25th Jul

CR IP TI ON BS SU

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

03:23 03:333 05:03 11:54 15:30 18:45 20:13

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Egyptian president names new PM

World leaders, VIPs flock to London

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NO: 15519

7

Ghanaian president Mills dies

Oppn MPs blast Khorafi as political crisis rages

40 PAGES

150 FILS

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

Syria’s chemical weapons moved to the borders

www.kuwaittimes.net

RAMADAN 6, 1433 AH

Tabtabaei describes political events as ‘soft coup’

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Max 47º Min 31º High Tide 03:58 & 15:49 Low Tide 09:53 & 21:45

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

Behind the veil

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

U

sually, I avoid criticizing during the holy month of Ramadan. I leave the month for positive news, fasting and spirituality. I was reluctant to write against many things. But there is no harm to ask people about something I find extraordinary. This introduction is related to the new Maria TV channel which I watched on the Egyptian Al-Ummah channel. It is run by munaqaba (women wearing face veil).

The funniest thing is that they call it Maria TV claiming it is named after the Coptic wife of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). What does the Prophet’s wife have to do with the TV channel? My second question Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa during an iftar reception in his honor yesterday. — KUNA

Kuwait royal gives $215m to debtors, suitors KUWAIT: A wealthy senior member of Kuwait’s ruling family yesterday announced a donation of 60 million dinars ($215 million) to help those in debt, those getting married and the learned elite. Chief of the National Guard Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah,

in his 80s, said in a statement that the donation would go towards helping those in debt, men who plan to get married and those who complete their doctorates. Any Kuwaiti man who marries a female citizen will receive $21,400 while

those in debt are entitled to $14,300 each, said a statement posted on his Twitter account. A Kuwaiti who completes his doctorate degree gets around $71,500, the statement said.

Expatriates living in the oil-rich emirate are not included. — AFP

KUWAIT: Opposition MPs yesterday strongly blasted statements by National Assembly speaker Jassem AlKhorafi in which he called for referring the electoral law to the constitutional court to ensure it does not breach the constitution. Khorafi’s call came at a press conference on Monday at which he said he will invite members of the reinstated 2009 National Assembly to meet on July 31. If no quorum is guaranteed for the meeting, Khorafi said he will invite for another meeting on August 7 and then refer the issue to the Amir.

MP Mubarak Al-Waalan described the statements as an attempt to “mix cards” and continue to waste time, thus ensuring the continuity of the state of political chaos in Kuwait. “Such a situation is certainly better than the 2012 National Assembly which caused a major disturbance for the corruption forces and thieves of public funds,” Waalan said on his Twitter account. MP Abdulrahman Al-Anjari slammed Khorafi’s calls for upholding to the constitution, saying that it was him who had repeatedly stepped over the constitution and “today he comes to teach us lessons about the constitution”.

He recalled Khorafi’s participation in the government in 1986 even after the National Assembly was dissolved and suspended in breach of the constitution. Ahmad AlAzemi, a member of the 2012 scrapped assembly, said that even if the 2012 assembly did nothing, it is enough that its members were not accused of receiving bribes or stealing public funds. Azemi was referring to allegations that at least 13 MPs in the 2009 assembly are facing charges of accepting millions of dinars in illegal deposits Continued on Page 13

local

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak received well wishers including His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlSabah and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in his diwaniya yesterday on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.

A number of ministers, MPs and other dignitaries of the state attended the reception.

‘Don’t speed, food will wait’

S

peaking about the most common cases of casualty avoid bacterial infections and pus. He also noted that the during the Holy Month of Ramadan, Dr Zeyad Al- first thing a woman can do in case of suffering a burn Alyan, Casualty Consultant and Head of the caused by hot frying oil is to, cool the burned skin under Emergency Medicine Unit at Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital running cold water for a few minutes to avoid the burn stressed that there is a rise in the number of traffic acci- spreading to lower skin layers. “The burn can be then cooled down by a applying cream and bandaging the dents.

He explained that most traffic accidents take place wound. One should never use tomato paste, toothpaste shortly before Iftar, when many people who are late to or ice on burned skin. A dermatologist should be conattend an Iftar invitation speed up or jump red lights sulted”, he warned.

“Many people may experience stomach aches for varicausing collisions that may be fatal. “Don’t speed, food ous reasons during Ramadan,” will wait for you even if you are late,” added Al-Alyan noting that the most warned Al-Alyan, urging people to common reason would be distenleave early to avoid speeding. tion because of gas retention in the Al-Alyan stressed that one of the intestines resulting from food quanmost common cases received in varitity, type and how fast we eat. “No ous casualty departments during medical intervention is needed in Ramadan were diabetics suffering such cases but they can be avoided from dropping sugar levels. “ To by eating moderately, using healthy avoid such cases, diabetics should food, reducing fried food, pastas delay their Suhour meal as late as and rich desserts that cause indigespossible and have the right food,” he tion,” he explained underlining that added, noting that diabetics should food should be chewed and swalbreak their fast immediately if they lowed slowly, enough water should sweat, shiver, palpitate, feel weak, be drunk and people should walk dizziness and pulse rate accelerates. after Iftar.

“If a diabetic patient finds that his To avoid dehydration, Dr Zeyad sugar level falls below 4, he or she advised people to consume liquids, should immediately break their fast,” Dr Ziad Al-Alyan namely water during Iftar period he warned. and avoid direct sun as much as Responding to a question about people with hypertension, Al-Alyan stressed that they possible in order to avoid complications like kidney might experience problems during Ramadan when med- problems, fatigue and rise of blood acidity.

Moreover, Dr Alyan stressed on the importance of ications are taken irregularly, causing tension. “In such cases, they may suffer chest pain and pulse acceleration Sahour meal as it usually helps people endure the difficulty of fasting the following day. He also recommended to avoid damage to the heart,” he underlined.

He said that in case a woman accidentally cuts her that the Sahour meal should be light and include lots of hand with a kitchen knife, likely to happen while prepar- liquids. ‘Fast food meals, salty and fatty food will make ing meals, she should clean the wound with running you thirsty the following day,” he warned. Finally, Dr Alwater, cover it with a clean bandage and compress it to Alyan advised diabetics to follow their doctor’s advice on stop the bleeding. “If bleeding does not stop or subside whether to fast or not as it would be too dangerous for in a few minutes, go to hospital immediately,” he advised, some, especially those who might suffer from a drop in noting that all wounds should be kept dry and clean to blood sugar levels that may lead to a coma.

KUWAIT: A number of marquis or large tents were built in various areas around Kuwait to provide Iftar meals and host worshippers and help them perform their prayers in better weather conditions during Ramadan. — Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh

local

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

What does fasting during the month of Ramadan mean?

By Hassan T. Bwambale

T

he word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root word, “Ramad,” which means “excessive heat”.

People in the past used to fast during summer when the heat was at its climax. This year Ramadan fasting is taking place in August, in which the intensity of the summer heat reaches its climax here in Kuwait. It should be noted that over the last few years people around the world have been complaining of excessive heat that hasn’t been experienced for decades. However, this doesn’t absolve them from fasting. Sometimes fasting is observed in winter because the Gregorian calendar is eleven or twelve days ahead of the Islamic lunar calendar, which means that Ramadan cycles through a complete year in about 35 years. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which comes immediately after the month of “Sha’ban.”

What does fasting mean in Islam?

Siyaam (fasting) literally means: to refrain from.

From the Islamic context it means: refraining from food, drinks, smoking and conjugal rites from dawn to sunset. Fasting is not only abstaining from the aforementioned things. It also means abstaining from all mischievous acts, vices and bad behavior.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) says: “Whoever does not abandon falsehood and acting upon it, there is no need for him to abstain from eating and drinking.” In addition to the aforementioned things that a fasting person has to abandon, he should also abstain from the following: a. Backbiting and scandal mongering b. Sleeping during the day and staying awake at night c. To waste food and drinks d. To eat excessively e. Being lazy so much so that one doesn’t execute his work as required.

Fasting in Ramadan Fasting is not a new practice; people used to fast even before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - early Egyptians, Romans and Greeks used to fast. Prophets such as Adam, David, Joseph, Moses and Jesus, et al (Peace be upon them all) used to fast. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told us thus about the fasting of David (PBUH): “The best form of prayer is the prayer of David, and the best

way of fasting is the way of David; for he used to fast on alternate days.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim) Prophet Joseph (PBUH) used to fast as well and when fasting, he would say: “I am afraid to fill my stomach with food and forget the poor and indigent people.” One of the aims for him to fast was to experience the poor people’s ordeal when they went/go hungry so that it motivates him to sympathize and empathize with them and thus help them. We should be more generous during the month of Ramadan.

Reasons for Fasting Before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) people used to fast for the following reasons: a. Expiation for their sins b. As a means of purifying their hearts c. Whenever afflicted with calamities, to mention but a few.

God says: “O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may learn self-restraint...”

(2:183) Benefits of Fasting The following are some of the benefits of fasting: 1 God consciousness (Taqwa) 2- To train a fasting person to be sincere to God not only while fasting, but also when doing any other act of worship. For it is very easy for someone to claim he/she is fasting but eat in secrecy.

3- Forgiveness of sins.

4- To train a fasting person that it is easy to control his desires, passions and emotions if there is a will and desire. The maxim goes: where there is a will there is a way.”

5- Patience; not every day would one be in position to get his normal meals. Therefore, whenever it becomes difficult for him to get them, he should be able to endure hunger.

6- To ingrain into people kindness and sympathy; for when they experience hunger they remember their brothers in humanity who do not necessarily get their regular meals.

7- Equality between the rich and the poor, the subordinate and their masters - No one can say: “Because I am rich I will not fast but will rather pay

Zain distributes over 2000 iftar meals every day KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunication company in Kuwait, has been distributing over 2000 iftar meals daily since the start

of the holy month of Ramadan. This is part of the company’s Ramadan campaign and continues support during the month of

giving. Waleed Alkhashti, Corporate Communications and Relations Department Manager at Zain said, “Ramadan presents a spe-

cial occasion for our organization to communicate and interact with people through our social and charitable programs.”

In a press release, Zain announced their readiness to provide a larger number of good quality meals, around 2000 daily, to a large number of fasting individuals across Kuwait.

This is the sixth Ramadan campaign organized by Zain.

Alkhashti said, “Because we wish to distribute more meals in a larger geographical footprint we started preparing for the iftar campaign months prior to Ramadan.” He added, “Also, this year we have replaced the usual iftar tents with more modern air-conditioned locations. We added a new hall in Salmiya bringing the number of iftar halls that welcome fasting individuals to a total of three one in Jahra, another one in Jleeb Al-Shuokh and the third one in Salmiya.

Alkhashti added, “ The number of individuals who visited Zain’s iftar tents in Ramadan in the past year exceeded 30,000. This year we are ready to provide meals for over 60,000 individuals.”

This year Zain has prepared for the iftar receptions with the support of a large team of volunteers who contribute daily to the campaign’s success. The group of volunteers are divided in three teams who receive fasting individuals and distribute the meals. As part of the Ramadan campaign Zain hosts various charity events in the company’s iftar halls.

This campaign is part of the organization’s growing support for charitable and social-oriented programs.

One such program features the distribution of food supplies to families in need. Zain is committed to continuously extend its social outreach and charity initiatives.

someone to fast on my behalf.”

8- Abundant rewards from God Almighty.

9- To realize the value of food and thus be grateful to God. When we enjoy some blessings we tend to take them for granted. It is only when they disappear that we realize their value.

10- It is a cure to some diseases such as rheumatism, cardiac problems and hypertension- among others. It also helps in weight management, giving a rest to the digestive system, and lowering lipids (organic substances that include fats and waxes)..

11- To strengthen relationships with each other and learn mutual respect.

12- Fostering good behavior as the fasting person is not allowed to abuse anyone or react negatively on whatever is said or done to him.

Points to put into consideration 1- Muslims do not fast because of medical benefits in the first place, but because it has been enjoined upon them in the Holy Qur’an. The medical benefits of fasting are as a result of fasting.

Moreover, fasting during Ramadan is a command from God and not a prescribed imposition by doctors or physicians. However, we do believe that everything God (Allah) enjoined upon us is beneficial to us in various ways whether on this earth or in the hereafter.

2- One of the differences between fasting in Ramadan and total fasting - often prescribed by doctors - is the aim of fasting and the timings of food in-take. During Ramadan, Muslims basically take an early pre-dawn meal and miss lunch until sunset when they break the fast. Abstinence from drinking water during this period is not harmful at all because the body has its own water conservation mechanisms.

3- Many medical researchers amongst Muslims and non-Muslims have confirmed that due to the fact that fasting helps in lowering fats in the body, it then cuts down the percentage of cholesterol. In 1994 there was a conference held in Casablanca, Morocco where more than 50 doctors and physicians shared their findings about fasting in Ramadan and on other occasions. They unanimously agreed that fasting is beneficial to the health of those who fast. God says: “... and it is better for you that you fast, if ye only knew.” (2: 184). Therefore, in Ramadan by depriving the body, Muslims enrich

the soul. Thus Ramadan fasting should be viewed as a blessing and not as a burden.

4- If the fast in the first place is without any spiritual significance then it is like an empty shell without a kernel. If we realize this, we shall then look at Ramadan not as a burden but as a blessing and thus be duly grateful to God. 5- Although fasting is beneficial to a person in many ways, there are special considerations for any one intending to fast. He should be healthy and not travelling especially if the journey is long and very strenuous.

Breaking the fast Prophet Muhammad urged Muslims to break the fast on dates. He said: “Whenever anyone of you breaks the fast, let him/her break it on dates; for they are a blessing from God.” Following are some of the benefits of dates 1- They provide the body with glucose, which is the best diet for the brain cells and nerves all of which depend on it.

2- They free a fasting person from the conditional and functional nervous tension.

3- They regulate the level of glucose intake in the blood stream; this makes the fasting person’s stomach partially full.

4- They soften the digestive process - among other benefits.

Who is exempted from fasting?

1- Minors 2- Mentally retarded (Nothing is obligated for them to make up for not fasting) 3- The sick/ill 4- Travelers 5- Menstruating, pregnant and suckling women (Should fast an equivalent number of days afterwards.)

6- The aged 7- The chronically ill (should donate a meal to the needy).

The AWARE Center, an acronym of Advocates for Western-Arab Relations provides for Western expatriates in Kuwait a variety of services and facilities to make their stay more interesting and comfortable. For more information, log onto: www.aware.com.kw

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

kuwait digest

How long will they criticize?

Political crises and solutions

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani

By Abdullah Bwair

I

t is something good, rather it is required, to have several political parties state their opinions about how to end the political crises and develop our society, but the problem is in what was presented so far, with few exceptions, and they are nothing other than what always has been said, especially during elections, and this is mere rhetoric.

This usually lacks two important things: the first is the correct diagnosis of the crises, as it is noted that most opinions lack accurate identification of the reason or reasons that has led us to the current difficult situation. In fact, concentration is usually on some features of the crises, which will not end unless the reasons are dealt with. This is what we saw very clearly during the past few years.

The second missing thing, while proposing that the diagnosis of the reasons for the crises is correct, is the mechanism in which the requirements will be applied, which is the answer to the question how? Because many former MPs signed documents with many demands, such as “Kuwait documents”, but were not implemented due to the absence of the necessary mechanisms, especially because the government was not formed from a Parliamentary majority that has a program the public elected it based upon and that because our constitutional system has not adopted a full Parliamentary system.

Of course, what is meant by political parties here are those powers calling for political and constitutional reform, but as for other groups that are politically active and do not believe in the constitutional democratic state but present themselves as reformists, are not expected to present reform as a vision because they do not have it to start with, in addition to the fact that their presence in the political arena is an exception due to the absence of the institutional organization of the political action based on civil and democratic foundations.

Based on this unfortunate situation political powers are suffering from, it is hoped that youth powers that are calling for political and constitutional reform, after rearranging their own internal affairs, lead a national reconciliation process between the political powers, to provide popular support for certain important issues and demands, where the speedy implementation of them lead to a qualitative move in our democratic development so that they can be built on later to achieve comprehensive political and constitutional reforms. Because the mere rhetoric about reform, renewal and development will remain fruitless unless it is turned into implementation steps during a certain period, so will the youth powers take the initiative? — Al-Jarida

NO: 15519

T

he 2012 National Assembly has held more than 26 sessions which did not discuss citizens’ cases. During those sessions no one even spoke about national unity.

‘Determination Yard’ MPs have offered nothing

‘Determination Yard’ MPs have offered nothing but poor phrases and words. Though every now and then they threaten to go to the streets to pressure the authorities in order to get what they want.

kuwait digest

Time to end UN veto monopoly

By Mubarak Mohammed Al-Hajri

T

he UN Security Council veto has been given to countries that do not deserve it, and they are using it unreasonably and defiantly. One only has to review the shameless Russian-Chinese attitude towards the massacres committed against the Syrian people by Bashar Asad’s militia to know that both countries appear as if they were applauding what Syria was doing last Thursday and encouraging more killing. It’s obvious that both regimes are backing Asad in public and right before the whole world.

It is a complete injustice that the five permanent UN Security Council members continue to monopolize the veto. There are more reasonable, humane and rational countries in the world, such as Japan, Germany and Brazil. It’s unacceptable to keep this tool restricted to those five countries alone, merely because they own nuclear weapons and enough military power.

A quick view of the history of these countries

that monopolize the veto shows that it has been shameful.

This does not mean that Japan and Germany are completely innocent or not responsible for their pasts. But they are now peace loving countries and pioneers in science and technology. They are not like those five countries that still selfishly adapt barbaric, stinky, fluctuating policies that have no principle other than their own interests, even if it is at the expense of the stability of other peoples!

So, will we ever see an international ‘Spring’ against this tool of retrogression, the veto that emerged after World War II? There have been many chances that were defused by the veto using fake and unreal justifications.

Now it’s time for the UN member states to demand either extending the veto right to entitle more countries to use or cancel it. There are no third options! — Al-Rai

RAMADAN 6, 1433 AH

NO: 15514

RAMADAN 1, 1433 AH

A

Shortly before the daily fast begins, Muslims are advised to?

Read a chapter Quran

A

Morning - night

B

Take a shower

B

Noon – 6pm

C

Eat a meal

C

dawn – sunset

6

1

Fasting during Ramadan is from?

but poor phrases and words. Though every now and then they threaten to go to the streets to pressure the authorities in order to get what they want.

Those calls by some political powers to demonstrate at the Determination Yard apparently look like demands for political reforms, but the truth is something else. As some have described it, the calls are based upon revenge, and the proof is in the filthy language we hear from there.

Talking poorly has become a trademark of them. This group talked badly about Kuwaiti men and their symbols, and at the last meeting at the Determination Yard they spoke against the Mubarak dynasty, so what do those people want?

They will keep fighting against all the members of the Mubarak dynasty and they will continue to do unless they are stopped when talking against Kuwaiti men and its symbols. We wished that the talk would be political, about reforms and being constructive, not speech that is only critical.

Some political groups and MPs have organized a demonstration in which, while speaking against Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah they used the style of abusing and criticizing everyone who differs with them. Unfortunately, those demonstrators mentioned phrases that cannot be repeated.

This case revealed the hate they have displayed against certain personalities like Sheikh Mishaal AlAhmad, who is considered one of the best men in the ruling family. We shall not forget his achievements in the National Guards, and many good Kuwaiti people are wondering how long they will continue speaking out against Kuwait symbols?

We hope that wise persons do not participate in any illegal demonstrations, since those MPs who are at the Determination Yard, as some have said, have gone there to demolish and not to build and enact reforms. —Al-Watan

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

local

Kuwait cannot take any more instability, chaos Al-Khorafi urges govt to act fast

By A Saleh

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receiving Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the Seif Palace yesterday.

Administrative changes to steer KAC through critical stage KUWAIT: After technical measures were taken by Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) to reduce its operational hours by 12,000 hours annually and cancel some less commercially viable flights to reduce operational cost and expenses of its 17-plane fleet, some administrative changes are expected to take place.

In this regard, sources at the Investment Public Authority (IPA) stressed that, according to a report generated by a specialized company, KAC was overburdened by the high cost maintaining of employees and fleet. The corporation was overstaffed and continues to operate old, worn out fleet that should have been modernized prior before being privatized.

Sources estimate KAC’s assets to remain less than KD 220 million. They added that according to governmental and parliamentary suggestions, IPA should establish a Kuwait Air ways Company within a year with a capital of KD 220 million with the communication minister serving as chairman of the new company’s board of directors. The IPA will buy 40 percent of the new compa-

ny’s shares and distribute them freely to citizens. According to the most recent staff and employees statistics, KAC and its subsidiary companies have a total of 7,000 employees, including 2000 citizens. Sources said that 1,080 citizens will retire, 444 wish to be transferred to the government sector while the rest wish to continue working for the new company, there by drastically reducing the number of citizens by 80 percent.

Moreover, sources stressed that KAC’s losses have been accumulating as a result of failure to approve annual balance sheets by the Parliament since 2004, forcing KAC to obtain a KD 80 million loan from a local bank to pay off dues. However, the total debts have risen to KD 180 million in three years, in view of salary increases and the increase in fuel prices by 20 percent.

Sources also stressed that maintenance and engine repair cost have increased as a result of aging planes.

“Standard maintenance was done during every 2000-2200 operation hours.

However, it has to be done every 16002000 hours.” — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: The speaker of the 2009 parliament, Jassim Al-Khorafi, has urged the government to study the measures that led to the present situation to avoid its recurrence. “I’m sure the government is carefully studying the situation, as Kuwait cannot take any more instability and chaos”, he underlined, urging the government to carry on with constitutional measures regardless of those declaring Fatwas without being qualified or authorized to do so.

Commenting on the intention to issue ordinances in the absence of a parliament, AlKhorafi stressed that issuing such decrees was not new and that it was a constitutional right of His Highness the Amir that was also used in 1981. “The funny thing is that some of the MPs opposing such decrees were MPs in 1981.” He also explained that ordinances should be issued after consultation between HH the Amir and the government. He added that the PM will also be responsible for the constitutionality of such decrees.

Further, Al-Khorafi said he was not authorized to discuss which constitutional measures the government might take.“However, we reject weakening cer tain tribes at the expense of others, as we are one country and should avoid tumult and being fragmented”,

he underlined, slamming the way some were talking about the constitution as if they were constitutional experts.

Moreover, Al-Khorafi said that the Determination Yard was not a place to be used for threats and warning. “It has become a place for rallies, thanks be to the constitutional court, so I urge all those who believe in democracy to respect constitutional measures in the only place set for that, the parliament”, he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Movement for Justice and Development called for approving the one constituency in the 2009 parliament, if possible. “Otherwise, it would be better to divide Kuwait into two electoral constituencies”, stressed a statement issued by the movement, noting that its suggestion would help ensure geographic adjacency of the area in one constituency and stop all forms of manipulation of electoral lists.

The Ministr y of Electricity and Water (MEW) will execute new projects to increase water production to cope with the growing consumption rates, adapt better maintenance plans and upgrade water grids, said sources.

