asked it to assemble its results. The new search provider is still being considered for a switch, he said. The airline industry has long been criticized by customers for a lack of transparency in its pricing. Airfares change from hour to hour and it’s often not clear how many seats are left for sale on a specific flight. This latest snafu just feeds into customers’ fears that they aren’t always getting the best price.

“When it comes to prices, it’s time for airlines to start telling the whole truth,” Charlie Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance said in a statement. His group and the Business Travel Coalition on Friday called for the Department of Transportation to review price-display practices for airfares and the growing number of fees for services such as checked baggage and seat assignments.

Shares of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. closed down 28 cents, or 2.7 percent, at $10.13. — AP

SINDELFINGEN, Germany: Germany ’s largest industrial union IG Metall will get its biggest pay rise in 20 years after agreeing to a 4.3-percent pay increase deal with employers at the end of marathon talks that ended just before dawn yesterday.

The wage deal, which is more than double Germany’s inflation rate of about 2 percent, will give some 3.6 million engineering workers a 4.3 percent pay rise for 12 months from May 1 and set a high benchmark for other unions in Europe’s largest economy.

It will be the biggest annual increase since IG Metall won a 5.4 percent pay rise in 1992, according to union officials. The agreement for the sector at the heart of the German economy came after all-night negotiations. Officials from the two sides confirmed the breakthrough at a news conference after Reuters had earlier reported the outlines of the deal.

The talks between the giant union and officials representing Germany’s leading manufacturing sector that includes carmaking powerhouses such as Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW were closely followed across Europe, which is battling to overcome a sovereign debt crisis that has been exacerbated by imbalances linked to low wage growth in Germany in the last decade.

The size of the deal is a signal that Germany is willing to tolerate higher wages, even if that pushes up inflation, in order to help weak euro members on Europe’s southern periphery.

German government leaders, including Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, have made unusual forays into the wage talks this year, urging employers to give workers larger increases after a decade of restraint.

More money in the wallets of German consumers could boost demand for imports from European partner even though Germans have had a visceral aversion to higher prices ever since hyperinflation under the Weimar Republic in the early 1920s wiped out the savings of an entire genera-

tion. Economists believe higher labor costs in Germany could, over time, also make products manufactured elsewhere in Europe more competitive relative to those made here.

More immediately, the IG Metall deal ends a disruptive series of partial walk-outs and warning strikes across the country by the union to press demands for a 6.5 percent pay rise. Employers had offered a rise of just under 2.6 percent.

Union officials had threatened a full-

getting above-average pay increases after a decade of wage deals that even failed to keep pace with the country’s inflation rate.

The moderate deals had improved the country’s competitiveness and helped the unemployment rate fall to a two-decade low.

“We have hit the upper limit of what the companies can deal with,” said Rainer Dulger, who led employers through five rounds of talks totalling 37 hours at a news conference in the southwest town of Sindelfingen near Stuttgart.

HERBOLZHEIM: A metal worker grinds a piece in a factory building in Herbolzheim, southern Germany. Germany’s biggest industrial union and employers say they have reached a deal that includes a 4.3 percent wage raise for the sector’s 3.6 million workers.— AP fledged strike in the weeks ahead, which would have harmed the sector that is thriving thanks to solid economic growth in Germany and the country’s coveted export goods. Labor unions in Germany this year are

The deal will cost employers an estimated seven billion euros a year. “This was a fair compromise,” said Berthold Huber, head of the IG Metall union. “You don’t always get what you want in wage talks. Both sides had

to give ground and this agreement wasn’t easy for either side to accept.”

Martin Kannegiesser, head of the employers association, said: “A strike in the sector has now been avoided with this agreement that will give workers a real increase in pay.”

The 4.3 percent wage increase will be for the 12 months from May 1 to April 30, 2013, officials said. But the agreement formally takes effect from April 1, 2012 and covers a 13-month period. Workers will get no raise for the month of April 2012. The officials said even though their deal only nominally covers the important southwest district of BadenWuerttemberg it will be used as a basis for identical increases for IG Metall workers nationwide.

Baden-Wuerttemberg is home to German manufacturers including Daimler and Heidelberger Druck, and engineering wage deals there traditionally set the tone for agreements across the rest of the country.

It is difficult to compare IG Metall deals because they sometimes cover periods longer than or less than a year and often include one-off payments. For 2011 IG Metall workers got a 2.7 percent wage increase. The 4.3 percent deal for 2012 surpassed the most recent high of 4.1 percent in 2007 when workers also got a one-off payment of 400 euros.

While wages in the crisis-hit euro zone periphery are falling, German workers are enjoying the benefits of a robust economy and a healthy labor market after a decade of wage restraint, in turn fuelling the economic divergence that has underpinned the currency area’s debt crisis.

In Germany this year, the wages of around 9 million workers are up for negotiation and deals agreed so far have outstripped inflation. In March, the 2 million workers in Germany’s public sector won a 6.3 percent pay rise over a 24-month period and Schaeuble has said wages in Germany can afford to grow faster than in other parts of the European Union.— Reuters

Cameron, Hollande clash on Tobin tax WASHINGTON: British Prime Minister David Cameron and new French President Francois Hollande clashed on Friday over the need for a financial transactions tax to fund growth but played down other differences over how to respond to the euro zone debt crisis.

Both leaders said after a first 35-minute meeting at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington that they backed measures to cut deficits and spur growth in Europe, glossing over differences between Hollande’s pro-growth stance and Cameron’s emphasis on reducing debt.

But Cameron said he would maintain his staunch opposition to a tax on financial transactions that Hollande backs as a way to raise revenue to boost growth.

“On the financial transactions tax, I’m very clear, we are not going to get growth in Europe or Britain by introducing a new tax that would actually hit people as well as financial institutions,” Cameron told reporters before his meeting at the elegant ambassador’s residence, designed by famous British architect Edwin Lutyens in the 1920s.

“I don’t think it is a sensible measure. I will not support it,” he said. Cameron, keen to prevent damage to Europe’s leading financial centre in the City of London, has previously threatened to veto a European-wide financial transaction tax unless it was adopted globally, setting him on a collision course with France and Germany which back the idea.

A British government source said Hollande and Cameron

agreed they had “different positions” on the financial transaction tax, also known as the Tobin tax. Hollande also repeated to Cameron that he intended to pull France’s combat troops out of Afghanistan this year, two years earlier than a NATO timetable for ending combat operations.

Cameron understood this was an election promise Hollande had made, the British source said.

On the euro-zone economic crisis, Cameron said Hollande and he both wanted to see “stability in international markets.”

“We both want to see countries deal with their deficits and we both want to see economic growth,” Cameron said.

Hollande said the two leaders were “convinced we need to continue improving our public accounts while restoring growth.” On Greece, Hollande said he would like Greece to remain in the euro zone but it would be for the Greek people to “answer the question.”

“My position is we should do everything possible so that they say yes to that,” he said.

Cameron earlier called for “decisive action” to tackle the euro-zone crisis.

“Britain wants to have a successful euro-zone, that is where 40 percent of our trade goes. We need decisive action from euro-zone countries in terms of strengthening euro zone banks, in terms of a strong euro-zone firewall and decisive action over Greece. That has to be done,” Cameron told reporters.

“Clearly the Greeks have to make their minds up, they have to make their decision. Decisive action needs to be taken.

That’s absolutely vital that it is because that will affect the stability not only of the euro zone economies. It affects our economy and it affects the world economy too,” Cameron said.

The EU trade commissioner said earlier on Friday that European officials are working on contingency plans in case Greece bombs out of the euro-zone.— Reuters

New French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron.— AP

26

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

BUSINESS

Mazaya Qatar CEO gives keynote address at CFO forum DOHA: Seraj Al-Baker, CEO of Mazaya Qatar, one of the region’s major new real estate development companies participated Sunday as a keynote speaker at the 5th annual CFO Strategies MidEast Forum in Dubai.

Giving a presentation entitled “Making the leap from CFO to CEO”, Mr. Al Baker spoke to the invited delegates on: Motivating and influencing like a CEO:

Effectively integrating and shaping the organization’s direction and strategy; Utilising skills learnt as a CFO to make further progression and transition in the organization; Discovering portfolio of leadership and strategic skills required by CFOs for career advancement; and Drawing on skills and experiences from the executive team to add value in the organization.

This year’s forum was organized around the theme “CFOs rising above the financials” provide a unique platform for leading CFOs across the region to discuss, debate and develop new ideas and strategies for growth in the region. The focus of the event was not only on strategies and risks, but also discussed and debated the future CFO challenges and leadership.

It was a two-day agenda featuring keynote presentations, in-depth panel discussions, interactive workshops and professional networking sessions designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and provide key insights to topical issues.

Al Baker drew on his 34 years of experience in Banking & Finance, including as Former General Manager

of several Kuwaiti and international real estate and investment companies, to describe the unique challenges that come from transitioning from CFO to CEO, and the leadership lessons he has learned in his different roles.

The two day forum was held over 13th and 14th May at the Al Bustan Rotana hotel in Dubai.

Nissan posts operating profit of 545.8 billion yen for FY11 Year of record sales; mid-term growth plan begins YOKOHAMA: Nissan Motor Co, Ltd, announced financial results for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2012, and filed the following results with the Tokyo Stock Exchange: l Net revenues of 9.409 trillion yen ($118.95 billion, euro 86.32 billion); l Operating profit of 545.8 billion yen ($6.90 billion, euro 5.01 billion); l Ordinary profit of 535.1 billion yen ($6.76 billion, euro 4.91 billion); and l Net income of 341.4 billion yen ($4.32 billion, euro 3.13 billion).

In fiscal year 2011, Nissan’s global sales reached a recordhigh of 4.845 million units as demand for its vehicles outperformed the total auto industry.

Unit sales of Nissan vehicles rose 15.8% from last year’s 4.185 million units, while total industry volumes increased 4.2% from 72.6 million units in fiscal 2010 to 75.7 million. Nissan’s share of the global market rose 0.6 points to 6.4%.

Carlos Ghosn, Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Nissan has delivered robust operating profits and record sales amid growing demand for our models, brands and technologies around the world. It is an even more encouraging performance given the headwinds created by natural disasters, an over-valued Yen and uncertain global economic conditions.”

Nissan recovered quickly from a series of challenges, notably the Great East Japan earthquake of March 2011, to maintain its product launch schedule and market expansion strategy. The company

released five new models globally in fiscal 2011: the Tiida in China, the Lafesta Highway Star in Japan, front-drive and rear-drive

versions of the NV400 commercial van in Europe and the Infiniti JX in the United States.

In the period, additional milestones were achieved such as the

Nissan LEAF becoming the world’s most successful electric vehicle and the extension of partnerships with other automakers

including Daimler and Mitsubishi.

In global markets, the company reported significant growth.

Unit sales in China, Nissan’s largest single market worldwide,

rose 21.9% to 1,247,000 vehicles.

In the United States, sales were up 11.8% to 1,080,000 units.

Across Europe including Russia, sales were 713,000 units, up 17.5%. In Japan, sales increased by 9.2% to 655,000 units. Other markets totalled 826,000 units, up 16.4%.

“We have begun to deliver on the comprehensive Nissan Power 88 plan that we unveiled last year,” added Ghosn. “Our financial performance, product launches and market penetration over the past 12 months demonstrate our progress towards sustainable operating margins of 8% and 8% global market share.”

FY2012 Outlook The global sales forecast for fiscal year 2012 is 5.35 million units, an increase of 10.4% and another record year. Nissan will launch 10 all-new products globally including the Altima, Pathfinder, Sylphy/Sentra, NV350 Caravan and a long wheelbase version of the Infiniti M hybrid sedan.

On May 11, 2012, Nissan filed the following forecast with the Tokyo Stock Exchange, based on foreign exchange rates of 82 yen/dollar and 105 yen/euro, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013: l Net revenues of 10.3 trillion yen ($125.61 billion, euro 98.10 billion); l Operating profit of 700 billion yen ($8.54 billion, euro 6.67 billion); l Ordinary profit of 680 billion yen ($8.29 billion, euro 6.48 billion); and l Net income of 400 billion yen ($4.88 billion, euro 3.81 billion).

Bumper-to-Bumper introduces ‘Free Summer Checkup’ campaign KUWAIT: Bumper-to-Bumper has introduced its ‘Free Summer Checkup’ campaign from Sunday, May 13 until Thursday, June 28, 2012.

Regardless of the make or model of your car, Bumper-to-Bumper will provide you with a complimentary checkup which includes servicing AC systems, engine cooling systems, tires, and brakes. In addition, customers will receive a KD 5 voucher for every KD 50 spent for any required services.

Bumper-to-Bumper branches are conveniently located in Shuwaikh, Sharq, Al-Rai, Jahra, Shuwaikh Express Lube and Fahaheel.

Bumper-to-Bumper caters its services to

all car makes through its highly trained and skilled team, advanced facilities and the highest standards of practices that mirror the company’s commitment to delivering complete customer satisfaction. The company’s services include quick service and lubes, body shop, accessories, car wash and detailing, tire garage and diesel services.

The company furthers its commitment to providing its customers with rewarding experiences through special promotions and specials. Stop by at one of Bumper-to- Bumper’s convenient locations, with no appointment and get your ‘Free Summer Checkup’ today.

Warba Bank makes 2 senior strategic appointments KUWAIT: Warba Bank announced yesterday the GCC, Middle East and Indian banking sectors. appointment of Basel Jassem Al-Obeid as Chief He has held a number of senior positions in the Corporate Banking Officer, and Feroz Noorani as Islamic, Commercial & Investment Banking and Chief Risk Officer, following the approval of the Risk Management. Noorani, before joining Central Bank of Kuwait. These strategic appoint- Warba Bank, headed the Risk Management & ments at Warba Bank are with intent to bring Compliance Group at Al-Hilal Bank Group in Abu Dhabi, and was formerly experienced professionals and the Head of Group Risk and each of them will play key role Capital Strategy at Samba in developing the Bank’s busiFinancial Group in Saudi Arabia. ness in line with the Bank’s tarDuring a distinguished career, gets and strategic direction, he has received several prestiaiming to provide the best gious awards for his work in banking services as per the financial services industry, and international standards and in has been a prominent speaker compliance with Islamic Sharia at a number of high profile principles. industry events.

Al Obeid brings to Warba Warba Bank, an Islamic bank Bank over 25 years of experiestablished by virtue of Amiri ence, in which he previously Decree, was officially registered held numerous positions that in the Central Bank of Kuwait’s provided him with extensive Basel Jassem list of Islamic banks on the 5th experience in the Banking secof April, 2010. The state of tor as a whole, and in particular Al-Obeid Kuwait, represented by Kuwait focus on the Credit sector. Prior to joining Warba Bank, Al Obeid was Head of Investment Authority (KIA), owns 24% shares of International Banking Credit at the Ahli United the bank while the remaining 76% of shares, fulBank (AUB). He also held the position of ly subscribed by the government, have been Assistant Managing Director of the Credit and equally allocated among all Kuwaiti nationals.

Treasury Department at the Securities House Warba Bank offers a range of customized Company (SHC). Furthermore, Al-Obeid main- Sharia-compliant services and solutions which tains strong relationships and contacts with sev- are available through the banks three divisions eral local, regional and international companies. of Retail, Investment and Corporate Banking.

Noorani joins Warba Bank following a Branching out in four strategic locations, Warba career spanning almost three decades in the Bank has over 150 employees.

KUWAIT: Anjari Al-Anjari, Branch Manager, at the Bank’s Salmiya Co-op branch congratulating Mohammed Nadeem Abdulqader Abdulsatar, one of the Al-Danah weekly winners.

Gulf Bank announces winners of 19th Al-Danah weekly draw KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its nineteenth Al-Danah weekly draw on May 13, 2012, announcing a total number of ten Al-Danah weekly prize draw winners, each awarded with prizes of KD 1,000.

The 19th Al Danah weekly winners are: Suha Mohammed Al-Banna, Fahad Hamad Mefarej Al-Ajmi, Makiiya Ali Husain Sultan, Nada Akbar Hassan Rida, Bader Abdalhai Mohammad Al-Banai, Yousef Mufleh Hamoud Al-Suwaileh, Haidar Yaseen Ali AlHadad, Joseph Fernandes, Meshal Abdullatif Mohammed Al-Mutairi, Mohammed Nadeem Abdulqader Abdulsatar.

Gulf Bank encourages everyone in Kuwait to open an Al-Danah account and/or increase their deposits to maximize their chances of becoming a winner in the upcoming weekly (KD1,000 each for 10 winners). Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account.

Al-Danah also offers a number of unique services including the Al-Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the Al-Danah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an AlDanah winner.

To be part of the Al-Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. Customers can also log on to www.egulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s website, to find all the information regarding Al Danah or any of the Bank’s products and services or log on www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about Al Danah and who the winners are.

The St Regis Doha and Al-Gassar Resort, a view from Katara.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts redefines luxury on Gulf coast Debut of St Regis Doha KUWAIT: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc yesterday announced the debut of The St. Regis Doha as the St. Regis brand continues its dynamic global growth and nearly triples its portfolio in just five years. This opening marks the second of three St. Regis hotels slated to debut within a year in the Middle East, including The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, which opened last December and The St. Regis Abu Dhabi which will open this fall on the Corniche.

St. Regis will continue to expand its portfolio this year with the debut of The St. Regis Mauritius Resort later this year.

With the St. Regis brand’s growth, Starwood continues to lengthen its lead in luxury hospitality, offering guests and residents exceptional levels of service and luxury experiences in a wide range of destinations around the world.

“Introducing the brand’s celebrated legacy and unparalleled luxury offerings to Qatar with the opening of The St. Regis Doha is an exciting and significant accomplishment for St. Regis,” says Paul James, Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “As culture, business and leisure brilliantly intersect at Doha, the destination is one that St. Regis and our affluent guests have recognized as a new ‘must’ on the modern day Grand Tour, and we are pleased to bring the brand to this thriving country.”

