21st May 2012

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MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

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Majority bloc agrees on unified Shamali grilling MPs to ask premier to sack social affairs minister

Max 43º Min 29º High Tide 00:43 & 11:15 Low Tide 05:14 & 18:22

By B Izzak

CHICAGO: President Barack Obama (center) and Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, waves with other leaders during the NATO family photo at the NATO Summit in Chicago yesterday. (Inset) A bleeding anti-NATO protestor is comforted after a scuffle with police during a march on Saturday. — AP

NATO: No rush for exits in Afghanistan Thousands protest in Chicago as summit opens CHICAGO: NATO leaders sought yesterday to dispel fears of a rush for the exits in Afghanistan even as the Western alliance met to chart a path out of an unpopular war that has dragged on for more than a decade. US President Barack Obama, who once called the Afghan conflict a “war of necessity” but is now looking for an orderly way out, hosted the NATO summit in his

home town, Chicago, a day after major industrialized nations tackled a European debt crisis that threatens the global economy.

The shadow cast by fiscal pressures in Europe and elsewhere followed leaders from Obama’s presidential retreat in Maryland to the talks on Afghanistan, an unwelcome weight on countries mindful of

Lockerbie ‘bomber’ Megrahi dies at 60 TRIPOLI: Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet Al- tors said he had only three months to Megrahi, the only person convicted live. Megrahi had always maintained over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing his innocence and his brother which killed 270 people, died yester- Abdelhakim defended him yesterday, day, almost three years after being saying he was the “scapegoat” of freed from jail on compasMuammar Gaddafi’s regime. sionate grounds. “He died an “He has died and has left us hour ago,” his brother with the feeling of injustice,” Abdelhakim Al-Megrahi told he told AFP. “Everyone knows AFP, putting the time of that the Gaddafi regime death at shortly after 1 pm blamed its mistakes on oth(1100 GMT). Megrahi, 60, sufers.” fered from prostate cancer Another brother, and was hospitalised for a Mohammad Al-Megrahi, too few days in April before insisted Abdelbaset was innobeing sent back home to be cent. “All the darkness of the with his family. On April 16, universe will never cover the Abdelhakim had said his flame of the candle which is Al-Megrahi brother’s days “were numthe truth,” he said, speaking bered”. outside the family home where relaA Scottish court in 2001 convicted tives had gathered to receive condothe Libyan of the attack on Pan Am lences. “Within the last decade more flight 103 over the Scottish town of than 10 babies have been born in this Lockerbie but he was released on com- family with the name of Abdelbaset passionate grounds in 2009 after docContinued on Page 13

growing public opposition to a costly war that has not defeated the Taleban in nearly 11 years. Obama, hoping an Afghan exit strategy will help shore up his chances for re-election in November, said the summit would ratify a “broad consensus” for gradually turning over security responsibility to Afghan forces and pulling out most of the 130,000 NATO troops by the end of 2014.

UAE writes off debts of defaulting citizens Dar cautious as ban lifted KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti newspaper that was temporarily banned for inciting sectarian strife was back in print yesterday, saying it would limit its coverage of protests by Shiites in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Privately owned Al-Dar newspaper was suspended for three months in March after a court objected to articles supporting Shiite communities and activists in the Sunni Muslim-led states of Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, its editor said. Although Kuwait has largely been spared the sectarian violence and prodemocracy uprisings seen elsewhere in the region, it is concerned tensions could still erupt among its own sizable Shiite minority.

Kuwaiti authorities have been closely watching Shiite-led protests in Bahrain and unrest in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, home to more than Continued on Page 13

monodrama mocks Assad ABU DHABI: Audiences in the UAE, mostly Syrian expats, have been receiving “Spring Sonata”, a one-man show mocking Syria’s promised program of reforms in the face of an uprising with tears and applause. The monodrama, inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s 1978 film “Autumn Sonata”, tells the story of Issam, a history professor banned from teaching for having refused to forge the grades of a high-ranking Syrian official’s daughter.

“You have destroyed the country ... You have destroyed values,” he tells the official.

Issam, played by actor Mazen Natoor, left impoverished without employment, struggles to restore the crumbling walls of his room in the hope that he might find a job as a painter. In one scene, he plays the role of his interrogator who verbally abuses and tortures him as his bloodied face is displayed on a video screen.

Throughout the play, as he is seen plastering and painting in vain over the cracks, he tells them of how the walls - representing the regime - need to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. “I will fix you means I will fix you. Our reforms are not like theirs,” he tells the walls.

“To hell with you and your reforms,” he says, apparently addressing the Syrian regime.

However, Issam is afraid to raise his voice at the walls or to hit them, as loud banging, like the sound of Continued on Page 13

But the Chicago talks faced undercurrents of division, especially with France’s new President Francois Hollande now planning to remove its troops by the end of 2012, two years before the alliance’s timetable. Seeking to paper over differences, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: The majority bloc comprising more than 30 MPs managed at a meeting late Saturday of resolving the problem regarding grilling Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali by merging the two grillings and the acceptance of MP Musallam Al-Barrak to withdraw in favour of MP Obaid Al-Wasmi. In a surprising move two weeks ago, members of the majority bloc filed two requests to grill the finance minister almost at the same time which triggered speculations about serious divisions within the bloc.

The first grilling was filed by MPs Barrak, Abdulrahman Al-Anjari and Khaled Al-Tahous while the second one was submitted by Wasmi who immediately told reporters that he was prepared to join the other grilling. Under Kuwaiti law, the maximum number of MPs who can submit a grilling together is three and that fact created a problem for the majority bloc. But at the meeting Saturday night, Barrak agreed to withdraw in favour of Wasmi and the majority bloc agreed to merge the two grillings into one so it can be debated at the same time tomorrow.

The two grillings focus on allegations of wide-ranging financial and administrative irregularities at the ministry of finance and several institutions under the finance minister like Kuwait Investment Authority, Public Institution for Social Security and many others.

Shamali has so far insisted that he will face the grilling and refute all the allegations and show that the accusations are baseless.

But the minister is not expected to survive the grilling if it goes ahead - barring unexpected last minute arrangements - since the majority bloc plans to file a no-confidence motion which needs just 25 votes to pass. The majority has more than 30 MPs and all of them have agreed to back the grilling and are highly Continued on Page 13

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates will settle up to 5 million dirhams ($1.36 million) of defaulted loans for each indebted Emirati, state news agency WAM said yesterday, in the second such move by the government this year. The order from UAE President Sheikh Khalifa AlNahayan will include people in jail, pending trial or convicted over their outstanding debt. Citizens who agreed instalment payments with the courts will also see their debt paid, though they will have to arrange a new payment schedule with the government. “More than 350 UAE nationals will benefit from the aid,” a government official said, noting that the debt will be paid by the citizens at a later stage according to a special formula based on each case.

In January, Sheikh Khalifa made a similar order covering non-performing loans of citizens whose debt did not exceed 1 million dirhams, totalling 2 bil-

lion dirhams. A total of 6,830 citizens of the Gulf state will benefit from the decision. The UAE has escaped the upheaval that has shaken the Arab world, but the case of five activists convicted late last year for insulting the country’s rulers suggests the oil-producing state is not immune to calls for reform. But Emirati activists have been calling on the Internet for a greater say in government, legislative powers for the 40-member Federal National Council (FNC) and less censorship.

The UAE is among the world’s top five oil exporters and its small local population has one of the world’s highest per capita income, estimated at $66,625 in 2011, according to the IMF. The UAE government is spending billions of dollars to improve living conditions. It pledged last year $1.6 billion to improve the utilities infrastructure in the country’s less developed northern emirates. — Reuters

Facebook’s Zuckerberg weds after historic IPO

ABU DHABI: Syrian Actor Mazen Al-Natour performs during the presentation of a play titled ‘Spring Sonata’ on the subject of uprisings against dictators in the Arab world at a theater in the Emirati capital on May 16, 2012. — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO: For Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, it was quite a week - from birthday, to IPO, to I DO. A day after the historic Facebook stock offering, Zuckerberg on Saturday wed 27-year-old Priscilla Chan, his girlfriend of nearly a decade, announcing the nuptials through a status update on the social networking site.

Zuckerberg gave his new bride a ring he had designed with a “very simple ruby” to end an incredibly eventful week, according to a guest.

The couple married at his Palo Alto, California home in front of fewer than 100 stunned guests who thought they would be attending a party to celebrate Chan’s graduation from medical school. On Monday, Zuckerberg turned 28 and Chan graduated from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, where she’d studied pediatrics. Then on Friday, Zuckerberg took his blue-and-white web behemoth public in one of the most antici- PALO ALTO, California: Facebook founder and CEO Mark pated IPOs in Wall Street history.

Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are seen at their wedding ceremony Continued on Page 13 on Saturday. — AP

2

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

LOCAL

No travel advisory to citizens against traveling to Lebanon A favorite destination

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Recently, some GCC countries including Qatar, Bahrain and UAE issued advisories to their citizens asking them to avoid travelling to Lebanon owing to the unstable political situation there.

Authorities have also requested those currently residing there to leave the country.

Kuwait has not issued a official travel advisory to its citizens asking them to refrain from traveling to Lebanon.

However, the Kuwaiti Ambassador in Beirut has noted that the situation in the country is unstable.

The Protocol Depar tment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that no travel advisories have been issued for

Kuwaiti citizens. “Kuwaitis have not been barred from traveling to Lebanon and we have not requested them to leave the country. The situation is not at its best, so they would know if it is safe for them to leave,” an employee told Kuwait Times yesterday.

As the situation worsens, some people prefer to change their vacation destinations. The results were not clear until yesterday.

“People prefer to wait before changing their plans and canceling their tickets, especially if it can be done free of charge.

Also, the travel season has not begun yet.

So, we need a few more days to see the impact of the situation affecting travel to Lebanon,” said Mahmoud from

International Travels Company.

Several hotel bookings were canceled yesterday. “We had three families who canceled their reservation in a hotel in Beirut. I expect that with the coming days, more people may cancel their reservations. I think that about five percent may cancel reservations. Most cancelations were made by citizens of GCC countries that were issued official warning not to visit Lebanon. They are following the instructions of their government,” added Mahmoud.

Lebanese citizens residing in Kuwait have not been affected by the situation in their home country. Those who planned to spend holidays back home are going ahead. “Of course, I will travel to Lebanon

because I go there every year to see my family. Also, I live in the south of Lebanon and the situation there is better than in Beirut. So. I am not worried. I am leaving at the end of this month,” said 23-year-old Ahmad, a Lebanese national.

Omar, an employee with another travel agency noted that no cancelations were made. “Lebanon is a favorite destination like Turkey and Malaysia. When there was a conflict in 2007 (in Lebanon with Israel), some people canceled trips, while others did not and stayed back. So, everybody has a different opinion. Later on, many more may cancel. On the other hand, I have heard that many citizens on a holiday in Lebanon are leaving and returning to Kuwait,” he noted.

News

in brief

Egypt elections results KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador to Kuwait, Abdul Kareem Sulaiman, announced the results of the presidential elections which were carried out in the Egyptian Embassy in Kuwait. The Ambassador said in a press conference held at the embassy that Dr. Mohammad Mursi came in the first position in the election held in Kuwait, and received 17,139 votes. Dr. Abdul Mohem Abu Al-Fatooh came in the second position with 14,109 votes and Hamdeen Sabbahi came third with 9,031 votes. Amr Mousa came in the fourth position with 8,876 votes, followed by Ahmad Shafeeq with 5,048 votes, Mohammad Salem Al-Awwa received 725 votes, Khalid Ali Omar obtained 292 votes and Abu Alez Al-Hariri and Hussain Khairallah each managed three votes. Lastly, Dr. Abdullah AlAshaal got only one vote.

Workers testing decision KUWAIT: The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Ahmad Al-Rujaib, issued a decision concerning profession related diseases and their causes. The decisions stipulated that employers should have one or more doctors to test workers exposed to profession related diseases at periodic intervals, like once every six months for certain profession related diseases and once every year for other diseases.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Fire Services Directorate yesterday conducted a fire drill at the Cake and Bake factory in Sabhan. It took firemen only three hours to reach the site and evacuate all workers, and the injured, in only 8 minutes. The drill aims to boost personnel awareness of what to do in such cases in order to minimize injuries and boost firemen fitness and readiness. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Truth behind ‘illegal sand mining’ clarified

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Highlighting the goals of storage area project, the committee in charge of demolishing encroachments on state property held a press conference yesterday at its premises. A new committee called storage area allocation and unlicensed acts committee has been formed to execute the project.

“The purpose of this confer-

ence is to set up special storage areas in Mina Abdullah and explain the misunderstanding regarding the incident where the Municipal Council claimed that sand was being illegally mined. The committee will enforce Cabinet decrees on setting up warehouses on government land. “News spread about sand being mined illegally. We met with members and our explanation did not convince the Council,” stated Khalid Al-

Mihsen Head of the Committee.

He criticized the behavior of members of the Municipal Council which delayed the development process. He also said that it is necessary to form committees to approve and execute important issues.

The committee has removed the violations in Mina Abdullah, which were spread out across an area of 300 square meters.

“The sand is a part of the committee’s responsibility. The

street works include working on road number 290 so that a new public road can be opened. Also, committee work toward rehabilitating some landfills in the north,” he pointed out.

The committee received licenses and plans from the Municipality to perform maintenance work on some roads.

“Our work is executive and we are cooperating with related authorities to convert public

properties to private ones. The so-called stolen sand was used in the works, and no violations were committed by offcials,” AlMihsen explained.

He noted that the committee will also supervise the construction of prayer areas after demolishing makeshift ones. He asser ted that all works are being undertaken based on the Cabinet ’s decree and not according to the rules of the Municipal Council.

Health Ministry to execute large-scale projects KUWAIT: The Health Ministry needs a huge budget for the operation of future construction projects in most parts of Kuwait, said Dr Walid Al-Falah, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Planning and Quality and Secretary of the Board of Undersecretaries, said yesterday.

Al-Falah said that the annual budget of the Ministry of Health has seen a

significant increase in recent years, jumping from KD 621 million in the fiscal year 2007/2008 to more than one billion dinars in the fiscal year 2010/2011.

He added that the required budget for the current fiscal year is more than KD 1.5 billion, indicating that the ministry’s future construction projects are many, including those implemented

EVF to spread environmental awareness

KUWAIT: The Arab expatriate pictured after his arrest.

Man held with 1.5kg of crack cocaine

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

Speaker demands govt statement on Lebanon K u w a i t : Pa r l i a m e n t S p e a k e r Ahmad Al-Saadoun called on the Kuwaiti government to “release a statement addressing the current situation in Lebanon to alert citizens planning to travel there or currently located there”.

Al-Saadoun’s statements poste d o n h i s Tw i t t e r a c c o u n t o n Saturday came following news that Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates advised

their citizens to avoid traveling to Lebanon at the present time, and called upon their citizens there to return home immediately.

“Some countries are even providing flights allocated specifically to evacuate their citizens out of Lebanon for security reasons”, Al-Saadoun wrote.

Sources close to the Kuwaiti Government said Kuwait is

assessing the recent develop ment in Lebanon “before making an evacuation decision based on t h e s e a s s e s s m e n t s ”. K u w a i t i Ambassador in Beirut, Abd AlAal Al-Qanaei, said no instructions have so far been received regarding Kuwaitis in Lebanon. A decision could be made within the upcoming few days, said the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Fresh milk production KUWAIT: Kuwaiti dairy farm outputs of fresh milk hit 122,000 tons in 2011, up 8.3 percent compared with 2010, a specialized report showed yesterday.

The Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources report noted that the number of cows in Al-Salibya farms jumped to 17,200, up 132 percent vis-a-vis their number in 2004. It added that the dairy farms, numbering 46, are concentrated in Al-Salibya in Jahra Governorate. All of the local farms produce 128 tons of fresh milk on a daily basis, 3.3 tons each. It noted that the total production from the farms is sold to three local dairy product companies.

Korean minister to visit Kuwait

by the Ministr y of Public Works, Health Ministry, in addition to those donated by citizens.

He added that the assistant undersecretary of the Public Works Ministry for construction projects sector had earlier stated in a press statement that five new hospitals would be constructed this summer at an estimated cost of KD 900 million. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Environmental Voluntary Foundation (EVF) team seeks to spread environmental awareness among youth by instilling this important value in them using practical methods.

The project of Jaber Al-Kuwait sea protectorates is among the most distinguished projects in Kuwait and the Gulf region owing to its practical implementation by Kuwaiti volunteers.

It includes building 25 ‘marine protectorates’ for fish and coral reefs.

Waleed Al-Shatti, Deputy Chairman of Environment Voluntary Foundation said that the project established in 1995 is a high-profile one that seeks to prepare films and printed material, in addition to participating in exhibitions to show importance.

He said that the team has prepared a large wooden replica, to familiarize youngsters with the nature of the project. The foundation’s team participated in many exhibitions that attracted large crowds, the last of which was ‘My environment Is My Home’ at 360 mall, in cooperation with Sanaya Center at the Social Reforms Society.

Port 66 percent finished KUWAIT: Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port Project Engineer, Dr. Faras Al-Saleh, said the progress of work on the port is as planned. The first part of the first phase has reached 66 percent of the total work. He said work on the second part, which concerns the construction of four berths at the port, is going smoothly and in a natural way. The total work completed on the bridge at the port reached 92 percent, while the railway bridge on it is 93 percent finished.

KUWAIT: An Arab expatriate was arrested in possession of 1.5 kilo of crack cocaine, which is worth over KD 90,000, said security sources. Case papers indicate that narcotics detectives were tipped off concerning the suspect’s activity. After surveillance, the suspect was arrested red-handed.

Road accidents Two Indians (aged 38 and 37) sustained mild injuries when their vehicles collided into each other along the Sixth Ring Road, said security sources.

A 30-year-old citizen and her seven-year-old son sustained minor injuries when her vehicle crashed along the Fahaheel Expressway near Sabah Al-Salem.

A 50-year-old citizen sustained a head injury and his 15-year-old son wounded his hand during a collision between Al-Rabiya and Al-Rehab.

KUWAIT: The Minister of Knowledge Economy of Republic of Korea, Dr Sukwoo Hong, leading a high-level Korean Investment Cooperation Delegation, will arrive in Kuwait tomorrow (Tuesday) to take part in two key events organized to promote bilateral investment cooperation between the two sides. The Korean delegation consists of 25 members, among them senior government officials from several ministries and representatives of private financial and real estate sectors.

Dr Hong will host a ‘Business Roundtable Dinner’ tomorrow at 7pm at Sheraton Hotel for high-level Kuwaiti decision-makers concerning foreign investment. Among notable attendees will be Michel Accad, CEO of Gulf Bank, Nuhad Saliba, CEO of CBK Bader Sumait, CEO of Global Investment House. Mohammed Al-Saqqaf, CEO of United Real Estate Company, Abdulmoghni Al-Abdulmoghni, CEO of Kuwait Finance and Investment Company, and a host of other dignitaries from the Kuwaiti financial and real estate sectors will participate.

The first ‘Korea-Kuwait Investment Forum’ will be held the next day (23 May 2012) at Sheraton Hotel at 11:00 am and will be held jointly between the commercial office of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK). The main objective of this forum is to provide Kuwaiti potential investors with essential information about the most impartment reasons to invest in Korea.

Despite the geographical distance separating the two countries, Korea and Kuwait are considered close trading partners. Bilateral trade volume has increased consistently every year. It recorded $18 billion last year. However, given the volume of bilateral trade and the rapid pace of economic cooperation between the two countries, clearly there is a great potential for expanding their investment cooperation.

Last year, the volume of bilateral FDl investment reached $60 million. Korea has been investing in Kuwait’s EPC sector while Kuwait has been investing in Korea’s services and equity market. Korea’s investment volume in Kuwait reached $22 million and Kuwaiti investment in Korea totaled to $38 million.

The Korean delegation is scheduled to meet senior officials at Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) during its visit to Kuwait for talks on ways to attract one of the world’s largest sovereign investment funds to invest in Korea. The delegation will also hold a meeting with Sheikha Fareeha Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. We are confident that the visit of Dr Hong to Kuwait would greatly contribute to strengthening the bilateral investment, relationship between two countries.

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

local Expatriate community drops by 19 percent KUWAIT: The number of expatriates in Kuwait dropped by 19 percent in one year, according to recent official statistics that attributes the reduction to “efforts to tackle human trade, deport violators and rationalise the labor market”.

According to the statistics, released by the Ministry of Interior Migration General Department on 30 April, 2012 there are 2,167 million “labor forces of 23 nationalities living in Kuwait”; 94,040 of whom work in the public sector, while 1,109,000 or 51 percent are employed by private companies. The statistics further indicate that 606,482 domestic workers live in Kuwait; nearly 85 percent of whom are females, while 448,394 expatriates reside in Kuwait on a dependent visa (article 22).

The statistics show that the Indian community remained the biggest expatriate community in Kuwait with 653,223 residents; including 20,845 working in the public sector (article 17), 294,889 in the private sector (article 18), and 248,969 domestic workers (article 20). In second place remains the Egyptian community with 456,543 citizens; 45,880 of whom work in the public sector, 277,563 in the private sector and 131,226 on dependent visas.

The Bangladeshi community comes in third place with 189,461 residents, 6,693 in the public sector, 114,642 in the private sector and more than 61,000 domestic workers, with 6,000 on dependent visas.

They are followed by the Filipino community with 144,633 residents, including 3,542 in the public sector, at least 49,000 in the private sector and 84,000 domestic workers.

In fifth place comes the Syrian community with 131,61 citizens; 5,244 in the public sector, 51,563 in the private sector and more than 73,000 on dependent visas. The Pakistani community comes in sixth place with 119,847; 2,711 in the public sector and more than 87,000 private sector employees as well as 2,639 domestic workers. They are followed by the Sri Lankan community with 110,800; 587 of whom work in the public sector while 88,572 are registered as domestic workers.

In eighth place comes the Ethiopian community with around 74,097 nationals. Only 63 work in the public sector, 2,550 work in the private sector, while 71,231 are registered as domestic workers.

The Jordanian community came in ninth place with 53,141 people; 2,631 in the public sector and more than 17,000 in the private sector in addition to 32,923 residents on dependent visas. In tenth place comes the Nepalese community with 52,704; 212 in the public sector, 359 in the private sector and 30,918 domestic workers. They are followed by the Iranian community with 42,795 citizens; 699 in the public sector, 24,684 in the private and 16,577 on dependent visas.

The statistics mention 41,775 Lebanese residents as forming Kuwait’s 12th largest expatriate community (1,089 in the public sector and 17,399 in the private sector), followed by the Indonesian community with 17,716 (736 in the public sector, 1,246 in the private sector and 14,592 domestic workers).

In fourteenth place comes the Iraqi community with 15,167 (177 in the public sector, 4,120 in the private sector and 10,521 on dependent visas), followed by the Afghani community with 13,470 residents (132 in the public sector, at least 9,000 in the private sector and 683 domestic workers).

The American community comes in sixteenth place with 13,045 (561 in the public sector, 7,000 in the private sector and 4,864 on dependent visas), followed respectively by the Yemeni (10,594), the Canadian (6,482), the Palestinian - Egyptian (6,100), the British (4,044), the Chinese (3,787), the Sudanese (3,783) and the Somali communities (3,612).

News

in brief

Undersecretary allowances KUWAIT: Information Ministry Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, asked the ministry financial sector not to pay him his allowances for his participation in committees and teams he chairs or participates in, including the team of the 2012 parliamentary elections. They will also exclude allowances for official missions to represent Kuwait abroad. Informed sources said Al-Humoud told the financial sector that he knows the law allows him to receive such allowances, but he prefers not to use them. He wants to keep his job as an Undersecretary to make achievements and enhance Kuwait’s official information. Sources said undersecretary Al-Humoud will be the only undersecretary who does not receive allowances and receives only a salary, which is also unlike the salary of other undersecretaries.

Sirens testing KUWAIT: The Civil Defence Department (CDD) will test its sirens at 10am tomorrow. The CDD said Kuwait’s Sirens have three tunes: 1. Intermittent which indicates imminent danger, 2. A wavy tune which indicates that danger is taking place, 3. A Continuous tune - which indicates that the danger is over. For enquiries call 1804000 ‘Kuwait not blacklisted by ILO’ KUWAIT: A representative of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Kuwait, Thabet Al-Haroun, denied news reports that Kuwait has been blacklisted for gross infringement on human rights. He said that it is the ILO’s perception of Kuwait, and the government is working hard to introduce certain laws to enforce human rights. Al-Haroun said that the draft law to govern domestic workers is nearing completion and will be referred to the National Assembly. He said that many countries are afraid to send workers to Kuwait because of the lack of a legal protection accorded to them.

KD 150 for unmarried mothers KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health intends to allocate a budget of KD 150 a month for unmarried mothers and their babies who are at the maternity hospital. Health sources said the allocation of this money for unmarried mothers will provide the requirements, like pampers and clothing and other necessities, for the infants and their mothers while at the hospital. Currently the maternity hospital only provides diapers, milk and blankets to unwed mothers. Sources said the ministry also intends to keep one ward exclusively for unmarried women and provide all necessities for these females and their infants. Currently 20 to 25 cases of pregnancies outside marriage come to the hospital on a daily basis.

Kuwait needs to invest more in cleaner energies

By Sawsan Kazak KUWAIT: It was recently announced by the Ministry of Public Works, Planning and Development that a thoroughly studied plan to transform Kuwait into the world’s oil capital will finally be implemented. The plan is estimated to provided 21,000 jobs, and develop Kuwait’s oil and manufacturing industries. Oil reserves in the Arab world are estimated at 683 billion barrels, which constitutes 58 percent of the world’s total energy reserves. This would explain the logic of making a Gulf state the oil capital of the world.

Prof Yakoub Al-Obaid, an environmental and nuclear specialist, believes the Kuwait plan is feasible and will help Kuwait turn into a financial and commercial hub, but thinks Kuwait needs to focus on cleaner energy if the plan is to work.

“I think that if Kuwait actually starts using clean sources of energy it can become the oil capital because we can stop using so many barrels,” says Al-Obaid. A recent study found that Kuwait’s oil consumption rose 66 percent from 2000 and the consumption made up 16 percent of the country’s production.

Professor Al-Obaid believes the plan to make Kuwait the world oil capital will benefit Kuwait, but hopes to see new types of energy injected into the project. “I think there should be more focus on things like solar and wind energies. If these new energy sources are injected into our country we can save some of the barrels of oil we are producing. These barrels can be exported out of the country and sold,” explains the environmental specialist.

“Kuwait and most of the Gulf countries

don’t have a clear vision of non-fossil energies and their uses; this is important nowadays,” says the Professor. He believes that using clean energy could also create new jobs and help boost the economy.

“We are mainly based on oil, but if we are intelligent, we should incorporate other

even more important, saying” unfortunately not many people are acknowledging how good wind would be for our country. Now, the energy we are using for electricity is not clean. We are burning oil; all that carbon dioxide, CO2, in the air is affecting people living in the country,”

KUWAIT: This file photo shows a power plant in Kuwait.

—Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat types of energy. If we export a barrel of crude oil, we can sell it for $100. We can refine it and sell it for $500 instead of using it ourselves. We should be using wind or solar energies,” says Al-Obaid.

The environmental specialist thinks that solar energy is good, but that wind is

explains Al-Obaid.

He went on to explain that Kuwait has enough wind all year long and that we simply have to invest a little in the technology.

He says solar technologies are available in Kuwait, but are not being utilized to their maximum potential. Professor Al-Obaid

believes the resistance to clean energy is due to laziness. “They want to dig, get oil and that’s it. People are thinking ‘why should we bother ourselves? We can just keep getting cheap oil’,” says the professor.

“Kuwait is the most polluted country in the Gulf and this is why we see so many Kuwaitis falling ill. I believe that the message about clean energy needs to get out there,” says Al-Otaib.

Another energy source that the environmental specialist believes would be a good investment is nuclear. “People are afraid of nuclear energy, but it’s one of the top cleanest energies in the world,” says the professor, adding “the disaster that happened in Japan is tragic, but it shouldn’t deter people from investing in nuclear energy. Japan is a country that has many earthquakes, but in our country we don’t have this problem, which drastically reduces the risk of a meltdown.” He explains that other Gulf countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, are now progressing in this field and are working towards building a nuclear power plant.

But before any investments in the energy sources in Kuwait or the oil industry, professor Al-Obaid thinks a serious change should happen in the mentality of the people. “There needs to be a change in the culture,” says Al-Obaid in reference to the amount of energy consumed in Kuwait, adding “ as much as we are using electricity, we are burning oil. This has a direct affect on the environment. There needs to be a connection in people’s minds that consumption, or over-consumption, leads to environmental factors. If we don’t make cultural changes, we have done nothing, even if we switch to clean energies.”

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

LOCAL Satire Wire

In my VIEW

Drinking coffee is safe again

The future of our cities

By Sawsan Kazak

By Fouad Al-Obaid

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

fouad@kuwaittimes.net Twitter: @Fouadalobaid

F

or years we have been told that caffeine is bad for health, that it should be avoided or reduced in our daily diets. I, for one, was a believer of this ‘fact,’ which prompted me to quit coffee and become a tea-drinker instead. Well, apparently a new study done in the US found that people who drank a few cups of coffee a day were less likely to live longer than those that abstained or barely drank coffee.

A repor t published in the New England Journal of Medicine stated that the study that was based on 400,000 people found that ‘coffee was tied to a lower risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, infections, injuries and accidents.’ I have been avoiding caffeine because of the health risks connected with drinking coffee. I thought I was doing a good thing for my body when I would fight the urge to have a hot, milky aroma-filled cup of java in the morning. It has been years since I altered my diet to fit what ‘research’ told me was a healthy diet. It turns out that coffee was labeled as bad and tied to higher risk of dying because coffee drinkers were more likely to have other bad habits such as smoking and eating red meat.

All those lecture I gave countless people about the hazards of caffeine on their health and the benefits of switching to tea were all lies. I am a liar, researchers made me a liar and put me at a higher risk of dying.

But that is always the case when it comes to research, every year something new is harmful and something harmful is healthy again. We were told to eat red meat to get iron, then we were told that red meat causes diseases and is to be avoided. We were told eggs are high in cholesterol and should be avoided, then we were told to eat eggs because they were a great source of protein. Growing up, I was always told that chocolate causes nothing but harm and heartache (and zits) but now, all of a sudden, chocolate has ‘flavonoids’ and full of antioxidants so we should definitely include it in our diets.

The so-called researcher is not going to trick me again, I am going to stock up on all that is bad for me because in a few years ‘research’ will find that it is actually good for me. Bring on the butter, fried foods, refined sugar, white bread, and carbs. In reality, I think what every research is finding is that too much of anything is bad for you. If we eat in moderation and until we are full, we can avoid the roller-coaster ride that is research findings.

kuwait digest

A glimmer of hope

By Dr Hassan Abbas

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hough the current Parliament’s ways are frustrating, there is a glimmer of hope that shines through the darkness of the tunnel that lawmakers try to confine Kuwaiti people to.

The first sign of hope was from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah after he made the decision to reject a proposal to amend Article 79 of the Constitution, which was done at the right time to stop the spread of hard-line Islamist views. The decision showcases the clear difference between ambitions of Islamist lawmakers and the state’s leadership.

The second sign comes from statements of Parliament Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun regarding the Gulf Cooperation Council union. The fact that Al-Saadoun made his statements makes the timing very important, it would not have made an impact if he were the leader of the Parliament’s majority.

The third sign of hope lies in MP Dr Obaid AlWasmi. I have supported Al-Wasmi since the election campaigns. Today, I am still convinced that I made the right decision when I voted for him. The man is not perfect and I do not necessarily agree with everything he says or does, but in general, I can say that his stance and statements have been good and promising.

He is not afraid to express an opinion against the majority. I am not talking about the Majority in the Parliament. What I mean is that Al-Wasmi does not follow a singular opinion simply because it is supported by the majority. There are many evidences, most notably, his decision to file interpellation motions even without the majority bloc’s full backing.

Al-Wasmi is a state law professor who taught in the Kuwait University before running for elections. This is why he is committed to the law regardless of amassing personal benefits. He has shown that he is not afraid to support what is right or speak his mind about a certain topic; even controversial ones such as the Iran flag burning incident or his stance on Bahrain’s events.

Of course, no one can read minds or say for sure what MPs’ true intentions might be.

However, I am convinced today that Dr Al-Wasmi is among an elite group of reliable lawmakers who remain active while staying committed to state laws. It is important that this elite group work together to form a team whose main duty is to save the country from the captivity of enemies of freedom. — Al-Rai

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kuwait digest

The fall of civil states

By Dr Shamlan Yousif Al-Essa

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ith the domination of political Islamic blocs in Arab countries, including Kuwait, very serious attempts have been made to wean these countries away from all modernization attempts.

Modernization brought Kuwait many other shared concepts such as democracy, human rights and scientific knowledge discarded by political Islamic groups dominating the Parliament along with tribal MPs who have been taking serious measures towards Islamizing the state by interfering in authorities’ executive powers.

Officials at the Education Ministry have been trying to modernize education for years, to cope with modern changes and meet the demands of the local job market. Meanwhile, Islamist MPs have targeted the ministry’s Educational Development Center that is headed by a highly qualified and specialized successful professor simply because he is a Shiite and not a member of the Muslim Brethren (locally known as ICM) within the ministry!

Islamist MPs’ interference in the executive authorities is becoming so evident in their demands to treat Quran tutors who preach for two hours at the Quran Memorizing Centers equally with teachers working seven hours daily at the Ministr y of Education’s schools. How can the Civil Services Commission ignore such interference?

Those groups have been urging the ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to open such centers in public parks and other places despite the availability of public schools in the afternoon.

The question is: What is the purpose of increasing religious schools in all areas, co-operative societies and now in public parks?

The minister of Awqaf opened mosques for worshippers for longer hours. The growing num-

Islamist MPs’ interference in the executive authorities is becoming so evident in their demands to treat Quran tutors who preach for two hours at the Quran Memorizing Centers equally with teachers working seven hours daily at the Ministry of Education’s schools. How can the Civil Services Commission ignore such interference?

ber of religious schools have been approved and funded by the state, aimed at preparing a younger generation to dominate the whole society and turn Kuwait into an source of funding Jihad.

Before any reader accuses me of failing to furnish proof for such allegations, I advise them to read the repor t published by AlSeyassah that appeared May 12 about Muslim activist, Mubarak Al-Bathali’s call to monitor citizens’ travel to Iran. In this report, Al-Bathali disclosed that groups from Kuwait and Bahrain reached Syria to defend the Syrian regime and kill civilians. He also called for keeping a close watch on citizens’ travelling to Iran in a cover t attempt to support the ruling Baath party.

In the report, Al-Bathali also refuted the Syrian regime’s ‘allegations’ that some Kuwaiti ‘mujahideen’ were arrested in Syria where they went to defend ‘their brothers in religion.’ He also claimed that ‘such fake news’ were nothing but the usual lies the Syrian regime used to terrorize the mujahideen, create confusion, hide the truth and intimidate the US and foreign countries with ‘AlQaeda.’

Who would have believed that Kuwait, this safe, secure country has, thanks to the majority MPs and the government’s incompetence, turned into a center of exporting terrorists to Syria? — Al-Watan

In my View

By Abdellatif Sharaa

hen looking back at old photos of Kuwait, I could not understand the reason why we let go of a time tested urban model that suited the desert climate to adopt a primarily American suburban model with all the amenities and structures necessary.

What we left behind appears to be more than mud houses and rudimentary lifestyles; we let go of a way of life that revolved around conviviality and proximity.

Furthermore, despite the scorching sun that showers us with unbearable heat for the great part of the year, the narrow alleys and high walls of the old mud structure channeled breezes that cooled the city and acted as ‘air conditioners.’ When compared to today, with many inexplicable open spaces along with obsolete and inefficient housing constructions and road pavements, creating heat-pockets that allow for temperatures to exceed 60 Celsius in summer.

What renders travel interesting and fun is the discovery of new places and activities that you would not normally be able to do in your own city. The diversity is something that the educated would come to appreciate as refreshing. When it comes to our urban master planning, the dullness of Kuwait is remarkable for a country blessed with such fiscal strength. If only we took a look at our street lighting, how dull it is are and how unoriginal. New street lights are starting to be retro-fitted in downtown Kuwait City. I do not understand the logic behind attempting to create a modern metropolis when the lighting poles chosen by the Municipality are old in design!

Light poles aside, what really is a problem is the carcentric approach to urbanism that has marked the development of Kuwait for the past 60 years. The car is central to all public transport mode. The availability of public transport is both inefficient and chaotic, the structure of the suburban model adopted does not really create a model of public transport that satisfies citizenry, let alone offer a viable alternative to the car. The idea of the personal car and the mobility it offers cannot be rivaled by a sound public transport system or by a the current suburban model of housing. The dichotomy of the situation is that poor urban planning and lack of public transport means - we are stuck. There is solid public policy to create early on the post-oil urban model, leaving us with what we have for quite a bit of time.

Those that by now question my waning appetite for the private car transport mode, questioning the amount of time spent behind steering wheels. The model we have created wastes many hours of the day, stuck in traffic and forced to travel considerable distances. This is so that we can have access to services and amenities.

The model we have ignores diversified neighborhoods.

With limited restaurants and entertainment facilities in most suburbs around Kuwait, to gain access to entertainment facilities, one needs to drive around to reach them. The availability of even rudimentary public sport venues is disturbing when compared to the number of empty land plots in suburbs. The quasi-unavailability of complementary venues is disturbing for a country that wants to become the regional financial center of northern-Middle East. Most suburbs lack libraries, decent public parks, cultural venues, theaters, and gyms to name few shortcomings. Most disturbing is the amount of desert still found within the various suburbs. This situation can be rectified to create visually appealing landscaped areas by increasing the local food production.

Perhaps a new law can be passed to regulate the unattended unbuildable patches of land that are part of the common property to encourage enclosing and encourage to rent them out as private mini-urban farms.

All these are only ideas that ought to be considered.

More importantly, it is the creation of a dynamic localized civil society with the development of Europeanstyled mayor ship that works toward developing and differentiating between various suburbs into competitive cultural, social and economic poles.

‘Sports’ brings peace, unity a.sharaa@kuwaittimes.net

“T

he National Assembly will discuss the proposed amendments on the sports laws, and those amendments will ensure Kuwait’s flag returns to fly in sports events around the world and in the upcoming Olympics,” said Social Affairs and Labor Minister, retired Lieutenant General Ahmad Abdullatif Al-Rujaib.

Kuwait has been participating in many events, and won several medals in all corners of the globe, but the most unfortunate thing is that most of those wins were under the Olympic flag, not Kuwait’s. Kuwaitis are sports loving people and the nation, young and old, love sports, besides soccer of course. Sports officials and leaders are still feuding, and each side is drawing plans for the next battle, while sports is the only loser! ‘Sports’ is a potent preparation made by man that brings peace and unity among society members.

Let us take a recent example of that: a royal visitor arrived in Kuwait and spent less than two days here but almost brought the country to a standstill.

It was Real Madrid football club. The club made most people, including public officials, forget the order of the day and get busy with the team’s formalities leading to the match with the Blue “Kuwait National Team”. Well, they were all interested in what the Real Madrid stars would do, including such details as how Rolando would move and how Ramos will manage his hair etc.

One may have thought there was a curfew around Keifan by mid-afternoon on Wednesday.

You could see police cars of all colors everywhere.

People of all color, tongue and shape were heading towards Kuwait Club Football stadium. And yes, many were wearing Real’s uniform and, yes, there were those who wore Kuwait’s uniforms. And you

know, there were some wearing that dreaded Barca shirt!

The crowd was anticipating the start of the match and nothing could keep their minds off that.

Someone spotted Sergio Ramos taking some snaps with his phone of the crowd, which was screaming his name!

Time was going very slowly waiting for the match. About an hour before the start, fans young and old started to shout the name of the best goal keeper on earth, when he appeared on the play ground and started to greet them back. Not long after that, there appeared the artist Rolando ahead of the rest of the team for the pre-match warm ups.

And as the case was, the names of the players were being heard all over the stadium...and you know what...Kuwait’s players were also there, thinking about what is next, and are we going to play with the “real” ones for sure?

I am sure they were expecting to be greeted too.

They are Kuwait’s representatives! Well...some of the crowd started to sing some of the old songs we all enjoyed in support of the “blue waves”, the Kuwait National Team.

When the match started, it was obvious that the head did play a major role in Real Madrid’s performance...No...no...I am not saying it was bad, it was showing off or spending as little as possible energy, and even then you could see Ronaldo going to the sidelines in search of water bottles!

It was a great experience, and I did not see Kuwaitis united as they were that night. So will our sports leaders let the sound of logic go over the waves and do the right thing to have Kuwait’s flag fly in the four corners of the globe and not just in Keifan?! I know now that they will!

In my view

Managing the internet

By Labeed Abdal

local@kuwaittimes.net

T

he world wide web is a combination of networks, internet governance has become a must, globally.

Shaping the internet evolution, development and control was and will be a one of the paths that will add to the strength of competing powers that want to have an edge in the centuries to come.

Controlling main servers and internet domain names are main factors, especially with the escalated concerns that some countries may be affected by ‘internet kill switch’ which can be exercised only by a few. Such issues have given rise to other problems like internet democratization and neutrality. In this manner, countries will share and interact in the new rules for this new world wide web.An organized global internet has became the main objective in the international internet governance, and must be our priority locally as well as regionally. A well-defined global e-platform will mean more security for everybody on the world wide web.

Moreover, no wonder we all must come together for more common ground, as this new e-world can be badly misused. A new arena should be open to combat new types of aggression, terrorism and all other examples of e-crimes.

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

local

Mislem calls for quick reforms KUWAIT: MP Dr Faisal Al-Mislem urged majority bloc members to “avoid wasting the opportunity of achieving reform,” indicating that “young citizens are growing frustrated at continuing individualistic approach according to which the state is run.” Separately, sources close to the Parliament’s committee investigating the foreign transfers case indicate that the panel is expected to receive the State Audit Bureau’s report “within the upcoming days.” Speaking to Al-Qabas on condition of anonymity, sources who claim knowledge of SAB’s probe indicate that “the report proves that the spending process for a number of state departments.”

The committee invited former prime minis-

ter HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah to their June 9 meeting to hear his testimony in the case in which he is accused of transferring millions of dollars in public funds to private accounts overseas.

In other news, MP Mohammad Al-Kandari announced that he supports any grilling motion filed against Shuwaib Al-Muwaizri, Minister of Housing Affairs “if [the minister] decides to sack the general director of the Savings and Credit Bank.” The problem stems from the fact that Salah Al-Mudhaf’s dismissal, which the minister says came after “investigations confirmed that he committed serious financial violations,” overrules an Amiri decree according to which Al-Mudhaf was appointed.

To avoid further deterioration, sources told Al-Rai that the Cabinet discusses the possibility of a reshuffle, according to which Al-Mudhaf will be moved to the Public Institution For Social Service (PIFSS) replacing General Director Fahad Al-Rajaan. AlRajaan will then be appointed to the top post at Partnership Technical Bureau.

Al-Rajaan has been in news recently, after reports emerged that his bank accounts in Switzerland were frozen. Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity indicate that the reshuffle could “ease the pressure” on AlShamali during his grilling motion debate which discusses violations committed at PIFSS. In another development, MP Nayef Al-

Sheikh Nasser receives Duke of York LO N D O N : H i s H i g h n e s s t h e A m i r o f Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s representative to the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of British Q u e e n E l i z a b e t h’s a cce s s i o n to t h e throne, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Sabah received yesterday at h i s p l a ce o f re s i d e n ce, D u k e o f Yo r k Prince Andrew. The meeting focused on t h e f r i e n d l y a n d c a n d i d t i e s s h a re d b e t we e n Ku w a i t a n d t h e U n i te d

Kingdom. During the meeting, Prince Andrew urged Sheikh Nasser to convey sincere greetings and best wishes to HH the Amir.

The Duke of York lauded HH the Amir’s ro l e i n b o l s te r i n g p e a ce, s t a b i l i t y i n Middle East region and Muslim World, as well as HH’s role in strengthening friends h i p b o n d s b e t we e n Ku w a i t a n d t h e United Kingdom.

Prince Andrew also spoke highly of the

distinguished and historic relations shared between the two nations. Sheikh Nasser expressed gratitude for the great welcome he received in the United Kingdom during his participation in royal celebrations.

“This warm welcome shows the extent of love and respect accorded to HH the Amir in the United Kingdom,” Sheik h Nasser said. The meeting was attended by Kuwait Ambassador in London Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Duwaisan. —KUNA

Minister calls grilling ‘deserved’

LONDON: Former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Amir’s envoy, met Prince Andrew at Sheikh Nasser’s residence in London. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) Minister, Ahmad Al-Rujaib, believes a grilling motion planned against him is an oppor tunity for him to “clean the ministry from corrupt individuals” while insisting that he is not going to spare any official convicted of violations.

Th e m i n i s te r d e s c r i b e d t h e motion to be filed by MPs Riyadh AlAd s a n i a n d S a i f i A l - S a i f i a s “d e s e r ve d ”. “ I p l a n to a n n o u n ce s o m e f a c t s re g a rd i n g t h e to p i c s addressed by the planned grilling”, A l - R u j a i b s a i d, a d d i n g t h a t h e already met with senior MSAL officials to discuss “Al-Adasani’s allegations of corruption within the ministr y, especially the labor depar tment”.

The MSAL’s labor union announced its support of Al-Rujaib’s grilling “due to existing corruption that needs to be eradicated to protect employees’ rights and public funds”, said union President Dr. Fawaz Al-Daihani.

News

in brief

Fingerprints scanner to catch violators KUWAIT: Ministr y of Interior Assistant Undersecretar y, Lieutenant General Anwer AlYaseen, said the fingerprints scanner will be used at border points during the coming days for an experimental period.

He said this system was successful in finding violators arriving through Kuwait International Airport and sea ports. He said the Airport will be supplied with special high quality equipment that can detect explosives and other banned materials.

Al-Yaseen hailed the efforts of the ministry leaders headed by first Deputy Prime Minister and M inister of Interior, Sheik h Ahmad Al-Humoud, who provides all the necessary security equipment for the sake of providing safety and security for everyone on Kuwaiti soil. -AlShahed Al-Wutaid outlines curriculum changes KUWAIT: Mariam Al-Wutaid, the

Assistant Undersecretar y for Curricula and Educational Research at the M inistr y of Education, said that there will be a new curriculum for Islamic education next year in the 10th grade.

She added that the new curriculum pays particular attention to moderation in discussing matters in order to avoid instigating any sect or group and that there is a panel of Islamic Sharia specialists to judge the curricula.

Al-Wutaid said that the sector is about to finish a tender to construc t new curricula for Arabic language courses. She added that the tender for project of the educational satellite channel is in its final stages, and will be at a cost of KD 3 million over three years.

Minister lauds development blueprint KUWAIT: M inister of Public Works and Planning Dr. Fadhel Safar, said that achievements made in the development plan

so far did not reach the highest average but are acceptable and better than the previous situation, when the Government was working without a blueprint.

He added that what is said about the defects in the design and the system of execution are not true. He said the defects are ver y minor compared to the attributes, the most important of which is saving time.

Safar denied rumors that companies participating in tenders are numbered and known to the ministry. New companies are allowed to enter tenders, he said, emphasizing that tender committees study all tenders and the door is open for all companies to offer what they have.

He said they chose the best, that meets the specifications laid in the tender.

The ministry follows up with the contractor in a continuous way and, in case they are delayed, execution penalties will be applicable as per the contract. —Al-Shahed

AMMAN: The Kuwait Journalists Association delegation will attend a training course entitled ‘Creativity Skills in Journalism’ in Amman, which was inaugurated yesterday by Princess Rym Ali. Jassem Kamal, head of the visiting KJA delegation, praised Jordanian expertise and efficiency which have contributed massively to reinforcing Arab and Kuwaiti journalism.

Merdas, rapporteur of a parliamentary committee dealing with stateless residents’ issues told Al-Rai that the “upcoming few weeks will feature naturalization of at least 1,000 servicemen who have been classified under class A for those

who represented Kuwait in Arab Wars and those that carry the 1965 census documents.” The lawmaker made these accounts “as per statements of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.”

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

local

Kuwaiti imprisons, rapes daughter for 11 years 149 arrested for immoral activities KUWAIT: Police are looking for a Kuwaiti man accused of sexually assaulting his daughter for eleven years. She managed to escape recently and get help to report the case. The 21-year-old approached officers a couple of days ago with her female friend. She reported that she had fled from her father’s home four months ago after years of imprisonment and repeated sexual assault. According to a security source with knowledge of the case, the girl’s turmoil started when she was ten. Her father and her European mother separated. Her mother went back home immediately after divorce, leaving the girl in the custody of the drunken father. The girl told officers that the assault started immediately after the divorce, which also saw her father’s excessive drinking habits worsen. She added that her father stopped allowing her to go to school and kept her locked inside his Salmiya apartment until she managed to escape. Police learned, after checking the suspect’s identity, that he is wanted by authorities on several charges pressed against him. Criminal investigators were assigned to look for him after police discovered he had disappeared.

Hawally arrest A two-day operation in Hawally over the weekend netted 149 people, who were arrested for immoral activities. The security crackdown covered several areas within the Hawally governorate, targeting apartment buildings suspected of hosting illegal activities. According to a security officer, officers arrested 65 female suspects,

including 14 Arab women who were sent for deportation, over suspicions of practicing prostituting. Additionally, 78 men were arrested, the majority of whom were drunk at the time. Police also arrested four women and two men for “imitating the opposite sex”.

The man was taken for investigations after four jerry cans containing flammable liquid were found inside the vehicle. The man remains in custody pending investigations, which so far haven’t confirmed whether he is connected with any of the recently reported fires.

Ethiopian aborts Jahra police are waiting for the condition of an Ethiopian woman to stabilize to question her regarding an abortion for which she was recently hospitalized. The domestic worker was taken in an ambulance from a Jahra home. Her employers found her unconscious after returning from a weekend trip. A medical investigation revealed that the woman suffered severe blood loss as a result of an abortion. Investigations went underway at the scene in search for the fetus, but to no avail. A case filed at Taima police station is currently pending testimony of the woman, when doctors declare her condition is stable.

Fatal crash A driver was killed in an accident reported in Ahmadi recently. Another driver was taken into custody on suspicions that the incident was caused by his reckless driving. Police and paramedics rushed to a street within Ahmadi Oil Refinery premises where a serious collision involving two vehicles was reported. An Indian man was pronounced dead at the scene, while police arrested the driver of the other car.

According to eyewitnesses, he was driving at a high speed before hitting the victim’s car. A case was filed for investigations.

Bangladeshi arrested A man was arrested in possession of flammable substances in Sabah Al-Salem recently. He was taken for investigations in connection with recent fires that took place in Amghara and Subhan. A search is ongoing for two male suspects who fled the scene before the arrest. The three were sharing a car that was pulled over by patrol officers. Their mission was to look for suspects connected with the recent fires. The driver, a Bangladeshi citizen, was caught but his two companions fled before police reached their car.

Drunk old lady A senior Iraqi woman heading to her home country was arrested near the border checkpoint for alcohol consumption and physical assault. The 61-year-old reportedly kept drinking inside a cab all the way from Jahra to the Abdali border checkpoint. She beat the taxi driver for no reason when they arrived. The woman and the Syrian driver were taken to the nearest police station after they were caught fighting near the checkpoint. During investigations, the driver explained that his customer was drinking during the trip. She switched between singing

happy and sad traditional Iraqi songs. The woman was referred to the forensic department to take a blood test. She remains in custody along with the driver, who was charged with battery.

Policeman held A police officer assigned to search for drug suspects could never have expected that the man he ended up arresting was his partner of ten years. The arrest took place in the Mubarak Al-Kabeer governorate, where a Corporal arrested his partner in possession of hashish shortly after the latter shared a conversation with a suspected drug dealer. The two were on patrol in Adan when the ‘bad cop’ requested to stop near a house in the area. He went outside and was soon joined by a man, who came out of a nearby diwaniya to meet him. The policeman inside the car grew suspicious as he recognized the man, who he had personally arrested on a previous occasion in a drug-related case. He grew even more wary as the policeman switched items with the man before returning to the patrol vehicle. The Corporal then drove back to the police station for a break. As soon as they stepped out of their vehicle, he demanded that his partner show him the item he obtained from the suspect. A third police officer ran to help the Corporal arrest the bad policeman, who put the drugs into his mouth in an attempt to ‘swallow the evidence’. The man was taken to the proper authorities with his drugs, which were too large for him to swallow.—Al-Rai, Al-Anbaa, Al-Watan

VIVA hails success of its walk-in interviews KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider, hailed the success of its two day walk-in interview event where it welcomed young Kuwaiti professionals and interviewed them for 10 minutes. This event that was initiated by VIVA’s Human Resources (HR) team was held at Hotel Missoni in Kuwait, on May 15 and 16.