They added that the projects involve supply, construction and maintenance of four 1,600 mm fresh water production lines in AlZaour northern complex. The projects also

include supply, construction and maintenance of a 1,200 mm water production line between Zour and Al-Wafra reservoirs, in addition to executing another project to build a 1,200 mm water line from Metla to Jahra water grid. There is also a project to update the current fresh water and low salt water grids in Jahra.

The MEW is awaiting the Central Tender Committee’s approval of the aforementioned projects that are significant in view of current urban growth.

Power outages continued to take place in some areas since Ramadan, noting that the outages took place in Sabah Al-Nasser and Bayan. The MEW call center received many complaints from residents from Blocks 6 and 7 in Sabah Al-Nasser. They added that the power outage was the result of an overload in the area’s power units.

Power outages took place in other areas for the second day during Ramadan in blocks 1, 2, 3 and 10 of Sulaibiya. Many complaints were received and that emergency teams rushed to the areas to learn that the main reason behind such power outages are caused by overloads.

Similar complaints were made in Surra where some houses and street light posts suffered power outages. Also, emergency teams restored power connections.

Tough time for tenants

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: With temperatures in Kuwait reaching more than 50 degrees centigrade, a building without electricity is truly a ‘hell’ for tenants. At least it was as this reporter described the situation for some workers living in misery in a compound located in Bneid Al-Gar. About four electric generators are installed at the compound, but they were not all functioning when this reporter visited them Sunday evening.

“We haven’t had electricity for the last four days now.

They said they are going to repair it tomorrow, so we’ll see. You know we have been paying K20 per room every month just to have a comfortable night, but it has been non-functional for the last four days, so imagine how we are suffering,” one tenant mentioned.

According to tenants, the four generators were rented for KD1500 monthly and every flat has to pay KD20 for the generator. Allegedly, the Ministry of Electricity and Water cut the connection of electricity months back due to non-payment of electricity bills.

KUWAIT: The generators stationed in front of the building in Bneid Al-Gar. — Photo by Ben Garcia

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

LOCAL

Four-member gang robs expats near Farwaniya Theft attempt foiled in Jahra KUWAIT: Farwaniya detectives are working on a case of four individuals who are specialized in robbing expats. A security source said 8 complaints have been filed against the gang, whose members hide between the Jasmine trees separating Kheitan and Farwaniya as they await anyone who crosses the street. The latest victim was an Indian who was beaten before they took his iPhone and wallet with KD 130 in it. All victims said the gang member wear sports outfits and commit their crimes between 10pm and 11pm.

Thieves flee Sirens foiled an attempt by thieves to break into the Minors Society branch in Jahra, as the burglar alarm was activated as soon the thieves broke the building’s outer glass, forcing them to flee. A security source said police responded to the alarms, and examined the premises in the presence of some employees, who reported nothing was stolen.

Jet-ski stolen An unknown person stole a jet-ski from the house of a citizen in Daeya. The citizen discovered the theft at noon, immediately informing police. Detectives are investigating.

Bedoons held Hawally detectives arrested two bedoon men for stealing cars, and 14 cases were registered against them. The two confessed to committing the crimes.

Reckless driving The reckless driving of an Asian caused his truck to jack knife, closing the Sixth Ring Road completely. Policemen moved the truck from the road and restored the flow of traffic.

Angry husband An Egyptian beat his wife in front of their house in Nugra, then kidnapped their child and snatched his wife’s purse with her passport inside before escaping.

Worker assaulted A worker at an electric equipment store was severely beaten by a citizen, causing extensive injuries. The citizen claimed that the worker sold him a counterfeit spare part. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police were called, and the citizen, along with employees, were taken to the police station for questioning.

Sudden death A 20 year-old Saudi man died suddenly while at a cafe in Jahr area. The body was recovered by the coroner to determine the cause of death.

Indian thief An Indian expat stole KD 300, along with several mobile phones, from the store where he worked before escaping. The incident took place Monday night. Police are investigating. — Al-Rai, Al-Anba

KUWAIT: The operation room of the Kuwait Fire Services Directorate (KFSD) received a report about a fire that broke out in Amghara scrapyard. Al-Jahra, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and Sulaibikhat fire stations responded to the emergency call. As they arrived, fire was raging in a 2,500 square meter area where metal scrap is stored. Fire broke out near a wall which then spread. Firefighters tackled the flames in a short while. — Photo by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Dow declares Omega-9 healthy oils as ‘breakthrough’

Abdulmohsen Al-Rushaid

A group picture of the students.

NBK launches new session of Summer Internship Program KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) launched recently the fourth session of the 2012 Summer Internship Program. The program is custom-made for high school and college students aged between 15 and 20 years.

Abdulmohsen Al Rushaid, NBK Public Relations Manager said, “NBK Summer Internship Program is specially designed for high school and college students as an extension of NBK’s education outreach services. The program demonstrates NBK’s long-standing

social involvement as well as its national commitment towards providing the young generations with the appropriate opportunities to experience first hand how the actual professional banking issues and transaction are handled and processed.”

“NBK regularly organizes and designs events and packages for the youth of the country to familiarize them with the world of banking and make them responsible citizens.”

Al Rushaid added.

The last session of the 2012 Summer Internship Program will start on 5August, 2012. The 5-hour daily sessions of two-week internship featured a mixture of theoretical and practical training dedicated to providing the interns with invaluable knowledge on a variety of subjects such as; the team work, creative thinking, means of self expression and modern banking work procedure, in addition to helping interns to have greater exposure to daily banking work procedures.

‘Constitutional vacuum’ forcing Kuwaitis to hold their breath

By A Saleh KUWAIT: Former Chairman of Municipal Council, Shaye Al-Shaye expressed sadness over the political situation in Kuwait, remarking that a ‘constitutional vacuum’ is forcing everybody to hold their breath in fear of this countr y.

‘Kuwait is living on a hot tin,’ he warned appealing to His Highness the Amir to put an end to the current situation and achieve stability and consolidation.

Iraq subscribers’ data in Kuwait A political Iraqi bloc recently urged the Iraqi communications and media authority to explain if the database of Iraqi mobile phone subscribers were present in Kuwait. Bloc Speaker, Aliya Naseef said that there was news

that such an agreement was made during the governance of Iraq’s civilian ruler, Paul Bremer. “If such news is correct, this will enable Kuwait to tap all Iraqis’ mobile phone calls and obtain information about subscribers,” warned Naseef.

Citizens involvement will be checked’ Commenting on the recent accusations of citizens’ involvement in meetings that jeopardize the sovereignty of a brotherly Arab state, sources said that the Interior Ministry received information about Kuwaitis taking part in meetings of opposition groups in other Arab countries that are experiencing political conflicts.

The source added that the Ministry coordinated with the Foreign Ministr y to check the

veracity of such meetings. They are connected to foreign political groups and take part in activities. “ This is inter ference in others’ affairs and harms Kuwait’s foreign relations and their sovereignty.”

Preparations for academic year The Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr Nayef AlHajraf has appointed the assistant undersecretary for public education to work as acting undersecretary until Tomadher Al-Sdairawi returns from vacation. Sources stressed that the decree was passed only after a few days when, during a meeting with the Undersecretaries Council, the minister asked all employees to not take vacations until all preparations are completed by next October.

Q8 Petroleum to establish 110 eco-friendly sites KUWAIT: Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director at Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8) Esam AlMarzouq revealed here yesterday that Kuwait Petroleum Corporation Italy is embarking on a project to establish 110 industrial sites that would be ecofriendly and free of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Speaking to the Q8 Published Alam Al-Muasasa (Corporation World) magazine, Al-Marzouq the company was very eager to develop such projects to achieve environmental sustainability, adding that the to-be-established sites would be working on solar energy to decrease dependency on fuel.

He indicated that using solar energy would also lessen consumption of electricity at the sites by 13 percent, adding that this complies with the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Al-Marzouq revealed that CO2 emissions would be decreased by 7,600 tons on annual basis.

Kuwait Petroleum International, often referred to by its trademark Q8, refines and markets fuel, lubricants, and other petroleum derivatives in Europe. It is the international subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). It supplies 4,000 retail service stations, as well as direct sales operations delivering fuel and heating oil to domestic and industrial users. Q8 also has a significant aviation business marketing jet fuel at more than 40 airports worldwide and a lubricants business with five lubricants blending plants, direct sales and marketing activities across Europe, and export sales to over 75 countries worldwide. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Dow Chemical Company announced Omega-9 Oils as its first Breakthrough to World Challenges, addressing one of the Company’s 2015 Sustainability Goals in the area of health.

Since 2005, the use of Omega-9 Oils has eliminated more than one billion pounds of trans and saturated fat from the North American diet. Trans and saturated fat in a diet have shown to increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

As part of its 2015 Goals, Dow committed to achieving at least three breakthroughs that will significantly help solve world challenges in the areas of energy and climate change, water, food, housing and health.

“Although the US Food and Drug Administration has required food labeling of trans fats since 2006, many processed foods still contain unhealthy levels of trans fats and high levels of saturated fat,” said Neil Hawkins, vice president of Sustainability and EH&S for Dow. “Omega-9 Oils, developed by Dow AgroSciences, are a critical step in addressing world health problems related to nutrition and lifestyle - and another example of Dow innovation pointed squarely at the most pressing issues of our time.”

Omega-9 Oils have zero trans fat and the lowest amount of saturated fat among commonly used cooking oils, including corn, cottonseed, palm, peanut

and soybean. Derived from Dow subsidiary Dow AgroSciences’ NEXERA(tm) canola and sunflower seeds, Omega-9 Oils are used by the food processing and food service industries.

Omega-9 Oils are used widely throughout North America and increasingly in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

More than 100 leading restaurant chains and packaged food companies currently use Omega-9 Oils.

In order to be designated as a Breakthrough to World Challenges, Omega-9 Oils passed a rigorous, transparent evaluation by Dow scientists and external stakeholders.

Omega-9 Oils, like other candidates in Dow’s R&D pipeline, were evaluated for positive impact on millions of human lives, as well as minimal environmental impact from development through manufacturing, distribution, use and end?life.

Canola production uses equal or less energy and inputs than other oil crops.

Canola can promote productive soils and sustainable production practices when grown in a proper crop rotation with sound integrated pest management strategies.

Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals focus the Company’s efforts on strengthening relationships within communities, continuing to improve product stewardship, innovating to solve world challenges and reducing its global footprint.

KIPCO attends Basmatna Kuwaitiya KUWAIT: KIPCO - the Kuwait Projects Company - will attend the Basmatna Kuwaitiya Forum which opens tonight at the Mishref Exhibition Grounds. The event is being organized by the Volunteering Committee of the National Youth Awareness Forum and takes place from 9 pm to 11pm from tomorrow to Saturday.

KIPCO - together with its subsidiary companies Burgan Bank and KAMCO - are exhibiting at the event. Burgan and KAMCO will use the oppor tunity to explain and showcase their products to attendees.

Abeer Al-Omar, Assistant Vice President, KIPCO Corporate Communications Department, said: “As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility program, KIPCO supports the development of young Kuwaitis.

Basmatna Kuwaitiya offers us this opportunity, as it highlights

the entrepreneurial talents and skills of young Kuwaiti people.

With Burgan Bank and KAMCO explaining their product range, we also hope to use the event to

Abeer Al-Omar

highlight the business and career opportunities within KIPCO Group.”

The forum will include a display of different projects by young Kuwaiti people, in an effort to emphasize the important role played by this segment of the society.

The KIPCO Group is one of the biggest diversified holding companies in the Middle East and North Africa, with consolidated assets of $ 21.9 billion as at March 31, 2012.

The Group has significant ownership interests in a portfolio of over 60 companies operating across 26 countries. The group’s main business sectors are financial services, media, industry and real estate.

Through its core companies, subsidiaries and affiliates, KIPCO also has interests in the education and management advisory sectors.

Traffic campaigns across country

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The General Traffic department is continuing to hold unscheduled campaign on main roads to put an end to traffic rule violations and implement the law

to p ro te c t ro a d s u s e r s. Hawally Traffic Department held a campaign against wrong parking, especially parking vehicles in areas designated for the disabled, including a number of markets, commercial complexes, government organizations and co-operative

societies. At least 50 traffic citations were issued.

Capital Traffic Department issued 65 citations and 101 indirect citations. Five vehicles were impounded at Mubarak Al Kabeer governorate.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Jordan king treads delicate line on reform Page 8

Cameron ex-media chief charged with hacking Page 10

SELEHATTIN, Syria: Syrian rebels hunt for snipers after attacking the municipality building in this city near Aleppo Monday during fights between rebels and Syrian troops. (Inset) A portrait of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad burns during the clashes. — AFP

Heavy fighting rocks Aleppo Rebels say chemical weapons moved to borders

DAMASCUS: Syria’s rebels accused strongman Bashar Al-Assad yesterday of moving chemical weapons to the country’s borders, a day after his beleaguered regime said it would use its stockpiles if attacked. Helicopter gunships strafed rebel neighbourhoods of second city Aleppo, as heavy fighting forced the closure of a third of the shopping malls of what is Syria’s commercial capital, pro-government media said.

The rebel Free Syrian Army said the regime’s chemical arsenal had been moved in a bid to pressure the world community, much of which has called for Assad to step aside in the face of the more than 16-month uprising against his rule. “According to our information, the regime began moving its stocks of weapons of mass destruction several months ago ... with the goal of putting pressure on the region and the international community,” a statement said.

At a Damascus news conference on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi acknowledged that Syria has chemical weapons and said the regime would use them if attacked by outsiders, although not against its own civilians.

“Syria will not use any chemical or other unconventional weapons against its civilians, and will only use them in case of external aggression,” Makdissi said.

US President Barack Obama warned Assad not to make the “tragic mistake” of unleashing chemical weapons. “Given the regime’s stockpile of chemical weapons, we will continue to make it clear to Assad and those around him that the world is watching,” Obama told an audience of US veterans in the western state of Nevada. “They will be held accountable by the international community and the United States should they make the tragic mistake of using those weapons,” he added. Senior defence official Amos Gilad assured Israelis there was no cause for alarm.

“At the moment, the Syrian regime is fighting for its very existence, but all of its chemical weapons and its weapons of mass destruction are under full control of the regime,” he told public radio. “Israel citizens can remain calm.”

As rebel fighters suffered setbacks, notably in Damascus, the opposition Syrian National Council bickered over whether it would

Syria appoints security chief DAMASCUS: Syria has named General Ali Mamluk the new head of its National Security office in a shakeup of the security services after a bombing killed four top regime figures, a security source told AFP yesterday.

“General Ali Mamluk, who was head of state security, is becoming the head of the Bureau of National Security, with the rank of minister, overseeing the entire security apparatus,” the source said. Mamluk, a Sunni Muslim, “will report directly to President Bashar AlAssad,” a member of Syria’s minority Alawite community, followers of an offshoot of Shiism, he said.

General Rustom Ghazali, the former director of military security in Damascus, has been named chief of political security, the source said, replacing Deeb Zaytun, who will take over Mamluk’s former post as head of state security. Rafiq Shehade, former head of military intelligence in Homs symbol of the anti-Assad uprising has been promoted to head the country’s military intelligence apparatus.

And former military intelligence chief Abdel Fattah Qudsiya has now become Mamluk’s assistant.

The shake-up follows a July 18 bomb attack, claimed by rebel forces battling Assad’s regime, that targeted

the government’s security leadership.

The attack killed Defence Minister Daoud Rajha, Assad’s brother-in-law Assad Shawkat, National Security chief Hisham Ikhtiyar and Hassan Turkoman, head of the crisis cell set up to tackle the uprising against the regime. “Until now, the security services were spread among different ministers: the military intelligence and those of the army and the air force under the minister of defence, the political intelligence under the interior ministry, and the state security with the presidency,” the source said. “A process of centralisation was underway, but it was of course accelerated by the attack.” Assad’s father and predecessor, Hafez al-Assad, created multiple intelligence services whose rivalry made it more difficult for any forces to launch a coup. To tackle the crisis, President Assad has forced his regime to consolidate those multiple services, in a bid to protect the increasingly embattled government. Mamluk has been under US and EU sanctions since mid-2011 and is accused of being responsible for human rights abuses.

As head of state security, Mamluk played an important role in repressing dissent, and he is part of Assad’s inner circle. —AFP

accept a transition led temporarily by a member of the regime if Assad steps aside. An offer to do so by SNC spokesman George Sabra was contradicted just hours later by SNC spokeswoman Bassma Kodmani. “There was never any question of a national unity government led by a member of the regime,” Kodmani told AFP. Despite the disarray in opposition ranks, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country hosts the rebel leadership, said he was confident it was close to victory. “The ruthless killings committed in panic in recent days show the world that the Syrian regime is on the road to oblivion,” he said. Neighbouring Iran warned it would not tolerate the collapse of its key regional ally. “The Syrian people and the friends of Syria will not allow regime change,” Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, the deputy chief of Iran’s joint armed forces, was quoted as saying.

Activists and regime sources say government forces have reclaimed most of Damascus after a week of heavy fighting with rebels, who remain in the city but are planning a guerrilla strategy. Clashes continued yesterday, with the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting at least 42 people killed nationwide. “At least seven civilians, including six children, were killed by regime forces shelling of the besieged town of Herak,” south of Damascus, the watchdog said.

A video it distributed showed the bodies of dead children, including a young girl in a pink and white dress, lying on a blood-smeared floor, the faces of some of them covered in blood. “Herak has been under shelling for 10 days,” an unidentified man says in the amateur video.

Where are the Arabs and Muslims when these children are killed during Ramadan?” he pleaded, referring to the Muslim holy month which began last week.

In Aleppo, the Observatory said helicopter gunships were firing on the Qadi Askar, Bab Al-Hadid, AlKatergi and Karam Al-Jabal districts.

The Al-Watan newspaper, close to the government, reported that six shopping malls - a third of the commercial hub’s total - had been forced to close because of “regrettable events”. At least seven people were killed when regime forces put down a prison mutiny in the city, the Observatory said. An inmate, who said he had managed to smuggle a mobile phone into the jail, told AFP: “The situation after the security forces came in is horrifying. All I can hear is the sound of screaming.”— AFP

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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

Sudan says S Sudan treating Darfur rebels KHARTOUM: Darfur rebels wounded in the latest fighting with Sudanese troops have gone to South Sudan for treatment, the army said yesterday, as Khartoum pushes Juba to end alleged backing for rebels. The army and insurgents gave conflicting accounts of Monday’s fighting, which came while Sudanese negotiators at fragile peace talks in Addis Ababa turned down South Sudan’s proposal for settling oil fees and other critical issues by a United Nations-imposed deadline of Aug 2.

Khartoum said security is a key priority and issues such as South Sudan’s “support” for rebels need to be settled.

In a statement carried by the official SUNA news agency, Sudanese army spokesman Sawarmi Khaled Saad said the government killed more than 50 fighters of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and wounded a large number of others. The fighting erupted

just inside South Kordofan state near southeastern Darfur. Saad said a “big number of vehicles were seen carrying the injured elements of the rebels for treatment in South Sudan”. Casualty claims are difficult to verify in the region, where access is restricted.

JEM on yesterday denied that any of its fighters had been killed in the battles or that wounded had been moved across the undemarcated border. Rebel spokesman Gibril Adam Bilal said his forces had control of the Tabaldi oil field as well as the Karkade and Tabun areas since Monday evening. Sudan accuses South Sudan of working with the JEM and of backing insurgencies in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The South denies supporting the rebels but suspected JEM fighters were seen alongside its troops during border fighting between Sudan and South Sudan in April. The JEM denies any pres-

ence in South Sudan, which accuses the north of backing insurgents in the South as well.

The UN has called on both sides to halt any such support, under a May 2 Security Council resolution which ordered a ceasefire along the border.

The resolution gave the two sides until Thursday of next week to settle critical issues, including a dispute over oil, unresolved after the South’s separation in July last year. At African Union-led talks in the Ethiopian capital, Sudan on Monday rejected South Sudan’s proposal of a higher oil transit fee and an $8.2 billion financial deal. “We think security is a prerequisite,” Mutrif Siddiq, a member of Khartoum’s delegation, told reporters.

South Sudan separated with about 75 percent of Sudanese oil production.

But the export infrastructure remained in the north and the two sides’ failure to

agree over how much the South should pay to send its crude through northern pipelines has been at the heart of tensions between the two countries. In January, Juba cut off all oil production.

Pagan Amum, South Sudan’s chief negotiator, said on Monday that his government was ready to resume oil exports if “reasonable” transport fees are agreed. He outlined a proposal whereby Juba would pay up to $9.10 a barrel to move its oil through Sudan.

Khartoum earlier demanded as much as $36 per barrel, which includes tariffs and transit, processing and port fees. South Sudan said that “in the interest of peace” it was offering Sudan a multi-billion-dollar financial package over three years, including a cash payment and debt forgiveness to help fill the massive fiscal gap Sudan reported after it lost its main source of hard currency when the South separated.

Dismissing the offer, Siddiq ruled out any comprehensive deal by the Aug 2 deadline but said he remained hopeful in the longer term.

In Monday’s fighting, army spokesman Saad said government troops repulsed the JEM at Karkade and another area, Um-Shuwaika, destroying 25 of its vehicles. He made no mention of fighting around an oil field but said the army lost “a number of martyrs” in the action with rebels whose goals were dictated “by foreign circles.” JEM claimed it killed “tens” of government troops.

On Saturday, South Sudan accused Khartoum of a new cross-border air raid and said in response it would negotiate only through AU mediators, not faceto-face. Sudan said it retaliated inside its own territory to an attempted JEM attack which Siddiq called a “stab in the back” by Juba. — AFP

Morsi names outgoing minister as Egypt PM

AMMAN: In this July 13, 2012 file photograph, a follower of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood movement carries a Jordanian flag during a protest. — AP

Jordanian king treads delicate line on reform AMMAN: For Jordan’s King Abdullah II, preventing the Arab world’s wave of uprisings from washing into to his country has been an exercise in careful calibration - easing his absolute grip on power just enough to defuse protests.

Upcoming parliamentary elections, the centerpiece of the king’s reforms, will be a crucial test of his policy in the face of powerful Islamists’ demands for more public say in politics.

The Muslim Brotherhood has announced it will boycott the election, saying reforms enacted by the king that could loosen his loyalists’ domination of the parliament and give the body somewhat greater authority do not go far enough. The palace says it won’t go any further and insists the vote will go ahead even without the country’s largest opposition group participating.

The Brotherhood is threatening more protests demanding greater changes that would open the door for it to reach a long-held ambition of forming a government in this close US ally, one of only two Arab nations that have a peace treaty with Israel. The test for it will be whether it can step up a protest movement that has been low-scale and mild in a country where the king has deeprooted suppor t among power ful Bedouin tribes.

Earlier this month, hundreds of young, bearded Brotherhood activists marched through downtown Amman demanding the election law be changed. “Revolution is headed to Amman”, they shouted, gesturing with their fists and choking traffic while walking in the bustling streets under a simmering sun. Passers-by stopped to watch. For the past year and half, protests have drawn only a few hundred participants in Amman, which is inhabited by a mix of poor bedouins and others of Palestinian origin who in theory would be more sympathetic to reform calls. The numbers are lower in other cities in northern and southern Jordan, where tribal affiliation is stronger.