For centuries, generations of affluent travellers would go on a Grand Tour through Europe to collect experiences and cultivate knowledge. Subsequently, today’s elite communities travel to Old World cities including London and Rome in addition to new world hotspots as diverse as Abu Dhabi, Aspen, Shenzhen and Sanya Yalong Bay. As a hotel brand created for a new generation of luxury travellers, St. Regis is building on its portfolio of existing iconic hotels with destinations at the heart of the New Grand Tour itinerary, offering exceptional service and luxury experiences across the globe.

Starwood currently operates nearly 50 hotels in the Middle East and continues to strengthen its long- established position in the Middle East as one of the leading luxury hotel operators in the region. By 2015, the Middle East will become the second region, after North America, to operate all nine of Starwood’s world-class brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le MÈridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft and Element - further reinforcing the company ’s commitment to the region.

Owned by Resorts Development Company and developed by Alfardan Group, The St. Regis Doha is Qatar’s first

Caroline Astor Suite

St. Regis hotel and ideally located within Doha’s newest waterfront destination at Al Gassar Resort. The hotel features 336 luxuriously-appointed guest rooms, including 70 elegant suites and two Presidential suites, all offering breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. As the finest address in Doha, the hotel is centrally located between the city’s cultural heritage sites and its emerging commercial hub. The hotel’s distinctive architecture showcases the contemporary design fused with traditional Arabic touches, an impressive addition to the city’s skyline.

Following in the tradition of the St. Regis brand’s landmark New York hotel, The St. Regis Doha features the famed hallmarks of St. Regis hotels including signature St. Regis Butler Service, which offers bespoke service and beyond expectation guest experiences.

Exquisite Culinary Experiences The St. Regis Doha offers 10 distinctive culinary and lounge experiences featuring some of the world’s most renowned chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, where Michelin-starred chef Gilles Bosquet will create sumptuous selections developed and influenced by the renowned Chef Ramsay in an elegant setting inspired by an English manor house and the famed Hakkasan which will bring authentic yet contemporary Cantonese cuisine to Doha when it opens later this year.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha On the heels of announcing a global partnership to concept and create a series of jazz clubs around the world in St. Regis hotels, The St. Regis Doha will debut the first Jazz at Lincoln Center jazz club outside of the United States, bringing the authentic jazz experience to life for guests and music enthusiasts in the Middle East. Designed by Wilson Associates, Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha will offer spectacular views of the Arabia Gulf and a menu inspired by the musical genre in an intimate setting, seating only 100 people in the 4500 square metres venue. The jazz club will feature live performances six nights a week with programming led by Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director of the original and celebrated Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, to showcase and cultivate the best jazz talents in the world. Wynton will be assisted by a jazz ensemble, collectively known as JALC All-Stars, who will perform a repertoire to complement the club’s theme “Timeless is Modern: Jazz Artists, Eras, and Places.” In addition to nightly performances, each band leader will lead informative discussions twice weekly for guests, residents and the local community.

27

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Six tips for a secure mobile Internet access DUBAI: Nowadays, people stay connected wherever they go through their smart phones, which make them face higher risks when connecting to unknown networks in coffee shops, malls and other places. Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, provides 6 tips for a secure mobile internet access 1. Use baseline protection: Mobile malware is gaining ground. Plus, malware on websites does not differentiate between those who go online from

home or from mobile devices. Baseline security software such as Kaspersky Mobile Security is therefore an absolute must for mobile devices.

2. Additional security functions: Password protection is even more important for smartphones than for computers at home. This is because these compact mobile devices are easily lost and may fall into the wrong hands.

Always use password protection for your phone and ensure that the device is set to disable after a given number of incorrect consecutive password

attempts. In addition, use encryption for sensitive data on your smartphone.

3. Trustworthy Apps: Apps bring that added extra to your Smartphone, for they add all sorts of new functions to your mobile device. But take care: Apps can contain malware, too. Besides antivirus software, you should also make sure that the Apps come from trustworthy sources before installing them.

4. Data backup: Many mobile devices can work entirely without being connected to a PC. This is very practical, but is not without its risks: a defective

mobile device may mean the loss of all your data. That’s why it makes sense to make an encrypted backup of your smartphone data on a PC. 5. Take care in WLAN networks: When it comes to security, UMTS connections are preferable to WLAN. Those who still use WLAN to access the web should ensure they use data encryption and avoid using it for sensitive matters such as online banking, etc.

6. Keep your mobile software always upgraded and protected:

Keeping your mobile antivirus software updated is crucial. If the software is updated regularly, it will find even the newest threats before they have a chance to damage your device or infiltrate your personal data.

Kaspersky Lab recently introduced Kaspersky One, a multi-platform, usercentric Universal Security solution that brings comprehensive protection for the wide range of personal devices, starting from personal computers and notebooks and all the way to smartphones and tablets.

SpaceX rocket launch aborted ‘This is not failure, We aborted with purpose’

TEL AVIV: In this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 file photo an electric car is seen during a demonstration of the California-based company Better Place in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi has developed the world’s first nationwide electric car network. After more than $400 million in outlays and more than a year behind schedule, dozens of electric cars have hit the road in Israel, the test site Agassi chose for his Better Place venture. — AP

Electric car network gets first test in Israel ROSH HAAYIN: Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi has begun rolling out the world’s first nationwide electric car network.

Now, will the drivers come? After more than $400 million in outlays and months behind schedule, dozens of electric cars have hit the road in Israel, the test site Agassi chose for his Better Place venture.

Four stations where the cars can get a new dose of juice when their batteries run out are operating, and the plan is to ramp that number up within months.

The concept: to wean the world from oil and eliminate the biggest hurdles to environmentally friendly electric cars high cost and limited range. To do this, Better Place has jettisoned the fixed battery. Instead, drivers can swap their depleted batteries for fully charged ones at a network of stations, receiving a full, 160-kilometer (100-mile) range in five minutes. Better Place owns the batteries, bringing down the purchase price of the cars using the network.

People driving shorter distances, the vast majority of customers, can plug in their batteries each day to chargers installed at their homes, offices and public locations, which will fully recharge in six to eight hours.

He faces a wall of skepticism. A major concern is “range anxiety”: Will the car conk out because its battery is drained, stranding the driver in a dicey neighborhood, en route to the hospital, or with three wailing kids in back?

Rising fuel prices worldwide still haven’t sent electric car sales surging, noted U.S.-based automotive expert John McElroy. “It may not be an energy price issue,” he said. “Consumers may simply decide that electric cars don’t offer the range they need.”

Agassi, a former top executive at software giant SAP AG, said he is ready to prove his doubters wrong. “We’re driving a car that most people said would be a fantasy,” he said. The swappable battery model aims to reassure drivers about range and show they don’t need to sacrifice convenience or cash to switch to electric.

So far, the four Better Place battery stations are set up in central and northern Israel. During the second half of the year, around 40 stations are due to be operating across the country. But even before that, the company says enough will be up that a motorist could make the 500-kilometer (300-mile) drive from Israel’s northern tip to its southern end.

Agassi has raised $750 million from investors including General Electric Co. and HSBC Holdings PLC since founding Better Place 4 1/2 years ago. French automaker Renault has begun selling a sedan, the Fluence, customized to use the stations, priced in Israel at roughly $32,000, comparable to other sedans sold here. Currently, about 140 are on the road, most driven by Better Place employees.

The Fluence should start becoming available to the general public within weeks. Leasing companies, which buy about two-thirds of the more than 200,000 new cars sold annually in Israel, have ordered more than 1,800, and private customers have ordered several hundred more.

Compared to electric or hybrid cars in other markets, the sales numbers in this nation of 6 million might not be as humble as they seem: In 2011, Chevrolet sold

about 7,700 Volts and Nissan sold under 10,000 LEAFs in the US, which has a population of more than 310 million.

“It interests all fleet managers we talk to,” said Shai Dahan, CEO of Eldan Transportation, a top Israeli leasing group. Better Place, which had promised to have thousands of cars on the road last year, acknowledges the rollout is behind schedule, mostly because of bureaucratic hurdles and production issues at Renault.

Better Place has also spent years testing its integrated system designed to allow its operation center, which is connected to every car, to monitor the vehicles and correct problems remotely. For instance, its software notifies drivers when their batteries are running low and directs them to the nearest switching station.

Israel sales director Zohar Bali predicts up to 5,000 Fluences will be silently running on Israeli roads and highways within a year. Israel was chosen for the experiment in part because of its techsavvy population. Also, with 80 percent of the population living in a narrow, densely populated stretch along the Mediterranean coast, it provides a perfect laboratory for the charging network.

Better Place claims it can shave up to 20 percent off the annual cost of owning a car, especially if gas prices, now around $8 a gallon here, continue to rise. Drivers buy access to the switching stations and charging spots through a monthly package ranging from under $300 to over $500, depending on mileage.

Israelis are taking notice. Better Place says more than 80,000 people in this country of 7.8 million have trekked to its visitor’s center, situated at an abandoned oil reserves depot outside Tel Aviv.

What happens in Israel could decide how broadly Better Place deploys. So far the Fluence is the only model compatible with the grid, but Renault’s Middle East director, Jean-Christophe Pierson, says the company is considering a more compact model. Better Place is also in contact with other carmakers.

Denmark is set to become Better Place’s second launch site this year.

Australia is to become its first major market, with deployment in the capital, Canberra, also this year. Small-scale projects are in place in Hawaii and California.

Amsterdam is the next European target after Denmark.

The company also has its sights set on China, where it already has opened a demonstration battery switching station. Agassi sees the “tipping point” for electric cars coming in two to three years, propelled by dropping prices of cars and batteries. By 2017, he expects 50 percent of all new car sales in Israel to be electric.

The largest investor is The Israel Corp., whose holdings include Israel’s biggest oil refinery and deep water oil drilling.

Idan Ofer, whose family controls The Israel Corp. and who serves as Better Place’s chairman, said he saw no contradiction between his oil and clean-tech holdings.

Film giant Kodak “knew about digital photography. And look what happened.

They still went bankrupt because they didn’t do anything about it,” observed Ofer. “There are many examples. I don’t want to be there.” —AP

CAPE CANAVERAL: A new private supply ship for the International Space Station remained stuck on the ground yesterday after rocket engine trouble led to a last-second abort of the historic flight. All nine engines for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roared to life Saturday morning. But with a mere half-second remaining before liftoff, the onboard computers automatically shut everything down. So instead of blasting off on a delivery mission to the space station, the rocket stayed on its launch pad amid a plume of engine exhaust.

Even NASA’s most seasoned launch commentator was taken off-guard. “Three, two, one, zero and liftoff,” announced commentator George Diller, his voice trailing as the rocket failed to budge. “We’ve had a cutoff. Liftoff did not occur.” SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said that high combustion chamber pressure in engine No. 5 was to blame and that technicians would conduct an inspection later in the day. If the engine needs to be replaced, a spare is available.

Tuesday is the earliest that SpaceX can try again to send its cargo-laden Dragon capsule to the space station. The California-based company - formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp. - is targeting every few days for a launch attempt to save fuel in case of rendezvous problems at the space station.

Wednesday also could be a launch option.

This was the first launch attempt by the several private US companies hoping to take over the job of delivering cargo and eventually astronauts to the space station for NASA. Only governments have accomplished that to date: the United States, Russia, Europe and Japan.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is looking to the private sector, in this post-shuttle era, to get American astronauts launching again from US soil. SpaceX officials said that could happen in as little as three years, possibly four. Several other companies are in the running. An estimated 1,000 SpaceX and NASA guests poured into the launching area early Saturday, hoping to see firsthand the start of this new commercial era.

They left disappointed. The abort was especially disheartening given the perfect weather and the absence of any earlier countdown problems.

Shotwell was asked by a reporter whether she considered yesterday’s abort a failure.

“This is not a failure,” she said. “We aborted with purpose. It would be a failure if we were to have lifted off with an engine trending in this direction.”

She added: “The software did what it was supposed to do” with the engine shutdown.

Everyone around town, at least, is rooting for a successful flight. “Go SpaceX,” read the sign

trouble, but there was enough time to fix the problem and fly the same day. SpaceX has just a single second each day to launch this time around because of the space station rendezvous.

Six months after the initial Falcon 9 flight, SpaceX launched another rocket with a Dragon capsule that reached orbit. It was the

CAPE CANAVERAL: This framegrab from NASA-TV shows the Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket being fueled on the launch pad at complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., early yesterday. The launch, scheduled for at 4:55 am EDT yesterday was aborted. —AP outside Cape Canaveral City Hall. Until NASA’s space shuttles retired last summer, the sign had urged on the launches of shuttles Discovery, Endeavour and, finally, Atlantis.

Those ships are now relegated to museums.

Late last month, SpaceX conducted a test firing of the nine first-stage rocket engines at the pad. Each engine - including No. 5 - was “rock solid,” Shotwell said. The first flight of the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, in June 2010, encountered similar last-second engine

first time a private company put a spacecraft into orbit and then recovered it. The newest Dragon also is meant to splash down into the Pacific, returning space station experiments and equipment.

For yesterday’s launch attempt, SpaceX’s billionaire founder, Elon Musk, was in the SpaceX Mission Control in Hawthorne, California. He helped create PayPal and founded SpaceX 10 years ago. He also runs Tesla Motors, his electric car company. —AP

Setting up a media server BERLIN: Personal computers have long since become central to any household’s entertainment system.

Whether people want to listen to music, watch movies or look at pictures - and whether they do so with a TV, tablet or smartphone - the data is usually saved on a computer.

But how do you make those files readily available? The solution is streaming, and it’s not that difficult to accomplish, provided you’re prepared to invest half an hour into setting it up.

To get your media content accessible through your home network, the tools you might want include a media player, a network hard drive and a streaming adapter.

But you don’t have to buy them, because you will find that you can do a lot of the work with devices you already own, plus freeware.

Just about any desktop or notebook with server software can easily be repurposed to work as a server for distributing films and music. The reverse holds true for any device that is meant to work as a client, receiving media. The device just needs to have client software installed.

Clients can also be devices that support standards such as UPnP-AV or DLNA. These include receivers, DVD or Blu-ray players, televisions, internet radios, smartphones or tablets. If your notebook or stereo is

not network-ready or doesn’t support DLNA, then you can pull in your notebook or gaming console to pull up the content and then relay it over via an HDMI jack cable.

If you stream, you should be aware of two important router settings. UPnP needs to be activated and wi-fi devices need to be able to communicate directly with one another. Install Windows Media Player 11 on the computer that’s supposed to function as a server. It doesn’t support so many formats, but is designed for streaming. Be aware of other options, such as the freeware VLC Media Player.

Other services you will need include HTTP_SSL, SSDP, a universal

SAN FRANCISCO: Cole Harper, co-founder and CEO of SceneTap, holds up a phone showing the app SceneTap at a bar in San Francisco. A new app is scheduled to launch in San Francisco that will scan the faces of patrons in 25 bars across the city to determine their ages and genders. The app’s makers, Chicago-based SceneTap, say the app doesn’t identify specific individuals, but privacy advocates have their doubts. —AP

plug-and-play device host, and Windows Media Player sharing service. It’s best to set these all to start up automatically in Windows settings. Also set the firewall so it doesn’t block these services.

Tversity is an example of universal media software for Windows. It supports all devices, whether UPnP or DLNA, or just makes use of the internet browser. Another advantage: The software converts exotic video formats into more common forms so that they can be streamed on other devices that can’t handle the more complicated versions.

Be sure to download the most recent version - 1.9.7 - and turn off the pre-setting whereby Tversity works as a standard search engine.

You can also ignore subsequent update offers. Be sure to install ffdshow, a bundle of open source codecs. Tversity has proven relatively easy to use.

To make sure the program isn’t blocked on the network, keep the TCP port 41952 open as an IP address for the server computer both in the router and for any firewall software that might come into use. You can find the IP address of a computer under the LAN or WLAN connections in Windows’ network settings.

To allow streaming, the right folders with music or video files have to be stored in the Library.

Once you start up a client device, such as a console, there should be an icon for the media server present in the area for videos, music and pictures. Just go through the various PC folders to start up the desired movie or song.

If the video image is shaky, go to Settings/Transcoder and other quality settings to adjust the resolution.

If there are connection or update problems, click on the Main Menu, in the upper left, and on Start Sharing or Restart Sharing or on the Refresh Media Library icon. —dpa

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Sex, age may affect athletes’ concussion recovery EAST LANSING: Female and high school athletes may need more time to recover from a concussion than their male or college counterparts, according to a US study that comes amid rising concern about concussions in young athletes.

Researchers, whose report appeared in the American Journal of Sports medicine, found that of 222 young athletes who suffered a concussion, female athletes tended to have more symptoms than males. They also scored lower on tests of “visual memory” - the ability to recall information about something they’d seen.

Meanwhile, high school athletes fared worse on memory tests than college players, and typically took longer to improve. For parents, coaches and athletes, the key message is to have patience with concussion recovery, said lead researcher Tracey Covassin, an assistant professor at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

“It’s going to take time for your child to fully recover, so don’t rush them back into the sport,” she said,

adding that extra time may be in order for female athletes and high schoolers.

The study covered 222 high school and college athletes who suffered a concussion over two years, including players in football, soccer and volleyball.

Covassin’s team gave them standard tests of memory and other mental skills, as well as balance, over their first two weeks after they suffered concussions. Overall, female athletes complained of more symptoms than their male counterparts - an average of 14 symptoms, versus 10.

Concussion symptoms include problems like headache, dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ear, fatigue and confusion.

Female athletes also had lower scores on visual memory tests, though male and female players alike gradually improved over the two weeks. High school athletes, meanwhile, performed worse on memory tests than their college counterparts and improved more slowly. After one week they were still lagging behind

older athletes. And among male athletes, high schoolers also had more problems when researchers tested their balancing skills.