Dr Waleed Al Tararwah, chief human resources officer at VIVA said: “We are very pleased with the outcome of our two-day walk-in interview event. Over the two days, the HR team interviewed more than 1,500 Kuwaiti candidates and gave them a short brief about the working environment at VIVA. At VIVA, we have a firm belief in recruiting, developing and retaining Kuwaiti talent and investing in community initiatives that encourage young people to join the telecommunications sector. We are very proud of our initiative and successful turn out, since we are the only telecom company in Kuwait that has opened the door to welcome local talents in a recruitment drive such as this.

“As a Kuwaiti company, we are committed to recruit and develop Kuwaiti talents as well as invest in community initiatives that encourage young people to join the telecommunications sector. VIVA recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP), implementing the government’s policy that aims at providing job opportunities for the Kuwaitis in the private sector. In light of this, VIVA is committed to growing and developing our business successfully and as a part of this, we are committed to investing in our Human Resources in order to attract and retain Kuwaiti talents and investing in community initiatives that encourage young people to join the telecommunications sector,” added Al-Tararwah.

VIVA’s Human Resources, Marketing, and Public Relations teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that all aspects regarding the Walk-In Interviews meet the company’s objective through a rigorous two-day interview screening process, and identifying talented young Kuwaitis who will be good candidates to join VIVA. VIVA would like to thank all the young applicants who came to the two-day Walk-In Interview event. VIVA will continue to enhance its employees’ insight of the telecom industry while also providing its customers with the excellent services and telecom solutions today and in the future.

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider in Kuwait. Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things Possible for our customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences.

The company has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through our customer and employee centric approach. VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling. VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and world-class service.

VIVA offers Internet speed up to 42.2Mbps due to the implementation of the most advanced third generation (3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

Jaipur final stop of Kuwait cultural week in India JAIPUR: The capital of Rajasthan state, Jaipur, was venue of the final stop of the “Kuwaiti Cultural Week” in India, organized by the Kuwaiti embassy and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR).

Speaker of Rajasthan parliament Mahendra Pratap Singh opened the event late Saturday by welcoming the cultural exchange between Kuwait and India, affirming that such events would help bolster bilateral ties even further. On his part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to India Sami Al-Suleiman thanked the crowds for attending the event, stressing that holding the festivity in Jaipur was in recognition of the city’s strong cultural scene.

He also noted that choosing Jaipur was due to the city’s strong stance with Kuwait during the invasion in 1990, where a rally in protest of the aggression was organized.

After the speeches, the festivity began with the opening of an arts exhibition by Abdulwahab AlGhraballi.

Also, exhibitions for miniature traditional Kuwaiti ships and Sadu weaving were held. The crowds were also treated to a musical performance by the Kuwaiti Television band, which delighted the audience with a blend of Kuwaiti folklore and Indian music. — KUNA

Kuwait to participate in WHO session GENEVA: Kuwait will actively partake in the upcoming 65th session of the World Health Organization (WHO), discussing the most vital issues on the agenda of the meeting, said Kuwaiti Minister of Health Ali Saad Al-Obeidi here late Saturday.

He said that the agenda of the WHO session, from May 21 to 26, would focus on a number of public health issues such as universal health coverage, UN Millennium Development Goals, non-communicable diseases, mental disorders and nutrition. The Kuwaiti Minister also affirmed that issues concerning the status of health in the GCC region and the Arab world also be addressed during a sideline meeting for the council of Arab Health Ministers.

The nomination of Dr Margaret Chan to be WHO director-general for a second term will be submitted for approval during the session as well as discussions on the program budget, administration and management matters of WHO. — KUNA

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

Italy arrests two in school bomb attack

Damascus rocked by clashes Page 8

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ST’ AGOSTINO: The damaged town hall building in St. Agostino, Italy, yesterday. A magnitude-6.0 temblor shook northern Italy early yesterday. The quake struck at 4:04am yesterday between Modena and Mantova, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Bologna at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the US Geological Survey said. —AP

Strong Italy quake kills six Damages historic buildings FERRARA: A powerful earthquake shook Italy’s industrial and densely populated northeast early yesterday, killing at least six people, felling homes and factories and reducing historic buildings to rubble. Emergency services said dozens had been injured in the magnitude 6.0 quake, which struck in the middle of the night, sending thousands of people running into the streets in towns and cities across the Emilia Romagna region.

Emergency workers were sifting through the rubble of collapsed buildings for victims hours after the quake and several aftershocks struck at 0200 GMT. Four of the dead were nightshift workers in factories which collapsed, including two who were crushed when the roof of a ceramics factory caved in in the town of Sant’Agostino. A 37-year-old German woman and another woman aged over 100 reportedly died from shock. The

quake caused “significant” damage to historic buildings as it rattled the cities of Bologna, Ferrara, Verona and Mantua, Italy’s culture ministry said. “According to first reports, damage to the cultural heritage is significant,” the ministry said, adding that it was carrying out “more detailed verifications with firemen and the civil defence service.” Italian television showed many historic buildings, including churches, reduced to rubble. Cars were crushed under falling masonry, and the Civil Protection Agency evacuated hundreds of elderly and vulnerable people to makeshift communal shelters in Finale Emilia and towns near the epicentre. Warehouses storing more than 300,000 wheels of Parmesan and Grana Padano, a similar cheese, with an estimated value of more than 250 million euros ($320 million), also collapsed, an industry official said.

The roof of a recently renovated sixth-century chapel in San Carlo, near Ferrara, caved in, exposing statues of angels to the elements.

Claudio Fabbri, a 37-year-old architect, told AFP the restoration had taken eight years. “Now there’s nothing left to do,” he said despondently.

People were out in the street, fearful of going indoors, as the odour of gas hung in the air. Retired electrician Claudio Bignami, 68, said: “I went out because I felt the house moving. Furniture was falling over. It was chaos.

Everyone was running in every direction.”

Aldra Bregoli, 73, who had pulled on a sweater over her nightgown, said: “I had to get out quickly. I can’t go back home. I’m afraid.” Authorities said the quake’s epicentre was the commune of Finale Emilia, 36 kilometres (22 miles) north of Bologna, at a depth of only 5.1 kilometres.

One of the men killed in the ceramics factory collapse, Nicola Cavicchi, 35, “wanted to go to the seaside but because of the bad weather forecast he decided to go to work to replace a colleague who was sick,” a family member told local media. A 29year-old Moroccan man was killed by a falling girder when a factory building collapsed in the small town of Ponte Rodoni di Bondeno.

The body of a fourth night-shift worker was found in the early afternoon under fallen masonry at a factory in a nearby village. In Finale Emilia, firefighters rescued a five-year-old girl who was trapped in the rubble of her house after a rapid series of phone calls between a local woman, a family friend who was in New York and emergency services.— AFP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

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

Israel marks 45 years since seizure of E Jerusalem JERUSALEM: Israeli ministers held a special cabinet meeting at Ammunition Hill yesterday to celebrate Jerusalem Day when the Jewish state captured the Arab eastern sector 45 years ago during the Six-Day War. Celebrations were lined up throughout the day with formal ceremonies, parties and the annual flag march through east Jerusalem to mark the “reunification” of the city which took place after the 1967 Middle East war.

For Israel, which annexed the eastern sector in a move not recognised by the international community, Jerusalem is its “eternal and undivided capital.” But for the Palestinians, east Jerusalem is where they want the capital of their promised state.

There were to be several memorial ceremonies throughout the city for those who fell during the Six-Day War,

followed by the flag march which normally draws tens of thousands of marchers, many of them religious Zionist nationalists.

The weekly cabinet meeting was held Sunday at Ammunition Hill in east Jerusalem, a former Jordanian military post that saw some of the bloodiest fighting and which now houses preserved trenches, battle fortifications and a museum. During the meeting the cabinet decided to allocate 350 million shekels ($91 million, 72 million euros) to create public spaces in Jerusalem over the next six years in a bid to develop tourism and infrastructure, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. “The decisions that we are making today will continue this government’s considerable investments in Jerusalem in recent years, the results of which we already see today,”

Netanyahu said. “These investments will help give expression to Jerusalem’s vast potential as a focus for global tourism and will greatly contribute to the development and strength of Israel’s capital.” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat told the cabinet that Jerusalem has been growing both culturally and economically for the last three years and had become “an open and inviting city where everyone is welcome.”

Security was tight throughout the city, with thousands of police on duty to secure the events, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

In the morning, two extreme rightwing members of the Israeli Knesset were part of a group that ascended to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, revered by Jews as the holiest site in their religion where their historic temples once stood.

The site, referred to by Muslims as Al-Haram Al-Sharif and considered the third holiest site in Islam, is managed

by Jordan’s Islamic Waqf. Jews are allowed to visit the site under police supervision, but prohibited to pray there. Three men from the group who attempted to pray there were removed from the site and questioned by police, Rosenfeld said.

“Thousands of police officers are being deployed throughout the city to avoid any disturbances along the route of the march which is expected to begin around 5:30 pm (1430 GMT),” he said of the annual flag march.

Police said they were expecting more than 25,000 to attend the parade, which this year will begin near Netanyahu’s residence and wind its way towards the walled Old City before ending at the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s holiest sites.

Women were expected to enter the Old City through Jaffa Gate, while the men were to walk clockwise around the ancient walls, passing Damascus Gate, the main entrance from east Jerusalem, and continuing until the Dung Gate in the city’s southern wall, a police statement said.

Last year, the march began in the sensitive east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, with some marchers chanting anti-Arab slogans which sparked clashes and a handful of arrests. According to figures released for Jerusalem Day by the Central Bureau of Statistics, the city is the largest in Israel and has a population of 801,000. Of that number, 497,000 residents-or 62 percent-are Jews, 281,l000 — or 35 percent-are Muslims and 14,000, or 2 percent, are Christians, with the remaining 9,000 or so unclassified. — AFP

Damascus rocked by clashes Baath official assassinated

RAMALLAH: Palestinian activist Bassem Tamimi waits for the verdict in his trial at Israel’s Ofer military court near the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday. The court convicted Tamimi of sending people to throw stones and protesting without a permit, but cleared him on two other charges. — AFP

Palestinian convicted on stoning charge OFER MILITARY COURT: A court yesterday convicted Palestinian activist Bassem Tamimi of sending people to throw stones and protesting without a permit, but cleared him on two other charges. “I decided to convict you of two charges against you: the charge of sending people to throw stones, and holding a demonstration without a permit,” Judge Eti Ador said at a hearing in Ofer military court near Ramallah.

“I am clearing you of incitement and perverting the course of justice,” said the judge, who holds the rank of major. Tamimi was charged with soliciting stone-throwing based on evidence that he actively directed such incidents from the roof-tops, she said. The sentencing process would begin on May 25, the judge said, ordering him to remain on bail until then. Tamimi was arrested on March 24, 2011 and accused of organising illegal demonstrations in connection with a series of weekly demonstrations in Nabi Saleh village in protest at Jewish settlers taking over their land.

He was released on bail on April 24 this year after his elderly mother suffered a stroke, although he was kept under house arrest in Ramallah. Tamimi’s arrest sparked international condemnation with the European Union recognising him as a human rights defender, and Amnesty International declaring him a prisoner of conscience.

Speaking to AFP yesterday morning ahead of the court hearing, Tamimi said he did not expect to receive justice.

“No matter what the decision will be, it carries no justice and strengthens my resolve in the belief that the court is one of the institutions and foundations of the occupation,” he said in Arabic, speaking through a translator. “ The laws come from an occupying regime whose legitimacy I do not recognise. I don’t think even for a single minute that there is going to be justice done.” The weekly demonstrations in Nabi Saleh began at the end of 2009, following a years-long legal battle with residents of the nearby settlement of Halamish who in 2001 seized around 240 acres (100 hectares) of the villagers’ land.

One Friday in late 2009, the villagers began walking with the farmers towards their land to help them cultivate it but were prevented from getting there by settlers and the army. It soon became a Friday tradition, with the villagers routinely trying to reach the land and finding themselves blocked by the army, which says such demonstrations are illegal.

Almost all demonstrations in the Palestinian territories are defined as “illegal” under Israeli military law, which states that any gathering of 10 or more people requires a permit. According to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) the ban on demonstrations and the forced dispersal of peaceful protests represent “a clear violation of the rules of international law that are incumbent on the occupying power.” — AFP

DAMASCUS: A rocket-propelled grenade exploded near a team of UN observers in a Damascus suburb yesterday, the military said, as clashes between regime troops and armed rebels raged in and around the Syrian capital.

No one was hurt in the Douma blast, which came as UN truce mission head Major General Robert Mood and peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous were leading a team of obser vers around the north Damascus suburb, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.

The device, a rocket propelledgrenade according to a Syrian army officer in the area, exploded just a few dozen metres (yards) from the UN team.

Fierce clashes between regime troops and rebels determined to oust from power President Bashar al-Assad had been underway in Douma and other parts of the Syrian capital since the early hours of the day, activists said.

The Britain-based Observatory said regime forces shelled the outskirts of Douma overnight with rockets crashing into the suburb during the day. A civilian was also shot dead in Douma by a sniper.

Yesterday’s blast follows several other close calls for the UN monitors, who have been deployed to observe a fragile truce that came into effect on April 12.

On May 16, a convoy of UN observers was struck by a homemade bomb in the central city of Homs, damaging three vehicles but causing no casualties.

A similar convoy was hit by a roadside bomb on May 9 in the southern province of Daraa, wounding six Syrian soldiers escorting them.

Elsewhere across the country yesterday, at least 21 people were killed, including 16 civilians who died when the army sent shells crashing into a village in central Hama province, the Syrian Obser vator y for Human Rights reported.

The latest violence came after the G8 nations said a “political transition” was needed to end the crisis in Syria, where monitors say more than 12,000 people have died in a government crackdown since March 2011.

ZABADANI: Moroccan Colonel Ahmed Himmiche, head of the UN observers’ advance team (R behind) and Senegalese Lieutenant-General Babacar Gaye, military adviser of the UN secretary general (L behind) listen on as UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous addresses the press in Zabadani, northwest of Damascus yesterday. — AFP The AFP correspondent said the streets of Douma were deserted and most of its shops were closed, with pro- and anti-regime graffiti scrawled on the walls.

“When the observers leave, the armed men will come back to cause trouble,” one soldier told reporters at the scene, in a reference to the armed rebels.

Fighting also erupted during the night in the Kafr Sousa district of south Damascus, according to the Observatory, adding there were clashes in other parts of the capital which rang out with gunfire during the night. “Gunfire was heard in Abbasiyyin Square, and Baghdad and Thawra streets,” said the Britain-based watchdog, referring to high-security areas of the city.

The Local Coordination Committees, a network of activists on the ground, said the army dispatched “huge reinforcements” to

Yemen troops clash with Al-Qaeda in south, 17 dead SANAA: Fresh clashes between AlQaeda fighters and government forces in Yemen left 17 dead yesterday, military officials said, as the army pushed on with an offensive to regain a key town in the county’s south that fell to the militants more than a year ago.

Officials said eight al-Qaeda fighters, four soldiers and five civilian volunteers fighting alongside the military were killed since the early hours of yesterday. The army started a two-pronged attack on the town of Jaar on Friday. It is part of a broader assault to take back Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan, which has been also under al-Qaeda control for more than a year. Al-Qaeda-linked fighters took advantage of Yemen’s 2011 uprising to overrun a swath of territory and several towns in the south, pushing out government forces and establishing their own rule. In recent weeks, the army has launched a concerted effort to uproot the militants from their strongholds - and is closely coordinating with a small contingent of US troops who are helping guide the operations from inside Yemen.

Officials say US drones have been providing information to their forces. The military officials said Yemeni warplanes pounded targets some five kilometers (three miles) outside Jaar. Up to 70 percent of Jaar’s residents have fled the town

over the past months to escape the fighting.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said the militants used suicide car bombing against military checkpoints and vehicles to hinder the army’s advance and had called for reinforcements from neighboring towns.

Yemen’s new president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, took office in February as part of a US- and Saudibacked deal aimed at ending the unrest. He has made fighting alQaeda one of his top priorities.

The official news agency SABA said Maj. Gen. Ken Tovo, a US commanding general of special operations, met Saturday with Yemen’s chief of staff Maj. Gen. Ahmed Ali al-Ashwal and discussed US aid to Yemen in combating terrorism and the fight against al-Qaeda.

Meanwhile Yemen’s Defense Minister Major General Mohammed Nasser Ahmed, who is directly supervising the operations in the south, paid a 24-hour visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to the Yemeni capital Sanaa yesterday. A government official said Yemen was seeking military hardware aid from Saudi Arabia to enable it to keep up the momentum of the operations against al-Qaeda. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. — AP

Kafr Sousa in the wake of the fighting. And in the restive province of Hama, three children were among the 16 people killed when government troops shelled the village of Souran and opened fire indiscriminately, the Observatory said.

Meanwhile gunmen assassinated an official of the ruling Baath party in the city of Jisr al-Shughur, in northwestern Idlib province, the Observatory said, in the latest targeted killing of regime figures.

The victim, Adib Habb alRumman, was a teacher and head of the local Baath party chief. “He was targeted on his plot of farmland,” Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

“There is definitely an increase in assassinations targeting people associated with the regime, be they officials or pro-regime businessmen,” he added.

Also yesterday, demonstrations

took place in several parts of Syria, the Observatory said, include rallies in southern Daraa province to demand the release of activist and citizen journalist Mohammed alHariri. According to Reporters Without Borders, Hariri was sentenced to death for “high treason.”

He was arrested on April 16, RSF said, after he gave an interview to Al-Jazeera from his home in Daraa province.

The G8 — which includes longtime Syrian-ally Russia-called on Saturday for a “Syrian-led, inclusive political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system.”

“The Syrian government and all parties must immediately and fully adhere to commitments to implement the six-point plan of UN and Arab League Joint Special Envoy...

Kofi Annan,” a joint statement said at the end of a summit in Camp David, outside Washington. — AFP

Lawyers for fugitive Iraqi VP quit case

BAGHDAD: An Iraqi policeman mans a checkpoint in Baghdad yesterday as part of increased security measures ahead of a meeting on Iran’s nuclear program in the Iraqi capital. Baghdad will host a meeting on May 23 between Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and representatives of the so-called P5+1 group, which comprises the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany. — AFP

BAGHDAD: Lawyers for Iraq’s fugitive Sunni vice president charged with running death squads that targeted Shiite officials and pilgrims quit the case yesterday in protest after judges would not let them present evidence at the trial.

Tariq al-Hashemi’s defense team demanded to be allowed to pull phone records and appointment calendars to help refute earlier testimony that the vice president and his son-in-law had ordered bodyguards to kill security forces and government officials.

Lawyer Muayad Obeid al-Ezzi said the records could prove that al-Hashemi, one of Iraq’s highest-ranking Sunni officials in the Shiite-led government, had either been out of the country or not in communication with the bodyguards at the time he allegedly ordered the assassinations.

But a three-judge panel rejected the request, and ruled that last week’s testimony by three bodyguards who swore they were given money to kill alHashemi’s enemies was strong enough to negate any further evidence.

The judges also said al-Hashemi could have arranged for the attacks while he was outside the country With that, al-Ezzi and the rest of the defense team walked out. “We decided to give up the case after the court ignored our demands,” alEzzi said over the telephone after leaving the courtroom. “We do not want to be part of this unfair trial.”

For months, al-Hashemi has claimed he will not get a fair trial on the terror charges, which he denies and calls politically motivated. He is in Istanbul and has refused to defend himself in Baghdad’s criminal court.

The case threatens to paralyze Iraq’s government by fueling simmering Sunni and Kurdish resentments against the Shiite prime minister, who critics claim is monopolizing power. It also has strained relations between Iraq and several of its mainly Sunni neighbors, including the Gulf states and Turkey.

Last week, three of al-Hashemi’s former bodyguards testified that they were ordered and paid to kill security officials and plant roadside bombs. They said the orders either came from al-Hashemi’s son-in-law, who worked as his office manager, or from the vice president himself. In an Associated Press interview a few days later, al-Hashemi said he believes his bodyguards were pressured into testifying, and hinted then he would withdraw his defense in the trial that he claims amounts to a legal railroading.

If convicted, al-Hashemi could face the death penalty. Judges on Sunday appointed two new lawyers for alHashemi and his son-in-law. Al-Ezzi said his defense team was willing to return to court - but only of the evidence is allowed and the judges agree to transfer the case to a special tribunal appointed by parliament. — AP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

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

Italy arrests two in school bomb attack Pope condemns bombing as ‘despicable’

BELGRADE: A combination of pictures taken on May 6, 2012 shows Presidential candidates Tomislav Nikolic (L), leader of Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), and Serbian incumbent President Boris Tadic (R) and leader of the Democratic Party (DS) casting their ballots at polling stations in Belgrade yesterday. — AFP

Serbia votes for a new president BELGRADE: Voters across Serbia headed to the polls yesterday to elect a new president in a run-off with the incumbent proEuropean Boris Tadic set for a victory over nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic.

Surveys published just ahead of the final round of the presidential election showed Tadic, 54, leading with 58 percent, while Nikolic had 42 percent. Tadic, who brought the once international pariah state to the doorstep of the European Union with candidacy status in March, is seeking his third and final five-year mandate which he said would be dedicated to his country’s European integration and economic development.

He came just ahead of Nikolic in the May 6 first round, but the nationalist challenger accused Tadic of “vote fraud”. The claims were dismissed both by Serbia’s prosecutor and electoral officials but they have cast a shadow over the polls. Nikolic, a one-time ally of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic, is a recent convert to the European cause. He has vowed to steer a pro-EU course but also warned he would not let Serbia 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 favouring only cooperation with the EU and US. The 60-year-old opposition leader campaigned on populist promises, like a tax hike for the rich to be used to increase

pensions and welfare payments. Tadic pulled ahead of Nikolic after he won an important backing from the Socialists, the third biggest party in the Serbian parliament since legislative polls held two weeks ago. At a Belgrade polling station 65-year-old pensioner Ljubica Protic was one of the first to vote early yesterday. “I am hoping for a better future, for me that is personified by Boris Tadic,” she told AFP. “Tomislav Nicolic ... has never been in power, I have only heard talk from him”.

Tadic became Serbia’s first non-communist leader since World War II in 2004, defeating Nikolic in a run-off, a victory he repeated four years later.

He has vowed that, if elected, 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 pre-poll rally.

Whoever emerges as president will have to introduce painful reforms in order to restore the economic stability of Serbia where 24 percent of 7.5 million inhabitants are unemployed, one of the highest jobless rates in Europe. 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. — AFP

BRINDISI: Italian police have arrested two suspects over the bombing of a school that killed a 16-year-old girl and seriously injured five more teenagers, media reports said here yesterday.

The men were identified from security cameras at the vocational school in the southern city of Brindisi, where the bomb ripped through a group of students as they waited to begin classes early Saturday.

One of the suspects is an ex-soldier with knowledge of electronics, the daily Corriere della Sera reported, citing local news website Brindisireport. Melissa Bassi died from her injuries in hospital, an only child from a working-class family who was studying to be a social worker.

Another young victim was fighting for her life after suffering extensive injuries to her chest, and another was badly wounded in the legs. Italy’s flags flew at half mast and the Adriatic port city held the first of two days of mourning as Pope Benedict XVI condemned the bombing as “despicable” and said he is praying for Bassi.

Public prosecutor Marco Di Napoli said there was clearly “a wish to carry out a massacre,” while playing down speculation that terrorist, foreign or mafia figures could be behind the attack. “We are far from knowing the truth only 24 hours after” the attack, which has not been claimed, he admitted at a news conference. “All possibilities remain open,” he said, but added: “The most likely hypothesis is that of an individual and isolated act. It’s not impossible that it was the work of a single person.” He said police had a photofit of the assailant, whom he described as an “adult man who does not appear to be a foreigner,” after security cameras captured “terrible images” of him detonating the bomb. The person or persons who carried out the attack were familiar with the school’s routines and had chosen the precise moment to strike, he said, emphasising that they were “expert at electronics.”

“It could be the act of someone at war with the rest of the world or who has psychological problems,” he said. Police have searched the suspects’ homes, Corriere reported. Italy was in shock after the bombing, which revived memories of attacks by political militants and powerful mafia groups. As people came to the school to lay flowers and attach messages to the perimeter fence, head teacher Angelo Rampino expressed incomprehension over the tragedy.

“It the first time in Italy that a school has been attacked. The entire country must rise up. We

cannot accept this.” Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti condemned the bombing as tragic and criminal, on the sidelines of the G8 summit in the United States. The victims were all scorched by the blast, caused by three gas canisters and a timer, with doctors and witnesses describing flying shrapnel and their blackened bodies on the ground. Thousands of young people spontaneously took to the streets of Italy’s main cities in emotional demonstrations against the violence, which many protesters blamed on a

region earlier this month against an anti-mafia campaigner. Observers pointed to the fact that the school is named after Francesca Morvillo, the wife of famous anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, who was assassinated with her husband and three bodyguards by a mafia bomb 20 years ago on Wednesday.

But officials have cautioned that it is unlikely the Sacra Corona Unita would target civilians in its own territory and said the device used was not sophisticated enough for an organisation

BRINDISI: Scouts sit during a mass celebrated in the Cathedral yesterday after a blast near a school in Brindisi on May 19 killed 16-year-old Melissa Bassi. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast that claimed one life and injured seven, that was caused by gas canisters hidden in a container or backpacks placed near a wall of the school grounds, according to initial indications. — AFP rising climate of social tension linked to a severe economic crisis.

The region where the attack took place is a hub of the Sacra Corona Unita (United Sacred Crown), a local mafia that has been under pressure from investigators in recent years and whose influence is seen as being on the wane.

The group, which is heavily involved in drugrunning and arms smuggling through the Balkans as well as human trafficking, is believed to be behind a separate bomb attack in the

that has easy access to explosives. At a demonstration in Rome on Saturday, several participants said the bombing was reminiscent of attacks carried out by far-right and far-left militants in the 1970s and 1980s in a period known as the “Years of Lead”. Also reviving those memories, an Italian anarchist group claimed responsibility for shooting and wounding Rober to Adinolfi, the head of nuclear energy company Ansaldo Nucleare, earlier this month. —AFP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

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

China collecting Dalai Lama blood samples DHARAMSHALA: Chinese agencies are secretly collecting samples of the Dalai Lama’s blood, urine and hair and are stepping up efforts to harm him, the Tibetan government in exile said yesterday. Citing “a variety of threats” to the spiritual leader ’s life, the KASHAG or cabinet of the government in exile accused China of “making concrete plans to harm His Holiness by employing well-trained agents, particularly females”.

“Chinese intelligence agencies have

stepped up their clandestine efforts to collect intelligence on the status of His Holiness’s health, as well as collecting physical samples of his blood, urine and hair,” it said in a statement.

“It is also learnt that they are exploring the possibility of harming him by using ultra-modern and highly sophisticated drugs and poisonous chemicals.” Dongchung Ngodup, minister of security in the cabinet told AFP the government was informed about these threats by sources inside Tibet.

“We have our own intelligence network in Tibet and we received these reports from our sources there,” he said. He added that officials met with Indian agencies a few days ago to review the Dalai Lama’s security and upgrade safety measures at his temple complex in the north Indian hill town of Dharamshala.

Earlier this month the Dalai Lama told Britain’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper that he had been informed of a plot to assassinate him, using Tibetan

women posing as devotees seeking his blessing. In the interview, the Dalai Lama said he was told the Tibetan women would be wearing poisonous scarves and have poisonous hair.

“They were supposed to seek blessing from me, and my hand touch,” he said.

But he added that there was “no possibility to cross-check, so I don’t know”. China reacted angrily, with a foreign ministry spokesperson accusing him of “spreading false information, deceiving the world and confus-

ing the public”. Beijing routinely accuses the Dalai Lama of seeking to split Tibet from the rest of China-a claim the Nobel Peace Prize laureate denies, saying he only seeks greater autonomy for the Himalayan region.

Many Tibetans in China complain of political and religious persecution under Chinese rule-which Beijing denies-and this resentment has been blamed for a spate of self-immolations in Tibetan-inhabited areas since last year. —AFP

Sri Lanka orders ex-army chief freed amid US pressure ‘to return to his cell to bid farewell to prison inmates’

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Zeke Petrie, 39, left, and Steven Shaw, 57, talk to reporters from inside a jail cell at a police station in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, May 19. A Haitian National Police official said Shaw and Petrie, both of the US, are being held because they were acting as if they were part of a military group in a Friday demonstration in Haiti’s capital that turned violent. — AP

Two Americans jailed in Haiti in pro-army march PORT-AU-PRINCE: Haiti moved to crack down on a band of former and would-be soldiers who had been staging protests for more than a year, closing two old military bases they had occupied and locking up dozens of participants in a proarmy march including two Americans.

National police spokesman Gary Desrosiers said the Americans were jailed because they were acting as if they were part of Haiti’s military on Friday during a demonstration to demand that President Michel Martelly restore the country’s armed forces, which was abolished in 1995 because of its abusive record. The march by hundreds of former soldiers and their young recruits in Haiti’s capital turned violent and 50 participants were detained.

On Saturday, authorities said Americans Zeke Petrie, 39, of Barberton, Ohio; and Steven Shaw, 57, of Massachusetts, were among those in jail.

Police say they were driving vehicles with pro-army demonstrators in the march when they were picked up a few blocks from the National Palace.

Petrie wore a black T-shirt with the army’s name on it and Shaw wore camouflage pants. “I’m friends with the guys,” Petrie told The Associated Press from behind bars at the Canape Vert police station. “These guys are working for the betterment of the country.” Petrie, an occasional interpreter for foreign journalists, said he hadn’t been formally charged but overheard police say he would be charged with “working with terrorists.”

Two other Americans, Benjamin Depp, 29, a freelance photojournalist from Waxhaw, North Carolina, and John Strutner, 22, a volunteer at Child Hope International from Monterey, California, along with Canadian Seanna McLeod, 38, a volunteer at a malnutrition clinic from Courtenay, British Columbia, were held overnight in the lobby of the police station after trying to bring insulin, syringes and swabs to Petrie, who says he’s diabetic.

Desrosiers said he knew nothing about the three people held overnight, but each of them told the AP that government prosecutor Jean-Renel Senatus said they had to stay at the police station until they answered questions with an attorney and an interpreter about how they knew Petrie.

Senatus didn’t return repeated calls on Saturday. Later Saturday, Haitian police shut down two of the 10 old military bases the former soldiers had been occupying and the wannabe soldiers fled to an undisclosed location. Secretary of State for Public Security Reginald Delva said the rest of the bases would soon be closed.

“The move is on,” said Delva. “That’s two down, and we’re moving on to the other ones.” The paramilitary-like presence of the former soldiers, and their regular marches and occupations in mismatched uniforms, had become an embarrassment to the UN peacekeeping mission and the Haitian government, which hopes to court foreign investors.

Friday’s rally began peacefully but some people near the National Palace threw rocks amid a heavy UN presence. A few of the men in military uniforms carried handguns. That evening, police exchanged gunfire outside an old army base in the Carrefour district outside Port-au-Prince.

Four civilians were treated for gunshot wounds Friday night at two Doctors Without Borders clinics in Carrefour, said Mathieu Fortoul, a spokesman for the international health charity. It was not immediately clear if they were shot in the gunfire surrounding the demonstration, Fortoul said. Martelly has said he wants to revive the military but that it must be done legally. Under pressure from the UN, his administration has repeatedly called for the lightly armed men to drop their weapons and clear out of the bases they’ve taken over since February. But until Friday and Saturday the government had taken little action to disband the group of men. — AP

KATHMANDU: Protesters run as policemen arrive at the scene where the motorcycle of a journalist is torched during a general strike called by Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday. The group had called for businesses to close and vehicles to stay off the streets to support their demand that states proposed in the new constitution be marked on the basis of ethnic groups. — AP

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s president has ordered the release of his jailed electoral foe, ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, bowing to US-led pressure three years after the end of the island’s long ethnic war. The 61-year-old former fourstar general could leave prison today following legal formalities, an official said yesterday, after President Mahinda Rajapakse marked the third anniversary of the Tamil Tigers’ crushing defeat.

Fonseka was arrested two weeks after he unsuccessfully challenged Rajapakse’s re-election in January 2010. Since then, he had been incarcerated in military custody as well as jail for two years, three months and two weeks.

The president signed the papers ordering Fonseka’s release on Friday evening, spokesman Bandula Jayasekera said. “Papers will be sent to the Ministry of Justice today,” he said. Fonseka’s wife Anoma Fonseka welcomed the decision. “I welcome the announcement (of the release),” Anoma Fonseka told reporters outside a private hospital where prison authorities took her husband for treatment for a respiratory problem two weeks ago.

“I hope the president will keep his promise to release him unconditionally,” she said.

However, official sources said the pardon only cancels out the sentence and Fonseka may not have his civic rights to participate in elections for seven years from the time he walks out of jail. The pardon also does not restore his title, medals and pension that were taken away by a military court on a charge of dabbling in politics while in uniform.

The pardon does not extend to allegations that he employed army deserters as his bodyguards, a charge that carries a 20-year jail term. His passport has already been impounded. Fonseka’s Democratic National Alliance (DNA) party lawmaker and chief negotiator Tiran Alles said they will campaign for a full pardon.

Another DNA lawmaker, Jayantha Ketagoda, said Fonseka was keen to leave hospital and return to his cell to bid farewell to prison inmates. “He is keen to go back to say his farewells,” Ketagoda told reporters.

Fonseka is credited with leading the campaign that crushed the separatist Tamil Tiger

rebels in May 2009, but also triggered international calls to probe the alleged deaths of up to 40,000 civilians in the war’s final months.

The once feared former general, who also holds a US Green Card that grants him the right to reside there, was regarded by the

Saturday insisted that there would be no troop withdrawal.

Fonseka fell out with Rajapakse over who should take credit for ending the savage ethnic bloodshed which killed up to 100,000 people between 1972 and 2009.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s former army chief Sarath Fonseka (C) is surrounded by prison officials as he enters the Colombo High Court. The 61-year-old former four-star general could leave prison today following legal formalities, an official said yesterday, after President Mahinda Rajapakse marked the third anniversary of the Tamil Tigers’ crushing defeat. — AFP United States as a political prisoner and Washington had repeatedly called for his release.

President Rajapakse issued the release order after his foreign minister, Gamini Lakshman Peiris, met in Washington on Friday with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for talks on the island’s human rights record.

Clinton believed Sri Lanka has put forward “a very serious” plan for reconciliation after its civil war, and urged the government to move forward on protecting human rights, the State Department said.

Clinton also asked Sri Lanka to “de-militarise” the former war zone, but Rajapakse on

Border firmly shut as NATO seeks Pakistan resolution TORKHAM: There was no sign yesterday of Pakistan opening its border crossing to NATO trucks carrying essential supplies to Afghanistan, as President Asif Ali Zardari prepared to meet Western leaders.

A furious Pakistan slammed shut the Torkham border gate in its northwest to NATO vehicles in November when air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, souring already fragile relations between allies Washington and Islamabad.

That left hundreds of containers of supplies intended for the 130,000 NATO troops in neighbouring Afghanistan stranded at port in Karachi, although the Western alliance said it had other ways of making up for the shortfall. Six months on, Pakistan on Friday allowed containers of office supplies for the US embassy in Kabul to cross into Afghanistan via Torkham, giving rise to hopes that Islamabad would imminently let NATO again use the crossing.

But officials at Torkham, a dusty and mountainous outpost through which trucks packed with mostly fuel and food for NATO used to trundle through daily, told AFP there was no link between supplies for embassies and NATO goods.

“Some 17 containers of various countries were allowed to pass in last six months and it’s normal because they had diplomatic protection,” said Mazhar Ali, a government official at Torkham. An AFP reporter who yesterday travelled from the northwestern Peshawar city to Torkham, on the dangerous Khyber Pass, confirmed no NATO vehicles were going through, nor were there even any waiting at the pass.

“NATO supply is completely closed. We have not received any fresh order to reopen it,” Ali told AFP. “We are only allowing private vehicles and commercial trucks, we have even no intimation for the reopening of NATO supplies.”

Pakistan tribal police and troops were searching every vehicle passing through the main iron gate at Torkham, where thousands of veiled women and children were also crossing on foot. Torkham lies on the still-controversial Durand Line, which British imperialists drew through millions of Pashtun tribesmen to separate Pakistan from landlocked Afghanistan.

President Zardari, who accepted a last-minute invitation to attend, will be one of the key figures when 50 world leaders gather in Chicago for one of the biggest NATO summits in history later yesterday. Their aim is to hammer out a unified exit strategy from Afghanistan after a decade of war. — AFP

He had also angered the government by saying he would gladly testify before any international tribunal probing possible war crimes charges, after the UN said thousands of civilians were killed in the last months of fighting.

Fonseka was initially jailed for 30 months in September 2010 by a military court for corruption relating to military procurements.

In November 2011, he was sentenced to three more years in jail for saying that surrendering Tiger rebels had been killed on the orders of the president’s brother Gotabhaya Rajapakse, who is the defence secretary. Sri Lanka has denied that any civilians at all were killed by its troops at the climax of the war. — AFP

Cool weather aids in fight against Colorado wildfire DENVER: Lower temperatures and higher humidity were helping crews assigned to a wildfire that has scorched 12 square miles in northern Colorado, one of several burning across the West.

The fire, which started Monday about 20 miles northwest of Fort Collins, had prompted officials to evacuate about 80 homes, but all residents were allowed to return by Friday night. No buildings have been damaged, and the blaze was about 45 percent contained Saturday afternoon.

Reghan Cloudman with the US Forest Service said the area received about 0.15 inches of rain Saturday morning, which “is better than nothing.”

Scattered rain storms moved through the area in the afternoon, and temperatures were expected to remain in the 50s throughout the day - more than a 20-degree drop from highs during the previous three days.

“The rain is definitely helping firefighters out there,” Cloudman said. “It’s good news, but we don’t want people to let their guard down.” The US Attorney ’s Office said 56-year-old James J. Weber of Fort Collins started the fire with an outdoor stove while camping in the Roosevelt National Forest.

US Forest Service investigators said Weber, a mental health counselor at Colorado State University, tried to stamp out the fire Monday but fled as the blaze spread. He later reported starting the fire to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.

There is no cell phone service in the area where the man was camping. The Forest Service issued Weber a citation for causing a fire without a permit, and he faces a $300 fine. Authorities also plan to pursue restitution for the blaze.

Weber ’s attorney, Joseph A. Gavaldon, declined to comment about how the fire started or any events that followed, but he said his client is praying with “hope that this gets under control.”

The Colorado blaze, which has required the resources of more than 500 firefighters, two planes and five

helicopters, was one of several burning in the West. Firefighters have been able to slightly tame fires in Arizona thanks to slowing winds.

A 10-mph breeze helped firefighters get a wildfire that forced the evacuation of some small mountain towns about 85 miles north of Phoenix below 13,000 acres. Officials say the fire was about 10 percent contained, about the same the night before, and had nearly 900 firefighters battling the blaze. It’s one of four raging fires in a state that has been hit hard by drought. Wildfires also have charred terrain in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah.

In Nevada, a fire grew to 27 square miles and threatened sage grouse and mule deer habitat. No homes were in danger, and no injuries were reported.

The blaze was about 50 percent contained Saturday and remains under investigation.

In New Mexico, crews battled a lightning-caused fire that has scorched 545 acres in the Gila National Forest in the southwestern part of the state. No structures were at risk, and no injuries were reported. About seven trails remained closed in the forest and more than 110 firefighters around the state were helping battle the blaze Saturday.

In Utah, rain and cooler temperatures helped slow a wildfire that burned nearly 2 square miles in the western part of the state. Firefighters contained the blaze late Friday. No structures were threatened, and no injuries were reported. Authorities say the fire was sparked accidentally Thursday by a passing car.

Meanwhile, in Southern Oregon, crews worked Saturday to extinguish a 462-acre wildfire near the California and Nevada borders. The fire eight miles east of Lakeview, Ore., near Highway 140 was not immediately threatening people or property, but firefighters said they were concerned hot spots could ignite later in the fire season. The fire is believed to be human-caused and is burning on private land and in the Fremont-Winema National Forest. — AP

12

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

international

Top China security official named to Party Congress BEIJING: China’s top security official Zhou Yongkang has been named a delegate to a top Communist Party meeting, despite calls for his removal amid political upheaval ahead of a 10-yearly leadership change.

Zhou, one of China’s top nine rulers, was named Saturday as a delegate from western-China’s Xinjiang region to the 18th Communist Party Congress which is slated to meet later this year, the Xinjiang Daily reported.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier

Wen Jiabao and other top leaders including Zhou are expected to resign from their party posts at the end of the congress, ushering in a new leadership for the world’s most populous nation.

Zhou is viewed as a hardliner and has been linked to charismatic leader Bo Xilai, whose downfall earlier this year triggered the nation’s biggest political scandal in decades. Last week an open letter signed by a group of Communist Party veterans called for Zhou’s immediate removal, a move

they said would ensure a smooth leadership transition and signal future political reforms aimed at solidifying the rule of law.

They accused Zhou of backing Bo’s campaign to crackdown on corruption that many say involved widespread use of torture and illegalities and saw a leftist revival in China’s southwestern megacity of Chongqing.

Analysts say Bo’s removal in March as head of Chongqing and his subsequent suspension from the Politburo

are indicative of a major split between conservative hardliners and reformers at the helm of the ruling party.

The scandal has been a huge embarrassment for the ruling party, which had been keen to project an image of unity as it gears up for the sensitive handover.

It was not immediately clear why Zhou was named a delegate from Xinjiang to the congress. He is one of about 2,200 top party leaders expected to attend the congress. Zhou currently

Chinese activist renews call to fight injustice ‘For the past seven years, I never had a day’s rest’ NEW YORK: A blind Chinese legal activist who escaped house arrest, endured a nearly monthlong diplomatic tussle and a hurried daylong flight paused ever so briefly upon his arrival in New York City before taking up a familiar fight.

Taken from a hospital in his homeland and put on a plane for the US after Chinese authorities suddenly told him Saturday to pack and prepare to leave, Chen Guangcheng embraced his new surroundings at New York University and renewed his call to fight injustice.

“I believe that no matter how difficult the environment nothing is impossible if you put your heart to it,” he told a cheering crowd at NYU shortly after arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday evening. “We should link our arms to continue in the fight for the goodness in the world and to fight against injustice. So, I think that all people should apply themselves to this end to work for the common good worldwide.”

Chen was suddenly allowed to leave China earlier in the day, ending a dispute that tested U.S.-China relations. Dressed in a white shirt and khaki pants and using crutches, his right leg in a cast, Chen was greeted with cheers when he arrived at the apartment in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village where he will live with his family. The complex houses faculty and graduate students of New York University, where Chen is expected to attend law school.

“For the past seven years, I have never had a day’s rest,” Chen said through a translator, “so I have come here for a bit of recuperation for body and in spirit.” Chen thanked the US and Chinese governments, along with the embassies of Switzerland, Canada and France. “After much turbulence, I have come out of Shandong,” he said, referring to the Chinese province where he was under house arrest. The US has granted him partial citizenship rights, he said.

Chen gave a short statement, which was greeted by cheers in Mandarin and English. He didn’t take questions from reporters. The departure of Chen, his wife and two children to the United States marked the conclusion of nearly a month of uncertainty and years of mistreatment by local authorities for the self-taught activist.

After seven years of prison and house arrest, Chen made a daring escape from his rural village in April and was given sanctuary inside the US Embassy, triggering a diplomatic standoff over his

fate. With Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Beijing for annual high-level discussions, officials struck a deal that let Chen walk free, only to see him have second thoughts. That forced new negotiations that led to an agreement to send him to the US to study law, a goal of his, at New York University.

“Thousands of thoughts are surging to my mind,” Chen said before he left China. His concerns, he said, included whether authorities would retaliate for his negotiated departure by punishing his relatives left behind. It also was

met when Chen came to the United States on a State Department program in 2003, and Cohen has been staunch advocate for him since. Before leaving China, Chen asked his supporters and others in the activist community for their understanding of his desire to leave the front lines of the rights struggle in China. “I am requesting a leave of absence, and I hope that they will understand,” he said. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland praised the quiet negotiations that freed him.

“We also express our appreciation for the man-

NEW YORK: Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng (L) and his wife Yuan Weijing smile upon their arrival at the New York University Village appartment complex in Manhattan in New York, May 19. —AFP unclear whether the government will allow him to return. In New York, he said China had promised him protection of his rights as a citizen there. “I am very gratified to see that the Chinese government has been dealing with the situation with restraint and calm, and I hope to see that they continue to open discourse and earn the respect and trust of the people.”

Chen’s expected attendance at New York University comes from his association with Jerome Cohen, a law professor there who advised Chen while he was in the US Embassy. The two

ner 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,” Nuland said in a statement.

The White House also said it was pleased with the outcome of negotiations. China’s Foreign Ministry said it had no comment. The government’s news agency, Xinhua, issued a brief report saying that Chen “has applied for study in the United States via normal channels in line with the law.”

Chen’s supporters welcomed his departure.

“This is great progress,” said US-based rights activist Bob Fu. “It’s a victory for freedom fighters.”

The 40-year-old Chen is emblematic of a new breed of activists that the Communist Party finds threatening. Often from rural and working-class families, these “rights defenders,” as they are called, are unlike the students and intellectuals from the elite academies and major cities of previous democracy movements and thus could potentially appeal to ordinary Chinese. Chen gained recognition for crusading for the disabled and for farmers’ rights and fighting against forced abortions in his rural community. That angered local officials, who seemed to wage a personal vendetta against him, convicting him in 2006 on what his supporters say were fabricated charges and then holding him for the past 20 months in illegal house arrest. Even with the backstage negotiations, Chen’s departure came hastily. Chen spent the last 2 1/2 weeks in a hospital for the foot he broke escaping house arrest. Only on Wednesday did Chinese authorities help him complete the paperwork needed for his passport.

Chen said by telephone Saturday that he was informed at the hospital just before noon to pack his bags to leave. Officials did not give him and his family passports or inform them of their flight details until after they got to the airport.

Seeming ambivalent, Chen said that he was “not happy” about leaving and that he had a lot on his mind, including worries about retaliation against his extended family back home. His nephew, Chen Kegui, is accused of attempted murder after he allegedly used a kitchen knife to attack officials who stormed his house after discovering Chen Guangcheng was missing. “I hope that the government will fulfill the promises it made to me, all of its promises,” Chen said. Such promises included launching an investigation into abuses against him and his family in Shandong province, he said before the phone call was cut off.

Much as Chen has said he wants return to China, it remains uncertain whether the Chinese government would bar him, as they have done with many exiled activists. “Chen’s departure for the US does not and should not in any way mark a ‘mission accomplished’ moment for the US government,” said Phelim Kine, a senior Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The harder, longer-term part is ensuring his right under international law to return to China when he sees fit.” —AP

Thai red shirts want justice from PM BANGKOK: Thailand’s “red shirts” took to the street this weekend to mark the anniversary of the army’s bloody repression of their mass rally in Bangkok in 2010 amid growing signs of a rift with the government they helped elect last July. Many red shirts are angry at the failure of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to bring to account those responsible for the 91 deaths during the 2010 events. Some are threatening action that could destabilise her government and start another period of political upheaval, after months of relative calm.

At least 20,000 people attended the rally, which ended peacefully in the early hours of Sunday. They blocked a major crossroads where a huge shopping mall was set on fire during the dispersal of the 2010 rally. “My son has been in prison for two years and hasn’t been allowed bail. I haven’t received any help

from this government to get him out,” said Bantao Muangkot, whose son was arrested for allegedly setting fire to a town hall in the northeast.

Families of those killed fear a political amnesty bill proposed by the Yingluck government could see charges dropped against those guilty of crimes related to Thailand’s six-year political crisis, including members of the military, former ministers now in opposition and ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Red shirts at the rally held pictures of Thaksin, Yingluck’s brother, who was ousted in a coup in 2006. He has chosen exile to avoid going to jail after being found guilty of a conflict of interest when he was in power but is itching to return.

Though they support Thaksin, many red shirts are demanding a full investigation into the military’s role in the deaths. “Most red shirts

MANILA: Children jump up to grab toys and other goodies suspended in the air as they take part in street festivities during the annual Feast Day of St. Rita of Cascia in suburban Manila yesterday. The town celebrates the feast of their patroness, St. Rita de Cascia, annually by holding parades and organizing parlor games for the children. —AFP

I spoke to said that if they were forced to choose, they would rather see those responsible for the violence go to jail than bring Thaksin home to Thailand,” Thida Thawornseth, leader of the red shirts’ United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, told Reuters.

Thaksin addressed the rally through a video link. “I know you feel hurt, but we have to push personal issues to one side and work for the greater good, for reconciliation,” he told the crowd. “Those responsible for the killings in 2010 will be brought to justice but that could take some time.”

The government has enjoyed an uneasy peace since taking office, facing little opposition from the royalist, anti-Thaksin “yellow shirts” of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, whose leaders also stand to gain from an amnesty, having organised the invasion and closure of Bangkok’s two airports in 2008.

Natthaputt Akhard, whose sister, Katekamol, a volunteer nurse, was shot dead in a temple during the crackdown on the 2010 rally fears most cases will remain unresolved.

“My mother whispered to Thaksin at a red shirt gathering in Cambodia that she didn’t want an amnesty deal, she wanted the truth,” said Natthaputt. Soon after, Thaksin addressed red shirts on Thai television, asking them to “make sacrifices” for the greater good. “Thaksin would be betraying the reds if he made a deal at their expense,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. Anger at the government’s refusal to amend Thailand’s strict laws that shield the country’s monarchy from criticism is also causing tension. Many red shirt supporters at the rally wore T-shirts calling for an amendment to the lese-majeste laws. That is a sensitive issue in a country where King Bhumibol Adulyadej is regarded by many as semi-divine. Critics say the laws are being abused to silence or imprison opponents of the royalist establishment and some are angry that Thaksin and Yingluck seem more interested in reaching a political compromise than addressing injustice. “This government should try harder, especially to ensure red shirts still in jail are treated in a humane way,” Thida said. —Reuters

heads the party’s Politics and Law Commission-which oversees China’s judiciary, prosecution and police-and is one of nine members of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, the nation’s highest ruling body.

During his five years at the commission, Zhou has overseen the quelling of riots in Tibet in 2008, and in Xinjiang in 2009, as well as maintaining security for the Beijing Olympics and cracking down on democracy and rights activists. —AFP

News

in brief

Iran envoy robbed MANILA: The Iranian ambassador to the Philippines was robbed in his own home by a thief who struck while the diplomat was asleep, a police official said yesterday. Alasghar Mohamadi was not even aware he had been robbed until the next day, said district police head Chief Inspector Adelaido Celario. “He was trying to use his cellphone on Saturday when he realised it was missing,” said the police chief. The robber apparently climbed over the back wall of the exclusive gated community in Manila where the ambassador’s residence is located, then broke in through a backdoor, Celario told AFP. The thief also took several watches, some cash and the envoy’s glasses. The house has a security guard but he is only on duty in the daytime, the chief inspector said.

Quakes rock Japan TOKYO: Japan was hit by two shallow earthquakes in the space of just eight minutes yesterday, one of them measuring a strong 6.2-magnitude, but there were no reports of damage and no tsunami alert.

The 6.2-magnitude quake struck at 4:20pm (0720 GMT) off Japan’s northeast Pacific coast, the national meteorological agency said, followed by a tremor with a reading of 5.7 at 4:28pm. The US Geological Survey estimated the magnitude of the first quake at 6.0. The depth of both quakes was about 10 kilometres, the agency said. “Sea levels may change slightly due to the (first) earthquake but there is no fear of damage resulting from it,” the agency said in a statement. A 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake off the same coast triggered a monster tsunami on March 11 last year, leaving about 19,000 people dead or missing and crippling the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Off-duty police crash KUALA LUMPUR: A car with five off-duty policemen on board crashed into the Malaysian prime minister’s official residence, reports and an official said yesterday. The five sustained mostly minor injuries in the pre-dawn crash Saturday at Prime Minister Najib Razak’s residence in the sprawling administrative capital of Putrajaya, the New Straits Times daily and Bernama news agency reported. Traffic police were investigating the incident, they said. The group were traveling in a Proton belonging to one of the five, the Times added. “Initial investigations reveal that the victims, all in their early 20s, were off-duty and had gone sightseeing,” the paper quoted Kuala Lumpur city chief Mohmad Salleh as saying. A police official confirmed the incident but could not give further details. Najib was not at the premises as he was on an official visit to the US.