But, inspired by the rise of Islamists and the Brotherhood in Egypt and Tunisia after the ouster of those country’s longtime leaders, Jordan’s branch of the Brotherhood “sees the time is opportune to stage a quick comeback to the limelight in Jordanian politics,” said political analyst Labib Kamhawi. “ The Brotherhood is on the saddle and in the race for power,” he said. “They are trying to force the hands of the regime to give enough concessions for them to become the government of the day.”

Activists warn that the government must be more responsive or else the situation could escalate. “Jordan is sitting on a powder keg,” warned Ahmed Alawneh, a 19-year-old technology student who is a member of a popular movement of young Jordanians eager for change. “Our calls for genuine reform, giving us a say in politics, are falling on deaf ears and this is only pushing us to the edge,” he said.

Wary that a widespread public desire for greater democracy could eventually flare strongly on the streets, the king and his government insist they are sincere on reform. Abdullah has made the parlia-

mentary elections - expected at the end of the year though no date has officially been set - the centerpiece of efforts to stave off a revolt similar to those that have toppled other Arab rulers. Abdullah made scores of changes, including amending a third of the constitution. The changes give parliament a greater say in choosing the prime minister and appointing a Cabinet, a task that used to be sole prerogative of the king. Still, Abdullah will have final say over the choice. The government’s powers to dissolve parliament and issue temporary laws in its absence have also been curbed.

Critics say the moves are insufficient.

“It’s a drop in the ocean,” said Hamza Mansour, leader of the Islamic Action Front, the Brotherhood’s political arm.

He said the opposition wants the parliament to have full powers to form a government. “We want a strong parliament to be a watchdog over the Cabinet. We want the election law to be changed.

We want a national salvation Cabinet comprising loyalists and opposition to supervise the changes. And we want the changes to be made quick ly,” Mansour said.

A new election law enacted last week brought the dispute between the government and the Brotherhood to a bottleneck. The law gives concessions to the opposition by setting aside 27 of the 150 seats in parliament to be chosen by a nationwide list, as opposed to the rest of the seats reserved for representatives from local districts. Islamists are likely to dominate the national-list seats and get some of the local seats. Pro-government tribal candidates are likely to take most of the local seats, given their strong support from clans and relatives.

The Brotherhood says that will still produce a docile legislature dominated by the king’s loyalists. It demands the vote be carried out under a 1989 election law which gave greater leeway and which at the time resulted in the group winning almost half the parliament’s seats. So it is boycotting the election as it has the past two ones - and its leftist allies are following suit. Brotherhood spokesman Jamil Abu-Bakr said his group will “continue holding street protests, rallies and other public events until our demands are met”.

A palace official said the election would go ahead even without the Brotherhood. “We can’t stop the process for the sake of one opposing party,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to talk to the press. “We can’t have a law that appeases everyone, but we feel that there is a consensus that this law is good.” Abdullah appeared in a rare television interview recently urging the Brotherhood to contest the election, calling it “one of the components of Jordanian society that we are proud of.”

He even hosted leaders of the militant Palestinian group Hamas, who were expelled from Jordan in 1999.

He acknowledged that there “is no country or society that is immune against the danger of chaos.” But he insisted that there was substantial reform that will take hold as time goes on. — AP

CAIRO: Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi named outgoing irrigation minister Hisham Qandil, a reputed independent, as prime minister yesterday and tasked him with forming a new government. The appointment comes 25 days after Morsi was sworn in as Egypt’s first civilian and freely elected head of state to replace president Hosni Mubarak, who was driven from office in a popular uprising in Feb 2011. Qandil was irrigation minister in the outgoing government of Kamal Ganzuri, whom he replaces.

“This appointment of a patriotic and independent figure comes after much study and discussion to choose a person able to manage the current scenario,” said Morsi spokesman Yassir Ali. “Dr Qandil had no affiliation to any political party before or after the revolution,” said Ali. After talks with Morsi at the presidency, Qandil thanked the president and called on all forces to help achieve the goals of the revolution. “I want to thank the president of the republic for the trust he has placed in me for this important, heavy and difficult task, and I ask God to help us,” Qandil said. He urged “all political forces and the people of Egypt to support us in this difficult mission ...

We must exert all efforts to achieve the goals of the revolution.”

Qandil stressed that his government would be made up of technocrats and that appointments will “not be based on (political) orientations”. “Competence will be the basis for choosing the ministers,” he said. The incoming premier also said Morsi was in regular talks with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which oversaw the transition from Mubarak’s rule, over whether SCAF chief Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi would remain in his current post as defence minister.

Little known outside political circles, Qandil describes himself as a religious man, telling reporters after his appointment as

water minister that he had grown a beard “in line with the sunnah,” the words and practices of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Morsi has repeatedly vowed that his team and government would be inclusive and that he would be a “president for all Egyptians”. He said he would appoint a woman and a Christian as his deputies. Born in 1962, Qandil graduated from Cairo University’s faculty of engineering

Egypt’s Nile Water Sector. Since Morsi was elected in June, Egypt has been embroiled in a complex power struggle between the former senior Muslim Brotherhood official and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Just days before Morsi was elected, the SCAF disbanded parliament in response to a constitutional court ruling that it had been invalidly elected. The origins of the bat-

CAIRO: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (right) meets with newly appointed Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil yesterday at the Presidential Palace. — AFP before doing post-graduate studies in the United States. In 1993, he received a doctorate from the University of North Carolina.

A father of five, he held various public sector posts in water and engineering, as well as in finance. He was a senior manager at the African Development Bank before heading

tle for parliament lay in the constitutional declaration issued by the SCAF before the president was sworn in. The declaration, which acts as a temporary constitution, granted the military sweeping powers, including legislative control, and rendered the presidential post little more than symbolic. — AFP

Security tightened as Iraq attacks kill 113

RIYADH: Saudis donate money for the Syrian people early yesterday. — AFP

Saudi drive raises $32.5m for Syrians RIYADH: Saudi Arabia collected nearly $32.5 million on the first day of a fundraising campaign to support people in Syria, where an uprising has left thousands dead, according to official figures yesterday. “The total cash donations collected by the national Saudi campaign in support of the brothers in Syria reached 121,771,811 riyals ($32.5 million) on the first day (Monday),” official news agency SPA. King Abdullah launched the campaign by donating 20 million riyals ($5.3 million), said SPA. Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, who is also deputy prime minister and defence minister, fol-

lowed by donating 10 million riyals ($2.6 million), SPA reported. The campaign, which will last five days, also collected food, medical equipment, clothes, tents, blankets, and jewellery.

More than 19,000 people have been killed across Syria since an uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime erupted in March 2011. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and the other energy-rich Sunni nations of the Gulf have repeatedly voiced suppor t for Syrian rebels against the regime of Assad, a member of the Alawite community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. — AFP

BAGHDAD: Security was tightened yesterday in Baghdad neighbourhoods engulfed by a wave of nationwide violence which saw 113 people killed and 250 wounded in Iraq’s deadliest day in two and a half years. Monday’s spate of bombings and shootings, which drew widespread international condemnation, came after Al-Qaeda warned it would seek to retake territory and mount new attacks.

Overall, 29 separate attacks were launched in 19 cities, shattering the relative calm that had held in the lead-up to the start of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Extra police and soldiers as well as security force vehicles were deployed yesterday at marketplaces in neighbourhoods of Baghdad hit by the violence, witnesses said. In the deadliest incidents - a string of roadside bombs and a car bomb followed by a suicide attack targeting emergency responders in the town of Taji, just north of Baghdad - at least 42 people were killed and 40 wounded, medical officials said. “I was sleeping, and my parents lifted me out of bed,” recalled 11-year-old Mohammed, whose family’s home in Taji was levelled by the blast. “They were shouting, ‘Get up quickly!

Help your younger brothers! There is a car bomb!’ It felt like it was just a few moments later when it exploded, and there was a big ball of fire, and the wreckage was falling over our heads.”

In Baghdad a car bomb outside a government office responsible for producing identity papers in the Shiite bastion of Sadr City killed at least 12 people and wounded 33 others, security and medical officials said. Explosions elsewhere in Baghdad killed at least six people and wounded 51 others, including a car bomb outside a cafe in the capital’s Ur neighbourhood at around 11:00 pm (2000 GMT) that left at least two dead and 24 wounded, officials said. A car bomb in the town of Tarmiyah, just north of the capital, also killed one and hurt nine. Elsewhere in Iraq, shootings and bomb blasts in Diyala, Salaheddin, Kirkuk, Anbar and Diwaniyah provinces left 52 people dead and more than 100 wounded. — AFP

NAJAF: An Iraqi policeman runs his metal detector over the body of Karim Ahmad, 32, at a checkpoint as the body arrives for burial in this Shiite holy city yesterday. — AP

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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

Gun culture thrives despite US massacre AURORA, Colorado: A girl aged five or six tries out a rifle in an Aurora gunshop, oblivious to Friday’s massacre in this Colorado town. “Honey, it’s too big for you, we will find you another,” says her mother. This is a normal scene in the US heartland where it takes more than a few mass shootings to drive a wedge between patriotic Americans and their right to bear arms, as enshrined in the Second Amendment of the Constitution. One argument brandished by diehard supporters of gun rights is that if the citizenry is armed, crazed gunmen like alleged Aurora shooter James Holmes will be taken down before they claim so many lives. “If I were there, I would have killed him,” and “Guns don’t kill people, people do,” are popular refrains.

Speaking after a gunman, presumed to be Holmes, shot dead 12

people and wounded 58 others in a packed Aurora cinema, John Oberly, a 51-year-old rugby coach, told AFP it was not the right to bear arms that created the problem. “If I had been there, I would have stopped some damage,” he said. “In fact if anybody had been carrying a gun, they may have stopped some of the damage.” President Barack Obama’s Republican challenger in November elections, Mitt Romney, reiterated his strong support for the Second Amendment as he stressed on Monday that now was not the time to work on new gun legislation. “With emotions so high right now, this is really not a time to be talking about the politics associated with what happened in Aurora,” he said.

Calls for a re-examination of America’s gun laws mounted in the aftermath of the tragedy as it emerged

that Holmes bought his four weapons legally. Over eight weeks he stocked up on the Internet on 6,300 rounds of ammunition: 3,000 for his .233 semiautomatic AR-15 rifle, another 3,000 for his two Glock pistols, and 300 cartridges for his pump-action shotgun.

Holmes, a 24-year-old graduate student, also bought a special magazine for his AR-15 military-style assault rifle that enabled him to fire up to 50 to 60 rounds per minute.

Romney said gun laws were tough enough and not the problem. “I still believe that the Second Amendment is the right course to preserve and defend and don’t believe that new laws are going to make a difference in this type of tragedy,” he said. “There were, of course very stringent laws which existed in Aurora, Colorado. Our challenge is not the laws, our chal-

lenge is people who, obviously, are distracted from reality and do unthinkable, unimaginable, inexplicable things.” Oberly perused the ammunition shelves at one of several of Aurora’s gun stores. Dedicated to serving hunters, the shop sports stuffed animals, including a lion, a buffalo and a bear, and offers clients ammunition, rifles, pistols, clothing and camping gear. Buying weapons “is fairly easy, if you are not a criminal,” he said. “It’s a simple piece of paperwork. They do an instant check and you walk out from the store. Or you can have it mailed to your house.”

Indeed, an AFP reporter found out that she needed only a driver’s license.

With it, the seller checks the criminal record of the purchaser and, if there are no crimes, the sale is executed in one minute. That’s why Holmes was

able to assemble his arsenal: he had no criminal record aside from a speeding ticket. Aurora has joined a litany of horrific US shootings, including Columbine (1999), Virginia Tech (2007) and Tucson (2011). Advocates of stricter gun control measures argue that America is more prone to these kinds of mass shootings than other countries because the law in many states is far too lenient.

They have been disappointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, but political pragmatists see that he could be committing electoral suicide if he took up such an explosive issue at the current time. Several key battlegrounds in November’s elections Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, for example - have gun-friendly populations that remain wedded to their right to bear arms. — AFP

Humala shuffles cabinet to calm anti-mining strife President’s approval rating at new low of 40%

CENTENNIAL, Colorado: This photo combination shows a variety of facial expressions of James E Holmes during his appearance at Arapahoe County District Court Monday. —AP

Questions linger in wake of massacre WASHINGTON: Of the many questions left in the wake of Friday’s shooting rampage in Colorado during a Batman movie premiere, one stands out: why did the presumed perpetrator choose not to take his own life?

Suicide is often the final act in a mass killing like the one John Holmes is presumed to have carried out. It’s what happened in Montreal in 1989, Dunblane, Scotland in 1996, Columbine in 1999 and Virginia Tech in 2007, among others. Yet after 12 people were killed and 58 wounded at a midnight screening of “ The Dark Knight Rises,” Holmes, 24, put up no resistance when he was arrested - clad in body armor - in the cinema parking lot in Aurora city.

“You have to wonder, was it redemption?

Or 11th-hour remorse? Or does he need a platform” to espouse some kind of manifesto, Frank Farley, a psychologist and professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, told AFP. The fact that Holmes chose not to kill himself, or to engage in a desperate shoot-out with police, “does seem an odd component of this particular case,” added Allen McConnell, a psychology professor at Miami University in Ohio. “His being alive might provide some insights” into the complicated web of factors and circumstances that can potentially lead someone to carry out a mass killing, he told AFP. Dressed in a maroon prison jumpsuit, and with a shock of dyed orange hair, Holmes appeared vacant Monday at his first court appearance, his eyes in turns staring blankly or drooping shut as if he was about to sleep. Profiles in US media described Holmes, a native of San Diego, California, as a loner who rarely if ever exchanged hellos with neighbors in his apartment building in Aurora. If there were any points of friction with his parents, family lawyer Lisa Damiani refused to discuss them. “The family has elected not to discuss James or a relationship with James at this time,” she told reporters in San Diego.

Jessica Cade, 23, an undergraduate with Holmes at the University of California in Riverside, remembered Holmes as “a very nice guy... very, very smart; a little weird, kind of like you’d expect a really smart guy to be.” But a graduate student who oversaw Holmes’ internship at a Salk Institute computer laboratory at the University of California in San Diego disagreed that he was especially intelligent. “His grades were

mediocre. I’ve heard him described as brilliant. This is extremely inaccurate,” doctoral candidate John Jacobson told the Los Angeles Times.

Holmes was enrolled as a PhD candidate at the University of Colorado, living on a $26,000 a year grant from the National Institutes of Health for promising neuroscientists, university officials said. But in June he inexplicably withdrew from his demanding four-year program after facing a panel of professors for an oral exam and reportedly failing, Denver television station KMGHTV said. “I think his college experience is very important for us to analyze,” said Farley, a former president of the American Psychological Association who knew one of four scholars slain at the University of Iowa in 1991 by a student who then committed suicide. “It could be an ingredient (among many contributing factors) that he began to feel rejected,” he said, noting the intense pressure that any doctoral program involves.

Shopping online over several weeks, Holmes built up a small arsenal including a shotgun, an AR-15 assault rifle, two Glock handguns and more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition, plus body armor and a gas mask, police said. He applied to join a gun club, said its owner Glenn Rotkovich, who recalled hearing a “incoherent, just bizarre” message on Holmes’ answering machine when he called him back. Holmes also reputedly turned to Adult Friend Finder, which calls itself “the world’s largest sex dating site”, in search of companionship, sporting the same orange hair in his profile photo as he did Monday in court. “Will you visit me in prison?” said the profile, dated July 5, according to gossip website TMZ, which said it had spoken with three women who had turned down requests from Holmes to meet up. “One of the women tells us ...

Holmes wasn’t aggressively seeking out sex in fact, she says he was ‘just looking to maybe chat ... nothing sexual’,” said the website.

ABC News meanwhile obtained a video made at a San Diego science camp six years ago in which Holmes, then 18, looking slightly nervous, delivers an oral presentation to his peers. “Over the course of the summer I’ve been working with a temporal illusion,” he said. “It’s an illusion that allows you to change the past.” —AFP

LIMA: President Ollanta Humala named the justice minister and well-known human rights lawyer, Juan Jimenez, as prime minister on Monday as the Peruvian leader shuffled his Cabinet to try to calm a wave of violent antimining protests. Jimenez, 47, replaced Oscar Valdes, a former army officer who led a crackdown on protesters opposed to Newmont Mining’s $5 billion Conga project in the northern region of Cajamarca that killed five people this month. Humala reappointed Finance Minister Luis Miguel Castilla, a favorite of investors, and Mines and Energy Minister Jorge Merino, who oversees a $50 billion pipeline of investments in one of the world’s top exporters of minerals.

A former soldier and hard-line leftist, Humala now defends foreign investment and has sought to push ahead with big mining projects in one of Latin America’s fastest-growing economies. But he has faced stiff resistance from poor rural communities left behind by a decade-long boom.

The Cabinet overhaul marked the second time in his year-old term that widespread disputes over natural resources prompted the ouster of his prime minister.

Peruvian leaders often shuffle their Cabinets on July 28, Peruvian Independence Day, which will also mark the anniversar y of Humala’s first year in office. Humala’s approval rating fell to a new low of 40 percent this month, according to an Ipsos poll. “This will be a Cabinet of dialogue,” Jimenez said in his first speech as prime minister. “We will move closer to the people. We will readdress the issue of social conflicts in Peru.”

Humala, who took office vow-

LIMA: Peruvian President Ollanta Humala (centre) waves next to his new ministers during the cabinetís swearing-in ceremony at the Government Palace on Monday. — AP ing to cut the poverty rate from linked to old Shining Path mem- Humala’s decision to suspend civ30 percent by ramping up social bers. Promoting Jimenez, who il liberties in Cajamarca, where spending and backing big busi- served as vice justice minister in human rights groups have ness, brought in six new ministers the government that led Peru’s sharply criticized the governto his 19-member Cabinet on transition to democracy in 2000, ment’s use of force. Humala Monday. He named Eda Rivas, may help Humala overcome criti- replaced half of his Cabinet in who had been Jimenez’s deputy cism that his government devel- December, when he promoted in the Justice Ministry, as the new oped a militant, authoritarian Valdes from interior minister to justice minister. Wilfredo Pedraza, streak under Valdes. Leading prime minister as he sought to who used to run Peru’s prisons, members of Congress had called quell protests with a firmer, more was named interior minister. on Valdes to step down and say law-and-order tone that irked the Petro Cateriano, a lawyer, was put the government should empha- left. “Humala needs to do more to in charge of defense. Both will try size mediation instead of force to unite Peruvians and clearly to help Humala gain control over solve environmental disputes. But explain to people who voted a remote bundle of valleys known a Jimenez-led Cabinet may not from him why he has changed,” as the VRAE that is rife with pacify regional government lead- said Santiago Pedraglio, a politics cocaine traffickers and remnant ers who have led anti-mining professor at Lima’s Catholic bands of Shining Path rebels in protests and say Humala has University. “He has to avoid the globe’s No. 1 grower of coca. turned his back on the rural poor authoritarianism. He cannot Jimenez emphasized the govern- who voted for him by abandon- become a polarizing force, but ment would push hard to stop ing his leftist ideals and drifting instead needs to try to forge conany rebirth of political groups to the right. Jimenez backed sensus.” —Reuters

US death row inmate gets reprieve WASHINGTON: The supreme court in the southern US state of Georgia on Monday gave a temporary reprieve to a man sentenced to death for murder just two hours ahead of his scheduled execution. Warren Hill was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 7 pm (2300 GMT) for killing a fellow inmate. The 52-year-old AfricanAmerican, who has spent the last 21 years on death row, reportedly has an IQ of 70, which puts him below the threshold for mental disability. The US Supreme Court ruled against the execution of prisoners with mental disabilities in 2002, saying the disability “would run the risk of a wrongful execution.” However, the Court left each state with the authority to determine what constitutes mental disability. Hill was to be the first person in Georgia to be put to death using a single drug, pentobarbital, instead of the previously standard three-drug cocktail. The state supreme court ruled unanimously to grant a stay of execution, saying it needed to investigate whether a lower court erred in determining that the change in execution protocol was legal under Georgia law. The court will offer its own ruling on whether the new execution method is legal, which could take weeks.

“Georgia, almost on the eve of the execution, switched to a different method, pretty radically different,” Death Penalty Information Center

director Richard Dieter told AFP. There have been “only a handful of executions with this one drug,” he added, saying “if you want to use it, you need to know a lot more.” The case also highlights questions over the severity of Georgia’s criteria to define who is mental handicapped.

While Georgia requires proof of mental disability “beyond a reasonable doubt”, all 49 other states consider “a preponderance of evidence” enough proof.

The US Supreme Court had declined to review Hill’s case, but his lawyers have requested they reconsider. Monday, a source familiar with the matter said the Court will hold off on deciding whether to hear an appeal now that the execution has been postponed. Georgia was “the first state to ban the death penalty for people with mental retardation,” Dieter said, but because it was first, it created “a very strict standard”. He said the it should be up to the Supreme Court to decide the the norms and to “control the states that are outside” them.

Last week, a Georgia judge ruled that Hill was intellectually disabled to a lesser degree than the state requires to preclude the death penalty.

But “the problem is that Georgia makes the proof requirement essentially impossible to meet for defendants who clearly have mental retardation,” one of Hill’s lawyers, James Ellis,

Warren Hill told AFP. Several high profile figures -including former US president Jimmy Carter, as well as the family of Hill’s victim - have for Georgia to commute Hill’s sentence to life in prison. France and a UN human rights expert have also called for the execution to be suspended. — AFP

Romney headed to UK, Israel, Poland WASHINGTON: White House hopeful Mitt Romney heads to Europe and the Middle East this week to burnish his diplomatic credentials but President Barack Obama and his reelection team declared the Republican too inexperienced in foreign policy. The six-day overseas trip to Britain, Israel and Poland, Romney’s first since clinching the Republican Party nomination in April, will provide him a chance to attack Obama’s foreign policy while seeking to burnish his own stature. Romney

will try to show Israel - and Jewish voters back home - that he would be a better friend in the White House than the incumbent and to reassure Poland after Obama scrapped recent plans for a missile defense system.

Obama’s re-election team pounced on Romney’s plans, painting their rival as a diplomacy neophyte and saying it was not time to “play politics” with US foreign policy in the volatile Middle East. The race has largely focused on domestic issues like the struggling

economy, and Romney’s trip will temporarily shift the attention, though his team insists there will be “no major policy pronouncements”. “He is really abroad to learn and to listen,” Romney’s policy director Lanhee Chen said.

Chen described the voyage, which starts tomorrow in London, as a chance to show the value of “locking arms with our allies”. But it’s also a bid - as it was when candidate Obama traveled to Europe in July 2008 - to portray

Romney as having the foreign policy chops for the job. Romney has a tough act to follow.

Obama was greeted like a rock star in July 2008 by a 200,000 crowd who gathered in Berlin to hear him speak.