Younger athletes likely need more recovery time because the teenage brain is still developing, Covassin said. It’s also smaller, which means it can be more easily “knocked around” within the skull if a young athlete takes a hit.

It’s not clear why female athletes may fare worse, but there is research suggesting that differences in brain structure are at work. And young athletes seem to be sustaining more concussions than in the past.

A study found that in 2008, there were five concussions for ever y 10,000 US high school athletes who hit the playing field. That was up from just one per 10,000 a decade earlier.

There are more people playing contact sports, and young athletes are training more aggressively at an early age. Doctors are also becoming more vigilant about diagnosing concussions, experts said.—Reuters

Professional and recreational athletes can suffer from sports injury.

US health secretary urges contraception compromise University officials, students back Sebelius invitation

Antibiotic linked with rare but deadly heart risk CHICAGO: An antibiotic widely used for bronchitis and other common infections seems to increase chances for sudden deadly heart problems, a rare but surprising risk found in a 14year study.

Zithromax, or azithromycin, is more expensive than other antibiotics, but it’s popular because it often can be taken for fewer days. But the results suggest doctors should prescribe other options for people already prone to heart problems, the researchers and other experts said.

Vanderbilt University researchers analyzed health records and data on millions of prescriptions for several antibiotics given to about 540,000 Tennessee Medicaid patients from 1992 to 2006. There were 29 heartrelated deaths among those who took Zithromax during five days of treatment. Their risk of death while taking the drug was more than double that of patients on another antibiotic, amoxicillin, or those who took none. To compare risks, the researchers calculated that the number of deaths per 1 million courses of antibiotics would be about 85 among Zithromax patients versus 32 among amoxicillin patients and 30 among those on no antibiotics. The highest risks were in Zithromax patients with existing heart problems.

Patients in each group started out with comparable risks for heart trouble, the researchers said. The results suggest there would be 47 ex tra heart-related deaths per 1 million courses of treatment with Zithromax, compared with amoxicillin.

A usual treatment course for Zithromax is about five days, versus about 10 days for amoxicillin and other antibiotics. Zithromax is at least twice as expensive as generic amoxicillin; online prescription drug sellers charge a few dollars per pill for Zithromax.

“People need to recognize that the overall risk is low,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a Yale University health outcomes specialist who was not involved in the study. More research is needed to confirm the findings, but

still, he said patients with heart disease “should probably be steered away” from Zithromax for now.

The study appears in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute helped pay for the research.

Zithromax, marketed by Pfizer Inc., has been available in the United States for two decades.

It’s often used to treat bronchitis, sinus infec tions and pneumonia.

Wayne Ray, a Vanderbilt professor of medicine, decided to study the drug’s risks because of evidence linking it with potential heart rhythm problems. Also, antibiotics in the same class as Zithromax have been linked with sudden cardiac death.

Zithromax is among top-selling antibiotics. US sales last year totaled $464 million, according to IMS Health, a health care information and services company. Pfizer issued a statement saying it would thoroughly review the study. “Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Pfizer and we continuously monitor the safety and efficacy of our products to ensure that the benefits and risks are accurately described,” the company said.

Patients studied were age 50 on average and not hospitalized. Most had common ailments, including sinus infections and bronchitis. Those on Zithromax were about as healthy as those on other antibiotics, making it unlikely that an underlying condition might explain the increased death risk. Medicaid patients generally have more disability and lower incomes than other patients, so whether the same results would be found in the general population is uncertain, Ray said. Dr. Bruce Psaty, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, said doctors and patients need to know about the potential risks. He said the results also raise concerns about long-term use of Zithromax, which other research suggests could benefit people with severe lung disease.

Additional research is needed to determine if that kind of use could be dangerous, he said.— AP

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration’s top health official took the debate over whether healthcare coverage should include contraceptives to the campus of a Catholic university that has been deeply divided over the administration’s policy.

US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in a speech at Georgetown University a few miles from the White House, praised the new US healthcare law requiring coverage and called for “conversation and compromise.”

Sebelius has become the public face for the contraception rules issued earlier this year that have provoked fierce backlash from Catholic Church officials, political conservatives and anti-abortion advocates. The issue has become a point of debate in the US presidential race.

Sebelius’ presence on campus drew fire in recent days from church leaders and religious groups, who criticized her selection. Some of them called on Georgetown to rescind her speaking invitation. About 20 protesters lined a campus entrance amid beefed up security, and a heckler, who interrupted Sebelius by calling her a “baby killer,” was led away by campus police.

In her speech, Sebelius acknowledged the deep, continuing debate over what she called “the intersection of our nation’s long tradition of religious freedom with policy decisions

that affect the general public.”

Such contentious policy debates, however, are the strength of the American system, she said. She called on the graduating public policy students to take on tough debates but also to “see issues from other points of view, and in the end, follow your own moral compass.”

“Our system is messier, slower, more frustrating and far better. It requires conversations that can be painful and it almost always ends in compromise,” she told about 1,200 students and family members.

“But it’s through this process of conversation and compromise that we move forward, together, step by step, towards a more perfect union,” she said. In a letter earlier this week, the Archdiocese of Washington criticized the university for ignoring what it said was the administration’s “direct challenge to religious liberty.”

The Becket Fund, a religious legal advocacy firm that is handling several lawsuits against the White House over the contraceptives issue, also started an online petition that drew more than 10,000 signatures.

Students of Georgetown’s Public Policy Institute elected Sebelius as their speaker for an awards ceremony following the commencement while students and faculty wrote letters supporting her attendance as a policy

expert. Georgetown President John DeGioia said Sebelius’ invitation was not an endorsement of her views. Sebelius has ties to the university - her husband and one of her sons are Georgetown graduates.

President Barack Obama’s 2010 healthcare overhaul aims to expand health insurance coverage and calls for employers to cover a wide range of preventive care, including contraception. Churches are exempt but other religious groups, including universities, are not. Amid church protests, the administration later said health insurance companies and not the groups themselves could cover birth control. The coverage requirement goes into effect in August but the administration is allowing a one-year grace period that it hopes will enable compromise with employers who object to the plan. Earlier this year, Georgetown’s DeGioia said the school will take the extension.

Obama’s healthcare plan has been a mixed blessing for religious leaders, who have embraced its extension of healthcare coverage for the millions of uninsured Americans.

Sebelius told the graduates about her “opportunity to help implement legislation that is finally, after seven decades of failed debate, ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable health coverage.” That line drew heavy applause. — Reuters

More doctors are ditching the old prescription pad WASHINGTON: Dropping a paper prescription at the drugstore is becoming oldschool: More than a third of the nation’s prescriptions now are electronic, according to the latest count. The government has been pushing doctors to e-prescribe, in part because it can be safer for patients.

This year, holdouts will start to see cuts in their Medicare payments.

Thursday’s report from Surescripts, the largest network for paperless prescribing, shows more doctors are signing up fast. At the end of 2011, 36 percent of all prescriptions were electronic - the doctor wrote it by computer and sent it directly to the pharmacy with the push of a button, the report found. That’s up from 22 percent of prescriptions that were paperless a year earlier.

For patients, the convenience is obvious - shorter drugstore waits. Pharmacists like not having to squint at the doctors’ messy handwriting. And computerized ordering systems allow doctors to easily check that a new drug won’t interact badly with one the patient’s already taking.

New research by Surescripts and some pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers uncovered another benefit: More patients pick up a new prescription when it’s filed electronically.

Doctors know that too often, patients never fill some of their prescriptions.

Maybe they lose the slip of paper, or forget to drop it off or decide they can’t afford it.

The new research examined 40 million prescriptions, a mix of paper, phoned, faxed or

electronic ones - and found a 10 percent increase in patients who fill a prescription when it’s e-prescribed.

The main reasons: Drugstores receive every paperless prescription, and they can call patients to come in and pick up their waiting medicine, said Surescripts’ researcher Seth Joseph. Also, e-prescribing programs automatically show the doctor which brands are covered by the patient’s insurance with the lowest out-of-pocket cost.

Even if your doctor is a big e-prescriber, you might still walk out with a few paper prescriptions. That’s because there are additional steps that doctors and pharmacies must take for electronic prescriptions of controlled substances, such as certain painkillers, and the rules vary by state, Joseph explained.

For several years, the government has run incentive programs to encourage doctors to adopt e-prescribing and other computerized health records, offering payments to help defray the costs of adopting the systems. Now Medicare is beginning to cut some reimbursements to certain doctors who don’t e-prescribe at least a little bit.

Surescripts’ report counted 390,000 doctors who were e-prescribing at least some of the time in 2011, and its records show an additional 10,000 had begun by the end of February. That translates into just over half of office-based physicians, a big jump since 2008, when only about 12 percent of doctors were e-prescribing. —AP

Minor, repeat head blows may impair athletes’ learning NEW YORK: Some students who play hockey and football may perform worse than expected on learning tests after a season of head impacts even if they never suffer an actual concussion, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that before their playing seasons started, college hockey and football athletes were just as sharp mentally as their peers in non-contact sports. But about one in five of the contact-sport athletes appeared to suffer some effects from a season’s worth of head impacts.

“It provides a little bit of reassurance relative to the huge concerns that have been raised,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Thomas McAllister, from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The study was pub-

lished last week in the journal Neurology http://bit.ly/lUcacJ. At the same time, the study raises the question “is there a subgroup of people for whom hitting their head over and over again may not be a good thing?” McAllister said. The findings come amid increasing scrutiny of brain injuries sustained by National Football League players. Two weeks ago, former San Diego Chargers star Junior Seau committed suicide after what some believe were years of depression stemming from multiple concussions he suffered as a player. That same week, 100 retired NFL players sued the league over head injuries. Still, many questions remain about the effect of concussions on thinking and memoryincluding whether or not repeated, less-severe

blows to the head may also cause short-term or permanent damage.

For their study, McAllister and his colleagues recruited Division I varsity athletes at Dartmouth College, Brown University and Virginia Tech.

At the start and end of their athletic seasons, the researchers gave thinking and learning tests to 214 hockey and football players, as well as 45 athletes on non-contact sports teams-such as track, crew and skiing-for comparison.

The hockey and football players were outfitted with special helmets that recorded data on each of their head impacts, such as the head’s acceleration after contact.

Over the course of the season, the helmets recorded an average of 469 head blows per ath-

lete, a number that varied between one and over 2,000 impacts. No athletes who suffered a concussion during the course of the season were included in the analysis.

In general, there was no difference in how well contact and non-contact athletes performed on the series of thinking and memory tests-either before their seasons started or after they ended.

But on one learning test, taken by a smaller group of 100 athletes, 22 percent of hockey and football players had worse-than-expected postseason scores, based on their own preseason performance. That compared to four percent of runners, rowers and skiers.

“What we don’t know is how long these poorerthan-predicted people stayed in that category,”

McAllister told Reuters Health. “It may be that if we tested them six months later, it was fine.”

McAllister also pointed out that there was not a clear link between the number of times athletes got hit in the head, or how hard, and how they did on the postseason tests. So it may be that genetic differences between players affect how their mind and body respond to those repeated blows.

One concussion researcher not involved in the new study agreed the findings are reassuring, but cautioned against athletes, parents and coaches becoming complacent as a result.

“What we don’t want is for athletes to say, ‘Unless I have a concussion, I don’t have to worry about cognitive impairment,’” said Paul Comper, from the University of Toronto. — Reuters

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

H E A LT H

US clears drugs faster than Europe, Canada FDA reviewed 225 applications over 10-year time frame

Lower death risk for coffee lovers MARYLAND: Older people who reported drinking a few daily cups of coffee were less likely to die over the subsequent 14 years than were those who abstained from the beverage or rarely drank it, according to a US study of 400,000 people. In particular, coffee was tied to a lower risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, infections, injuries and accidents, the researchers said in a report pub-

effect on bone health.” Research on the long-term effects of coffee on various diseases has come to conflicting conclusions. Some studies suggest coffee drinkers are less likely to get diabetes, but others hint they may have a higher risk of heart disease.

“For those who do drink coffee, there’s no reason to stop. Periodically someone will say it’s bad, but I think this

lished in the New England Journal of Medicine. But they warned that the findings should be interpreted with caution because coffee habits were only measured at one point in time - and it ’s unclear what ingredients in java, exactly, could be tied to a longer life.

“We know that coffee has an effect on the brain, so it’s possible that may play a role,” said lead researcher Neal Freedman at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland. “Or, it may have an

strengthens the view that it’s not harmful,” said Lawrence Krakoff, a cardiologist from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, who wasn’t part of the study.

“Whether it’s beneficial - without knowing the cause, it’s hard to say. I wouldn’t encourage people to suddenly drink a lot of coffee with the expectation of benefit.” For their data, researchers pulled from a diet and health study that started with nutrition surveys including

questions on coffee intake given to adults ages 50 to 71 in 1995 and 1996.

Researchers then tracked those participants through 2008, using national and state disease and death registries to figure out how many of them died, and from what. Initially, coffee seemed to be tied to a higher chance of dying during the study period. About 13 percent of men and 10 percent of women who reported not drinking any coffee on their initial surveys died between 1995 and 2008, compared to 19 percent of men and 15 percent of women who’d said they downed six or more cups a day.

But coffee drinkers, it turned out, were also more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and eat lots of red meat.

When the researchers took into account these other behaviors, the data showed a different pic ture. In that analysis, men who drank anywhere from two to more than six cups of coffee a day were about 10 percent less likely to die during the study than those who abstained. For women, there was up to a 16 percent reduced risk of death in coffee drinkers compared to nondrinkers. The study was not without limitations, researchers noted, including that Freedman’s team only knew how much coffee participants drank at one point in the mid-1990s, and those patterns could have changed over time.

“My thinking is that these associations are very interesting but until you really link it to a causative mechanism, it remains vague,” Krakoff said.

Researchers said that until more research is done, nobody should change their coffee habits because of the findings. “We really caution against that. We can’t be sure that coffee is having the effect we saw and coffee contains many different compounds that can affect health in different ways,” Freedman said.— Reuters

WASHINGTON: Researchers say the US approved more new medicines in less time than Europe and Canada in the last decade, challenging long-standing criticisms that the Food and Drug Administration lags behind its peers in clearing important new drugs.

Between 2001 and 2010, the FDA’s typical review of a new drug was about 15 percent faster than those by the European Medicines Agency and Health Canada, its counterparts abroad, according to a study published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine. The analysis by researchers at Yale and the Mayo Clinic is the first to compare the FDA’s recent drug review performance to similar agencies around the world.

Criticism that the FDA is too slow on drug approvals is a perennial theme for the pharmaceutical industry, which spends more than $50 billion annually to develop new drugs. The complaint has resurfaced in the past year as the industry renegotiates the fees it must pay the FDA to review new drug applications - a program which is reauthorized by Congress every five years.

The study authors address this issue directly, defending the agency’s performance. “Our findings contradict recent criticisms of the speed of review by the FDA and lead to questions about whether the speed of the review process is justified as an emphasis ... particularly since the FDA continues to outpace its European and Canadian peers,” the authors state.

The median time for drug reviews by the FDA was 322 days, or about 10 and a half months. That was 45 to 70 days ahead of Europe and Canada, which typically completed their drug reviews after 12 and 13 months, respectively. Over the same 10-year time frame, the FDA reviewed 225 drug applications, 40 more than Europe and nearly 125 more than Canada.

The researchers also found that most new drugs are approved in the US before the two other regions. Among drugs approved in both the US and Europe, 64 percent were first approved by the FDA. For drugs approved in both the US and Canada, 86 percent were first approved by the FDA. “This allows us to focus on the important question of whether there are real barriers to

drug innovation in the US,” said Kathleen Stratton of the Pew Charitable Trusts, which provided funding for the research. “But it’s clear from this study that the speed at which the FDA reviews drug applications is not one of them.” Pew has lobbied for increased FDA funding to assure the safety of food, drugs and other regulated products. The study authors acknowledge some limitations with the data.

For example, they did not account for drugs which are ultimately rejected. FDA and other agencies don’t release review times for drugs that are never approved. However, since the FDA approves 80 percent of all the applications it receives, the authors say it’s unlikely the missing data would have changed their findings.

The study was also limited to novel drugs, which means copycat drugs and reformulations of older products were excluded.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America did not comment directly on the findings. However, the group said in a statement it appreciates “the importance of balancing timely access to new medicines with the need for thorough review of safety and efficacy data.”

While the study appears designed to influence drug user fee legislation, it may come too late in the process to have much impact. The FDA and the drug industry reached a tentative agreement last fall, with the agency pledging to work toward faster, more predictable reviews in return for a 6 percent increase in company fees. Congress is now drafting the agreement into law, including provisions added by lawmakers who want to accelerate FDA drug approvals even further.

The latest draft of the user fee bill on Capitol Hill would task the FDA with speeding up the approval of breakthrough drugs by relaxing certain requirements, including allowing drugmakers to conduct smaller, shorter clinical studies. The approach has been embraced by top FDA officials, who have spent the last year highlighting their efforts to accelerate development of novel medical products. Innovation has been a key talking point for the Obama administration since early 2011, when the president outlined a strategy to boost economic growth by encouraging innovation by companies and federal agencies. —AP

30

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N Wataniya Telecom sponsors GUST job fair

W

ataniya Telecom has announced its Gold sponsorship of the 2012 Job Fair organized by the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST). The goal behind Wataniya’s sponsorship is to meet with university students and graduates whom are looking for jobs in the telecom sector and educate them on available job vacancies and internship opportunities at the company.

Wataniya Telecom team was present at the Job Fair on May 9th and 10th which took place at the GUST campus.

Wataniya welcomed all students and fresh graduates at the booth to learn more on how they can find a career path at Wataniya and the different offerings available.