Taiwan president takes office amid protests TAIPEI: Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou was sworn in yesterday for his second and last four-year term, as the opposition rallied against utility hikes and beef imports from the United States. In his inaugural speech to hundreds of dignitaries from the island and abroad Ma, who was re-elected in January, vowed to pursue free trade agreements with other countries and continue rapprochement policies with China.

“We saw the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement come into effect in March of this year, and mainland China is about to begin negotiating a similar agreement with Japan and South Korea later this year,” Ma said. “We must step up the pace of liberalisation; there can be no further delay. Only if Taiwan opens up to the world will the world embrace Taiwan,” he said, adding that the island would have to ditch its “protectionist mindset” and “revise outdated legislation”.

Taiwan already has free trade deals with Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua and has been pushing to forge tie-ups with other major trading partners as it tries to avoid being marginalised by the growing number of regional economic blocs. But talks have got bogged down, largely due to pressure from Beijing, which still considers the island part of its territory, even though it has governed itself since the end of a civil war in 1949.

The start of Ma’s second term was greeted with angry protests in which hundreds of demonstrators pelted eggs at a huge portrait of the head of state.

Ma has come under fire over a recent series of moves including “double hikes” in fuel and electricity prices amid a slowing economy and rising inflation. His government’s plan to allow imports of US beef treated with the growth drug ractopamine also triggered several protests by local farmers. —AFP

TAIPEI: Anti-government protesters throw eggs at a portrait of Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou ahead of Ma’s inauguration in Taipei, Taiwan, yesterday. Participants said they were angry about Ma’s economic policies, including his decision - announced after his January re-election - to raise utility prices. Ma was inaugurated for his second four-year term yesterday. —AP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

NEWS

Per formers participate in a two-day fire festival in Minsk late on Saturday. — AFP

monodrama mocks Assad Continued from Page 1 bullets, is heard from behind them whenever he tries. But at the end, he vents his anger and smashes the walls.

“We tried as much as possible to point out the areas of corruption in Syria and to explain, even if in little detail, that there is serious worry from what’s going on there,” playwright Jamal Adam told AFP. “Demolishing the walls displays our will to demolish these reforms,” said Adam. “We tried to ask for freedom in our artistic, peaceful way.”

The director, Maher Salibi, says the

play, presented in Abu Dhabi, talks about the “humane tragedy of a Syrian citizen ... who is isolated from life for having refused corruption”. “We wanted to the put the spotlight on the big problem of corruption which will have bad effects if we are not able to control it or carry out real reforms,” said Salibi. “Anything crumbling ... must be demolished and rebuilt.” The play, which caused laughter and tears, drew loud applause from those watching who broke into antiregime chants as they waved the Syrian flag of independence, a symbol of the 14-month-old revolt. “God, Syria and

Facebook’s Zuckerberg weds after historic IPO freedom only,” they chanted.

More than 12,000 people, mostly civilians, have died since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule broke out in March 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Assad has repeatedly promised reforms since the uprising, inspired by what has become known as the Arab Spring that has led to the ouster of authoritarian leaders in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. The play has already been presented in other parts of the United Arab Emirates and is due to go on an international tour. — AFP

Lockerbie ‘bomber’ Megrahi dies at 60 Continued from Page 1 Megrahi. One day these Abdelbaset babies will get an apology from the world.”

Megrahi’s funeral was due to take place today afternoon, Libya’s Lana news agency quoted one of his sisters as saying. The convict had been greeted as a hero on his return to Gaddafi’s Libya, after having served eight years of a minimum 27-year sentence for his role in the Lockerbie bombing. The fact that he survived much longer than the doctors had estimated provoked indignation in Britain and the United States.

On the second anniversary of the release of the former Libyan intelligence agent on Aug 20, 2009, the Scottish government insisted its decision to free him had been vindicated. But British Prime Minister David Cameron criticised the release as a “terrible mistake”, and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he would like to see him “back in jail behind bars”. Yesterday, Cameron said Megrahi’s death was a day to remember “the 270 people who lost their lives in what was an appalling terrorist act”. Cameron added: “I’ve always been clear he should never have been released from prison.” He also dismissed calls for an inquiry into his conviction. “There was a proper process, a proper court proceeding and all the rest of it. We have to give people the chance to mourn those that were lost. I’m very clear that the court case was properly done and properly dealt with.”

Most of those killed in the bombing of the Boeing 747 jet headed from London to New York were Americans. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, along with 11 people

on the ground. Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council declined to comment on the news of Megrahi’s death. But the father of one of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing, who has long believed Megrahi was innocent, said it was a sad day. “It is a sad time, I think. I have been satisfied for some years that this man was nothing to do with the murder of my daughter,” Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the attack, told BBC TV. “I think Scotland has a big question to answer as to why his verdict hasn’t long since been reviewed.”

Swire said Megrahi had been in great pain when he visited him in Tripoli in December, and that he thought it would be their last meeting. “He was in a lot of pain, and his demise now has at least relieved his pain for him,” Swire said. “So from now on perhaps we can concentrate on trying to find out who did murder my daughter and all those other people.” Swire, a member of the Justice for Megrahi (JFM) group, said he was confident that the guilty verdict passed on Megrahi by a Scottish court sitting in The Netherlands in 2001 would be overturned.

In December, Megrahi told several British newspapers in what was billed as a “final interview” that a book being written by investigative journalist John Ashton would clear his name. “I am an innocent man,” he told the papers, including The Times and the Daily Mail. “I am about to die and I ask now to be left in peace with my family,” he said.

Megrahi insisted he had “never seen” a Maltese shopkeeper whose testimony and identification proved central to the original guilty verdict, and argued that US agencies “led the way” in securing his conviction. — AFP

Dar cautious as ban lifted Continued from Page 1 two million minority Shiites. “We will be careful, especially on topics about Saudi Arabians and Bahrainis,” Al-Dar editor Hussein AlSultan told Reuters. “We will publish any articles about human rights in Bahrain if Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch publishes something. But we are not going further than this.”

A spokesman for Bahrain’s interior ministry referred inquiries to officials at the information ministry, who were not immediately available for comment. The information ministry

oversees regulation of local media coverage. Shiites make up about one third of Kuwait’s 1.1 million nationals and vocal members can be found in senior positions in parliament, media and business. Although Kuwaitis enjoy greater freedom of expression than citizens elsewhere in the region and have access to a comparatively outspoken press, the state can censor publications it deems a threat to national security.

In March a court told Sultan he had to pay a KD 1,000 ($3,600) fine or face six months in prison over the sectarianism charges. This was extended to a one-year suspended

prison sentence by a higher court on May 14, he said. “If I have any other charges in the meantime, they will apply the jail sentence,” he said, adding that the paper had asked Kuwait’s highest court to scrap the jail penalty. Lawmakers and analysts in major oil producer Kuwait have warned of a rise in sectarian tensions in the country, citing a series of cases involving Twitter. A Kuwaiti Shiite charged with defaming Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Twitter as well as insulting the rulers of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will stand trial today, according to his lawyer. — Reuters

Majority bloc agrees on unified Shamali...

Continued from Page 1 expected to support the no-confidence motion. No Kuwaiti minister has ever been voted out of office in a noconfidence vote, but many ministers were forced to resign to avoid debating grillings or facing no-confidence votes.

Meanwhile, the majority bloc also agreed to issue a statement to demand that Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah dismiss Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Ahmad Al-Rujaib. Two opposition MPs Riyadh AlAdasani and Saifi Al-Saifi have announced that they will file a request to grill Rujaib over a variety of violations regarding expatriate manpower, prices at cooperative societies and the sports sector.

But the majority bloc decided that they will issue a statement to ask the premier to sack him as a better solu-

tion. The Cabinet is expected to discuss the issues of Shamali and Rujaib at its meeting today but it looks that the Cabinet is helpless in rescuing the two ministers because the opposition has the majority to vote the two ministers out of office.

In another development, rapporteur of the legal and legislative committee MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the committee has agreed on a host of recommendations to amend the constitutional court law. One amendment will allow ordinary citizens and companies to file lawsuits before the court under certain conditions. At present, normal people are barred from approaching the court. The second amendment changes the functions of the court to just interpret laws and internal charters but not articles in the constitution unless the provision is the subject of a judicial battle.

Continued from Page 1 The seemingly well-coordinated timing was largely a coincidence, the guest said. The wedding had been planned for months and the couple was waiting for Chan to finish medical school, but the date of the IPO was a “moving target” not known when the wedding was set.

Attendees, including Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, were told after they arrived that they were not mere party guests but wedding guests.

“Everybody was shocked,” the guest said.

Ditching his trademark hoodie and sneakers, Zuckerberg sported a dark blue suit and tie with a white shirt for the ceremony, while Chan wore a traditional white wedding dress with veil and lace. Food was served family-style and included dishes from the couple’s favorite Palo Alto sushi restaurant. Zuckerberg met Chan at Harvard, where he founded Facebook in a dorm room in 2004, and have been together for more than nine years.

More than 280,000 people “liked” Zuckerberg’s status change, which was accompanied by a photo of the smil-

ing couple in wedding attire in a small, verdant outdoor setting with a string of lights behind them. Zuckerberg’s sister, Arielle Zuckerberg, posted, “Ba**s. Now I’m the only unmarried Zuckerberg...” on her Facebook page. She is listed by Chan as a family member on the site.

Chan’s own Facebook page, which now lists her as married to the founder, said she is a native of Braintree, Mass., and attended high school in nearby Quincy. She graduated Harvard in 2007 then taught science to fourth and fifth graders at the Harker School in San Jose for two years before starting medical school, according to her profile. Her page also says she “loves cooking and soft things.”

Even after the IPO, Zuckerberg, who grew up in Dobbs Ferry, New York, remains Facebook’s single largest shareholder, with 503.6 million shares, and he controls the company with 56 percent of its voting stock. The site has grown into a worldwide network of almost a billion people and made its founder, Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2010, one of the most famous businessmen of the Internet age. —Agencies

NATO: No rush for exits in Afghanistan Continued from Page 1 expressed confidence the alliance would “maintain solidarity within our coalition,” despite France’s decision.

“There will be no rush for the exits,” Rasmussen told reporters. “We will stay committed to our operation in Afghanistan and see it through to a successful end.” But signalling tensions over the issue, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters: “ We went into Afghanistan together, we want to leave Afghhanistan together.”

Obama, meeting Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the sidelines of the summit, said the meeting would agree on a “vision post-2014 in which we have ended our combat role, the Afghan war as we understand it is over, but our commitment to friendship and partnership with Afghanistan continues.” Standing next to Obama, Karzai thanked Americans for “your taxpayer money” and said his country looked forward to the day it is “no longer a burden” on the international community. Karzai’s government has been widely criticized for rampant corruption. Karzai’s comments underscored the political bind that Obama and other Western leaders face in underwriting a unpopular war effort and the build-up of Afghan forces during a time of budget austerity at home.

Trying to inject itself into the NATO proceedings, the Taleban urged countries fighting in Afghanistan to follow France’s lead and pull their forces out. “The people of nations allied with America have also shown their opposition to the occupation of Afghanistan,” the Islamist insurgent group said in an emailed statement.

“So the NATO member countries who claim to be the elected representatives of its people and consider their government the people’s government, by the people, for the people: how will they answer the call of their people in this summit?”

Hollande repeated a pledge during his inaugural visit to Washington last week to pull “combat troops” from Afghanistan this year. He has said an extremely limited number of soldiers would remain to train Afghan forces and bring back equipment beyond 2012. “This decision is an act of sovereignty and must be done in good coordination with our allies and partners,” Hollande said.

Careful French comments on the issue illustrate the balance NATO leaders must strike as they seek to avoid the appearance of splits with NATO partners without alienating voters who want to see a swift exit. Alliance leaders may use the same approach in discussions this weekend of long-term funding for the Afghan police and army, whose ability to battle the Taleban is at the core of NATO strategy for exiting Afghanistan smoothly.

A last-minute addition to the list of leaders at the carefully choreographed meeting was President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, whose western tribal areas provide shelter to militants attacking Karzai’s government and NATO forces. Zardari may encounter friction in interactions with NATO leaders who have been pressing Islamabad to reopen routes used to supply NATO soldiers in Afghanistan. Pakistan shut those routes in protest when US aircraft killed 24 Pakistani soldiers along the Afghan border in November. It was unclear whether a deal reopening those roads would occur this

weekend as US officials had hoped earlier in the week.

General John Allen, the US commander in Afghanistan, told Reuters he was confident a deal would eventually be struck but “whether it’s in days or weeks, I don’t know”.

Severe fiscal pressures, including plans for major cuts to defense spending in Europe and the United States, are sure to color the talks in Chicago, as they did those between G8 leaders. NATO is expected to announce a milestone in the effort to provide a pan-European missile defense system, which now has reached “interim capability.” It will also formally endorse an agreement for 14 countries to jointly purchase five US-made unmanned drone aircraft.

Police blanketed the city streets as thousands of protesters, some dressed as clowns and others bearing anti-war signs, gathered yesterday in a lakefront park in the biggest test yet for Chicago police trying to keep the peace as world leaders began meeting for a twoday NATO summit. Previous protests in the run-up to the summit have been lively but peaceful, resulting in fewer than two dozen arrests over the past six days, according to the Chicago Police Department.

“I think we’re going to be able to handle it,” Police Chief Garry McCarthy told reporters, adding the numbers of demonstrators this week were fewer than many had expected. Authorities said two more men were arrested in Chicago earlier this week, bringing to five the number authorities have detained on terrorismrelated or bomb-making charges. Three of those charged were plotting to attack Obama’s campaign headquarters, police stations and other targets, according to court documents. Defense lawyers said the three were entrapped by police informants.

The computer hacking group Anonymous said it had brought down the website for Chicago’s police department and another city website to protest the summit.

Officials said they were working on the situation. At the lakefront park, the festive crowd gathering on a hot but breezy day, wielded signs reading “WAR = DEBT, “Billions for jobs, not occupation” and “Peace is Matriotic, Love Your Mother,” as a folk singer serenaded them.

Others carried large US flags, some held upside down. At least two circular groups of drummers were pounding away, and dancers in pink and white robes chanted “Hare Krishna”. Occupy Chicago anti-Wall Street protesters were made up as clowns and streamed into the park. The protesters were expected to hear from a lineup of speakers decrying US defense spending and economic inequality, then trek 4 km along a prescribed route to near the McCormick Place convention center where the summit delegates are meeting, then hold a concluding rally.

A group of Iraq war veterans have pledged to toss their medals over the security fence surrounding the summit site in a symbolic protest. Matt Howard, a former US Marine who served in Iraq, said 50 veterans planned to throw away their medals. Vietnam War veteran Ron McSheffery, 61, said, “I’m in total support of stopping NATO and stopping the slaughter of innocent civilians. If we took the money we spent on bombs and put it into green energy, we wouldn’t need to keep the sea lanes open” for oil transport.— Reuters

14

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

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Issues

‘How-to’ guide for Greeks escaping euro

By Katell Abiven nce a taboo, Greece’s exit from the eurozone is now regarded as a realistic option that will require deft handling to avoid bank runs and economic calamity. Rule Number 1, analysts say: Don’t Panic. Getting back together with an ancient flame like the drachma has its risks, economists advise: the moment the currency is reintroduced to Greeks its value would plunge. The value of Greeks’ savings, once converted to drachma, could plummet by 50 percent, according to some studies.

It’s a prospect already striking fear into people.

Since 2009, some 16 billion euros ($20 billion) have been deposited abroad and that trend is accelerating. On Monday alone, Greeks withdrew 700 million euros from their banks. “The panic has already begun,” said Pedro Videla, professor at the IESE Business School in Madrid who believes a return to the drachma is “very probable”. “As the country is already disintegrating socially and politically, I would bet on it leaving the euro very soon,” he said.

His solution? “Over a weekend, we block all the accounts, we close all the banks, and no-one can withdraw money.”

Giuliano Noci, professor at Italy ’s Milan Polytechnic, agreed that Greece would have to stop a flight of capital with draconian measures such as blocking bank accounts. “It is in a kind of economic war,” he said. A second strategy, announcing a return to the drachma in advance, would sow panic, analysts warned. German’s Ifo Institute research centre advises taking a third option: leave bank accounts denominated in euros and allow people to spend euros, so as to avoid money rushing out of the country.

But at the same time, government workers would be paid in drachma, which would also be the currency for all dealings with the state. That would give the drachma a critical mass of 60 percent of all transactions and make it an indispensable part of daily life. Erik Nielsen, analyst at Unicredit, calls for keeping the euro as a currency until formal arrangements for Greece’s exit from the eurozone and European Union are launched. “The best scenario would be one of a rapidly shrinking state, people move towards a cash society, and life actually moves on until some sort of new stability emerges,” he said.

But that leaves the question of where to find so many drachma, now that the old notes and coins have been destroyed. One idea, said IESE Business School’s Videla, would be to stamp all the euro notes with the words “This is a drachma, not a euro” or to snip a corner from the notes to differentiate them. The problem, said Federico Steinberg of the Elcano Royal Institute, a Spanish economic research body, is that very few companies in the world produce official coins and notes.

Even if the Greek mint decided to drop printing 10-euro and 20-euro notes in favour of printing drachma, it would still take several months to print enough for the country, he said. “The transition would be pretty chaotic and you could see informal, alternative currencies appear, or a partial return to barter,” Steinberg said. “It would be like going back to prehistoric times financially but that is what happened to Argentina in 2001 and after a few months the situation stabilised,” he said.

With a new, weaker currency in place, it would be time to take advantage: Greece would be a bargain for tourists and exports would be extremely competitive, boosting gross domestic product (GDP).

But “foreign debt as a percentage of GDP would explode because it would be denominated in foreign currency and inflation would explode, too”, said Paula Goncalves Carvalho, analyst at Portuguese bank BPI. Greece is not self-sufficient in many essentials, she said, meaning import costs would surge.

One way to ensure Greece’s competitiveness is not cancelled out by inflation would be to stop paying foreign debts, said the IESE’s Videla, even if that would banish it from the international financial markets for years. In the end, said Milan Polytechnic’s Noci, a Greek exit need not be a catastrophe.

“The examples of payment default and enormous currency devaluations in Argentina, Indonesia, South Korea and Russia clearly show that this type of process, if well managed, is not a disaster,” he said. —AFP

O

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Young US illegals coming out of shadows

By Helen O’Neill he was tiny and trembling and looked so very vulnerable. Barely 15, having already experienced a lifetime of hardships since losing her mother at 5 and crossing the desert with her father, she clutched a microphone before a crowd in New York’s Union Square. “My name is Diana,” she said. “I am undocumented and unafraid.” With those words last March, another young woman stepped “out of the shadows”. It began several years ago, tentatively, almost furtively, with a few small rallies and a few provocative T-shirts. In the past two years it has grown into a full-fledged movement, emboldening thousands of young people, terrifying their parents, and unsettling authorities unsure of how to respond.

From California to Georgia to New York, children of families who live here illegally are “coming out” marching behind banners that say “undocumented and unafraid,” staging sit-ins in federal offices, and getting arrested in the most defiant ways - in front of the Alabama Capitol, outside federal immigration courts and detention centers, in Maricopa County, Ariz., home of the sworn enemy of illegal immigrants, Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

In “outing” their families as well as themselves, they know they risk being deported. But as states pass ever more stringent anti-illegal immigration laws - and critics denounce their parents as criminals - these young people say they have no choice.

Even critics who are sympathetic to their cause say the federal government has failed to secure the US borders and that it’s too costly to provide schooling, hospital care and other public services to noncitizens. Offering a path to citizenship for those brought into the country illegally as children, they say, simply rewards the parents’ law-breaking.

Still, more young people are publicly “coming out” and asserting their right to stay. They include Mandeep Chahal, a 21-year-old medical student who came to California from India when she was 6.

Cesar Andrade, a 19-year old student and tennis coach in New York City who came from Ecuador when he was 8. And Heyra Avila, a feisty 16-yearold from Florence, Ky., whose Mexican parents considered putting her up for adoption so she could become legal.

They are American in every way except on paper, they say. Why should they be branded, judged and punished? “Coming out was like a weight was lifted,” says Angy Rivera, a 21-year-old New Yorker, who was born in Colombia and came here with her mother when she was 3. “It was liberating. I wasn’t lying about my life anymore.” While Rivera was growing up in Queens, her mother told her to trust no one, to stay away from people in authority, to never mention her immigration status.

But it wasn’t until Rivera started looking for jobs and applying to college that she fully understood how different she was. She couldn’t work without a Social Security number. And, as a non-citizen, she wasn’t eligible for financial aid, despite top grades.

She struggled to find scholarships and grants, winning one with a poignant poem about her dilemma titled “Unidentified Identity”. She would look at her three younger siblings - all citizens because they were born here - and weep. Unlike her, they didn’t have to worry about college, jobs, driving, traveling, planning a future.

Rivera is active in the New York State Youth Leadership Council, which offers training sessions on “coming out,” lobbies lawmakers in Albany, and has an impressive website packed with information and practical advice for these youths on everything from health care and college applications to dating.

It is one of many such organizations that have sprung up across the country, focused on helping youth, fighting deportations, and educating the public about the kind of stateless limbo in which they feel trapped.

“Oh my God, what are you doing? Are you trying to get us deported?” Rivera’s mother cried after her daughter marched outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in downtown New York in 2010. Rivera was scared, too. But, like others, she has found comfort in community and safety in numbers - along with a growing sense of a need to take bigger risks in order to force change.

And so they are escalating their protests, testing the Obama administration’s professed new policy of “prosecutorial discretion,” designed to focus on the deportation of known criminals, not students or immigrants with no criminal record. “When we challenge the system, the system doesn’t know what to do with us,” says Mohammad Abdollahi, a member of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance who has traveled around the country, organizing some of the boldest protests to date.

Abdollahi, 26, who came from Iran at the age of 3 and grew up in Ann Arbor, Mich., has a powerful personal story. As a gay man, he cannot return to a country where homosexuality is a crime punish-

S

able by imprisonment or even death - a fact he says he uses to good effect whenever he is threatened with deportation. Today Abdollahi laughs when he recalls the early days of the movement in 2006 and 2007 - the furtive online conversations with other anonymous youth, afraid that if their identity was exposed immigration agents would come crashing through their doors. “I was scared to use my real name, even in emails,” he said.

Back then, the movement was focused mainly on the DREAM Act, which would allow a path to citizenship for some who graduated from high school and spent two years in college or in the military.

The act has failed several times. Disgusted by its failure in 2007, Abdollahi and others decided it was time for more radical action. They organized small “coming out” events in safe areas, like college campuses. The first big “Coming Out of the Shadows” rally was in Chicago in March 2010.

The movement quickly gathered strength, with young people actively fighting and publicizing deportation cases, organizing annual “coming out” rallies across the country, and - taking cues from the civil rights movement - getting arrested for acts of civil disobedience. Abdollahi’s first arrest came in May 2010 at the Tucson, Ariz., office of Republican Senator John McCain. Abdollahi and four other student activists, dressed in royal blue graduation gowns and caps, sat down in the reception area under an American flag and refused to leave. It was the movement’s first act of civil disobedience.

McCain, who co-sponsored the DREAM Act in 2007, angered these activists by backing off during the 2008 election, saying he would not support it without tighter border controls. Abdollahi spent the night at the Pima County jail before being transferred to an ICE processing facility. There, he says, he was locked in a room with about 20 men who had been rounded up in an ICE raid. They were shackled and led to a van to be driven to the border and deported. The “privileged undocumented students” Abdollahi says, were freed.

It was a lesson the movement took to heart.

Over and over, when these young activists band together - with lawyers lined up and plenty of media coverage - they are let go. They are winning some powerful support. There is now well-connected network of immigration lawyers, educators and other professionals offering their services for free.

And last summer, at a boisterous “coming out” rally in Atlanta, civil rights veteran Rep. John Lewis of Georgia chanted “undocumented and unafraid” and told a cheering throng of young people that he was prepared to get arrested with them. “The jails of Georgia, the jails of America are not large enough to hold all of us,” Lewis thundered.

ICE issues a standard statement after such arrests and rallies, saying its new approach to enforcement “includes targeting criminal aliens and those who put public safety at risk, as well as those who threaten border security and the integrity of the immigration system.” The new ICE policy, adopted a year ago, also calls for agents to consider how long someone has been in the country and whether that person’s spouse or children are US citizens. Regardless of the policy change, even critics acknowledge it’s simply not feasible to deport all of these youths. According to the nonpartisan American Immigration Council, an estimated 2.1 million young people might qualify for legal status under the DREAM Act. About 65,000 such students graduate from American high schools every year.

States vary widely in how they treat them. Thirteen allow them to qualify for in-state tuition rates. And three - Texas, New Mexico and California - allow them to receive government tuition aid. But only a federal law can allow them to get green cards, so even those who manage to graduate find themselves stuck: qualified lawyers, engineers and teachers who can only work menial jobs, in the shadows, like their parents.

“I breathe American air, travel on American roads, eat American food, listen to American radio, watch American TV, dress in American clothing,” says Alaa Mukahhal. “I have attended private and public American schools, read American authors, was taught by American teachers, speak with an American accent, passionately debate American politics and use American idioms and expressions.

A piece of paper cannot define me. I am a Muslim, an Arab, a Palestinian and an American.”

Mukahhal, 25, crashed headfirst into what she calls an “invisible wall” after graduating from the University of Illinois with a degree in architecture.

Born in Kuwait of Palestinian parents who brought her to Chicago at the age of 6, Mukahhal only realized the implications of her status when she started applying for jobs. She considers herself luckier than others: Illinois allows in-state tuition for those living in the country without legal permission. But Mukahhal cannot work in her field, because she doesn’t have a Social Security number or a work permit.

“My life was at a standstill,” Mukahhal says. “My mind was withering. It is like being stuck in time, except I’m still ageing.” Mukahhal, despairs when she hears the anti-immigrant rhetoric of politicians and others, who tell her to come into the country “the right way” or “get in line”. “People don’t understand,” says Mukahhal, who applied for asylum in the hope that an immigration judge will understand her situation. “There is no line for someone like me”.

Critics say any path to citizenship for young people like Mukahhal is an amnesty, one that rewards and encourages the illegal behavior of their parents, and drains state and federally funded financial aid programs. “It’s amnesty for up to 2 million people,” Rep Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican said last year referring to the DREAM Act during a discussion on immigration reform. Smith called it “an open invitation to fraud.”

“People say, go back to your country, but where are we supposed to go?” asks Tereza Lee, who was born in Brazil of Korean parents, who brought her to Chicago when she was 2. “This IS our home, the one we pledged allegiance to every morning before school.” Lee, now 29, holds a kind of iconic status among “dreamers”, because, in a sense, she was the first to go public. A gifted musician, Lee was accepted into major music colleges around the country, including Julliard. But she couldn’t attend without financial aid, which she wasn’t entitled to because of her status. Tearfully, Lee, then 18, “came out” for the first time - to her music teacher - who was so struck by her student’s plight she called the office of Sen. Richard Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois. It was Lee’s story that inspired Durbin to introduce the first version of DREAM Act in 2001.

“We need to be doing all we can to keep these talented, dedicated, American students here,” Durbin said, “not wasting increasingly precious resources sending them away to countries they

This April 10, 2012 photo shows Alaa Mukahhal in Chicago. Mukahhal was born in Kuwait of Palestinian parents and has been in the US illegally since she was seven. — AP barely remember.” But many in the movement say it’s not just star students who deserve the right to stay, but any young person who has grown up here, even those who don’t go to college. By her own admission, Keish Kim, of Roswell, Georgia, who came from Korea when she was 8, is a good student, not a straight-A one. But, the 20-year-old says students with more modest grades and ambitions deserve a chance, too.

Wearing a scarlet U - for undocumented - Kim gave tearful speech before the Georgia Board of Regents last November asking it to rescind a new policy that effectively bans these students from the state’s top five universities and colleges. They can attend other public colleges only if they pay out-ofstate tuition. “I just want to be in a stable educational environment, where I can learn,” Kim said.

To her great joy, she and others are finally getting that chance - at an “underground” university set up by educators and community activists after the Georgia policy was passed. The students meet in a secret location on Sundays, and study a rigorous - though uncredited - course taught by Georgia professors. They have named their school “Freedom University” after the freedom schools set up for blacks in the South during segregation.

Though being back in class has given her a renewed sense of confidence and purpose, Kim says her fears remain very real. She doesn’t dare drive, afraid that if she is stopped in one of the counties participating in the “secure communities” program - which allows local police to check a person’s immigration status - she could be deported.

And since she went public, she has learned that some of her former teachers and friends consider

her a criminal.

Anger at that sense of criminalization is a powerful force fueling the movement - and attracting new recruits. It was what drove 17-year-old Diane Martell of Bessemer, Alabama, to get arrested last fall after the passage of the nation’s harshest antiillegal immigration law, one designed to make life so unbearable for people like her parents that they would voluntarily “self deport”. “It was like people just shut down,” Martell said. “They didn’t go out any more. It was like they were not human beings.”

So the shy, bookish high school student, who dreams of studying medicine, did something she would have considered unimaginable a year ago.

She joined a group of out-of-state youth activists who flocked to the Alabama state Capitol. She sat down and blocked traffic, knowing she would be arrested, knowing she risked being deported to Mexico, a country her parents paid a “coyote” to smuggle them out of when she was 11. She is very brave, her father said in Spanish.

But Martell, who was charged with disorderly conduct and released after a few hours, doesn’t feel brave. She feels empowered. She says she is tired of watching the fear in her father’s face every time he drives, tired of her mother begging her not to walk to school on the days the ICE van is parked down the street, tired of all the limits on her life. “We are human beings,” Martell says. “We are not criminals, and we are not aliens and we cannot just stay silent.” In Sanford, North Carolina, Cynthia Martinez felt such rage at a system so stacked against her, she bought a one-way ticket to Mexico, in the hope that, somehow she would find a legal way to return to the only home she has ever known. North Carolina does not allow in-state tuition for these students, meaning they must pay prohibitive outof-state rates.” Why should I have to pay four times as much tuition, and register only after everyone else,” asks Martinez, 21, who came from Mexico at 2.

“It’s Jim Crow, back of the bus treatment.”

“If you are going, why not go with a bang,” said her older sister, Viridiana, who is active in the movement. And so in March, wearing her “undocumented and unafraid” T-shirt, Martinez joined a group of activists who marched into a state legislative committee hearing on immigration. After listening to Republican State Rep George Cleveland condemn “illegal aliens” as criminals and drug dealers, capable of little more than manual labor, Martinez stood up. “I’m one of those criminals you are talking about,” she cried. As she was hustled out and handcuffed, crying “I’m a North Carolinian,” several committee members yelled “go home.”

Martinez went home - to Sanford - where something unexpected happened. In her small hometown where she and her family had spent their lives trying to hide their status, neighbors approached her in the grocery store and at the fast food restaurant where she worked. They told her they hadn’t understood how hard it was to be here illegally.

They praised her courage and offered support.

It’s one thing for strangers to embrace the movement. It is far more difficult for immigrant parents. Horrified by actions they view as self-destructive, many have bitter, tearful confrontations with their children. Nineteen-year-old Dulce Guerrero came home after being arrested at a rally in Atlanta last year to find her father weeping and her mother angrier than she had ever been in her life.

Mohammad Abdollahi said he simply doesn’t discuss his activism with his parents, because they would find it shameful. Alaa Mukahhal says as much as she admires those who get arrested for the cause, she will not go that far because it would be too painful for her mother.

But others describe a growing understanding on the part of their parents, a sense that their children’s fight is theirs, too. When Diane Martell was arrested in front of the Alabama capitol in March, her father was in the crowd. In Duluth, Georgia, Nayeli Quezada, a 21-year-old Freedom University student, said that her activism had emboldened her parents to “come out” as well. And in New York Alejandro Benitez accompanied his son, Rafael, to a “coming out” rally in March. The father brimmed with pride as he watched the 16-year-old tell the crowd at Union Square that he was “undocumented, unafraid and unapologetic.” Benitez had never seen his quiet, reserved boy, who hopes to study engineering, so animated or so sure.

“Our generation, we were cowards,” says Benitez, who left Mexico when Rafael was 6. “These young people, they are fighters.” Rafael’s 17-yearold girlfriend, Coraima Veliz, whose family is Honduran, was watching, too. Rafael first “came out” to her a few months earlier, in a tearful, shameful confession, afraid she would break up with him once she heard that he was “illegal” - a word he never uses now. She hugged him tight. “There is nothing to be ashamed of,” said the American-born Veliz.

“It is not wrong. I know. My parents are undocumented, too.” — AP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

sp orts Rooney recovering for Euro

Superstar Dan made to sweat

David retains British Open

LONDON: England striker Wayne Rooney has been given an extended break to get fit before the European Championship after playing while injured for Manchester United in the final games of the Premier League.

England coach Roy Hodgson revealed details of the unspecified injury, which United manager Alex Ferguson had not disclosed as his side tried and failed - to stop Manchester City winning the Premier League last weekend. While United also wouldn’t comment on the detail of the injury, the website of the Daily Telegraph reported that it was a toe problem.

Rooney is suspended for England’s first two Euro 2012 games next month, and is also not set to feature in the warmup matches against Norway and Belgium before the team heads to the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

“I think he’ll benefit from the rest and also he’s been playing with a slight injury for the last three or four games and that needed a couple of weeks to really clear up,” Hodgson said. —Reuters

WUHAN: Superstar Lin Dan was made to sweat in front of an adoring home crowd but China breezed through their first group ties in the Thomas and Uber Cups world team championships yesterday. Quality was on show from Denmark, Japan and South Korea, but it was England’s Rajiv Ouseph who threatened to spring a major surprise, before “Super” Dan, badminton’s most-decorated player, came through in two games.

World number 19 Ouseph pushed the reigning Olympic champion in an unexpectedly tight match, as the usually cool Lin let off sparks of surprise and frustration when a handful of smashes went into the net and wide. “After starting well I broke my racket string and it took me too long to adjust to the new racket. It affected the attack game plan,” Lin said, praising Ouseph’s performance.

“All the matches here are equally important before the Olympics,” Lin added, underscoring the significance of this week in Wuhan, as players have a dress rehearsal before meeting each other on the big stage in July in London.

Lin’s teammates, including feisty world number three Chen Long, had an easier time as they beat the plucky English 5-0 and rapidly turned their attentions to Indonesia, who China face next in their group and a key rival. “Indonesia is China’s biggest opponent in the Thomas Cup,” Lin said. —AFP

LONDON: Malaysia’s world number one Nicol David regained the British Open title with an 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 win over the youngest ever finalist Nour El Sherbini yesterday.

It was a startling effort by 16-year-old Egyptian Sherbini, who is still doing grade ten school work, and who managed to upset three higher seeded players. Against the most experienced and highest profile woman player of them all, however, it was never likely she would cause a sensation.

David was fast, knowledgeable, and much more versatile than she used to be, and responded sharply to two brief moments of danger, at 5-4 in the first game and at 2-4 down in the second.

She did that with two periods of very tight squash, paying extra attention to her line and length, and thereafter was able to move the tall powerful teenager around enough to extract errors, and to risk more attacks herself. —AFP

Stormers take over lead from Bulls in Super 15 WELLINGTON: Life was tough at the top and bottom of the Super 15 rugby standings as the season’s 13th round brought more changes in an evolving playoffs race.

The three-time champion Bulls had a weeklong stay atop the table, but were knocked from that perch on Saturday when they were beaten 16-11 by the Otago Highlanders.

The Highlanders have made a habit of disputing the Bulls, beating them 35-28 last season to end their 20-match winning streak at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld.

The Bulls’ defeat - their third in 11 matches - allowed the Cape Town-based Stormers and Waikato Chiefs to move ahead of them into first and second places, respectively.

The Stormers moved into first when they edged New South Wales 19-13, effectively ending the playoff chances of the Waratahs who dropped back to 10th place, 13 points outside the top six. The Chiefs took four points from their scheduled bye.

At the bottom of the table, another three-time champion, the Auckland Blues, suffered their worst Super defeat, conceding nine tries to lose 59-12 to the Canterbury Crusaders.

The Blues’ previous worst was their 51-13 loss to the Queensland Reds in 1996.

The results of the 13th round saw the Stormers return to the top of the South African conference, two points ahead of the Bulls who face another tough assignment when they play the Chiefs next weekend. The Stormers take on the Durban-based Sharks in an equally tough all-South African contest.

The Brumbies rallied with three unanswered tries in the second half to beat the Wellington Hurricanes 37-25 on Friday and retain the Australian conference lead, eight points ahead of the defending champion Queensland Reds, who beat the last-place Lions 34-20.

Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper made a solid comeback from a seven-month injury layoff, setting up the first of Queensland’s four tries as they posted their seventh win from 12 matches to move up to eighth place.

The Reds remain five points outside the top-six playoff zone, the boundary of which is marked by the sixth-place Sharks who have 41 points. That now adds critical importance to next week’s clash between the Reds and Brumbies which may determine whether the Reds reach the playoffs.

The Highlanders’ win over the Bulls was their eighth of the season and left them in seventh place, two points out of the top six but only in third place in the New Zealand conference.

The Crusaders’ crushing nine-try win over the Blues allowed them to hold fifth place in the overall standings and second place in New Zealand, seven points behind the Chiefs. The Sharks beat the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs 34-20 to stay in sixth place overall, but only in third place in the South African conference, eight points behind the Stormers and six points behind the Bulls.

The Stormers survived a flat second-half performance Saturday to beat the Waratahs. Joe Pietersen and Tiaan Liebenberg scored first-half tries to pad a 16-13 halftime lead, but a Peter Grant penalty provided the Stormers’ only points in the second half.

The Waratahs rallied with a second-half try to center Rob Horne, but were unable to overtake the Stormers who fell back again on the best defense in the tournament.

“It was a tough game of rugby,” Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said. “We must give the Stormers side credit for grinding out wins. I know a lot of people say we have a bit of a slump in the second half.”

The Bulls also faded in the second half of their match against the Highlanders. Springboks flyhalf Morne Steyn, playing his 100th Super match, kicked two penalties to put the Bulls ahead 6-3 after a first half in which most of the play had been made by the Highlanders.

“I think we made too many mistakes and the Highlanders capitalized on that,” Bulls captain Pierre Spies said. “They played well tonight and credit to them for the win.”

Eighteen-year-old winger Chris Feauai-Sautia scored within minutes of making his Super 15 debut to help the Reds beat the Johannesburg-based Lions. Feauai-Sautia, who had not played this season due to a hamstring injury, combined with scrumhalf Will Genia on a dazzling try in the 49th minute that helped put the match out of reach of the Lions, who scored two late tries.

Cooper showed no fitness issues in his 40-minute comeback. “Of course, I wanted to stay on there ... but I knew I had to be smart just coming back from injury so I listened to all the right people,” Cooper said of his abbreviated return.

The Brumbies trailed the Hurricanes 25-16 after 51 minutes but rallied with tries to Sam Carter, Michael Hooper and Zack Holmes to seal their seventh win. Captain Ben Mowen said the Brumbies didn’t panic when they fell behind in the second half. “I just said stick to the things that are working for us,” he said.

Hurricanes winger Cory Jane suffered a severe ankle strain which has ruled him out of the All Blacks’ June tests against Ireland.

Meyer Bosman scored a late try against his former team to clinch the Sharks’ win over the Cheetahs. Replacement back Bosman went over for the Sharks’ fourth try with six minutes left, ensuring the Durban-based team continued its late-season surge and remain on track for the playoffs.

In a match Sunday involving Australia conference teams with little chance of making the playoffs, Cadeyrn Neville scored two tries and Kurtley Beale kicked a late clinching penalty goal as the Melbourne Rebels beat the Western Force 32-31. —AP

Blue Jays blank Mets TORONTO: Brandon Morrow pitched his second shutout in four starts in blanking the New York Mets on three hits and leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-0 win in MLB interleague play on Saturday.

Morrow (5-2) struck out eight. He has three career shutouts, including a victory over the Los Angeles Angels on May 3.

He also benefited from a close call in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Scott Hairston led off with a walk and went to third on Mike Baxter’s one-out single. Baxter tried to stretch his hit into a double but was thrown out at second base by Jose Bautista.

Baxter and Mets manager Terry Collins argued with umpire Brian Knight that shortstop Yunel Escobar had failed to tag Baxter. Replays confirmed that Baxter should have been safe. New York lost for the sixth time in nine games and saw starter Miguel Batista leave with a sore lower back after two scoreless innings.

Reds 6, Yankees 5 At New York, Joey Votto hit a threerun homer and Jose Arredondo worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his first major league save as Cincinnati held off New York.

New York scored twice off Sean Marshall in the ninth, but Reds manager Dusty Baker pulled his regular closer in favor of Arredondo and he got the job done.

Arredondo entered with runners at first and second and one out, and Derek Jeter grounded his first pitch to third. Cincinnati nearly turned a game-ending double play, but Jeter just beat the relay. Curtis Granderson then fouled off a 3-0 pitch before topping a slow roller to Votto for the final out.

Pirates 4, Tigers 3 At Detroit, Andrew McCutchen hit a pair of two-run homers and A.J. Burnett pitched six solid innings to lead Pittsburgh over Detroit.

A day after Detroit’s Justin Verlander took a no-hitter into the ninth while shutting out the Pirates, McCutchen went deep twice off Tigers rookie Drew Smyly (1-1). It was McCutchen’s sixth career multihomer game and second in three days. He has seven home runs on the season.

Prince Fielder hit a two-run homer for the Tigers, who stranded 10 runners.

Indians 2, Marlins 0 At Cleveland, Jeanmar Gomez pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning and Asdrubal Cabrera homered to lead Cleveland past Miami.

Gomez (3-2) allowed two Marlins to reach base in an inning only once, striking out four over 6 1-3 innings.

Cabrera connected off Anibal Sanchez (2-2) to put Cleveland ahead in the fourth inning. Three relievers finished off the Indians’ third shutout of the season. Chris Perez struck out the side on 10 pitches in the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

Giants 4, Athletics 0 At San Francisco, Ryan Vogelsong allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings and played a key role in San Francisco’s go-ahead rally as the Giants beat Oakland for the 11th straight time at home. Vogelsong (22) retired the first 13 batters he faced and allowed only a soft single to right-center by Seth Smith with one out in the fifth. But he was still locked in a scoreless duel with Tyson Ross before the Giants broke through for four runs with help of a disputed call in the seventh.

Mariners 10, Rockies 3 At Denver, Jason Vargas threw seven strong innings, and Kyle Seager homered and drove in three runs as Seattle beat free falling Colorado.

One day after being victimized by Kevin Millwood’s two-hitter - his first shutout in nine years - the Rockies looked lost against Vargas (5-3), who took a two-hitter into the seventh to help hand Colorado its 12th loss in 15 games. Rockies rookie left-hander Christian Friedrich (1-1) was tagged for eight earned runs on nine hits in five-plus innings.

Royals 7, D’backs 3 At Kansas City, Missouri, Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas homered, and Bruce Chen won his third straight start as Kansas City beat Arizona.

Butler homered to left-center in the third with Alcides Escobar aboard.

TORONTO: New York Mets’ Daniel Murphy (left) loses the ball as Toronto Blue Jays’ Edwin Encarnacion slides into second after hitting a double during the second inning of an interleague baseball game. —AP Twins 5, Brewers 4 At Milwaukee, Trevor Plouffe hit a solo home run in the top of the 11th inning to lift Minnesota over Milwaukee. Plouffe’s fourth homer of the season came off Manny Parra (01) with two outs. Parra had retired the first two batters before Plouffe connected on a 2-0 pitch that landed in the Brewers’ bullpen. Matt Capps, the fifth Twins reliever, got three outs for his ninth save while wrapping up the Twins’ fourth straight win.

Rays 5, Braves 2 At St. Petersburg, Florida, Alex Cobb won his first start of the season and Matt Joyce hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay beat Atlanta. Cobb (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. He retired his last 10 batters.

Cobb was recalled from Triple -A Durham on Friday night to replace Jeff Niemann, who is on the 60-day disabled list with an injured right leg.

The 24-year-old righty went 3-2 in nine starts for Tampa Bay last season.

Butler also drove in Jarrod Dyson with a sacrifice fly in Kansas City’s two-run fifth. Butler’s eight home runs and 31 RBIs lead the Royals. Moustakas sent his sixth homer of the season into the right-field bullpen in the fourth.

Orioles 6, Nationals 5 At Washington, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis hit two-run homers as Baltimore matched a season high with its fifth straight win.

Jones had three hits as the AL East leaders improved to 15-5 on the road.

Washington lost its third in a row. The Orioles scored two runs in the second off Ross Detwiler (3-3).

Red Sox 7, Phillies 5 At Philadelphia, David Ortiz homered, singled and drove in two runs to lead Boston over Philadelphia. Mike Aviles, Will Middlebrooks and Jarrod Saltalamacchia also homered for Boston, which won for the seventh time in nine games.

Saltalamacchia went 3 for 4, needing a triple for the cycle. Freddy Galvis

homered, and John Mayberry Jr., Hector Luna and Shane Victorino each had three hits for the Phillies as the teams combined for 26 hits.

White Sox 7, Cubs 4 At Chicago, John Danks pitched shutout ball into the seventh for his first win in nearly a month and Dayan Viciedo, AJ Pierzynski and Adam Dunn homered as the Chicago White Sox beat the Cubs. The White Sox made it two in a row over the Cubs and played without star first baseman Paul Konerko, who’d been hit near the left eye with a pitch Friday and had to leave the game.

Astros 6, Rangers 5 At Houston, Justin Maxwell hit one of Houston’s season-high three homers to put his team on top in the fifth inning in a win over Texas.

Maxwell’s second home run of the year, and first since his first at-bat as a member of the Astros earlier this season, came with one on and two outs in the fifth inning to make it 5-4. Chris Snyder had a solo shot in the third and Carlos Lee’s two-run homer in the fourth helped close the gap.

The Rangers took an early lead thanks to a four-run third inning, highlighted by David Murphy’s threerun inside-the-park home run.

Padres 3, Angels 2 At San Diego, Alexi Amarista scored San Diego’s first two runs against his former team and then doubled in the go-ahead run off Dan Haren in the seventh inning in a win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Erick Aybar tied his career high with four hits, falling a home run short of the cycle.

He had an RBI triple and scored a run. He singled with one out in the ninth and reached third with two outs before Dale Thayer struck out Ryan Langerhans to earn his fifth save in as many chances.

Dodgers 6, Cardinals 0 At Los Angeles, Clayton Kershaw outdueled Jake Westbrook with a sixhitter for his fourth career shutout, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers over St. Louis. Justin Sellers triggered a four-run seventh inning with his first home run of the season.

Kershaw (4-1) got the seventh complete game of his career, striking out four and not allowing a runner past second base.

He did not walk a batter for the third time this season while lowering his ERA from 2.22 to 1.90. The reigning NL Cy Young winner is 14-1 with a 1.40 ERA in his last 19 starts at home. —AP

Russia faces Slovakia in hockey worlds final HELSINKI: Russia and Slovakia will meet in the world hockey championship final later yesterday for the first time since the Slovaks won their only title a decade ago against the Russians.

After Evgeni Malkin scored a hat trick to lead Russia to a 6-2 rout of host Finland, Slovak forward Miroslav Satan scored twice to help beat the Czech

Republic 3-1 in the second semifinal on Saturday.

Malkin, the NHL regular-season scoring king for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, scored twice in the first period against defending champ Finland and completed the hat trick in the second period.

The crowd threw red hats on the ice to celebrate the three goals. “I have never experienced such

HELSINKI: Czech players celebrate a 3-2 victory over team Finland at the end of a bronze medal game at the IIHF International Ice Hockey World Championship. —AFP

things,” Malkin said. “It was fantastic to see.” Satan scored his first goal at 15:52 in the first period. He broke away when Slovakia was a man short, earning his second goal at 0:56 in the third period.

Forward Jiri Hudacek added another at 4:56.

Michael Frolik scored for the Czechs at 10:45, tying the game at 1-1.

Finland opened the scoring when defender Janne Niskalas deflected a blue line shot at 7:28, but Malkin evened the score at 15:33 shooting through a crowd, and he connected from the slot at 19:06 on a power play.

Alex Ovechkin made it 3-1, and Malkin’s hard slapshot found the far corner at 17:46 in the second period In the third period, Denis Kokarev, and Sergei Shirokov increased the lead to 6-1. Mikael Granlund scored Finland’s second goal with four minutes left.

Before Malkin’s third goal, he lost his balance and smashed into the board charged by Finnish defender Joonas Jarvinen. The Finn went out for tripping, but Malkin went down after slipping. The Russian star disappeared for treatment, but came back after some six minutes, losing four or five shifts in the process.

“I was lucky, I was going at high speed and could not evade the contact,” Malkin said. “But our doctor gave my hand some freezing treatment, and I could continue.” —AP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

S P ORT S

Jones hits late jumper, Sun beat Liberty 78-73 NEW YORK: Asjha Jones made a tiebreaking jump shot with 31 seconds remaining as the Connecticut Sun went on to a 78-73 victory over the New York Liberty in the WNBA season opener for both teams Saturday.

Tina Charles had 19 points and 13 rebounds to help the Sun spoil the Liberty’s one-game homecoming to Madison Square Garden. Allison Hightower scored 13 points, Asjha Jones had 12 and Renee Montgomery added 11.

Cappie Pondexter led New York with 19 points, Plenette Pierson had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Kara Braxton scored 13.

The Liberty are in the midst of a three-year stretch playing their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. However, the game was moved to the Garden because the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils played an NHL playoff game at the Prudential Center earlier in the day.

SPAIN: Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium prepares a putt during the semi-final of the Volvo World Match Play Golf Championship tournament against Paul Lawrie of Scotland. — AP

Colsaerts, McDowell in World Match Play final CASARES: Nicolas Colsaerts birdied the second playoff hole to complete a valiant fightback against Paul Lawrie and reach the final of the World Match Play Championship, where he will play former US Open champion Graeme McDowell.

Colsaerts, who lost in the semifinals here last year, was 4 down after four holes but birdied the par-5 last to force a playoff against the 1999 British Open winner.

Both parred the 19th - Colsaerts making a four-foot putt for the half on the par-3 17th - before the Belgian drained an effort from slightly further out at the next to clinch victory.

“I didn’t really feel that much pressure because I was 4 down all day, and I could see Paul wanted the match to finish early,” said Colsaerts, who lost in a playoff to eventual winner Ian Poulter in the 2011 semis. Unlike Lawrie, McDowell managed to hold onto his early lead built up against home favorite Rafael CabreraBello, who had made a name for himself at the Finca Cortesin course this week for his powers of recovery.

The Northern Irishman was 3 up after four holes but was made to wait until No. 18 to celebrate the win and give him the chance of a first tournament victory since the Chevron World Challenge in December 2010.

Cabrera-Bello could have taken the match to extra holes if he made birdie from just off the green but his putt slipped by the left of the cup before conceding after missing an attempt back up the hill.

The Spaniard, whose journey to the last four lifted him into the top 60 in the rankings and sealed a spot in next month’s U.S Open, came from 2 down to beat Robert Karlsson in the last 16 and 3 down to overcome compatriot Alvaro Quiros in the quarters.

“It was a great game - Rafa is a hell of a player and I didn’t want to see the 18th today,” said McDowell, who holed the winning putt for Europe at the 2010 Ryder Cup. Play was suspended for an hour toward the end of both semifinals because of the threat of lightning. Wind was forecast for the final. — AP

Pressel reaches Sybase semis GLADSTONE: Morgan Pressel inched closer to her first US LPGA Tour win since 2008, posting two very different victories to reach the Sybase Match Play Championship semifinals on Saturday.

Pressel rallied from 2-down with three holes to play to stun No. 2 ranked Na Yeon Choi in 19 holes in the morning and downed Anna Nordqvist of Sweden 5 and 4 in the afternoon quarterfinal of a surprised-filled event at the Hamilton Farm Golf Club.

Pressel will face Azahara Munoz in one of the semifinals Sunday morning, while American Vicky Hurst and Candie Kung will square off in the other match. The championship and consolation are

GLADSTONE: Vicky Hurst waves during the LPGA Sybase Match Play Championship golf competition at Hamilton Farm Golf Club. — AP

Sunday afternoon. Of the four players left, Pressel is the highest seed at No. 15.