And a visit by a Republican candidate may serve to remind Europeans of policy decisions by the last Republican in the White House, George W Bush, something Obama campaign officials seized on Monday. “Given his lack of experience on these issues and his support

for failed policies that were pursued during the Bush administration, I think this trip should be judged on the type of substantive ideas that Mitt Romney outlines,” former Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters. The American people, he said, deserve to know “whether he would continue the proven policies of President Obama or return us to a time in which our foreign policy was a sore spot quite honestly in the world.”— AFP

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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

‘Experienced’ Bulgaria bomber had accomplices: PM SOFIA: The suicide bomber who killed six people in an attack on Israelis had accomplices and may have entered Bulgaria from Europe’s Schengen passport-free area, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said yesterday. “It might turn out he came from a Schengen member state. This is a lead we are checking at the moment with several other EU partner services,” Borisov said. He said the bomber and his suspected accomplices behind last Wednesday’s attack at a Black Sea airport which Israel has blamed on Iran and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah were “extremely experienced”.

Five Israelis and a Bulgarian driver were killed when the attacker blew himself up on a bus packed with Israelis at Burga airport, the first attack of its kind on Bulgarian soil. “From what we can see, they came a month in advance,” Borisov said at a press conference of the alleged bombing team. “They changed hire car again and again. They stayed in different cities so that they would not be seen together - no camera footage shows more than one person from the ones

we are looking for.”

“These are extremely experienced people who observed absolute secrecy,” he added after talks with US President Barak Obama’s Assistant for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, John Brennan. The way the attack was done “there was no stopping it” unless the Bulgarian services had “come by chance upon the explosive while it was being prepared,” he said, suggesting the bomb was most probably made in Bulgaria.

Borisov also said investigators have been unable to match fingerprints or DNA samples taken from the bomber with databases around the world. “We do not know categorically his identity,” he said, adding however: “We know when he arrived, the presumed flight and where it came from”.

Soon after the bombing, Bulgarian authorities released closed circuit television footage from the airport of a young man in typical tourist gear and long hair whom they believe was the suicide bomber. Speaking to AFP on Monday, Galina Mileva, the coroner who examined the attacker’s remains,

put his age at “between 25 and 30something” and said the bomber had “fair skin” but could have been of Arab

formed by 22 of the 27 EU states plus non-EU Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

SOFIA: US President Barack Obama’s anti-terror adviser John Brennan (left) speaks during a joint press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov yesterday.— AFP origin. Bulgaria is a member of the European Union but is not part of the borderless Schengen travel area

The European Union turned down a request from Israel yesterday to blacklist Hezbollah as a terror group in the

wake of the bombing. Israel has blamed Iran and its “terrorist proxy” Hezbollah but Brennan and Borisov stressed yesterday that there was no concrete proof of this so far. Iran has denied any involvement. “The US is very concerned about the activities of Hezbollah as well as the activities of Iran in the terrorism realm... But again we will want to see the results of the Bulgarian investigation,” Brennan said.

Borisov added: “We do not want to get involved in this long-standing conflict as we are very vulnerable... We cannot allow ourselves to point fingers at anyone.”

Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov travelled to Burgas yesterday to lay flowers at the attack site and is due to meet Israeli tourists and tour operators in Burgas and Varna, another favourite summer spot for Israelis. Some 140,000 Israeli tourists visited Bulgaria last year and tour operators had hoped ahead of the attack for a substantial rise this year but are now crossing their fingers that the blow from the attack will not be too hard. — AFP

Cameron ex-media chief charged with hacking Alleged victims included ‘Brangelina’, Rooney

PRISTINA: Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon delivers a speech as he disembarks from a plane upon arrival at Pristina airport yesterday. —AFP

UN chief ‘concerned’ over Kosovo tensions PRISTINA: Ban Ki-moon said yesterday he was worried about rising tensions in Serbmajority northern Kosovo, during the first visit by a UN chief to the territory since it declared independence in 2008. “I remain concerned about the situation in north Kosovo and the escalation of tension during the last year,” Ban told reporters at Pristina airport. “It is essential that sensitive and complex issues related to the north of Kosovo be resolved through peaceful dialogue.” Over the past year tension has run high in northern Kosovo, which has a majority Serb population.

The divided flashpoint city of Mitrovica has seen violent clashes as local Serbs refuse to recognise the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina and there has also been unrest on border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia where UN troops have stepped in to calm the situation. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008 in a move recognised by around 90 countries including the United States and most European Union members, but rejected by Belgrade. Serbia encourages the some 120,000 Kosovo Serbs to defy the ethnic Albanian authorities in Pristina.

Since last year Pristina and Belgrade have been engaged in an EU-brokered dialogue aimed at solving some day-to-day issues faced by residents because of Serbia’s refusal to recognise Kosovo’s independence. Ban met Kosovo president Atifete Jahjaga and prime minister Hashim Thaci at the airport and said beforehand that he would stress the “crucial impor-

tance” of “greater understanding” as he has been doing throughout the region on his weeklong Balkans tour. “In particular I expect strong efforts towards normalisation of the relations with Belgrade including the same serious and sincere commitment to the dialogue which I have asked from the Serbian leadership,” he told reporters.

Hailing Ban’s visit to Kosovo as “an extraordinarily important” and even “historic” event for the newly declared state, Thaci conditioned the dialogue with Belgrade on the “implementation of all the agreements that have been reached in Brussels so far”. This “has to happen in advance in order to assess the opportunity to continue the technical dialogue on good neighbourly relations and normalisation of the inter-state relations between” Pristina and Belgrade, he told reporters after meeting the UN secretary general.

To ease Serb fears that Ban’s trip could imply recognition of Pristina’s independence, the United Nations has stressed it is not a state visit but a visit to the UN mission in Kosovo. Asked if the UN could play a role in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue after Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said Monday that he wanted a UN representative at the talks from now on, Thaci dismissed the idea. The role of the UN mission to Kosovo (UNMIK) is “played out”, the Kosovo leader said. “The role of UNMIK belongs to history and the past as the present and future belongs to strengthening the institutions of the republic of Kosovo,” he told reporters. —AFP

Albania EU entry is a priority for new prez TIRANA: Albania’s new President Bujar Nishani, who was sworn in yesterday, wants to tackle stalled legal reforms and the ongoing political crisis which threatens the country’s EU integration. “The justice system will be my priority. I have decided to fully engage in favour of the reform of the legal system which remains a key factor in Albania’s integration in the European Union,” Nishani told AFP in an interview before his inauguration.

Brussels has repeatedly slammed the “shortcomings” of the Albanian legal system in terms of “independence, transparency and efficiency”. Opinion polls show that a majority of Albanians see the justice system as one of the most corrupt sectors in society. “There are many allegations of corruption, certain judges and prosecutors are accused of lacking professional and moral integrity,” Nishani, a former justice and interior minister, told AFP. While Albania, population 2.8 million, is a parliamentary democracy with institutional power vested in the prime minister, the president is the head of the legal system and commander of the armed forces.

In his function he appoints judges and prosecutors but also, upon a nomination of the prime minister, the head of the secret service. “The president can directly con-

tribute (to justice reform) while at the same time assuring public opinion and the international partners that we can reach the standards asked of us,” said Nishani, who was elected in June to the post with a simple majority in parliament, backed by the rightwing ruling coalition.

The opposition Socialists boycotted the vote and accused Prime Minister Sali Berisha of trying to strengthen his grip on the legal system and the secret service by pushing through Nishani, his former ally.

But the former justice minister, who left Berisha’s party after he was elected president, vowed yesterday that he would be an impartial head of state. “I will be completely independent of any influence from whatever political force,” he insisted.

Albania has been mired in a political crisis for three years since the Socialists accused Berisha’s Democrats of electoral fraud after legislative polls in June 2009.

“Cooperation with the (ruling) majority and the opposition is very important to me,” Nishani promised. “Despite the current divisions, Albanian entry into the EU which is supported by 90 percent of Albanians, should unite the political forces.” He warned that EU integration would be “process that will force us all to work very hard to deserve it”. — AFP

LONDON: British prosecutors charged premier David Cameron’s ex-media chief Andy Coulson and former tabloid editor Rebekah Brooks with phone hacking yesterday as the scandal lapped at the door of Downing Street. The Crown Prosecution Service said eight current or former employees of Rupert Murdoch’s now defunct News of the World tabloid face hacking charges, which carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

They are accused of conspiring to illegally intercept the voicemails of some 600 people, including Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Jude Law as well as politicians and crime victims. Prosecutors said the other people targeted included England and Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney.

“I have concluded that a prosecution is required in the public interest in relation to each of these eight suspects,” senior prosecutor Alison Levitt said in a live televised announcement. The others facing charges include Stuart Kuttner, the News of the World’s former managing editor, former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, former chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, and reporter James Weatherup.

The last person is private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed for phone hacking for six months in 2007. All eight will appear in court in London on Aug 16.

Australian-born media tycoon Murdoch, 81, was forced to close the News of the World a year ago amid a storm of revelations that its staff hacked into the voicemail messages of a murdered schoolgirl and a slew of public figures. Coulson, 44, edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007 and went to become Cameron’s spokesman, but resigned in January 2011 after he was questioned over the scandal. He was arrested last year. “I will fight these allegations when they eventually get to court,” Coulson told reporters outside his house.

Brooks, also 44, was editor of the tabloid from 2000 to 2003 and went on to edit The Sun, Murdoch’s top-selling British tabloid, before going on to become chief executive of News International, Murdoch’s British newspaper group. “I am not guilty of these charges,” she said in a statement released by her lawyers. “I did not authorise, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editor-

LONDON: Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron’s former communication chief Andy Coulson makes a statement outside his home yesterday. — AP ship.” Brooks was charged in May with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by allegedly trying to cover up evidence relating to phone hacking during the frantic last days of the News of the World. She became close to the prime minister after she married racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks, who attended the elite Eton boarding school with Cameron, and their friendship has proved an embarrassment to the Conser vative leader.

Thurlbeck also protested his innocence, saying he had “always operated under the strict guidance and advice of News International’s lawyers and... the newspaper’s editors”.

British police launched an investigation into hacking in Jan 2011 and have so far arrested 24 people under Operation Weeting and 41 under Operation Elveden, a related probe into corrupt payments to public officials. A further seven have been arrested under Operation Tuleta, which is investigating alleged computer hacking and privacy infringement. The announcement comes on

the same day as the Leveson inquiry into press ethics, which was set up in the wake of the News of the World scandal, holds its last scheduled hearing.

Senior judge Brian Leveson said he would produce his report - which could cause a seismic shift in the way the British press is regulated - “as soon as I can”. In total the inquiry has heard eight months of evidence from around 470 witnesses, ranging from celebrities and members of the public targeted by hacking, to media barons, police chiefs and politicians. Highlights included Murdoch himself saying that he was the victim of a “cover-up” by staff at his papers, and Cameron admitting he received a text message from Brooks saying they were “in this together”. Murdoch announced on Saturday that he had resigned as director of The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times. The decision fuelled speculation that News Corp could be preparing to sell its British newspapers. —AFP

12 troops, 30 militants killed in Tajik clashes DUSHANBE: Twelve government troops and 30 militants have been killed in clashes in eastern Tajikistan in a military operation to reassert federal control over the region, the security service said yesterday.

Some 40 militants, including eight Afghan citizens, have been arrested while 23 troops were also wounded in the clashes in the eastern Badakhshan province, the security service said in a statement read on state television. Other troops were also wounded in the clashes, which came after Tajikistan sent special forces into Badakhshan following the murder of regional security chief Abdullo Nazarov at the weekend, the source told AFP, asking not to be named. The clashes mark the biggest upsurge of internal unrest for two years in Tajikistan, the ex-Soviet Union’s poorest state that borders Afghanistan and China and is

still recovering from a 1992-97 civil war. The source said the dead and wounded were being transferred by helicopter to the capital Dushanbe, adding that the militants suffered an unknown number of casualties.

The clashes were centred on the main town of the region, Khorog, which lies just east of the border with Afghanistan in the Pamir Mountains. Nazarov was pulled out of his car and stabbed to death on Saturday in a killing that sent shockwaves through Tajikistan. The security service veteran had served as the deputy head of the State Committee for National Security (ex-KGB) until being assigned to bring order to Tajikistan’s restive Mountainous Badakhshan Autonomous Region (MBAR) in 2010.

The authorities initially pointed the finger at tobacco smugglers but then implicated a former rebel commander from the

Tajik civil war who had become a commander of the state border unit on the Afghan frontier postwar. The state national security committee has said Tolib Ayombekov is now leading a militant group which has been involved in smuggling and had also carried out a string of deadly crimes on the frontier. The Badakhshan region, making up almost half of Tajikistan, is one of its poorest areas and has long been notorious as a place where the central authorities have little sway compared with local strongmen, many of whom fought as rebels in the civil war.

The government confirmed that a major operation was under way in Khorog to detain members of organised criminal groups after they refused to give themselves up voluntarily.

A top regional prosecutor, Nafasbek Dilshodov, was also seriously wounded in what the authorities described as a “terror

attack” on Monday night. In a sign of the gravity of the situation, all phone and Internet communication links with Badakhshan have been cut off.

Tajik media said all shops in Khorog were closed, the market was shut and all state offices besides the police were not working.

Meanwhile, the telecommunications agency has also blocked the independent Tajik news site Asia Plus after it published an inter view with Ayombekov. The unrest appears to be the most serious security challenge for the regime of President Emomali Rahkmon since the security forces suffered repeated attacks by militants in the Rasht Valley in the summer 2010. That violence followed the escape of 25 militants from a prison in a brazen nighttime jailbreak in Aug 2010 that saw almost 40 members of the security forces killed. — AFP

11

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

international

Ahmadi diaspora in UK feels Pakistan shocks LONDON: Perhaps the text messages foreshadowed what was about to happen in Pakistan. One in June telling him his services as a London taxi driver would not be needed. A second in July: “u r qadiani and qadianis are not muslims. They r kaafirs”. And then a phone call from an anguished relative back home. Police had come to their mosque, the pride of the local Ahmadi community, in the town of Kharian in Pakistan’s Punjab province and torn down its minarets.

“It was a very beautiful mosque,” recalled Munawar Ahmed Khurshid, the imam who laid the first stone when the mosque was built, and who like many Ahmadis has since moved to Britain after Pakistan’s laws turned increasingly hostile to the sect - often known by the derogatory term Qadiani in Pakistan and dismissed as kafir, or infidels. Begun in 1978 to replace the old mosque where Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis had once prayed together - “We were in such harmony; they prayed on one side and we on the other,” said Khurshid - it was a big Moghul-style, two-storey structure. It had two large minarets and eight smaller minarets, and everyone in the community - labourers and professionals alike - had worked side-by-side to build it.

Then on July 10, police destroyed the smaller minarets to enforce laws passed

by Pakistan’s then military ruler Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1984 which forbid Ahmadis from doing anything associated with Islam - backing up with zeal a parliamentary decision from 1974 declaring them non-Muslims. According to people from the town, the police used Christians - poor men who worked for municipal authorities cleaning the streets and the drains - to deface the

kalima, the fundamental tenet of Islamic faith inscribed in Arabic calligraphy outside the mosque.

And such is the intimacy between Pakistan and its 1.2 million-strong diaspora in Britain that not only did the Ahmadi community in London learn the details from their families before it was reported in the media, they have seen the echoes of the same persecution here. Or more strangely, a foreshadowing. Hence the texts to the taxi driver whose name has been withheld for security reasons - who broke off from a conversation about events in Pakistan to bring out his phone to show the messages he received in London.

Qadiani is an insult which deprives Ahmadis of a description associated with Islam. It is based on the name of the town in what is now Indian Punjab where the sect’s founder began the reformist movement in 19th century British India. The term kafir, or infidel, has been most powerfully associated with the takfiri tradition of Al-Qaeda in deciding who should be accepted as Muslims, fuelling violence among Islam’s many sects in Pakistan and elsewhere.

In Pakistan, the Ahmadis have become particularly vulnerable since 1984. In May 2010, at least 86 people were killed in militant attacks on two Ahmadi mosques in Punjab’s capital Lahore. Every month or so in Pakistan, Ahmadis are killed in ones or twos sometimes stabbed, sometimes shot.

In Britain, which the spiritual leader of the sect has made his home, there have been, as yet, no deaths. Yet the threat is there in the text messages. It is there in the boycott of a butcher because people are told his meat is not halal even though it comes from the

same slaughterhouse as that sold by non-Ahmadi butchers. It is there in leaflets distributed quietly in London declaring that Ahmadis are “wajib ul qatl” - worthy of death.

The social pressures behind challenges to Ahmadis are not the same in Pakistan and Britain but the impact is similar. In Pakistan, the Ahmadi question was more than a sectarian rift; it was also about competition for economic and political power - the community was hard-working, close-knit, often well-off and in the past, politically influential. They were an easy target for rightwing religious parties in antiAhmadi protests in 1953 - violence which led to Pakistan’s first imposition of martial law in Lahore.

Their targeting was also the first to reveal the faultlines between Pakistan’s many sects which has made it so hard for the country to find a common identity in Islam. Since the Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims in 1974, fresh rifts have developed, with Shiites targeted as infidels and fighting even between different Sunni sects. It is a splintering which is finding its way into the diaspora. In Pakistan, sectarianism flourished particularly in Punjab province, original home of the Ahmadis, where a permissive attitude to Islamist militancy has made it - far more so than the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan the real centre of gravity for the country’s many religious and ethnic divides.

Many Ahmadis came to Britain along with their spiritual leader - leaving behind an estimated four to five million who either chose to stay or could not afford to leave. They were followed. The Khatme Nubuwwat, an organisation set up in Pakistan to counter the Ahmadis and prevent them from proselytising,

established a presence in Britain. Its activities are often under the radar in Britain, where laws against inciting religious hatred can be difficult to enforce without clear proof of intent.

Thus the Khatme Nubuwwat has been able to quietly hand out leaflets declaring Ahmadis worthy of death on the grounds that they insult Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by appearing to question whether he was, as Muslims believe, the last prophet. Ahmadis dispute this interpretation. More recently, according to the Ahmadi community in London, the Khatme Nubuwwat had produced new leaflets, handed out at market stalls on London high streets.

These are carefully argued sevenpage texts stamped with addresses of the Khatme Nubuwwat in London and Lahore which mix social commentary with theology to declare that Ahmadis people “who have established their colony near London” - deserve capital punishment under Islamic law. The texts - written in the confident language of those claiming to be religious scholars skirt around UK laws by arguing Ahmadis should not be killed within Britain itself. “To administer capital punishment is the right of an Islamic state. If there is no Islamic state, individuals cannot and should not administer this punishment,” one leaflet reads. “Then what can be done at individual level? We should boycott them. We should not establish social ties with them.”

The Ahmadis noticed the appearance of the leaflets early this year.

Meanwhile back home in Pakistan, local mullahs and rightwing religious parties had begun to agitate against the mosque in Kharian. The Ahmadis refused to take down their minarets they dispute a version of events, cited in

the Pakistani press, that the destruction had been carried out by mutual agreement. The police took action, they say, without even waiting for a court order.

“Here it is clear there is no court order,” said Naseer Dean, Regional Amir London of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK. “The worry is that we have moved from having a state where they used some kind of legality to persecute the community; now it is a freefor-all. There is no protection for Ahmadis at all.”

The anguished phone calls began the detail recounted not so much in Pakistan but in London - while at home in Kharian came a few quiet expressions of regret. Some of the Christians who had grown up in the same area had come to apologise, said one of the relatives in London. “They were forced to do it.” So too did one of the policemen also a local man - who blamed the destruction of the minarets on pressure from outsiders.

Whatever regret was expressed remained quiet. In a country where leading politicians have been killed for challenging Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, few dare speak out to defend Ahmadis.

Even the more liberal English-language media is afraid to describe them as Muslims or their place of worship as a “masjid” or mosque for fear of retribution. But everyone is speaking out in London, on both sides of the sectarian divide, with campaigns in Britain quietly influencing events in Pakistan just as the rifts seep back into the diaspora. In another leaflet the Khatme Nubuwwat is emphatic that it is the duty of all Muslims to challenge the Ahmadis. It ends with an appeal to well-off British Pakistanis to send funds to a bank account in Lahore. —Reuters

India struggles to quell deadly riots in Assam Remote hamlets set on fire

JAMMU: An Indian farmer walks through a dry, cracked paddy field on the outskirts of Jammu yesterday. —AP

India frets over delayed monsoon damaging crops NEW DELHI: Cracked earth. Failing harvests.

Drying streams and sinking hopes. Indians have grown increasingly desperate waiting for the long-delayed deluge of this year’s monsoon, the annual rains that replenish India’s rivers and quench crops to keep this vast, agricultural nation of 1.2 billion fed through the year. As cities swelter and farmers helplessly watch their harvests wilt and profits vanish, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the nation Monday the government was ready “to address any situation that may arise due to any rainfall anomalies.”

So far, the rains were at least 22 percent below normal, several states faced drought and farmers feared grave losses. Some analysts put the rain deficit at 31 percent. A drought would be devastating since about 60 percent of India’s population work in agriculture and that sector contributes 16 to 20 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. It could also worsen inflation of food prices.

“The situation is quite bad, exceptionally bad, and very serious for farmers,” said scientist Kirpal Singh Aulakh, former head of Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.

More than half India’s farmlands are rainfed, with much of the rest irrigated from rapidly depleting underground aquifers. While Singh pledged to address failed crops, provide new seeds, and monitor low reservoirs and hydropower problems, he admitted to a grim reality, with stored water at only 61 percent of what it was last year and his government on high alert and offering more than $800 million in aid to stricken states. Farmers were dubious about the assurances. “They are just exuding optimism, but they have done nothing since we pointed to impending drought concerns since before June,” said Vijoo Krishnan, joint secretary of the All India Farmers’ Union. “The farmers are depressed,

feeling their lives have been left as a question mark over whether the rains will come.”

Since June 1, when the monsoon had been forecast to hit the coast of southern Kerala and begin heading north, Indians have waited for the deluge. Thirsty migrants mob water trucks delivering daily rations to the slums of New Delhi and Mumbai. Clear skies over the countryside have led to desperate prayer. In the south, men dressed in red paint, beads and feathers perform ancient dances courting Hindu gods of plenty. In the north and east, villagers stage ceremonies to marry pairs of frogs or donkey couples in a tradition they hope will persuade the gods to quench their lands.

The prayers have gone unanswered.

Cereal production is down 25 percent from last year, while pulses used to make the Indian staple dish dal were down 24 percent.

“Some pulse prices are going to go up,” said Food Minister K V Thomas, according to an interview published yesterday in the Times of India. The situation has become even more precarious because of rising fertilizer prices and farmers favoring water-intensive rice cultivation even in arid states, due to government purchase prices that are generally higher than market prices.

The central government has said it is looking at plans to fix market prices, change export regulations and distribute surplus grain from warehouses. But many feared the measures would be undermined by the rampant corruption and poor management that regularly leads to stolen shipments, rotting grain and price fixing. The hardships and precariousness of farming have driven more than a quarter-million farmers to suicide in the last 16 years, said Krishnan, of the farmer’s union. “You won’t find numbers like this anywhere in the world,” he said. —AP

HYDERABAD: An Indian worker dries seviiyan, thin vermicelli, which is used for the preparation of sheerkhorma, a traditional sweet dish prepared by the Muslim community during the month of Ramadan at a food factory yesterday. —AFP

GUWAHATI, India: Police shot at a roving mob in India’s northeastern state of Assam yesterday as security forces struggled to contain ethnic fighting that has killed 26 people and left remote hamlets in flames, forcing tens of thousands from their homes. Rioting between Bodo tribespeople and Muslim settlers has raged for days.