Commenting on the Majdi Ghannam sponsorship of the Job Fair, Majdi Ghannam Chief Human Resources & Admin Services Officer confirmed Wataniya’s aims at positioning the company as an employer of choice in Kuwait while focusing on providing the young minds with all possible tools available to develop and enhance their future careers in the telecom sector.

Regarding the internship opportunities provided by Wataniya, Ghannam elaborated on this point saying that “The aim is to support students in linking between their academic studies and the practical and professional life ahead of them in the private sector”.

Ghannam emphasized that students can apply to available openings in Business Administration, Engineering and Customer Service online through company’s website http://10.wataniya.com/careers.

Legal seminar

P

alakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait, the association of Palakkad natives living in Kuwait and ‘Indian Lawyers’ Forum’, (ILF) the association of Indian Lawyers and Law graduates in Kuwait is conducting legal seminar, on June 1, at 11 am at Mangaf Friends of Kannur (FOKE) auditorium. All Indian community members in Kuwait, especially Palpak members, families and friends are cordially invited to participate.

Your legal doubts/questions can be send by email to: palpaklegal@gmail.com and it will be answered in the seminar. For further information contact, P.N.Kumar, 99771830, Aravindhashan 68535989.

Seminar on nanomedicine

T

he Najla Al-Naqqi Forum hosts a seminar on nanomedicine today, Sunday May 20 featuring Dr Osama Al-Awar and Dr Saleh AlHarbi. The event starts at 8 pm at the forum’s headquarters in Salwa, block 2, street 107, house number 388.

Handing out certificates to the TSK children.

Juniors’ ‘Child Safety First’ seats

Centrepoint, TSK launch ‘Buckle Up’

I

n a mutual effort to spread awareness about the importance of children’s security on the road, Centrepoint, the number one family shopping destination in Kuwait, and The Sunshine Kindergarten (TSK) is sponsoring a child safety campaign under the name ‘Buckle-Up’ to teach children and their parents the importance of consistently wearing the seatbelt in every trip. TSK caters to children aged 12 months to 4 years and has students from over 40 nationalities and is Kuwait’s Premier Early Years Centre.

TSK and ‘Juniors’ by Centrepoint have recently co-hosted a child safety presentation in the school’s atrium with the attendance of Colonel Imad Bader AlMulla, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Moral Guidance at the Ministry of Interior (MOI).

Al-Mulla gave a significant speech on the topic and emphasized the best means to protect children from the roads’ dangers. The presentation, which took place with the presence of the students’ and parents, was also attended by Captain Yousef Anbar Mershed, Head of Social Welfare at MOI; Saibal Basu, Chief Operating Officer of Landmark Group Kuwait; Vera Al-Mutawa, Executive Chair of British International; Dr. Hanan AlMutawa, Executive Director of British International; Joanne Wild, TSK Principal and Patricia Whelan, Public Relations Manager of British International.

According to the statistics revealed at the seminar, the number one cause of

death for children aged 2-14 is car accidents.

Acknowledging the problem, ‘Buckle Up’ campaign has been intensified by the school with the support of ‘Juniors’: children’s favorite clothing brand and safety

addition to coloring packs from Centrepoint as a gesture to keep the topic memorable. Colonel Al-Mulla and Dr. Hanan Al-Mutawa also handed out certificates to Nurse Eva Ersek, Health and Safety Officer at TSK; the school’s bus

(From left to right) TSK Heads, MOI representatives, and Landmark Group management at the ‘Buckle Up’ presentation. accessories.

Following the presentation, Colonel Al-Mulla - with the assistance of Vera AlMutawa - handed out certificates to the TSK students who had learnt and appreciated the importance of the safety procedures highlighted by the seminar, in

drivers, and janitors who all play a key role in ensuring and maintaining the safety of the children both inside the school and on the road.

The event was wrapped up with a demonstration in the TSK car park which taught children how to safely ride a

motorbike with the presence of their guardians.

Commenting on the campaign, Saibal Basu, COO of Landmark Group Kuwait, said, “We believe that nothing is more important than the well-being of our kids. Comprehending the level of danger our children are exposed to everyday by reckless drivers, we have felt the necessity to take a crucial step in safeguarding our little ones from preventable road hazards. By launching the ‘Child Safety First Campaign’ via ‘Juniors,’ we provide the best means to protect our children through initiatives and bespoke products. We thank TSK for cooperating with us by sharing such responsibility and hosting ‘Buckle Up’ with the best support provided. We look forward to further fortifying our communication with the school and with all parties working towards the best of our children.”

Also commenting on the event, TSK Principal Joanne Wild said: “We are extremely happy to arrange such an important event in our premises to show our children how critical it is to stay safe wherever they are. Today’s event also gave us the opportunity to award certificates to the TSK bus drivers and maids who are supporting the TSK Buckle Up Campaign. Moreover, we cordially thank Centrepoint for sponsoring this event with us, in addition to paying tribute to all the VIP guests and parents who attended the presentation. In the end, please stay safe and remember to buckle up for every trip.”

Announcements ‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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.

Ceuzita Natasha

Reema Sarwar

Asjad

Vidya Devi C M

Marionette Gracy

Ahla Rasheed

Ayisha Ali

Divya Mbahes

Conrad Mucklar

Samer Al-Easawi

Muhammad Qasim

Marvin Delossantos

Carol Dsouza

Shivani Pushkarna

Yasmeen

Philip Tauro

Jennifer

Nescha

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. VenueHouse #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.

Saqib Minhas

Raed

Taha Rahmatullah

Priscilla Gomes

Fatema Husain

SMU results declared

S

ikkim Manipal University, India’s No 1 Students’ Most preferred University in the field of Management, IT & Technological Sciences has published the results for the April 2012 Examinations. SMU offers more than 40 programs at UG, PG, Diploma & PG Diploma levels in various disciplines like management, Information Technology, Telecommunication & Networking, Commerce, Arts Humanities, Journalism & Mass Communication. All programs are

career oriented, dealing with higher professional education. All students are requested to check the SMU website for detailed results. The management and staff take great pride in congratulating all students for their good performance and whole hearted cooperation that they have shown. The following students have topped their batch from their respective semester: ARTS AND MASS COMMUNICATION Ceuzita Natasha Fernandes, Reema

Sarwar, Priscilla Lina Gomes, Conrad Edward Mucklar management Jennifer Raju Pille, Marvin Roxas Delossantos, Pathan Taha Rahamtulla, Saqib Javaid Minhas, Yasmeen Adam Rawoot, Fatema Salehhusain K, Sajith C Nair, Tauro Philip Francis, Da Costa Neshca Anna, Vidya Devee C M, Shivani Pushkarna, Baji Mubin Zahid Hussain, Marionette Gracy Rodrigues, Divya R. COMMERCE Mansoor Ali C K.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Raed Bin Shahid, Asjad Naveed Bhuua, Ayisha Ali Kova, Ahia Haroon Rasheed, Merchant Farhan Abdul Sattar, Chacko Philip, Rajeev Ashok Menon, Muhammad Qasim, Carol Gracy D’souza, Shruthi M A, Sam Suresh M, Samer Marwan Mohamed Al Easawi.

ALLIED HEALTH Boby Joseph, M S Vanishree.

31

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy

Dr Balamuralikrishna to perform in Kuwait

Information

K

alanjali Kuwait will hold a Carnatic music concert by Padma Vibhushan Chevalier Dr Balamuralikrishna on May 24 (Thursday) from 6.30 pm onwards at the Integrated Indian School auditorium, Jleeb Al Shoyoukh. He will be accompanied on violin by Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, Mrudangam by Padmasri Dr Yella Venkateswara Rao, Ghatam Giridhar Udupa and Thambura

by Kalaimamani Dr Saraswathi.

Kalanjali, an Indian organization, working to promote Indian culture and tradition, has the reputation of presenting most popular artists before the residents of Kuwait in the past including Carnatic concert by Dr M Bala Murali Krishna (in 2006), Ghazal concert by Anup Jalota (2007), Musical Nite by Sadhana Sargam (2011) and Musical nite by Preeti Bhalla (2011) to mention a few.

M Balamuralikrishna is a Carnatic musician, instrumentalist, as well as a playback singer.

Balamuralikrishna is also a celebrated poet, composer and appreciated by all Indian classical musicians for his expertise in Carnatic music. This Carnatic music vocalist became legendary personality who has composed a number of songs. For his awe-inspiring creations, Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna has received critical acclamation throughout his performing career. The Government of India has also bestowed him with the Padma Vibhushan. For details email www.kalanjaliq8@gmail

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

TRASSK Fahaheel Kalikkalam committee

T

hrissur Association of Kuwait, Fahaheel Area Kalikkalam Committee formation, for the year 2012 - 2013 was conducted on 5th May 2012, at Wonder Kids Play School, Mangaf.

The meeting was presided by Fahaheel Area Vanitha Vedi convener Vanaja Rajan. TRASSK President Ajith Menon, and Vanitha Vedi President Kochurani Vincent gave messages to the new com-

mittee. General Secretary Biju Kadavi, Treasurer Jeejo Sunny, Kalikkalam Central Committee Convener Paulsy Biju, Kalikkalam area coordinator Nimya Rajesh, Kalikkalam Former President Vignesh Jayathilakan, Vanitha Vedi general secretary Preetha Manikandan, area convener Sasankan, Area Secretary Varghese, and Fahaheel area coordinator Sanoj gave felicitation speeches.

The following children were selected for the new panel of Kalikkalam Fahaheel area committee: convener: Kumari Angel Francis; joint convener: Ajmal Jamaludeen; secretary: Kumari Aparna Shine; executive members: Kumari Stephena Sebastian, Kumari Evana Sonal; central committee executive members: Steven Sebastian, Kumari Rachel Binoy.

The Residence Inn adds to robust local expansion

M

arriott Kuwait Hotels recently announced a key milestone in its expansion plans and commitment to developing the hospitality sector in Kuwait. Kuwait Marriott Hotels will add to its existing portfolio of properties in Kuwait, Residence Inn, which is scheduled to open in 2015. The announcement comes as part of Marriott International, Inc. a long term agreement with Family United General to manage the Residence Inn by Marriott Kuwait City, bringing the total number of properties to be managed to four, which include JW Marriott, Courtyard By Marriott Hotel, Arraya Ballroom, as well as The new Residence Inn by Marriott.

Owned by Family United General, Residence Inn will offer 143 spacious and modern studios, one, and two- bedroom suites. Designed as a service apartment for stays of five nights or more, each suite will include a fully functional kitchen and separate living area, flat screen TV and Marriott’s widely acclaimed bed and bath linens. Rates will vary depending on length of stay. A unique feature will be the Residence Inn lobby that will offer a communal environment and include a self-service lounge, casual restaurant and a meeting room. A “grab and go” kiosk/market offering snacks, basic food items, newspapers, magazines and various sundries will be located adjacent to the front desk. Residence Inn also features fitness

facilities that allow travelers to continue with their regular routine of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

George Aoun, General Manager of Kuwait Marriott Hotels said: “This comes as a broader move to establish brand

recognition via a worthwhile venture.

We believe that Kuwait is an ideal fit to invest in luxurious brands that will accommodate the needs and desires of business and leisure travelers from around the world. With the growth in tourism, high disposable income, oil wealth and economic development, we assured that more Marriott properties

will make its way through to the local market.”

Kuwait Marriott Hotels currently houses the Courtyard by Marriott Kuwait City hotel, a business hotel centrally located within easy reach to the

financial and business district and directly connected to Arraya shopping Mall. The spacious hotel rooms feature a large work desk, free breakfast and high-speed Internet. Club floor rooms feature business lounge access. Located on higher floors, leisure and recreational facilities offer luxurious amenities and attentive service. Marriott also manages

the 1,500 sqm Arraya Ballroom, which is adjacent to the hotel, and is perfect for large gala dinners and social events.

Ghazi F. Al Nafisi, Salhia’s Chairman & Managing Director said, “We are delighted to be part of a new and lucrative investment in the Marriott group .Hospitality is a flourishing sector granting us the opportunity to expand with a diverse portfolio and increase in volume of our current business. Some of our local commercial entities are Salhia plaza, Sahab tower in the Salhia commercial complex, Arraya tower, Arraya commercial offices in Arraya commercial center, and Salhia Tower in Bahrain bay.”

Recently awarded Best Business hotel in Kuwait City, the JW Marriott Kuwait is located in the heart of the business and downtown commercial district directly connected to the luxurious Salhia Shopping Mall. The Kuwait City hotel offers the latest in comfort, luxury bedding, expansive work areas, in-room safe and mini-bars. Each of the hotels restaurants are authentic in every detail with well-crafted menu selections offering.

Elite Health Clubs with a relaxing Jacuzzi and an indoor pool are also part and parcel of the whole package.

“We look forward to entering this exciting new chapter and continue to provide world class services with a host of facilities guaranteed to stand the test of time” added George Aoun.

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 e-mail: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NEPAL The Embassy of Nepal will be moving 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 nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk nnnnnnn

U Grill’s exclusive BBQ dining concept

T

he U Grill is an exclusive “Fun & Family” Interactive - BBQ dining concept & the first in Kuwait. The restaurant concept is very unique & encourages wholesome dining in 2’s, 4, and 6’s... actually the more the merrier!!!!

As finest cuts of meat from around

the World are brought from the kitchen& barbequed “live “on a “Unique Gas Fired Trade Mark Grill” Embedded on your table all over the world, friends, families & partners share many a valuable moments together as part of their daily routine Our chef’s unique idea of

“Sharing Meals” & “Family Platters” concept reciprocates the above & brings the world closer in these intimate times.

The concept highlight is the “In House Meat Gourmet Shop” showcasing finest cuts of meat, house bottled marinades & dressings.

Finally the wait is over .... Don your culinary hat & champion your BBQ skills & maybe take a few tips from our grill master. This unique restaurant located at Olympia Towers in Salmiya.

Security seminar

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

B

urhantec also known as Burhan Technology Co in partnership with Comguard Dubai presented a one of a kind security seminar in Kuwait. The seminar presented two of the most renowned security provider companies GFI and Cyberoam.

GFI is a USA based company and has many software based solutions for internet monitoring, email archiving, endpoint security etc. They have very aggressive prices and tremendous support system. Burhantec is a gold partner for GFI products in Kuwait.

Cyberoam part of Elitecore Technologies is also a USA based company and deals in next generation firewall. Cyberoam has firewall devices from small offices to big enterprises and has recently introduced home security device netgenie. Burhantec is platinum partner for cyberoam in Kuwait.

Write to us Send to What’s On Burhantec is a local Kuwait company started its operation from 2008 and focusing on various IT security solutions in the country. Burhantec has partnered with many of the world renowned companies and has

an excellent sales and technical support. With a list of more than 500 customers Burhantec is one of the most emerging IT companies in Kuwait.

upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

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

Untamed & Uncut Shark Attack File 3 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Great Animal Escapes Great Animal Escapes Karina: Wild On Safari Karina: Wild On Safari Great Ocean Adventures Dogs 101 Escape To Chimp Eden Crocodile Hunter The Planet’s Funniest Animals Growing Up...

Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Wild Animal Orphans Project Puppy Dogs 101 Wildest Africa Africa’s Super Seven Wildlife SOS Safari Vet School Safari Vet School Must Love Cats Wild Africa Rescue Wild Africa Rescue Wild Britain With Ray Mears Wild Britain With Ray Mears Austin Stevens Adventures Great Ocean Adventures Baboons With Bill Bailey Baboons With Bill Bailey Wildest Arctic I Was Bitten Animal Cops Philadelphia

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

BBC World News World Features Equestrian World BBC World News Dateline London BBC World News World Features Working Lives BBC World News Click BBC World News Newsnight BBC World News The Record Europe BBC World News Fast Track BBC World News World Features Equestrian World BBC World News World Features Dateline London BBC World News Imagine BBC World News World Features The Culture Show BBC World News Newsnight BBC World News World Features Mishal Husain Meets BBC World News Sport Today Click BBC World News Horizons BBC World News World Features Working Lives BBC World News India Business Report BBC World News Mishal Husain Meets Sports World Have Your Say Sports World Have Your Say BBC World News Equestrian World BBC World News World Features Horizons BBC World News Imagine BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News World Features The Culture Show

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

Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Wacky Races Pink Panther And Pals Dexter’s Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies The Garfield Show The Looney Tunes Show Tom & Jerry Tales Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Yogi’s Treasure Hunt Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Wacky Races Scooby Doo On Zombie Dastardly And Muttley Looney Tunes Scooby-Doo And ScrappyTom & Jerry Top Cat Top Cat Pink Panther & Pals The Garfield Show The Looney Tunes Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Scooby Doo Show Pink Panther And Pals The Jetsons Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Tom & Jerry Tales The Garfield Show The Flintstones Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch Popeye Scooby-Doo And ScrappyWacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:25 Casper’s Scare School 06:50 The Powerpuff Girls 07:40 The Amazing World Of Gumball 08:05 Adventure Time 08:30 Regular Show 09:20 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 09:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 10:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:35 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 11:00 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 11:25 Grim Adventures Of...

12:15 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:05 Generator Rex 13:30 Powerpuff Girls 14:20 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 14:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 15:10 Best Ed 16:00 Fantastic Four...

16:25 Ben 10

16:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:15 Adventure Time 17:40 Regular Show 18:05 Powerpuff Girls 18:55 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:20 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:45 Ed, Edd n Eddy 20:35 Grim Adventures Of...