The 19th-seeded Munoz and the 37thseeded Hurst have never won an LPGA Tour event. The 30-year-old Kung, who beat No. 1 ranked Yani Tseng in the morning round of 16, has four tour wins, but none since 2008. Kung is the lowest seed in the 64-player field at No. 49.

“I think that I definitely want to win again and I’ll have a chance tomorrow,” said the soon-to-be 24-year Pressel. “No matter what happens, I think that I ‚Ä” this is the best I’ve played in a long time, and from Japan two weeks ago to this week, I finally feel comfortable with my game again to a point where I haven’t been in a while. I’m going to give it

everything that I have tomorrow.”

Pressel, whose best finish this year is a tie for 20th, has been steady this week.

She made birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to tie Choi and won on the 19th when the South Korean missed a parsaving putt. In the afternoon, she ran away from Nordqvist after the one-time US Women’s Open champion fell behind after a couple of bogeys.

“This afternoon I had a little bit of a break and didn’t need to make quite as many birdies, but tomorrow I’m going to need to make the birdies again because I’m sure Atha’s’ going to come out and come out strong.”

Munoz beat No. 6 seeded Stacy Lewis 5 and 4 in a match the tour ’s best American this year didn’t play well. In the round of 16, Lewis ‚Ä” who was the highest-seeded player remaining at that point ‚Ä” edged 2010 Sybase champion Sun Young Yoo 1-up in the morning.

“I played pretty horrible,” said Lewis, who won in Mobile, Alabama, two weeks ago. “It was probably one of the worst rounds I played all year. It probably didn’t matter who I was playing, I wasn’t going to win.” Munoz and Pressel are good friends.

“We both want to win bad, so I think it’s going to be fun,” the 24-year-old Munoz said. “I wish I wasn’t playing her to be honest.” Hurst and Kung both had to work harder to post their quarterfinals wins.

The long-hitting Hurst, who upset No. 5 ranked Cristie Kerr over 19 holes Friday, won the 15th and 16th holes to take the lead en route to a 2-up win over U.S. Women’s Open champion So Yeon Ryu of South Korea. Kung also won the 15th and 16th holes to go 2-up against Julieta Granada of Paraguay and closed out a 2and-1 win with a par at the 17th. “ We both played pretty solid the whole day,” Hurst said. “She kind of let it go at the end, but it was pretty close.”

Kung said her putting carried her Saturday, but she had other concerns after the matches. She probably didn’t expect to be here and checked out of her hotel.

In the other morning matches, Ryu won seven of the first nine holes en route to a 5-and- 4 win over Katherine Hull of Australia. Nordqvist won four of the final six holes in beating No. 10 seed Amy Yang 3 and 1. Hurst was a 2-and-1 winner over Angela Stanford in an All-American match.

Munoz posted a 2-and-1 win over Jodi Ewart of England, who upset defending champion Suzann Pettersen in the first round. Granada was a 1-up winner over Karine Icher of France. —AP

Sky 69, Mystics 57 At Washington, Sylvia Fowles had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and spark key a 29-8 first-half run in Chicago’s victory over Washington.

Epiphanny Prince scored 13 of her 16 points in the first half, and Swin Cash added 14 points in her first game for the Sky. Crystal Langhorne led the Mystics with 16 points. Monique Currie, who missed all but four games last season because of a knee injury, added 14 points. Dating to last season, the Mystics have lost five straight games and 14 of 15.

Fever 92, Dream 84 At Indianapolis, Katie Douglas scored 21 points and Tamika Catchings added 16 to help Indiana beat Atlanta. Jessica Davenport had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Shavonte Zellous and Briann January each scored 11 points for the Fever. Indiana made 12 of 21 3-pointers and 20 of 24 free throws.

Angel McCoughtry led Atlanta with 26 points. Sancho Lyttle had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Lindsey Harding added 16 points.

Silver Stars 88, Shock 79 At Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sophia Young scored 20 points and Shemeka Christon added 16, including a 3-pointer with 46.3 seconds remaining, to help San Antonio open its season with a win over Tulsa.

Becky Hammon scored 17 for San Antonio and Danielle Robinson added 11. Tulsa led 77-73 with 2:48 to play but San Antonio went on a 14-2 run over the final 2:33.

Temeka Johnson led Tulsa with 21 points. Ivory Latta was next with 14. Riquna Williams has 12 points and fellow rookie Glory Johnson had 11 points and 10 rebounds. —AP

UNCASVILLE: Connecticut’s Asjha Jones (15) beats New York’s Leilani Mitchell to a rebound during a WNBA exhibition basketball game. — AP

Thunder rally past Lakers LOS ANGELES: Russell Westbrook scored 10 of his 37 points during a stirring fourth-quarter comeback, and Kevin Durant added 31 points and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 13.7 seconds left as the Oklahoma City Thunder seized control of the second-round series with a 103100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 on Saturday.

Serge Ibaka scored 14 points for the secondseeded Thunder, who took a 3-1 series lead and moved to the brink of their second straight trip to the Western Conference finals.

Oklahoma City improved to 7-1 in the post-

season with a tenacious rally on the second night of back-to-back games against the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, who scored 38 points in Los Angeles’ fifth loss in seven games overall.

The Thunder finished Game 4 on a 22-8 run, punctuated by Durant’s 3-pointer and two late free throws from James Harden, who had 12 points. Game 5 is today in Oklahoma City.

Spurs 96, Clippers 86 At Los Angeles, Tim Duncan scored 19 points, helping engineer a 24-0 run in the third quarter after the San Antonio trailed by 24

points, as the Spurs beat the Los Angeles Clippers to take a 3-0 lead in their secondround playoff series.

Tony Parker added 23 points, rookie Kawhi Leonard 14 and Manu Ginobili 13 to help the top-seeded Spurs win their 17th in a row and improve to 7-0 in the playoffs.

Blake Griffin had 28 points and 16 rebounds, and reserve Mo Williams added 19 points for the Clippers, who face some daunting NBA history heading into Game 4 late yesterday at Staples Center. No team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. — AP

Dufner stays one ahead IRVING: American Jason Dufner kept his composure after a slow start to move one stroke clear of a congested leaderboard in Saturday’s wind-buffeted third round of the Byron Nelson Championship in Ir ving, Texas.

Overnight leader Dufner, who clinched his maiden PGA Tour victory at the New Orleans Classic three weeks ago, carded a one-under-par 69 at the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas for an eight-under total of 202.

The 35-year-old was one of nine players who held at least a share of the lead in the third round but he made no mistakes in gusting winds after recording a birdie at the 14th while his closest challengers slipped back.

Australian Jason Day, champion here in 2010, three-putted the last for a 67 to slide back to seven under, level with Americans J.J. Henry (67) and Dicky Pride (69). Fijian former world number one Vijay Singh was a further stroke back after firing a 66. “Good ball striking, hit a lot of greens, a lot of balls in play,” Dufner said of his round. Playing in the toughest wind conditions on Friday helped him in the third round, he added.

“That was helpful today and I didn’t feel like I was scrambling too much, trying to save pars or being out of position, anything like that.

“It was a stress-free round for me. I was in position a lot off the tee, which enabled me to be aggressive with iron shots, and I didn’t have too many ‘must-make’ par putts.” Dufner began the day with a oneshot lead but squandered that with a bogey at the par-four third where he drove into a bunker. However, the laid-back American with the distinctive pre-shot waggle birdied the sixth to reach the turn in even-par 35.

At one point on the back nine, Dufner shared the lead with Day, Pride, Australian Marc Leishman and American world number five Matt Kuchar but his birdie at the 14th was good enough to give him a onestroke cushion going into Sunday’s final round. Day, who won his only PGA Tour title at the Byron Nelson Championship two years ago, was delighted with his position despite three-putting the final hole.

“I played great,” the 24-year- old Australian said after mixing four birdies with the lone bogey. “It was tough conditions out there with the wind, but I felt like I was trying to stay as patient as possible.

“I got away with a few shots out there, but overall I’m very, very happy with how the day went.” American world number 10 Phil M ickelson carded a 69 to lie six strokes off the pace at two under, one better than former world number one Ernie Els of South Africa, after a 70. —Reuters

DARLINGTON: Jimmie Johnson celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway. — AP

Johnson clinches All-Star race CONCORD: It’s not often a race car driver intentionally cruises slowly at the back of the field.

Jimmie Johnson did it for roughly 60 laps Saturday night, and it earned him a cool $1 million payday.

Johnson used a calculated strategy — he drove hard for the first and last segments, and coasted for the three in between — to join Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon as the only three-time winners of NASCAR’s All-Star race.

The five-time champion won the first 20-lap segment of the Sprint All-Star race, then deliberately faded to the back for the next three 20-lap segments at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His plan was to keep the No. 48 Chevrolet out of trouble, then make his play for the win in the fifth and final segment. “We did a strategy that we thought was best for our team,” he said. It certainly was, even if it was the antithesis of what race car drivers do for a living. But it worked for this year’s new format, which guaranteed the winners of the first four segments would be the first four drivers down pit road for a mandatory stop before the 10-lap sprint to the finish. Johnson’s win in the first segment meant he was guaranteed to be the first driver down pit road, and he had the first stall — the reward for his Hendrick Motorsports team winning Thursday night’s Pit Crew Competition.

His race, after winning that first segment, was simply to beat everyone else off pit road.

Johnson raced Matt Kenseth down the lane, and edged him across the line.

He then needed a clean and quick restart, which he executed to perfection, to pull away for the win. This win comes a week after his Darlington Raceway victory gave Hendrick Motorsports its 200th Cup win. “Man, I don’t want this week to end,” Johnson said.

He celebrated by picking up team owner Rick Hendrick, who climbed halfway through the window of the Chevrolet for Johnson’s celebratory lap. It was Hendrick’s seventh All-Star race win.

“He said come pick me up, and once I got to him, he didn’t want the ride,” Johnson said. “I’m like, ‘No, no, I came to get you, Get on the car.’ It was great to take him around.”

It didn’t look very comfortable — or safe.

“That was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in racing,” Hendrick said. “I thought I was going to be a busted watermelon.”

Brad Keselowski, winner of the third segment, had no chance to catch Johnson over the closing 10 laps. The final segment was the shortest by 10 laps, but Keselowski didn’t think it mattered.

“I don’t think it was going to make a difference if it was a hundred laps at the end; Jimmie was just that fast,” Keselowski said. “You can’t really steal any of his thunder on that. I was doing all I could to get by, but wasn’t meant to be.” But Keselowski, who won the third segment, wasn’t all that disappointed. “It’s all about the restart,” Keselowski said. “The high line on the restart just wouldn’t go. I don’t know if I would have been able to do anything, but I would have liked another shot. We got beat by a five-time champ and two-time All-Star winner, so I think we’re doing pretty good. We didn’t have enough to pull it off.” Kenseth, winner of the second segment, finished third. He had some tense moments after teammates Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle had engine failures — Biffle’s exploded into a giant fireball — and initially wasn’t all that comfortable following Johnson’s lead of running around the back until the final 10 laps.

“I watched what the 48 did. They won the first one, so they didn’t race until the last 10,” Kenseth said. “They seem to know what they’re doing, pretty smart. We watched that, kind of hung back. There wasn’t any reward for racing up through there. You knew you were coming on pit road second.”

And after losing the race off pit road to Johnson, and the restart, too, Kenseth knew he couldn’t catch the winner. It was Kenseth’s fifth top-five finish in 12 All-Star races. —AP

18

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

S P ORT S

Rich Chelsea, luckiest team in football MUNICH: Lots of money, lots of luck, and players who didn’t care about winning ugly just so long as they won - turned Chelsea into the champions of Europe.

The money, of course, is Roman Abramovich’s. The billionaire finally got his hands on the shiny trophy with big ears he so coveted. A bargain at $1.2 billion and counting. That’s roughly how much of his wealth the Russian has poured into the London club he bought in 2003, filling the heads of Chelsea fans with dreams of such special nights and scenes like these.

Striker Didier Drogba, scorer of the late goal that kept Chelsea in the game in normal time and of the penalty that won it after extra time ended with a 1-1 draw, ran across the pitch with the Champions League trophy in his arms and delight on his face.

Tens of thousands of Bayern Munich fans, forming a wall of red and white, silenced and shellshocked in their own magnificent stadium. Chelsea now having the bragging rights of being the first club from London to claw its way to the top of Europe. Tottenham, Arsenal are you watching?

There were times in the Champions League final when Abramovich may have wished that he had bought another superyacht, instead. At least it would have been prettier than a lot of the football played by his expensive team.

But there’s no law against playing ugly football. Chelsea didn’t travel to Munich to dazzle as Barcelona and Real Madrid surely would have done had those Spanish clubs not foundered in the semifinals.

Chelsea didn’t even come here to play attacking football - as Bayern did in wave upon fruitless wave on Saturday night, with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben doubleteaming like Batman and Robin, but without the knockout punch. No, Chelsea came to right the wrong of the tear-streaked night in Moscow in 2008, when Chelsea captain John Terry slipped on the soggy turf and hit the post in the decisive penalty shootout won by Manchester United.

This time, there was again the agony of penalties. Only this time, it was Bayern’s Bastian Schweinsteiger who hit the post.

Drogba, in what may well have been his

last kick of a ball in a Chelsea shirt, then fired home the winning spot-kick. So what this final lacked in beauty, it made up for in drama and absorbing storylines.

Like that of Terry, forced to watch from the sidelines because of his stupid red card earned in the semifinals, meaning he couldn’t make amends for 2008 himself. Or manager Roberto Di Matteo, the stand-in who succeeded where the likes of Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti failed when they were at Chelsea.

Abramovich has burned his way through seven managers in nine years, his impatience for success costing him tens of millions of dollars.

Di Matteo only ended up in charge because Abramovich ditched the last manger, Andre Villas-Boas, in March. And even now, having delivered European success, Di Matteo may still be looking for a new job next season. So is Chelsea the luckiest team in football? There are those who will argue that it.

Lionel Messi fluffing a penalty, as he did in the semifinal, doesn’t happen every day. A banner hung by Chelsea fans in the Allianz Arena - “Who Do You Think You Are Kidding?” on Saturday night seemed to nicely encapsu-

late the unlikely journey that Chelsea’s golden oldies made to get to Munich, recovering from a 3-1 first-leg defeat to down Napoli in the last 16 and beating Barcelona with 10 men after Terry’s red card for kneeing forward Alexis Sanchez in the back.

Barcelona, and now Bayern, failing to make their clear superiority count certainly felt like fortune favored Chelsea. The statisticians would have been forgiven had they still been calculating the number of missed Bayern chances well into next week. Their figures - Bayern had 35 attempts on goal; Chelsea just nine - told the story of a lopsided game where one team attacked while the other defended.

Bayern’s confident fans flaunted huge banners emblazoned: “Unsere stadt, unser stadion, unser pokal” - our city, our stadium, our cup - before kickoff. The city was awash with red shirts and expectation.

Chelsea was the underdog, and played like it, too. Chelsea let the Germans come at them in waves, waiting for opportunities to counterattack. Jose Mourinho left Chelsea long ago, for Italy and now Real Madrid, but his tactics

are alive and well in west London.

To be fair, Di Matteo had few alternatives.

Suspensions had robbed him of Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles and Ramires, the Brazilian whose speed and inventiveness was sorely missed. Bayern seemed less affected by the loss of its three suspended players, David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and Luiz Gustavo.

That Di Matteo was forced to field Ryan Bertrand, a 22-year-old neophyte in the Champions League, to help Ashley Cole defend against Robben’s runs, showed just how much Chelsea’s cupboard was bare.

So if the showcase of European club football wasn’t the spectacle it could have been then the organizers, UEFA, are partly to blame.

Keeping six players out of one of the biggest matches in their career because they picked up yellow cards earlier in the tournament was ultimately self-defeating.

The victory may well have been the last big European hurrah for the nucleus of the team upon which Chelsea built a remarkable decade of success, with three Premier League crowns, four FA Cups and now the Champions League in the Abramovich era. —AP

I’ll Have Another wins Preakness BALTIMORE: I’ll Have Another had Bodemeister in his sights again, a shot at the Triple Crown hanging in the balance. Two weeks ago, he ran down his rival and won the Kentucky Derby. This time, the chestnut colt needed to be even more relentless to win the Preakness.

Jockey Mario Gutierrez asked for more at the top of the stretch, and I’ll Have Another closed the gap with each stride, finally surging past Bodemeister a few yards from the wire.

Next up: New York and the Belmont Stakes in three weeks and a chance to join the company of Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed, who was the last to win thoroughbred racing’s most coveted prize in 1978.

That’s heady company for a colt who has yet to be favored in any of his seven races. That should

and I’ll Have Another hanging back in fourth in the 11-horse field. The early fractions were slower than the Derby, but when it came time for Bodemeister to dig in, it was I’ll Have Another who found another gear under Gutierrez and reeled in the tiring pacesetter in the shadow of the wire.

Since Affirmed became the 11th Triple Crown winner, 11 horses have won the first two legs only to come up short in the 11/2-mile Belmont, the longest of the races also known as the “Test of the Champion.” The most recent try came in 2008, when Big Brown was pulled up around the turn for home and did not finish. Before that, Smarty Jones was run down in the final 70 yards by Birdstone in the 2004 Belmont.

With the colorful and controversial O’Neill squarely in the limelight, scrutiny is sure to intensi-

BALTIMORE: I’ll Have Another (left), ridden by Mario Gutierrez, moves up as they enter the stretch to challenge Bodemeister (right on the rail), ridden by Mike Smith, and Creative Cause (center), ridden by Joel Rosario, during the 137th Preakness Stakes horse race. —AP change in the Belmont.

“We’re thinking Triple Crown, baby,” elated winning trainer Doug O’Neill said. “He’s a special horse.

We’ll see how he comes out of it, and if he comes out of it in good shape, we’re heading to New York, baby.” I’ll Have Another won by 11/2 lengths in the Derby and by a neck in the Preakness - the same margins Affirmed posted in wins over rival Alydar in those two races 34 years ago.

But there’s one big storyline difference this time: Bodemeister is skipping the Belmont. “He’s getting off the bus here,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

The 1 3-16-mile Preakness unfolded the same way as the 11/4-mile Derby, with the speedy Bodemeister moving to the lead under Mike Smith

fy about his violations for allegedly giving his horses improper drugs. He was fined $1,000 and suspended 15 days in one incident. He is contesting another.

“We know we play by the rules,” O’Neill said. “It’s all about the horse, and we’re just going to focus on the horse.” O’Neill has been accused in California of “milkshaking,” the illegal practice of giving a horse a blend of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and electrolytes. The mixture is designed to reduce fatigue and enhance performance.

The trainer’s most recent violation dates from an Aug. 25, 2010, race at Del Mar in California. A blood test on his horse, Argenta, showed elevated levels of TCO2 - the so-called milkshake - before it

finished eighth. He faces penalties ranging from a minimum 90-day suspension and a $5,000 fine to a maximum 180-day suspension and fine of $15,000. Any suspension almost certainly wouldn’t occur before the Belmont. I’ll Have Another seems to have made a habit of close calls lately.

Before the Derby and Preakness, the chestnut colt won the Santa Anita Derby by a nose over Creative Cause. As usual, owner Paul Reddam wasn’t sure his colt would come through this time.

“I didn’t feel confident we were going to get there until 10 yards from the wire,” Reddam said. “I wasn’t sure that we would get there, but I knew that our horse had a lot of heart and a lot of fight.”

With a record crowd of 121,309 watching, I’ll Have Another was sent off as the second choice at 3-1, with Bodemeister the 8-5 favorite. The winning time was 1:55.94.

I’ll Have Another paid $8.40, $3.80 and $2.80.

Bodemeister returned $3.20 and $2.80, and Creative Cause paid $3.60 to show.

Zetterholm was fourth, followed by Teeth of the Dog, Optimizer, Cozzetti, Tiger Walk, Daddy Nose Best, Went the Day Well and Pretension.

Baffert, a Hall of Famer and five-time Preakness winner, thought his colt - named for his 7-year-old son, Bode - would outlast I’ll Have Another.

“I felt really good about where he was,” Baffert said. “I really thought he was going to do it. The winner is a good horse. He should get the respect now that he deserves.”

The victory was worth $600,000, boosting his earning to $2,693,600. Not a bad return for Reddam, who bought the colt for $35,000 on the advice of O’Neill’s brother, Dennis.

“He showed he’s the real deal. He’s a real race horse. He gutted it out,” Reddam said. “The other horse was not stopping. He ran a bang-up race, to come and catch him. How can you criticize that?

For those who have followed the horse and bet on him, that’s been pretty rewarding. I don’t know if that will be the case next time, though.”

I’ll Have Another could have plenty of company for the Belmont, including some familiar foes from the Derby: third-place finisher Dullahan; seventh-place finisher Union Rags; eight-place finisher Rousing Sermon and 12th-place finisher Alpha.

Other possibles include Paynter - trained by Baffert - and Peter Pan winner Mark Valeski.

Gutierrez, who was riding at Hastings Park in Western Canada until showing up in California last winter, displayed the calm and cunning of a veteran.

“It’s not me, it’s him. It’s all about the horse,” the 25-year-old jockey from Mexico said. “He just keeps proving people wrong. I’m so happy for him because he’s such a great horse. He has a tremendous kick in the end.” —AP

Bayern’s dream turned into an ‘absolute nightmare’ MUNICH: Another Champions League final another defeat, time is running out for Bayern Munich’s home-grown talent to claim the top prize in European club football and cement their status as a golden generation.

Bayern had set their sights on the Champions League in December 2010 when club president Uli Hoeness mapped out their target of lifting the trophy in their own stadium in 2012.

But 18 months later, that dream turned into an “absolute nightmare”. Bayern started with five youth academy products in the side and despite dominanting much of Saturday’s game could manage only a 1-1 draw with Chelsea before they were beaten in a penalty shootout.

The German side have now lost two Champions League finals in the last three seasons. “What happened to us is an absolute nightmare,” said Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger. “ The disappointment has gone very deep. It is like a bad movie and it will be very difficult to digest this defeat.” Local boy Thomas Mueller had given the

Bavarians an 83rd minute lead but Didier Drogba levelled for Chelsea two minutes from time. Dutchman Arjen Robben’s penalty miss in extra time gave Chelsea the chance to snatch the title in the shootout.

Bayern had hoped to ease the pain of a second successive season without a domestic trophy by winning the Champions League, a title

that would lift captain Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger on a par with other club greats like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Mueller.

Germany captain Lahm had said before the game that without a major title they would never be remembered as a “golden generation.”

MUNICH: Players of Bayern Munich lay on the pitch after the UEFA Champions League final football match between Bayern and Chelsea. —AFP

Lahm and Schweinsteiger, who along with younger Toni Kroos, Mueller, Diego Contento and suspended Holger Badstuber, came through the club’s youth ranks, have also got runners-up medals from Euro 2008 and two third place finishes at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups behind them.

Bayern have also played second fiddle to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga in the past two seasons, and lost to them in the German Cup final last week.

Lahm and Schweinsteiger, who missed his penalty in the shootout, hung their heads as they left the stadium and did not utter a word to waiting reporters.

They know that at 28 and 27 respectively time is gradually running out for that elusive major trophy. While club success will have to wait, they will get another shot at silverware next month when they lead Germany into battle at Euro 2012 with fellow internationals Badstuber, Mueller and Kroos.

“We will build the boys up. With us they can still win a title,” said Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff. —Reuters

LONDON: Chelsea’s Ashley Cole (left), John Terry (second left), Didier Drogba (third left), Jose Bosingwa (third right), Salomon Kalou (second right) and Raul Meireles (right) celebrate during an open top bus victory parade to celebrate Chelsea winning the Champions League soccer tournament. —AP

Chelsea, City triumphs could signal a new era MUNICH: Chelsea’s late surge to glory, which saw them crowned European champions on Saturday, means that two of the richest clubs in England achieved breakthrough triumphs within a week of each other, suggesting soccer’s balance of power could well be shifting.

The weekend after Manchester City, enriched by Arab oil money since 2009, took the Premier League title, Chelsea, bankrolled by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich since 2003, won the Champions League for the first time in Munich on Saturday.

Their 4-3 penalty shootout win over Bayern Munich, in the Germans’ own backyard, means Abramovich has now won the trophy he has dreamed of since buying into the club and transforming their fortunes nine years ago.

They also won the FA Cup this month but, perhaps just as importantly, their late-season form and triumphs after a poor start to the campaign point to a strong title challenge next season.

Manchester City’s league title followed on from their 2011 FA Cup success, which was their first major trophy for 35 years.

Both clubs have been re-born, with City’s recent rise, after Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan took control three years ago, proving even more dramatic than Chelsea’s. The reason these successes could prove significant is that both clubs have broken new ground.

The wealth at the disposal of the respective owners, notwithstanding the fact they have to adhere to UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play rules, means that they can build on these successes, attract the best managers and players and go on to dominate the English, if not the European game, for the forseeable future. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson always says that the hardest thing to do in soccer is to win a major trophy for the first time.

However, now that City have won their first title in 44 years, and Chelsea the Champions League, the ground rules appear to have changed.

Where does that leave United, and Arsenal, who dominated the game for a decade and are now increasingly having to play catch-up?

Where does that leave other big, historically successful clubs such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Newcastle United? Trailing in their wake.

Ferguson, whose United side were pipped to the Premier League title by City on goal difference, summed up most people’s feelings last Sunday.

“We know City are going to spend fortunes, pay stupid money and silly salaries,” he said. “We know that happens.

We can’t do anything about that.

“We are not like other clubs who can spend fortunes on proven goods. We invest in players who will be with the club for a long time, who will create the character of the club and the excitement for our fans. “We are good at that and we are going to continue that way.”

United’s chief executive David Gill, speaking at the club’s awards evening last week, said United had the finances to compete in the transfer market this year, as the club look to bounce back from narrowly missing out on a record 20th title.

“Funds are available without a doubt,” said Gill. “We can still pay very well in terms of wages and transfer fees. Clearly City have raised the bar. We have seen that with what they are prepared to pay for players and to them.

“But we need to move on. Financial Fair Play is just around the corner. It is a flagship programme for Michel Platini (the UEFA president) and how that is implemented and the sanctions that are imposed are going to be interesting.”

City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has hinted that the club may not spend as much over the coming months as they have in recent close seasons.

“We have a championship-winning team,” he said in an interview on City’s official website (www.mcfc.co.uk). “We are not starting from the same point as in other pre-seasons. We have had to improve in a very dramatic manner. Now we have a nucleus. To improve further we have to harness that nucleus.”

However, Chelsea could well spend big, while Arsenal are hoping Robin van Persie will remain to form a potent link up front with their new arrival Lukas Podolski. The Gunners, traditionally cautious with their spending, may now need to be a little more cavalier. Talk of breaking up Chelsea’s slowly ageing side will be tempered by Saturday’s success.

Match-winner Didier Drogba, 34, is expected to leave in the close season, but skipper John Terry, defender Ashley Cole and midfielder Frank Lampard, the solid backbone of the team, show little signs of creaking to a halt just yet.

If Chelsea appoint the right permanent manager, and most think interim Roberto Di Matteo fits the bill perfectly, and buy wisely, then both City and Chelsea could dominate in the same way United and Arsenal did not so long ago. —Reuters

19

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

SPORTS

Sharapova beats Li in ‘crazy’ rain-hit Rome

LONDON: England’s Andrew Strauss falls to West Indies Kemar Roach (right) who celebrates with Adrian Barath during the 4th day of the first Test match at Lord’s cricket ground. —AP

Roach rocks England to give Windies hope LONDON: Kemar Roach stunned England with a dramatic late burst to give West Indies hope of an improbable victory in the first Test at Lord’s yesterday.

Roach took two wickets for seven runs in eight balls, including England captain, and first innings century-maker, Andrew Strauss, to leave the hosts 10 for two at the close of the fourth day. England will need a further 181 runs to reach their seemingly modest victory target of 191 on Monday’s final day in the first of this three-Test series.

That West Indies — who started the day 35 runs adrift and in danger of an innings defeat-were still in the game owed much to Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s second marathon effort of the match.

Chanderpaul, officially the world’s best batsman, made 91 in a total of 345 that followed his first innings 87 not out.

The Guyana left-hander batted for 10 hours and 24 minutes in this match, scoring 178 runs for once out while facing 425 balls-a mammoth effort even by the 37year-old’s high standards.

Nevertheless, with the Lord’s pitch holding up well, England will still be regarded as favourites for victory. But if the tourists maintain their accuracy, and overhead conditions assist swing bowling, the West Indies-who came into this match having won just two of their previous 30 Testscould yet claim a stunning success.

Roach had Strauss, who made 122 in the first innings, caught in the gully for just one and nightwatchman James Anderson caught behind for six. After Anderson exited, Roach’s next ball rapped Jonathan Trott on the pads and the tourists appealed for lbw, only for Aleem Dar to rule not out. The West Indies reviewed the decision but as replays showed the ball only just clipping the stumps, the Pakistani umpire’s original verdict was upheld.

Trott was nought not out at stumps, as was opener Alastair Cook. Chanderpaul, downplaying his own effort, said he was

looking forward to some final day fireworks from Roach and new-ball partner Fidel Edwards. “Kemar stepped it up this evening and we’re hoping Fidel can step it up also,” Chanderpaul told Sky Sports. “It’s not bad (the West Indies’ position).

Hopefully they can put it in the right areas and get the wickets. It’s pretty tough out there.” England’s Graeme Swann insisted Roach’s late double strike hadn’t caused too many jitters in the home dressing room. “To walk away at the end chasing 191...we’ll take that,” he said. “We’d have taken a chase of less than 200 and we deserved a chase of less than 200.

“It wasn’t great losing the captain tonight but we have a very strong line-up.”

Off-spinner Swann, who grabbed the key wicket of Chanderpaul when he had him lbw on the sweep, said of West Indies’ star batsman: “Once again he’s proving a thorn in our side. With such a crabby, unorthodox technique you think he must get out sometime but he keeps going.

“It’s always annoying when you can’t get a bloke out, but you can’t take anything away from him,” added Swann, who took three for 59. Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels he shared a fifth wicket stand of 157 that rescued the West Indies from the depths of 65 for four. The 31-year-old Samuels was closing in on what would have been only his third Test hundred when, shortly after England had taken the new ball, he played a flat-footed drive off Stuart Broad and edged straight to Swann at second slip. Samuels faced 172 balls with 12 fours in an elegant and gutsy innings of 86. Broad, who took a Test-best seven for 72 in West Indies’ first innings, followed up with four for 93 for a match haul of 11 for 165. That meant the fast-medium bowler had become the first player to take 10 or more wickets in a Lord’s Test since South Africa’s Makhaya Ntini in 2003 and the first Englishman since Ian Botham took 11 for 140 against New Zealand in 1978.—AFP

ROME: Maria Sharapova won her second straight Rome title yesterday, defeating China’s Li Na 46, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), in a match full of momentum shifts, a lengthy rain delay and noisy distractions from football fans. The world number two claimed the 26th trophy of her career, but it was a struggle for the Russian who found herself 6-4, 4-0 down before the players were forced off by rain for over two hours just as the final set tiebreak was about to commence.

“It was a crazy match,” said Sharapova. “Either one of us could have own it. There really is no loser.” Sharapova now leads Li 7-4 in their series, with the Chinese player coming close to winning her first title since claiming her historic French Open title last June.

Sharapova added a second Rome crown to the Stuttgart claycourt title she earned in April. The men’s final, between holder Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal - a repeat of the 2011 edition - may have to be held over to Monday with weather forecasts calling for evening rain.

Officials and police were wary of mixing tennis fans with rival football supporters heading for Sunday night’s Italian Cup final between Juventus and Napoli at the Olympic Stadium, just a few hundred metres from the tennis arena.

Already during the final, hovering helicopters, exploding fireworks and chanting fans outside the fenced-off courts made for distractions.

“The match was a joke, it was like playing a football match in the rain,” said Li. “Even when we were sent off court, you had to still concentrate for every second, it was tiring for both play-

ROME: Russia’s Maria Sharapova celebrates with the trophy after Masters. Sharapova defeated China’s Li Na 6-4, 4-6, 6-7.—AFP ers. “You could not relax. It was with finishing off wins surfaced tense. When we came back out, again.

But Sharapova suddenly went she was the tougher player. But I take some positives away. It’s off the boil, reaching 4-1 but getting close to Roland Garros then dropping two serves as Li and I think I hit the ball well. I recovered. As steady rain fell, the also moved her around the court determined pair played on, with well.” Sharapova and Li were a brief stoppage at the two-andsent off court with the third set a-half-hour mark while players poised at a tiebreaker to decide the match. They came back more than two hours later and played seven additional minutes before ROME: Heavy rain caused yesSharapova prevailed. terday’s eagerly anticipated The Russian looked flat in the Rome Masters final between first set, losing an early break defending champion Novak and the set. With Li leading a set Djokovic and Rafael Nadal to and 4-0, the momentum suddenbe postponed until today. ly shifted as Sharapova woke up to reel off eight consecutive “The conditions for play are games, winning the second set not suitable. The final is postto level and going 2-0 up in the poned until today at 1500 third as Li’s famed problems

winning the WTA Rome Tennis sat in their chairs.

Once it resumed, neither seemed inclined to close it out, with Sharapova saving a match point in the 12th game from a forehand winner. As the tiebreak arrived so did more rain, which forced the players off court and brought the covers on.—AFP

Men’s final postponed (1300GMT),” said tournament director Sergio Palmieri.

Earlier, the women’s final had been interrupted for over two hours due to the rain before Maria Sharapova successfully defended her title by beating Li Na 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).—AFP

Bobyan Bank wins KBC soccer tourney KUWAIT: The Bobyan Bank team recently won the soccer league organized by the Kuwait Banks Club (KBC) after beating NBK team in the final match by 1-0. With this victory, Bobyan Bank holds both 2012 titles, the Cup and the League champions.

On concluding the championship, a special ceremony was held under the auspices of the Kuwait Banks Union (KBU) board chairman, Hamad Al-Marzouq who deputized KBU secretary general, Hamad Ali Al-Hasawi. The ceremony was also attended by KBC chairman of

board, Ahmed Sultan, NBK’s vice CEO, Essam Al-Sager, NBK’s vice human resources manager, Emad Al-Ablani, NBK’s Banking Services manager, Abdullah Al-Najran, Bobyan’s administrative affairs manager, Waleed AlYaqout and other senior bankers.

SCOREBOARD LONDON: Scoreboard at stumps on the fourth day of the first Test between England and the West Indies at Lord’s yesterday: West Indies 1st Innings 243 (S Chanderpaul 87 no; S Broad 7-72) England 1st Innings 398 (A Strauss 122, I Bell 61, J Trott 58; S Gabriel 3-60, K Roach 3-108) West Indies 2nd Innings (overnight: 120-4) A. Barath c Prior b Bresnan 24 K. Powell c Bell b Broad 8 K. Edwards run out (Bairstow) 0 D. Bravo b Swann 21 S. Chanderpaul lbw b Swann 91 M. Samuels c Swann b Broad 86 D. Ramdin b Anderson 43 D. Sammy c Prior b Broad 37 K. Roach c Bell b Broad 4 F. Edwards not out 10 S. Gabriel b Swann 13 Extras (lb7, nb1) 8 Total (all out, 130.5 overs, 574 mins) 345 Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Barath), 2-36 (Powell), 336 (K Edwards), 4-65 (Bravo), 5-222 (Samuels), 6-261 (Chanderpaul), 7-307 (Sammy), 8-313 (Roach), 9-325 (Ramdin), 10-345 (Gabriel) Bowling: Anderson 36-11-67-1; Broad 34-6-93-

4 (1nb); Bresnan 36-11-105-1; Swann 18.5-459-3; Trott 6-0-14-0.

England 2nd Innings (target: 191) A. Strauss c Powell b Roach 1 A. Cook not out 0 J. Anderson c Ramdin b Roach 6 J. Trott not out 0 Extras (nb3) 3 Total (2 wkts, 4 overs, 24 mins) 10 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Strauss), 2-10 (Anderson) To bat: K Pietersen, I Bell, J Bairstow, M Prior, T Bresnan, S Broad, G Swann Bowling: Edwards 2-0-3-0 (1nb); Roach 2-1-7-2 (2nb) Match position: England need a further 181 runs to win with eight second innings wickets standing

Gulf Cables Company represents Kuwait in Bahrain Go-Karting championship KUWAIT: With the participation from over 20 professional teams from the GCC region, Bahrain International Endurance Karting Championship began yesterday. The championship is expected to witness fierce competition from Kuwait’s representative, the Gulf Cables Company team led by Yousif Al-Rubaian. The other members are Mohammed Al-Awadhi, Nawwaf Al-Safi, Mohammed Al-Laho and Mohammed Al-

Khaled. Team member, Mohammed AlAwadhi said that the team would use two well-equipped karts and are prepared to take part in six GCC rounds. He added that the Kuwaiti team (the Gulf Cables) was one of the strongest to take part. “The team held free training on Bahrain International Track a week before the championship,” he added, noting that his team members were in high spirits.

Ahmed Sultan, Waleed Al-Sager, Esam Al-Yaqout honor Al-Hasawi

The winner, Bobyan Bank with KBC officials

Torch relay begins for London Olympics LAND’S END: British sailing hero Ben Ainslie kicked off the torch relay for the 2012 London Olympics with a stroll through teary, flag-waving crowds who cheered the arrival of the flame to Britain.

Hundreds of people Saturday held up mobile phones to snap photos as the gold medal winner jauntily walked past. They banged on plastic tambourines handed out by sponsors, creating a roar that shook the hillsides of this picturesque spot - the furthest point west in England.

The sun rose and shone across the moors all day, lifting spirits at a place known for its fog. It was a good-natured start of an event, which lasts for 70 days and ends with the lighting of the cauldron to start the games on July 27.

There were some mishaps along the way. A man who got too close to the flame as it was being carried by a torch bearer was tackled by police officers and pushed out of the way.

Metropolitan police, who are providing the security for the torch, said in a statement that the public should be careful not to get between the torch and police officers guarding it.

In another unfortunate incident, a group of disabled patients from a Cornish care home missed the flame as it went by after relying on an incorrect map of its travels. The torch passed by them in a covered bus used to transport the flame over long distances.

Many people seemed to have not realized that the torch was going to get bused places.

Small clots of people gathered on roadsides where only the bus would be, some having wrapped flag banners around tree barks.

While organizers said such roads weren’t even noted on the Olympic website for fear of causing confusion, the flame passing through little villages is a big deal and people just heard.

However, there isn’t a pope mobile for the flame. People were destined for disappointment.

“Oh! We were so hoping to see it,” said Dawn Coombe, 43, who stood with her husband and two daughters on a roadside near the village of Tideford, crestfallen to learn they may only see a truck going by. “It’s a shame. They could have done more to make it clear.”

But elsewhere, the mood was jubilant.

Organizers of the London Olympics assume the rest of the world is excited about the Olympics.

What they are really working on is the citizens who live here - the people who are paying 9.3 billion pounds ($14.7 billion) to host the event and are wondering if this is money well spent.

The organizers need the torch relay to inspire excitement in Britain ahead of the games. And for the first day anyway, it was working. People got up as early as 4 a.m. to watch the flame rise with the sun.

“It’s iconic, isn’t it?” said Beverly Wills, 47, who came with her husband and her son. “It’s not going to happen again in our lifetime. It brings everyone together.”

The flame arrived on British soil Friday night, a week after being captured by the sun’s rays in ancient Olympia. Soccer legend David Beckham and Princess Anne headlined the dignitaries who went to collect it, flying it on BA flight 2012 to the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose. The air rescue pilots then flew the flame over to Land’s End in the morning. They took a spin over the crowd, and hundreds of hands reached into the air to wave and to cheer.

The crowd’s goodwill was not just for the flame. This is an island after all, and the search and rescue team often do rescue people. “It was a great way to celebrate the search and rescue guys,” said Paul Deighton, the organizing committee’s chief executive. “That’s what our torchbearers are to do - honor unsung heroes.”

From here on out, it journeys around the country in an 8,000 mile (12,875 kilometer) jamboree featuring the same number of runners. It

will make appearances at Stonehenge and in Scotland, in Durham and at Dover, in London and in Liverpool. Organizers are proud of saying that the flame will come within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of 95 percent of the British population.

They are hoping, together with tourism officials, to create a video calling card of all things pretty and British - a sort of running “come and visit us commercial.”

This is part of the reason to host the Olympics in the first place - to bring tourism, attention and money into the country.

The people of Cornwall - and especially those who clogged Land’s End on Saturday - think it is perfectly appropriate that the tour should begin with them. As the name suggests, this place likes to think of itself as the craggy edge of the world.

A signpost beside Ainslie as he picked up the torch offers a helpful milestone and an arrow “New York, 3,147.” The Isles of Scilly, by helpful contrast, are a mere 28 miles (45 kilometers). “‘We’re glad that Cornwall is in this,” said Callum Brown, 13, who sat with his class, Union flags at the ready, waiting for Ainslie’s appearance. “It will be good for the wider UK.” Cornwall could use a little attention. It is surrounded by miles (kilometers) of rugged beaches and cliffs, and is often portrayed as an escape hatch for hip celebrities. But the reality means that this naturally beautiful corner of England has struggled economically, especially in the off season.

One big draw to the area recently has been the Eden Project, a biodiversity program that features the world’s largest greenhouse. Not surprisingly, the sanctuary devoted to all things green and sustainable was a key stop on day No. 1 of the torch tour.

Torch bearer Ben Fogle didn’t only walk a few feet on his torch leg. His task was to rise above the tree canopy in a balloon. The flame was being held in a miner’s lamp - as explosions were not part of the plan.—AP

Jones hits late jumper, Sun down Liberty 78-73

17

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

Sharapova beats Li in ‘crazy’ rain-hit Rome

19

I’ll Have Another wins Preakness

Page 18

ROME: Napoli’s players celebrate winning the Italian Cup soccer final after beating Juventus 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium. — AP

Napoli clinch Italian Cup End Juventus’ 43-match unbeaten run ROME: Juventus’ record-breaking 43-match undefeated run came to an end yesterday when Napoli won the Italian Cup 2-0.

Serie A champions Juventus saw their hopes of a league and cup double shattered by two second-half goals, with defeat particularly painful for skipper Alessandro Del Piero, who was playing the last match of his 19-year career with the club.

Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute when goalkeeper Marco Storari brought down Ezequiel Lavezzi.

It was Cavani’s 33rd goal of the season. Seven minutes from time, Napoli’s first Italian Cup tri-

umph since Diego Maradona’s team won the 1987 double was assured when Goran Pandev launched a lightning counter-attack before playing in Marek Hamsik, who slotted the ball into the corner. Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella was sent off in the last minute for elbowing Salvatore Aronica in the face.

“It’s almost unthinkable to beat Juventus over 90 minutes when they hadn’t lost all season. It was an achievement within an achievement,” said Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri.

In a tight first-half at the Olympic Stadium, Juve believed they should have been awarded a penalty when Claudio Marchisio was clipped by Aronica as he was about to shoot.

Chances remained few and far between until the 63rd minute when Napoli were awarded a penalty after Lavezzi had nipped between Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli and Storari brought him down. Del Piero was substituted shortly after, bringing an end to a career which had featured 705 matches and 289 goals.

Napoli keeper Morgan de Sanctis saved a Leonardo Bonucci volley at the base of the near post while an Andrea Pirlo free-kick came off the defensive wall as Juve pushed for an equaliser.

Napoli then seized their chance to bury the game when Juventus were caught cold on the counter and Hamsik coolly shot across Storari and into the far corner. — AFP

Chargers defeat Challengers

HYDERABAD: Deccan Chargers’ bowler Dale Steyn appeals for the wicket of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Tilakartne Dilshan during their Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match. — AP

HYDERABAD: South African Dale Steyn took three wickets for eight runs and led Deccan Chargers to a nine-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, while Mumbai Indians warmed up for playoffs with a thumping 10-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

The defeat knocked the Challengers out of the playoffs as defending champion Chennai Super Kings go through thanks to a superior run-rate after both teams finished with 17 points.

JP Duminy smashed 74 off 53 balls to lift the Chargers’ total to 132-7. Steyn removed the dangerous Chris Gayle (27) and Tillakaratne Dilshan in successive overs before clean bowling Zaheer Khan in his last over as the Challengers finished with 123-9.

Chargers ended up second from the bottom in the nine-team league with nine points from just four wins, 11 defeats and one no-result.

Gayle, who scored a century in the previous game against leaders Delhi Daredevils, gave his team another blistering start when he smashed three fours and two sixes in seamer Manpreet Singh’s first over of the innings.

However, Steyn struck twice in successive overs when first Gayle played onto a short pitched delivery and Tillakaratne Dilshan was out leg before wicket.

Legspinner Amit Mishra got two wickets in one over that reduced Challengers to 57-4 before stand-in captain Virat Kohli (42) and Saurabh Tiwari got the innings back on track with a 46-run stand.

Kohli hit seamer Ashish Reddy for a straight six but needlessly tried to repeat the shot off the next delivery and was caught at long on. Tiwari also came under pressure as the asking rate rose to more than 10 an over and the lefthander finally

top edged Veer Pratap Singh in the 19th over to Kumar Sangakkara at midwicket.

“We could have played better shots, we did not play the right shots on that wicket,” Kohli said.

“My wicket probably changed the game. We just need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger next year.”

At Jaipur, Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar featured in a best ever IPL opening stand as Mumbai Indians raced to 163-0 in 18 overs after Royals made a decent 162-6.

Smith made unbeaten 87 off 58 balls with 10 fours and three sixes while Tendulkar scored 58 off 51 balls with six boundaries. However, both batsmen got some reprieve from sloppy Royals fielding, who dropped Smith twice and Shane Watson could not hold onto Tendulkar’s top edged sweep at backward square leg.

Mumbai Indians finished third with 20 points and will take on Chennai Super Kings in the eliminator on Wednesday.

Delhi Daredevils will meet Kolkata Knight Riders at Pune on Tuesday and the winner will qualify for the final. The loser will take on winner of Mumbai Indians-Chennai Super Kings game at Chennai on May 25 to qualify for May 27 final also at Chennai.

Scores: Deccan Chargers 132-7 (JP Duminy 74; Vinay Kumar 3-22) def. Royal Challengers Bangalore 123-9 (Virat Kohli 42, Saurabh Tiwari 30, Chris Gayle 27; Dale Steyn 3-8, Ashish Reddy 3-25, Amit Mishra 2-26).

Mumbai Indians 163-0 in 18 overs (Dwayne Smith 87 not out, Sachin Tendulkar 58 not out) def. Rajasthan Royals 162-6 (Shane Watson 45, Stuart Binny 30, Owais Shah 28 not out; Dhawal Kulkarni 3-18). — AP

Rabottini’s breakaway pays off in Giro d’Italia LECCO: Italian Matteo Rabottini’s brave 150 kilometres breakaway ride was rewarded with victory in the 15th stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday, the 172km run from Busto Arsizio to here.

Spanish rider Joaquim Rodriguez regained the overall leader’s pink jersey from Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal, following the second successive mountain stage, after he came in second having caught Rabottini 350 metres from the finishing line.

Rodriguez — who distanced his main rivals two kilometres from the finish — holds a lead of 30 seconds over Hesjedal with a week remaining of the race.

The overall leader’s compatriot Alberto Losada took third in the stage, coming in ahead of the first group of favourites in a stage that took place in rainy conditions.

Rabottini admitted that his morale had tumbled

when he realised that Rodriguez had joined him.

“Winning a sprint after an escape of more than 150km is unbelievable,” said the Italian.

“When Rodriguez got back alongside me, I all but lost hope. But I stuck to him and I did well to. I came to the Giro, like all the riders, with the hope of winning a stage. I succeeded and it is the most wonderful day of my life.”

Rodriguez for his part said he had done well to recover from a terrible day on Saturday’s stage and was looking forward to the coming week.

“I suffered a lot on Saturday but I was capable today of reclaiming the pink jersey,” said the 33year-old, who has won just the one top class stage race the 2010 Tour of Catalonia.

“I was fearful of the bad weather but finally it wasn’t too bad for me. “I am very happy with the gaps (in the overall standings). With the pink jersey,

it brings added responsibilities but we are entering the final week and the stages are more suited to my strengths.

“I am not afraid of the climbs to come. I know the Mortirolo and the Stelvio (the 20th stage), but not the Alp of Pampeago (19th stage).”

Rabottini had broken away with Frenchman Guillaume Bonnafond and went over the top of all four climbs at the head of affairs while veteran Italian Damiano Cunego - the 2004 Giro champion at one stage was in pink as he led a counter attack.

Rabottini, 24 and son of a former professional rider Luciano, overcame falling on the descent of Culmine di San Pietro and was able to hold on despite only having a two-and-a-half minute lead over Cunego and his group going into the final climb and less than four minutes on the peloton. — Agencies

FRANCE: Montpellier’s Garry Bocaly celebrates after his French Division One soccer match against Auxerre. Montpellier defeated Auxerre 2-1 and celebrated its first title. — AP

Montpellier win maiden title on chaotic final day PARIS: Montpellier claimed the first French league title in their history after winning 2-1 at Auxerre on an extraordinary final day of the season yesterday, after a game twice delayed due to protests by the home fans.

Second-placed Paris Saint-Germain did all they could by winning 2-1 at Lorient, and the delays at Auxerre meant that Rene Girard’s side had to endure a nervous wait before their title success was confirmed.

Montpellier finished the season three points clear of PSG in the final standings, which gave the southern club — 14th in Ligue 1 last season-their first major honour since the 1990 French Cup. There was no hint of the drama to come when Auxerre broke the deadlock in the 20th minute at Stade Abbe Deschamps, with Olivier Kapo heading home from a corner.

A defeat was the only means by which Montpellier could have been denied the title but they equalised in the 32nd minute when John Utaka converted a low right-wing cross from Souleymane Camara.

The Auxerre fans’ protest at their relegation-which saw them throw tennis balls and toilet rolls onto the pitchbegan at the start of the second period and forced the players to return to the changing rooms.

When play resumed, Montpellier were 19 minutes behind the LorientPSG game, and with PSG winning, the leaders were left living on their nerves.

Goalkeeper Geoffrey Jourdren repelled a powerful drive from Delvin N’Dinga before flares thrown by Auxerre’s fans obliged the players to

leave the pitch again and led to a second delay lasting around 20 minutes.

With PSG’s players watching on television from Lorient, riot police began to clear the protesting fans from the stand behind the Montpellier goal and play was able to resume.

There were still 16 minutes to play, but Utaka calmed the visiting fans’ nerves in the 76th minute when he swivelled to slam home his second goal and take the title to Stade de la Mosson for the very first time. Montpellier’s Olivier Giroud finished as the top scorer in Ligue 1, ending the season level with PSG’s Nene on 21 goals but prevailing by virtue of having scored fewer penalties.

PSG needed to win to stand any chance of winning the title, but they fell behind in the 28th minute at Lorient when Kevin Monnet-Paquet ghosted in behind Zoumana Camara to score with a back-post header. Carlo Ancelotti’s men equalised in the 61st minute through record signing Javier Pastore and claimed victory through Thiago Motta with 15 minutes left, but although PSG had done their job, it was not enough to deny Montpellier their day in the sun.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux won 3-2 at Saint-Etienne to pip their opponents to fifth place and a berth in the Europa League, with Rennes consigned to sixth despite a 5-0 thrashing of Dijon that sent the promoted side into Ligue 2.

Caen were also relegated after going down 3-1 at Valenciennes.Eden Hazard bade farewell to outgoing champions Lille by netting a first-half hat-trick in a 4-1 win at home to Nancy in his final game for the club. — AFP

Oman oil output may rise to 915,000 bpd this year Page 23

Ethiopian shoe factory widens China’s African footprint Page 24

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

The cost of a ‘Grexit’ may touch $1 trillion Page 25

Sudan’s forex dealers put black market on hold Page 22

BILBAO: Demonstrators called by Basque unions protest against Spanish Government’s austerity cuts yesterday in the Northern Spanish Basque city of Bilbao.—AFP

Greeks fearful of euro exit as crisis gathers New drachma could crash amid political chaos ATHENS: Greeks fear that if their country is forced out of the euro-zone, and much of the speculation is that it will be, then they will face soaring prices with the return to a drachma which must fall sharply. Greece goes into a second election in six weeks on June 17, with the vote shaping up as a straight choice-accept the tough conditions of an EU-IMF debt bailout and stay in the euro bloc, or refuse them and face the consequences. Inconclusive May 6 polls saw a majority vote against the bitter medicine of spending cuts and tax hikes but if the choice is narrowed down, analysts believe the country will opt to stay in and hope some terms can be softened.