Four people were killed and several others were injured in a stampede when police fired to disperse a gang of 400 yesterday morning, a senior police official said.

Soldiers and federal paramilitary troops patrolled Bodo tribedominated Kokrajhar town and outlying areas on armoured vehicles mounted with machine guns.

Locals said more reinforcements were needed to stop the violence that spread to rural areas and neighbouring districts overnight, with more hamlets along river banks and in the jungle burned by rival mobs. Some 500 villages have been destroyed. “ The security forces were silent spectators when village after village was burnt down,” veteran local politician Urkhao Gwra Brahma told Reuters.

“This morning I thought the situation would become normal, but I was wrong. Violence again started.

It is really out of control.”

Ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, India’s northeast is home to more than 200 ethnic and tribal groups and has been racked by separatist revolts since India’s independence from Britain in 1947. In recent years, Hindu and Christian tribes have vented strong anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment against Bangladeshi settlers. The latest violence was sparked on Friday night when unidentified

men killed four youths in the isolated Kokrajhar district, police and district officials said. In retaliation, armed Bodos attacked Muslims, suspecting them of being behind the killings.

Hundreds of men armed with

severely disrupted all regional train services, with about 30 trains delayed or canceled, affecting some 15,000 passengers, railways spokesman S Hajong said.

Hagrama Mohilary, the leader of the tribal council governing

named told Reuters. He said no casualties had been reported.

Assam’s chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, told TV network CNN-IBN that he hoped the situation would be under control within two days. He said some 30,000

NARABARI, India: Fire fighters put out a fire in a house which was set alight by rioters in this village in Kokrajhar district in Assam yesterday. —AFP spears, clubs and rocks attacked the Indian Railways’ showcase Rajdhani Express train passing through Kokrajhar yesterday, injuring several passengers and forcing it to reverse course.

Protesters among the Muslim minority staged a protest Monday that blocked the same train for five hours. The violence has

the region, warned that former separatist rebels had joined the violence to protect Bodo villages.

He called for the rebels, who are officially observing a ceasefire, to lay down their arms. Bodo tribes shot at Muslim villages close to the border with Bhutan on Monday night, a senior police officer who asked not to be

villagers have fled their homes and taken shelter in relief camps, but local officials said the numbers were at least twice that.

Tribal leader Mohilary said relief camps were overcrowded and suffering a shortage of food and medicine because roadblocks across the region had stopped supply trucks. —Agencies

Gunmen attack NATO supply trucks in Pak PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Gunmen in Pakistan attacked trucks bound for NATO in Afghanistan yesterday, killing a driver, officials said, in the first such incident since supply lines reopened after a seven-month blockade.

Islamabad agreed three weeks ago to allow convoys supplying coalition troops in its wartorn neighbour to pass through its territory once again after halting them in November after a botched US air raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but Pakistani Taleban have threatened to attack NATO trucks and kill their drivers, and rightwing and extremist religious groups have held demonstrations against the resumption of convoys.

The trucks were attacked near the market in Jamrud town on the outskirts of Peshawar, the main city in the troubled northwest, local administration official Bakhtiar Khan said. “Two armed men riding on a motorbike opened fire on a container carrying supplies for NATO

troops across the border and killed its driver,” Khan told AFP, adding that the driver’s helper was seriously wounded. Another administration official said the truck was part of a convoy of three or four vehicles travelling without security protection when they came under attack.

A hospital official in Jamrud confirmed the casualties. “The driver was shifted to our hospital in serious condition, he died later,” doctor Azam Khan of the state-run Jamrud hospital told AFP. He received one bullet in the head and two in the chest, he added. Pakistan on July 3 decided to reopen overland routes to NATO convoys after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said sorry for the air strike deaths last November.

The crisis was the worst episode in Pakistan’s decade -long partnership with Washington in the war in Afghanistan, with both sides still struggling to overcome a breakdown in trust. So far relatively few NATO trucks have actually trickled across the border, with

owners awaiting a deal on compensation for seven months’ missed work and security guarantees in the southern port city of Karachi.

Bakhtiar Khan said security agencies were interrogating five people held after the shooting, and security for the trucks was to be beefed up. “We have advised the drivers to move in large convoys. We are also telling the customs department to discourage sending one or two trucks instead,” he said. The convoy attack came a day after a US drone attack on a compound in the northwest killed at least 10 militants, according to officials - the first drone strike in the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

There has been a dramatic increase in US drone strikes in Pakistan since May when a NATO summit in Chicago could not strike a deal to end the blockade on NATO supplies travelling to Afghanistan. Washington considers Pakistan’s semi-autonomous northwestern tribal belt the main hub of Taleban and AlQaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan. —AFP

12

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

international

Lee apologizes over brother’s graft case

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Myung-bak bows during a press conference at the presidential house yesterday. —AP

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak apologised to the nation yesterday for what he called heartbreaking corruption cases allegedly involving his elder brother and close aides. “I bow my head and apologise for causing concern to the people due to these incidents,” a solemn Lee said in brief televised remarks. “It breaks my heart... that such regrettable things have happened among people so close to me.” The incidents have tarnished the conservative leader’s image in the last year of his five-year term, although he has not been personally implicated in them.

A presidential election will be held in December but Lee is constitutionally barred from seeking a second term. Analysts said the

graft cases would have only a limited effect on the electoral fortunes of his New Frontier Party.

“This wouldn’t have any significant impact on the election, because the party has distanced itself from the president, as if they are not related to each other at all,” Professor Lee Junhan at Incheon University told AFP. Lee’s elder brother Lee Sang-Deuk was arrested and detained earlier this month pending a corruption trial.

Prosecutors allege the 76year-old former lawmaker took 600 million won ($525,000) from chairmen of two troubled savings banks between 2007 and 2011 in return for helping them avoid audits and punishment.

Angry bank depositors had hurled eggs at him when he

arrived at court the previous day for questioning. Lee Sang-Deuk was seen as the main contributor to his brother’s election victory in 2007, playing the role of a troubleshooter behind the scenes.

But critics said he tried to wield too much influence over state affairs once his brother came to power. Several of the president’s closest aides, including a former top communications official Choi See-Jung, a former vice culture minister Shin Jae-Min and an ex-knowledge economy vice minister Park Young-Joon, have also been arrested on graft charges. Lee’s three immediate presidential predecessors - Roh Moo-Hyun, Kim Dae-Jung and Kim YoungSam -were also tarnished by the

wrongdoing of close relatives.

In May 2009 Roh committed suicide by throwing himself off a cliff after he was questioned as a suspect in a multi-million dollar corruption case. Roh apologised for his family’s involvement but did not admit personal wrongdoing. Lee has made several previous public apologies during his time in office. “He took a step forward because the apology was needed for the party, for himself and for the people,” said Professor Lee. “However, he will need a bigger apology if the investigation (into his brother) turns out to be true. It would have been better if he had urged that the investigation proceed transparently, on top of the apology he made.” —AFP

China dubs tiny island a city in sea claim bid Beijing aims to strengthen control over disputed isles BEIJING: China’s newest city is a tiny and remote island in the South China Sea, barely large enough to host a single airstrip.

There is a post office, bank, supermarket and a hospital, but little else. Fresh water comes by freighter on a 13-hour journey from China’s southernmost province. Welcome to Sansha, China’s expanding toehold in the world’s most disputed waters, portions of which are also claimed by

Sansha last month to “consolidate administration” over the Paracel and Spratly island chains and the Macclesfield Bank, a large, completely submerged atoll that boasts rich fishing grounds that is also claimed by Taiwan and the Philippines.

Vietnam and China both claim the Paracels, of which Yongxing, little more than half the size of Manhattan’s Central Park, is part.

The two countries along with the

or and other officials. The Chinese flag was raised and national anthem played before plaques for the Sansha Municipal Government and the Sansha Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China were unveiled on a white-columned government building. Mayor Xiao Jie trumpeted Sansha’s important role in protecting China’s sovereignty. He said the designation of Sansha as a new city was “a wise decision

YONGXING ISLAND, China: Representatives cast their votes in the first session of the first Sansha Municipal People’s Congress held on this island, the government seat of Sansha City, in south China’s Hainan province Monday. —AP Vietnam, the Philippines and other neighbors. Yesterday, as blustery island winds buffeted palm trees, a new mayor declared Sansha with a population of just 1,000 China’s newest municipality.

Beijing has created the city administration to oversee not only the rugged outpost but hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of water, aiming to strengthen its control over disputed - and potentially oil-rich - islands. A spokesman for the Philippines Foreign Ministry said Manila did not recognize the city or its jurisdiction. Vietnam said China’s actions violated international law.

The city administration is on tiny Yongxing island, 350 km southeast from China’s tropical Hainan Island. The Cabinet approved

Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim all or parts of the Spratlys. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and its island groups, and its disputes occasionally erupt into open confrontation. The islands, many of them occupied by garrisons from the various claimants, sit amid some of the world’s busiest commercial sea lanes, along with rich fishing grounds and potential oil and gas deposits. China has approved the formal establishment of a military garrison for Sansha, though specific details have yet to be released.

Official broadcaster China Central Television aired yesterday morning’s formal establishment ceremony live from Sansha, with speeches from the city’s new may-

made by the party and the government of China to protect the sovereign rights of China, and to strengthen the protection and the development of natural resources.”

The official Xinhua News Agency reported earlier that Sansha’s jurisdiction covers just 13 sq km of land but 2 million sq km of surrounding waters. Sansha means “three sandbanks” in Mandarin and appears to refer to the Chinese names for the disputed island chains and atoll, known in Chinese as the West, South and Middle Banks, or Xisha, Nansha and Zhongsha. A description from a former People’s Liberation Army officer who was among the officials overseeing the island before Sansha was established paints a

picture of a harsh and isolated post where officials took turns staffing for a month at a time. Though, he said fishermen live there all year round. “The living conditions are pretty simple,” Tan Xiankun, director of the office in Hainan overseeing Xisha and other South China Sea territories, told AP in 2010. “It’s very humid and hot, more than 30 degrees, and there’s salt everywhere. There’s no fresh water, except for what’s shipped in and what’s collected from rain water.”

Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said Manila has expressed its concern and registered a strong protest with Beijing over the decision to set up a military garrison on Sansha. “ The Philippines does not recognize the Sansha city and the extent of its jurisdiction and considers recent measures taken by China as unacceptable,” Hernandez told a news conference. Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said in a statement that Vietnam had protested to the Chinese foreign ministry. “China’s establishment of the so-called ‘Sansha City’ ... violated international law, seriously violating Vietnam sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly archipelagoes,” Nghi said.

A report released Tuesday by the International Crisis Group think tank said that although China’s large claim to the South China Sea and its assertive approach has rattled other claimants, Beijing is “not stoking tensions on its own”. “South East Asian claimants, with Vietnam and the Philippines in the forefront, are now more forcefully defending their claims - and enlisting outside allies - with considerable energy,” it said, a reference to Washington’s move to influence the Asian balance of power by supporting China’s neighbors.

The report also warned that the risk of escalation was high and urged claimants to find ways to jointly manage energy resources and fishing areas while also agreeing on a mechanism for handling incidents. “In the absence of such a mechanism, tensions in the South China Sea could all too easily be driven to irreversible levels,” it said. —AP

China censors coverage of Beijing floods BEIJING: Beijing authorities have reportedly ordered Chinese media to stick to positive news about record weekend floods, after the death of at least 37 people sparked fierce criticism of the government. Censors also deleted microblog posts criticising the official response to the disaster in China’s rapidly modernising capital, which came at a time of heightened political sensitivity ahead of a 10yearly handover of power. City propaganda chief Lu Wei told media outlets to stick to stories of “achievements worthy of praise and tears”, the Beijing Times daily reported, as authorities tried to stem a tide of accusations that they failed to do enough.

Many Beijing residents took to the country’s popular microblogs, or weibos, to complain that some of the deaths could have been prevented if better warnings had been issued and the city’s ancient drainage systems modernised. A call by the Beijing government for donations to an emergency flood relief fund was also criticised by microbloggers, with many ridiculing the authorities for asking ordinary people to pay for the damage. Yesterday, over 72,000 postings on a microblog thread focused on the call for donations were deleted.

David Bandurski, who monitors China’s Internet censorship at the Hong Kong-based China Media Project, said most of the microblog postings censored in China over the last two days related to the Beijing floods. “There could be a number of reasons

for this, but the overarching reason could be the upcoming change of leadership at the (Communist Party’s) 18th Party Congress,” Bandurski told AFP. “This is an important political meeting, so when people are pointing responsibility at local government incompetence, everyone goes into sensitive mode... no one wants to take responsibility for anything.”

This year’s Congress will see President Hu Jintao step down from his position as head of China’s ruling Communist party in a leadership change that will usher in a new generation of leaders expected to be led by Vice President Xi Jinping. Authorities were still clearing up the damage from Saturday’s disaster as the country’s top leaders gathered in Beijing on Monday for a meeting addressed by Hu that was given front-page coverage in state newspapers.

The China Daily, a state-run English-language newspaper with a predominantly foreign readership, ran an editorial yesterday urging Beijing authorities to improve the drainage system, which it said “leaves much to be desired”. But much of China’s state-run media steered away from critical stories, focusing on human interest angles of residents helping each other out. Senior Beijing leaders at an emergency meeting late Monday urged greater efforts to find those still missing, identify the bodies and repair flood-damaged roads.

But residents in the worst hit district of Fangshan on the mountainous southwestern outskirts of China’s sprawling capital told AFP the government was doing little to help find their missing lovedones. “The government doesn’t help at all, every family is responsible for searching for their own family members,” said Wang Baoxiang, whose 30year-old nephew had been missing since going out in Saturday’s rains. According to official assessments released Monday, seven people remained missing, but in the badly hit Fangshan district, locals told AFP reporters that at least 10 people were missing in one small village.

Yesterday’s Beijing Daily quoted mayor Guo Jinlong as saying any increases in the death toll should be reported immediately, amid suspicion that the authorities may be underplaying the impact of the floods. Guo also urged journalists to “correctly guide public opinion”, code words in China that which mean to only portray the government in a positive light. “The news media has played a very good role in timely reporting the developments in emergency response operations, correctly leading the public opinion... and playing a role in boosting morale,” Guo said. “The focus of our rescue work and news propaganda must now be moved toward the suburban areas, especially those areas severely hit by the disaster like Fangshan.” —AFP

HONG KONG: A scaffolding is seen collapsed atop a residential building in the aftermath of Typhoon Vincente yesterday. —AFP

Scores injured as typhoon lashes HK HONG KONG: Scores of people were injured and trees were ripped from the ground as a typhoon lashed Hong Kong packing winds in excess of 140 km an hour, officials said yesterday. Authorities issued a hurricane warning for the first time since 1999 as Typhoon Vicente roared to within 100 km of Hong Kong shortly after midnight, disrupting dozens of flights to the regional hub. The alarm was downgraded to a strong wind warning by mid-morning as the cyclone passed to the west and weakened over the southern Chinese coast.

The storm brought down hundreds of trees and sent debris crashing into downtown streets as commuters made their way home from work on Monday evening, when people were told to seek shelter. Ferry, bus and train services were suspended or ran at reduced capacity, the port and schools were closed, and 44 passenger flights were cancelled. More than 270 flights were delayed. The stock exchange was also closed for the morning but reopened in the afternoon after authorities gave the all clear to go back to work.

“We haven’t experienced this for 10 years. I could hardly walk, the wind kept pushing me,” marketing research manager Alpha Yung, 28, told AFP as she went to work in the almost deserted streets.

Mignon Chan, a 21-year-old marketing assistant, said the storm was “crazy”. “Last

time I suffered this kind of weather I was small. It’s chaotic here, trees fell down, people fell down, but I still have to work.

That’s the worst part,” she said. Almost 140 people sought medical treatment and 268 people took refuge in storm shelters, officials said. Seventy-one people remained in hospital including one who was in a serious condition.

Local media reported that more than 100 commuters stayed in the Tai Wai train station overnight, unable to get home after services were suspended. A landslide occurred in the upscale Peak neighbourhood but there were no casualties as a result, officials said. “The wind and rain were pounding on my windows at home last night - bam, bam, bam they were so strong that I couldn’t sleep,” security guard Tony Chan said as he cleared shattered glass on the street outside an office tower.

Ocean Park tourist attraction said it would remain closed for the day to carry out a “thorough inspection” of the property for possible storm damage. In the nearby territory of Macau, three major bridges over the city’s harbour were closed overnight as the typhoon approached, the government said.

Mainland offcials said the typhoon hit Taishan city in Guangdong province at 4:00 am. There were no immediate reports of casualties but officials said damage was still being assessed. —AFP

Australia drops Gitmo memoirs case SYDNEY: Australia yesterday dropped a case against ex-Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks over his prison memoir, concluding that his admissions to a US Military Commission would not stand up in court. Federal prosecutors launched proceedings against Hicks, 36, in the Supreme Court last year seeking to have the earnings from his autobiography, “Guantanamo: My Journey” declared criminal proceeds seizable by the state.

But government counsel Lionel Robberds said the director of public prosecutions (DPP) had decided to withdraw the case which reportedly centred on Aus$10,000 (US$10,200) from the sale of 30,000 books.

The DPP said the decision had been taken after Hicks challenged the admissibility of evidence including the agreed facts, certificate of conviction and transcript of his hearings before the Military Commission at Guantanamo. The challenge included evidence not previously available to the government and was “based upon the conditions and circumstances in which he made the relevant admissions”.

It also made reference to his conviction by “Alford plea”, a form of admission under United States law in which a defendant, while maintaining their innocence, pleads guilty to a crime often hoping to secure a lesser punishment. After “careful consideration of all matters” the

DPP said it had concluded that it would be unable to “satisfy the court that (Hicks’) admissions should be relied upon and decided that these proceedings should not continue”.

Hicks was returned to Australia in April 2007 following a plea deal which saw him serve a nine-month sentence on home soil for providing material support for terrorism, after five-and-a-half years in Guantanamo. The former cattleman, once dubbed the “Aussie Taleban”, told reporters outside court that the withdrawal of the case showed that prosecutors “have no evidence that I’ve committed any crime”. “In a way I feel that this has cleared my name and I hope now that the Australian government acknowledges that Guantanamo Bay and everything connected with it is illegal,” he said.

“I’ve always felt that it’s always been political - whether back in the days of Guantanamo Bay, and now I’ve been out for four years and we’re still going - and there’s been some closure to that today.”

Hicks had welcomed the case as a chance to challenge his conviction by the US Military Commission “in a real court”, and legal watchers had seen it as a potential test of the quasi-judicial Guantanamo system. But Hicks said the government had “pulled the pin, they weren’t prepared to fight us on that” because there was no evidence of any crime. —AFP

14

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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Issues

Scant compassion for Rohingya refugees

By Nicolas Haque fficially they don’t even exist, but in reality authorities tolerate their presence.

Bangladeshi official say there are about 300,000 unregistered Muslim Rohingya refugees from Myanmar living in dismal and squalid conditions with no electricity or drinking water and restricted from access to hospitals or schools.

Leaving the camps is prohibited, but many find a way out anyway.

Visitors are not welcome, especially ones with cameras. Police informants are placed inside and out to keep an eye on unauthorized visitors. We managed to sneak in during a sudden spell of heavy monsoon downpour. The rains were a blessing; the police informants ran for cover and we walked unnoticed into the camp. As we climbed up the narrow muddy lanes, an eerie silence hung thick in the air. Behind each improvised tent we passed, we could see the eyes of men, women and children peering out. They were all quiet, as if in hiding. Some were shaking. They were scared.

Last month, sectarian violence between the Rohingya Muslim minority and the Buddhist majority left about 80 dead and many more injured in Myanmar’s Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh. The violence was taken as a sign of more to come; thousands tried to flee across the border into Bangladesh and they continue to do so. Authorities in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka do not see these fleeing Rohingyas as refugees but as illegal asylum seekers, and the country’s border guards are under strict order to send them back to where they came from. Still, many make it across.

Huddled in a dark makeshift tent made of mud and plastic sheets, I tried to speak to a group of them. It took time to build trust, to get the conversation going. Their silence speaks much louder than words. Some wept. A 14-year-old girl broke the silence. She said one word. “Rape.” The others followed suit. They told us the Myanmar army and police go house to house, abducting men and sexually abusing women. One of the elders described what was happening in his homeland as state sponsored sectarian violence. And it is escalating, he said.

For decades, Muslim Rohingyas have suffered extreme discrimination. Their dark skin and religious difference are a source of deep prejudice amongst Myanmar’s Buddhist majority. They are prohibited from owning land, running businesses, practicing their religion or getting married.

Myanmar’s move towards democracy last year instilled many Rohingya with a new sense of hope.

Most are supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi, but she has remained uncomfortably quiet on their plight.

Roughly 29,000 Rohingya are recognized as refugees by the Bangladeshi government and UNHCR. In the eyes of the Bangladesh authorities the 300,000 others don’t exist, so they do not receive any UN aid. A handful of aid agencies work with them, but none of them want to be filmed or named. They say if we film these camps, the Bangladeshi authorities could shut their aid programmes down.

Authorities have already refused $33m in UN aid money for the Rohingya and local Bangladeshi community in the area, saying that this would make life too comfortable and may risk attracting more refugees to Bangladesh. As the downpour turned to a drizzle we made our way out of the camp before the informants showed up. The monsoon weather kept us safe, before it stopped we had to move. As we hurried out, a group of Rohingyas hurried in, like us, using the rain as the only source of cover. — MCT

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

Syrian rebels stretching regime troops thin

By Sara Hussein yrian rebel forces are stretching the Syria army nationwide, grabbing border posts and countryside regions as they challenge the regime in its symbolic power centers of Damascus and Aleppo, experts say. An attack in the heart of Damascus last week, claimed by the rebel Free Syrian Army, killed four senior regime members and forced the government to redeploy troops to the capital, leaving gaps elsewhere that the rebels can exploit.

“There’s no doubt that they have to secure the capital,” British military expert Paul Smyth said of the government. “The regime is undoubtedly becoming thinner and thinner and is more thinly spread,” added Smyth, director of the British firm R31 Consulting. “There’s no doubt the momentum is with the rebels,” he added. “The amount of violence, the geographic spread of violence, the arms that are available to the rebels, has increased over the past two months.” Joseph Holliday, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, agreed, pointing out that redeployments to Damascus had left the regime vulnerable elsewhere in the country. “This contraction is what has caused the rebels’ ability to seize and hold border crossing points,” he said, referring to several posts on the Turkish and Iraqi borders claimed by opposition fighters.

“The regime will continue to contract inwards towards Damascus... and the rebels will increasingly control the periphery” of the country, he forecast. Riad Kahwaji, director for the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said the regime’s ability to marshal its troops was increasingly in doubt. “Not all the units are loyal, and these loyal units have become overstretched,” he said. And as the regime throws its full weight into protecting its control over the capital, the rebels have made a tactical retreat there, instead “directing their full force on Aleppo,” Syria’s second city.