21:00 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 21:25 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 21:50 Cow And Chicken 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

00:40 First Week In 01:35 Kidnap And Rescue 02:30 How It’s Made 03:00 Factory Line 03:25 How It’s Made 03:55 Factory Line 04:20 How It’s Made 04:50 Factory Line 05:15 How It’s Made 05:40 Factory Line 06:05 How It’s Made 06:35 Factory Line 07:00 Factory Line 07:25 How It’s Made 07:50 American Chopper: Senior vs Junior 08:45 Desert Car Kings 09:40 X-Machines 10:30 River Monsters 11:25 Extreme Fishing 12:20 Factory Line 12:45 Factory Line 13:15 Factory Line 13:40 Factory Line 14:10 Factory Line 14:35 Auction Hunters 15:05 Auction Hunters 15:30 Auction Hunters 16:00 Auction Hunters 16:25 Auction Hunters 16:55 Border Security 17:20 Border Security 17:50 Border Security 18:15 Border Security 18:45 Border Security 19:10 Soul Food Family 20:05 Unchained Reaction 21:00 James May’s Man Lab 21:55 Curiosity 22:50 Swamp Loggers 23:45 Swamp Loggers

00:05 Punkin Chunkin 2011 00:35 Punkin Chunkin 2010 01:25 The Tech Show 01:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 02:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 03:35 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 04:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:20 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 06:10 Future Weapons 07:00 Head Rush 07:03 Sci-Fi Science 07:30 Weird Connections 08:00 Future Weapons 08:55 Scrapheap Challenge 09:45 Catch It Keep It 10:35 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 11:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 12:15 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 13:05 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 13:55 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 14:45 Head Rush 14:48 Sci-Fi Science 15:15 Weird Connections 15:45 The Tech Show 16:10 Future Weapons 17:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman

RONIN ON OSN ACTION HD

17:50 18:40 19:05 19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:40

Sci-Trek Punkin Chunkin 2011 Punkin Chunkin 2011 Flying Anvils Mega Builders Nextworld Punkin Chunkin 2011 Punkin Chunkin 2011 Flying Anvils Weird Or What?

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

Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Stitch Stitch Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic A Kind Of Magic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Suite Life Of Zack And So Random Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie A.N.T. Farm Austin & Ally 16 Wishes Good Luck Charlie Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Austin & Ally Jessie Wizards Of Waverly Place So Random Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Radio Rebel Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Austin & Ally Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Radio Rebel Phineas And Ferb Jessie Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks The Suite Life Of Zack And The Suite Life Of Zack And Sonny With A Chance

06:00 Phineas And Ferb 22:30 Phineas And Ferb 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:55 Style Star 01:25 25 Celebrity Near Death Experiences 03:15 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Then And Now 06:00 50 Most Insane Celebrity Oops 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 09:45 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 THS 11:10 Ice Loves Coco 11:35 Ice Loves Coco 12:05 E! News 13:05 Style Star 13:35 Style Star 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Behind The Scenes 17:55 E! News 18:55 Kendra 19:25 Giuliana & Bill 20:25 Ice Loves Coco 20:55 Khloe And Lamar 21:25 Khloe And Lamar 21:55 Ice Loves Coco 22:25 Fashion Police 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

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

A Haunting Ghost Lab The Haunted A Haunting A Haunting True Crime With Aphrodite Mystery ER Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Behind Mansion Walls LA: City Of Demons Scorned: Crimes Of Passion

01:35 Thunderbolt And LightfootPG 03:30 Psych-Out 05:00 Cop 06:50 Diamond Skulls-18 08:15 Strictly Business-PG 09:35 Haunted Honeymoon-PG 10:55 How To Succeed In Business Without Trying-PG 12:55 Ghoulies 14:15 The Group-PG 16:45 Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM 17:00 In His Life: The John Lennon Story-PG 18:29 Hair-PG 20:30 Pale Blood-18 22:00 Rockula 23:30 Flesh And Blood-18

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

Geo Sessions Geo Sessions David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Food School Food School Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Food School Food School Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys Pressure Cook Pressure Cook Which Way To First Ascent First Ascent Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Food School Food School Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys A World Apart Geo Sessions Geo Sessions Around The World For Free Departures Banged Up Abroad Adventure Wanted Nomads

00:00 Air Crash Investigation 01:00 Taboo 02:00 Megastructures 03:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 04:00 Shark Men 05:00 Lockdown 06:00 Adventure Wanted 07:00 Departures 08:00 Air Crash Investigation 09:00 Taboo 10:00 Megastructures 11:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 12:00 Shark Men 13:00 Locked Up Abroad 14:00 Adventure Wanted 15:00 Departures 16:00 Air Crash Investigation 17:00 Taboo 18:00 Megastructures 19:00 Megastructures 20:00 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 21:00 Lions Behaving Badly 22:00 Breakout 23:00 Inside

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

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

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:15 10:00

Wild India (aka Secrets of Wild Lions Behaving Badly Living With Big Cats When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs Expedition Wild Extinction Sucks Wild Detectives Wild Detectives Planet Carnivore Swamp Men Monkey Thieves Python Hunters Wild Dog Diaries Tiger Queen Built For The Kill Grizzly Cauldron Monster Fish Desert Seas Wild Amazon Python Hunters Shell Shocked Desert Seas Wild Amazon Python Hunters Shell Shocked Built For The Kill

Wild India (aka Secrets of Wild Lions Behaving Badly Living With Big Cats When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs Expedition Wild Extinction Sucks Wild Detectives Wild Detectives Planet Carnivore Swamp Men Monkey Thieves Python Hunters Wild Dog Diaries Tiger Queen Built For The Kill Grizzly Cauldron Monster Fish Desert Seas Wild Amazon Python Hunters Shell Shocked Desert Seas Wild Amazon Python Hunters Shell Shocked Built For The Kill

Bad Guys-18 Fright Night-PG15 Hustle And Flow-18 King Arthur-PG15 Red Faction: Origins-PG15 Dick Tracy-PG15

OSN brings unparalleled coverage of the olympics OSN, the leading Pay TV network in the Middle East and North Africa is inviting viewers to watch unrivaled live coverage of the London 2012 Olympics at their own convenience on 13 channels across multiple media platforms with over 225 hours of the most comprehensive coverage every day.

OSN will showcase all 26 Olympic sports from the 16-day sporting extravaganza. The coverage will be screened across 8 sports TV channels of which 3 are brand new including a 24/7 Olympic news channel. OSN viewers can enjoy the games in full high definition 1080i with Dolby Digital surround sound providing the best possible viewing experience.

With OSN Play, the region’s first online TV platform, OSN customers will be able to watch the games LIVE via 5 dedicated channels enabling sports enthusiasts to watch the Olympics whilst they are on the move. OSN Play, which is offered at no additional cost to OSN customers, is designed to ensure viewers don’t miss a single minute of the action, even when they are away from their TV screen.

David Butorac, CEO of OSN said: “OSN is extremely proud to be Official Broadcast Partner of the London 2012 Olympics bringing unprecedented coverage to every OSN home in the Middle East and North Africa. The best way to watch live sport is in high definition and we are delighted to present the London 2012 Olympics in true 1080i HD. Supported by our OSN Showbox HD and OSN Play we will bring our viewers an unforgettable and unrivaled OSN Olympic experience across our 13 channels. OSN will be the best way to watch the summer Olympics.”

12:00 14:00 16:00 20:00 22:00

Arlington Road-PG15 Red Faction: Origins-PG15 Spartacus-PG15 Ronin-18 RoboCop 2-PG15

01:00 MacGruber-18 03:00 My Sassy Girl-PG15 05:00 Ice Dreams-PG15 07:00 African Cats: Kingdom Of Courage-PG 09:00 My Sassy Girl-PG15 11:00 The 19th Wife-PG15 13:00 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star-PG15 15:00 Oceans-PG15 17:00 Bright Star-PG15 19:00 True Grit-PG15 21:00 Hall Pass-18 23:00 The Conspirator-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 02:30 Curb Your Enthusiasm 03:00 Parks And Recreation 03:30 Wilfred 04:00 Weird Science 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Seinfeld 06:00 Mr. Sunshine 06:30 Melissa And Joey 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Weird Science 08:30 Parks And Recreation 09:00 Seinfeld 09:30 The Office 10:00 Man Up! 10:30 Melissa And Joey 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Mr. Sunshine 12:30 Weird Science 13:00 Seinfeld 13:30 Melissa And Joey 14:00 Wilfred 14:30 Man Up! 15:00 The Office 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Mr. Sunshine 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 Last Man Standing 19:00 Two And A Half Men 20:00 Whitney 20:30 Napoleon Dynamite 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:00 Curb Your Enthusiasm 23:30 Whitney

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00

Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Top Gear (UK) Warehouse 13 Damages The View Good Morning America The Invisible Man Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Criminal Minds Warehouse 13 Top Gear (UK) Good Morning America The Invisible Man The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Covert Affairs Bones

Fans will be able to record the Olympics, using the OSN Showbox HD to watch their favorite sport, competition or athlete at a time that is convenient to them. With multiple events taking place at the same time viewers will no longer have to make tough choices on which event to follow. OSN’s Electronic TV Guide will make it easier for customers to discover and enjoy the best of the Olympics.

Andy Warkman, Head of Sport at OSN said: “OSN is committed to bringing our viewers big sporting events and they

don’t come any bigger than the Olympic Games. Our 13 channels will put our viewers right at the heart of the action, they will have the choice to watch at home in stunning HD or take the Olympics with them through OSN Play. It will be an amazing 16 days of sport with OSN.” Set in twelfth century England, Pillars of the Earth is a tale about love, war and religious strife during the building of the Kingsbridge Cathedra.

21:00 Burn Notice 22:00 Top Gear (US) 23:00 Damages

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

Pan Am Top Gear (UK) Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Warehouse 13 Eureka Pan Am Emmerdale Coronation Street Royal Pains Top Gear (UK) Criminal Minds Warehouse 13 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Royal Pains Pan Am Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Royal Pains Covert Affairs Bones Burn Notice Top Gear (US) True Blood

01:00 The Losers-PG15 03:00 Hustle And Flow-18 05:00 Malibu Shark Attack-18 07:00 Salt-PG15 09:00 No Time To Fear-PG15 11:00 Restitution-PG15 13:00 Drunken Master-PG15 15:00 No Time To Fear-PG15 17:00 Game Of Death-PG15 19:00 Double Impact-18 21:00 Camp Hope-PG15 23:00 The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 PG15

01:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 PG15 11:00 13:15 15:00 PG15 17:00 19:15 21:00 23:00

01:30 03:30 06:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 PG15 15:00 17:00

Threesome-18 Submarine-PG15 How To Train Your Dragon-PG Return To Sleepaway CampYou Again-PG15 Roommates-PG15 Rat-PG Guarding Tess-PG Roommates-PG15 Labor Pains-PG15 The Joneses-PG15 The Night Of The White Pants-

Das Boot-PG15 Light It Up-PG15 Cinema Verite-PG15 The Deep End Of The OceanSpiderman 2-PG15 Private-PG15 The Deep End Of The OceanMiracle-U Le Syndrome Du Titanic-PG15 Adaptation-18 The Gray Man-PG15

Cars 2-FAM Inside Job-PG15 My Name Is Khan-PG15 StreetDance-PG15 Rango-FAM Justice For Natalee HollowayUnanswered Prayers-PG15 StreetDance-PG15

19:00 Due Date-PG15 21:00 Hereafter-18 23:15 The Conspirator-PG15

00:00 Despicable Me-FAM 02:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase-FAM 04:00 The Borrowers-PG 06:00 Barbie In A Mermaid Tale 2FAM 08:00 Despicable Me-FAM 10:00 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed-PG 12:00 The Nimbols: Part I-FAM 13:45 The Borrowers-PG 16:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG15 18:00 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed-PG 20:00 Young Fisherman-PG 21:30 The Nimbols: Part I-FAM 23:30 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG15

00:00 07:00 09:00 09:30 11:30 12:00 13:00 21:00 23:00

Test Cricket Live NRL Premiership European Tour Weekly Live Super Rugby Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport Live Test Cricket Super Rugby Volvo Ocean Race

00:30 02:30 04:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:30 18:15 19:45 21:00 23:30

NRL Premiership Scottish FA Cup Super Rugby Total Rugby Futbol Mundial NRL Full Time Live NRL Premiership Scottish FA Cup Super Rugby AFL Premiership NRL Premiership Volvo Ocean Race Live Volvo Ocean Race AFL Premiership NRL Premiership

04:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 11:00 12:30 13:00 19:00 21:00 22:00

Volvo Ocean Race European Tour Weekly World Cup Of Pool Trans World Sport Live AFL Premiership Volvo Ocean Race European Tour Weekly Live European PGA Tour Scottish FA Cup Volvo Ocean Race European PGA Tour

01:00 02:00 02:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 13:00 14:30 15:00 17:00 17:30 18:30 20:00 23:00

WWE Bottomline V8 Supercars Extra V8 Supercars UFC Unleashed UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience PrizeFighter V8 Supercars V8 Supercars This Week in WWE WWE SmackDown V8 Supercars Extra V8 Supercars V8 Supercars UFC UFC 146 Countdown

Classifieds SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Sunday 20/5/2012 Route

Airlines

Flt

JZR QTR JZR JZR ETH RJA GFA UAE NCR ETD KAC DHX FDB MSR QTR THY DHX FCX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC IRA KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA IRC FCX MEA JZR MSR CLX JZR AFR SYR KAC MSR KAC GFA KAC FDB KNE KAC QTR SVA RJA KAC JZR QTR JZR JZR NCR ETD UAE SVA GFA UAL JZR JZR ABY KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB MSR JZR KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA KAC ALK JZR KLM UAE JZR ETD KAC ABY QTR DHX KAC AIC RBG GFA UAL JZR DLH THY PIA

185 148 539 267 620 642 211 853 952 305 154 370 67 612 138 770 170 201 555 412 157 206 382 615 284 53 302 332 352 855 125 132 55 603 301 213 6801 203 404 165 618 792 561 6708 341 742 610 672 219 774 57 472 538 140 500 640 788 257 134 213 535 954 303 857 510 215 982 177 777 127 502 542 786 166 63 624 787 618 674 102 572 562 389 61 647 402 146 221 514 229 481 417 859 135 307 172 129 136 372 678 981 3553 217 981 239 636 772 205

DUBAI DOHA CAIRO BEIRUT ADDIS ABABA AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI AQABA ABU DHABI ISTANBUL BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO DOHA ISTANBUL BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MANILA LONDON ISLAMABAD DELHI SHAHRE KORD DHAKA DUBAI MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM COCHIN DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA DUBAI SHIRAZ ABU DHABI BAHRAIN AHWAZ DUBAI BEIRUT DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LUXEMBOURG SOHAG PARIS DAMASCUS DAMMAM CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH DUBAI JEDDAH SOHAG DOHA JEDDAH AMMAN JEDDAH BEIRUT DOHA DEIREZZOR CAIRO AQABA ABU DHABI DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH BEIRUT CAIRO JEDDAH PARIS DUBAI SOHAG RIYADH DOHA DUBAI NEW YORK MUMBAI AMMAN KOZHIKODE DUBAI MUSCAT BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN TEHRAN COLOMBO SABIHA AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI FRANKFURT SHARJAH DOHA BAHRAIN MUSCAT CHENNAI ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN AMMAN FRANKFURT ISTANBUL LAHORE

Departure Flights on Sunday20/5/2012 Route

Time

Airlines

Flt

0:15 0:20 0:30 0:50 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:30 2:55 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:25 4:35 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:15 6:30 7:15 7:30 7:35 7:45 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:25 9:30 10:00 10:15 10:30 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:10 12:25 12:35 12:35 13:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:45 13:45 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:15 15:30 16:00 16:30 16:35 16:55 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:00 18:15 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:55 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:40 23:55

AIC UAL DLH THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR NCR RJA JZR GFA THY KAC BAW FDB IRA KAC JZR KAC ABY JZR KAC KAC UAE JZR QTR FDB ETD IRA KAC KAC GFA IRC KAC FCX MEA KAC JZR MSR KAC KAC JZR CLX JZR SYR AFR GFA FDB MSR KAC KAC KNE KAC KAC SVA RJA JZR QTR KAC ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE JZR GFA ABY SVA UAL FDB NCR MSR JZR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA GFA JZR DHX ALK KLM ABY ETD UAE FCX KAC QTR KAC KAC DHX JZR QTR AXB RBG GFA KAC KAC JZR

976 981 637 773 621 854 68 371 306 613 139 149 560 953 643 164 212 771 537 156 54 614 171 256 117 126 534 671 787 856 212 133 56 302 602 741 773 214 6802 541 204 405 501 776 623 103 785 480 792 176 342 6708 220 58 611 561 673 473 677 617 503 641 786 135 513 304 238 538 141 858 134 216 128 511 982 64 954 621 184 361 571 62 283 351 648 403 222 502 171 230 417 120 308 860 102 343 137 301 205 373 554 147 390 3554 218 411 415 528

GOA WASHINGTON DC FRANKFURT ISTANBUL ADDIS ABABA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI CAIRO DOHA DOHA SOHAG AQABA AMMAN DUBAI BAHRAIN ISTANBUL SOHAG LONDON DUBAI SHAHRE FRANKFURT BEIRUT NEW YORK SHARJAH CAIRO DUBAI JEDDAH DUBAI DEIREZZOR DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI SHIRAZ DAMMAM RIYADH BAHRAIN AHWAZ CAIRO DUBAI BEIRUT BEIRUT JEDDAH SOHAG LONDON JEDDAH ISTANBUL GIALAM DUBAI ALEPPO DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH MUSCAT DOHA MADINAH AMMAN RIYADH DOHA IMAM KHOMEINI ABU DHABI AMMAN CAIRO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN SHARJAH RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI AL MAKTOUM INT. ALEXANDRIA DUBAI COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI DHAKA KOCHI MUSCAT BEIRUT BAHRAIN LUXOR BAHRAIN COLOMBO DAMMAM SHARJAH ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN CHENNAI DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DOHA MANGALORE ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BANGKOK KUALA LUMPUR ASSIUT

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 2:15 2:45 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:30 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:05 8:25 8:25 8:35 8:55 9:00 9:05 9:05 9:10 9:20 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:15 12:25 12:30 13:10 13:15 13:15 13:20 13:35 14:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 14:40 15:05 15:15 15:25 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:40 19:25 19:30 19:55 20:05 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:35 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:40 23:50 23:50

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) Prayer timings

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

Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:26 11:44 15:20 18:34 20:01

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

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available in Mahbooula for non-smoking Keralites.