If they find themselves ejected, everyone agrees there could be chaos as a new drachma would almost certainly lose at least half its value in days, likely bringing the banks down and the country to its knees. Once a taboo subject, the idea Athens could quit the bloc has gained ground slowly as the crisis has rumbled on from a first insufficient bailout of 110 billion euros in 2010, to the contagion problems which sank Ireland and Portugal in 2011 and then the latest 240 billion euros rescue agreed late last year.

Germany in particular takes a hard line, insisting Greece stick to the terms

of the debt rescue although as the focus has changed recently to the need for growth rather than more austerity in Europe, others have stressed the desire to keep Athens on board. “Most analysts think that Greece is going to leave the euro-zone and have to devalue so as to

because it has little industry and is a major importer, especially to cover its food needs.

“A devaluation’s main effect would be to increase the price of imports,” he said, with a consequent spike in inflation pressures. For Miranda Xafa, head of EF

An old drachma banknote.

get its economy going again, cut the external deficit, and that that will not be too serious for the bloc,” said Patrick Artus of Natixis investment bank. In a report, Artus said that a devaluation would not help Greece, far from it,

Consulting, “a return to the drachma will bring only pain and be of no benefit in solving Greece’s two key problems-an unsustainable debt burden and an uncompetitive economy”.

European parliament chief Martin

Schulz warned Friday against any Greek exit from the euro-zone, saying the country’s economy could collapse within days if it abandoned the single currency.

“Many people believe that it would be the end of a negative cycle but for me it would be the beginning of an even more negative cycle,” Schulz said during a visit to Athens. “I am not saying this option does not exist, but I consider it very risky,” Schulz added, predicting the Greek economy “would collapse within days” and see European countries called on to give billions more in emergency funds.

Constantinos Michalos, head of the Athens Chamber of Commerce, was blunt-leaving the euro would bring “total chaos”. “An exit from the eurozone would mean depression for Greece but a long deep recession for the rest of Europe,” he said.

“People who are now complaining of austerity measures run the risk of losing ... their salaries and pensions because there will not be any state income to pay them,” he warned, painting a bleak picture with no upside. “We would be k nocked back 25 or 50 years,” said Giorgos, a shopkeeper in Kolonaki, the upmarket shopping district in central Athens. “But if we go under, you go under too,” he said.—AFP

Global woes drain Gulf volumes, indices down DUBAI: Volumes on Gulf Arab bourses slumped yesterday as investors remained wary of deploying capital in volatile global markets, with some offloading of shares following Friday’s easing in world stocks, dragging most indices into the red. Investors fled risky investments for safe-haven assets on Friday on concerns about the euro zone’s deepening debt woes. Such negative sentiment weighed heavily on Gulf markets, with most indices ending in the red following subdued trading - volumes in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt were at three-month, three-and-a-half month and four-month lows respectively, with Dubai only marginally better than Thursday’s four-month nadir.

“It is nothing to do with local micro factors but it is all about the global macro economy,” said Marwan Shurrab, vice -president and chief trader at Gulfmena Investments.

“We are still highly correlated to international volatility and everyone is taking leads from the global situation.”

Egypt’s stock exchange suffered its

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS fifth-straight loss, falling 2 percent to a four-week low, as investors cut their exposure to the market days before a presidential election whose outcome is still tough to call. “It just looks like a safer bet to stay on the sidelines,” said Teymour El-Derini of brokerage Naeem.

“If the vote goes smoothly then we will see a hike in share prices, but it won’t be 10 percent. But if things go bad in the elections, then it’s best to be out.”

Yesterday marked the last official day of campaign for this week’s presidential election, where Egyptians will choose their leader freely for the first time. In Qatar, large-caps weighed on the index, which slipped 0.6 percent to a fourmonth low.

Doha Bank dropped 2.6 percent and Masraf Al Rayan fell 0.8 percent.

Abu Dhabi also experienced a multimonth low - its lowest close since Feb. 12 - as the index slipped 0.2 percent.

Banks weighed, with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi down 1 and 0.3 percent respectively.

Aldar Properties, up 3 percent, and Sorouh Real Estate, up 2.1 percent, accounted for more than two-thirds of shares traded. In March, the pair announced plans to merge.

Dubai’s index declined 0.6 percent, leaving it just above Wednesday’s 15week low. Real estate -linked stocks weighed as blue-chip Emaar Properties fell 0.7 percent and Arabtec slid 2.1 percent.

In Oman, the index dropped 0.7 percent, with two-thirds of stocks declining, including heavyweight Bank Muscat.

Oman’s largest lender by market value fell 0.7 percent to extend 2012 losses to 12.3 percent. Saudi Arabia rose after Saturday’s big sell-off but failed to break back through the psychologically-

important 7,000 point mark as investors waited for further cues from global markets. The index advanced 0.2 percent, after dropping 1.9 percent to a threemonth low yesterday.

“There was no conclusions to draw (from today),” Fadi Al Said, head of investments at ING Investment Management, said. “Maybe everyone is waiting for what happens in other markets tomorrow. Investors are focusing on international markets and oil, especially in Saudi, not on profits or earnings forecasts. It’s all about sentiment.”

Kuwait’s index regained some of its early-session losses but still ended 0.1 percent down, its lowest close in nearly three weeks.Ithmaar Bank was the most heavily-traded stock on the bourse, slumping 5.1 percent. The bank’s Bahrain listing also suffered, sliding 7.9 percent, as it dominated trading on the kingdom’s index - accounting for nearly three -quar ters of shares changing hands. Bahrain’s exchange edged down by 0.2 percent, its seventh loss in ten sessions. —Reuters

UAE firms debt refinancing a challenge: IMF DUBAI: Refinancing the debts of the United Arab Emirates’ government-related entities (GREs) remains a challenge made more difficult as European banks trim their activities in the region, the International Monetary Fund said yesterday.

State-owned companies in the UAE, one of the world’s top five oil exporters, face $30 billion of maturing debt this year with over $68 billion more in 2013-2015, the IMF report said. “Refinancing this large amount of maturing debt remains a challenge,” the IMF said. “The GREs’ high dependence on foreign funding increases the vulnerability to roll-over and financing risk, especially in the current volatile external financial environment.” The IMF held regular consultations with the UAE in March and February.

The global crisis burst Dubai’s property bubble, triggering a $25 billion debt restructuring in its Dubai World conglomerate in 2009-2010, while other state firms were also hit. Its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi has also acted, rescuing its struggling developer Aldar Properties with nearly $10 billion.

As of March overall GRE debt stood at $185 billion, or 51 percent of the UAE’s gross domestic product last year, compared with $182 billion, or 61 percent of 2010 GDP, at the end of 2010, with Abu Dhabi accounting for over 54 percent of the total, the IMF said.

“In response to the prospects that some European banks may not renew their credit, GREs are actively looking for alternative investors, particularly in Asia and the Gulf region,” the IMF said.

It said the Abu Dhabi and Dubai authorities had noted that lessons have been learned from the crisis and that GREs have become more proactive in managing debt rollovers with the latter emphasizing that its firms were not backed by a sovereign guarantee. The OPEC member’s total gross public debt stands at $253 billion, or 70 percent of 2011 GDP, the report said.

The sustainability of Dubai’s government debt has improved as the emirate, which has almost exhausted its $20 billion emergency funding, plans to nearly balance its fiscal accounts by 2014, the IMF said. “Fiscal consolidation is key to reducing fiscal vulnerability, especially as GREs continue to pose fiscal risk to the sovereign,” the IMF said.

However, a significant deterioration in the global economy could propel the Dubai government’s debt-toGDP ratio to 62 percent by 2017, compared to just 36 percent in the IMF baseline scenario. “Dubai’s debt could become unsustainable if the economy is hit by severe shocks,” it said.

The Fund also said that shielding the UAE banking system from further GRE risks was key as the net exposure of lenders to government and public institutions increased by 3.5 percent of GDP, or 2.6 percent of banking system assets, in 2011. “The authorities agreed that there is a risk that GREs will increasingly turn to domestic banks for their funding needs in case they face difficulties in external financing, and agreed with staff that it will be important to avoid channelling bank funding to non-viable GREs,” the report said.— Reuters

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

BUSINESS

Iraqi Kurdistan to push oil export plan ARBIL, Iraq: Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region said yesterday it expects to start exporting its crude oil production along a new pipeline to the Turkish border by August 2013, defying Baghdad in a longrunning dispute over who should control the country’s oil exports.

The Kurdistan region, which has its own government and armed forces, has already clashed with Iraq’s central government and halted its oil exports in April after accusing Baghdad of not remitting payments due. “In August 2013 we will be able to

directly export crude from the Kurdish region’s fields,” Hawrami said at an oil conference in Kurdistan yesterday. “We will be responsible for exporting oil. It will still be Iraqi oil.”

Baghdad says only the central government’s oil authorities have the right to control oil exports, and dismisses contracts signed with the Kurdistan Regional Government as illegal, while the KRG says it has the right to develop its own oil fields.

Hawrami said once direct exports begin Kurdistan would take the 17 percent of revenues

the region is allowed from Iraq’s national budget and pass the rest to the federal government.

The minister said the first stage of the pipeline would be completed by October this year to carry crude from the Taq Taq oilfield. The second phase would connect to the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline with a capacity of 1 million barrels per day by August next year. He said Kurdistan was also developing plans to build a separate pipeline that could connect to a refinery in Turkey’s Ceyhan port by 2014. The oil dispute between Baghdad and Kurdish capital Arbil is

Sudan’s forex dealers put black market on hold

GFH agrees $110m sukuk restructuring

Traders weigh impact of govt measures KHARTOUM: Black market currency traders in Sudan put their business on hold yesterday to assess the impact of new government measures aimed at closing a wide gap between the official and unofficial forex rates.

From today, official foreign exchange bureaus will be allowed to buy and sell dollars based on the unofficial market rate rather than the official value of 2.7 Sudanese pounds for one dollar, said Abdelmoneim Nour Al-Din, deputy general secretary of the forex dealers’ association.

He said his association would announce a daily price and start buying at 5.2 pounds per dollar, slightly off last week’s black market rate of 5.8 pounds to the dollar.

For the illegal black market traders who do business from street corners or cubbyhole offices, the new rules mean uncertainty. “We’re gonna wait and see,” said one, who like many others had suspended operations.

“Today we stopped doing business. We will hold onto the foreign currency we have until the market stabilizes” and the new rate becomes clearer, said another trader.

Bankrupt Sudan has lost billions of dollars in oil receipts since South Sudan gained independence last year, leaving Sudan plagued by soaring prices, a severe shortage of dollars needed to pay for imports, and a plunging currency. The black market rate jumped above six pounds per dollar after South Sudan occupied the north’s main oil region of Heglig in April, during border fighting which raised fears of all-out war between Sudan and South Sudan.

The government has stuck to its fixed exchange rate of about 2.7 pounds for one US dollar, but the black market rate has been well above 4.0 since late last year.

Asked whether the new rules for forex bureaus amounted to a devaluation, one economist said the answer was unclear and he was still trying to figure out what had happened.

“This is really legalization of the black mar-

ket,” said another analyst, University of Khartoum economist Mohamed Eljack Ahmed.

He added that the black market rate had essentially become the official rate.

He doubted the new rules will increase the amount of dollars in the economy or bring down the black market rate. Illegal

April. One black market trader said the illegal rate will fall only if the central bank can inject currency into the market.

“If not, the rate will go higher and higher,” he predicted. Local media reports last week said the government had received a large inflow of foreign cash which would help to

DUBAI: Bahrain-based Islamic investment bank Gulf Finance House (GFH) has obtained approval to restructure a $110 million Islamic bond, extending repayment for six years, the company said in a statement yesterday.

Sukukholders worth 92 percent of the issue agreed to the restructuring plan, which will push out the maturity to June 2018, the statement said. GFH has been granted an initial two-year grace period for 2012 and 2013, meaning repayment will start in 2014, with the final instalment due in 2018.

“We are targeting to extend the maturities of our debt over a longer term to retain our key assets,” Hisham Alrayes, acting chief executive officer of GFH, said in the statement.

According to GFH’s first-quarter financial statements, the restructured sukuk - originally due to mature in June - would carry a minimum profit rate of

5 percent above the London Interbank Offered Rate. No pricing terms were given in Sunday’s statement. The sukuk was originally priced at a spread of 175 points over LIBOR. Alrayes was appointed in April to replace Ted Pretty, who left last year after failing to return the firm to profitability.

GFH was repeatedly forced into restructuring obligations in 2010 as the firm struggled with its debt burden in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

It approved a highly-dilutive recapitalization plan in November 2010, which included a 75 percent capital cut to absorb accrued losses and a $500 million offering of a murabaha instrument to new investors to raise funds. A murabaha is a cost-plus-profit arrangement which complies with Islamic law. — Reuters

Iran’s budget revised higher at $453 billion

KHARTOUM: From today, official foreign exchange bureaus in Sudan will be allowed to buy and sell dollars based on the unofficial market rate rather than the official value of 2.7 Sudanese pounds for one dollar. traders would buy from the official dealers and hold their currency to sell at a profit. At the same time, he said the measures will increase prices of imported goods, adding to the burden of Sudan’s poor already struggling with an inflation rate that jumped to 28.6 percent in

strengthen the pound. But if that were the case, the university economist asked, why had the government adopted the new rules for forex bureaus? Even if there had been an inflow of dollars from abroad, the government had not revealed the amount. — AFP

Nakheel plans housing project on Palm DUBAI: Indebted developer Nakheel plans to build a new 192-unit residential project on one of its man-made palm-shaped islands, relying on unit sales and internal resources to fund the construction, its chairman said yesterday.

Nakheel’s Palm Views will consist of two buildings on the Palm Jumeirah, with each unit priced at one million dirhams ($272,300). “We will look at sales and also have our own resources,” Ali Rashid Lootah said of funding, after launching the new project.

Lootah said financing for the project was “secure” but declined to give any further details.

part of a broader political crisis in Iraq, where a fragile government among Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish blocs is struggling to overcome deep splits over power-sharing.

Last month Kurdistan halted crude exports because it said Baghdad was not fulfilling agreements to pay foreign oil companies working in the region, worsening the conflict between the ethnic Kurdish and mainly Iraqi Arab central government over regional autonomy, disputed territories and oil rights. — Reuters

The Dubai government-owned developer began taking orders for the units on Sunday, he said.

The developer was at the centre of Dubai’s 2009 debt crisis and wrote off $21.4 billion of its real estate assets. Nakheel, which overstretched itself with ambitious projects such as the palm islands and islands shaped like a world map, completed its $16 billion restructuring last August. The Palm Views are Nakheel’s second new residential project in 2012. It announced construction of a 100-unit townhouse project on the Palm Jumeirah earlier this year.

The new project is a shift from Nakheel’s earli-

er focus on large, luxurious villas and condos. All units at the Palm Views will be studio apartments and covers an area of 500 square feet.

“Such type of a project does not exist on the Palm. There is a lot of demand for this, especially among the youth. We are confident that it will sell,” said Lootah.

Construction will begin by the end of 2012 and the project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2014. Lootah also said that the company’s first-quarter earnings will be an improvement on last year’s. The results are due next week. — Reuters

TEHRAN: Iran yesterday announced an upward revision of its annual budget, as a rise in oil prices appeared to mitigate the impact of international sanctions on its economy.

The Islamic republic ’s Guardians Council approved the budget for Iran’s calendar and fiscal year to March 2013 at 5,560,000 billion rials ($453 billion at the official rate), the official IRNA news agency reported. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented his government’s annual budget to parliament in February, asking for 5,100,000 billion rials ($410 billion).

The budget bill revised by lawmakers was endorsed by the Guardians Council on Sunday, without an explanation for the reassessment. Iran, the oil cartel OPEC’s second-biggest producer, has benefited from historically high oil prices which rose steadily in the first quarter of 2012 due to the European Union announcement of its plans to embargo Iranian crude. The budget, however, remains lower than that of the 2011-12 fiscal year, which was set at $484 billion.

The official exchange rate is set at 12,660 rials against the dollar, up from 11,000 the previous year. The rate remains well below the free market where the rial fluctuates between 16,000 and 18,000 to the greenback.

The government’s budget is set at $113 billion, which counts for only a small percentage of the national budget, mostly represented by the state sector of the economy, including banks, industries and semi-governmental bodies.

Iran has allocated $49 billion of oil revenues to the government’s budget, with the forecast price of $85 a barrel, up from $81 last year.

Under severe Western sanctions on its banking and oil sectors, Iran says it has built up large reserves of gold and currencies to withstand the punitive measures over its disputed nuclear program.

The sanctions have led to higher import prices, increased inflation, lower foreign investment and difficulties in repatriating currency, in particular in the oil sector, experts said.

According to international oil circles, Iran is also beginning to have difficulties in exporting its crude, despite its repeated denials. OPEC estimates, meanwhile, show Iran’s crude production has declined steadily since 2008, dropping to 3.2 million barrels per day in April-its lowest level in two decades.

Iran denies the report. Iran’s oil sector will take another hit on July 1 when the European Union is poised to fully implement an embargo on I ranian crude. — AFP

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4410000 .3530000 .2940000 .2740000 .2750000 .0040000 .0020000 .0756880 .7374080 .3830000 .0710000 .7228970 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2788000 GB Pound/KD .4436410 Euro .3552050 Swiss francs .2957460 Canadian dollars .2757260 Danish Kroner .0477860 Swedish Kroner .0390120 Australian dlr .2775040 Hong Kong dlr .0358900 Singapore dlr .2205520 Japanese yen .0034730 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0759360 Bahraini dinars .7398170 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0743660 Omani riyals .7244380 Philippine Peso .0000000

.2820000 .4510000 .3610000 .3030000 .2830000 .2830000 .0070000 .0035000 .0764490 .7448200 .4000000 .0770000 .7301620 .0072000 .0500000 .2809000 .4469820 .3578810 .2979740 .2778030 .0481450 .0393060 .2795940 .0361610 .2222130 .0034990 .0051980 .0021860 .0031040 .0034470 .0765080 .7453890 .3973130 .0749270 .7298950 .0065950

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah

279.700 3.075 5.135 2.170 3.419 6.515 76.255 74.745 743.600 46.218 448.000 3.090

Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

1.550 363.300 279.300 3.350

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

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

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

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

COUNTRY

SELL DRAFT SELL CASH

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

280.61 279.53 301.04 359.13 280.00 445.84 3.60 3.420 5.112 2.173 3.220 3.083 76.11 743.99 46.22 397.92 726.92 77.13 74.68

288.00 281.50 303.00 360.00 280.00 447.00 3.65 3.550 5.330 2.400 3.850 3.200 76.50 743.50 47.75 395.00 727.50 77.55 74.80

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

279.950 280.950 447.925 357.300 297.345 741.150

COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar 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

SELL CASH 278.500 743.990 3.670 277.600 549.400 45.600 49.100 167.800 47.930 361.700 36.710 5.350 0.032 0.160 0.229 3.630 396.450 0.189 92.650 44.600 4.300 215.200 1.812 48.100 726.660 3.160 6.820 77.380 74.690 220.910 36.140 2.665 446.800 40.200 301.200 4.300

9.300 198.263 76.270 280.100 1.350

9.130 76.170 279.700

GOLD 1,678.010

10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 414.800 279.700

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Bahrain Exchange Company

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Rate for Transfer

Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

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

SELL DRAFT 277.000 743.990 3.416 276.100

220.900 46.303 360.200 36.560 5.130 0.032

396.410 0.188 92.650 3.220 213.500 726.480 3.087 6.500 76.950 74.690 220.910 36.140 2.158 444.800 299.700 4.300

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht 8.963 Malaysian Ringgit GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

3.542 5.204 3.073 2.179 3.301 225.500 35.996 3.411 6.574 91.158 74.536 76.800 726.000 742.390 76.110

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal/for 1000 Tunisian Dinar 179.33 Jordanian Dinar 394.720 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 Syrian Lier 4.876 Morocco Dirham 33.183

48.000 46.231 1.304 1.875

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 279.400 Euro 363.78 Sterling Pound 452.930 Canadian dollar 282.79 Turkish lire 156.700 Swiss Franc 305.16 US Dollar Buying 278.200 GOLD 20 Gram 285.000 10 Gram 143.000 5 Gram 71.000

23

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

BUSINESS

Weaker euro-zone nations need more support: UK LONDON: The euro-zone can protect its currency if its stronger countries provide more support for the weaker to help them deal with their problems, British finance minister George Osborne said in a newspaper yesterday.

The future of Europe’s 17-country single currency bloc is under threat from a political stalemate in Greece, which could lead to its departure from the monetary union at unknown costs to the financial system and global economic stability. “Euro-zone countries must either stand behind their currency or face up to the prospect of Greek exit, with all the risks that could involve,” Osborne wrote in The Sunday Times. “How can they stand behind the euro? First, those countries with high deficits and low competitiveness

need to carry on confronting their problems head on. But in the absence of flexible exchange rates, the economic and political barriers to dealing with those problems will only get worse without more support from the core of the euro-zone.”

He added that the euro-zone must follow “the remorseless logic” of monetary union towards greater fiscal integration and “burden-sharing”, with Eurobonds one possible option.

“Finally, the whole of Europe needs to become more competitive and productive. That means reforming welfare systems, investing in infrastructure, more job-friendly employment laws, better education and lower business taxes,” he wrote.

Greek voters this month toppled a

government that had agreed to painfully austere terms of an international bailout plan, and uncertainty hangs over the next election set for June 17. Osborne’s comments follow a remark made by British Prime Minister David Cameron that a government source said was a veiled suggestion that the European Central Bank should follow the example of the Bank of England by embarking on an asset purchase program to lift economic growth in the euro-zone. “Clearly, just as Britain benefits from a strong government with a strong deficit reduction plan and strong banks but also an independent monetary policy giving us low interest rates, helping to push demand in the economy, so the eurozone I believe needs that approach as

well,” Cameron said at a summit of the Group of Eight major economies on Saturday. British officials are deeply worried about the impact that a break-up of the euro and a further deterioration of the euro-zone crisis could have on Britain’s recession-hit economy. The country is outside the euro-zone but about 40 percent of its exports go to the single currency bloc.

The turmoil in the euro-zone appears to be making Britain’s membership of the larger European Union increasingly unpopular among voters, undermining support for Cameron’s Conservative Party which leads the governing coalition. In an opinion poll

by ComRes for the Sunday Mirror and Independent on Sunday newspapers, 46 percent of Britons said they would

vote for Britain to leave the EU in a referendum, compared to the 30 percent who disagreed.

And 26 percent of Conservative voters would “seriously consider ” switching their support to the UK Independence Party (UKIP), Britain’s biggest anti-EU party, if an election were held now.

However, Conser vative Justice Minister Kenneth Clarke said Britain’s exit from the EU would be “disastrous”.

“I can’t think of anything more irrelevant to the present situation actually, nor personally can I think of anything more disastrous than the British leaving the European Union and deciding now is the moment to take up splendid isolation,” he told Sky News television yesterday. —Reuters

Oman oil output may rise to 915,000 bpd in 2012 Sultanate testing EOR techniques

TRIPOLI: A watermelon vendor shouts to attract customers as he sells his watermelons along the roadside in the Libyan capital Tripoli yesterday as spring/summer temperatures begin to soar. —AFP

Putin’s economic plan: ‘Great leap’ into the unknown MOSCOW: Newly-inaugurated President Vladimir Putin has set hugely ambitious targets to catapult the Russian economy into the modern era but their realism remains in doubt despite a benign short-term outlook.

Russia is looking with a degree of superiority on the crisis engulfing the debt-ridden euro-zone states, predicting only a narrow budget deficit of just 0.3 percent of GDP this year and buoyed by robust first quarter growth.

But Putin is also acutely aware that a major euro-zone crisis would severely wound Russian exporters and limit its receipts of petro-dollars.

Moreover, the country’s economy has yet to fully modernize 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its vulnerability to external shocks is an acute worry for Putin as he faces the first serious street protests against his rule.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, pointman on the economy in the outgoing government, this week gave an unusually frank assessment of Russia’s failings, admitting “we cannot say now that Russia is a modern country”. “We have big social spending, large-scale innovationbased industry is absent, we have underdeveloped institutions and a legal system which needs almost to be created from scratch.”

“We need to bring the economy and the social sphere to modern standards. This is not an empty slogan but the fulfillment of plans on modernization,” he told the Vedomosti business daily.

Hours after taking office on May 7 for his third term as president after his four year stint as prime minister, Putin signed a decree on economic policy apparently aimed at ending Russia’s shortcomings once and for all. The lofty aims sounded familiar but, if implemented, they would have a truly revolutionary impact on the Russian economy and society.

Putin ordered the government to take measures: To create and modernize 25 million high-productivity jobs by 2020. To increase investment to no less than 25 percent of GDP by 2015. To boost labor productivity to a level one-and-half times greater than that of 2011. To lift Russia’s position in the World Bank’s Doing Business Index from 120 in 2011 to 50 in 2015 and 20 in 2018.

To raise average life expectancy by 2018 to 74 years from the current 70. Russia’s current ranking on the ease of Doing Business index places it nine places below

Ethiopia and two places above Bangladesh.

The goals are spectacularly ambitious, particularly as they are supposed to be released within the period of his six year presidential term. “The goals are reminiscent of the Great Leap Forward in China,” the Institute of Development at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics (HSE) wrote in a report, referring to the radical modernization plan of Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

“Some of the goals-which in Russian conditions would be realistic to reach within 10-15 years-have been squeezed into the six-year period, against the laws of nature and economic development,” said the Institute’s director Natalya Akindinova.

The institute noted that statistics agency Rosstat only expects the 74 years life expectancy figure to be reached in 2023 and that in a best-case scenario. As for the vault up the Doing Business table “there is no example in the history of these tables of a major country making such a jump”, Akindinova said.

In an early boost for Putin, Russia’s first quarter growth in 2012 surprised everyone by coming in at robust 4.9 percent at a time of almost unremittingly depressing global economic news especially from the eurozone.

“The better than expected first quarter GDP growth number shows that Russia, so far, remains relatively well protected from the crisis in Europe,” said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Troika Dialog in Moscow. The head of the Russian Central Bank Sergei Ignatiyev this week said he was optimistic, even though a second wave of the economic crisis in Europe could not be ruled out that would see most European states go into recession.

“But we are better prepared for a future economic crisis than in 2008. We have the experience, the instruments which we can use at practically any moment,” he told parliament. However Russia still remains vulnerable to a prolonged euro-zone crisis and analysts are still skeptical that the country’s long term growth will be anything near the levels the government wants to see. According to a survey of 30 top economists by the HSE, annual growth in Russia is expected to bump along at 3.5-4.0 percent between now and 2018.

Most troubling for the government is possibly the prolonged and substantial net capital outflow from the country, which was $84 billion in 2011 and no better this year with capital flight of $35.1 billion in the first quarter. —AFP

Schaeuble says Greek exit preventable BERLIN: German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Greece’s exit from the euro-zone could definitely be prevented but that it was up to Greece to abide by its agreements. “European solidarity isn’t a one-way street,” Schaeuble told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. “You can’t have one without the other. If anyone in Greece thinks that’s the case, then they’re massively fooling themselves and the voters.” Amid discussions in Germany and elsewhere about a possible Greek exit from the euro zone, Schaueble was asked if that

could still be prevented: “Naturally!

Because that’s exactly the goal we had in mind when we agreed to the extensive rescue efforts and reform programs that free the country for years from having to get loans in financial markets. “Now it’s up to Greece to abide by its obligations,” he said.

Schaeuble said he hoped that Greece would have a stable government as soon as possible.

“The current situation is causing public uncertainty. That’s exactly what political leaders shouldn’t do.” —Reuters

DUBAI: Small non-OPEC producer Oman expects to raise its average oil and condensate production to 915,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2012, up from the 885,000 bpd last year, the oil ministry said yesterday.

Based on an average price of $102.9 per barrel that Oman sold its oil for last year, the additional 30,000 bpd could increase the sultanate’s oil revenues by around $1.13 billion this year, assuming all the additional production is exported. New discoveries boosted Oman’s

crude and condensate production to 900,000 bpd at the end of 2011, helping lift the average for the year to 885,000 bpd from 864,600 bpd in 2010. “We are also testing new innovative EOR techniques that would hope to increase the future production, hence sustaining oil production in the medium to long term,” the oil ministry said in an email. Oman has enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects at a number of fields such as Mukhaizna, where production has risen above 120,000 bpd, Qarn Alam and Harweel.

“Harweel field is one of the most technically challenging projects,” the ministry said. “The project is in its final stages of commissioning and expected to add around 40,000 bpd, when it is at full capacity.”

Oman is also looking at possible shale oil developments, after initial studies indicated it could have large unconventional oil resources.

“Results so far are very promising,” the ministry said in response to questions about Omani oil prospects —Reuters

Far East buyers beware in London property rush

LONDON: When Hong Kong businessman He paid a 35,000 pound ($56,000) deposit on a four-bedroom apartment in Britain, he believed it was a 40-minute walk from central London, his lawyer says. In fact it was a 40-minute journey by high-speed train.

The 350,000 pound home was in Lincolnshire, eastern England. He sued the developer for misrepresentation last year, getting his money back before the case got to court in what his lawyer told Reuters was an attempt by the developer to avoid its marketing material being splashed around a courtroom.

His experience shows the potential pitfalls facing a growing number of Far Eastern people buying British homes unseen as developers target places such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore because British buyers are struggling to get mortgages.

“It is a matter of developers saying: ‘Here are some people who are likely to be interested. They probably do not know too much about the market, so why don’t we advertise there’,” said David Eldon, former chairman of HSBC’s Asia unit who has witnessed the practice during two decades in Hong Kong. “I think they are being a little economical with the truth,” he told Reuters, saying properties could be sold for higher prices in the Far East. Major developers including Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Berkeley have stepped up efforts to court cash-rich Far Eastern buyers since 2009 after the global financial crisis sapped demand at home. Developers do not all use exactly the same marketing methods.

Berkeley said it had had many repeat purchases from Asian buyers over 20 years, although it acknowledged a mistake in one of its press releases. Taylor Wimpey said it offered a high level of service to all customers. Barratt declined to comment.

The number of Chinese and Pacific Asian buyers of the best quality newly built London homes jumped to 37 percent in 2010 from four percent in 2009, data from property consultancy Savills showed. The majority purchase for investment and are used to buying off-plan - before the home is built. He was told his flat was 40 minutes from central London at a face-to-face meeting with the developer, said David Linklater, head of litigation at law firm Alan Broadhurst, who represented He. Broadhurst declined to give his client’s full name or the developer’s identity.

“Lots of people go to the fairs in Hong Kong and get a sheet of paper with a picture of Big Ben. You think you are going to be the Queen’s neighbour when actually the Queen has a great big garden with a big wall around it,” said Linklater, who deals with 20-30 unhappy overseas buyers a year.

Sold at exhibitions in plush hotels, many properties are not in the most desirable London neighborhoods despite the prominent pictures of Harrods or Buckingham Palace. Details of exact locations tend to be omitted rather than inaccurate.

“There is a lot of embellishment going on working off the naivety of the Chinese buyer,” said James Moss, managing director of property consultancy Curzon Investment Property.

A brochure advertising 375 Kensington High Street, a luxury London scheme marketed in the Far East and developed by a Berkeley joint venture alludes to the proximity of the High Street Kensington underground station in a brochure entitled “London’s most sought after new address”.

The station, which is at the heart of one of London’s most popular shopping districts, is a 15-20 minute walk away while the flats are at the scruffier end of the same long street and closer to two other tube stations.

In a press release issued in Hong Kong on Friday, the development was described as “a short walk from the luxury shopping available at Harrods”. The world-famous store is a 50-minute walk according to the Transport for London website. “To an unsuspecting buyer, you think wow, it is amazing, but actually it is the wrong end of Kensington High Street, right next to Kensington Olympia,” said Camilla Dell, managing partner at Black Brick Property Solutions, which helps overseas buyers find London homes.

A Berkeley spokesman said the “short walk” description was “an error”. “We have had a lot of customers from Asia over the last 20 years, many of whom are repeat purchasers,” he said. “It (the development) has excellent transport links and easy access to well-known shops; the distances to which are clearly marked in our brochure. In addition, by far the majority of buyers have or will visit our developments before buying.”

Ingrid Skinner, managing director of Taylor Wimpey Central London, said: “Buyers need to be able to trust the company they are buying from. At Taylor Wimpey we offer the same high level of service to all of our customers.”

The ballrooms of Hong Kong’s luxury hotels hold property shows nearly every weekend. The city’s two Mandarin Oriental hotels are particularly popular. At one event attended by Reuters on Friday, prospective buyers were offered San Pellegrino bottled water, chocolate cupcakes and a choice of finger sandwiches. An HSBC banker was on hand to help with financing and a lawyer in case a purchaser was ready to sign. —Reuters

MAYANGONE: Myanmar laborers sitting in protest outside the Mayangone township Labor administration office after they staged a walkout from their factory in Yangon. —AFP

Myanmar workers embrace new power to strike YANGON: Silenced for decades under military rule, Myanmar’s workers are now daring to speak out to demand better pay and conditions after a new law gave them the right to strike.

Workers in the country formerly known as Burma are already testing their newfound power with a string of walkouts, emboldened by legislation that is considered among the most progressive in the region. Hundreds of employees from three garment factories at Yangon’s Hlaing Thar Yar Industrial Zone went on strike last week demanding improved working conditions, picketing outside the plants.

Clapping and chanting, they showed none of the fear that would have accompanied such open defiance in the past, when businesses held all the cards in a system defined by cronyism and intolerance of opposition. “If they want to sack us, they will have to fire all 800 workers” at her factory, said one 26-year-old employee who told AFP she was not afraid of losing her job, although she was reluctant to give her name.

“If they don’t increase the money, we will continue protesting,” she added, saying she was paid around $60 a month. The new legislation, approved by the country’s reformist President Thein Sein to replace the repressive 1962 Trade Unions Act, was prepared with the help of the International Labor Organization (ILO). It gives workers the right to strike when employers have been given advance notice, and to form unions with a minimum of 30 members.

The new rules represent a challenge to both workers and employers in a country where dissent was routinely crushed by a military regime for nearly half a century until a new quasi-civilian government took power last year. “It’s the very early days of a new industrial environment. People are coming to grips with it, understanding new rights and responsibilities,” said Steve Marshall, the ILO’s liaison officer in Myanmar.

He said people may become aware that they now have the right to strike but have little understanding of how to negotiate with employers, who are also adjusting to the new rules.

“We will likely see some industrial disruption and that is part of the learning process,” he said.

A foreign diplomat told AFP the new legislation was considered as possibly “the best such law in Asia”. But he added: “The question is how to implement it in the cur-

rent state of Myanmar society, which is not quite ready yet.”

Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in the world and despite hopes of an economic revival as it opens up to foreign investment, job opportunities are still scarce and people face rising consumer prices. The protester at Hlaing Thar Yar said workers wanted a cost of living allowance of 30,000 kyats (about $37) a month, which would bring her total monthly salary to around $100, including overtime.

Her employer had agreed to a $12 allowance, but “we are not satisfied with that”, she said. The firm said in a statement that workers who had not agreed to its offer by May 18 would be considered to have “resigned by their own will”-a deadline ignored by the strikers.

It is just one in a number of recent cases of labor unrest at factories in Myanmar, whose low- cost workforce is a major attraction for foreign manufacturers hoping to set up operations there.

Earlier this month around 300 workers at a wig factory in the same industrial zone went on strike, demanding that their basic salaries be raised from around $12 a month to roughly $38.

“We have faced this problem for a long time but we couldn’t stand it any longer,” said 23-year-old Thingyan Moe. The South Korean employer granted all of the staff requests.

“Many protests are occurring in factories at industrial zones these days,” said a lawyer acting for the garment workers, Htay, who goes by one name. The reforms have not yet filtered through to employers or rank-and-file labor ministry bureaucrats, he added, so that “workers have no other option than to protest to get what they want”.

“If these issues are not solved, it might cause instability. It might become the beginning of a labor uprising. We can’t guess how far it will go.” But most recent disputes have been small in scale, with workers opting to walk out in the early stage of negotiations and agreeing a resolution within days. Ye Naing Win, of the Committee for Establishing Independent Labor Unions, a local activist group, said there had been more than 20 strikes this year and more were expected.

“The protests are occurring because the basic salary they get is so poor and their lives get harder,” he said. “These factories are like prisons.” —AFP

24

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

business

In or out of the euro-zone Greece options BRUSSELS: From the darkest to the least damaging, following are different options for Greece and the euro-zone.

EXIT: Long taboo, what economists call “Grexit” is back on the table after inconclusive Greek elections this month that gave anti-austerity and anti-EU parties the majority but failed to produce a working coalition.

Should Greek voters return a working coalition of anti-austerity parties at a re-run of the elections on June 17, and should those parties refuse to adopt reforms demanded in March in exchange for a second EU-IMF bailout, it will be game over and exit from the euro for Athens.

Greece then would find itself with a devalued drachma currency once more, facing a sharp spike in inflation, even higher unemployment and the danger of a vicious circle of depression, even if exports became more competitively priced.

AUSTERITY REFORMS In this scenario, an anti-austerity coalition takes power in Greece but decides to remain in the euro-zone, according to the wishes of three out of four Greeks.

But this would quickly end in an impasse as the financial lifelines offered by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund-to replace prohibitively expensive money-market finance-would quickly be halted. Triggering default, Greek and other euro-zone banks would suffer badly and there would be a risk of contagion to members like Spain that ultimately could result in euro-zone implosion.

BAILOUT CONDITIONS Formally ruled out so far, and a hard sell to public opinion in countries which have shelled out on successive Greek rescues but who now face recessions of their own. Nonetheless, there is scope for debate on adjustments in timetables for meeting individual conditions-as suggested by euro-zone leader Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg. This could help pro-EU parties improve their score in the June repeat polls, according to one EU source.

REFORMS The ideal scenario for euro-zone partners would see Greece re-emerge from debt repayments with a leaner and meaner reformed economy after implementing reforms demanded by its international rescuers. This is a long, long way off at best, say analysts.—AFP

DUKEM: people working on the assembly line at Huajian shoe factory in Dukem, Ethiopia. Huajian is one of six Chinese factories operating in the Chinese-built Eastern Industry Zone-Ethiopia’s first industrial park-which the government hopes will attract private foreign investment and boost the country’s manufacturing and export sector.— AFP

Ethiopian shoe factory widens China’s African footprint Beijing’s traditional investment marks a difference DUKEM, Ethiopia: A steady drone of machines hum as workers assemble shoes in a Chinese-built industrial park outside Addis Ababa, the first in Ethiopia by the Asian giant deepening its presence in Africa. A handful of Chinese supervisors at the Huajian factory watch hundreds of Ethiopian workers trim leather, glue soles and lace up boots in the Eastern Industry Zone in Dukem, 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the Ethiopian capital.

It marks a shift in China’s traditional investments in Africa, which mainly involve heavy infrastructure development and oil production, while for Ethiopia it offers an alternative to export of unprocessed raw materials.

“The two sides have a commitment, they say ‘you should have something, I should get something,’” said Qian Guoqing, the deputy director of the Eastern Industry Zone.

Huajian, one of China’s biggest shoe manufacturers, plans to invest up to $2 billion (1.5 billion euros) in Ethiopia to make shoes for export to Europe and North America.

Construction of the industrial park started in 2009, and rows of three-storey green and yellow buildings now stand on a patch of the expansive land. The government says it plans to build five more industrial zones through-

out the country to attract further foreign investment. When completed in 2014, the $250 million project will host over 80 factories and create 20,000 local jobs. Currently six Chinese-run factories operate in the zone, including a car assembly plant and a plastics factory. However, analysts say large-scale investment in Ethiopia has risks and its financial benefits are still uncertain.

“It’s not a risk-free strategy and it’s not necessarily clear that it will work,” said Stefan Dercon, development economist at Oxford University. “The Chinese... take the opportunities now in Ethiopia where they make the trade-off between very high rewards. That’s pretty risky in the first few years of doing this, and we’ll have to wait and see.”

To minimize risks and attract investors, the Ethiopian government is offering fouryear tax breaks, cheap land and free electricity to investors in the industrial zone. But challenges abound: foreigners complain of poor telecommunications, overbearing bureaucracy and the absence of a port in the landlocked Horn of Africa country. Cultural differences, the language barrier and a poor work ethic among the locals also pose hurdles, said Paul Lu, Huajian’s human resource manager, but noted that the availability of

labor and raw materials were key attractions.

“We came to make shoes and we had to consider the resources-Ethiopia is very rich in leather,” said Paul at the factory’s entrance, where about two dozen people were waiting for job interviews.

Attracting foreign investment is part of Ethiopia’s lofty “Growth and Transformation Plan,” which aims to boost economic growth and transform it into a middle-income country by 2025. Dercon however voiced concern that Ethiopia might be moving too fast and the plan could backfire, scaring off investors and creating financial chaos. “Arguably, they’re trying to run before they can walk,” he said. Ethiopia will need to sustain high growth rates in order to pay off the start-up investment, such as in infrastructure and electricity, argued Dercon. “The risk is that they may not get another chance. If this doesn’t work, the sentiment will go down very quickly, so the next two or three years are crucial for this whole process.”

But State Minister for Industry, Tadesse Haile, insisted that a quick pace was needed for development.

“We have to move fast, we have a very critical enemy, our enemy is poverty,” Tadesse said. “Anybody who would ask us to slow

down means to go along with poverty.”

With annual economic output of $325 per person, according to the United Nations, Ethiopia is one of the poorest African countries and among the top aid recipients.

Tadesse argued that investment will help reverse the status.

“It generates growth, it employs... and also you can produce products that can be exported, generate foreign currency and technology transfer,” he said. While the investment plans appear attractive, some workers at Huajian complain of low salaries.

“The salary is not enough,” said Teju Edek, 22, a quality controller at Huajian earning $30 a month. But he admitted he is learning valuable skills at the factory.

“We are here because want to develop our knowledge of technology,” he said, adding that he could earn more at some Ethiopian-run factories, but would not pick up the same expertise. For Tafere Getie, a manager at the industrial zone, the investments will be more beneficial when management and ownership are eventually transferred to Ethiopian hands.

“I wish that the Ethiopians who are working in foreign industries now will have their own industries in 20 years.” — AFP

Europe fears continue to haunt markets NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Markets continued to show deep concerns over a potential shock from Greece exiting the Euro zone and the systemic ramification. The flow of negative news remains relentless and fears of markets meltdown continued throughout the week. Credit rating agency Moody’s added to the pressure on Thursday by downgrading sixteen Spanish banks. Fitch rating agency joined the party by downgrading Greece to CCC from Bciting political uncertainty over the country’s commitment to a crucial bailout and possible exit of the eurozone. Fitch warned that if a new government did not support the bailout, it was likely Greece would leave the euro-zone, default on its debt and potentially spread the risk to the other European members.

The negative news on Greece continued with The ECB stating that it was no longer dealing with some Greek banks via the conventional credit window, and has restricted the banks to “emergency lending assistance” from Greece’s central bank.

There was however, some positive news and hopes with Greek polls showing New Democracy had a small lead over Syriza, which may bring a pro austerity coalition into power on June 17.

In summary, Markets continued to show concerns that the EU and the ECB officials were still not prepared to take major steps to fix the European situation.

Consequently, we have seen during the past couple of days a flight to the US Dollar until the Greece situation is resolved or the ECB intervenes in the market through its securities market program to purchase Sovereign European bonds and ease systemic tensions.

After hitting a year low of 1.2642, the Euro ended the week at 1.2780. The Sterling pound was the biggest loser of the week hitting a low 1.5733. The currency ended the week at 1.5817.

In the commodity complex, Gold remained extremely volatile reaching a low of 1527, closing the week at 1593. Oil on the other hand was pressured throughout the week, ending Friday at 91.48.

According to the last minutes of the FOMC meeting, the Federal Reserve officials were not confident to upgrade their assessment of the economy as several members said more easing could be needed if momentum slows. Members wanted to be more confident that there had been a significant upturn in the economic outlook before making changes to the central bank’s guidance that rates will stay low until late 2014.

Although the situation in the US remains relatively better than the European situation, the deceleration of Chinese growth, and the debt crisis in Europe could lead to the Fed engaging again into another wave of asset purchases to sustain the economy.

It is important to keep in mind that the US dollar fell after QE1 and QE2, but not after Operation Twist, and it is likely to remain supported as long as the Fed is not expanding its balance sheet. There will be a much greater risk of balance sheet expansion if financial dislocations in Europe materialize in the next coming months, otherwise, further Fed action based on a weaker economy might not involve balance sheet expansion.

Manufacturing in the Philadelphia region unexpectedly shrank in May for the first time in eight months mostly reflecting a drop in orders and employment. The Philadelphia Fed index fell to minus 5.8 this month, the lowest reading since September 2011, from 8.5 in the

previous month. Economists had forecasted the index to rise to 10, however, the European situation and the Chinese slow down have created fears about a broader slowdown in the U.S. economic recovery. The index details were also weak and the 6-month outlook also fell to +15 from +33.8 the previous month. The majority of surveys plan to increase production over the next 6 months but only 21% plan to do so with more hiring.

US housing starts rise Housing starts rose 2.6% to a 717,000 annual rate from March’s revised 699,000, that was stronger than previously reported. This small gain was seen in both the single and multifamily sectors, which registered growth of 2.3% and 3.2%, respectively. Regionally, starts were mixed in April, with the Midwest and South posting gains of 6.7% and 11.6%, respectively, and the Northeast and West posting respective declines of 20.7% and 8.1%. In summary, the improvement in hous-

also mentioned that greater political unity could help Europe as it struggles to contain the debt crisis now enveloping Greece and other member states and threatening the very fabric of the bloc. furthermore, Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, mentioned, “As far as Greece is concerned, I would like to reaffirm very clearly that we want Greece to stay in the euro area. And the European Union will do all it takes to ensure it.”

Fitch Downgrades Greek Long term Rating by one notch to CCC. Fitch ratings agency downgraded Greece’s debt deeper into junk territory on Thursday, warning of a “probable” Greek exit from the euro currency union if new national elections next month produce an anti-bailout government.

According to the agency, “ The downgrade of Greece’s sovereign ratings reflects the heightened risk that Greece may not be able to sustain its membership of Economic and Monetary Union.” it added “In the

remain high for longer than was previously thought and that growth will be weaker than previously expected.

Inflation is likely to remain above its 2% target for at least another year.

The latest Bank of England predictions have been revised to 1.6% inflation in two years. The BoE Inflation Report was regarded as dovish on the basis that the MPC did not want to encourage too much monetary and financial tightening in the UK too soon. Growth forecast in two years fell from 3% to 2.6% in the latest report. If this forecast remains below the BoE’s 2% target in the coming month, expectations of the need for further QE could be reignited and could place further pressure on the Sterling Pound.

The minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia latest meeting appeared relatively dovish, with the central bank seeing inflation in the lower half of the band for much of the forecasted period. The market still sees three more cuts by September, which would take the cash rate back to the 3% level. Retail sales at the end of the month remains the next significant domestic data release, however the situation in China and the eurozone seem to be the major events risks affecting the RBA decisions.

China property prices Newly built home prices fell in 46 of 70 mainland cities in April from a year earlier. Chinese home prices fell 1.2% for a second month in April from a year earlier, a trend likely to continue as the government already reaffirmed efforts to pull them back to what it calls “reasonable levels” to ease social discontent.

The extension of pull back in Chinese economic figures has placed tremendous pressure on commodity prices, especially the Australian dollar.

ing although more noticeable, remains volatile, consequently does not give yet the needed ammunition for the Fed to switch their assessment of the US fragile recovery.

Europe Even with the abundance of negative European news, there was some brief relief after the latest Greek polls suggested the New democracy had now pulled ahead of the political party Syriza by 23.1 to 21%. The head of Syriza, Alexis Tsipras did not help his case by making comments suggesting the Greek deposits are guaranteed by the constitution and Syriza guarantee Greek deposits. He added Greece should be prepared to stop debt payments if Europe cuts financing but Greece should remain as part of the EMU. If new democracy can expand their lead, it could be a big positive. Venizelos says next elections could be followed by subsequent vote.

On the other hand, German Finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, proposed a mechanism for using the European parliament elections to choose the president of the European Commission. According to him, the European Union needs to create the post of an elected president to foster greater political unity. He

event of a Greek exit from EMU, Fitch would treat the forcible re-denomination of sovereign and private sector debt into a new Greek currency as a default event.”

Moody’s Downgrades 16 Spanish Banks while Spain Banks Bad Loans Rose to 8.7% The credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded 16 Spanish banks, citing the Spanish government’s reduced ability to shore up the banks. Moody’s also downgraded four regions in Spain. The moves from the credit rating agency came after fears that Spain will be the next domino to fall if Greece leaves the euro-zone.

After the Spanish government took a 45% bailout into Spanish Bank “Bankia”, the lender was in the news on Thursday refuting that depositors were withdrawing their funds.

Bank of Spain reported on the other hand that Spanish banks’ bad loans rose to 8.7% of their outstanding credit portfolios in March, the highest level since August 1994. This compares with a revised reading of 8.3% in February. Loans that fell into arrears increased by 1.6 billion Euros from February to 148.0 billion Euros in March.

BOE inflation report The Bank of England warned that inflation will

Commodities After the jobless figures delivered on Thursday accompanied by a shockingly lower Philadelphia Fed index, the Yen soared against the Dollar along with Gold as odds of quantitative easing were moving higher.

Consequently, the US treasury yields flattened hard as the odds of TWIST extension program rose.

The situation in Europe did not help ease risk off sentiment, as a Greek departure from the Euro Zone would be associated with a massive injection of liquidity from central banks, giving an extra boost to the yellow metal.

Crude Oil prices experienced a rough ten days after Saudi Arabia’s Oil minister predicted crude prices should fall because global supply is outweighing demand. The OPEC is pumping 8.3% more crude than it considers necessary this quarter according to official figures.

According to Al-Naimi, oil supply outweighs demand by 1.3 million to 1.5 million barrels a day. Demand however may rebound in the second half of 2012. On the other hand, according to Japanese newspaper reports, US President Barack Obama is expected to seek support this weekend from other Group of Eight leaders for releasing strategic oil reserves later this summer as a European Union embargo on Iranian crude comes into effect.

Kuwait Kuwaiti Dinar at 0.27910 The USDKWD opened at 0.27910 yesterday morning.

25

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

business

US economy is not slowing

By Hayder Tawfik economic growth may be not accelerating but for sure it is not slowing down either.

Payrolls still growing not as fast as we all expect but better than not growing. Latest figures are showing auto sales are rising, bank credit is improving and housing market is stabilizing. These are very encouraging signs and are much better than 2009, 2010 and 2011. There is nothing we see has changed fundamentally in the economy over the last few months to change our opinion.

Actually, we could see some economic growth acceleration in the second half of the year as the decline in oil and commodity prices feed through to consumers. Also, the record low mortgage rates and much cheaper properties have indeed helped and should carry on helping the housing market further.

Consumption which contributes about 70% to the US’s Gross Domestic Product still much higher than last year. The latest reporting from US banks and Visa Inc. have shown the easing standards on credit card, auto and other consumer loans. Demand for consumer loans reportedly continued to increase especially for auto loans and this has led to record car sales.

The nature of the US economy is so dynamic and consumption driven, so when it is given the right fuel such as record low in interest rates, tax credit and lower fuel prices it reacts with some time lags.

At present, we are seeing the effects coming through. US corporate results are very encouraging and most reported earnings for the 1st quarter have beaten the estimates. Some visible sectors have been leading the way. Two sectors we are keen on are the IT and the mid of the range retailers.

Companies such IBM, Intel, Apple, EMC, TJX, GAP are benefiting tremendously and should carry on doing so in the months ahead.

We think that the crisis in the euro-zone and the possibility of some member countries leaving the Euro have made investors worldwide very nervous and taken the shine away from the US market. We all know that euro-zone needs to grow and to grow urgently so may be this weekends G8 summit in US will bring some of these leaders to their senses and accept the reality and change course. Let’s hope so.

— Hayder Tawfik is Executive Vice President of Asset Management, at Dimah Capital.

US

Greece tourism hit by euro crisis ATHENS: Europeans are avoiding vacations to Greece this summer fearing instability sparked by the debt crisis, industry sources say, inflicting a hard blow to the country’s already devastated economy.