“Taking Aleppo after they take control of the borders of Turkey makes sense because it’s all connected, close to supply routes, close to the command headquarters of the rebels on the borders,” he said. “I think they now are moving to implement the idea of having safe zone in the area, holding Aleppo and Idlib, and that could extend into the Kurdish areas, you see the Kurds beginning to move.” But Anthony Cordesman, a military expert at the Washington DC-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, cautioned against reading a nationwide strategy into

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the local tactics of disparate rebel cells.

“We don’t know frankly whether Aleppo is a strategy from one major faction of the insurgents, whether its a reaction to success in Damascus, whether it simply represents an obvious target that hasn’t been attacked because the insurgents felt they were too weak or not properly supplied and equipped.” And Smyth warned that the regime was likely to fight hard to prevent the rebels from capturing Aleppo, or any similarly large city. “They have to deny the rebels a Benghazi,” he said, referring to the eastern city that became a stronghold for rebels in Libya’s uprising.

He also said it was too early to talk of the

notion of a safe zone along the border and that the capture of crossing posts was largely symbolic. “I doubt the regime was waiting for convoys of supplies to drive up through Iraq,” he noted. Still, there was broad agreement that the rebels are growing in numbers and firepower, while the Syrian army “is eroding” because of defections, as it faces new battlefront. And Cordesman noted that the localized strategy of the rebel forces could work in their favor, making it harder for the government to devise a comprehensive plan to defeat them. “You have sophisticated attacks in some areas, blunders in others, opportunistic actions,” he said.

“Every faction can look for targets of opportunity and if that target of opportunity proves to be a political or military success, then other insurgent groups can follow.” And, he said, for the rebels to ultimately succeed, a prolonged series of such dispersed attacks-particularly where they draw massive regime responses in civilian areas-could be enough. “If the regime becomes more and more unpopular, if it becomes less and less clear that the regime can trust the armed forces, insurgents don’t have to decisively defeat the government forces,” he said. “They simply have to create a situation where the leadership feels that staying is untenable.”— AFP

Jordan should avoid military role in Syria

By Ahmad Khatib he spike in violence in Syria has triggered alarm bells in Jordan that it could be dragged into the conflict with “severe” repercussions, analysts say. Watching the unrest in neighboring Syria with great concern, Jordan’s King Abdullah II as well as government officials said security along the northern border had been tightened. “Jordan is closely monitoring developments in Syria. We will guarantee that they will not have any security, humanitarian or social impact on the kingdom,” Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh said late on Monday as he and the army chief visited Syrian refugees in the north.

Their concerns have been heightened due to some 140,000 Syrians already having fled across the border into Jordan, creating a financial and logistical burden for the country. “The country will do all what it takes to preserve national security and protect citizens, while at the same considering the circumstances of our Syrian refugee brothers,” Tarawneh said. Security concerns also extend to Syria’s arsenal of chemical and biological weapons. According to sources close to the government, “daily meetings are being held to examine the possibility of dispatching Special Forces (to Syria) if and when the Syrian regime falls to secure its chemical and biological weapons.”

This however could not be immediately confirmed by government officials. Analyst Oreib Rintawi, who heads the AlQuds Centre for Political studies, said that “under the current circumstances” it is possible Jordan would resort to such action but he cautioned that this would be a “dangerous” step.

“Amman needs an Arab and international umbrella. Otherwise, the repercussions will be severe,” Rintawi said. The king has warned that in the event of a descent into all-out war, chemical weapons could fall into the hands of extremists, including certain rebel groups.

The Syrian government said Monday that Damascus would only use chemical weapons in case of a foreign attack as fears have been rising that President Bashar Al-Assad regime might be prepared to use these arms in the repression of a 16-month uprising. “I am not sure of this alleged arsenal and I am not sure if there are real Jordanian fears. I think all of this is just an excuse for the West to draw Jordan into the Syrian conflict,”

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said Rintawi. “We need to be careful. The United States and others claimed Iraq had all kinds of unconventional weapons just to invade the country. They found nothing and look at Iraq now.” Little is known about Syria’s chemical capabilities as the countr y is not a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which requires member states to be transparent and destroy stockpiles. “If Jordan interferes, it will be doing so on behalf of the United States and Israel, and this we do not need. There are clear indications Jordan could facilitate a military intervention in Syria,” political analyst Labib Kamhawi said. “Jordan’s role should be focused on humanitarian aspects and on helping the Syrian refugees. It should not be part of any military action, particularly that this talk about chemical and biological weapons is nothing but a pretext to attack Syria.”

Israel said on Sunday it was concerned that chemical weapons might land in the hands of the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, an ally of Syria. “I think Jordan’s location, the capabilities of its army and Amman’s intelligence services make the country a strong candidate to help secure these alleged chemical arms,” Mohammad Masri, analyst at the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies said. According to risk consultancy Maplecroft, the “Eager Lion” military exercise held in Jordan in May with the participation of the US and 18 other countries “included a strong focus on securing chemical and biological weapons.” “As the conflict escalates, it cannot be altogether discounted that the regime will consider using chemical weapons,” it said.

Citing US and Arab officials, the Wall Street Journal reported in March that “American and Jordanian military chiefs are jointly developing plans to secure what is believed a vast Syrian stockpile of chemical and biological weapons.” Ordinary Jordanians do not hide their fears. “We are already suffering from all types of problems here, like a bad economy, poverty, unemployment and corruption. Do we need more troubles?

Can’t we just focus on the Syrian refugees?” said Khalil, 25, a university student. “We are proud of our army, but we are not a superpower,” said Mohammad, a 33-year-old architect. “What if this plan ... to secure Syrian weapons fails for one reason or another? What’s going to happen to us?”— AFP

Can women change the face of N American mosques?

By Daood Hamdani he Nor th American mosque is evolving and redefining its purpose and practices. A recentlyreleased report by a group of mainly Muslim organizations, The American Mosque 2011, provides the first fac tual glimpse into changes in Nor th American mosques. Initially serving primarily as a place to perform religious rituals, mosques are developing into community building institutions. Mosques have established programs geared towards youth, take part in volunteer and community service activities, and mosque leaders have made strides in interfaith outreach. Despite these developments, mosques still struggle with fully embracing one-half of their own community: women.

There is historical precedent for women’s full inclusion in mosque life, however. Early Muslim settlers in the United States and Canada were quick to establish roots in their adopted homelands. They found opportunity for a new beginning - a privilege and responsibility possible for few generations - and set up accepting and inclusive religious institutions. Al-Rashid Mosque, built in 1938 in Edmonton, Canada and founded by both men and women, was one of the first North American institutions of its kind. It created an inclusive community where young men and women met their future life partners, social issues were discussed and leaders were nurtured.

Women played a key role in establishing this communi-

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ty, which valued their voices equally with men’s.

Women have been increasingly integrated into the religious life of the community, as exemplified by the Noor Cultural Centre in Toronto which has been managed by women since it opened in 2003. A children’s playroom, a private room for breastfeeding and separate washrooms cater to the needs of women and mothers and ensure that women have the opportunity to join congregational prayers. Male and female worshippers stand side by side in columns, following the protocol observed in Islam’s holiest site, the Ka’aba in Makkah.

However, mosques such as these are rare. Beginning in the 1970s, a rise in immigration led to an increase both in the number of Muslims and the variety of cultural and religious practices related to Islam. With the passing of time, gender segregation became a common practice in mosques, with very few imams working against that norm. An overwhelming majority of imams in North America were born and educated in more conservative societies, some of which impose a rigid separation of sexes. Nearly 85 per cent of the full-time paid imams, who usually lead bigger mosques, only arrived in North America in the last decade, and many of them struggle with how to address the needs of the North American Muslim community. Since the 1970s, female Muslim worshippers have endured isolation behind partitions and quietly chafed at some mosque leaders’ indifference. And in 2003, the controversy spilled into the

national news media when a young woman, Asra Nomani, was stopped from entering her local mosque in Morgantown, West Virginia through the male-only front entrance. Under pressure from Muslim civil rights groups, Morgantown mosque leaders grudgingly agreed to let women use the front door and pray in the main hall behind men.

The case at the Morgantown mosque is not unique. A 2005 study, Women-friendly mosques and community centers: working together to reclaim our heritage, a joint project sponsored by Canadian and American Muslim women, challenged the practice of isolating female worshippers from the rest of the congregation.

Some of the other restrictions it exposed were separate entryways that included fire exits, a ban on using the main entrance, and disenfranchisement by denying women mosque membership or the right to vote or hold office.

Concerned about the demeaning conditions and their effect on young mosque-goers - who wondered how this treatment could be in sync with a religion that champions women’s rights - the study urged mosque leaders to act.

Once seen as a women’s cause, the drive for welcoming mosques is drawing in men and male scholars, and Muslim civil rights groups are also speaking up against gender segregation in mosques. Change is slow; however the pressure for it is building. —CGNews

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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Penn State punishment more than fair PASADENA: Banning Penn State from bowl games for four years won’t bring back the innocence Jerry Sandusky took from who knows how many young boys. Taking football scholarships away and vacating wins over the past 14 years will do nothing to help them heal.

And the $60 million fine handed down Monday by the NCAA won’t be nearly enough to buy back Penn State’s selfrespect. Sure, the punishment was extreme. It guts a proud program, and makes Saturdays in the fall a lot less pleasurable for alumni and the millions of fans who bought into the facade Joe Paterno created and believed the football factory wasn’t just about winning but “Success With Honor.”

But there’s only so much Mark Emmert the suddenly empowered NCAA president - can do. There’s only so much anybody can do. He can’t turn back the clock to a time before a sexual predator, who Paterno and others did nothing to stop, roamed the campus and raped young boys in the locker room. He can’t somehow wave a magic wand and declare that all is well again in State College.

And he can’t even begin to try to repair the damage that was done to so many lives because grown men were more interested in protecting themselves and their university than children who needed their protection.

That the punishment was accepted so meekly and quickly by Penn State was an

indication of how desperate the university is to find some way - any way - to begin crawling out from the morass created by a monster and his eager enablers. There is no moving forward without falling on the sword, and the people who replaced the Paterno lemmings at Penn State seem to have figured that out.

The release of the Freeh report didn’t just cement public opinion against the uni-

versity; it sparked far greater outrage.

Ultimately, it gave Emmert the backing he needed in the byzantine NCAA - where power is but a fleeting thought - to suspend the usual punishment process and level the draconian sanctions that do everything but shut down the program Paterno ran with impunity.

Let Penn State supporters howl all they want at the prospect of years of watching

PASADENA: Penn State students, employees, and faculty react as they listen to a television in the HUB on the Penn State University main campus in State College. —AP

their team get pummeled every time it takes the field. What they forget when they say it is unfair to punish the program for the sins of Sandusky and others, is that the college community that will pay the price is the same one that for many years enjoyed all the benefits of a big-time college team. Even the NCAA, which long ago abdicated control of college football to the television networks and big conferences, couldn’t mess this one up. The outcry was too strong and, for most people, no punishment could be too great. I found that out last week when I urged Emmert to hit Penn State with at least six years of sanctions, only to be innundated with emails from people who claimed even that was not nearly enough.

Argue about the semantics of the socalled death penalty if you want, but this punishment is just as bad. The money is nothing - even with the additional loss of $13 million a year in bowl revenue-sharing from the Big 10 - because the coffers at Penn State are overflowing. Any shortage will surely be remedied by wealthy alumni.

But the combination of a four-year bowl ban, scholarship losses and the waiver of transfer rules means the football team will find it awfully hard to win more than a few games a year with players who previously never would have gotten offers to play for the Nittany Lions.

The whole thing is sickening, so wrenching that any sympathy we once felt for Paterno is long gone. He may have

been an octogenarian, but he was still so all powerful that he dictated terms of his multimillion-dollar buyout even as the scandal was still unfolding. Unfortunately, for those who still glorify him, the images over the weekend of his statue being removed will prove even more indelible than those of him prowling the sidelines in his oversized dark glasses.

What happened at Penn State is a cautionary tale for any program so wrapped up in the success of a coach that people begin to deify him. If there is anything good to come out of the whole sordid mess it’s that Emmert finally got a chance to act like a real leader in college athletics rather than a figurehead for the big schools and conferences who keep him in power.

That’s important because the NCAA’s own lack of institutional control over its member schools - allowing them to function as quasi pro teams - has contributed to a culture at many major universities where the coaches are more powerful than the school administrators. Give Emmert a big college cheer for acting quickly, and dispensing justice harshly. It was a bold stroke that, combined with the Sandusky verdict and the removal of the statue in State College, may finally bring down the cult of Joe for good. It won’t do anything for Sandusky’s victims, but it’s a step toward regaining control of college football. And maybe someday that could be the enduring legacy of the whole scandal.—AP

17 WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Olympics flag bearing: A potted history LONDON: If you look closely at pictures from the 1948 Olympics opening ceremony, the last Games to be held in Britain, you might notice the British flag is smaller than the others and is flying from a brass-tipped pole, rather than the standard wooden-tipped one.

But without the quick thinking of Roger Bannister, the first man to break the four-minute-mile, the British team might not have had anything to march behind in the parade of athletes at all.

Despite a truck-full of flags, it quickly emerged that the Union flag was missing. “Panic,” explains Bannister, now an 83-year-old retired neurologist. “The commandant said to me, ‘Roger, go and find that flag which is at the back of my car in the car park.’ So we tore back in a jeep, hooting to get the various spectators out of the way.” “We found the car, but had no key. So I took a brick and smashed the window. A policeman who was in charge saw, and an army sergeant

had to restrain him and say what we were doing.”

Bannister, 19 at the time, got the makeshift flag to the team just as the procession into the stadium was beginning. He laughs as he recalls the story.

“So there we are: my small contribution to the ‘48 Olympics.”

More than 60 years later, Britain is on the cusp of hosting the Olympics again.

The austerity and the weather may be the same, but cyclist Chris Hoy, who was announced as the host nation’s flag bearer, will presumably be hoping that the organisation will be a bit better.

The formal tradition of a nation’s athletes parading behind their country’s flag started in Athens in 1906, although the first official Olympics Games to feature it was the 1908 London Games.

According to legend, it was then that the US flag bearer, athlete Ralph Rose, controversially refused to dip the Stars and Stripes before the Royal Box like

every other nation, apparently establishing a practice now enshrined in US federal law.

Rose, perhaps apocryphally, has said to have proclaimed his reasoning was because: “this flag dips to no earthly King.” The Olympic parade of athletes was also the first time many countries ever encountered each other. It was only at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, for example, that Liechtenstein and Haiti discovered that their national flags were identical. Both the land-locked European country and the Caribbean island had standards of a blue horizontal bar over a red one. As a direct result, Liechtenstein decided to add a gold crown.

Built around such a powerful symbol of a country’s sovereignty, the ceremony was also an opportunity for emerging nations to assert their independence.

Following the Chinese civil war in the late 1940s, the newly Communist People’s Republic of China (PRC) refused

to partake in the Olympics in protest at the inclusion of the Taiwan-based Republic of China (ROC) as both struggled to be recognised as the real China at the Games.

A PRC stunt at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics saw the ROC’s flag, red with a white sun on a small blue square, changed for the newly Communist mainland China’s standard, the yellow stars on a red background. Four years later in Rome, the ROC’s flag bearer defied Olympic committee instructions to march under a sign saying Formosa (modern day Taiwan). Instead, their sign read ‘Under Protest’.

It was not until 1980 that the ROC developed the distinctive Taipei Olympic flag, paving the way for PRC athletes to return to the Games in 1984 as the sole delegation called China.

For former Olympic swimmer Anita Lonsbrough, being chosen as Britain’s first female flag bearer for the 1964

Tokyo Games was the experience of a lifetime.

“It was a great honor and a pleasure as well. Of course it was a little bit frightening. When you walk out, you walk through a tunnel and suddenly you’re in the arena and there’s this great noise that greets you.”

Although the British team normally wore hats during the parade of athletes, an exception was made for Lonsbrough, who was worried her hat would be blown off by the fluttering flag. “I used to wear my hair up, so instead they got me a pink velvet ribbon to put round my hair which matched the hats,” laughs Lonsbrough.

Hoy, who will be carrying the British flag for the second time, told reporters on Monday: “To lead out your team at a home Olympics is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and one that I can’t wait to experience in just a few days time.” —Reuters

Excited Coe sees finishing line after eight-year wait LONDON: Chief organiser Sebastian Coe said yesterday he could not wait for the sport to start at the London Olympics, but admitted that transport to the Games venues remained a concern.

With just hours to go to Friday’s opening ceremony, the double gold medallist-turned-supremo told AFP in an interview he was experiencing a mixture of pride and expectation-and a few sleepless nights.

an Olympics title. What else would I want to be doing in this city at this time?”

Coe could be forgiven for being frustrated that instead of concentrating on the feast of sport to come, much of the pre-Games media coverage has focused on problems with transport and security.

Just minutes before he spoke, the government announced it was drafting in another 1,200

LONDON: Chairman of the London Olympic Organizing Committee (LOCOG), Sebastian Coe.—AFP “I am excited, I am a sports fan, I want to get into the sport. I want to see the world’s best athletes competing in venues that I think are sensational and I want to see fantastic sport, that is what the world is waiting for,” he said.

As the face of the Games, everyone wants a word with Coe-but he would not have it any other way. “It’s a privilege to do the job,” the 55-yearold said. “What else would I want to be doing?

“It’s a Games that is being delivered in London and I am part of the team and 30 years ago I won

soldiers to guard the Games after a private security contractor failed to provide the number of guards it had promised.

Far from dismissing such concerns, Coe said they had to be taken seriously. “It is inevitable.

Security and transport, they are not the whole story, they are part of the story. It has never in fairness been a security story, it has been about the mix of security teams that has been available to us.

“We now know that we are going to be using

more of the military and more of the local police services than we originally thought.

“I don’t think anybody is feeling nervous or worried. There are two supremely trained organisations that are going to help us deliver the Games.”

He said transport was always going to be a problem in a congested city like London-fresh concerns were raised on Monday when there were long delays on two train lines serving the Games site.

“It’s a big city, we’re going to have challenges, we’ve always said that, I don’t think there is any point in being naive or coy about it.” The key, Coe said, was that spectators allow sufficient time to reach Games venues.

“You don’t just wander out of a restaurant and go into an Olympics venue quickly, there is a tier of security and complexity that you don’t get in other sporting events.

“I think people have got that, there is no shortage of information but we have to go on punching that message right to the moment when the public really understand what the challenges are.”

Coe brought an impeccable sporting pedigree and lobbying skills honed in the British parliament and the business world to the task of selling the vision of turning a heavily polluted wasteland in east London into the Olympic Park.

He recalled showing an International Olympic Committee evaluation team around the site in early 2005 “and trying to explain to them that where the rotting pile of fridges was where the stadium was going and behind it the Aquatics Centre.

“It’s been a transformation,” he said. “It’s fantastic.” But Friday’s opening ceremony-he promises “something really special”- is not the end of the road. Just 16 days after the closing ceremony of the Olympics, the Paralympics opens.

“We’re approaching the finishing line, but I don’t see the finishing line being the opening ceremony, I see it as the closing ceremony at the Paralympics. Then we can relax and look back at what we’ve done.” —AFP

Kenyan village to cheer champion neighbors ITEN: When the Olympic Games start in London on July 27, residents of a rural village in western Kenya’s Rift Valley Province will be watching events with more than a cursory look.

Iten, a small settlement built 2,400m above sea level on the escarpment of Rift Valley’s lush green hills, has acquired a reputation as the base of choice for many of Kenya’s top athletes.

“The local community have gelled with the athletes. It is now a special place for athletics,” said Brother Colm O’Connell, coach to 800m world champion David Rudisha.

On a first visit to Iten, one may be forgiven to think that there is an athletics competition about to take place. Men and women, dressed in a multitude of sports brands and florescent colours, run from different directions in groups of three to four along the narrow roads.

“This is a place where people have seen the importance of running,” Abel Kirui, double marathon world champion and Kenyan Olympic hopeful, tells Reuters after a morning jog at high altitude.

“If you actually happen to go fairly early in the morning when the weather is very fine, you can see people running. They are chasing time, chasing glory.”

It is estimated around 800 to 1000 runners live and train in the Iten area. The sport is seen as a way out of poverty in a region where most of the residents are subsistence farmers.

But one of the appeals of Iten is that world champions train with Kenyan youngsters and can be seen running around dusty red roads where many children walk to school barefoot.

Rudisha, Kenya’s most popular athlete, trains with juniors once a week. “It all latches on to the kids. They see the elite athletes

training around the roads and of course more and more are taking it up. More and more people are ambitious to become athletes,” said O’Connell, an Irish missionary who has trained 25 world champions and four Olympic gold medalists during his 36 years in Iten.

Iten initially gained its athletics reputation when St Patrick’s, a boys-only boarding school, and opposite sex Singore Girls school, produced a host of champion runners.

“They formed the nucleus of this athletics excellence,” said the 63-year-old O’Connell, citing recent Singore Girls alumna and dou-

David Rudisha

ble world champion Vivian Cheruiyot as a local icon.

Women’s 2011 world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat and 2012 London Marathon winner Mary Keitany have built houses in Iten and settled down in the area with their families.

“People here are ver y friendly,” said Kiplagat. “It’s a peaceful area and mostly people understand when athletes are running they give way so we don’t get any disturbances when we are training.”

“The (champion athletes) are role models and they are attracting people from all over the countr y,” added Pieter Langerhorst, Dutch national athletics coach and co-owner of the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten. “If there are champions, it attracts.”

Another quirk of Iten is that during training Kenyan athletes like to reside in basic accommodation, of ten described as “Spartan” by foreign visitors unaccustomed to the idea of world champions sleeping in tiny houses with shared toilets.

Iten’s fame has now acquired an international dimension with athletes from across the world visiting various training camps in the area to prepare for Olympic Games and other major competitions. Langerhorst, who is married to Iten’s most famous resident, long-distance runner Lornah Kiplagat, said athletes from 40 countries trained at his camp ahead of the Olympic Games, including Britain’s marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe and 5,000m world champion Mo Farah.

But as Kenyans await the London Games in expectation of a record medal haul for their country, athletes like Kirui are adamant neither glory nor wealth will disturb the egalitarian environment in Iten. “Being humble is part and parcel of our uprising,” he said.—Reuters

LONDON: The captain of India’s men hockey team, Bharat Chetri, makes a somersault at the end of a training session at the Old Loughtonians Hockey Club. —AFP

India hockey coach pins hopes on penalty corners MUMBAI: The importance of penalty corner conversion is not lost on India men’s hockey coach Michael Nobbs, who has put the onus on his strikers to earn enough of them in London to boost the former giants’ faint hopes of an Olympic podium finish.

India, currently ranked number 10 in the world, are the most decorated men’s hockey team in Olympic history but their fortunes have steadily dwindled since they won the last of their eight gold medals in 1980.

The team’s lowest point came in Beijing four years ago when, for the first time in 80 years, they were forced to watch from home after failing to qualify for the Olympics.