Contact: 66725394.

(C 4015) Sharing accommodation immediately available in single room with TFC for Filipino single/couple in Hawally.

Contact: 94948506.

(C 4016) Sharing accommodation (big room) available only for Indian working lady or couple in Salmiiya near Salmiya Garden. Contact: 99307471/ 99838117/ 25635450.

(C 4018) 20-5-2012 Accommodation available from June in a C-A/C flat in Abbasiya, for one or two Christian bachelors. Contact: 65625804. (C 4011) 19-5-2012

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

MATRIMONIAL Christian Orthodox boy, 29/178cm working as IT Professional invites proposal from parents of well qualified girls.

Contact: lijoshere@gmail.com (C 4013) Female, 29 years, Malayalee, CSI, Accountant in Australia, B.Com, Master

Hospitals 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 Mishref W.Hawally Sabah Jahra New Jahra West Jahra South Jahra North Jahra North Jleeb Ardiya Firdous Al-Omariya N.Khaitan Fintas

24732263 22517733 22517144 24848075 24849807 24848913 24814507 22549134 22526804 24814764 22515088 22532265 22531908 22518752 22459381 22451082 22456536 22465401 25746401 25316254 25623444 25388462 25381200 22630786 24810221 24770319 24575755 24772608 24775066 24775992 24311795 24884079 24892674 24719048 24710044 3900322

in professional Accounting, Australian citizen willing to relocate, seeks suitable alliance from professionally well qualified boys with good family background.

Contact Email: tcjohn@gmail.com (C 4014) 19-5-2012

SITUATION WANTED Accountant, MBA-Finance, B.Com-Accounts & CA-Inter, having 5 years experience looking for part time job; can prepare accounting reports, financial statements.

Contact: 55829223 or Email: acconline@yahoomail.com 19-5-2012

SITUATION VACANT Indian driver for Kuwaiti family. 1) Working as driver in Kuwait at least 5 years. 2) Knows to speak English. 3) Residence 20. Contact: 66343220.

(C 4017) 20-5-2012

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

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

French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258

34

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 680

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You may find yourself working most of this day. If you are in sales, you will discover a booming day ahead. If you are at home, you might be trying to sell a car or lend your hand to helping with a garage sale—do not hide behind a book—sales are great! Someone near you may need a listening ear . . . be wise and take a little time to hear what he or she needs to say. One key secret to listening is responding only when asked. If you really feel the need to add some information, ask if the desire is for input or only a sympathetic ear. Reassurance is always a welcomed comfort. There is enough time for a bit of exercise this afternoon and inviting a person along for a bit of exercise may be helpful for the two of you. Enjoy relaxing activities tonight.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) A phone call this morning requesting your help could have you running in many different directions. If you do not make this a habit—enjoy. However, if this response to help someone is a habit, it could drain your energies. Think about what may be taxing your energy and replace the activity with a more positive choice. It is time to instill some positive changes and take notes on how to enhance and balance your life. This includes charity and volunteer responsibilities as well as work, maintenance, play and relationships. An animal friend needs attention this afternoon—you could find yourself bathing your favorite dog! Tonight someone very special will fill your time with enjoyable activities. This could mean dinner out, board or card games or a movie.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Twining perennials having cordate leaves and flowers arranged in conelike spikes.

5. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

10. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.

13. Large elliptical brightly colored deep-sea fish of Atlantic and Pacific and Mediterranean.

14. Tropical American tree grown in southern United States having a whitish pink-tinged fruit.

15. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization.

16. Decrease gradually or bit by bit.

17. Denuded of leaves.

19. (anatomy) Of or relating to the ilium.

21. Primitive reptile having no opening in the temporal region of the skull.

23. A member of a widespread group of Amerindians living in northeastern South America.

26. A very light colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses.

27. United States newspaper publisher (1858-1935).

29. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

30. (archaic) Of persons.

34. (chemistry) P(otential of ) H(ydrogen).

35. Leaf or strip from a leaf of the talipot palm used in India for writing paper.

36. Seed of a pea plant.

37. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

39. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

42. 100 lwei equal 1 kwanza.

44. Committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates.

45. Being ten more than one hundred ninety.

46. A sodium salt of carbonic acid.

51. Enthusiastic approval.

56. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

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

59. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

60. 100 avos equal 1 pataca.

61. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

63. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

64. Water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air.

65. A port city in southwestern Iran.

66. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. A member of the Shoshonean people of northeastern Arizona.

2. A translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color.

3. A person who is rejected (from society or home).

4. Large scissors with strong blades.

5. A person's brother or sister.

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

7. United States writer of poems and plays about racial conflict (born in 1934).

8. A primeval personification of air and breath.

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

10. By bad luck.

11. East Indian cereal grass whose seed yield a somewhat bitter flour, a staple in the Orient.

12. Of or relating to or characteristic of the Republic of Chad or its people or language.

18. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work.

20. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

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

24. A member of a North American people formerly living in the Colorado river valley in Arizona.

25. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

28. A wad of something chewable as tobacco.

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

32. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

33. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

38. Any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola.

40. (informal) Of the highest quality.

41. The act of scanning.

43. A written agreement (or property or money) delivered to a third party or put in trust by one party to a contract to be returned after fulfillment of some condition.

47. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

48. Hungarian choreographer who developed Labanotation (1879-1958).

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

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

52. Perennial having hollow cylindrical leaves used for seasoning.

53. The arch of bone beneath the eye that forms the prominence of the cheek.

54. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells.

55. Offering fun and gaiety.

58. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.

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

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) It may occur to you sometime this morning that you actually had dreams last night and they might have been interesting. This would be a great time for you to start a dream diary. For a few evenings, just before retiring for the night, drink a full glass of water. You will awaken a couple of hours after bedtime and be able to record your dream(s). A few notes on the dream will help you to remember that dream the next day. When you review your dream(s), think about what activity might have inspired the dream from the day before. Later today you will have the opportunity to go to an art exhibit. If you participate in arts or crafts, you may gain ideas for your next creative project. When this project is completed, it may help you to create a bit of money.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) A party to celebrate the time of the year seems appropriate today. However, any sort of party seems right when you have teenagers that love to gather. You may find that when there is talk of graduation, there is talk of tests and colleges. You may be able to tutor these kids when it comes time to take tests and qualify for college. You could make some money when you tutor on a regular basis. A lost item, a gift or some other item that you may have forgotten will be found soon. This could mean an item that may have been lost in the mail. While deciding where to eat dinner out this evening, include the kids. Young people love to be included and without them, the family scene would be a bit thin. If you don’t have kids, invite friends—it will be lively evening.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) You are up early this morning to get chores and exercise out of the way. You clear the way to enjoy the rest of the day. There may have been a bit of depression at this time last year. This year you may be going too far in the other direction—think about it. You keep busy but manage to find time for most anything that holds your interest. Take care to learn the important things it takes to keep your physical and mental acuity at a good healthy level. Your expertise at some hobby or talent may have others asking you to entertain at a party or for some social get-together this weekend. This could be anything from great harmonica playing to a little tap dance routine. Fun conversations this evening may center on oldtime beliefs or superstitions.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your artistic inspiration is alive and well and may manifest itself through your creative urges or just the urge to experience the beauty of nature, travel or camping. There are opportunities for cozy, instructive conversations with friends, and loved ones. You will have a heightened desire to go out in nature—perhaps photographing spring flowers. You can be particularly witty and make stimulating company most any time but you are in a particularly generous and in a warm mood today. You should become quite popular in social circles and melt even the coldest heart. This is an extremely creative period that you should make use of at this time. Travel and other contacts with faraway people and places play a bigger role for you now as well.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

You will be receiving helpful advice on a business or financial concern today. This is a good time to seek the advice of the successful people in your family, or among your friends. A child’s spending habits may be a concern. This would be a good time to teach budgeting through example. Now is also a good time to follow through on any promise you may have made to a loved one(s).

Put your actions behind your words. You have a lucky streak today and may find yourself the first one in line or receiving a check from a contest or the winner at Bingo. Get out and enjoy nature later today—encourage others to do the same. Perhaps a picnic in the park or a walk around the block is the preferred activity. Whatever the case, notice your surroundings.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Be wise in balancing your activities today so that your emotions will be more in balance with your surroundings. Trust in your own advice and refrain from seeking the input of others for now. Find ways to help someone today and your self-confidence will get a big boost. This may be something as simple as doing a favor for someone in and around your living area. Perhaps as you take your walk this afternoon you simply pick up the trash that has blown around your neighborhood. There is also a little time for relaxation and meditation. Your most challenging situation now is in striking a balance between your work, play and rest. This is a great time to forget the workplace and just enjoy the day. Make a wish!

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) A loved one may not need your attention until later this afternoon. This morning would be the best time to work on a hobby or dive into your favorite personal project. Avoid talks that involve health problems but take on any knowledge of health improvement tips. Good health tips are important for your contemplation. You could take on someone else’s illness for a short time, especially if you involve yourself with talk of symptoms—your health is good. This afternoon you may be asked to help with children. Perhaps this is a good time to take these children to a movie or help them learn a special skill. You can help these young ones learn good citizenship or sportsmanship. Planting flowers or cleaning up a section of the yard can become educational.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Someone may confide in you today. There may be some dreams of love that you want to share with friends today. Fun conversations about dreams and their meaning may surface as well. This could just be a great day to hang out with friends. A little shopping or joining in a game of sports may be the fun connection. Those that do not know you and your friends can see from a distance how courteous and mannerly each one of you is to yourselves as well as other people.

This may be noticed by your neighbors or by young people. You may be helping someone to celebrate a special occasion this evening. If there is not a celebration, you may find something to celebrate on your own. Writing stories may become a profitable hobby soon.

To

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Chores and errands can be eliminated quickly this morning.

If another person’s chores are not completed when you finish your own chores, ask if you can help—do not automatically do it for that person.

Financially, your hard work is beginning to pay off this year. A breakthrough in a financial investment appears positive and you could be in the mood to celebrate.

This may involve only the planning stages of a vacation but you are in the mood to take a more unusual vacation this year. You may find yourself in a deep conversation with a neighbor friend later today. New insights into plans occur when you visit with friends. Everyone has plans for this evening including you.

Dancing, a play or a movie may be in order.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

An elderly family member may need your help today. If this is a regular happening on weekends—make arrangements for someone else to step in and replace you next weekend. Use your free time this weekend to plan what you might do next weekend. This time of the year is great for camping— discover the places that tourist enjoy. You are due a change of pace; now is a good time to begin. Those negative, confusing times have passed—luck in many areas of your life is a positive improvement. A relative or close friend has information about positive future financial investing. Plan to ask questions and check out the facts on Monday. Changing your diet and walking a different route can do amazing things for your disposition. Enjoy music.

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

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

Sabah Hospital

Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

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

GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

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

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

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

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

36

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

lifestyle

to stalking Mila Kunis

G O S S I P

Man pleads not guilty

Duff wants husband to be a stay-at-home dad ilary Duff wants her husband to be a stay-at-home dad.

The actress and singer gave birth to son Luca on March 20, and since her husband Mike Comrie has retired, she has decided he should look after their new addition when she resumes her film career. A source said: “Hilary told Mike that since he’s retired she’s now the family breadwinner, he should be the stay-at-home parent. “She had Mike trained to do diapers and bottle feedings and she has put him in charge of other household duties, including making breakfast, doing laundry and light cleaning.” Hilary, 24, has wasted no time getting back to work following the birth of Luca, and was spotted leaving the gym less than two weeks after her son was born. The source added to the National Enquirer magazine: “Mike loves his son and is enjoying the bonding time, but he jokes he feels more like Hilary’s slave than her husband. “Meanwhile, Hilary goes to Pilates classes five times a week, and she’s out shopping and doing lunches with girlfriends most afternoons. She buzzes around town to meetings and auditions.” Currently Hilary has no movies scheduled, but she recently finished shooting ‘She Wants Me’.

H

Gyllenhaal has Madonna wants to be the

man charged with stalking Mila Kunis has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges. Stuart Lynn Dunn appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Friday and entered the plea through a public defender. The 27-year-old was charged Thursday with stalking the “Black Swan” actress and violating a restraining order filed after he was arrested earlier this year

A

inside a vacant condo owned by Kunis.

Superior Court Judge Shelly Torrealba told Dunn to stay 500 yards away from Kunis if he posts $150,000 bail. Dunn was arrested earlier this month outside Kunis’ gym, where authorities say he had been waiting for three days. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted. Kunis did not attend Friday’s hearing.

Rock: I have

embarrassing parents

‘no idea’ how to cope with two kids

aggie Gyllenhaal has “no idea” how to deal with looking after two children. The ‘Hysteria’ actress - who recently gave birth to her second child with actor husband Peter Sarsgaard - interested to see how she copes with bringing up two youngsters at the same time. The 34-year-old mother told USA Today: “I’m curious to see how much I remember about nursing and changing diapers. About all of it. I have no idea how to do it with two. Having children is the most humbling thing you can do.” The parent to Ramona, five, and Gloria Ray who was born last month, admitted that she and her partner are worried about juggling their schedules. In her new motion picture she plays Charlotte Dalrymple, a women’s rights activist in Victorian London.

The Tanya Wexler-directed film revolves around how the vibrator was created. She confessed: “Peter was joking with me the other day. He said, ‘How is either of us ever going to work, ever?’ “We’ve figured out pretty well how to do it with one. At first we would take [Ramona] with us. Now she’s in kindergarten and it’s important that she’s settled. I wouldn’t take her out for any old thing.”

M

Stewart to guest

judge ‘The X Factor’

hris Rock and Julie Delpy both admit to having embarrassing parents. The ‘2 Days in New York’ costars play French photographer Marion, who now lives in New York with new squeeze Mingus (Chris), in their new comedy movie, and when Marion’s eccentric family comes to stay - including Julie’s real-life father, actor Albert Delpy chaos ensues. Julie exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “My parents used to embarrass me a lot when I was 14 because they were dancing a lot, and I just wanted them to be really serious people. But you grow out of that, it’s nice to have fun parents when you get older.

“My dad embarrasses me sometimes still.

Like he will say something and I’m like -

C

no dad, please don’t go there. Please don’t say it!” Chris - who counts Eddie Murphy as a close friend - added: “He’s much dirtier than me”, but the 42-yearold actress quipped: “No, you’re pretty much on a par!” Julie and Chris are both in long-term relationships, so they have plenty of experience of meeting the inlaws. Julie explained: “You’re meeting their guts, what they’re made of. And down the line in the relationship as you grow with this person you’re like - oh that’s why... oh that’s why I’m cleaning up, oh that’s why he doesn’t pick up his socks, little habits.... It explains so much about a person. It’s kind of dangerous.”

The 47-year-old actor said: “Maybe you shouldn’t meet the parents. Ever’.

Crawford dating TV host eight years older

hace Crawford is dating an American television presenter eight years his senior. The 26-year-old actor - who plays Nate Archibald in the teenage soap Gossip Girl - has been out on “a couple” of dates with sports newscaster Erin Andrews. The 34-yearold past ‘Dancing With The Stars’ contestant and Chace attended a vodka event together recently and were also spotted dining at a New York City basement restaurant. A source told Us Weekly: “They’re getting to know each other.” Meanwhile the actor recently spoke out about the end of his popular television drama which will end after its sixth and final season at the end of this year. He said: “For me, it’s going to be...tough to leave New York City. And it’s definitely an end of an era. It was college for everyone really.” He told Parade magazine of the show’s cancelation: “If I got to write the show, it would be a very different thing. I would make Chuck Gossip Girl and I would turn my character into Patrick Bateman from ‘American Psycho’.

C

United States President

adonna wishes she could be President of the United States. The pop superstar believes she would do a great job if she was able to take control of the country and her main goal would be to stop the country wasting money on “weapons of mass destruction”. When asked what she would do if she was President of the United States for one day, she said: “You can’t really change much in one day. I think I would like to be president for a longer time. I wouldn’t spend as much money for weapons of mass destruction but instead for education and art.” Although she has achieved worldwide success, Madonna’s ambition and drive has not diminished over the years. The 53-year-old singer attributes her success to her thirst for reinvention and never taking “anything for granted”. She explained: “It’s harder to stay famous than become famous. I don’t think there’s a rule for that (staying successful). You have to really love what you’re doing. You have to feed your soul with ideas and you’re not allowed to stop growing as a human. That’s what helps to create art. When it comes to my work I don’t take anything for granted.”

M

Lott takes mum on tour

R

od Stewart is due to guest judge on ‘The X Factor’.

The 67-year-old rock star has been signed up to take part while Simon Cowell finds a replacement for Kelly Rowland. Auditions begin on Wednesday in Liverpool and the ‘I Don’t Want To Talk About It’ singer is expected to be on the panel for two show. A source told the Mirror: “Rod is a genuine living legend and exactly what the show needs.” The details are still to be ironed out but it looks like he’ll be at the auditions next month in London and possibly Glasgow because of his Scottish heritage.”He’s sold more than 100 million records worldwide so he knows exactly what it takes to succeed in the tough world of show business, and hopefully he’ll also be a big draw for viewers who might not have been fans of ‘The X Factor’ before.”It’s a big coup to get him involved and Simon Cowell is absolutely thrilled.” Apparently producers were planning on recruiting Katy Perry with a 6-month contract following her 2010 stint on the show but left it too late.The source added: “Katy was a big hit with viewers when she appeared on the show, but Simon didn’t act fast enough to land her for this year. “Simon had put all his eggs in one basket with Dannii Minogue, and now everyone is scratching their heads wondering who they can get.” —Bang Showbiz

ixie Lott takes her mum on tour with her. The ‘All About Tonight’ hitmaker does not like being on her own - despite being 21 - and when her boyfriend Oliver Cheshire can’t join her when she has to travel the world, she brings along her mother. She said: “My boyfriend, Oliver, is a model and often just as busy as me, so mum still comes along when I travel. It’s no fun being in a hotel on your own - I get lonely. She looks after my scheduling because I’m

P

rubbish at that. She’s also honest and tells me straight if I’m doing something wrong. She always has my best interests at heart.” Pixie is so concerned with what her mother thinks, she is not sure if she would even get a tattoo without her permission. She said: “I’m just the same now as when I was a teenager. Drugs don’t interest me but I like to go out with my friends and have a good time. I’ve thought about having a tattoo, but I don’t think mum would like it.”