“From the aftermath of the elections on May 6, we have experienced a 50 percent drop in bookings,” said George Drakopoulos, director general of the association of Greek tourism enterprises (SETE).

Though tourism from Germany this year is back on the rise, overall booking numbers are still plummeting ahead of the busy summer season, Drakopoulos said. “Hotels make appealing offers, but that is not the issue here. For many of the tourists visiting Greece, it is a matter of security on top of value for money.”

This comes after a particularly profitable 2011 season, where Greece benefited from the unrest in the northern Africa. According to SETE, tourism represents 15.7 percent of Greece’s output and employs 768,000 people, either directly and indirectly.

Panagiotis Moriatis, president of the association of hotel owners of Nafplion-a highly popular tourist destination close to the Bronze Age site of Mycenae-said business this year should drop by up to 15 percent. Moriatis blamed bad publicity: “Foreign media only portray the troubles in Athens and show nothing of the rest of Greece, where conditions are the exact opposite.”

“Athens is the city that has suffered the greatest damage. Fewer tourists visit Athens and this takes its toll on other cities,” Moriatis added. Germans in partic-

ular are thought to be avoiding Greece in fear of retribution by angry locals for two years of austerity measures many Greeks link to Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“Last year we had a 10 percent rise in German tourists. This year we have a 25 to 30-percent drop. German tourists are

ATHENS: Athens is the city that has suffered the greatest damage. Fewer tourists visit Athens and this takes its toll on other cities. afraid that they are in danger if they visit Greece,” said SETE’s Drakopoulos.

But Sybille Zeuch of the German Travel Association (DRV ) said that, despite a lukewarm start early this year,

greatly vary from that of 2011, with 2.5 million visits.

“Greece has never been more attractive as a holiday destination,” said Anja Braun, spokesperson of TUI Germany,

because of lower prices. For TUI’s German travelers, Greece is the third most popular holiday destination, after Spain and Turkey. Similar assurances come from Italy and Austria.

Roberto Corbella, head of the association of Italian tour operators (ASTOI) said that at the end of the season the level of bookings for Greece should be “similar to last year’s.”

Corbella said Italians are not afraid to visit Greece, as problems are centered in Athens and the majority of Italian tourists travel directly to Greek islands with charter flights.

TUI Austria has fewer requests for bookings and trips for Greece compared to last year, but the company has not reduced flights to Greece, said company spokesperson Josef Peterleithner. John Kester, an industry trend observer of the Madrid-based United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said Greece has its “loyal followers, people who know the country first-hand, and that audience stays loyal” and is not influenced by media coverage. “Emerging tourism markets are much more vulnerable to negative news,” Kester insisted. But the French are reticent to vacation in Greece, experts said. “We are facing a 30 percent drop in summer bookings compared to last year.

There is a psychological impact ... that is certain,” said Rene-Marc Chikli, head of the association of French tour operators (CETO).

Chikli added that operators are also bracing for the end of the euro, an event that would force emergency contract negotiations with hotel owners. — AFP

East Africa to join world gas giants LONDON: To East Africa’s assets of spectacular wildlife, abundant land and shimmering beaches you can now add gas - so much gas it could transform global energy flows along with some of the world’s poorest countries. Finds announced just last week off Tanzania and Mozambique are estimated to hold enough gas to supply France, Germany, Britain and Italy for at least a year - possibly much more.

These and other discoveries in eastern Africa in the past year have sent shares in

small explorers soaring, prompted takeover battles and rattled gas producers in other regions.

They are already starting debate about how the resource wealth can bring better living standards rather than exacerbating corruption and distorting eastern Africa’s relatively diverse economies just as they are taking off. East Africa has been emerging as an oil-producing region in recent years, although discoveries in Uganda and most recently Kenya have so far been

ATHESN: The temple of Parthenon is silhouetted against a cloudy sunset atop the Acropolis hill in Athens. Fitch ratings agency downgraded debt-crippled Greece deeper into junk territory, warning of a “probable” Greek exit from the euro currency union if new national elections next month produce an anti-bailout government. — AP

The cost of a ‘Grexit’ may touch $1 trillion ‘Between catastrophe and Armageddon’ BERLIN: As the specter looms ever larger of a Greek exit from the euro-zone, economists have been making highly complex calculations of how much that bombshell would cost-with estimates as high as $1 trillion. The approximations vary widely with the one thing most analysts agree on being that the cost of a Greek exit-or “Grexit”-is “incalculable” and depends how many k nock- on effects are taken into account.

The direct costs, analysts at German lender DekaBank, relate to the hit other European countries and the International Monetary Fund would have to take on their holdings on Greek debt if Greece were to default and leave the euro.

Via its bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility, the EU has already lent billions of euros to Athens. At the same time, the European Central Bank holds an estimated 50-55 billion euros of Greek paper, which would become effectively worthless.

In addition to this is the so-called Target 2 interbank payments the Greek central bank owes the European Central Bank, which economists at Swiss bank UBS put at 104 billion euros.

UBS analysts put the total direct costs of a “Grexit” at 225 billion euros, DekaBank at 350 billion euros, of which 86 billion euros would be borne by Germany alone. Douglas McWilliams, however, from the Britain-based

bookings are on the rise over the past few weeks. “Many [German tourists] are regulars and they know that islands are not affected [by events taking place in Athens],” she said Zeuch added that at this pace, there is a good chance that the number of German tourists visiting Greece will not

Centre for Economics and Business Research this week put the figure at $1 trillion, around five percent of euro-zone GDP, if the breakup of the bloc is “unplanned”.

While the direct costs are large enough, what really scares economists is the spillover effects of a Greek departure, especially the “contagion” risks threatening other fragile euro-zone economies such as Italy and Spain. “The mechanism that worries us the most would be the likelihood of bank runs in the periphery,” said Stephane Deo from UBS. “If Greece indeed leaves and the drachma loses half of its value, or more, it would become obvious to depositors in other parts of Europe that their deposits are at risk and we thus see a bank run as a possible scenario,” he said.

In such a situation, with the prospect of major social disorder, the ECB and governments would have to step in, offering further billions to the bailouts already agreed to Ireland, Greece and Portugal, economists say. Hans-Werner Sinn, president of the respected Ifo institute in Germany, has spoken of the bill for Germany alone being near one trillion euros if the euro-zone disintegrates in the wake of a Greece exit.

No wonder that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande used their first news conference together to stress that they wanted

to keep Greece in the club, given the cost of the alternative. The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, warned on Friday that the Greek economy “would collapse within days” and require other European countries to plough more billions into Athens in emergency funds.

“You can always lay out scenarios from the comfort of a research institute ... but the political reality is a bit different,” Schulz told German radio while on a visit to Athens.

But the idea of Greece leaving the eurozone, unmentionable only a few weeks ago, has slipped increasingly into public discourse, with even ECB governing council members such as Belgium’s Luc Coene talking of an “amicable divorce”.

And some senior figures even in Berlin have said Europe is in a better position to cope with the fall-out after erecting a “firewall” of close to $1 trillion.

Former German economy minister Rainer Bruederle, a close Merkel ally, told Handelsblatt business daily: “Unlike two years ago, the euro-zone today could cope with a Greek exit.”

Charles Dallara, who heads the Institute of International Finance, a grouping of leading banks around the globe, decided not to give a precise figure when asked about the costs of a “Grexit”. He said it would range from “somewhere between catastrophic and Armageddon”. — AFP

smaller than in West Africa’s giants. The excitement over oil has been overtaken by the largely offshore gas discoveries streching along eastern Africa’s Indian Ocean coast from Kenya to Mozambique. “It’s a thrill a minute. The news is coming hard and fast,” said Nick Cooper, CEO of explorer Ophir Energy, whose share price has more than doubled in four months. Ophir’s partner, British gas producer BG Group, announced a major discovery off Tanzania this week. US explorer Anadarko Petroleum and Italian oil group Eni announced even bigger finds off Mozambique.

Anadarko estimates its reserves off northern Mozambique at 50 trillion cubic feet (1.4 trillion cubic metres) - almost as much as Libya’s proven gas reserves. It is planning production from 2018.

Eni says its neighboring exploration block may have 52 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Across the border, BG, Ophir, Exxon Mobil and Statoil say they may have 20 trillion cubic feet.

The 253 trillion cubic feet that the U.S. Geological Survey now estimates may lie off Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique compares to 186 trillion cubic feet for Nigeria, Africa’s biggest energy producer.

Demand is low from eastern Africa’s small, if fast-growing, economies so the vast majority of the gas would be available for freezing into liquefied natural gas (LNG) to supply an expanding global market for a fuel that burns more cleanly than coal.

“We can help vault Mozambique into being one of the world’s three largest LNG exporters,” Anadarko Chief Executive Jim Hackett told an Eni company magazine.

According to Reuters calculations, Mozambique could be vying with Algeria as the world’s sixth largest exporter of gas by any means by the middle of next decade. “There could be 12 trains and still gas left over for GTL,” Philip Wolfe, head of oil and gas at investment bank UBS, said.

GTL, or gas-to-liquids, technology converts gas to motor fuels.

Twelve trains - the term for the facilities that turn natural gas into freezing liquid could pump 60 million tons a year. Japan, the world’s biggest importer of the fuel, used about 78 million tons last year. In eastern Africa’s favor are the lower costs of building the multi-billion dollar plants needed than in countries such as Australia.

Eastern Africa is seen as politically stable compared to much of the Middle East and many other parts of Africa - although the Somali pirates haunting the Indian Ocean could be a worry for large shipments of explosive fuel. The small explorers are immediate beneficiaries of the boom.

Cove Energy, a shareholder in Anadarko’s block, has accepted a $2 billion bid from Royal Dutch Shell. Its share price has more than tripled in eight months.

Ophir Energy bought Dominion Petroleum this year and is the subject of frequent takeover rumors - with Indian, Thai and Chinese state oil firms all linked to bids for regional players.

At today’s prices, the 30-40 million tons a year of LNG which Mozambique may produce would mean revenues of around $30 billion - more than three times the country’s current gross domestic product.

While Mozambique is already one of the fastest growing countries in one of the world’s fastest growing regions, average income is still little over $400 a year. Some shiny buildings stand out in the shabby, bustling port capital Maputo, where Anadarko is building a new regional headquarters, and high-end tourist resorts dot the coast. But much of Mozambique is a sprawl of villages connected by rough tracks.

Cash is already flowing in. Eni said it expects to spend 3.1 billion euros ($3.9 billion) in Mozambique between 2012 and 2015. Anadarko and its partners will likely spend more.

WHO WINS? The question is how much this will really benefit the region. Current contracts do not have the kind of clauses demanding the use of local content set by countries such as Brazil, meaning domestic firms could be relegated to bit players. Quick construction means bringing workers and equipment from abroad.

Longer term benefits may be just as uncertain. “Africans need to have this discussion early on as to how to develop the resources for our own benefit,” Brian Dames, the head of South African state power company Eskom, told Reuters.

“Some of these must be exported but it should not be a recolonization of Africa,” said Dames, who hopes Africa’s biggest economy might ease some of its power shortages with links to generating stations using the newfound gas.

Eastern African governments can expect a big lift to revenues. If regional states got even half the share of Qatar seen as particularly savvy in managing its gas income - they could together expect $10 billion a year in tax. That compares to annual budgets of around $13 billion in Kenya, $8 billion in Tanzania and just $4 billion in Mozambique.

“The problem is that once a government relies on oil and gas revenues there is no incentive to develop other areas of the economy,” said Markus Weimer, Africa Program Research Fellow at Chatham House in London. That is the lesson from countries on the western side of the continent such as Nigeria and Angola, where strong governance does not exist and finding a way to grab a share of oil and gas money has become the main game in town. — Reuters

26

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

BUSINESS

Seas & Deserts hosts dinner and parade of Azimut Yachts KUWAIT: Seas & Deserts recently hosted a dinner and parade of Azimut Yachts. The highlight of the evening was a parade of Azimut yachts. A flotilla of five yachts from Azimut sailed off Marina Waves, and each one demonstrated their lines, grace and style by performing a 360 degree turn for the gathered guests.

The flotilla included the Azimut Flybridge 95, the 70, the 60, the 53 and the 40.

Hosted by Ahmad M. Al-Ameeri ( Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Seas & Deserts), the dinner was attended by Fabrizio Nicoletti, the Ambassador of Italy to Kuwait, Paolo Casini, Chief Executive Officer of Azimut Yachts and Enricho Chiausso, Sales Manager of Azimut Yachts, together with VIPs and distinguished invited guests from Kuwait society.

Speaking on the occasion of the signing of their agreement with Azimut Yachts, Ahmad Al-Ameeri stated, “we are very pleased and proud to be able to offer our clients a brand as renowned and as elegant as Azimut.

With our expertise and facilities, we are confident of the added value Seas and Deserts will be offering Azimut clients in Kuwait from service to after sale maintenance”. Guests were entertained throughout by a jazz trio accompanied by singer Irene.

The Azimut 40 Leading the parade was the Azimut 40, a yacht which sees all the technological solutions and elements of comfort wrapped up in 40 feet, and which has a width of just under 13 feet. Its total weight is 12 tons, and it is powered by 2 Cummins engines, the output for each is 355 horse power, enough togive a maximum speed of 31 knots and a cruising speed of 24 knots. Fuel capacity is 1,100 liters,and fresh water capacity is 390 liters.

The Azimut 40 has 2 cabins - 1 main cabin and 1 for the guests - and a restroom in each cabin.

The beautiful exterior of the Azimut 40, in common with all the yachts presented during the evening, was designed by Stefano Righini, and the interior by Carlo Galeazzi.

The Azimut 53 Next in line was the Azimut 53.

This yacht offers both the harmony of modern lines, in keeping with the Azimut family-focused designs, as well as the most highly advanced technological solutions.

The total length for Azimut 53 is 55 feet, and its width 16 feet. The total weight is 27 tons.

The Azimut 53 is powered by 2 MAN engines, the output for each is 730 horse power, giving a maximum speed of 33 knots, and a cruising speed of 28 knots. Fuel capacity is 2.340 liters, and fresh water capacity is 590 liters.

The Azimut 53 has 4 cabins- 3 main cabins and 1 for the guests, and has a total of 3 restrooms.

Fabrizio Nicoletti, the Ambassador of Italy to Kuwait

Paolo Casini, Chief Executive Officer of Azimut Yachts

The Azimut 60 Following the 53, we saw the Azimut 60. A leading boat in all respects: from its spaces dedicated to life in the open air to the beauty of its lines; from its stylish appointments to the comfort it offers to owners and guests alike, who are free to move about in an

Ahmad M. Al-Ameeri, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Seas & Desert

oasis of privacy. The total length for Azimut 60 is 60 feet, while its width is 16 feet. The total weight is 29 tons.

The Azimut 60 has a maximum speed of 32 knots, a cruising speed of 28 knots, and is powered 2 MAN engines, the output for each is 800

horse power. Fuel capacity is 2,800 liters, and fresh water capacity is 630 liters.

The Azimut 60 has 4 cabins- 3 main cabins and 1 for the crew. It has 3 restrooms - 2 for the main cabins, and one for the crew.

The Azimut 70 With the comfort of 4 suites, the elegance of the main deck, and the largest of its class, we were next presented with the Azimut 70. Large in the photographs, it appeared even larger in the water.

The total length for Azimut 70 is 71 feet, its width 18 feet. The total weight is 45 tons.

Powered by 2 MAN engines, the output of each is 1,360 horse power, which gives the Azimut 70 a maximum speed of 33 knots, and a cruising speed of 27 knots.

Fuel capacity is 4,800 liters, and fresh water capacity is 1.200 liters.

The Azimut 70 has 6 cabins - 4 main cabins and 2 for the crew, it also has 5 restrooms- 4 for the main cabins, and 1 for the crew.

The Azimut 95 30 metres of comfort, generous exterior surfaces and large windows... always in contact with the sea and the open air. This was the final boat of the evening’s parade the Azimut 95.

I t is one of the largest in its class. The total length for Azimut 95 is 98 feet, and its width is 22 feet. The total weight is 101 tons.

The Azimut 95 is powered by 2 Caterpiller engines the output for each is 1,925 horse power. The maximum speed of the Azimut 95 is 27 knots, and the cruising speed is 23 knots. Fuel capacity is 12,000 liters, and fresh water capacity is 1,800 liters. The Azimut 95 has 6 cabins- 1 main cabin, 3 guest cabins, and 2 cabins for the crew. It also has 7 restrooms- 5 for the main cabins, and 2 for the crew.

As with all of the yachts in the Azimut parade, the exterior of the A zimut 95 was designed by Stefano Righini, and interior by Carlo Galeazzi.

GIB transaction wins prestigious award from Banker Magazine Honor in Islamic finance Mideast category KUWAIT: Almana Group’s S215 million Sukuk issuance, in which Gull International Bank (GIB) played the role of sole bookrunner and joint lead manager, has jointly received the Banker magazine’s Deal of the Year 2012 title for the Islamic Finance-Middle East category.

The Banker’s Deals of the Year Awards celebrate the most impressive financial transactions in various fields. Winners of these awards for this year were announced in the magazine’s May 2012 issue.

In granting the award, The Banker magazine stated that the Qatar-based Almana Group’s $215 million live-year dollar-denominated Sukuk impressed the judges. The Group’s early redemption of the outstanding AED600 million ($163 million) Sukuk due in 2013 ranks as the first ever early redemption by a Qatari corporate. The new Sukuk issuance

also stood out for the fact that only GCC banks were involved in tile deal.

The magazine added: “Despite uncertainty in the capital markets resulting in Eurobonds being pulled or cancelled, Gulf International Bank’s regional placement capabilities and relationships with GCC investors enabled it to focus on regional liquidity and close the transaction in flute with launch price guidance of $ Libor plus 450 basis points.”

Commenting on this subject, GIB’s Chairman, Jammaz bin Ahdullah Al-Suhaimi, said: “We are very pleased with this independent recognition of GIB’s leading role in investment banking and bond issuance. This new award comes as an addition to many other awards the Bank has received during the past 2 months. which reflects GIB’s leadership and the market’s confidence in its investment

ABK wins ‘Best improvement in Customer Service’ recognition KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait’s focus on premium customer care was rewarded by appearing at the top of the table on multiple categories in the newly polled Service Hero Awards 2011.

Stewart Lockie, General Manager of Retail Banking was proud of this achievement.

Speaking at length about the awards Lockie said, “Service Hero is a unique concept that collects Stewart Lockie customers’ opinions and information in an effort to measure the actual levels of satisfaction within a customer base. The results from the latest Service Hero report prove, once again, that our hard work and tremendous effort have not gone unnoticed.

ABK was the leading bank in Speed of Service and Staff Standards categories and held premium positions in other fields like Reliability, Product Quality, Value for

Money, Selection of Locations, Call Centre and Website Efficiency. We feel gratified, and encouraged to work to the very highest of standards every day to achieve the utmost in quality customer care.

What we are really happy about is the fact that based on the latest results, ABK has not only met customer expectations but actually exceeded them by providing the best available customer support and care. ABK was also acknowledged for achieving the least possible gap between consumer expectations and actual satisfaction in the Retail Banking Category. This is a huge success for ABK and its loyal customers.

The Service Hero Award affirms ABK’s belief that when customers want quick quality service they turn to Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait.”

Lockie was all praise for ABK’s dedicated staff. He said “Our achievements are born out of our employees’ hard work, focus and commitment, which leads to providing good customer service to our valued clients. In this sense ABK employees are truly our best assets.”

Maintain your balance to increase your chances of becoming next Al-Danah KD 250,000 winner KUWAIT: Gulf Bank advises its new and existing Al-Danah account holders to keep their money saved in their accounts to enhance their chances of becoming the next Al-Danah KD250,000 winner. Any withdrawal before the draw date of July 4th would reduce chances of winning.

Opening an Al Danah account is easy, and Gulf Bank encourages everyone in Kuwait to either open an account or for customers to increase their deposits to maximize their chances of winning in the upcoming weekly (KD1000 for 10 winners), quarterly (KD500 000) and the annual draw (1 million dinars).

Al-Danah allows customers to win cash

prizes and simultaneously encourages them to save. The more money saved and the longer it is in the account, the more chances individuals stand to win.

To qualify for the next quarterly AlDanah draw, account holders must maintain a minimum deposit of KD200 in their accounts. Customers can open an account by either visiting one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer online, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance. Customers can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s website, to find all the information regarding Al-Danah or any of the Bank’s products and services.

banking capabilities.”

He added, “GIB has developed considerable expertise in originating. structuring and placing regional Sukuk issuances in the GCC. We view The Banker magazine’s decision to choose Almana Sukuk as a joint winner of the Islamic Finance Deal of the Year for the Middle East in 2012 as a recognition of GIB’s leadership and expertise in this field.”

GIB is a leading hank in the Middle East with its principal focus on the GCC states. Its primary shareholder is the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The Bank provides client-focused, innovative financial products and services to a wide customer base iii the region, including asset management, IPOs, private equity placement, mergers & acquisitions, Sukuk/bond issues and Sharia compliant banking services.

Nikon D800 digital-SLR camera wins coveted awards in 2012 TOKYO: Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce that its D800 digital-SLR camera is the recipient of the Camera GP2012 Camera of the Year and Readers Awards.

The Camera GP2012 Camera of the Year award is presented to the best still camera released on the Japanese market between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012. This is the seventh time a Nikon camera has received a Camera Grand Prix” Camera of the Year award”, the last being the Nikon D3, which won the award in 2008. The recipient of this year’s Readers Awards was selected through online voting by general users between March 20 and April 10, 2012.? With the selection of the Nikon D800 this year, Nikon digital cameras have received the Readers Awards four times in the past five years, proving just how highly regarded the cameras are by a large number of users.

Since its release in March of this year, the D800 has been extremely well received. It was also the recipient of the TIPA Awards 2012 Best D-SLR Expert Award. * Primary reasons for Nikon D800 selection Remarks from the Camera Grand Prix 2012 Executive Committee regarding Camera of the Year selection, “The Nikon D800 was selected as the Camera GP2012 Camera of the Year based on comprehensive evaluation of the camera as a whole. Equipped with a 36.3-million pixel image sensor, the Nikon D800 is capable of capturing images with superior resolution. The number and variety of its advanced functions enable recording of both photos and movies with better image quality than ever before. The D800 offers performance and functions equal to those of Nikon’s flagship model at an affordable price. The extremely durable body also supports use under even the most severe photographic and environmental conditions.”

A sample of comments from general users regarding Camera GP2012 Readers Awards selection ● The D800 offers incredible resolution. It is an amazing camera that will stand out in camera history, just as the Nikon D3 did.

A camera that offers image quality equal to that of medium-format digital cameras, yet can be taken out into the field is a dream come true! This is the first time in a long time that I can’t wait to try a new camera. ● The D800 is a sensational camera that completely does away with previous ideas of what constitutes superior image quality. It seems to offer performance that exceeds that of the most advanced professional cameras in a body commonly seen with consumer-class models for advanced amateur photographers.

Jet Airways wins Lonely Planet Magazine Travel Award 2012 MUMBAI: Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has been adjudged the ‘Best Airline - Business/First Class (Indian) at the prestigious Lonely Planet Travel Awards 2012. Renowned for the warmth and hospitality of its acclaimed in-flight service, a reflection of the high standards of the airlines’ structured and stringent in-flight training procedures, Jet Airways emerged victorious from amongst a field comprising several of the world’s leading airlines.

Sonu Kripalani, Vice -PresidentPassenger Sales (India), Jet Airways, received the award on behalf of the airline at a glittering function in Mumbai attended by several luminaries from the trade and travel industry.

Said Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, “We are proud and honored to receive this covet-

ed award from the Lonely Planet magazine in recognition of our renowned services. Jet Airways is committed to delivering truly world class service and has worked to continuously enhance the excellent services on ground and in flight. The ‘Best Airline - Business/First Class (Indian)’ award is testimony to our commitment to enhance the Jet Airways experience for our customers. We will persist in our endeavor to exceed customer expectations and create benchmarks in service standards for others to follow.”

This Award, based on an exhaustive readers response study conducted through an online poll and magazine, seeks to recognize and honor the best in class destinations, organizations and service providers based on an objective study conducted by Lonely Planet.

Al-Tijari announces winners of Najma Account draw KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account draw yesterday. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by AbdulAziz Ashkanani. The winners of the Al-Najma daily draw are:Khalid Abdullah Jassem Al-GhanimKD 7000, Batool Adil Hussain Ali Ashkanani- KD 7000, Abdulrazaq Masoud Al-Abdullah- KD 7000, Saleh Salem Hashem Salem- KD 7000, Sara Ali Fahadh- KD 7000.

The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4 mega prizes during the year

worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministr y of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

App scans faces of bar-goers to guess age, gender SAN FRANCISCO: A watchful eye has arrived to check out patrons of San Francisco’s bar scene. A new app launched this past weekend that will scan the faces of patrons in 25 bars across the city to determine their ages and genders.

Would-be customers can then check their smartphones for real-time updates on the crowd size, average age and male-tofemale mix to decide whether the scene is to their liking.

The Austin, Texas-based makers of SceneTap say the app doesn’t identify specific individuals or save personal information. But in a city known for its love of both libations and civil liberties, a backlash erupted even before the first cameras were switched on from bar-goers who said they would boycott any venue with SceneTap installed. SceneTap’s ability to guess how old people are and whether they’re men or women relies on advances in a field known as biometrics. A camera at the door snaps your picture, and software maps your features to a grid. By measuring distances such as the length between the nose and the eyes and the eyes and the ears, an algorithm matches your dimensions to a database of aver-

ages for age and gender.

SceneTap CEO Cole Harper says the app doesn’t invade patrons’ privacy because the only data it stores is their estimated ages and genders and the time they arrived — not their images or measurements. “Nothing that we do is collecting personal information. It’s not recorded, it’s not streamed, it’s not individualized,” Harper said. Whether the company’s promises are comforting or SceneTap still seems creepy, it portends a near future when any camera-equipped smartphone will have the ability to recognize faces with a click of the virtual shutter.

Already the iPhone’s camera app will highlight a person’s face on the screen with a green box before the picture is even snapped. And Apple’s iPhoto software will try to recognize the faces of the people in users’ pictures to categorize photos automatically by who’s in the shot. Facebook also uses facial recognition software that tries to identify any friends in a photo a user uploads.

SceneTap’s San Francisco debut came the same day Facebook went public. Privacy experts say social media has played a major role in making it easier to attach a

face to a name.

“Ten years ago if I walked down the street and took a picture of someone I didn’t know, there was little I could do to find out who that person was. Today it’s a very different story,” said Lee Tien, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who focuses on surveillance technology and privacy. Tien says facial recognition technology has advanced to the point that having your picture taken potentially offers up the same degree of identifying information as giving someone your fingerprints. Computer programs can break down high-resolution images in minute detail to identify the distinctive features of individual faces.

Those patterns, rather than the images themselves, make possible the tracking of individuals even without knowing who they are. In theory, a program could also match that pattern to identifiable online images such as a Facebook profile picture. The threat to privacy from an app like SceneTap depends not just on what’s being stored but how easily the system could be conver ted to become more intrusive, whether by a hacker or under a court

order. “Even if everything is happening the way it is supposed to, then the next question is, gee, is that good enough?”

Tien said. “Is that something that you’re comfortable with?”

Along with the visual images being deleted nearly as soon as they ’re snapped, SceneTap’s sensors aren’t sophisticated enough to recognize individual faces in any case, Harper said.

Detecting basic characteristics like gender and age takes much less digital work than identifying individuals, he said.

The 28-year-old CEO argues SceneTap doesn’t come close to intruding on personal privacy the way many other ubiquitous technologies already do. Many bars already have video cameras that record customers’ ever y move, creating an archive that could, for example, be subpoenaed in court. And anyone who uses Facebook or Gmail is turning over reams of sensitive personal information to large companies every day.

SceneTap’s business plan also hinges on the data it collects. Facebook and Google make money by targeting individuals as precisely as possible. Harper says SceneTap only has the combined

data on bar customers’ genders and ages.

The company hopes advertisers will ultimately covet that data to target bargoers through the app. The bars themselves can use the statistics to determine what mix of people come in, when to adjust their inventories, advertising and promotions, Harper said.

SceneTap is already in use in six other cities across the US, including Chicago and several college towns. Charles Hall, general manager of Bar None in San Francisco’s Marina District, said he decided to install SceneTap to give potential customers another way to interact with the business. He said his decision to use it depended on the company’s promise that no information was being collected on individuals. “I have nothing to gain from doing something that people are going to be up in arms about,” Hall said the day before the official launch. A few hours later, the bar briefly got cold feet because of the negative attention SceneTap had received in the local media. But as of 10 p.m. Friday night, Bar None was “lively,” according to the app: a little less than half full, a nearly even mix of sexes, average age 22. — AP

America expanding once again - digitally, this time

ERFURT, Germany: (Above) Inventor and prize winner Niklas Demel codes his electric powered automobile ‘Robby Car’ during the Young Researchers competition (Jugend forscht) in central Germany yesterday. The car identifies traffic signs and reacts accordingly. (Below) An inventor and prize winner presents a communication glove for deaf blind people during the competition. Students of three German universities developed a glove that sends and receives Lorm, a touch alphabet for deaf-blind people. The glove can also send text messages and turn incoming text messages into Lorm. The Young Researchers competition is the biggest competition in Germany for young talent in the fields of science, mathematics and technology. — AP

Sudden wealth part of Silicon Valley everyday MENLO PARK, California: In Silicon Valley, where sudden wealth is hardly something new and CEOs favor hoodies over bespoke blazers, Facebook’s IPO on Friday didn’t bring everyday life to a halt. Employees weren’t popping champagne corks at company headquarters, at least not where anyone outside could see them. And locals had plenty to do from finding a job to locating the next Facebook. The company’s sprawling headquarters along the southern edge of San Francisco Bay was quiet except for security guards walking the parking lots, a dozen TV satellite trucks and an onslaught of reporters who were not allowed inside.

The morning began with a ceremony attended by a few dozen people in a courtyard in the center of campus known as Hack Square. Mark Zuckerberg rang the opening bell to start the Nasdaq Stock Market’s daily trading as chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, Nasdaq executives and other employees looked on. Afterward, employees tried to get back to business as usual. That is, building a company under immense pressure to meet shareholders’ expectations. To remind everyone not to get caught up in the hoopla, Facebook’s 2,000 employees were given t-shirts that read “Stay focused & keep hacking”.

As is standard at large tech companies in Silicon Valley, employees were told not to talk to the press. In the parking lot, venture capitalist Mark Siegel had come down to take a longing look at one that got away. Like many of his fellow technology startup investors with offices a short drive from Facebook on Silicon Valley’s famed Sand Hill Road, Siegel said he had chances to back Facebook early on but didn’t. He said at the time, when competing social networks like Friendster and MySpace still had clout, it wasn’t clear that Facebook would come out on top.

“In hindsight, any price would have been a good price to pay,” said Siegel, a managing

director at Menlo Ventures. To avoid a similar fate in the future, Siegel’s firm is invested heavily in Internet and social media companies, including popular blogging service Tumblr. As for the viability of Facebook as an investment now that it’s public, Siegel said he expects the stock to be in for a bumpy ride in the near future. “I might buy a little, but I would buy it as a long-term hold,” he said. “It’s very fully valued, so I think in the short-term there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs.”

At a strip mall that includes the closest Starbucks to Facebook, the company’s stock was not the first thing on everyone’s minds.

(Not that anyone at Facebook needs to come across the highway to Starbucks - gourmet coffee is just one of the company’s many meal perks.) Ann House, 49, an education researcher at a nearby nonprofit, said the IPO would obviously mean more rich people in the area, but she’s been pleasantly surprised so far that the company’s recent move to its new headquarters hasn’t yet led to a big uptick in street traffic.

Though not a heavy Facebook user, she said the ads on the social network’s site have started to annoy her more. She expects the IPO won’t help. “It probably means there’s going to be more advertising on the site, so I’ll use it less,” she said. Claire Bonnar, 22, of Pacifica became a teenager shortly before Facebook first went online, but she doesn’t count herself among the Facebook generation. She has an account, but she said she only logs on once every few months. She said she communicates with her friends by text message and phone to avoid the headaches she witnessed among former co-workers who were heavy users. “They’d always be in each others’ business,” she said. “I don’t want that kind of drama.” Facebook’s IPO was also far from Bonnar’s mind as she focused on more pressing concerns. Laid off from her job at a San Diego hospital a few months ago, she came north to be with family. — AP

NEW YORK: The metaphor is an easy one, overused and perhaps even a bit overwrought. We are forging forward into a digital frontier, leaving convention behind, traveling without guides into an uncharted virtual land where progress and profits are forever around the next bend. Sound familiar? In the 19th century, Americans expanded into a physical frontier - a geographic edge of society brimming with opportunities and dangers and challenges and setbacks. So began the notion of manifest destiny: the idea that, no matter what, the United States pushes outward to the farthest edge of the most distant place possible.

Today, almost two centuries after that term was coined, American expansionism is playing out vigorously at society’s latest cutting edge: the social space of the Internet.

Friday’s high-octane, $16 billion IPO of the global juggernaut that is Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook is, for better or worse, the most recent example of how the new frontier has been cultivated, colonized and commanded by entrepreneurial Americans.

As the manufacturing economy reconfigures, you often hear the lament that “America doesn’t make anything anymore.” But then there’s this: Most of the world’s digital centers of gravity have been, and remain, American. Apple and Microsoft.

Google and Yahoo. YouTube and Amazon and eBay. Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. Kickstarter.

Netflix. PayPal. Akamai, the contentdelivery behemoth. Intel, the internal combustion engine of the whole shebang. And for that matter, the Internet itself and the organization that regulates its domain names were both born and raised in (you guessed it) America.

A digital manifest destiny is playing out, built upon the notion that the United States’ outward expansion continues apace on the virtual frontier. What the self-defined sense of American exceptionalism built in the physical world, it is now building in the digital one. “It’s a projection of American values - what international experts would call soft power,” says Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.

Look at what the digital space disseminates, he says: freedom of the press, of information and of assembly; knowledge and scientific advancement; free-market mechanisms and entrepreneurialism. “It’s hard to think of a cluster of ideas and architectures that would more allow basic American cultural values to propagate,” says Rainie, co-author of the new book, “Networked: The New Social Operating System.”

NEW YORK: The Chrysler Building is visible behind the animated facade of the Nasdaq Market Site welcoming the Facebook IPO in Times Square on May 18, 2012. — AP Technological progress has always walked hand in hand with American expansion. Where would the settlement of the West have been without Robert Fulton’s steamboat, Samuel F.B. Morse’s work in telegraphy and, later, the inventions of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford? Not to mention the old-time data pipelines themselves - the postal system, the railroads and eventually the interstate highways? In those cases, innovation helped drive development and physically shape the frontier; now innovation itself is the frontier.

And the American tendency to glorify the inventor’s spirit remains a key engine. As Alexander Graham Bell went, so goes Mark Zuckerberg.

“In this country, you’re a hero if you invent something. To be an inventor in America, that’s as good as being an explorer,” says Julie Fenster, author of “The Spirit of Invention: The Story of the Thinkers, Creators and Dreamers who Formed Our Nation.”

“The notion that ‘I can invent my way out of problems’ - that always fueled a sense of hope and expansion in this country,” she says.

That parallel between the frontiers of the road and the mind has not gone unnoticed by politicians and leaders looking to cast America’s newest progress in the context of the old. President Barack Obama, speaking to Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center last year, called for tech innovation this way: “That’s the kind of adventurous, pioneering spirit that we need right now. That’s the spirit that’s given us the tools and toughness to overcome every obstacle and adapt

to every circumstance.”

The nation’s digital innovators have been placing virtual progress into the context of American expansionism for years. Sometimes they’re oblique about it, sometimes they’re explicit. “There is never a reliable map for unexplored territory,” wrote Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who in 1995 likened the early Internet to the Oregon Trail. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs put it this way in 1985: “In a society where information and innovation are going to be pivotal, there really is the possibility that America can become a second-rate industrial nation if we lose the technical momentum and leadership we have now.”

Manifest destiny and its first cousin, American exceptionalism, aren’t popular notions everywhere.

The idea of US domination in everything from cultural frontiers (Hollywood) to geographic ones (outer space) can set the world on edge.

Just as irritatingly to some, America’s ability to occupy these spaces rests upon not only actual innovation but the oomph to amplify it on a global level - in effect, to shout the loudest in a crowded, if now virtual, room.

“Manifest destiny justifies a certain behavior. One could call it rapaciousness on one end, but someone else could call it being an entrepreneur, being a founder,” says John Baick, a historian at Western New England University in Massachusetts.

That reflects back upon the original manifest destiny imperative to push outward at all costs; expansion, on any frontier, can also mean overrunning the people who are already

there. What has helped this dominance along? Is it the American penchant for R&D, which fuels innovation? The rise of venture capital over the past half-century, particularly in places like Silicon Valley? Is it the combination of creativity and Barnum-style snake oil that matured into the marketing culture that helps define America today? Is it the nation’s higher-education system, which has vigorously pushed the relationship between technological innovation and entrepreneurialism?

Or - and this is where it really gets interesting - is it the ability and willingness of an increasingly connected planet to adopt American innovation and take it to a global level, encouraging US digital expansion in the process? “We might look at our contributions . and fail to see that what really helped them to take off in many cases was the participation of other people globally,” says Joel Kline, an internet developer and digital strategist who teaches business technology at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania.

Last year in southwestern China, long a hotbed of brand-name electronics knockoffs, a fake Apple Store turned up - an entire store. A blogger’s photos depicted an elaborate lookalike operation complete with Genius Bar, hardwood floors, Helvetica-typefaced signage and sales associates in blue T-shirts who apparently actually thought they were working at the real thing. Think about that. It wasn’t enough to fake the gadgets. The counterfeiters wanted to fake the FEEL of innovation that Apple markets so adeptly. —AP

Pakistan blocks Twitter ISLAMABAD: Pakistan blocked Twitter yesterday, saying the website had refused to remove posts promoting a Facebook competition involving caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). “The website has been banned by the Ministry of Information Technology and the decision was conveyed to us,” said Mohammad Younis Khan, spokesman for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). “There was blasphemous material on Twitter. Both Facebook and Twitter were involved. We negotiated with both. Facebook has agreed to remove the stuff but Twitter is not responding to us.”

Twitter had been blocked but Facebook was still available, he said, adding that those responsible for the competition were “trying to hurt Muslim feelings”. Twitter and Facebook were not immediately reachable for comment.

Responding to the furore around the ban, one Twitter user, @vinodvyas, wrote: “Now billions of ppl know there exists a competition to draw Prophet.”

Twitter is widely used in Pakistan, including

by prominent public figures such as celebrities, cricketers, cabinet ministers and members of parliament. Former president Pervez Musharraf, in exile in Britain, regularly tweets, as does Interior Minister Rehman Malik, and Ali Zafar, the popular actor and musician. Asma Jahangir, the leading lawyer, is also on Twitter. The Ministr y of IT yesterday also directed the telecommunication authority to remain alert and block immediately all links displaying what it deemed profane caricatures of religious figures.

Islam strictly prohibits the depiction of any prophet as blasphemous. Muslims across the globe staged angry protests over the publication of satirical cartoons of Muhammad (PBUH) in European newspapers four years ago. A suicide attack outside the Danish embassy in Islamabad that year killed eight people. AlQaeda claimed the attack to avenge the cartoons. A court in Pakistan blocked Facebook in May 2010 because of a similar competition organised by an anonymous Facebook user who

called on people to draw the Prophet (PBUH) to promote “freedom of expression”.

The competition sparked a major backlash in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where even moderates were deeply offended by the drawings that appeared on the Facebook page. The competition saw Facebook blocked for almost two weeks after a petition by a group of Islamic lawyers.

The PTA also banned YouTube for a week and restricted access to other websites, including Wikipedia, lashing out against “growing sacrilegious” content. The government at the time said it would conduct monitoring of major websites for anti-Islamic content.

Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistan director at Human Rights Watch, said the latest ban was “illadvised, counter-productive and will ultimately prove to be futile as all such attempts at censorship have proved to be”. “ The right to free speech is non-negotiable and if Pakistan is the rights-respecting democracy it claims to be, this ban must be lifted forthwith,” he said. — AFP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

S Asia, a rising force in global meth trade Weak governance helps criminals: Report

Make small changes Carrying the weight of Diabetes!

By Dr Kashif Rizvi

I

n Kuwait we live in a so called ‘obesogenic’ environment. We are bombarded with food ads on a continual basis, with ‘offers’ of eat as much as you want buffets, buy one and get one free in supermarkets.

Our kids play on the climbing frames of fast food chains. Our adults eat for socializing, for boredom, for easy availability, not paying much attention to its calorie content or nutritional balance. We are averse to movement and would like to have escalators, lifts and cars move us from A to B. this unnatural approach has resulted in the epidemic of obesity which is coupled with an extraordinary explosion in the incidence of diabetes and its accompanying high cholesterol and blood pressure When we are in the throes of this menace, we start to blame either our ‘metabolism’ which seems to put on weight without eating ‘anything’ or we shop for a doctor who could give us a magical pill or many to solve this problem. Such approach is always doomed to fail as the original reason for a ‘slow and gradual weight gain with developing diabetes’ is never removed and there is no medical intervention less than drastic to reverse it. There is however hope and simple steps one could take to bring back good health Firstly we need to remind ourselves that we are not alone, facing this problem.

Virtually the entire world is, including the

most educated and resourceful societies. In addition this problem evolves slowly and its management needs to be also gradual.

Whenever we resort to a diet regime or an exercise regime we opt for a drastic one, which invariably is unsustainable and hence fails or we stop after sometime. Now many studies are showing that ‘small changes are the key’ as they are sustainable and gradually work by first ‘stabilizing the weight and stop its increase’ and then gradually move it downwards. The most meaningful and achievable evidence based changes are • Replace sugary fizzy drinks with diet versions (saving 150 calories) • Walk 2000 extra steps (burning 100 extra calories) • Eating cereal for breakfast • Using a spoon rather than bread to ‘scoop up’ the food • Confining rice to a quarter of the plate rather than filling the entire plate (replaced with vegetables) • Not becoming hungry by eating frequent small snacks These small but permanent changes would first stop the weight gain, and then tilt the balance in the direction of slow, healthy, gradual weight loss and improvement in all parameters related to diabetes.

Dr Kashif Rizvi MD, MRCP (UK), CCST (UK) k.rizvi@kuwaitdiabetes.com

So you think your teeth are perfect? Think again!

P

ronamel, formulated by GlaxoSmithKline, is an everyday toothpaste designed for the re-hardening of acid softened tooth enamel. It has been formulated specifically to protect teeth against the effects of Acid Wear.

Acid Wear is the softening and wearing away of the surface of your tooth’s enamel.

If you do nothing about Acid Wear, it may lead to thinning, weakening and discolouration of your teeth.

Acids that lead to Acid Wear can be found in everyday food and drink, such as fruit, fruit juices, soft drinks and salad dressings. After contact, the surface of your enamel can be softened, which then makes it more vulnerable to the effects of brushing.

Dentists are concerned about Acid Wear because its early stages are not easily detected. If you look closely in the mirror

and detect slight transparency on the edges of your teeth, then you most probably are suffering from the first stages of Acid Wear. Please consult your dentist, as once tooth enamel is lost, it cannot be replaced. Don’t worry, there’s no need to avoid the food and drinks that you love.

Visit your dentist for the best advice. They may tell you to think carefully about how you eat and drink. For example, don’t chew fruit in your mouth for a long time; drink acidic drinks through a straw; and wait at least an hour after consuming anything acidic before brushing your teeth.

Pronamel is specifically formulated to help re-harden your tooth’s enamel.

Pronamel has low abrasivity, is PH neutral and contains the optimum amount of fluoride you need. Dentists recommend you brush with Pronamel twice a day to protect against daily Acid Wear.

ISLAMABAD: Iran, Pakistan and other South Asian countries are a fast-rising force in the global methamphetamine market, with drug cartels thriving off the weak governance and law enforcement that have long fueled the region’s heroin trade.

This environment has allowed criminals to tap into the countries’ relatively advanced pharmaceutical industries to get their hands on meth’s two main ingredients: ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The drug is more valuable than heroin, and some say, more addictive.

Highlighting this scourge are UN figures showing that the number of meth labs uncovered in Iran rose from two to 166 in three years, while the supply of precursor chemicals in Pakistan has more than tripled over roughly the same period. A Supreme Court case in Pakistan involving the prime minister’s son has drawn more attention to the problem. The case revolves around two Pakistani pharmaceutical companies that allegedly used political connections to obtain huge amounts of ephedrine and are suspected of diverting it to people in the drug trade who could have used it to make meth worth billions of dollars. The companies have denied any wrongdoing.

Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are used to make common cold medicine, but either can also be used to manufacture meth easily at home or, in places like Mexico where the trade is most advanced, in huge labs indistinguishable from those of large pharmaceutical companies.

The greater South Asia region has a long history of drug manufacturing, but most of it has involved opium and heroin made from the vast quantities of poppy grown in Afghanistan and smuggled out through Pakistan and Iran.

As governments elsewhere clamp down on the availability of the precursor chemicals, this region is attracting more dealers, said Matt Nice of the Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board, which enforces UN conventions regulating the manufacture and distribution of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. They look for a country with weak security and regulation “where you can obtain the chemicals because no one is paying attention, or it has never been a problem before,” he said.

Iranian police dismantled 166 meth labs in 2010, up from just two in 2008, according to the UN Labs have also been dismantled in Sri Lanka and India, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of precursor chemicals. Worldwide, nearly 10,200 meth labs were seized in 2009, the most recent aggregate data available, according to the UN. Most were small labs dismantled in the US. But the number of labs outside the US has increased significantly in recent years.

Much of the meth produced in Iran is smuggled to East and Southeast Asia, which have some of the highest street prices and are facing an epidemic of addiction. “Over the past five years, Iran went from a non-issue in the global synthetic drug trade to top 10 in the world in terms of seizures,” said Jeremy Douglas, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Pakistan. “They are also arresting Iranian meth couriers and traffickers throughout East Asia.”

There are up to 21 million amphetamine users in East and Southeast Asia, out of a total high end estimate of 56 million worldwide, according to the UN Nearly half of all people seeking drug treatment in East and Southeast Asia in 2009 were methamphetamine users.

There are signs Pakistan could be vulnerable to the synthetic drug trade and headed in the same direction as Iran. Pakistani authorities arrested a

Malaysian man last year at the airport in Karachi with a suitcase containing hidden compartments of meth that he admitted was made in the city, said Douglas. Thai officials have also arrested several Pakistanis carrying meth at the airport in Bangkok who flew there from Pakistan, he said.

“There are indications meth is being produced in Pakistan,” said Douglas. “It makes sense because the supply of the precursors is high, readily available and cheap.” The chemicals are also being smuggled out of Pakistan to neighboring Iran and other countries. Iran reported significant seizures of ephedrine originating from Pakistan and Syria 294 kilograms (648 pounds) in 2010 and 375 kilograms (827 pounds) in 2011, the U.N said. Pakistan also seized 265 kilograms (584 pounds) of ephedrine in provinces bordering Iran in 2010.

Last year, Pakistan also intercepted 245 kilograms (540 pounds) of ephedrine at Karachi port, bound for Australia hidden in spice packages, said the UN. About 1.5 kilograms (3 pounds) of ephedrine or

report their ephedrine and pseudoephedrine needs to the International Narcotics Control Board each year. The spike in amounts submitted by Pakistan and Iran in recent years has raised suspicions among UN officials that significant quantities may be diverted to drug traffickers.

Pakistan’s need for ephedrine rose from 15,000 kilograms (about 33,000 pounds) in 2007 to 22,000 kilograms (nearly 50,000 pounds) in 2010, and pseudoephedrine from 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds) to 48,000 kilograms (nearly 106,000 pounds), according to the UN Iran’s estimate for pseudoephedrine increased from 40,000 kilograms (more than 88,000 pounds) to 55,000 kilograms (more than 121,000 pounds) in 2010. Its estimate for ephedrine is negligible.

“When you start to see those numbers go up quickly, or wonder why they need so much more than anyone else in the region on a per capita basis, that is when we start to get a little concerned,” said Nice. The two pharmaceutical companies now before the Supreme Court were allotted

KARACHI: Pakistani customs officials looks at confiscated heroin wrapped in packages, prior to a news conference in Karachi. Pakistan and other countries in South Asia are fast becoming key players in the global methamphetamine market, with drug cartels taking advantage of the weak governance and law enforcement that have long fueled the region’s heroin trade. — AP pseudoephedrine are needed to make 1 kilogram (2 pound) of meth. A single gram (0.04 ounces) of meth can fetch more than $1,000 in Japan, according to the UN. Nice, the UN drug control official, said ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are often smuggled in pill form, and the smugglers mislabel the merchandise as something innocuous, like vitamins, to elude law enforcement in countries with little experience of meth. “Once they do start seeing this stuff, you have to ask yourself how long has this been going on and how much bigger is it?” said Nice.

Smuggling may be peanuts compared with the amount of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine that is being acquired in bulk from pharmaceutical companies in the region and diverted to drug cartels through front companies - the kind of deception that is suspected in the case before the Pakistani Supreme Court.

Most countries, including South Asian ones, are signatories to UN agreements that require them to

9,000 kilograms (nearly 20,000 pounds) of ephedrine in 2010 even though the country had already exceeded its annual estimate to the UN, according to court documents. Neither company had previously been allocated ephedrine.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son, Ali Musa Gilani, is accused of using his influence to help the firms obtain the ephedrine. He denies the allegation. The companies initially said they planned to convert the ephedrine into tablets and export them to companies in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the amounts vastly exceeded those countries’ needs, and the Pakistani firms said they eventually sold the tablets domestically.

Berlex Lab International, which received 6,500 kilograms (14,330 pounds) of ephedrine, said its tablets were sold to Can Pharmaceutical in the southern city of Multan. But investigators discovered the address for the company was a residential house in Multan, and nobody answered the door.

The owner of the company didn’t answer his phone.— AP

Hypno-birthing

By Naseera Horzook

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id you know that the memory of your birth has long lasting effects? A birth in the day and life of a doctor, nurse or midwife falls into their routine and makes up just another day. A birth in the life of a mother is no ordinary, mundane day. It is a day that she will carry with her for the rest of her life, a day that would shape her outlook on life. Wouldn’t you want this day to be the most memorable one, filled with positive thoughts and perceptions?

Penny Simkin, who studied the effects of the birth on memory, found that a positive birth experience increases a woman’s self esteem and confidence. She was also amazed at how vividly they were able to remember and retell their birth stories with immense detail. Retelling their stories made them almost relive it as many wept either out of joy or remorse a good 15 years or more later. One of the various methods that women have available here in Kuwait to allow them to experience a joyous birth, that leaved them feeling empowered and wonderful is hypnobirthing.

Often when people hear the word hypnosis, they think magic, something weird, something scary and fear that it can do things to them.

Fortunately this is furthest from the truth, a gross misconception. Each one of us experiences hypnosis every day of our lives; we are just unaware of it. Now think of a moment that happened in your day today or yesterday, perhaps while you were driving your car, sitting in a waiting area. You began to have thoughts, and one thought led to another, and then to another and before you realised, you had taken your mind out of the physical space you were in, you weren’t thinking about when to switch gears, or to accelerate, or when to take a turn.

You might have been thinking about who you met, the conversations you had, of a past memory, anything really. This form of hypnosis is known as daydreaming, it is an amazing mechanism where the subconscious mind takes over.

Here is a logical way to understand how and why it works well for childbirth.

According to Dr Grantley Dick-Read’s “fear tension pain cycle” the more fear a women has in her, the tenser she will feel and thus she will experience more pain. Now by understanding the “fight or flight” response, we know that as you experience fear there is a chemical reaction that actually

takes place in your body. While you experience fear your body minimises oxygen around the internal organs and sends it to the limbs in order for you to “run”.

The oxygen present in the uterus is therefore less than if one is relaxed. This means that when the area has less oxygen, your body will feel stiff and therefore make it more difficult to release your baby.

Now try this simple exercise. Make a fist with your hands; tense it up as much as you can.

Notice how the jaws in your mouth feel locked, how everything within you is holding on. It doesn’t want to let go. A woman who experiences fear

Therapist Naseera Horzook withholds what needs to be released and this results in longer labour.

While hypnosis for birth seems to be a new, modern concept, it has been practiced for decades, perhaps even centuries, just without these branded terms called “hypnobirthing” or “hypnosis for birth”.