Australian Nobbs, who took on the job in July last year, achieved his primary target of helping the team qualify for London where he believes India’s campaign, like most other teams, will depend on penalty corners.

“We practise them a lot...penalty corners are critical for all teams as it’s commonly known that penalty corners win games,” the 58-year-old told Reuters in an interview.

Naturally, Sandeep Singh and VR Raghunath feature prominently in Nobbs’ plans as the team’s penalty corner experts.

Sandeep, a former India captain, is considered one of the best in the business, a reputa-

tion he underlined by firing 16 goals - including five in the final - during the team’s unbeaten run in the qualifying tournament in February.

“The strike force is crucial as if they don’t earn them (penalty corners) then we don’t win games,” Nobbs said. India are grouped with Belgium, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands and New Zealand for the Games, which, according to Nobbs, was the toughest pool ripe for surprises. “It will be a pool of upsets as all the teams in this pool are close,” Nobbs said. “We are as well prepared as we can be with the time we have had, but we will do our best and let’s see.”

Since taking over, Nobbs has tried to mould the team in to a more attacking unit, a tried and tested style that world champions Australia employ.

India played a series of matches in France and Spain in the lead-up to the Games. They beat France, but they struggled against Britain, Spain and South Africa.

Nobbs was pleased with the team’s improvement. “We want to play an attacking style that is ruthless and physical,” he said.

“We still have a way to go to get to the same level as our European counterparts but we have made good progress.” —Reuters

London ready to fight off Olympic hack attacks LONDON: Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake, the fastest men in the world, storm over the line together in the 100-metres final of the London Olympics — a photo finish.

As they eagerly look up for the result, a political message from a rogue hacking group fills the screen as the world looks on in disbelief. While unlikely, the task of ensuring the unthinkable does not happen falls to the Games’ IT services provider Atos.

Analysts say infiltrating the scoring and timing systems at one of the 35 competition venues around Britain, especially the Olympic stadium in east London, is a target for hackers looking to spread political messages, known as ‘hacktivists’, and criminal gangs looking to cash in on the Games.

“The digital systems recording scores and timings are susceptible to attack and will be targeted by hacktivists wanting to make a statement and by organised crime groups looking to profit from betting on events,” said a former UK government cyber security boss who wished to remain nameless.

“Can you imagine the furore if the 100metres final is a photo finish and they can’t access the photo and no one knows when the clock stopped.”

At the 2008 Beijing Games, around 12 million potential cyber attacks - varying in type and potency - were successfully defended each day but over the last four years the scams and cyber campaigns perpetrated by hackers have grown in scale and complexity.

Paris-based Atos, the lead technology company for the Olympics since 2002, expects up to 14 million possible attacks every day during the London games.

Marc Maiffret, chief technology officer of eEye Digital Security and a former hacker who was raided by the FBI when he was 17, said the Olympics was a prime target.

“I think this year even more so, given what’s been happening recently in the hacktivist and related community,” he said. Hacktivists mount attacks to highlight political or social causes, and analysts say they are seen as more likely to target the Games than state-backed hackers.

“Hacktivist groups like LulzSec and Anonymous will want to go after the Olympics to make a point because it would give them an immediate worldwide audience for their social and political messages,” said a cyber security consultant for the Games who did not want to be named.

“States involved in such attacks would not want to get caught targeting the Olympics as they could be banned and disgraced.”

Atos, which expects to handle about two million pieces of key data throughout the event - a third more than at Beijing - has carried out more than 200,000 hours of testing, including simulating cyber attacks from so-called ‘ethical hackers’ invited to join the tests.

The company, which is responsible for some 11,500 computers and servers across Britain, will monitor possible cyber threats second by second from its Olympic Technology Operations Centre in east London’s Canary Wharf business district. It is protecting the systems that will deliver results to scoreboards at Olympic venues, event timetables to athletes, and Olympic accreditation information to UK border officials. —Reuters

18 WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Wanna bet? Gambling on the London Olympics LONDON: What are the odds of a UFO sighting during the London Olympics opening ceremony? Or of the final torch bearer tripping as they ascend to light the flame? Or would you prefer a more traditional wager on the battle for gold between Russia and Spain in synchronized swimming duos?

London betting houses will offer odds on almost anything, including all 26 sports at the games, from the 100meter dash to fencing, from diving to soccer. The industry expects to handle a record 100 million pounds ($155 million) in wagers during the July 27Aug.12 competition - even some pretty outlandish parlays.

“We try to cater to most people’s tastes,” said Joe Crilly, a spokesman for William Hill, a gambling house that encourages punters - the U.K. term for gamblers - to contact them with any bet they can dream up. They also offer online gambling in 182 countries, though not in the United States or in other countries where it is prohibited.

Ladbrokes, another British bookmaker, will offer 11,000 different wagers during the games, according to spokeswoman Jessica Bridge. Those bets include that the Olympics will be over budget, that a British athlete will be photographed eating a McDonald’s Big Mac, or that the athletes village in Olympic Park will run out of condoms.

William Hill offers perhaps the longest odds of the games: 1,000-to-1 that a flying saucer will appear over Olympic Stadium during Friday’s opening ceremony. Tough luck, presumably, if aliens don’t make first contact until the next day.

Other longshots get slightly better odds, like 250-to-1 that every team in the 4x400-meter relay final drops the baton, or 33-to-1 that flamboyant London Mayor Boris Johnson accidentally lights his hair on fire with the Olympic torch.

And this being famously soggy London, of course they are taking bets on the weather, paying even-money

that rain will mar the opening night. If that’s not enough to make an Olympic fan cry, Ladbrokes will pay $50 on a $1 bet that it will rain every day, and 10-to1 that a strike by transit workers will halt train service on the London Underground. But the gambling story is not all fun and games.

The British betting industry is worth $9 billion a year, one of the biggest in the world, according to a 2010 study by accounting and consultancy firm Deloitte. Most houses offer online gambling as well.

There have been fears that the massive gambling volume could lead to corruption, which would forever mar London’s legacy. The IOC has barred athletes from betting on the games and sports, police and gambling industry officials plan to meet daily to ensure that no illegal bets are placed.

Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, has said previously that illegal betting can fuel the scourge of match-fixing.

Crilly said the betting industry is heavily regulated and immediately reports suspicious activity to Britain’s Gambling Commission.

“We have a lot of strict regulations in place to guard against any funny business,” Crilly said. “If we were to see an unusually large bet for a sport we were not particularly expecting large amounts of money for, it would flash up ... If there was any suggestion that it was suspicious we would get authorities involved.”

The most heavily wagered event during the London games is expected to be the 100-meter dash, where Jamaican Usain Bolt, the reigning Olympic champion, is still the odds-on favorite despite a rough run-up to the games that saw him bested in trials by countryman Yohan Blake. Soccer will also be an extremely popular wager, as will the women’s heptathlon, where star British athlete Jessica Ennis is expected to compete for gold.

A major challenge for the gambling

houses is setting the odds for the more obscure sports. Who is to say Dutch rider Adelinde Cornelissen should be a 15to-8 shot in dressage, an equestrian discipline? Or if Sweden’s Anders Gustafsson should be set as a 9-to-1 shot in the 1,000-meter men’s single kayak race? Crilly says ahead of the Olympics, betting firms assign teams to research each sport, spending weeks immersing themselves in facts and figures. Punters can also bet on which country will win the overall medals table (the US is favored, with China a close second), or how many gold the host nation will take home.

Bridge says Ladbrokes has already taken a 10,000 pound ($15,500) bet on Bolt to win the 100-meter dash and expects much larger wagers ahead of the big race.

“We anticipate our high roller customers will fancy him to do the business,’ she said. “If they were to want 50,000 pounds ($77,500) or more on Bolt, then we will happily lay it.”—AP

Social media buzzing with ceremony ‘secrets’

LONDON: Alain Bernard of France attends a training session at the Aquatics Center at the Olympic Park ahead of the 2012 Summer Olympics. —AP

Challenges for China in medal quest

LONDON: Dominant China put Asia on top of the world at the Beijing Olympics but the pressure is on as they bid to repeat the feat away from home.

When London 2012 gets into full swing on Saturday, China will be the nation to beat after they overhauled the United States at the summit of the medals table for the first time.

China were aided by home advantage, massive funding and a giant team in 2008 but they now face the challenge of staying ahead of the pack in very different conditions on foreign soil.

They highlighted a positive Games for Asia-Pacific countries with Australia, South Korea and Japan also in the top 10 and India winning their first ever individual gold medal.

This year, China have slashed their team to 396, down from 639 in Beijing, who are now preparing at various venues around Europe. According to the China Daily, 110m hurdles star Liu Xiang was forced to leave Britain and train in Germany this month after a spell of cold, wet weather.

“Other Chinese teams have also chosen to move their base thanks to London’s cold weather, so Liu Xiang is not the only one,” Liu’s coach Sun Haiping was quoted as saying. There are also concerns over China’s gymnasts after former world and Olympic champion Teng Haibin hurt his forearm while training in Northern Ireland, following an earlier injury to team captain Chen Yibing. “Once one bad thing happens, many other things become more difficult,” head coach Huang Yubin said in the China Daily. “Now, I’m very worried about the Games.”

However, other competitors seem happy with their preparations and it would be a major surprise if China did not at least finish in the top two for the third consecutive time. Liu is second fastest in the world over 110m hurdles this year, putting him in the frame to challenge for gold eight years after his victory in Athens.

China are likely to win all four table tennis gold medals and have a strong chance of sweeping the eight diving categories, alongside the badminton titles.

They are also world-beaters in weightlifting and shooting. But China are also expected to star in the pool-led by distance specialist Sun Yang-as they look to make their mark in the more popular, mainstream sports also including tennis, where Li Na is a women’s medal hope.

Australia are hoping their swimmers, spearheaded by sprint sensation James Magnussen, and cyclists can put them back in the top five after they dropped two places to sixth in Beijing.

Japan are targeting a record haul of more than 16 gold medals to boost their bid to host the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

Gymnast Kohei Uchimura is unbeaten since his all-round silver at Beijing, Kosuke Kitajima is seeking a third straight men’s 100m and 200m breaststroke double, and Japan’s ‘Nadeshiko’ are the reigning women’s world football champions.

South Korea have a more modest goal of 10 gold medals and a top-10 finish, while India have high hopes of making further progress after shooter Abhinav Bindra’s breakthrough in winning the country’s first individual gold in 2008.—AFP

LONDON: Canada’s Marie-Pier Beaudet aims for her target during training at the 2012 Summer Olympics yesterday. —AP

LONDON: Social media was buzzing yesterday with leaks from a rehearsal of the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, despite director Danny Boyle’s plea for spectators to “save the surprise”.

Tens of thousands of people attended a technical rehearsal at the Olympic Stadium on Monday, one of the final run-throughs before Friday’s £27 million ($42 million, 34.5 million euro) spectacular.

The ceremony’s artistic director, film-maker Danny Boyle, begged the audience-which included guests of the Games organisers and the families of those taking part-not to leak out details about the event, set to be watched by a worldwide television audience.

The Twitter hashtag “savethesurprise” was emblazoned on the stadium’s giant screens. Oscar winner Boyle, 55, and his creative team have done their best to keep most details of the opening ceremony secret. But the director of the hit films “Trainspotting” and “Slumdog Millionaire” acknowledges that in the age of social media and camera phones, keeping everything under wraps will be impossible.

Despite his pleas, details began to emerge as people left the run-through unable to contain their excitement. Spectators tweeted pictures of the eventone with a hand covering most of the action-while others commented on the show.

“Was blown away by the opening ceremony last night.

Whatever your expectations are, forget them! It’s beautiful,” said

LONDON: In this Monday July 23, 2012 file photo, crowds leave the Olympic Stadium at the Olympic Park in London, following the dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games. —AP Mims Reilly. Mark Beaver wrote: “So lucky to have seen the Olympic rehearsal last night. The whole nation should feel justifiably proud on Friday.”

Sue Hillman, who tweeted a picture of her ticket, wrote on her blog: “Although it was not the full line-up yet as several videos and some of the performances were not in last night, nor was the parade of athletes naturally, it was wonderful-strange in parts and absolutely brilliant in others.

“The movement of huge numbers of performers, the incredible scene changes, the fabulous music, the imagination-wow!

You’ll have to watch it on Friday

to learn more as my lips are sealed.”

There was praise too for Boyle, with some suggesting he should be knighted for his efforts.

“If you’ve got plans Friday night, cancel them. Opening ceremony is out of this world. Danny Boyle, I salute you,” said Pete Hendrick. “Amazing scene at technical rehearsal for opening ceremony,” said former British foreign secretary David Miliband.

“Danny Boyle is a genius with a wicked sense of humor.”

Organisers have already revealed that the ceremony will feature a recreation of the British countryside, including live farmyard ani-

mals. Boyle showed off a model layout of the set last month, featuring clouds hanging over it and a hill at one end. The theme of the ceremony is “Isles of Wonder”, inspired by a passage from William Shakespeare’s comedy “The Tempest”. Fellow movie-maker Stephen Daldry, the creative director across the Games ceremonies, has revealed that the show will project “a journey which will celebrate who we are, who we were and who we wish to be.”

It will champion “the rich heritage, diversity, energy, inventiveness, wit and creativity that truly defines the British Isles”.—AFP

Torch relay appears in UK soap opera LONDON: The London Games torch relay appeared on Monday in one of Britain’s most popular TV soap operas “EastEnders”, which is set in a fictional square just a stone’s throw away from the Olympic Park in east London.

Millions of viewers tuned in to watch the show’s perennial underdog overcome a series of mishaps to carry the Olympic torch around Albert Square during a live shoot.

Earlier in the day, it had travelled with Patrick Stewart, the actor who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the sci-fi TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. It was also carried by tennis champion Venus Williams around Wimbledon’s famous grass courts. “I don’t want it to catch my hair”, Williams, who wore long braids, was reported to have said on the BBC website as she accepted the flame from Britain’s number one tennis player Andy Murray.

An estimated one million people have watched the torch relay since its arrival in the capital on Friday when it dramatically dropped into the historic Tower of London in the hands of a Royal Marine commando descending from a helicopter.

Tomorrow, it will take in Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth, and Downing Street, where the prime minister lives.

The following day, it will light the cauldron in the main stadium to mark the official start of the 2012 Olympics. “Nothing compared to this,” Stewart was quoted in London’s Evening Standard as saying. “I think the excitement is growing every day.”

An estimated 10 million people turned out to see the flame make its away around the country, visiting cities, towns and villages and scaling some of the highest peaks, and occasionally being carried across water and on horseback.

Celebrities, athletes, servicemen and people

Iraqi shooter barred from taking gun to Games

LONDON: In this photo provided by LOCOG, Torchbearer Boris Becker carries the Olympic Flame on the Torch Relay leg through Ealing area of London yesterday. —AP chosen for their community work have been among the near 8,000 who have so far carried the flame.

Organisers will be hoping sport will soon takeover the spotlight after recent headlines have been dominated by a private security botch-up, poor weather and transport confusion.

At Wimbledon, this year’s men’s singles runner-up Murray held the flame on Centre Court.

“It’s great to be part of it,” he told BBC television.

“When I went over to the village... the other day that really got me pumped up for it, so very excited. I’ve had some good practise during the past few days and can’t wait.”—Reuters

BAGHDAD: Iraqi Olympic shooter Noor Aamer Jassim was barred yesterday from taking her equipment onto a plane from Baghdad to Dubai on her way to compete in the London Games, an Iraqi official told AFP. “The Emirates crew refused to allow Noor Aamer take her pistol with her or for it to be sent separately from Baghdad to Dubai, because it was not on the permitted possessions list authorised by Emirati authorities,” said Yusuf Khoshaba, public relations chief for the Iraqi Olympic Committee.

After the pistol was confiscated, the 18year-old boarded the flight and travelled with the rest of the Iraqi Olympic delegation bound for Dubai. Emirati authorities later gave the green light for the pistol to be transported to Dubai by plane on Wednesday, and pledged that it would arrive safely in London, Khoshaba said. Iraq is sending an eight-member team to the Olympics, consisting of five men and three women, and comprised of two runners, a swimmer, an archer, a shooter, a boxer, a weightlifter and a wrestler.

The athletes have had to cope with poor infrastructure and sports facilities in Iraq, and pitted against better-equipped and bettertrained athletes, their chances of winning medals appear slim.

Iraq has historically fared poorly at the Olympics. Its sole medal came during the 1960 Rome Games when Abdul Wahid Aziz won a bronze in men’s lightweight weightlifting.—AFP

19 WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Hope’s quite a Solo act as US prepares for opener

LONDON: United States hurdler Aries Merritt trains for the 2012 Summer Olympics. —AP

Step by step, Merritt rises to top in hurdles BIRMINGHAM: Hurdler Aries Merritt has stepped up his performance simply by taking out a step. He once utilized an eightstep approach to the first hurdle, causing him to tap the brakes to get over it. By cutting out one small shuffle, Merritt is keeping his initial momentum out of the starting blocks.

And with it, gathering a wave of momentum entering the London Games where he may just be the favorite. That’s saying something in a 110-meter hurdles field that includes reigning champion and record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Liu Xiang of China and world champion Jason Richardson.

Merritt turned in a world-leading time of 12.93 seconds at US trials last month. He then followed it up by running the same time at a meet in London and another in Monaco.

Despite having the three top times this season, he doesn’t consider himself the favorite. As for pressure, Merritt insists he has none at all.

“I don’t have anything to prove,” said Merritt, who turns 27 on Tuesday. “I’m not a reigning Olympic champion or a former

Olympic champion. I don’t have a record or a former world record.

“But if I do what I’ve been doing all season, something special will happen.” Back in December, Merritt made the decision to eliminate a step, a risky move so close to London. But within a few months, he had his timing down. Now, he takes a total of 51 steps to complete the hurdles. To him, that’s an ideal number. “It was something that had to be done if I was going to compete with Liu and Dayron,” Merritt said. “I had to make a change. It’s worked out for the best.”

To pass the time at training camp in Birmingham, the US track team has organized a book club. Runners Lauryn Williams and Alysia Montano came up with the idea over lunch and are serving as co-chairs of the group. The novel they have selected is “The History of Love” by Nicole Krauss.

Soon, they’ll conduct their first meeting to discuss the book. “But we’re already getting good reviews about the book,” said Williams, who’s on page 64. “We even have boys in the club, so with a name like ‘The History of Love,’ you know it has to be good.”—AP

Japan begin double quest at Olympics

LONDON: Japan’s women footballers kick off their quest for a rare double today as the first action of the 2012 Olympics gets under way. The Asian giants upset the established order of women’s football last year after stunning the heavily favoured United States to win the World Cup in Germany on penalties. The ‘Nadeshiko’ are now attempting to become only the second side in history to hold World Cup and Olympic titles at the same time in London. But Japan, who face Canada in Coventry in their opening Group F game, will be desperate to make a winning start after a troubled build-up which has included defeats to France and the United States. A 2-0 loss to the French in Paris last week ensured Japan’s preparations for the Olympics ended on a downbeat note following an earlier 4-1 thrashing by defending champions the United States in June.

The duel losses have reinforced the concerns aired by former coach Ryohei Suzuki that Japan’s women have taken their eye off the ball since landing last year’s World Cup, distracted by a new-found fame and celebrity. Japan, who notched a fourth place finish in Beijing, will nevertheless fancy their chances of progressing from a group which also includes Sweden and South Africa, who also play at Coventry today.

“Looking back to the Beijing Olympics, we got to the top four but we were the only team that couldn’t get a medal,” Japan coach Norio Sasaki said. “After Beijing our objective was to get a medal in 2012 and, although we won the world championship last year in Germany, the objective has not changed. We really want to go for the gold medal.” Meanwhile, the United States launch their campaign with a tricky opener against fast-improving France, who they defeated in the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup. US head coach Pia Sundhage revealed

the Americans had been monitoring France ahead of their game in Glasgow, sending scouts to watch their victory over Japan last week. “We’ve been able to give enough information to our players so that they can prepare for that game,” Sundhage said in a recent conference call, revealing her side were focusing on France’s attacking threat.

“Their strength is the attack. When they get comfortable with the ball in the attacking third they are unpredictable so we need to stay tight and our back four with the midfielders need to be compact and control the game by doing some good defending,” Sundhage added.

Veteran US forward Abby Wambach, who famously scored the extra-time winner to clinch gold in the 2004 Athens Olympic final against Brazil, meanwhile said her team-mates were determined to atone for the disappointment of losing last year’s World Cup final to Japan.

“There is no better motivation than losing in my opinion,” said Wambach, who missed the Beijing after suffering a broken leg on the eve of the tournament.

“We did a lot of really cool things last summer in Germany and we got a lot of people excited about the women’s game again and truthfully throughout my career I wasn’t sure it was going to happen.

“I believe this team has something to prove. I know that a lot of us are competitors through and through I mean we’re competing when we’re playing ping-pong on our team floor. “Whatever it is, we want to win and because we got so close and lost in the most dramatic way you can lose a soccer game, a soccer tournament, not to mention the World Cup, adds even more fuel to that fire.” In other matches today, Great Britain make their Olympic debut against New Zealand in Cardiff while Cameroon face Brazil.—AFP

LONDON: Qatari athlete Reem Al-Sharshani poses next to her image in one of those of Arab women athletes during a photographic exhibition at Sotheby’s in central London. Scores of images of Arab female athletes taken by photographer Brigitte Lacombe are being displayed during an exhibition ahead of the start of the London 2012 Olympics. —AFP

GLASGOW: Wearing black Wellington boots and her usual confident smile, Hope Solo walked off the soggy pitch at historic Hampden Park on Monday and offered a preview of her second Olympics - and her first autobiography.

“People think I’m an open book,” Solo said. “People know nothing about me. They will know more about me on Aug. 14.” The goalkeeper for the US women’s soccer team has always been so engaging, so candid and so opinionated that one wonders what more she has to say in “A Memoir of Hope.” She also knows a good marketing opportunity when she sees one, so the book is scheduled for release two days after the end of the London Olympics, when sales should be especially robust if she comes home with another gold medal.

She’s already become quite the Solo act during the buildup to the Americans’ first game Wednesday against France at Scotland’s national stadium. Two weeks ago, she received a warning from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after a urine test revealed the banned substance Canrenone. She called the episode an “honest mistake” and said it resulted from a premenstrual medication prescribed by her doctor, but nevertheless it’s believed to be the first positive drug test in the history of the US women’s soccer program.

Then she was one of several athletes quoted in an ESPN The Magazine story about commonplace sex in the athletes village during the Beijing Olympics, saying: “On the grass, between buildings, people are getting down and dirty.”

Of course, she also had that fourth-place finish last year on “Dancing With the Stars,” a grueling competition that set back her training for the Olympics. And no Solo story would be complete without mentioning the time she essentially got kicked off the US team at the 2007 World Cup in

United States goalkeeper Hope Solo China for criticizing the coach.

Solo, who turns 31 next week, said she’s ready to set the record straight about details of her life and career that have been distorted. She has compelling stories to tell about her homeless father and alcoholic mother, and her teaser line for the book is not comfortable reading: “My family doesn’t do happy endings. We do sad endings or frustrating endings or no endings at all. We are hardwired to expect the next interruption or disappearance or broken promise.”