37

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

LIFESTYLE F e a t u r e s

Wanted: A dog to marry Lucky and help others in need n a midtown Manhattan hotel, a very special bride-to-be named Lucky, decked out in a frillypink dress, recently celebrated her impending nuptials with friends over sandwiches, cupcakes and tea. Like many brides, Lucky is in a rush to walk down the aisle, but she is no ordinary spouse-in-waiting and her shower was anything but typical. Lucky, like many of her 32 guests, is a dog - the most-photographed dog in the world with celebrities.

But there’s more, a lot more. She and her “parent,”Wendy Diamond, have dedicated their lives to help the plight of rescue animals, yet that will soon end. The energetic but aging Maltese was diagnosed with spleen cancer in February and given three months to a year to live.

“Lucky’s entire life has been about bringing awareness to rescue,” said Diamond, who has made Lucky an ambassador for shelter dogs.

“We’re looking for someone to take over.”

Diamond has plans for an elaborate July 12 wedding at the Jumeirah Essex House hotel in Manhattan. The author and animal rescue advocate is looking to pair Lucky with a sp ouse that will carry on her legacy of supporting animal welfare and rescue.

Diamond said that when she adopted Lucky in 1999, the Maltese suffered from separation anxiety, forcing her to carry the 8 lbs. pooch to all the dates on her social calendar - dinner parties, TV show tapings and charity events. One night, she was a guest at a dinner party attended by Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, and an idea struck her. “I said, ‘Hey Hugh, my dog is your biggest fan, would you mind taking a picture with her?’” said Diamond. “That’s how it all started.”

I

the Humane Society New York, was a guest at Lucky’s bridal shower. “This is an important event because we need to raise awareness about shelter dogs but, it’s also special to get together and just to be silly and enjoy your dogs,” she said. The ideal partner for Lucky should be friendly and not camera shy, but Diamond is otherwise keeping an open mind.

“It doesn’t have to be male, said Diamond.

“In New York State, two lady dogs are allowed to get married,” she said with a laugh. She’s also open to other animals, including cats. And, adds Diamond, “The best thing about this marriage is they don’t have to live together or sleep together.” Dylan Lauren, chief executive of retailer Dylan’s Candy Bar and daughter of designer Ralph Lauren, also attended Lucky’s shower and has been a judge at Diamond’s annual “Howloween” costume parties.

“I love the work Lucky’s done. She’s one of the most beautiful dogs and will make a beautiful bride,” said Lauren, who brought along her

Secret gardens revealed inAmsterdam uring the third weekend of June, 30 of the most private gardens in Amsterdam are open to the public as part of Open Garden Days. Some of them are opening for the first time ever, according to a press release from the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions. The gardens, hidden behind the stately facades and canals of Amsterdam, are true oases of peace and greenery-many of them designed by renowned architects.

Each year, Museum Van Loon organizes the Open Garden Days on the third weekend of June. On June 15 -17, a hidden part of Amsterdam will reveal its secrets when about 30 canal side gardens are opened up to the public. This year’s theme is “Coach Houses” and “Garden Houses’.”

Throughout the year, the most beautiful gardens of Amsterdam remain concealed behind the immense canal side buildings, but during the Amsterdam Open Garden Days visitors will be able to view them.

When Amsterdam’s canal district was constructed, it was not simply a question of

D

designing stately homes and flowering gardens, but also garden houses, picturesque arbors and coach houses. They were places much loved by people who wanted somewhere to drink tea, play games and enjoy the green space. There are numerous historical garden houses to visit, but also some more recent examples.

If you go Visitors are welcome to view the gardens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 15, 16 and 17th. A go-anywhere ticket costs $19; proceeds go to the Canal Gardens Fund.

The ticket lists and briefly describes all the gardens that can be visited. For further information visit the website: www.opentuinendagen.nl—MCT

Animals in need Since then, Lucky has posed with hundreds of stars including Kristen Stewart, President Bill Clinton, billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson and of course, Snoop Dogg. She will appear in the 2013 Guinness World Records as the most-photographed animal with celebrities.

Lucky also is the “face” of Animal Fair, a charitable group Diamond founded in 1999 to raise money and help rescue animals in shelters. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates five to seven million animals enter shelters every year and most are euthanized.

Anne-Marie Karash, Associate Director of

recently adopted mixed-breed Jersey. Harriette Rose Katz, a much in-demand New York event planner, is taking the reins for organizing Lucky’s nuptials because, after all, a celebrity pooch needs a posh affair.

“It’s going to be so exciting,” said Katz, who has planned another couple’s “Muttrimony.”

“We’re going to make a huge arbor of flowers. It will be beautiful. All we need is the groom!”

Potential spouses can apply at Diamond and Lucky’s facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-andLucky-Diamond/321873835270, or at animalfair.com. Diamond will select Lucky’s spouse on June 28, two weeks before the wedding. “I think she’ll have the most unique wedding of the year,” said Lauren. “Forget about Brad and Angelina!” —Reuters

The ABCs of chalkboard projects halkboards may be old-school, but they’re the newest accent in home decor. “Look what I made,” said Kelly Sims of Liberty, Mo., holding up her smartphone during an unofficial show and tell during a chalkboard paint class at Be Here Now, a store in Independence, Mo. She flipped through pics: A picnic basket with a chalkboard top for playfully listing its contents. An old mirror converted into a message board. The fronts of a few kitchen cabinets for meal planning and writing quotes. Sims finds pieces in thrift

C

For glass bottles, apply thinly. Spray cans of chalkboard paint are available.

Black-as in blackboard-is the most typical color of chalkboard paint, but it can be any color.

Chalkboard markers, available at craft stores and at Chalk Ink (chalkinkworldstore.com), are an alternative to dusty, smearing chalk. Decals with chalkboard surfaces are another way to go if you don’t want to commit to paint. Large-format shapes include rectangles, squares, airplanes and coffee cups, to name a few at All Modern (allmodern.com). Little labels are available at Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery at Staples (staples.com).

Erasers like you had in elementary school are adorable. But if you want the surface to be super clean, see Letter T (clean it with a damp cloth).

Furniture, such as the top of a desk or a dining table, works well for chalkboard paint. But the paint can be used on the entire piece. Artist Tiffini Killgore painted a dresser with chalkboard paint and wrote the names of Kansas City neighborhoods on the drawers in chalk.

Good gifts can be made with chalkboard paint.

These are a chalkboard painted door inside of Restoration Emporium. stores, garage sales and even the trash, and then transforms them with chalkboard paint into gifts and homeentertaining accessories.

Sims may be a kindergarten teacher, but she was a pupil that Thursday night in chalkboard paint class. The instructor was Meredith Martin, an interior designer who lectured on how to mix custom colors and what you can make with it. Results included a table setting with a chalkboard-painted paper runner and flower pots with chalkboard labels. Next to her sat a chalkboard-painted desk, storage boxes and a child’s play table. She led the class in a craft project, a large metal charger with the decorative border taped off. With paint, the center of the charger became a chalkboard.

Here’s an array of chalkboard paint information: Apply paint thickly with a foam craft brush for small pieces or a regular paintbrush for furniture and walls.

Chalkboards may be old-school, but they’re the newest accent in home decor.

—MCT photos Paint an empty wine bottle, et voila! A vase. Great gift tags, too, can be crafted. The best part: they’re reusable.

How to mix your own chalkboard paint: buy your

favorite color of latex paint, says interior designer Meredith Martin (she used a no-VOC variety). Buy unsanded grout ($3 from a hardware store). For a gallon of paint, mix in a quart of grout. (The ratio should be two-thirds paint to one-third grout). Stir. Add drops of water to make it thinner. After painting, allow to dry an hour. Often only one coat is needed.

Idea for parties: use a chalkboard-style oilcloth as a runner on the table. Give guests chalk or chalk pens and tell them to go to town.

Jot down anything on a chalkboard surface. It can be erased. Kraft paper can be covered with chalkboard paint to create a tablecloth. Great for writing pairing suggestions for tasting parties.

Let your kids draw on the walls. No problem with a chalkboard or chalkboard paint.

Make a Monday-through-Friday message board out of an old five-panel door using chalkboard paint in the panels.

New idea: painting the surface of a deck with chalkboard paint.

Obvious choice: cheese trays. Not so obvious: your car. (We’ve spotted a VW Bug).

Pictures on Pinterest.com are inspiring us. We especially love walls with chalk drawings, such as a family tree in a nursery. A hint for precise outlines: rent a projector and create a transparency at a print shop.

Quotes on chalkboards = instant inspiration.

Resources for chalkboard paint include craft stores, home warehouses, paint shops and Be Here Now, Independence, Mo., 816-461-7819, b-here-now.com.

Be Here Now also sells chalkboard paint in a variety of colors by the pint, $15.

Spray surfaces with polyurethane to make chalk-art creations permanent.

Tired of the mess or the design? The best way to clean it is with a damp cloth.

Understand that when you apply chalkboard paint, it goes on gritty. When it dries, sand surfaces with 150grit sandpaper before you first write on them.

Variety. Think beyond white chalk on a blackboard.

Chalk comes in a crayon-assortment of colors these days; Crayola has a 52-count pack.

Wet chalk is a secret for creating large-format designs, says Annie Huff, the 18-year-old daughter of Restoration Emporium owner Chrysalyn Huff. Annie Huff does chalkboard creations on doors and walls at the store. She dunks sidewalk chalk in a bucket of water. “It doesn’t look like anything when it’s wet on the surface, but then it dries vibrantly.”

Xpiration date of chalkboard paint: Six months from date of purchase or after it’s mixed. (Yes, creative spelling is permitted on creative chalkboards.)

Yummy surface for appetizer trays? To be on the

safe side, use a nontoxic food-safe clear coat (available at craft stores) on top of chalkboard painted plates and platters. Zero writing. Chalkboard surfaces look great even with nothing on them. They’re full of possibilities. —MCT

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ Lynn married at 15, not 13 C

ountry music legend Loretta Lynn is three years older than she has led people to believe, an age change that undermines the story she told of being married at 13 in “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” documents obtained by The Associated Press show. Lynn’s birth certificate on file at the state Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort, Ky., shows that Loretta Webb was born on April 14, 1932, in Johnson County, Kentucky. That makes her 80 years old, not 77. Also on file is her marriage license and two affidavits from her mother, Clara Marie Ramey, and S.W. Ward Jr., who was not related to the family, listing the same birthdate.

The records weren’t filed until 1965, which meant that Lynn needed multiple documents to prove her age at that time.

Lynn’s signature appears on the document as Loretta Webb Lynn. Melvin Webb lists his daughter “Loretta” as 7 years old for the 1940 Census, according to a digital copy on file at the Kentucky Historical Society.

Lynn’s marriage license, obtained by the AP from the Johnson County clerk’s office lists her as 15 on Jan. 10, 1948. In “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” the autobiography that became an Academy Award-winning film, Lynn told a different story - that she was married at 13 and was a mother of four by 18. Most books and public references to Lynn list her current age as 77.

When contacted by the AP, Lynn’s spokeswoman, Nancy Russell of Nashville, Tenn., declined comment. She said that Lynn has told her before in no uncertain terms, “If anyone asks how old I am, tell them it’s none of their business!” Lynn’s younger brother, Herman Webb, declined to disclose Lynn’s age, although he said there might have been a “mix-up” with Lynn’s paperwork after she moved to Nashville to launch her country career. Her

Country music star Loretta Lynn, right, and actress Zooey Deschanel sing Lynn’s hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter” during a performance of the Grand Ole Opry. parents and many other relatives are dead, including her husband, O.V. “Mooney” Lynn.

Certainly Lynn isn’t the first celebrity of a certain age to be less than forthcoming about a birthday, but the discrepancy is significant because age isn’t just a number for the Country Music Hall of Fame member. It is woven into her compelling life story, made famous in her 1976 bestselling autobiography, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and the subsequent film starring Sissy Spacek. The movie made $67 million nationwide and was nominated for seven Oscars; Spacek won for her portrayal of Lynn.

The Grammy-winning singer recently announced that it will become a Broadway musical, starring actress and singer Zooey Deschanel. The way Lynn chose to tell it in the book, she was married at 13, moved with her husband to Washington State at 16 and was a mother of four by 18. Lynn

has six kids in all. The marriage certificate shows that Lynn instead married just shy of her 16th birthday, which was not unusual in Kentucky at that time. Her husband was 21.

It would have been illegal for a girl under the age of 14 to marry in Kentucky in 1948, said R. Eric Henninger of the Kentucky State Law Library. At that time, he said, “lots of folks didn’t have any sort of official proof of age.”

An AP reporter recently found Lynn’s birth certificate online that listed a different birthdate from the one listed in the news agency’s database of celebrity birthdays.

The reporter changed the date in the database; when the new birthday was used in a recent story, the Country Music Hall of Fame contacted the AP about the discrepancy. Lynn addresses the perils of disclosing her age in her autobiography. “When I was born, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was

File photo shows singer Loretta Lynn poses in the press room during the 44th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. —AP photos the president for several years. That’s the closest I’m gonna come to telling my age in this book, so don’t go looking for it,” she writes. “I’m trying to make a living singing songs. I don’t need nobody out there saying, ‘She don’t look bad considering she’s such-and-such years old.’”

Lynn’s co-author on “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey, said in a phone interview that he did not verify the age claims in the book with official documentation. “It’s her book, and I never saw a birth certificate, marriage license. It’s what they told me,” he said. “I couldn’t say that she was the one who told me first. Between her manager (David Skepner) who has passed and her husband who has now passed, it was at least three different people telling me that.”

Vecsey said he did not want to speculate on what the age difference means to Lynn’s

narrative. Lynn’s daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell, did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Webb, her brother who lives in their hometown of Van Lear, Ky., believes “there might have been a mix-up somewhere along the line” when Lynn first arrived in Nashville and signed with the Wilburn Brothers. “When she was with Teddy and Doyle (Wilburn), she just don’t tell her age after that,” he said. “I think they got some of her paperwork messed up.” Webb declined to comment on Lynn’s age. When asked his own birthday, like a good brother, he replied: “I was born a year and a half after she was.” Research supervisor Walter Bowman at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives said in the early ‘30s it was more common for people to register their prized horses or livestock thanthe births of their children. —AP

‘Da Vinci Code’ author

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Dan Brown speaks in NH

B

Renowned baritone

Fischer-Dieskau

dies at 86

G

erman baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, whose passionate and sensitive interpretations of German lieder brought the 19th-century song form to life again for new generations, died on Friday, 10 days short of his 87th birthday. Sometimes described as the most recorded singer in history, Fischer-Dieskau died in the town of Berg on Starnberg Lake in Bavaria, the Bavarian State Opera announced on its website. “The death of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is a great loss for the entire music world. Through his interpretations of vocals he decisively influenced the art of opera singing. Today’s vocals would be unthinkable without the influence of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,” the opera’s administrator, Nikolaus Bachler, said in a statement.

The late soprano Elizabeth Schwarzkopf called him “a born god who has it all” and he was in high demand from opera houses and for recitals during a career that spanned almost 50 years until his retirement in 1992.

Born in Berlin in 1925, Fischer-Dieskau was trained at the Berlin School of Music and presented his first recital and was engaged by the City Opera of Berlin in 1947. He emerged to international prominence after the end of World War Two and was particularly noted for his interpretations of the German art song, or lieder, especially the high romantic works of Schubert such as the song cycles Winterreise and Die schoene Muellerin.

One of the highlights of his career was his appearance in 1962 at England’s newly built Coventry Cathedral, at the invitation of Benjamin Britten for the world premiere of the composer’s “War Requiem”.

Britten wrote parts expressly for the German FischerDieskau and the English tenor, Peter Pears, in a work that conveys the devastating impact of war.

Fischer-Dieskau was highly praised for his interpretations of Falstaff in Verdi’s opera of the same name, for his performance as Count Almaviva in Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro” and for the hugely demanding role of Hans Sachs in Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg”. He teamed up with many of the best orchestras, conductors and accompanists of the age, including pianists Alfred Brendel, Gerald Moore and Daniel Barenboim and conductors Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein.

He had guest appearances at some of the world’s most renowned opera houses, in Vienna, Munich and Hamburg as well as London’s Covent Garden, New York’s Carnegie Hall and the festivals of Bayreuth and Edinburgh. The New York Times once called him “the world’s best singer” and colleagues and music lovers sang his praises.

“He had only to sing one phrase,” Moore, his frequent accompanist, wrote in his memoirs, “before I knew I was in the presence of a master.” In 1992 he gave a farewell concert in the National Theater in Munich and afterwards worked as a director, author and taught master classes. He is survived by his wife, the Hungarian-born soprano Julia Varady.—Reuters

est-selling author Dan Brown made a rare public appearance in New Hampshire on Friday, saying very little about his next novel other than he’s well into the writing process. “The Da Vinci Code” author, who grew up in New Hampshire, spoke at a benefit for The Music Hall’s “Writers on a New England Stage” series in Portsmouth. Brown is working on a new book that again features Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon as protagonist. In addition to “The Da Vinci Code,” Langdon’s appeared in “Angels and Demons” and “The Lost Symbol.”