Hypnosis was recognised already in the 1950’s by the American Medical Association. Results back then show success the success in using this technique for pain relief and comfort prior to, and during many medical surgeries and procedures.

Studies conducted at the Stanford University in the 50’s showed that 95% of people could be hypnotised. This means that nearly all moms

would benefit from using hypnosis for birth quite effectively. An anaesthetist, who specialises in giving epidurals in Australia has seen the benefits of hypnosis in childbirth and has written about it.

Marion Andrew has said that women having their first child who learn self-hypnosis in the lead-up to labour are less likely to need an epidural than other first-time mothers. She also provided research conclusions that were conducted on a group of women using hypnosis, and another group who hadn’t used it. The results showed that 36% of the women were less likely to have an epidural (because they had no need for it) compared to the non-hypnosis mothers where 55% of them needed the epidurals. They were also more likely to have normal births with fewer interventions.

Using hypnosis for birth has shown that the length of labour a mother and her baby experiences would be significantly reduced and that there would be less need for pain medication.

It is important to know that there is no hard and fast rule when using this technique for birth. I like to say to my clients that hypnobirthing techniques provide a labouring couple with an added leg or crutch to stand on. You may still have a completely “medicalised” birth if you choose to.

You can still opt for an epidural just in case you still feel you need one. You can even use hypnobirthing for a planned c- section. It really does not matter.

On the flip side, having learnt the techniques you may just find that you have an added advantage in managing your birth process by the thoughts you allow yourself to filter and accept or reject. You will be empowered to choose how the process unfolds, and what your perception is of the exercise. Automatically you will find yourself searching and finding the positive aspects to draw onto and internalise. Basically you will be in charge of deciding how you want to create a positive and everlasting memory of your birth.

Many more women are seeing the value of hypnosis for birth as an added advantage.

Considering that so many women feel anxious about their births’ during their pregnancies, this helps to build their confidence and expectations about it. Knowing that it lowers the chance of suffering from postnatal depression later on and ensuring that this memory is one they want to relive with tears of joy for the rest of their lives. — Email: naseera@kaizen-kw.com Website: www.kaizen-kw.com

Mad cow quarantines lifted at two California dairies FRESNO, California: Quarantines were lifted on two Central California dairies associated with a case of mad cow disease after investigators found no link between the illness and food the diseased bovine might have consumed, federal officials said Friday.

Tests performed by the World Organization for Animal Health also confirmed what US labs had found: The cow had a random mutation of the illness that was unlikely to affect other cows in the herd.

The tests were part of an investigation begun in April when an examination of a carcass of a nearly 11-year-old cow taken to a Hanford rendering plant tested positive for mad cow disease, the nation’s fourth case and the third “atypical” strain to be discovered.

Mad cow disease is a deadly affliction of the central nervous system that can be transmitted to humans who eat meat from infected cows.

The rash of cases that occurred in Great Britain in the 1990s were caused by cattle being fed protein supplements made from the spinal columns and brains of diseased cows, a practice that has since been banned.

The California cow had what is known as atypical L-type bovine spongiform that scientists know happens occasionally. In the disorder, a protein the body normally harbors folds into an abnormal shape called a prion, setting off a chain reaction that eventually kills brain cells. Scientists say they do not yet know what causes this strain of the disease. The incubation period is two to eight years. The USDA tests 40,000 of the 35 million cattle slaughtered annually for BSE, but some public health

experts have called for more aggressive testing, especially in light of Friday’s announcement.

“If that’s true, then it’s even more important to increase surveillance since the feed ban could not be expected to prevent future cases,” said Dr. Michael Greger, director of public health and animal agriculture with the Humane Society of the United States.

He said adopting the European model of testing all older cattle, or the Japanese model of testing every cow slaughtered for human consumption would add mere pennies per pound of beef sold and lower the risk of human cases of the fatal disease.

As part of its investigation, the FDA and the California Department of Food and Agriculture examined feed records at the affected dairy and identified at least 10 suppliers. They said Friday that all were in compliance with regulations.

The California cow, which came from a stillunnamed Tulare County dairy, had been unable to stand when she was euthanized and hauled away to a plant that renders carcasses into animal food protein and other products.

Dairy operators are not required to report if their cattle contract neurological diseases.

Investigators with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service were still working to track down at least a dozen other living cows that were raised on a calf ranch with the sick cow. Calves taken from their mothers after birth are fed a protein supplement made from slaughtered cattle blood, and some question whether that blood might carry BSE.— AP

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

H E A LT H

Arizona tribes talk significance of solar eclipse FLAGSTAFF, Arizona: Seven years old and lounging in a tree listening to the radio, Baje Whitethorne Sr. wasn’t aware of the lesson he was about to learn. His grandfather called him down from the tree, saying it was time to go inside their home on the Navajo reservation and wait while the sun died and was reborn. There was going to be a solar eclipse.

Whitethorne wanted nothing more than to eat, but he did what he was told. That day, he learned patience and a cultural teaching that he has passed on through a children’s book he wrote about why Navajos shouldn’t gawk at an eclipse like the one that will be visible Sunday in parts of the western United States.

“It was just the respect and honor you give to what nature does,” Whitethorne said. “The sun is reborn, and in acknowledging what nature does, you take a minute to acknowledge yourself.”

Many American Indian tribes view the sun and moon as cultural deities but the beliefs among nor thern Arizona’s tribes and individual members don’t all signal a need to stay clear of the ring eclipse, or annular solar eclipse, that hasn’t been seen in the US since 1994. Whitethorne says he will use the opportunity to read the first book he authored and illustrated 20 years ago, “Sunpainters: Eclipse of the Navajo Sun,” to his grandchildren. Carletta Tilousi of the

Havasupai Tribe has no plans to go out of her way to watch it. Even if she did, it would be nothing more than a glance, she said. “In our tradition they tell us as children not to look at the moon because it’s such a powerful energy that if you gaze upon it too long, it can bring bad dreams,” she said. In the Hualapai culture, blocking out the sun could be interpreted as a bad omen, said tribal member Wilfred Whatoname Sr. “We may have done something wrong to make that happen,” he said.

“That doesn’t happen often, so people are led to believe that maybe we should take care of our lives a lot better.” Staring at the eclipsed sun can indeed cause a serious eye injury, and

some Navajos have linked exposure to it to birth defects, or other physical and mental ailments. Whitethorne’s grandfather covered the food and water outside their hogan decades ago to keep anything the livestock could eat or drink from being exposed to the eclipse as well, he said.

Navajos living in Canyon de Chelly National Monument on the reservation or people visiting yesterday already will be at one of six prime viewing spots for this yesterday’s eclipse, where the moon will cover about 95 percent of the sun’s diameter. An eclipse is a phenomenon that the Hopi Tribe refers to as one piggybacking off the other. It is acknowl-

edged in the tribe’s history, but the director of the tribe’s cultural preservation office said it isn’t known to be taboo to look at it.

“Over time we’ve been exposed to eclipses on and off, but we don’t have anything bad about it through our traditions,” said Leigh Kuwanwisiwma.

“It’s just an amazement.”

Sitting on a blue chair inside his grandfather’s Hogan, Whitethorne imagined small children with paintbrushes restoring color to the landscape once the eclipse was over. He followed his grandfather’s lead in blessing each direction in recognition of the renewal that had taken place.

And when they were done, he got to eat.—AFP

US forecasters say heat will stay on this summer Bad sign for wildfires in the West

The Hewlett Gulch Fire burns to the edge of Seaman Reservoir in the Poudre Canyon near Fort Collins, Colorado. Hundreds of firefighters worked to combat the growing blaze that was scorching terrain around a scenic canyon in northern Colorado.—AP

WASHINGTON: And the heat goes on. Forecasters predict toasty temperatures will stretch through the summer in the US. And that’s a bad sign for wildfires in the West.

The forecast for June through August calls for warmer-than-normal weather for about threequarters of the nation, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration said.

The warmth is expected south of a line stretching from middle New Jersey to southern Idaho.

Only tiny portions of northwestern US and Alaska are predicted to be cooler than average and

that’s only for June, not the rest of the summer. Last May until April was the hottest 12-month period on record for the nation with records going back to 1895. This year so far has seen the hottest March, the third warmest April and the fourth warmest January and February in US weather history. And it was one of the least snowy years on record in the Lower 48. Some people called it the year without winter.

And the outlook for summer is “more of the same,” said Jon Gottschalck, head of forecast operations at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center in Camp

Springs, Md. “There’s definitely a tilt toward being above normal through the summer.” For some areas of the Southwest that could mean temperatures 1 or even 2 degrees warmer than normal on average, and maybe close to half a degree warmer than normal in the East, he said.

One of the reasons is that much of the country ’s soil is already unusually dry. So the sun doesn’t use as much energy evaporating water in the soil and instead heats up the air near the ground even more, Gottschalck said. Forecasters say the combination of the heat and dryness

will only make western wildfires worse. The fire season has already gotten off to a dramatic start.

Wildfires in northern Arizona and northern Colorado forced residents to flee their homes on Thursday. Fires in those areas could be even worse on Friday, said Greg Carbin, the meteorologist who coordinates warnings at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. “To see fires to the extent that they are this early isn’t a good sign,” he said. And the summer forecast is for “a pretty significant wildfire season developing across the western United States.” — AP

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MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

WHAT’S ON Greetings

ou remind me of the moonshine my dear Lames Mohamed Salah! Your cute smile is so engrossing and energizing ! may Allah bestow upon you the choicest blessings! With love from Sherif uncle.

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AUK’s Arts & Graphic Design Program inaugurates design exhibition he Art & Graphic Design Program (GDES) at AUK inaugurated its Senior Capstone Exhibition on May 14th.The event washeld in the Multipurpose Room and the Auditorium at the AUK Salmiya Campus. The opening ceremony was attended by the AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson, and saw highturnoutfrom AUK students, faculty, parents, and media.

During the exhibition, the participating senior students showcased and presented their graduation projects to visitors, who were impressed by the creativity of the designs and concepts. The themes of the exhibition included identity designs, business concepts, awareness projects, child health projects, among others. Social activism campaigns to re-brand identity were the core essence of this year’s exhibition.

Under the supervision of Professor Maryam Hosseinnia, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at AUK, the Senior Graphic Design Exhibition showcases students capstone projects, an outcome of a semester-long self-initiated topic implemented through diverse applications. The course is largely self-directed and students are expected to select and investigate a topic using design as a means to present their findings.

Participating students are graded based on the creativity and presentation of their projects, which reflect their ability to conduct and use graphic design research strategy effectively and efficiently; their ability to design problem solving solutions in 2D and 3D formats; and their ability to plan and implement a compelling graphic design exhibition.

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Torch of excellence he first week of May 2012 was much awaited by many a Carmelite. The school held their annual prize distri-

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bution presided over by Dr Nagesh Babu Subrahmanya-Dept of Histopathology, Maternity Hospital and his wife Dr Vinutha Raman (Primary school); Archbishop Petar Rajic - Vatican Ambassador to Kuwait and Rev Father Ionut Paul Strejac - Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature (Middle school); Dr. Raj Ragupathy, an Immunologist at The Kuwait University (High school).

The curtain opened on all the victory moments that Carmel had over 20112012. With an Olympic theme, cheer leaders jogged in to illuminate the path for the rest to follow and kept the Carmel flag aloft with ‘Excelsior’.

The principal Sr Maria Lytta emphasized the fact that success was a journey not a destination and bumpy though the ride may be, determination, dedication, discipline and attitude made it smooth sailing. Coming together as a family is working together towards success. She expressed a fervent hope of a better performance in the years to come. Many accolades and laurels were presented by

the distinguished guests to the deserving students in various fields. The chief guest felicitated the high achievers with medals, plaques, trophies and certificates.

The highlight of the day was not just the academic excellence on display but also a series of extracurricular events that Carmelites had excelled in. The program drew a thunderous applause from the overwhelmed parents and appreciative audience. We at Carmel look back on a year of blessings and laurels to hold.

Carmel students have made a mark in many arrays of school life. They won the 2nd place at the Don Bosco’s Past Pupil Choral Recitation; 1st place in English Singing, 1st place in Hindi Singing and 3rd place in Hindi Dance at “Ingenia” held

by FAIPS. They also won first place in the dance competition held by Integrated School, to name a few.

Carmel is indeed a success story- a journey over 44 years, never to end. We have the confidence that our children will emerge winners in their right. We are

what we are today because of the choices Carmel made yesterday-the flame burns brightly each year and the legacy

Radisson Blu Hotel organizes Art Competition

Basil Arts Kuwait he Basil Arts Kuwait requests all its registered members to attend the General Body / Family gettogether, scheduled at 11:00am on Friday, the 1st June, 2012 at the HiDine Restaurant, Abbasiya. For further information contact General Secretary on 65003040

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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 to- 97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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

Registration is on! For information, call 22512257.

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

Yoga everywhere! Yet, few comprehend Yoga’s true nature! Join Yoga Guru - Aacharya Shashikala Pushkarna - on this unique journey to the true ‘union’ between the mind, body and spirit. All seniors (60+) are cordially invited. Venue- House #34, next to AbuTammam 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.

he Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait hosted the 17th Art Competition under the theme of WE ARE THE WORLD for schools in Kuwait, including Special Needs students. As part of the on-going ‘Responsible Business’ program - the hotels collect funds for charity - and proceeds are given to World Childhood Foundation. We thus encourage children to help other children who are in need of our support.

Over 350 complimentary canvases were distributed to the students of 21 Foreign, Private as well as Special Needs schools participating in the competition.

Radisson Blu Hotel aims to encourage the young artists to enhance and further develop their painting skills and creativities. The Event was held under the patronage of Mrs. Mona AlLoghani, Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs. All participating students and winners were honoured in a special ceremony on Saturday, 05 May 2012.

After the exhibition, the artwork was made available for sale. The proceeds thus collected will be given to the children’s charity.

The Radisson Blu Hotel would like to

Chandy: Fahaheel Al Watanieh Indian Private School, Sonali Rane: Fahaheel Al Watanieh Indian Private School, Eyarin Islam: I.E.S. - Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Nawal Baker Al-Salaimi: Ideal Education School, Farah Al Fozaie: New English School, Mai Yousef: New English School,

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thank the main sponsors to the event Commercial Bank of Kuwait and as well as our co-sponsors the Zain, Kuwait Energy Co., Embassy of Switzerland, AlSamer Stationary, Embassy of Canada, The British Council, Advanced Technology and Marafie Designs Co for their support and loyalty.

TRASSK to conduct Pooram 2012 hrissur Association of Kuwait (TRASSK) conducting our first event for the year 2012-13, ‘Pooram 2012’ at Indian Community School, Khaitan on Friday, May 25, 2012 between 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Pooram 2012 - a dazzling display of Thrissur pooram (major attractions of festival) besides several other enthralling musical programs, dances and other events.

TRASSK proudly bringing the mood of joy, celebration - a colorful event to remember the “Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, also called “the land of Poorams”. An opportunity aimed to meet all Thrissurians residing in Kuwait under the umbrella of “TRASSK” and to share and feel of our homeland.

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Names of the Winners to the 17th Art Competition are Ghanam Dakheelallah: Aijal Bilingual School, Shaikha Al-Ajeel: Al Bayan Bilingual School, Dalal AL Abdulhadi: Al Bayan Bilingual School Zeinab Dagher Dasman: Model School, Saad Alkatresh: Dasman Model School, Rhea Ashwini

Enas Al Habib: The American Academy for Girls, Yasmin Khaja: The American Academy for Girls, Zahra Al Shakhs: The American Academy for Girls, Defara Samiden: The English School Fahaheel Commercial Bank of Kuwait’s customer participant winner’s name: Vijay Anant, Naleena Murugesan, Abdalla Adel Al Matouq, Ali Ghazi, Sajida Yusuf, Radisson Blu Hotel Kuwait radissonblu.com/hotel-kuwait

PALPK, ILF to hold legal seminar he Palakkad Pravasi Assocaition of Kuwait, (PALPAK) the association of Palakkad natives living in Kuwait and ‘Indian Lawyers’ Forum’, (ILF) the association of Indian Lawyers and Law graduates in Kuwait are conducting Legal Seminar, on 1st June Friday 2012, at 11.00 AM at Mangaf - Friends of Kannur (FOKE) Auditorium.

The Legal Seminar will focus on Kuwait New Labour Law, Traffic laws, Indian civil and criminal laws, and all legal related questions from the Indian community present. The

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seminar will be addressed by the ILF Advocates. A panel of ILF Team, which includes Adv. Thomas Panicker, President, Adv.Suresh Pulikkal, Gen.Secretary, Adv Rajesh Sagar, Adv. Stephen Thomas and Adv Sumod will be answering the questions and lead the discussions on the subjects. 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.

‘Indian Lawyer’s Forum’ has 85 Indian lawyers, law graduates and their family members as members.

Severl of ILF members are working with Kuwaiti Law firms and Corporations as Senior Lawyers and are with 15 to 20 years practicing experience in Indian courts.

For further information please contact, P.N.Kumar: 99771830, Aravindhashan: 66535989 (PALPAK) or Thomas Panicker: 24346934, 97203939 or Suresh Pulikkal: 97260159.(ILF) Email: advpanicker@gmail.com

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MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Embassy Information 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.

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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.

Najla Al-Naqqi Forum commemorates Judge Haddad he Najla Al-Naqqi Forum hosted an event recently to commemorate Iraqi Judge Muneer Haddad, most remembered for making the death sentence against former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The event was attended by media figures, political activists and academics, including Kuwaiti heritage researcher Abdullah bin Nasser who displayed a rare badge obtained from the Arab Medical Conference in Baghdad 1938.

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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).

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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 ■■■■■■■

Friends of Kannur celebrates ‘FOKE Vanitha Fest 2012 OKE Vanitha Vedi, ladies wing of Friends of Kannur Kuwait Expats Association celebrated FOKE ‘Vanitha Fest 2012’ at Indian Central School Abbassia on May 11, 2012.

Vanitha Fest 2012 was inaugurated with lighting of the traditional lamp by T K Jankai Amma, T V Sarojini and Kunhikrishnan Nambiar. Foke Vanitha Vedi Chairperson Anitha Somaraj presided the function. FOKE President K V Vijayesh, Gen Secy M P Jithesh, FOKE Vanitha Vedi convener Soorya

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Vidhyadharan and Vanitha Vedi Patron Ambika Soorya Narayan felicitated the function. Program committee convener Suma Madanan welcomed the gathering and Joint Convener Seema Manoj delivered the vote of thanks.

Various cultural programs, Fancy dress competitions, Baby show, Cooking competitions, Henna designing competitions, various games for children, Food Stalls with mouth-watering home-made food are the highlights of the event.

Cake Baking Competition winners are 1st Prize - Shabnam Musthaq, 2nd Prize - Jasni Shameer Pudding Competition winners are 1st Prize Raseena Shaji, 2nd Prize - Mrs Zaira Abdulla. Biriyani Competition winners are 1st Prize - Mohammed, 2nd Prize Siraj Payasam (kheer) Competition winners are 1st Prize -Ratheesh, 2nd Prize Sreedharan.

Salad Dressing Competition winners are 1st Prize - Priyanka Prakash and Kavya Shibu, 2nd Prize - Ananya Suresh

and Anija Mathew.

Henna Design Competition winners are 1st Prize - Nada Majid, 2nd Prize Nazreen Majid. Fancy Dress Competition winners are Sub Junior 1st Prize - Anirudh Madanan, 2nd Prize Lipika Pramod, 3rd Prize - Nihal Rajiv, Junior 1st Prize - Amalendu Anil Kumar, 2nd Prize - Shalabha, 3rd Prize - Mahadi.

Baby show Junior (age 1 to 2), 1st Prize Alaina shyjith, 2nd Prize - Surya Sajith, Senior (Age 2 to 3) 1st Prize - Tazim, 2nd Prize - Gayathri Pradeep.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Rhythmscapes Academy ance is a poetic expression of life’s variegated moods, and speaks through manifold rhythmic pattern and melodic gestures, creating a new world of ecstasy and ethereal existence.” Bhavans has always upheld the virtues and values of Indian culture.

With this inspiring vision, Shri Ramachandran Menon , the chairman of Bhavans Middle East, has joined hands with the Rhythmscapes Academy, to promote and uplift the spirit of Indian culture and art in the Gulf .

The inaugural function of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Rhythmscapes Academy was held on 17th May at Indian Educational School, Kuwait. Under the aegis of Ramachandran Menon, the Chairman of IES, Kuwait, Rhythmscapes was auspiciously inaugurated by lighting the ceremonial lamp. The eminent guests of honour were the director of Rhythmscapes Ramji, Prasad Narayanan, Devika Ramachandran, the Principal of IES Premkumar, Vice Principal Lalitha Premkumar, Jack and Jill , Mangaf Principal Rathi Ravindran. The programme commenced with the melodious rendition of prayer song invoking the blessings of almighty Goddess Saraswati to bestow her strength and power to make Rhythmscapes Academy a great success. The dance school is going to create another milestone in the saga of promoting Indian culture in Kuwait.

It’s a relishing moment to enjoy and cherish the spice of art and the rich cultural heritage as Rhythmscapes primarily focuses on Indian Classical and contemporary performing arts, training students for various stage shows. The school is a perfect platform for so many artists and performers to enhance their skills in dancing, as the school provides training in Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi, and Kathak. Time being a great constraint in this modern world, the dance academy caters to the needs of people who prefer short term courses such as Semi-Classical, Contemporary, Fusion and Folk Dance forms.

Apart from the dance forms, the school also provides an enriching and unique workout program ‘Nirtha Yoga’ for Ladies, designed in such a way as to keep the body and mind agile and fit. Rhythmscapes is sure to strive for benchmark quality in training and involving students in stage shows. Rhythmscapes is no doubt a harbinger of hope and realisation of dream for all those who wish to excel in the arena of dance. The ultimate vision and aim of Rhythmscapes is to inspire the lovers of art and enrich their journey by epitomising and embodying the magnificent cultural heritage of India so that they develop a more vibrant and compassionate approach towards life and society.

During the inaugural function the audience were mesmerized by the enthralling performance of the teachers of Rhythmscapes. The rhythm of the feet and the bavas made everyone awestruck as they were so captivated by the scintillating performances of Kalamandalam Manju Mol, a postgraduate in Performing Arts from Kerala Kalamandalam, University of Arts, who presented Ganesha Kauthvam followed by Priya Kumaran, a devoted classical

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dancer. Ms. Priya Kumaran, the faculty member of our Academy, presented Mohiniyattam Cholkettu. Ms. Archana Kalakshetra, specialized in Bharatnatyam and Mohiniyattam from Kerala Kalamandalam University of Arts presented Bharatnatyam Padam, praising the cosmic dancer, Siva. The artist portrayed the moods of Lord Siva with the holy ash and a third eye on the forehead- he danced along with BHUTA GANAs. Another performance was rendered by the Head of our

my.

The highlight of the show was Thillana, performed by Kalamandalam Sangeetha Prasad, Kalamandalam Manju, Kalamandalam Priya Kumaran and Archana Kalakshetra.

‘Thillana’ showcases the technical artistry, proficiency and expertise of the artists. The composition accentuates the virtues of Krishna and offers salutations to Him. True to the spirit of Indian tradition, the dancers sought the almighty’s blessing for the entire Universe. The senior stu-

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

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

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 ■■■■■■■

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 ■■■■■■■

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.

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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.

Academic Council, Kalamandalam Sangeetha Prasad.

Sangeetha, a professor in Kerala Kalamandalm University of Performing Arts, is a renowned instructor, choreographer and exponent of Mohiniyattm, Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dance forms. She presented Kuchipudi- ‘ Krishana Sabdam’ which captured the desires of Gopika to unite with Krishna. A breathtaking dance performance on a Semi classical composition ‘Pa- Thaa-Pa’ choreographed by Kalamandalam Sangeetha Prasad was presented by Aiswarya Balagopal, Reshmi Ramesh, Sweta Vijayan and Shilpa Vijayan, the senior most students of this acade-

dents of the Rhythmscapes were honoured for their extraordinary stage performance by our Chairman Ramachandran Menon who presented them with a memento.

The inaugural function of Rhythmscapes brings forth a group of dedicated members who have joined hands together to work wholeheartedly for its everlasting success in the realms of art and culture. It also brought sheer joy and happiness to the parent community who felt a sense of satisfaction and gratitude for another glorious event which is certain to leave an indelible mark in the

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Untamed & Uncut 01:40 Seven Deadly Strikes 02:35 Wildest Arctic 03:30 I Was Bitten 04:25 Baboons With Bill Bailey 05:20 Great Ocean Adventures 06:10 Dogs 101 07:00 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 07:25 Growing Up...

08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Extraordinary Dogs 09:10 America’s Cutest...

10:05 Wildest Africa 11:00 Animal Precinct 11:55 Animal Cops South Africa 12:50 Wildlife SOS 13:45 Bondi Vet 14:10 Wildlife SOS 14:40 Wildest Africa 15:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 Wild Animal Orphans 17:00 Natural Born Hunters 17:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 18:20 Must Love Cats 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Escape To Chimp Eden 20:10 Squid Invasion 21:05 Wildest Africa 22:00 Great Animal Escapes 22:55 My Cat From Hell 23:50 Animal Cops Phoenix

00:00 Newsday 00:30 India Business Report 01:00 Newsday 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Hardtalk 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 World Business Report 04:45 BBC World News 05:30 World Business Report 05:45 BBC World News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 Sport Today 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 Sport Today 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 Hardtalk 09:00 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 11:00 GMT With George Alagiah 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 14:30 World Business Report 14:45 Sport Today 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 Hardtalk 16:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 19:30 World Business Report 19:45 Sport Today 20:00 BBC World News America 20:30 Hardtalk 21:00 BBC World News 21:30 World Business Report 21:45 Sport Today 22:00 BBC World News America 22:30 Asia Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 BBC World News 23:30 Asia Business Report 23:45 Sport Today

00:10 Duck Dodgers 00:35 The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop

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

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 Dexters Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Dastardly And Muttley Looney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Moomins The Garfield Show Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones

00:30 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 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:50 The Powerpuff Girls 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Regular Show 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10: Alien Force 13:30 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 13:55 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 14:20 Camp Lazlo 14:45 Powerpuff Girls 15:35 Angelo Rules 16:25 Grim Adventures Of...

17:15 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:40 Adventure Time 18:05 Regular Show 18:30 Ben 10 18:55 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:20 Hero 108 19:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 20:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:00 Ben 10: Alien Force 21:25 The Powerpuff Girls 21:50 Cow And Chicken 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:21 American Dragon 06:45 Rekkit Rabbit 07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 07:35 Timon And Pumbaa 08:00 Phineas And Ferb 08:25 Ultimate Spider-Man 08:50 Kick Buttowski 09:15 Zeke & Luther 09:40 I’m In The Band 10:05 Phineas And Ferb 10:30 Kid vs Kat 10:55 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 11:20 Aaron Stone 11:45 Rekkit Rabbit 12:10 American Dragon 12:35 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 13:25 I’m In The Band 13:45 Kid vs Kat 14:10 Pair Of Kings 14:35 Zeke & Luther 15:00 Rekkit Rabbit 15:25 Pokemon: Black And White 15:50 Timon And Pumbaa 16:15 Kickin It 16:40 Pair Of Kings 17:05 Zeke & Luther 17:30 Scaredy Squirrel 17:55 Phineas And Ferb 18:20 Ultimate Spider-Man 18:45 I’m In The Band 19:10 Rated A For Awesome 19:35 Kick Buttowski 20:00 Pair Of Kings 20:25 Zeke & Luther 20:50 Escape From Scorpion Island 21:20 Aaron Stone 21:45 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Kid vs Kat 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:40 Swamp Loggers 07:00 Chop Shop: London Garage 07:50 Mythbusters 08:45 Ultimate Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Hunters 10:30 How It’s Made 10:55 Factory Line 11:25 Gold Rush 12:20 Gold Divers 13:15 Alone In The Wild 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Auction Hunters 15:05 Flying Wild Alaska 16:00 Chop Shop: London Garage 16:55 Wheeler Dealers 17:20 Ultimate Survival 18:15 Mythbusters 19:10 How It’s Made 20:05 Border Security - Series 6 Specials 20:35 Auction Hunters 21:00 Carfellas 21:30 Gold Rush 22:25 Gold Divers 23:20 Alone In The Wild

00:35 Invisible Worlds 01:25 The Tech Show 01:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 06:10 Future Weapons 07:00 Meteorite Men 07:50 Weird Connections 08:40 Punkin Chunkin 2011 09:35 Flying Anvils 10:25 The Gadget Show 11:20 Smash Lab 12:15 Mega Builders 13:05 Meteorite Men 13:55 How Does That Work?

14:50 Stunt Junkies 15:40 The Tech Show 16:05 Smash Lab 17:00 The Gadget Show 17:50 Meteorite Men 18:40 Mega Builders

ROLLERBALL ON OSN ACTION HD

19:30 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Superships The Gadget Show Smash Lab Mega Builders Superships Mega Builders

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kourtney & Kim Take York 10:15 THS 12:05 Kendra 13:05 Dirty Soap 14:05 Keeping Up With Kardashians 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Giuliana & Bill 17:55 Kourtney & Kim Take York 18:55 THS 19:55 Khloe And Lamar 20:55 Keeping Up With Kardashians 21:25 Ice Loves Coco 22:25 Scouted 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With Kardashians

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Market Values Around The World For Free Departures Banged Up Abroad Adventure Wanted Nomads Market Values Around The World For Free Departures Banged Up Abroad Adventure Wanted Nomads Market Values Market Values Around The World For Free Departures Banged Up Abroad Adventure Wanted Nomads Market Values Market Values Deadliest Journeys Don’t Tell My Mother Banged Up Abroad Treks In A Wild World Endurance Traveller

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01:10 Raintree County-PG 03:50 Manhattan Melodrama-PG 05:25 Pat And Mike-FAM 07:00 Black Legion-PG 08:25 The Swan-FAM 10:10 Manhattan Melodrama-PG 11:45 The Glass Bottom Boat-FAM 13:35 Hooper-PG 15:15 The Liquidator-PG 16:55 The Hucksters-PG 18:50 Bad Day At Black Rock-PG 20:10 Young Cassidy-PG 22:00 The Year Of Living Dangerously-PG 23:50 Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Unwrapped 00:55 Restaurant: Impossible 01:45 Guy’s Big Bite - Special 02:10 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 02:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:25 Meat & Potatoes 03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:15 Outrageous Food 04:40 World Cafe Asia 05:05 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 05:30 Chopped 06:10 Barefoot Contessa 06:35 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 07:00 Extreme Chef 07:50 Gourmet Farmer 08:15 Barefoot Contessa 08:40 Unique Sweets 09:05 Good Eats 09:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 09:55 World Cafe Asia 10:20 30 Minute Meals 10:45 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 11:10 Unwrapped 11:35 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 12:00 Extreme Chef 12:50 Aarti Party 13:15 Cooking For Real 13:40 Barefoot Contessa 14:05 Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger 14:30 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 14:55 30 Minute Meals 15:20 Mexican Made Easy 15:45 Iron Chef America 16:35 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 17:00 Barefoot Contessa 17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:50 Outrageous Food 18:15 Unique Sweets 18:40 Guy’s Big Bite 19:05 Mexican Made Easy 19:30 Extreme Chef 20:20 Iron Chef America 21:10 Reza, Spice Prince Of India 21:35 Gourmet Farmer 22:00 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 22:25 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 22:50 Andy Bates Street Feasts 23:15 Andy Bates Street Feasts 23:40 Outrageous Food

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

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

Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered Behind Mansion Walls LA: City Of Demons Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered True Crime With Aphrodite Mystery Diagnosis Disappeared Forensic Detectives FBI Case Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol FBI Case Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Mall Cops ‚Äì Mall Of America On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared I Married A Mobster Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Stalked: Someone’s Watching Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 Street Kings 2: Motor City-18 02:00 Ronin-18 04:00 RoboCop 2-PG15 06:00 Arlington Road-PG15 08:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 10:00 Spartacus-PG15 14:00 Planet Of The Apes-PG15 16:00 Snake In The Eagle’s Shadow 18:00 Time Machine: Rise Of The Morlocks-PG15 20:00 Gothika-18 22:00 Rollerball-18

01:00 Everywhere And Nowhere-18 03:00 Oceans-PG15 05:00 The 19th Wife-PG15 07:00 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star-PG15 09:00 Bright Star-PG15 11:00 Stonehenge Apocalypse 13:00 Bound By A Secret-PG15 15:00 Sounds Like Teen Spirit-PG15 17:00 Letters To Juliet-PG15 19:00 It’s Kind Of A Funny Story 21:00 Attack The Block-PG15 23:00 Bad Teacher-18

00:00 Napoleon Dynamite 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Saturday Night Live 02:30 Curb Your Enthusiasm 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Last Man Standing 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 The Simpsons 09:00 Seinfeld 09:30 Two And A Half Men 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 Last Man Standing 15:00 Two And A Half Men 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 Raising Hope 20:00 Community 20:30 King Of The Hill 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 21:30 The Colbert Report Global Edition 22:00 Louie 22:30 Bored To Death

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00

Bones Burn Notice Top Gear (US) Covert Affairs Damages The View Good Morning America The Invisible Man Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Bones Covert Affairs Good Morning America The Invisible Man The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Revenge Justified The Closer

01:00 Double Impact-18 03:00 Camp Hope-PG15 05:00 The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations-18 07:00 Drunken Master-PG15 09:00 Rocky III-PG15 11:00 Game Of Death-PG15 13:00 Tracker-PG15 15:00 Rocky III-PG15 17:00 Hurricane Season-PG15 19:00 The Craigslist Killer-PG15 21:00 Mirrors 2-18 23:00 RoboCop 2-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00

Rat-PG Labor Pains-PG15 Roommates-PG15 Rat-PG

OCEANS ON OSN CINEMA 08:00 Guarding Tess-PG 10:00 Flubber-PG 12:00 Heart And Souls-PG 14:00 Nothing Like The HolidaysPG15 16:00 Flubber-PG 18:00 The Lonely Guy-PG15 20:00 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story-PG15 22:00 Next Friday-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:15 13:15 14:45 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

01:15 03:15 05:00 PG15 07:00 09:00 11:00 PG15 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Gigli-18 Adaptation-18 Le Syndrome Du Titanic-PG15 Private-PG15 Funny Bones-PG15 Miracle-U Oceans - Into The Deep-PG Funny Bones-PG15 The Sting II-PG Grace Of My Heart-PG15 American History X-18 Apres Nous Le Deluge-18

A Single Man-R Rango-FAM Justice For Natalee HollowayUnanswered Prayers-PG15 Cinema Verite-PG15 The Fighting TemptationsShanghai-PG15 That’s What I Am-PG15 Cinema Verite-PG15 Country Strong-PG15 Kick-Ass-18 Bad Teacher-18

02:00 Young Fisherman-PG 04:00 The Nimbols: Part I-FAM 06:00 The Three Bears: The Amazing Adventurers-PG15 08:00 Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back-PG15 10:00 Emilie Jolie-PG 12:00 The Nimbols: Part II-FAM 14:00 Young Fisherman-PG 15:45 The Three Bears: The Amazing Adventurers-PG15 18:00 Emilie Jolie-PG 20:00 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 22:00 The Nimbols: Part II-FAM

00:00 07:00 09:00 09:30 13:00 21:00 21:30

Test Cricket Super Rugby Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Premier League Darts Live Test Cricket Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Live Super League

01:30 03:30 07:00 09:00 11:30 12:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 23:30

Super Rugby Premier League Darts NRL Premiership AFL Premiership NRL Full Time Live NRL Premiership Adventure Sports Volvo Ocean Race NRL Premiership AFL Highlights Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Futbol Mundial SPL Highlights Scottish FA Cup Super Rugby Highlights

04:30 Volvo Ocean Race 05:30 Futbol Mundial 06:00 World Cup Of Pool 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 European PGA Tour 14:30 Golfing World 15:30 Premier League Darts 19:00 Super Rugby Highlights 20:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 21:00 Top 14 Highlights 21:30 NRL Premiership 23:30 AFL Highlights

00:00 01:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

UFC Unleashed PrizeFighter UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC 146 Countdown UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Bottomline PrizeFighter UAE National Race Day UAE National Race Day WWE Bottomline WWE Vintage Collection V8 Supercars Extra V8 Supercars V8 Supercars WWE NXT WWE Experience UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC 146 Countdown UFC Unleashed WWE SmackDown

00:00 Vietnam: Lost Films 01:00 Who Really Discovered America?

03:00 Vietnam: Lost Films 04:00 The Universe 05:00 MysteryQuest 06:00 Decoded 07:00 Pawn Stars 07:30 Pawn Stars 08:00 Ancient Aliens 09:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In The East 10:00 Pawn Stars 10:30 Pawn Stars 11:00 Ax Men 12:00 Who Really Discovered America?

14:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In The East 15:00 Ancient Aliens 16:00 Who Really Discovered America?

18:00 Soviet Storm: WWII In The East 19:00 Ancient Aliens 20:00 Pawn Stars 21:00 Ax Men 22:00 Irt Deadliest Roads: The Andes 23:00 Pawn Stars 23:30 Storage Wars

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

Wicked Fit Fashion Classics Open House Videofashion Daily Videofashion News How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Married Away Clean House Videofashion News Videofashion News Videofashion Daily Open House Fashion Classics How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Clean House Mel B: It’s A Scary World Bridalplasty How Do I Look?

Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Big Rich Texas Big Rich Texas The Amandas The Amandas Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane The Amandas Fashion Police

00:00 Food Tripper 01:00 The Ethical Hedonist 02:00 Globe Trekker 03:00 Inside Universal Studios Japan 04:00 Globe Trekker 05:00 Planet Food 06:00 Sophie Grigson In The Orient 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Great Scenic Railways-New Zealand 08:30 Life’s A Trip

09:00 Intrepid Journeys 10:00 Chef Abroad 10:30 Chef Abroad 11:00 Flavours Of Greece 11:30 Glutton For Punishment 12:00 Globe Trekker 13:00 Hollywood And Vines 13:30 Hollywood And Vines 14:00 Rivers Of The World 15:00 Cruising The Amazon 16:00 Globe Trekker 17:00 Glutton For Punishment 17:30 Flavours Of South Africa 18:00 Chef Abroad 18:30 Chef Abroad 19:00 Globe Trekker 20:00 Distant Shores 20:30 Essential 21:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 22:00 Down The Line 23:00 Globe Trekker

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:05 03:30 03:55 04:20 05:10 06:00 06:15 06:40 07:05 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:25 09:35 10:00 11:30 11:40 12:05 12:30 12:55 13:20 13:45 14:10 14:35 15:00 15:25 15:50 16:15 16:40 17:00 18:05 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:50 22:20 22:30 22:55 23:20 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 A Kind Of Magic Fish Hooks Recess So Random Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny Recess Radio Rebel Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie A.N.T. Farm Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb So Random Jessie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Shake It Up Phineas And Ferb Jessie A.N.T. Farm The Return Of Jafar Phineas And Ferb Fish Hooks Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Radio Rebel Fish Hooks Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Kim Possible

00:15 00:40 01:10 01:30 02:00 02:25 02:50 03:20 03:40 04:10 04:35 05:00 05:30 05:50 06:15 06:45 07:00 07:15 07:45 08:10 08:20 08:35 08:50 09:15 09:20 09:45 10:00

Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Lazytown Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Little Einsteins Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Lazytown Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Hive Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates Disney Princess A Poem Is...

The Little Mermaid Jake & The Neverland Pirates Mini Adventures Of Winnie

Classifieds MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Monday 21/5/2012 Route

Airlines

Flt

JZR QTR JZR ETH GFA UAE ETD DHX FDB MSR QTR JZR THY DHX FAH JZR KAC BAW JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY KAC QTR FDB ETD BAB KAC GFA IRC MEA JZR MSR JZR MSR GFA KAC FDB OMA KNE QTR SVA RJA KAC JZR KAC QTR SYR KAC ETD UAE GFA SVA UAL JZR JZR ABY KAC BAB KAC FDB KAC MSR KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC FDB MEA QTR GFA ALK UAE JZR ETD BBC ABY QTR DHX AIC GFA UAL TAR JZR DLH THY KLM PIA

185 148 539 620 211 853 305 370 67 612 138 503 770 170 201 555 412 157 529 206 53 302 352 362 855 125 284 132 55 301 436 344 213 6521 404 165 618 561 610 219 672 57 645 472 140 500 640 788 257 546 134 341 118 303 857 215 510 982 177 777 127 542 438 786 63 104 620 618 674 742 572 774 61 402 146 221 229 859 135 307 43 129 136 372 975 217 981 327 239 636 772 411 239

DUBAI DOHA CAIRO ADDIS ABABA BAHRAIN DUBAI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO DOHA LUXOR ISTANBUL BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MANILA LONDON ASSIUT ISLAMABAD DUBAI MUMBAI COCHIN COLOMBO DUBAI SHARJAH DHAKA DOHA DUBAI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN CHENNAI BAHRAIN LAMERD BEIRUT DUBAI ALEXANDRIA SOHAG CAIRO BAHRAIN DUBAI DUBAI MUSCAT JEDDAH DOHA JEDDAH AMMAN JEDDAH BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA DOHA DAMASCUS NEW YORK ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH CAIRO BAHRAIN JEDDAH DUBAI LONDON ASSIUT DOHA DUBAI DAMMAM MUMBAI RIYADH DUBAI BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN COLOMBO DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DHAKA SHARJAH DOHA BAHRAIN CHENNAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN TUNIS AMMAN FRANKFURT ISTANBUL AMSTERDAM SIALKOT

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 1:45 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:35 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:40 7:15 7:45 7:50 8:05 8:20 8:25 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:20 9:30 9:35 9:45 10:00 10:15 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:00 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:15 15:55 16:00 16:35 16:55 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:55 22:55 23:10 23:40 23:40 23:45

Airlines AIC UAL DLH PIA THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR JZR GFA THY KAC BAW FDB JZR ABY KAC KAC UAE QTR FDB ETD BAB GFA IRC KAC KAC MEA JZR MSR KAC KAC JZR GFA FDB MSR OMA KAC KNE SVA KAC RJA QTR KAC KAC SYR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY SVA UAL FDB BAB JZR MSR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC MEA GFA JZR DHX ALK ABY ETD UAE FAH QTR KAC KAC DHX JZR BBC QTR GFA KAC TAR

Departure Flights on Monday 21/5/2012 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 206 PESHAWAR 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 126 SHARJAH 671 DUBAI 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 437 BAHRAIN 214 BAHRAIN 6522 LAMERD 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 619 ASSIUT 103 LONDON 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 646 MUSCAT 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 641 AMMAN 135 DOHA 773 RIYADH 741 DAMMAM 342 DAMASCUS 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 134 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 982 BAHRAIN 64 DUBAI 439 BAHRAIN 184 DUBAI 621 ALEXANDRIA 283 DHAKA 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 331 TRIVANDRUM 351 KOCHI 403 BEIRUT 222 BAHRAIN 502 LUXOR 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 120 SHARJAH 308 ABU DHABI 860 DUBAI 102 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 373 BAHRAIN 554 ALEXANDRIA 44 DHAKA 147 DOHA 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 328 DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 1:10 2:15 2:45 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:10 8:25 8:25 9:00 9:05 9:20 9:35 9:40 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:45 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:15 12:25 12:30 13:10 13:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 15:00 15:05 15:15 15:45 15:45 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:55 17:20 17:30 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:40 19:25 19:30 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:15 21:35 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:30 23:40 23:45

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:

03:21 11:45 15:20 18:38 20:06

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

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for one person in Sharq, near Hamra Tower.

Contact: 97263809.

(C 4019) 21-5-2012 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 propos-

al from parents of well qualified girls.

Contact: lijoshere@gmail.com (C 4013) Female, 29 years, Malayalee, CSI, Accountant in Australia, B.Com, Master 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

FOR SALE Fully furnished C-A/C, big hall: 8x4m. 2 spacious bed rooms, two bath rooms, one maid’s room/store room, and balcony, plus reserved shaded car parking, with complete good quality furniture (mostly from IKEA & Denmark) and Elect. Appliances for sale at Salmiya area 11 (Maidan Hawalli), behind petrol station. Contact: 66654074, Email: nisar_shaikh@hotmail.com (C 4020) 21-5-2012

AIRLINES 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

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 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

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station

22434064

Al-Murqab Police Station

22435865

Al-Daiya Police Station

22544200

Al-Fayha’a Police Station

22547133

Al-Qadissiya Police Station

22515277

Al-Nugra Police Station

22616662

Al-Salmiya Police Station

25714406

Al-Dasma Police Station

22530801

34

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 681

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You are very expressive and outgoing when it comes to your mood today. If you are not looking forward to learning some creative technique, you could be teaching it. Animals and children also play a large role in your day—which could mean a trip to the zoo. You are driven to excel in many forms of physical and creative expressions—sports, theatrics, arts and crafts, whatever. This urge to express yourself, to speak out and be heard, propels you into many an interesting situation, particularly today. You may find yourself a guide or teacher to others when it comes to these matters. You enjoy people watching—it is fun and satisfying to learn about others. It is in learning about others that we learn about ourselves.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You will aid and calm others in solving any problems today.

Others will seek you out for advice. Perhaps you are a speaker, counselor or adviser—whatever the case you willingly support those that need your help. Your special gift at promoting a healing between people comes up frequently.

You are able to span the generation gap and bring people together regardless of their ages or their feelings. This is a vital day with lots of action. You express yourself deliberately and have a natural sense of organization with much discipline and care, perhaps a little too sober at times. Yet, all this spiritual stuff has a way of intruding into your real world. You come up against it again and again. You keep finding yourself looking out the window.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. An alliance made up of states that had been Soviet Socialist Republics in the Soviet Union prior to its dissolution in Dec 1991.

4. A port in western Israel on the Mediterranean.

9. A dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain.

13. A nucleic acid that transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm.

14. (biology) Having or resembling wings.

15. One-hundredth of a right angle.

16. An edge tool used to cut and shape wood.

17. An official who carries a mace of office.

18. The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb.

19. A representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesus.

21. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

23. Living quarters reserved for wives and concubines and female relatives in a Muslim household.

26. Genus of erect herbs of the Middle East having showy flowers.

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

29. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

32. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

34. A cord fastened around the neck with an ornamental clasp and worn as a necktie.

36. A nucleic acid consisting of large molecules shaped like a double helix.

37. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

40. Before noon.

41. Set down according to a plan.

44. A member of the Sioux people formerly inhabiting an area along the Missouri river in western North Dakota.

47. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group.

48. A region in central Italy.

50. (Norse mythology) One of the Aesir.

53. Short-horned dark-coated goat antelope of mountain areas of south and southeast Asia.

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

57. Cause to ripen.

60. A rare chronic progressive encephalitis caused by the measles virus and occurring primarily in children and young adults.

61. A United Nations agency that invest directly in companies and guarantees loans to private investors.

62. Lighted up by or as by fire or flame.

63. A branch of the Tai languages.

64. Negation of a word or group of words.

65. Irish playwright whose plays are based on rural Irish life (1871-1909).

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

DOWN 1. When two dice are thrown and both come up showing one spot the results is called `craps' or `snake eyes'.

2. (of pop groups) Not affiliated with a major recording company n.

3. Bourbon with bitters and Pernod and sugar served with lemon peel.

4. A country on the island of Jamaica.

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

6. The front of the head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear.

7. Able to act at will.

8. A port in southwestern Scotland.

9. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

10. Perversely irritable.

11. A coil of rope or wool or yarn.

12. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

20. A fine grained mineral having a soft soapy feel and consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate.

22. A small cake leavened with yeast.

24. A chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints).

25. An Anatolian language.

27. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

30. Type genus of the Anatidae.

31. Avatar of Vishnu.

33. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

35. United States newspaper publisher (1858-1935).

38. Cause to become stone-like or stiff.

39. Painted beauty and red admiral.

42. Constituting the undiminished entirety.

43. The longer of the two telegraphic signals used in Morse code.

45. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes.

46. Of or relating to or near the tarsus of the foot.

49. Perennial northern temperate plant with toothed leaves and heads of small purplish-white flowers.

50. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

51. A message received and understood that reduces the recipient's uncertainty.

52. A river that rises in northeastern Turkey (near the source of the Euphrates) and flows generally eastward through Armenia to the Caspian Sea. 54. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

55. Flightless New Zealand rail of thievish disposition having short wings each with a spur used in fighting.

58. A cgs unit of work or energy.

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

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your passion is high and your creative juices are flowing, ready to be applied to any work you want to undertake. If you give your best effort now, considerable success may follow your efforts. It is an excellent time for a trip to the edge-of-town markets to purchase some of the fresh fruits and vegetables fresh from the ground. A relative or friend that may have moved too far to visit you often would probably be delighted to ride along with you. Doing just about anything with friends or family today will bring much joy. This is also an excellent time to engage in activities with the opposite sex. Love relationships are exalted. This is a nurturing and fertile time—any seed or impulse is acted upon and developed. Trust an Aquarian today.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) There is a drive to probe and penetrate that may find you examining and working through some strong internal changes— don’t push too hard. You are presented with new energies and ideas along the line of creative endeavors. This is a great time to clear away the cobwebs and complete any unfinished business. You will be able to add a new touch or polish to your unfinished project and complete this task in no time. Your interest in professional success is great and you could find yourself analyzing your choices up to now. You will be able to inspire your friends to new heights of accomplishment without words today. A pleasant environment this afternoon encourages you to be with friends and family. Plan to have a backyard party soon.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) Today marks a time when your personality and mode of living will be changeable. You are well inclined to others at this time but you should be careful in overextending your time. In other words you must have some play or quiet time to think and be by yourself. Others could take advantage of your good nature and you could end up resenting the time loss. You are lucky today.

Buoyed with confidence, you could become carried away with some particular endeavor. Think things through and set realistic goals. This is a great time to play in competitive sports—especially with the opposite sex. You may appear more charming than usual. This evening could be the time to plan a special date or spend quality time with a loved one.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You are particularly energetic today and involving yourself with some form of vigorous exercise will properly channel this energy. You may feel particularly independent as well. A romantic feeling toward someone special is on the rise. You may glean profound insights today. This is a powerfully lively period. There is a great sense of humor and lighthearted feelings about you. You could feel great support from those around you for whatever activity you may choose. You will be much more aware of your personal needs.

You can see what is going on and you may commit yourself to correct, protect or improve a situation. This could involve security, relationships or health. Marriage is positive at this time.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) How long has it been since you slept late or had breakfast in bed? This could be the perfect day for the comforts that make you feel nurtured, safe and protected. Go ahead and baby yourself—you deserve it. You have really been working hard on your goals and shaping your personal outlook. The need for a partnership is strong today. This will soon be a busy and prosperous time for you and since good fortune is in your court just now, the secret to success is in the desire and the focus. Spending time in rest, relaxation, beautifying and regrouping your thoughts could be most beneficial now. This is a great time to refurbish your energies—consider sharing a massage with your loved one tonight—this helps to deepen the relationship.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Relaxing and enjoying this day are in order. You could find yourself interested in a leisure breakfast and updating yourself of any news. Work around the house or in the yard later this morning can leave you with a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. You seem to have created pleasant surroundings in and around your home. Now that everything is spiffy, you might want to host a homemade ice cream party in the back yard. This could extend to neighbors or it could just be a few friends that enjoy gathering and sharing in conversations. You enjoy being with people and hearing about new adventures. You can be in touch with your most personal emotions, filling yourself with a sense of contentment and peace.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

It could be difficult to get yourself motivated today. If you have really been as busy as the energies indicate, you should not feel guilty about making this a day of relaxation. If you try to push your energies at this time, you could feel frustrated. Emotional crises can lead to poor health and having a handle on your emotions will aid you in problem solving—especially, cognitively. This is a day to take stock in the life that is evolving around you. Look at ways in which you can make improvements and think about how to begin those changes. This afternoon can be filled with times of amusement and good communication while visiting with the older generation in your family. The time you spend with the older generation is time well spent.

You have much drive to begin a home project or to help a friend or family member with a project today. You enjoy helping and may have to be encouraged to quit working sometime this afternoon. Other people want your attention. You could find yourself solving puzzles and problems, finding solutions, etc. You feel a love of order and law—an appreciation for responsibilities and duty. Problems are valued for the lessons they represent, rather than perceived as obstacles. Sympathy and understanding are emotional qualities that take on a great deal of importance. You are in a great mood and may volunteer to have some of your family members over for a dinner this evening. Finger food is fun and takes only a little time to prepare.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) If you attend a spiritual gathering today, you will enjoy the emotional satisfaction that it brings, as well as the communication with others. This afternoon will be an important time to catch up on reading and just soak in some good vibrations. Rest, relaxation and the importance of some private personal time is refreshing. Law, politics, education, travel, religion or perhaps a good true-mystery story may be where you find your interests moving. Later today, you will want to finish any weekend task before the workweek begins. You will be setting aside some time to learn about the interests of those you love. This evening you might enjoy communicating with family. Clear and pleasant thoughts about past events are flowing tonight.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

This could be a time to make changes in your environment.