Brown was witty throughout the session in the late 19th century brick theater, and set the tone of the evening with several personal anecdotes from his childhood, which influenced his thoughts on the tense coexistence of science and religion. Despite persistent questioning from his fans and the media, Brown was tight-lipped about his next novel. Brown said it took a year and a half to research and that he is “well into the process of writing it.”

“The novel will be set in Europe, in the most fascinating place I’ve ever been,” he said. Asked when the new book will be released, he said only “It’ll be done when it’s done.” The author said he felt no pressure to complete the novel soon.

“My publisher wants good books, not quick ones,” he said.

Brown began the session by introducing his parents and

telling the crowd his mother Constance’s birthday was yesterday. “I owe everything to my parents,” said Brown, whose father was a math teacher and mother was a church organist and piano teacher.

Brown says he was encouraged to ask questions at home as a child. He believed both his mother’s religion and his father’s science, but became confused when the two conflicted. He told the crowd that one day, at age 13, he asked a priest how to go about reconciling those differences. He said the priest replied, “Nice boys don’t ask questions like that.” He posed the question to the crowd, “How do we understand the story of Adam and Eve in the face of modern evolutionary knowledge?” Brown cautioned the audience that both science and religion are necessary to understand the big questions that face all major faiths, namely: “Where did we come from?

Why are we here? What happens when we die?”

Brown said he knew that “The Da Vinci Code” contained some controversial ideas, but never expected the firestorm that followed the novel and the movie. It was a rare chance to hear from the 47-year-old, who seldom makes public appearances while writing. Brown closed the evening by playing “Happy Birthday” to his mother on the piano while the audience sang. Afterward he met with members of the audience and signed copies of his books. —AP

File photo shows writer Dan Brown, author of “The Da Vinci Code,” waving as he appears on the Italian State RAI TV program “Che Tempo che Fa”, in Milan, Italy. —AP

Shock Cannes winner asks

for tolerance this time round A This photo courtesy of the Washington National Opera and DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts shows a scene from Werther, of Italian tenor Francesco Meli Werther and mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi as Charlotte. —AFP

French opera hits the right note in the US

F

rench opera seems to be hitting just the right note in the United States. Concert halls across America are showcasing francophone conductors and productions with distinct ties to Paris. “There’s still a respect, a love, a fascination for the elegance and poetry of French music,” in the United States, said conductor Emmanuel Villaume who holds the baton at the Washington National Opera. Over the past fifteen years, the 48-year-old has made a name for himself in the New World while conducting operas such as “ Werther ” and “Le Cid” by Jules Massenet, as well as “The Tales of Hoffmann” by Jacques Offenbach. He’s not the only Frenchman to have established himself stateside.

Others include colleague Philippe Auguin, music director at the Washington National Opera, Ludovic Morlot at the Seattle Symphony and Lionel Bringuier at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But these orchestra chiefs are by no means household names in their homeland-much like the operas they conduct. “In France, there’s a tendency to look down on our own repertoire,” Villaume told AFP in an interview. “If Massenet had been German or Italian, he would be much more acclaimed by his compatriots.” “Werther,” a production, of which Villaume is currently presenting, was very well received by audiences in the US capital. Loosely based on the literary classic by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the rendition stars Italy’s tenor Francesco Meli. —AFP

Romanian director who exploded onto the scene five years ago by capturing the Cannes Film Festival’s top prize pleaded with critics yesterday to go easy on his latest contender. Cristian Mungiu, who stunned the cinema world with his Palme d’Or win for the chilling Communist-era abortion drama “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”, is back in the running with the true story of a deadly “exorcism”.

The hotly awaited picture “Beyond the Hills”, like its much-loved predecessor, looks at two young women bound by an intimate friendship who try to navigate in a hostile world with each other’s support.

But the similarities stop there and Mungiu, 44, begged reviewers from around the world not to compare the new film with “4 Months”, at a press conference after a screening that met with a split chorus of boos and

applause. “It’s best for this film if people will manage to see the film so I hope journalists will manage to appreciate it as an independent film... without comparing it to anything else and especially (not) to my previous film,” he said.

“Beyond the Hills” is based on an event that unleashed a media frenzy in 2005 when a young woman, Irina Cornici, died after a Church session in the remote Tanacu monastery of eastern Romania to rid her of purported demons. In the film Cornici is renamed Alina and grows up with her best friend Voichita in the notoriously grim orphanages set up by Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The picture charts the diverging paths of the two women as young adults, with Voichita choosing God and becoming a nun while Alina seeks a fresh start in Germany. But the experience in the

West proves traumatic-Mungiu hints at sex trafficking-and Alina returns home to find her friend at the monastery and tries to convince Voichita to leave with her.

But Voichita asks her to stay and while at Tanacu, Alina suffers bouts of schizophrenia and violently lashes out at the priest and nuns, who take her to a local hospital. But the chief doctor quickly releases Alina back into the monastery’s care. Convinced that Alina is possessed by the devil, the priest and nuns attempt to “save” her by gagging her and binding her to pieces of wood nailed together in the form of a cross.

She is held for several days and forced to fast while the priest orders the reading of prayers used in the Orthodox Church to ward off the devil. Emergency services are called in when she faints after the ceremony and Alina is declared dead a few hours later. —AFP

(From left) Romanian director Cristian Mungiu poses with actors Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur and Valeriu Andriuta during the photocall of “Dupa Dealuri” (Beyond the Hills) presented in competition at the 65th Cannes film festival yesterday in Cannes. — AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

lifestyle M U S I C

Members of Biblemode Youth Philippines gesture during a protest in front of a banner showing Lady Gaga in Manila yesterday. — AFP photos

&

M O V I E S

Members of Biblemode Youth Philippines hold up banners during a protest against Lady Gaga.

Philippine rally demands H

undreds of protesters marched in the Philippine capital yesterday to demand a ban on pop phenomenon Lady Gaga’s upcoming concerts, claiming her lyrics were antiChristian. About 50 riot police blocked a major Manila intersection to stop the marchers from reaching the shopping mall complex where the American singer is due to perform on May 21-22.

Lady Gaga has already faced opposition elsewhere on the Asia leg of her tour, including in Indonesia where police denied her show a per-

mit amid threats from Islamic hardliners.

The Philippines is a deeply-religious Catholic majority country and many of the demonstrators yesterday were from the group Biblemode International, whose founder said Lady Gaga’s lyrics were blasphemous. Baptist preacher Benny Abante, a former member of the Philippine parliament said the song “Judas” mocked Jesus Christ. “You can’t just say, ‘Okay, I’m an artist, I’ll make an artistic expression’,” Abante told about 300 fellow protesters. “You stomp on our Lord

Lady Gaga ban

while saying you’re a fame hooker, you’re a prostitute wench,” he said referring to the lyrics of the song.

In a statement the group called on Philippine President Benigno Aquino to stop the concerts “as this is a direct affront to the moral and religious values that our nation has been known for”. Aquino spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the national government did not wish to wade into the issue. The city government has already warned Lady Gaga to refrain from nudity, lewd

conduct and blasphemy when her Asian tour reaches the Philippines, and said inspectors will be at the venue to ensure she does not overstep the mark.

Renen de Guia, president of the Lady Gaga concert’s local promoters Ovation Productions, said those who have purchased concert tickets were well aware her performance was all for fun.

“People have the freedom to express themselves artistically,” he said. “Those who oppose what Lady Gaga is doing are not being forced to watch

the concert,” he had said on ABS-CBN television on Friday. In Indonesia Islamic hardliners said they were ready to die to stop Lady Gaga from performing in June. And during the star’s concert in Seoul in March a Christian group vowed to take action to stop young people from being “infected with homosexuality and pornography”.

But Lady Gaga has so far failed to tone down her performances, riding on to the stage on a mechanical horse, wearing a black bodysuit and an enormous black metal headpiece. —AFP

(From Left) US actor Shia Labeouf, US actress Jessica Chastain, Australian director John Hillcoat, US actor Tom Hardy, Australian musician and writer Nick Cave and actor Jason Clarke pose during the photocall of “Lawless” presented in competition at the 65th Cannes film festival yesterday. —AFP

Rocker Cave, director Hillcoat

slam ‘failed’ war on drugs R

ocker Nick Cave and director John Hillcoat yesterday took a swipe at the “failed” war on drugs as they presented their “Lawless” Prohibition-era rural gangster movie at Cannes. “Prohibition still exists today. It still fails ethically, with the so-called war on drugs,” Cave, who wrote the script, said after a press screening that saw the work by his fellow Australian get a restrained clap.

“Lawless” features Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeaouf, Guy Pearce with Mia Wasikowska and Jessica Chastain as the love interests in a violent slice of hillbilly moonshine myth-making based on a true story from the 1930s United States when alcohol was banned.

Hillcoat said that he saw many parallels to today “with the economic crisis, the political

crisis, the war on drugs”. He said he had made a montage that was due to start the film that showed modern-day Mexican drug cartels, then moved back “through the 80s and the Cubans and cocaine and heroin in New York, and went way back and landed on prohibition, where it kind of all kicked off”. “That was the birth of serious organized crime and it’s been going ever since. So it feeds into all of those things that are going on today,” he said, adding that he later decided not to include the montage. Based on Matt Bondurant’s “The Wettest County in the World”, “Lawless” is one of 22 films in the running for the Palme d’Or top prize at Cannes to be handed out on May 27. It gets its red carpet Cannes premiere last night. — AFP

ennifer Lopez and “American Idol” producers played a cat-and- mouse game on Friday over thesinger’s future on the TV talent show that revived her career and sent her to the top of a global celebrity power list. “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe said on Friday that Lopez must decide whether to sign up as a judge for a third year or go off in a new direction. In what some industry watchers saw as a negotiating ploy, Lopez sparked a media frenzy last week when she said she wasn’t sure about renewing her contract, and sources close to her said she was “just too busy” to commit to the show. She made similar comments a year ago before signing a new one-year deal.

Lythgoe told reporters on a conference call Friday that all three “Idol” judges - Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson - had busy careers outside the talent show, but he would be happy to have them all back. He said “Idol’s” long schedule of nationwide auditions, plus four months of live shows, was tough for everyone to juggle. Tyler’s band Aerosmith has a new album coming out and a summer tour. “It’s got to fit everybody, and it’s difficult. You have got to start making decisions. Do I want to carry on doing this? Do I want to go off and make movies? “She (Jennifer) has had a wonderful resurgence - world’s most beautiful woman (for People magazine), two No. 1 records - she is doing brilliantly. She is going to

Jennifer Lopez

Make your mind up J.Lo, says ‘American Idol’ producer J

have to balance everything up, as is Steven Tyler too. It’s not just Jennifer,” Lythgoe said.

For her part, Lopez denied media reports that she had already decided to quit the show after the current season ends on Wednesday.

“There is no truth to reports that say I am definitely leaving ‘Idol’,” the pop singer Tweeted on Thursday. “All I said was I haven’t decided what I am doing next year.” Lopez, who was dropped by

her record company in 2010, was named the most powerful celebrity in the world by Forbes this week, citing record sales, multiple product endorsements and social media buzz. She starts a North American tour in July and has three movies coming out in the next 12 months.

Speculation over her future has overshadowed next week’s “Idol” finale, which pits 16year-old ballad singer Jessica Sanchez against guitar-playing indie artist Phillip Phillips, 21.

Lythgoe on Friday called both finalists “very quiet people” off stage, but said they were very focused on winning the title and a guaranteed recording contract.

He said Sanchez, who was saved from elimination by the judges in April after getting the fewest votes from the public, “needs a song that is going to have a magic moment, that she hits that note, that she grabs us.” Phillips, who has an army of young female fans, should leave aside the mid-tempo, lesser known numbers he favors for next week’s three-song performance finale in Los Angeles.

“He has got to go out there and do something that grabs that audience and makes them stand up and pick up a telephone at home and vote for him ... I think he needs to find a song that people know,” Lythgoe said. The two-part “American Idol” finale will be broadcast on Fox on May 22 and 23. — Reuters

Hagar: Not surprised at Van Halen tour woes

Tough times for small US films despite bumper Cannes

I

n a bumper year for US productions in Cannes, director John Hillcoat, presenting prohibition-era drama “Lawless” at the film festival yesterday, said the state of smallerbudget American movies was “distressing”.

Lawless is in fact an international production - Hillcoat and two of his leading cast are Australian, as is scriptwriter and musician Nick Cave. But the 1930s tale of three bootlegging brothers in Virginia also features leading US actors Jessica Chastain and Shia LaBeouf and is backed by the Weinstein Company.

It is one of five US productions in Cannes’ main competition of 22 films, an unusually high number, leading some executives on the French Riviera to speak of a boom in

Lebanese singer Marwan Khoury performs during the 11th edition of the Mawazine international music festival “World Rhythms” in Rabat on May 18, 2012. — AFP

medium-budget pictures costing a few tens of millions of dollars. But Hillcoat, who collaborated with Cave on the acclaimed 2005 Western “The Proposition”, was less sanguine.

“The state of things is pretty tough as everyone here knows, particularly in my world which is the kind of medium-budgets,” he told reporters after a press screening of Lawless, where there were boos as well as cheers at the closing credits.

“They are films that have character and drama and those are words that you cannot use in the United States at this time. So that I find quite distressing.” He said television had become increasingly important, with US channels like HBO leading the way in developing intelligent, probing dramas. —Reuters

File photo shows David Lee Roth, left, and Eddie Van Halen performing during a Van Halen concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. —AP

R

ight now, Sammy Hagar is awfully glad he’s not in Van Halen anymore. The legendary rock band he led for more than a decade after replacing David Lee Roth in 1986 launched a tour in February with Roth back at the helm. But Van Halen on Thursday postponed dozens of shows this summer that had been scheduled for months, without giving a reason.

Hagar thinks he knows why. “They’re hard people to get along with, those brothers,” Hagar told The Associated Press on Friday. “Otherwise I’d still be in the band.

“I’m surprised it took this long” for the tour to experience major difficulties, he added. “I predicted this was going to happen a lot sooner. I lost money on that bet!” A source familiar with the tour who was not authorized to speak pub-

licly confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that some of the band’s long-scheduled performances this summer are being postponed. The group’s website lists active tour dates through June 26. Representatives of the band and AEG, which is promoting the concerts in some regions, did not respond to messages from the AP. Hagar actually had two go-rounds with Van Halen, but left each time after clashes with guitarist Eddie and drummer Alex Van Halen. Roth left the band in 1985 to launch a solo career after similar personality clashes with the Van Halens, but reunited with them in 2007.In February, the band released its first studio album together in 28 years, “A Different Kind Of Truth,” and has been touring to support it.

Hagar was in Atlantic City at his Sammy’s Beach

Bar on the Boardwalk, where he donated $10,000 to St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church for its food pantry. He said he tries to donate to food banks in each city he visits while on tour with his current band, Chickenfoot, which was to play The House of Blues on Friday night.

“They make the money go so far,” he said of the food pantries. “They can get 2 1/2 meals out of a dollar!” Monsignor William Hodge said he’s grateful for Hagar’s donation, which will be used to fatten the grocery bags of the hundreds of people who come to the church’s food pantry twice a week, many of whom work low-wage jobs but still don’t have enough to eat. “Some families come to us with six to eight children,” Hodge said. “We’ll make sure there’s plenty of meat in their bags of groceries.” — AP

Philippine rally demands Lady Gaga ban

39

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012

In this photo provided by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, a sign promoting the emirate of Abu Dhabi as a travel brand in the United States is affixed to the top of a cab in New York’s Times Square. —AP photos

Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority opens New York office T

he Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority is launching its US promotion office with a multi-facted campaign, which includes a takeover of New York City’s Times Square. The promotion office, which will represent the United Arab Emirates’ interests in developing tourism from the United States, is based in New York City and staffed by a team of four, led by Country Manager Kershing Goh. The aptly-themed ‘Traveller’s Welcome - A Taste of Abu Dhabi’s Hospitality’ Abu Dhabi Interactive Pop-Up has been taking place in Times Square’s Father Duffy Square .Visitors experience

traditional offerings from the iconic landmark including dates and coffee, henna artists, and perfume mixologists. Video footage depicting the Emirates’ future progression, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Masdar City the world’s first carbon-neutral, zero-emissions city. Etihad Airways have also been present, welcoming guests to the Pop-Up experience with giveaways. To coincide with the launch, Abu Dhabi has partnered with tour operators Abercrombie & Kent, Cox & Kings, Linara Travel, Ritz Tours and Goway Travel to introduce travel

packages to the Emirates.

US hotel guest nights in Abu Dhabi have been steadily growing over the past few years, reaching 486,488 nights in 2011, a 16 percent increase over 2010. Based on guest nights, the U.S. is the Emirates’ second-greatest international source market. Air connectivity between the U.S. and Abu Dhabi will increase in March of 2013 when Etihad Airways launches daily, nonstop service between Washinginton DC and Abu Dhabi International Airport. The airline currently operates daily, nonstop flights from JFK New York and Chicago.

— http://www.breakingtravelnews.com

Signs promoting the emirate of Abu Dhabi as a travel brand in the United States are seen.

Warda,

we will miss you!

Mourners pray over the coffin of Algerian singer Warda draped with the Algerian and Egyptian flags during a funeral prayer in Cairo before her body was repatriated for burial in her homeland Algeria on May 18, 2012. Warda, who died in Cairo aged 72 late on May 17, was a regional icon whose powerful patriotic tunes were matched in popularity by her romantic ballads. — AFP photos

File picture dated November 1, 1999 shows Algerian singer Warda acknowledging applause at a concert in Algiers. —AFP

Fans become emotional as they witness the unloading of the coffin.

Police officers stand guard during the unloading of the coffin containing the remains of Algerian singer Warda Al-Jazaria.

The son of Algerian singer Warda Al-Jazaria, the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mourad Medelci, and the Minister of Culture Khalida Toumi attend a religious ceremony.