Looking at real estate may find you signing on the dotted line today.

Everything moves to your beat—meaning your simple wishes can come true. You may find yourself enjoying an afternoon book signing, art show or a small gathering of friends. If you attend a spiritual gathering, you will find some in-depth discussions that may cause you to think about your beliefs and urge your contribution in a group discussion today. You will have a grasp for abstract and spiritual ideas and will be able to express your views to others. Exchanging information is something you really enjoy and can become involved with for hours. Neighbors are friendly and may be open to planning a summer party.

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

lifestyle M O V I E S

By Merrie Leininger/McClatchy-Tribune

Sitting in the cool, dark theater with a large tub of buttery popcorn in your lap — it’s a nice way to get out of the summer heat, no matter what’s up on the screen. But still, you don’t want to waste your cash — and your time — watching something cringe-worthy or just plan annoying. Below, we run you through this summer’s offerings, and give some advice on which flick you should pick.

OPENING MAY 25

OPENING JUNE 8

“Men in Black 3” or “Moonrise Kingdom” (limited release)

“Prometheus” or “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”

The hilarious secret agent team of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones is back. This edition has the added element of time travel with Josh Brolin playing the younger — but still stoic — version of K. We also get the addition of the ever-brilliant Emma Thompson (“Sense and Sensibility”).

“Moonrise Kingdom” is a kid-centric tale from quirky director Wes Anderson (“The Royal Tennenbaums”).

The highly stylized director turns back to the 1960s with this tale of two kids who fall in love and run away together. The Anderson regulars are back, including Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, but with the surprising addition of Bruce Willis.

Our pick: With both films, you pretty much know what you’re going to get. “Men in Black 3” will try to top itself with more one-liners from Smith and bigger explosions; “Moonrise Kingdom” will be sweetly tender and look like it sprang from a children’s picture book. In the end, more people will have the chance to see “MiB3” this weekend, as “Moonrise” won’t open wide for a couple of weeks.

“Prometheus” is the eagerly anticipated prequel to the “Alien” saga. It is helmed

by Ridley Scott, who directed the original “Alien” and other much-loved films, such as “Thelma and Louise” and “Gladiator.”

The well-planned marketing campaign has slowly teased out the glimpses we’ve gotten of Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron, and the trailer looks, well, out of this world.

“Madagascar 3” looks like more of the same.

The gang joins a traveling circus as they continue their trek back to their New York City zoo.

Our pick:

Depends on how insistent your children are. If you can get away with leaving the kids at home with a DVD of a previous “Madagascar” film, then you should definitely watch “MEN IN “Prometheus.”

Another great B L AC K 3 ” choice this weekend for comedy lovers in limited cities is “Safety Not Guaranteed,” starring indie king Mark Duplass, “New Girl” star Jake Johnson and stone-faced “Parks and Recreation” grump Aubrey Plaza. It’s about a kooky guy who says he can travel through time and the girl who falls for him.

“ T H E DA R K K N I G H T R I S E S ”

OPENING JUNE 22

OPENING JULY 13

“Brave” or “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

“Ted” and “Ice Age 4: Continental Drift”

Two action films, two very different choices. “Lincoln’s” director Timur Bekmambetov is a Russian-Kazakh film director known for stylishly over-thetop action films. You probably know him best from “Wanted,” starring Angelina Jolie. Expect acrobatics with your gunplay, and way-out-of-left-field plot lines, as our 16th president kills vampires.

“Brave” is the first Pixar film with a female lead. The independent and impulsive medieval Scottish Princess Merida is forced to undo a decision that threatens her kingdom. It’s from Pixar, so there’s an impressive track record, but again, it comes down to the director, and Mark Andrews is something of an unknown quantity. He co-wrote and co-directed the Pixar short “One Man Band.” He’s also the production’s second director — the first left in a huff — and the story has changed quite a bit over the years.

Our pick: Chuck it all and go see the dramedy “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World,” starring Keira Knightly and Steve Carell. This film is about a man who takes a road trip to find his first love as an asteroid heads toward Earth. It was written and directed by “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” scribe Lorene Scafaria.

Hasn’t global warming killed off these “Ice Age” jokers yet? Not a chance — this franchise brings in a lot of cash. If you are one of the many who have shelled out to see “Ice Age” films in the past, be forewarned that this incarnation has a different director. The story finds the group of animal heroes separated by melting ice, shifting tectonic plates and pirates.

“Ted” stars Mark Wahlberg as the grown man who still lives with his walking, talking teddy bear. This is NOT a kids movie. This is a movie with a teddy bear that swears and humps people. “Family Guy’s” Seth MacFarlane directs and also voices Ted. Our pick: Must we? OK, we’ll go with “Ice Age,” even though that squirrel should get a darn acorn already.

OPENING JUNE 1

OPENING JUNE 29 AND JULY 3

“Snow White and the Huntsman” or “Piranha 3DD”

“G.I. Joe: Retaliation” (June 29) or “The Amazing Spider-Man” (July 3)

Kristen Stewart (“Twilight’s” Bella) joins Charlize Theron in the “Snow White and the Huntsman,” a dark and action-packed retelling of the classic fairy tale, with Snow White leading an army against the wicked Queen.

The horror-comedy “Piranha 3DD” is a sequel to the 2010 “Piranha 3D.” Think “Jaws” meets “Baywatch,” complete with lots of bikini shots and even David Hasselhoff.

Our pick: Do you even have to ask?

“Snow White and the Huntsman” looks seriously bad-ass, while “Piranha 3DD” just looks seriously tacky. “Snow White and the Huntsman” by a mile.

“PROMETHEUS”

OK, these two don’t come out on the same day, but both are released in time for the Fourth of July holiday (which falls on a Wednesday this year). The “G.I. Joe” sequel has the addition of Bruce Willis and The Rock. It also has the addition of some seriously cheesy dialogue.

But, you also have to overlook some things if you pick Spidey. For instance, all the other Spider-Man films you’ve seen in the last eight years or so. This one is a reboot — it features all new actors and follows a new storyline.

Our pick: “Spider-Man” stars up-andcomers Andrew Garfield (“The Social Network”) and Emma Stone (“The Help”), who have enough real-life chemistry to be dating off-screen, and enough real love of the characters that Garfield gets tears in his eyes when he talks about the comics affect on his childhood. Go with the heart and pick “Spider-Man.”

OPENING JULY 20 “The Dark Knight Rises”

Fan polls show this is the most anticipated film of the summer, so you probably don’t need us to tell you about it, but here it goes.

Director Christopher Nolan returns us to a bleak Gotham, eight years after Batman (Christian Bale) takes the fall for Two-Face’s crimes. When Bane (new addition Tom Hardy) begins to terrorize the city, Batman is forced to return. The movie also features Joseph GordonLevitt as police officer John Blake and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.

This is Nolan’s third Batman film, and it’s safe to say that it doesn’t really matter what else is in theaters this weekend — get your tickets early.

“ I C E AGE 4 : C O N T I N E N TA L D R I F T ”

MCT

“ S N OW W H I T E A N D THE HUNTSMAN”

“SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD”

“MOONRISE KINGDOM”

“PIRANHA 3DD”

“ M A DAG A S C A R 3 ”

“SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED”

“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN”

“ B R AV E ”

“ABRAHAM LINCOLN”

“G.I. JOE”

“TED”

36

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

lifestyle G O S S I P

Slash is

‘very proud’

of his time in Guns N’ Roses espite having success with Velvet Revolver and as a solo artist, the guitarist admits nothing quite compares to when his first band hit the big time in 1987 with their debut album ‘Appetite For Destruction’.† Slash said: “I’m very proud of what we did in that band, but it’s nice to be recognised for something you’ve got going on right now.” The 46-year-old musician includes songs from his time in both Velvet Revolver and Guns N’ Roses in his solo sets and he enjoys the freedom he now he isn’t in a group. He said: “I’m not a dictator, there are no egos everybody has great ideas for the songs. Every band I’ve ever been in I tried to make it always just about the music, never about who was the star.”

Slash famously fell out with Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose in the 90s, and he, along with the other original members, left the hard rock group. Axl refused to attend the classic line-up’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year insisting he felt disrespected by the organisation.† He issued a statement †saying: “Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of Guns N’ Roses.”

D

One Direction racks up mobile phone bills of £14,000

ouis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Niall Horan have been promoting their music in North America, Australia and New Zealand but created huge roaming charges by keeping in touch with fans and loved ones. Apparently calling and texting the UK as well as staying connected on the Internet to use Facebook and twitter meant the boys ended up spending thousands collectively. An insider at Simon Cowell’s Syco

L

label told the Mirror: “Like most teenagers, the boys are obsessed with all things social media.

“They’re also encouraged to tweet by management to keep them interacting with fans but Niall and Liam in particular got pretty homesick during their travels and regularly called home. “When the bills landed on their doormat, the guys were utterly stunned and slightly devastated thinking they’d have to fork out themselves.îIn the end they got called in for a

meeting and given a lecture on finances, and how to handle their money. “It is vital wealth does not go to their heads. Their bills got signed off and the boys will not be making the same mistake again.” Simon agreed to pay the charges as a thank you to celebrate the group’s success. Since coming third on ‘The X Factor’ in 2010, each member is believed to have taken home £400,000. However next year’s royalties are due to make them millionaires.

Kristen Stewart wants to be

Jessie J loves being a role model he ‘Domino’ singer says she wants to set a good example to her young fans and prove you can be successful without giving into peer pressure. She said: “You can be who you want to be without taking the path of cigarettes, and drugs. I base my confidence on purity. It’s important for me to embrace being a role model, and that young people have someone to look up to who does that.”

Jessie, 24, also says it’s important to believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams.

She told Top of the Pops magazine: “You need to have selfbelief, because if you don’t believe in yourself then nobody else will believe in you. “When a door closes in your face, it’s not the end. It means there’s a bigger, more beautiful door around the corner. You just have to go and find it. “I’m addicted to performing, I’m someone who craves the stage. For those who have seen me live, that’s where I’m most comfortable.”

T

Eddie Murphy

‘evil’

he ‘Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2’ actress revealed that ‘East of Eden’s’ Cathy Ames is the character she’d most like to play on screen because she has mental problems. She told Elle: “She’s a psychopath! I haven’t done that yet.” Kristen also has a burning desire to star in a film version of William Styron’s 1951 book ‘Lie Down in Darkness’. The ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ admitted that playing Peyton Loftis - a suicidal girl who lives with her dysfunctional family in Virginia - would be ideal. She said: “I want to play Peyton more than anything I can possibly taste or touch in my life. I want to play her so bad.” The 22-year-old - who is dating actor Robert Pattinson - added that the complex relationship Peyton shares with her father Milton is what attracts her to the job most. Kristen explained: “She’s in love with him. I mean, I think she’s in love with him. It’s not his fault. They’re a crazy family!” Kristen who has been in the acting industry since childhood added that the screenplay is already attracting interest from two high-profile male stars. She told the publication: “There’s a script adaptation I’ve read and it’s good.

Two people vying for the part of the father are Daniel Day-Lewis and Colin Firth. Daniel would be perfect.”

T

Miley Cyrus had identity issues

Kanye West

‘overwhelmed’ by Kardashian’s family

sells his mansion at half price

he ‘Stronger’ hitmaker was surprised by how “loud” his girlfriend’s two sisters, two half-sisters, brother, mother and step-father were when he first hung out with her loved ones, and Kim’s elder sibling Khloe Kardashian - who is married to basketball star Lamar Odom - has joked she found him hiding in the pantry. She said: “He said, ‘I’m an only child; there’s, like, so many of you.’ “I remember Lamar, at first it took him a minute to get used to us, but now Lamar loves it. With Kanye I was like, ‘Why are you hiding in our pantry in my mom’s kitchen?’ And he’s like, ‘There’s just so many of you guys, and you guys are all so loud and friendly and talk.’ “And I’m like, ‘Get used to it buddy, because I like it.’ It’s just a lot at one time.” Kim’s other sister, Kourtney Kardashian who is pregnant with her second child, a sibling for her and boyfriend Scott Disick’s two-year-old son Mason - admitted Kanye struggles to understand the family ’s sense of humour. She added in an interview with KIIS-FM DJ Ryan Seacrest: “Scott and Lamar are only children too. I think we attract only children. I don’t think [Kanye] knows what’s going on [when he hangs out with us]. Like, what we’re talking about, are we being serious? Is this a joke?” While Kanye - who has been dating Kim for two months - is struggling to get to grips with the ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star’s large family, he has made a friend in Khloe’s husband. She said: “Lamar raps to [Kanye] all the time. Kim is like, ‘You’re going to freak this guy out.’ But it’s funny.”

T

T

he ‘Norbit’ actor has sold his 25,000 square foot property, known as ‘Bubble Hill’, for $12 million eight years after the New Jersey estate was first put on the market for $30 million. The estate - which had its price tag reduced to $22 million in 2006 and then to $19 million soon afterwards† - boasts 32 rooms, including eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a twolane bowling alley, billiard room, full sized racquetball court, recording studio, home gym, cinema, and an indoor swimming pool. The four-acre property - which Eddie bought in 1985 - also has garage space for at least five cars. During the time ‘Bubble Hill’ was up for sale, the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ actor sold one of his other houses. In February 2008, the 10-bedroom mansion he shared with ex-wife Nicole - who filed for divorce in 2005 after 12 years of marriage - was sold for $6.1 million. It featured a home cinema with an arcade, tennis court, gymnasium, swimming pool, spa and outdoor kitchen complete with a barbecue. The 11,000 sq ft mansion had views of the nearby Folsom Lake, and is situated on 2.5 acres of land. As well as 10 bedrooms, the property came with a detached 5,200 sq ft guest house which has two additional suites.

he 19-year-old star - who shot to fame after appearing in Disney show ‘Hannah Montana’ when she was just 12 years old - spent so long trying to cultivate an “AllAmerican” image that she eventually needed to take a step back and figure out what she really wanted to say for herself. She said: “I feel I was so trained in my interviews to be AllAmerican or whatever. I just got so set in the way of saying the same things I did when I was 12 years old. “I had to smile so much and I had to say so much of the same thing. I finally had to look inside and say, ‘What do I really think about this? Do I really think that or am I just trained to say that? Or have I said it for so many years now that that’s what people expect me to say, so now I say it so I don’t have to say something else and be creative? “I

T

guess I kind of realised that my whole life isn’t one giant press junket. I don’t have to be smiling all the time and always have the perfect answer.” Miley - who is dating her ‘The Last Song’ co-star Liam Hemsworth - also admitted she can’t understand why people have been critical of her racy outfits and thinks it is because they are “scared” by her self-confidence. Speaking on ‘The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet’, she said: “People are so scared of seeing a woman being like, ‘This is who I am and you’re not going to change it.”

And while the singer-and-actress - whose father is country star Billy Ray Cyrus - never set out to be a sex symbol, she is happy for people to find her attractive. She added: “If people find that, I take it as a compliment. Thank you for thinking that!” — Bangshowbiz

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

lifestyle F E A T U R E S

S Africa

sneaker maker laces up for a hard run at success

An artist turns fire around his neck as he takes part in a two-day Fire Festival in Minsk, Belarus. — AP

Sifiso Dlamini grew up in Soweto, a South African township, with sneakers and hip-hop. — MCT

F

or a Soweto boy, he had a lot of sneakers. He remembers the joy of that first pair. They had to be red. Walking out of the shop carrying a cardboard box with the sneakers, Sifiso Dlamini, at 12, took the first steps on a long journey in search of the soul of a shoe. “Having a pair of sneakers in Soweto meant a lot. You were cool and every kid on the block wanted to have their pair of sneakers. “I had a lot, because I was obsessed” - a dozen pairs, more than anyone he knew in the township.

His mother wanted him to finish school and be an accountant, but he dropped out. “My passion was making sneakers,” he said. In 2008, he started his own brand of handcrafted sneakers, Eish Hade (pronounced eyesh hah-day). Through social networking, his sneakers have found a niche, with orders mounting into the hundreds. But with just one industrial sewing machine, he and his partner, Nkululeko Ndlovu, can make only about five pairs each in a week.

Small township businesses are a crucial part of South Africa’s economy, a potential driver to expand the country’s small but powerful middle class. But 440,000 small-business start-ups have collapsed in five years, according to employment consulting firm Adcorp. Many fail because the owners lack education and business planning skills and don’t have access to bank loans or other capital, analysts say.

That’s a significant problem in a country where the unemployment rate is sky-high and small businesses such as Dlamini’s with fewer than five employees account for 43 percent of jobs. Dlamini and his partner work out of a chilly concrete room near Alexandra township, in a space donated by South African marketing businesswoman Michelle Combrink, who took a shine to their can-do attitude. They pay themselves less than $130 a month, have one trainee and pour all their earnings back into the business.

But they need more capital, to get training on how to make better shoes and the $15,000 machines Dlamini says will expand the tiny enterprise. Dlamini, an elfin figure who lights up when talking about sneakers, uses rescued leather from old jackets and even pieces of stressed upholstery from abandoned furniture. The sneakers, with high tops and panels of inlaid vintage leather or fabric, sell for about $35.

As a child, Dlamini spent his spare time drawing sneakers, inspired by the hip-hop artists he worshiped.

On weekends, he sold triangular pies called samoosas , using the profit to buy more sneakers for his collection.

“I wanted to feel special, having a pair of sneakers that no one else had,” he said. So when he was 19, he took an old pair of sneakers, pulled away the upper part stitch by stitch, as carefully as a surgeon, revealing a naked-looking sole. He laid out the skins of his sneakers like patterns onto pieces of a used burlap sack, cut them out laboriously and sewed them into his first pair of shoes. —MCT

J.Lo goes from reading book to starring in movie on it

M

otherhood didn’t start so great for actress/ singer Jennifer Lopez. She was in such pain after having a Caesarean section to deliver her twins in 2008, Lopez couldn’t hold the newborns.

Despite all the pain, she turned down all offers of painkillers. When the pain got so bad, a crying Lopez told her then-husband, Marc Anthony: “The babies don’t love me.

They don’t love me. And they’re not going to know me and they’re going to love the nurse.”

Anthony’s efforts to calm Lopez failed.

The only thing that made her feel better was reading Heidi Murkoff’s book, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Lopez learned she was going through a hormone drop on the 10th day after the births called “The Baby Blues” - that many women experience.

Unlike her own experience, Lopez plays a woman who decides to adopt a baby. Her story is mixed with other pending-motherhood tales, played out by Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks and Anna Kendrick. Of the four main female stars, Lopez was the only one who truly knew what to expect when expecting. Banks is a new mom, but via a surrogate. Neither Kendrick nor Diaz has gone through the labors of love.

“I found the book to be so incredibly accurate while I was pregnant, and honestly I just see why everybody has this book and why it’s the first thing that you get when you find out that you’re pregnant because it just takes you through everything,” Lopez says. “When you get pregnant, it’s the type

of thing, like everybody’s talked about your whole life, but you know nothing about when it’s happening to you. This book helps you to not freak out.”

There were plenty of times Lopez was ready to lose it during her pregnancy. She was afraid she would never get to wear all of the wonderful shoes she owns because her feet grew one size. There was also the panic attack that came with the realization she was about to become responsible for two new lives.

She stayed on tour until she was 6 months pregnant. The decision to end the tour was made because of what she calls “baby brain.” “I was on tour, the song starts and I was like ...” Lopez says followed by a blank stare. “I totally forgot the lyrics to my own song. I was like, this is bad. But then I was like, I’m pregnant, who cares?

“And I look back at my band and I’m like, anybody? They didn’t know if I was just having a moment, and I was like, ‘I really just don’t know the words.’” She obviously no

Wendy (Elizabeth Banks, left) and Skyler (Brooklyn Decker, right) star in “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” — MCT

Larry Charles writes commentary on modern America with ‘Dictator’ “M

Co-curator Sheena Wagstaff (left) of London’s Tate Modern describes Pop art icon Roy Lichtenstein’s “Frolic” during a preview. — AFP

Whaam! Lichtenstein retrospective opens

T

he colorful, comic dots of Pop art icon Roy Lichtenstein burst off the walls at the first retrospective since his death in 1997. Scenes of war and romance lifted from comics and recast onto massive canvases lead seamlessly into his more abstract explosions and brushstrokes, his reworking of classics like Monet’s Haystacks, and the luminous Chinese landscapes Lichtenstein painted near the end of his life. More than 160 works-including never-before-seen sculptures, drawings and paintings from private collections-are bunched in a major exhibit that opens in Chicago on Tuesday before heading to Washington, London and Paris.

“Lichtenstein is rightly recognized for being a foundational Pop artist who created some of the most iconic works of the 20th century,” said co-curator James Rondeau of the Art Institute of Chicago. “Our aim with this exhibition is to explore the full range of absorbing contradictions at the heart of Lichtenstein’s work-starting with the paradox that Lichtenstein systematically dismantled the history of modern art while becoming a fixture in that canon.” Born in New York in 1923, Lichtenstein began painting seriously after his service in World War II. But he did not find fame until he abandoned cubist and abstract styles and challenged the art world with his ‘artless’ cartoons beginning in 1961. —AFP

ischievous” is a word that fits the writer-turned director Larry Charles as well as his trademark beard, fedora, dark sunglasses and crocs. A writer who broke through on controversial late-night sketch comedy series “Fridays,” and part of the creative heart of TV’s “Seinfeld,” he has parlayed that resume into making unconventional, satiric documentaries such as “Borat” and “Religulous” and TV programs (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”). At 56, he’s still tweaking the powerful and the clueless, be they politicians or TV executives who can’t quite get their minds around a largely-unscripted antisitcom TV sitcom.

His latest team-up with Brit comic Sacha Baron Cohen is “The Dictator,” which mocks a mock Middle Eastern despot (Cohen) and, by implication, an American system that promotes its own inequities, injustices and inconsistencies.

Good reviews (“Hugely offensive, outrageously funny” - Newsday) and bad ( “a blobby, do-it-yourself ” farce - Film Journal International), “Dictator” is a change of course for Charles, whose more recent efforts (working with Larry David on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and on the mockumentaries “Borat” and “Bruno” with Cohen) have tended toward unscripted or at least less scripted material. MCT reached him in Los Angeles.

Q: After getting so used to focusing on improvisational comedy, what was returning to the land of script like?

A: Oh, those projects have more script than you think. The improvisation we’ve been doing in recent years is very well thought out, very structured. It’s not as random as we make it seem. And by the same token, the fact that ‘The Dictator’ was scripted doesn’t mean we respected the text.

We were very much improvising, experimenting, altering material,

Brides of India jewelry festival at Malabar Gold & Diamonds

S The Dictator in “The Dictator,” from Paramount Pictures. — MCT almost as much as we did on “Borat” and “Curb.” There’s so much story on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” for instance, so much plot, that you have to know where you’re going even if you don’t know exactly what you’ll say along the way.

Q: How did ‘The Arab Spring’ impact production of this film and what you wanted to do with it?

A: We were supposed to go to Morocco, and we were ultimately told it was unsafe to go. But that was a blessing in disguise, because we found locations in Seville (in Spain) and in the Canary Islands and they gave us a more original look to Wadiya, our fictional country with its fictional dictator. And since events were occurring on a parallel track as we were shooting it, it gave the movie a topicality that we tracked, both as human beings and as filmmakers. Would history get in front of us, or be behind us? As it turned out, our movie comes out with things still in turmoil over there, and more importantly, with America in the middle of a surreal presidential election.

Q: The film does have its connection to the “Occupy” movement, and the American political conversation.

A: I’m just hoping the “99 percent” has enough money to go to the movies.

The film is about a dictator, who by definition, is someone we despise and mistrust. But on another level, it digs into the realpolitik that creates dictators and the unequal world we live in. We don’t just lampoon dictators and dictatorships, who are delusional, narcissistic, self-indulgent people. The harder laugh that we go for is looking at our own system, the hypocrisy and inconsistencies of our own system.

Q: With Wadiya, your fictional country, being a version of Libya, was there a “no fly zone” in terms of what you could or would say about the Middle East?

A: There are no “no fly zones.” We’re all about risking everything by going there. We can point satire at anything.

We left out religion here because these dictators we’re basing this on, from Hussein to Kim Jong Il, are pretty secular. The key is finding a way in to upend our perceptions of that part of the world, or how the media covers it, the ways it is distorted. We point our finger at it and people realize how silly this inequity or that injustice is. — MCT

longer has “baby brain,” as Lopez has been busy over the past few months as one of the judges on “American Idol,” rehearsing for her next tour and promoting her new movie. It’s been tiring but she feels blessed.

As for her concerns about being a parent, Lopez says it’s just a matter of putting the twins first and everything in line behind them. It’s also a good thing that she’s not facing the responsibilities alone. “I have a lot of help, and I have a lot of great people in my life who help in all those areas in work and at home. I have a great family. So all together we do it. It takes a village,” Lopez says. No matter how much help she has, Lopez faces the same guilt as any single working mom. It’s hard for her to leave the twins when she has to go to one of her many jobs. But she’s not slowing down.

Doing the movie did make Lopez think about the possibilities of another child in her life. She would love to have another baby, but between work and raising the twins her hands are pretty full. She does have a new appreciation for adoption.

“It’s funny because before the movie, I never really thought about adoption at all.

I just always wanted to have my own baby, and I was so focused on that because it took me awhile to have my own. During the making of the film, when I held those two little Ethiopian twins, I fell in love instantly and it really occurred to me, I can see how somebody can do this. “How it’s so easy to embrace a child who has nothing,” she says. “It’s a really beautiful selfless act of love.” — MCT

tarting from May 16, all outlets of Malabar Gold and Diamonds in the GCC will be showcasing a wide array of unique jewelry from all over India as a part of the ‘Brides of India’ jewelry festival. The second edition of ‘Brides of India’ jewelry festival is a great opportunity for jewelry lovers to view and purchase exclusive jewelry and also get guaranteed prizes with every purchase.

As a part of the festival, Malabar Gold and Diamonds is also offering price protection scheme to further benefit the customers. A true shopper’s paradise, Malabar Gold and Diamonds will surely delight the customers by exhibiting eye catching designs in contemporary as well as international styles.

Think India and the first thing that comes to your mind is its diversity. No wonder the weddings of the country are as diverse as the cultures it encompasses. Being a Jeweler who is quite proud of the varied cultures and the jewelry traditions of the wonder that is India, Malabar Gold and Diamonds was the first to take a decisive step towards understanding, protecting and propagating various wedding traditions of the country, with specific emphasis on the wedding jewelry from all over India. The result was quite evident in the mindboggling success of the first edition of ‘Brides of India’ Jewelry Festival, which placed its focus on 11 different wedding traditions from various parts of the country. The overwhelming response from customers and well-wishers to the First Season of ‘Brides of India’ festival, inspired Malabar Gold and Diamonds to launch the Second Edition of the festival this year.

For this year, the jeweler has identified a new set of seven weddings from different regions of the country, starting in the north from Kashmir lying in the lap of Himalayas to the southernmost tip of India. The seven weddings are Arya - Viasya, Mangalore Shetty, Bengali, Chettiar, Rajastani, Christian and Kashmir Muslim.

Different factors like richness of the traditions, novelty of the wedding jewelry and wider geographical spread where taken into consideration before choosing the weddings, thanks to extensive research and studies undertaken on the varied wedding traditions of the country.

According to K. P. Abdul Salam, Group Executive Director, “Apart from featuring jewelry from these seven weddings, this year the customer has the opportunity to choose special jewelry collections from different parts of India. It is something that is going to make Season Two of this festival quite unique.”

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

lifestyle

Audi

Fashion Festival Show

Models present creations at the Audi Fashion Festival Show of American fashion designer Zac Posen’s Pre-Fall & F/W 2012 collection on Saturday May 19, 2012 in Singapore. — AP photos

In an Egyptian orchestra, blind women shine

J

ust from hearing it, it’s like any professional orchestra. But the assembly of white-veiled Egyptian women in matching black gowns has a startling difference. Every woman in the orchestra is blind. The women in Cairo’s Egyptian Blind Girls Chamber Orchestra first learn the songs by reading sheet music in braille. Since it is impossible to read braille and play an instrument at the same time, the musicians must memorize every note of every song. Pacing is also critical because the musicians cannot see the conductor. He merely claps three times to start each song.

The orchestra was born out of the El Nour Wal Amal (Light and Hope) Association, a group founded in 1954 by women volunteers who sought to educate blind women and help them become independent women. Today the organization provides free education, literacy programs and vocational training to more than 300 blind girls and women. The women learn to thread carpets and weave wicker tables that they sell to help fund the school.

But the association is most known for its orchestra of 38 blind women. The orchestra travels the world playing for embassies, music conserva-

tories and other international hosts. “They are more successful abroad than here in Egypt, but I hope, God willing, that here in Egypt they will start to be known as well as abroad.” said Amal Fikry, vice president and matriarch of the El Nour Wal Amal Association. The Blind Girls Chamber Orchestra has performed on five continents in 24 countries. “We represent Egypt and we represent blind women. We have many challenges and we have to achieve our goals,” said musician Shaimaa Yehia. — AP

Members of the visually impaired Chamber Orchestra band at El Nour Wal Amal (Light and Hope) association perform. — AP

Lady Gaga to go on in

Jewellery designer

Alexis Bittar

Philippines despite rallies

in expansion mode

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An Indonesian fan of US pop diva Lady Gaga poses in Jakarta yesterday. — AFP

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ady Gaga’s Philippine concerts will go ahead as planned, organisers said yesterday, despite a series of protests from Christian groups and calls for the controversial singer to be banned. Allan Florendo, assistant vice president of the sprawling SM Mall of Asia, whose arena will be the venue for the concerts today and tomorrow, said they were ready for the thousands of Gaga-fans and even any stray protesters. “We’re very ready, security-wise.

We have over 300 security personnel which is in addition and coordination with the (local) police. We have at least 100 bouncers in addition to the several ushers and porters,” he said.

The Asian leg of Lady Gaga’s tour has seen various protests, including in Indonesia where her June show has been denied a permit by police amid threats from Islamic hardliners. Almost 500 Christian protesters gathered near the 20,000-seat Manila concert venue yesterday, holding lit candles under umbrellas to

shield them from the rain. “We are a peaceloving people, our objective is not to make any violence or destruction to get attention,” said Orlando Cutaran, head of the Christian Professionals Evangelism Fellowship.

“We don’t want to interfere in their business. We are just praying on the sides that the organisers will change their minds. “We are just taking a stand against the blasphemous songs and videos of this Lady Gaga.

We don’t want young people to be influenced by this.” Lady Gaga, who arrived late Saturday, had remained in her hotel for the day. The concert was originally scheduled for just one night but was extended to two because of overwhelming demand, said Edgar Tejerero, senior vice president of company running the arena. The city government has already warned Lady Gaga to refrain from nudity, lewd conduct and blasphemy in the Philippines, and said inspectors will be at the venue to ensure she does not overstep the mark. — AFP

ashion jewellery design is in the midst of a renaissance the likes of which we haven’t seen since the 1980s. And Alexis Bittar blazed the trail. In the last two decades, the New York-based jewellery designer has gone from selling his signature colourful, hand-carved Lucite pieces on the streets of SoHo to bejeweling leading ladies in Hollywood and beyond, including Lady Gaga, First Lady Michelle Obama, Madonna, Cameron Diaz, Meryl Streep and Rihanna. At the same time, he’s managed to keep the core of his collection in an accessible $225to-$645 price range.

Bittar has also challenged the definition of fashion muse by eschewing prepubescent models in his ad campaigns in favor of women, such as eccentric octogenarian Iris Apfel, “Dynasty” diva Joan Collins and, most recently, “Ab Fab” stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley. And now, with a recent influx of cash from private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners, Bittar is ready to expand his vision globally and to introduce a new, higher-priced line of jewelry in sterling silver and gold that will debut next year.

He’s already one of the most prolific jewelry designers in the business, turning out hundreds of pieces each season that incorporate innovative materials such as molten metals, reconstituted coal and Lucite, which was big in the 1950s and is currently having another moment in fashion but which Bittar has built his brand on since the beginning.

For spring’s O’Keeffe collection of bold, Southwestern-looking Lucite cuff bracelets and collars, he took cues from the artist’s skulls and Native American textiles, then layered on Art Deco-ish crystals. Another spring group, Dark Garden, features Lucite beaded necklaces and carved floral brooches with crystal-encrusted thorns, movable blooms and pollen pods. The younger sister collection of the family, named Miss Havisham, includes “man-made

druzy quartz” cocktail rings carved from crushed glass embedded in resin.

It’s no wonder that art museum shops caught onto his talents first, followed soon after by high-end boutiques and department stores, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale’s. “(Alexis) is responsible for elevating the status of costume jewelry and making it a category that is taken much more seriously in fashion,” says Brooke Jaffe, fashion accessories director of Bloomingdale’s. “He draws in a broad range of customers.”

He understands the need for one-of-a-kind fantasy pieces for photo shoots, as well as commercial pieces for women’s everyday lives. “Most designers get one or the other but not both,” she adds. Along the way, Bittar has created spikey Lucite masks, floor-length necklaces and oversized cross earrings, for the likes of Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Madonna. His work has been shown on the covers of countless magazines, including Vogue, V and W. He’s also collaborated on jewelry design with other brands, including Burberry, Michael Kors and Jeremy Scott.

Bittar “has a design intelligence,” says stylist and costume designer Arianne Phillips, who has known him for eight years.

“No matter what he chose to do, whether it was design a car or clothes, he’d be capable of it.” Phillips relies on Bittar to create custom pieces for magazine spreads, music videos and films (he made several pieces for “W.E.”). The more classic pieces she wears herself, including crystal-studded Lucite bracelets and pyramid studs. —MCT

In two decades, Alexis Bittar has gone from selling his handcrafted pieces on the streets of Manhattan’s St. Marks Place to bejeweling the First Lady Michelle Obama, blazing a trail for a generation of fashion jewelry designers.

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

lifestyle

Actress Susse Wold (left), Swedish actress Alexandra Rapaport (centre) and Danish actress AnneLouise Hassing pose during the photocall of “Jagten” (The Hunt) presented in competition at the 65th Cannes film festival yesterday. — AFP

(From left) Moroccan actor Abdelilah Rachid, Moroccan director Nabil Ayoub and Moroccan actor Abdelhakim Rachid pose during the photocall of “Les Chevaux de Dieu” (God’s Horses) presented in the Un Certain Regard selection at the 65th Cannes film festival yesterday. — AP

Danish hysteria drama ‘The Hunt’ blows away Cannes “T

he Hunt”, a taut psychological thriller starring Danish heart-throb Mads Mikkelsen as a man falsely accused of molesting a child, emerged yesterday as a hot contender at Cannes. With a controversial take on an intensely emotional issue, director Thomas Vinterberg returned to cinema’s top international showcase 14 years after scooping up the Grand Prix runner-up prize with “Festen” (The Celebration). The new picture, which was enthusiastically applauded at preview screenings for critics ahead of its redcarpet premiere, presents Lucas, a divorced father of a teenage boy who is working at a creche.

A young girl, the daughter of Lucas’s best friend, develops a crush on him while in his care and when he gently explains the boundaries of their friendship, she begins to pout.

Later, she tells the creche director that she doesn’t like Lucas anymore and claims that she has seen him inappropriately-an accusation she later tries to retract but only after suspicion has spiralled out of control.

A witch-hunt ensues against Lucas, a hobby marksman, and as the mass hysteria takes

hold, his life crumbles around him and he loses his job, his new lover, life-long friends and, potentially, access to his beloved son. Only the son and a close old friend stand by him as the community descends into paranoia and other children, getting swept up in the frenzy, accuse Lucas of molesting them as well.

Mikkelsen, best known to international audiences for his turn as Le Chiffre in the 2006 James Bond picture “Casino Royale” and now starring in the Scandinavian blockbuster “A Royal Affair”, said the material required a delicate touch. “We know for sure that way too many kids are being abused out there. We know that, we’re not questioning that,” he told reporters.

“But for us it was very much about when you love something as much as you can love a child that love can turn into fear when something happens or might happen. And society... can implode with this fear.” Vinterberg noted that he had dealt with the subject of adult survivors of child abuse in “Festen” and had now flipped the story to explore how fast a rumour can become fact due to now heightened sensitivity to the issue.

(From left) Actors Yu Xiaowei, Vivian Wu and Qiao Renliang pose for portraits for the film ‘To Forgive’ at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes yesterday. — AP

“I grew up in a hippie commune and it was all very pure, all very innocent. And things have changed, things have become colder and more fearful obviously and we’ve lost innocence, for good reasons, of course,” he said. “I was here to tell that in ‘98 (with ‘Festen’). Now I’m here to tell the antithesis.” Vinterberg, who has also directed music videos for Blur and Metallica, written for Vienna’s renowned Burgtheater and was a founding member with Lars von Trier of the Dogme 95 no-frills filmmaking movement, denied he had a particularly bleak view of his society.

“I guess not only Denmark but in Scandinavia in general we have always been telling these dark tales,” he said. “This is not an entire image of our country, this is a dark tale from our country, which is a shire of happy little hobbits, sometimes very stern hobbits, but quite happy people in general.”

Asked about the unsettling final act to his drama, Vinterberg quipped: “Happy endings?

We’re not used to that in Denmark.” “ The Hunt” is one of 22 films vying for the Palme d’Or top prize in Cannes, to be awarded on May 27. — AFP

goes out fighting

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Actor Jackie Chan poses for portraits. — AP

ackie Chan is landing his last punch as an action star, but says he is stepping into retirement having made one of the most important films of his career. The Hong Kong actor told the AP on Friday that his latest film “Chinese Zodiac” will be his last action movie. Chan, launching the movie at the Cannes Film Festival with costars Kwone Sang Woo, Yao Xingtong and Liao Fan, said that people don’t believe him when he says he is going to retire. “They say ‘no, you’re still young, you can still do it,’ but I have to stop one day.” The 58-year-old says he is bowing out with “Chinese Zodiac” - in which he plays a fortune hunter, travelling the world trying to track down missing astrological antiques - because it is one of the “most important” films in his career.

Chan says he spent seven years working on the movie - writing, producing, directing and coordinating fight scenes. “For the last ten years

I’ve been choosing the director to direct me. This one I direct myself.” he said. “I hope this movie, 20 years later, people still remember it. For me, for the audience, for my future, for my history - it’s very important.” Chan says “Chinese Zodiac,” and the many films before it, have taken their toll on his body. “It hurts, it really hurts,” he says, flinching. “The shoulder, the ankle, it really hurts. You don’t know because I still look healthy.” Not that he plans on putting his feet up - Chan shrugs off suggestions of taking up gardening, cooking or bowling in his spare time. He wants to work on his acting muscles instead. “When I look at Hollywood, at Robert De Niro, he can do anything - comedy, drama,” he says. “Clint Eastwood60-70 years old, he can still move. I said yes, that’s my goal. Because action stars’ life is so short.

Actor’s life is very long. I want to show audiences I can act.” — AP

Dive in to retro swimwear

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hether vague or overt, the abundance of retro swimwear options continues to saturate the market. Fueled by waves of nostalgia sparked by costumes in “The Artist” and “Mad Men,” the romantic notions of times gone by remain popular. A slow-brewing trend for years, it will be especially prominent on swimwear racks this year. “The suits really flatter iconic body types and give women a truly feminine look that’s sexy without showing a lot of skin,” said Lori Coulter, who founded her own swimwear line in St. Louis that is now available at Macy’s and Soft Surroundings.

“I like the retro suits because it leaves something to the imagination,” Coulter said. But she stressed that the most popular styles have just a minimal amount of extra fabric. The difference is the placement and the balance. It’s the difference between dumpy 1980s high-waisted mom jeans and chic 1960s high-waisted pedal pushers, Coulter said.

And she is one of many taking note that retro suits still have modern sensibilities. Aside from innovations in fabric, colour and the demise of the cone bra, new suits inspired by vintage items don’t look stuck in time. Yet anyone wanting to embrace their inner Hollywood starlet might be drawn to the 1920s-inspired collection. Shabby Apple, shabbyapple.com, has a line of items with cowl necks, structural floral detailing, cascading drapery and elegant Art Deco-style cut-outs.

For those feeling a little Beach Blanket Babylon, Spanx has a line of swimwear that flatters and cinches. The strapless Lovely Lace one piece ($198, spanx.com) has a sweetheart neckline, a soft-focus floral design and black lace trim around the top and leg openings. And the halter swim dress ($188 at spanx.com) with a ruched sweetheart neckline and flouncy skirted bottom looks reminiscent of an Annette Funicello musthave.

Coulter said that she never intended to base her spring line on strictly retro influences, but that’s where she gravitated in designing her newest collection for Soft Surroundings. “I was looking to make elegant pieces,” Coulter said.

“Retro is a favourite look of mine. It reminds you of the pin-up girl looks that have come full circle.”

She said the wink-and-a-grin looks from the past are a flirty look for a modern woman. And it’s just as coveted on the beaches of St. Martin as they are at a municipal pool. Market grows for modest swimwear This burgeoning market appeals to women for a variety of reasons including skin cancer concerns, religious beliefs and personal preference. More and more designers and retailers are expanding to include non-traditional swimwear that looks more like active wear.

Lori Coulter has options at Macy’s and loricoulter.com of tunics, pants and tops all made of Lycra materials ideal for salt water and chlorine environments. She said that the items with an

SPF of 50 were initially created as cover-ups when people were out of the water, but she soon discovered that they were being purchased to wear into the water as well.

She said she was happy to create options for women who needed more coverage. She is not alone. Hydrochic.com has a new line of swimwear that doubles as gym wear. There are long and short sleeves, skirted bottoms and skirt bottoms with capri-length underpants.

Swimmodest.com and Simply-modest.com both have swimwear that looks like Hawaiian luau dresses with or without leggings.

Soma Intimates has cover-ups such as the La Blanca striped skirt that can be worn as a minidress, midi-dress or maxi-skirt, and it’s made of the same nylon and Spandex material as its swimwear. And virtually every store includes some type of cover-up top that can also double as swimwear.

From the Gap, there’s an Athleta tunic top that resembles a pull-over Nehru jacket ($69) at athleta.gap.com that can be worn cropped or extended to just over 32 inches. Eddie Bauer has surfer items that include board shorts for women that extend to mid-calf and a fitted short-sleeved top that is also a one-piece suit. Meanwhile retailers such as Swimoutlet.com offer loose-fitting, long-sleeved body suits ($90) so modest that they include a built-in hood to cover the wearer’s hair. — MCT

Pastel power

Jackie Chan Try this Asos top with all-over native print from Asos.com

For a similar look like designer Christian Siriano, winner of “Project Runway” Season 4 wore during Kentucky Derby, try these Ben Sherman slim chino pants in oxygen blue. — MCT

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he hats at the 138th Kentucky Derby would rival any royal British social event, with stars such as Ginnifer Goodwin, Debra Messing, Cyndi Lauper and Mary J. Blige all donning oversized, elaborate headgear. It wasn’t just women, either. Joey Fatone wore a black-banded straw panama and Kellan Lutz an impish newsboy hat. But some attendees ditched the tradition and managed to look derby-appropriate, sans hats, in fun and flirty spring pastels.

Designer Christian Siriano, winner of “Project Runway” Season 4, attended, looking fierce in a pair of pastel blue trousers, a patterned T-shirt, blue blazer, shiny black shoes and his signature skinny rim frames.

He appeared comfortable and chic in different shades of blue for just the right pops of colour. Siriano’s blazer was a bold choice, helping him stand out on the red carpet even without a headpiece.

For a similar look, get the Oxford blazer from Zara.com for $159. Pair it with a patterned T-shirt, such as the Asos top with all-over native print from Asos.com for $26.09 or the off-white sponge pattern crew from Topman.com for $36. Continue the pastel theme with the tailored lightweight slim-fit khaki from $39.99 from Gap.com or the Ben Sherman slim chino pants in oxygen blue from Nordstrom.com for $89.90. Try a pair of leather sneakers with white soles, similar to Siriano’s, for a bit of polish to finish the look. Try the Clae Powell leather sneakers from Zappos.com for $110 or the Clae Hockney shoe, also from Zappos.com for $61.99. These pastel blues, sleek sneakers and patterned tees will work as well for a summer party as the look did for the derby. — MCT

This Oxford blazer rocks the look.

Bollywood star Bachchan reveals name of grandchild

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ollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has revealed the name of his baby granddaughter on Twitter, putting an end to months of speculation. “Her name is Aaradhya,” Bachchan tweeted to a curious fan late Saturday, breaking months of silence after his daughter-in-law, Bollywood actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan,

gave birth in Mumbai in November 2011. Aaradhya’s birth was shrouded in secrecy, with media organisations reportedly agreeing to avoid rolling coverage of the event or show pictures of the infant, despite her belonging to one of Bollywood’s most famous families.

Aaradhya (whose name means “one worthy of

devotion” in Sanskrit) was quickly christened “Beti (daughter) B” by reporters in the weeks following her birth.

Bachchan-a compulsive blogger and tweeterhas had a prickly relationship with the media in the past and has criticised outlets that misrepresent him or intrude on his family’s privacy. Aishwarya

Rai Bachchan took the Miss World crown in 1994 and made her debut in Bollywood in the late 1990s. She has since gone on to star in more than 40 Indian films. Rai Bachchan, who married fellow actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007, is expected appear on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival this week. — AFP

Lady Gaga to go on in Philippines despite rallies

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MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

Glitter S

Models walk the runway during a fashion show at the 20th Life Ball in front of city hall in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday, May 19, 2012. —AP photos

at Vienna’s City Hall

ome were hot Saturday at Vienna’s Life Ball, a glitzy mega-party at Vienna’s City Hall staged to raise funds for fighting AIDS. And some were not. Musicians beating steel drums with flaming batons, and fire eaters spewing tongues of flames were among those sweating at the mega-event, watched by tens of thousands of gawkers pressed against restraining barriers. Then there were the hundreds of revelers with goose bumps - those wearing little more than glitter, a few strategically placed feathers or body paint that provided little warmth on a chilly May evening.

“It’s a bit brisk, but I don’t mind,” said a woman clad in a gauzy seethrough toga leaving little to the imagination who identified herself only as Babsi from Austria’s Voralberg province. “I have to wear a pants-suit or business dress on Monday.” For each under-dresser there was someone so elaborately costumed that each step appeared hazardous. Some nearly tripped on heavy hooped skirts or outrageously high stiletto heels. Others repeatedly adjusted highly piled powdered wigs that threatened to slip and block their vision.

Still others who paid up to 150 euros -nearly $200 - for a scarce ticket - wore tuxedos or tails. But there were no jeans, t-shirts or cutoffs - “style police” were on hand to make sure everyone was clad suited to the occasion. Other excesses were in abundance. Against the

backdrop of an elaborate light show, musicians seated at 20 grand pianos - one for each of the 20 years the ball has been held - pounded out a Chopin polonaise as dignitaries made their grand entrance down the gigantic magenta carpet stretching from the City Hall steps all the way across the square in front of the neo-Gothic building.

They were preceded by hundreds of costume-clad figures, their hands and heads weighed down by gigantic plastic candles in memory of AIDS victims. “The rest of the world should be grateful to Austria,” declared former US President Bill Clinton, one of the celebs associated with the fight against the HIV virus who attended the event. Clinton told the crowd he would donate the check he received for his appearance to his foundation which focuses on preventing the births of children with AIDS in developing countries.

“You are saving their lives, and I want to thank you,” he told the Life Ball organizers. Other international guests included actressmodel Mila Jovovich, supermodel Naomi Campbell, actor Antonio Banderas and fashion designers Angela Missoni and Eva Cavalli. The celebrities and other guests left the non-paying crowd outside after the more than three-hour opening ceremony, moving inside the festively decorated City Hall to dance to hot music and nosh at sumptuous buffets until dawn. — AP

Will Smith whacks reporter for trying to kiss him

Facemasks, the new level of

pet pampering

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eople and their pets often end up resembling each other, but image-obsessed Americans are taking that age-old relationship a step further, treating their four-legged friends to everything from spa facials to implants. In a nation of surgically enhanced teeth and skin, perhaps it was just a matter of time before the beauty stakes were raised for pooches and cats. One end of the spectrum features dogs like Hops, a Maltese terrier who recently was given a blueberry facial, followed by a

Hops is seen after the blueberry facial. company called Neuticles, says Malliotakis is “nuts” and exaggerating the problem.

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In this photo combo from video images taken from AP video (top left) image US actor Will Smith (centre right) is embraced by reporter Vitalii Sediuk, white suit, from the Ukrainian television channel 1+1, on the red carpet before the premiere of “Men in Black III”. — AP

ollywood star Will Smith slapped a male television reporter who he said tried to kiss him on the lips as he walked down the red carpet for the Moscow premiere of “Men in Black III.” The reporter from the Ukrainian television channel 1+1, Vitalii Sediuk, made headlines at the Venice Film Festival in September when he presented a bouquet of clearly unappreciated purple hydrangeas to Madonna and called her “my princess.” Smith was even less charmed by the reporter, who approached him on the carpet outside the movie theatre on Friday night and tried to kiss him. “C’mon man, what the hell is your problem buddy?” Smith said as he pushed Serdiuk away and slapped him lightly across the cheek with the back of his left hand.

“He’s lucky I didn’t sucker punch him,” Smith said to the crowd of journalists and fans. “Oh, I said that on camera. It’s all good.” He said he thought Sediuk tried to kiss him on the mouth, but it was not clear whether the repor ter intended to do so or was aiming for his cheek as Smith swivelled to avoid him. Madonna rebuffed Sediuk rather ungraciously in Venice, saying: “I absolutely loathe hydrangeas.” She stashed the flowers under a table before beginning a press conference. She later made a short silent video called “Madonna’s love letter to hydrangeas.” The video begins with a sarcastic apology and concludes with subtitles reading “I’m left with the feeling that I still hate hydrangeas.” — AP

Hops, a Maltise, is seen as he gets a blueberry facial from Valerie Durante at Downtown Doghouse pet salon and boutique in the Chelsea section of New York. — AFP photos blow dr y, and tooth brushing with chickenflavoured paste, at Manhattan’s Downtown Doghouse spa.

Groomer Ani Corless described this as the new normal for lapdogs. “These are man-made breeds and they require maintenance,” she said. Mid-facial, Hops ejected a tiny puddle of vomit, but otherwise did seem to enjoy the attention. More extreme-and painful-makeovers are also gaining ground. New York Republican lawmaker Nicole Malliotakis says animals are subjected to tattoos, earrings, nose rings, chin rings, tummy tucks, even facelifts.

Owner of two Chihuahuas called Peanut and Olympia, Malliotakis has proposed a law to ban cosmetic alterations to pets in New York state, calling this “a form of animal cruelty.” “I would never think of putting my dog through any of these procedures,” she told AFP. But Gregg Miller, founder of a

Cruelty or beauty?

However, Tazi Phillips, at the California-based magazine and charity GlobalAnimal.org, says “ridiculous” Neuticles are part of a trend of anthropomorphism gone wild. She cited implants to make floppy ears stand straight, declawing to prevent scratching, and tooth removal to stop destructive chewing. Some owners of dogs like Dobermans practice ear and tail cropping to make their animals conform to the ideal shape of their breed. Then there are human vanity procedures, like tattoos, piercings, liposuction and rhinoplasty. “A lot of this has happened as pets have become less property and more family members,” Phillips said. Advocates of cosmetic tinkering say the Hollywood treatment is just a way to show pets love.

The National Association of Professional Creative Groomers website, http://thenapcg.com/, features eye-popping examples of dogs shaved and dyed to look like football fans, Halloween ghouls and what appear to be canine versions of over-the-top pop singer Lady Gaga. “Is it abuse?” the NAPCG asks. “We at the NAPCG believe that animals are not embarrassed by their appearance... If we tell our pets that they are beautiful and treat them as such, they will respond positively to this type of positive feedback.”

According to the American Pet Products Association, nearly $53 billion will be spent on pets in 2012. The biggest portion goes on food, but the “pet services” category, which includes grooming, is estimated to be worth $4.11 billion and rising. Miller concedes he’s in a strange business. —AFP