With all that baggage, a little extra media glare headed into the world’s best sporting competition isn’t going to bother her.

“All my life, since the time I was little, has been a long distraction,” Solo said. “At least that is the way some people want to perceive it. But for me, it’s given me a lot of strength, it’s given me a lot of fortitude, a lot of challenges that have given me the opportunity to really cut out those outside distractions. ... You fast forward to after the World Cup and we’re talking challenges

like Hollywood and challenges like a dance show and all these can be perceived as distractions to certain athletes, but all my life I have been able to handle them and it only gives me that extra fight to keep pushing and prove everybody wrong so, trust me, I am OK with the challenge.”

Naturally, no one would care if Solo weren’t such an amazingly talented goalkeeper, generally regarded as the best in the world.

She rebounded from the 2007 contretemps to play every minute of the Americans’ gold medal run at the Beijing Games four years ago, and she was again the anchor at last year’s World Cup, when the US finished second to Japan after losing a penalty shootout in the championship game. Yet Solo hasn’t truly been herself on the field in two years.

She was recovering from shoulder surgery last year, and the rehab affected her footwork during the World Cup. Then came “Dancing With the Stars,” which proved to her that dancing shape isn’t the same as soccer shape.

She’s finally healthy and fit once

again, just in time for the Olympics.

“You’ll see a full-go Hope Solo, for sure,” US coach Pia Sundhage said. “She’s in a good place right now. Many things happened right after the World Cup, but she’s back from the ‘Dancing With The Stars’ to dancing with the players.”

Solo couldn’t believe such a phrase could come from her coach - “She did not say that!” but the goalkeeper agreed with the sentiment. “I think you’re going to see me as well-rounded as I could be right about now,” Solo said.

Solo’s descriptions of sexual antics in the Olympic village might have left the impression that she has other accomplishments in mind during these games. She made it clear that’s not the case.

“That’s not why I’m here. It’s not to party. It’s not to have fun,” she said. “It’s to win a gold medal, and nothing can stop us from attempting to do so.”

Words her publisher will be glad to hear.—AP

Bolt: ‘This is my time’

Juliana Felisberta

Favorite Brazilians eye princely reward LONDON: Brazilian beach volleyball pair Juliana Felisberta and Larissa Franca are favorites to win the women’s event at the London Olympics but one has her heart set on more than a gold medal.

Felisberta also wants a date with a prince. Celebrating her 29th birthday on Sunday with a ride on the London Eye, a Ferris wheel that dominates the heart of the city, Felisberta was delighted to spot the beach volleyball venue and its close neighbour, Buckingham Palace.

“It’s very nice because it’s near the house of your Queen, and I hope the princes will come, especially to my games,” Felisberta told Reuters on Monday at the Brazilian team’s training centre in Crystal Palace, southeast London.

Prince Harry, 27, the youngest son of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, played a well-publicised game of beach volleyball on the Copacabana during a recent trip to Brazil. The episode fuelled speculation the prince would make an appearance at the Olympic beach volleyball event, which is taking place at Horse Guards Parade, a site normally used to celebrate the birthday of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

The Palace said on Monday he would be attending, although Felisberta did not know that at the time she made her remarks. Beach volleyball has been an Olympic sport since Atlanta in 1996 but it is often not taken seriously due to endless close-up snapshots of women players in their skimpy bikinis.

Far from dismissing the hype over the outfits, the exuberant Felisberta has clearly embraced her sport’s sexy image. She told reporters it offered great opportunities to enjoy the sight of fabulous bodies, male and female. “For sure the people of

London will enjoy the beach volleyball a lot. It’s a really interesting sport and the players have beautiful bodies. The people of the UK will love beach volleyball after these Olympics,” she said.

Felisberta seemed genuinely enthralled at the prospect of a royal audience, returning to the subject multiple times during her news conference.

But sadly for Prince Harry, who is unmarried, the Brazilian said she had a preference for his older brother Prince William, 30, who married Kate Middleton last year in front of a global TV audience of millions.

“Prince William is very handsome... But I doubt he will leave his wife for me because she is gorgeous,” said the boisterous Felisberta.

But for all the jesting, she and her team mate are deadly serious about their medal prospects. “We’re ready for the kill,” said Franca, 30, summing up their ambition.

The pair have lifted almost every trophy there is to win in their sport together but their Olympic hopes were dashed in Beijing in 2008 when Felisberta pulled out with a knee injury. At the time, Franca teamed up with Ana Paula Rodrigues and they reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to US defending champions Misty MayTreanor and Kerri Walsh, who went on to win gold for a second time.

The US pair, the only beach volleyball team to have won the Olympic title twice, are in contention again in London and the Brazilians, who defeated them in the final at last year’s world championships, are aching for a showdown. “Kerri and Misty are not just any team. This is the best team in beach volleyball history. My biggest dream is to be in the final against them,” said Felisberta.—Reuters

LONDON: Usain Bolt insisted “this is my time” yesterday ahead of his bid to become the first man to win back-to-back Olympic titles in both the 100m and 200m-despite the emergence of Jamaican rival Yohan Blake.

Bolt told the website of Britain’s Guardian newspaper he was ready to cast off an indifferent buildup and make history at London 2012, four years after his show-stopping performance at the Beijing Games. “This will be the moment, and this will be the year, when I set myself apart from other athletes in the world,” he said. “A lot of legends, a lot of people, have come before me. But this is my time.”

The 1.96m (six foot five) Jamaican lit up Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium in 2008 when he smashed the 100m world record to claim gold with apparent ease, raising his arms in celebration well before crossing the finish line.

Bolt, now 25, also galloped to victory in the 200m, in another world record time, and helped Jamaica win the 4x100m, lining him up for a second successive treble in London.

But the world’s fastest man, with the distinctive bow-and-arrow celebration, has had an unexpectedly rocky preparation for the London Games.

Bolt ran his slowest 100m in three years at Ostrava in May, and last month he was stunningly twice beaten by the 22-year-old Blake in both short sprints at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

He later withdrew from the Monaco Diamond League meeting citing a “slight problem”, sparking intense injury speculation, and was also involved in a minor car crash.

But Bolt said losing to Blake had helped him recapture his focus. “It’s always good to lose. It wakes you up,” he explained.”Each training session I’m getting better and better,” Bolt added. “I have no other duties now, no worries, it’s all about training, eating and sleeping.

“I have a lot more time and can put a lot more effort into training. I’m feeling better every day. As long as I’m feeling myself I’m definitely in no doubt I can go to the Olympics and win.”

Bolt also said the Olympics would prove a big test for Blake, who is amongst a high-quality field also including Tyson Gay-”one of the fiercest athletes out there”-Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin.

“It’s a packed race with top-class athletes so it will be a different level of competition for Yohan.

It’s going to take a lot of focus. And it’s going to cause a lot of stress,” said Bolt.

“It will really test him as an athlete-and as a person overall. We’ll see how good he is.” He added: “I’ve been saying this for years. This will be the moment. This will be the year. This is my time.”—AFP

Excited Coe sees finishing line after eight-year wait

Harper lifts Nats over Mets

17

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Social media buzzing with ceremony ‘secrets’

Page 18

LONDON: Basketball team members from Canada jump in the air in front of the Olympic rings inside the London 2012 Olympic Village in Stratford, east London. —AP

World leaders, VIPs flock to London for ceremony LONDON: Thousands of VIPs including some 120 national leaders will jet into London for Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony, with guests ranging from Angelina Jolie and Michelle Obama to the king of Swaziland. The expected record number of heads of state and government will watch the Olympic cauldron lit by a mystery personality in a £27 million ($42 million, 35 million euros) extravaganza of music, dancing and pyrotechnics, amid a flurry of A-list parties in the British capital.

Germany’s Angela Merkel and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda are among the leaders set to attend what will be a suitably British and eccentric show, featuring live sheep and dancing surgeons from the National Health Service.

Britain’s 86-year-old monarch Queen Elizabeth II will officially open the Games at the ceremony, whose exact contents are a secret-but which is also

said to include a scene in which magical fictional nanny Mary Poppins vanquishes Harry Potter villain Lord Voldemort.

First Lady Michelle Obama will head the US delegation, and while there are no plans for her husband President Barack Obama to attend, his electoral rival Mitt Romney will be in the crowd wooing foreign leaders ahead of November’s election.

Britain’s Prince William and his wife Catherine, credited with breathing new life into the country’s monarchy, will appear along with a flock of European royals including Prince Albert of Monaco.

Russia’s delegation will be led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, while strongman President Vladimir Putin has indicated he may fly in later purely to watch the judo, in which he is himself a black belt. British football legend David Beckham is expected to appear at the ceremony despite not

being selected for Team GB-his non-selection drew public anger.

The contingent of heads of state and government, which the Foreign Office says will peak at about 120 for the ceremony, outstrips about 80 who attended the Beijing ceremony in 2008 and about half that number in Athens four years earlier.

They will also be invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace beforehand. But even glitzier will be the series of celebrity parties taking place around the fringes of the Games, above all a charity gala at the Victoria and Albert Museum today in aid of Sports for Peace, honouring boxing great Muhammad Ali. Hollywood mega-couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are helping host the soiree, leading it to be dubbed “Brangelina’s party” by British newspapers agog with the influx of stars.

“Royalty meets Hollywood as star-studded

Games party season starts,” gushed the London Evening Standard on Monday.

According to the Times newspaper, that party will also feature film actress Catherine Zeta Jones, racing driver Lewis Hamilton and Ukrainian boxing duo the Klitschko brothers. But the food was to be down-to-earth, including the British classic fish and chips. The watch brand Omega will host a series of “secret” parties during the Games, with invitees including Australian actress Nicole Kidman, a face of the brand, and US swimming multiple gold medal-winner Michael Phelps.

Several super-yachts, favoured by tycoons, are meanwhile moored off the Canary Wharf business district. There will, however, be notable absences as the Games begin-not least leaders such as Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, who along with Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe and Alexander Lukashenko of

Ramadan brings fasting dilemma

Perera, Mathews set up Sri Lanka’s big victory HAMBANTOTA: Pacemen Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews each grabbed three wickets to set up Sri Lanka’s comfortable nine-wicket win over India in the second one-day international yesterday.

Man-of-the-match Perera finished with 3-19 and Mathews with 3-14 as India were dismissed for 138 off 33.3 overs after electing to bat in windy conditions in the day-night match in Hambantota.

Sri Lanka achieved the modest target with 181 balls to spare, with Upul Tharanga (59 not out) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (50) adding 119 for the opening wicket to help their team level the five-match series 1-1.

It was India’s second-biggest defeat by balls remaining in one-day internationals, their worst (209 balls) also coming against Sri Lanka at Dambulla in 2010.

“Thisara and Angelo did the job for us,” said Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene. “We have shown that we can bounce back, the guys have the hunger. I haven’t seen Upul Tharanga bat like this in a while.”

Tharanga cracked eight fours in his 60-ball knock while Dilshan, who was dropped early in his innings by Virender Sehwag in the slips off seamer Irfan Pathan, hit five boundaries.

India failed to keep pressure on the Sri Lankan openers, with fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Pathan conceding 13 runs in wides.

India were earlier let down by their batsmen, with opener Gautam

Gambhir alone defying the Sri Lankan attack with a 96-ball 65. He was the last man out, caught behind off paceman Lasith Malinga (2-36) after hitting four boundaries.

Ravichandran Ashwin (21), opener Sehwag (15) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (11) were the others to reach double-figures in a dismal Indian batting performance.

“We lost too many wickets too quickly,” said Dhoni. “We need to learn from our experiences and not think too much about these defeats.

Gambhir batted really well.” The Sri Lankan pacemen were backed by wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara, who held four catches.

Perera jolted India when he took three wickets, including those of the previous match’s main scorers Sehwag and Virat Kohli (one), in his opening three overs without conceding a run.

Kohli had made an impressive 106 and Sehwag a brisk 96 in India’s victory in the opening match on Saturday.

Perera struck in his first over when he held a superb return catch to dismiss Sehwag and then had Kohli caught behind to put pressure on India.

Mathews reduced India to 38-3 when he bowled Rohit Sharma for no score before Perera removed Suresh Raina (one) for his third wicket.

India retained the side which won the first match while Sri Lanka replaced injured paceman Nuwan Kulasekara with debutant seamer Isuru Udana.

The third one-day international will be played in Colombo on Saturday.—AFP

Belarus is subject to a European travel ban.

Other Syrians, including Olympic committee chief General Mowaffak Joumaa, are staying away after London said it would deny entry to people shown to be linked to rights abuses.

But Syria’s 10-strong Games team will still compete despite the raging civil war there. A visit from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad looks in doubt, after he said he believed Britain had a “problem” with his presence. His country is involved in a high-stakes nuclear standoff with the West.

But with the International Olympic Committee maintaining a non-political stance, there will be few exclusions. Swazi King Mswati III is set to attend despite protests against his presence at May celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee by compatriots who say he leads a lavish lifestyle at the expense of his impoverished subjects.—AFP

HAMBANTOTA: Sri Lanka’s batsman Upul Tharanga (right) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (left) runs between the wickets as India’s Rohit Sharma (center) watches during the second one-day international cricket match. —AP

SCOREBOARD HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka: Complete scoreboard of the second one-day international between Sri Lanka and India in Hambantota yesterday: India: (Raina), 5-60 (Dhoni), 6-79 (Pathan), 7-107 (Ashwin), 8-113 G. Gambhir c Sangakkara b Malinga 65 (Zaheer), 9-132 (Ojha), 10-138 (Gambhir).

V. Sehwag c and b Perera 15 Bowling: Malinga 7.3-0-36-2, Udana 6-0-42-0 (w5), Perera 8-3V. Kohli c Sangakkara b Perera 1 19-3, Mathews 7-2-14-3, Herath 5-0-21-1.

R. Sharma b Mathews 0 Sri Lanka: S. Raina b Perera 1 U. Tharanga not out 59 MS Dhoni c Sangakkara b Mathews 11 T. Dilshan c Dhoni b Ashwin 50 Irfan Pathan c Perera b Malinga 6 D. Chandimal not out 6 R. Ashwin run out 21 Extras (lb10, w14) 24 Zaheer Khan lbw b Herath 2 Total (for one wicket; 19.5 overs) 139 P. Ojha c Sangakkara b Mathews 5 Fall of wicket: 1-119 (Dilshan).

U. Yadav not out 0 Bowling: Zaheer 6-0-39-0 (w9), Pathan 4-0-27-0 (w4), Yadav 4Extras (b2, lb4, w5) 11 Total (for all out; 33.3 overs) 138 0-38-0, Ashwin 5-1-18-1 (w1), Ojha 0.5-0-7-0.

Fall of wickets: 1-31 (Sehwag), 2-33 (Kohli), 3-38 (Sharma), 4-41 Result: Sri Lanka win by nine wickets

LONDON: For Jordanian marathon-runner Methkal Abu Drais, the timing could not be worse. Not only is he preparing for one of the races of his life, he’s doing it during Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month.

“I tried after I arrived in London to train while I was fasting but I realised it is very, very difficult because I’m taking part in a race that needs a lot of energy,” he told AFP. “I think I will reverse my decision to fast.”

It’s a dilemma faced by about 3,500 Muslim athletes at London 2012, which coincides with a time of year when they would normally forgo food, drink and sex between dawn and dusk. Most Muslim countries have given their athletes special dispensation to postpone Ramadan during the Games, to help them maintain their strength, and fast when they return home.

But many competitors are still insisting on observing Ramadan, one of the most spiritual periods in the Islamic calendar when fasting is usually seen as compulsory.

Morocco’s men’s football team have pledged to fast during the Olympics despite a request from their Dutch coach Pim Verbeek. “We must fast because this is an obligation and I think that God will help us on the day of the games,” said Morocco’s Atletico Madrid-bound goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou.

“We’re used to playing in Ramadan and it won’t negatively impact us.” In judo, the UAE’s Hamid Alderei is training only after breaking his fast, but among Niger’s six-strong team, Zakari Gourouza is the sole athlete not observing Ramadan.

“The other five will fast because they’re here just to take part.

They’re not likely to win any medals and fasting is a priority for us,” explained Niger rower Hamadou Djibo Issaka.

Moroccan boxing coach Abdel Haq Achic said he found it difficult to persuade his athletes not to fast despite the significant impact on their strength, energy and weight.

“So we didn’t look like dictators, we gave them two or three days to try training with fasting but after that they realised they couldn’t do it, so they accepted the decision,” he said.

“Boxing is very tough and as we need to train twice a day the athletes can’t do it. They lose a lot of their energy so they must eat to have good preparation for competition. We spoke to all the athletes and we told them they need to eat to be fit for the competition.—AFP

NBAD Q2 profit edges up, meets estimate Page 22

All eyes on ECB to come to euro-zone’s rescue Page 23

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Markets panic as euro-zone faces turbulent summer Page 25

Property boom changes Philippine’s skylines Page 24

AHMEDABAD: An Indian fruit vendor waits for customers at an evening fruit and vegetable market in Ahmedabad yesterday. Prices of fruits and vegetables have started rising across the country due to supply crunch as a result of delayed and insufficient rains. — AFP

Wataniya Telecom posts KD 47.4m profit for H1 2012 Successful quarter continued growth in customers and revenue KUWAIT: Wataniya Telecom (National Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC) yesterday announced its financial results for the first half 2012. The consolidated net profit stood at KD 47.4 million ($169.7 million), compared to net profit for the same period in 2011 of KD 322.5 million ($1.2billion). Net profit for H1 2011 includes a fair value gain of KD 265.5 million ($959.3 million) recorded due to revaluation of existing held interest in Tunisiana following the increase in the shareholding from 50% to 75%. Total customer base increased to 18.3 million at the close of H1 2012, versus 16.9 million at the same period in 2011, leading to growth of 8.3%. Revenues for H1 2012 amounted to KD 368.1 million ($1.32 billion), compared with KD 352.1 million ($1.26 billion) for the same period in 2011, amounting to growth of 4.5%.

EBITDA for the first half of 2012 was KD154.0 million ($551.5 million), compared to EBITDA of KD 155.5 million ($557.0 million) for the same period in 2011, a decrease of 1.0%.

The net profits for Q2 and H1 were adversely impacted by competitive pressure in Kuwait and foreign exchange movements in Algeria.

In Q1 2011 a fair value gain (non-cash) of KD 265.5 million ($959.3 million) was recorded due to a revaluation of the existing inter-

est in Tunisiana following the increase in the shareholding from 50% to 75%.

Q2 and H1 2011 amortization for intangible assets resulting from the additional interest in Tunisiana was originally based on estimates. Following the completion of the purchase price allocation in Q4 2011, the amortization charge for the year 2011was lower than estimated. As a result, the previously reported Net Profits for 2011 have been re-stated. Q2 2011 includes Q1 2011 adjustment of KD 7.0 million ($25.1 million).

The consolidated earnings per share was95 fils (34 Cents), compared to644fils ($2.3) per share earned for the same period last year.

Excluding revaluation gain the earnings per share in H1 2011 was to 114fils (41cents) a decrease in H1 2012 by 16.9% compared with H1 2011.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, Chairman of Wataniya Telecom commented: “Wataniya Telecom has continued to record revenue growth of 5% whereas the EBITDA has remained stable at KD 154 million. The net profit has been adversely impacted, primarily due to changes to the operating environment in our domestic market and also foreign exchange movement in Algeria. A combination of intense competition, increased regulatory fees and the broader economic environment have placed significant pressure on

the quarterly performance in Kuwait,” he added: “The period saw positive results from our international operations in Algeria and Tunisiana and the successful acquisition of 3G and fixed licenses in Tunisia will result in further investments to achieve our future data strategy. We will continue to develop our strategy in both our domestic and international markets in order to meet the challenges we face and deploy the necessary resources across the Group to ensure we are well positioned to capture future growth.”

Wataniya Kuwait Wataniya Kuwait’s customer base increased to 1.94 million customers at the end of Q2 2012, an increase of 1.0% on Q2 2011. Revenues for the first half 2012 were KD 114.1million ($408.6 million) compared to revenues for the same period in 2011of KD 124.1 million ($444.6 million), decrease of 8.1%. Business in H1 2011 benefitted from the independence anniversary and government bonus payments, which had a positive impact on revenues. EBITDA for H1 2012was KD 44.9 million ($160.9 million) compared to EBITDA for the same period in 2011ofKD 59.7 million ($213.8 million), decrease of 24.7%. Net profit was at KD 29.1 million ($104.3million), compared to Net Profit for the same period in 2011 of KD 306.3

Egypt drops on PM, Gulf stocks mixed MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani million ($1.1billion).

Net profit for Q1 2011 includes a fair value gain of KD 265.5 million ($959.3 million) recorded due to revaluation of existing 50% held interest in Tunisiana following the increase in the shareholding from 50% to 75%. The Net profit in H1 2011 without the fair value gain was KD 40.8 million ($146.1 million).

Euro-zone crisis darkens as German rating threatened BERLIN: The euro-zone crisis took a fresh turn for the worse yesterday after Moody’s threatened to cut Germany’s coveted top credit rating and as fears grew Spain might soon need a full-blown bailout.

The shock decision to slash the outlook of Germany, Europe’s top economy and paymaster, from “stable” to “negative” came as auditors arrived in debt-wracked Greece and Spain’s top finance official headed to Berlin for talks. The news pushed Spain’s borrowing costs above 7.5 percent-well above the seven-percent mark that forced others into bailouts-and sent both European stocks and the euro tumbling.

Also weighing on confidence was a report that Spain needed a partial bailout to meet its refinancing needs and an admission from Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras that Greece’s recession might be much worse than first feared.

Moody’s said its decision was based on “rising uncertainty regarding the outcome

of the euro area debt crisis (and the) ... increased likelihood of Greece’s exit from the euro area.”

Even if Greece manages to stay in the 17member bloc, Moody’s said there was “an increasing likelihood that greater collective support for other euro area sovereigns, most notably Spain and I taly, will be required.” Germany’s top rating could be cut, Moody’s said, if Berlin needed to shore up its banks as a result of the crisis, if the bloc were to split or if Germany were to see its own borrowing costs-currently at record lows-rise.

Policymakers raced to dismiss the action.

The head of the Eurogroup of euro-zone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, immediately stressed a “strong commitment” to the bloc’s stability after the warning, which also hit the Netherlands and his native Luxembourg.

Moody’s latest decision “confirms the very strong rating enjoyed by a number of

euro area member states, as supported by the sound fundamentals which these (three) and other euro area countries continue to enjoy,” said Juncker.

Germany’s finance ministry was even more dismissive, saying in a statement late Monday: “The euro-zone risks that Moody’s mentions are not new.”

Berlin would maintain its “safe haven status” and continue to act as a “stability anchor in the euro area,” the ministr y vowed. But in another sign that Germany’s resistance to the euro-zone turbulence was fading, a key business confidence index slipped to a three-year low, prompting analysts to warn that the German economy could deliver below-trend growth.

In Athens, auditors from the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Union were arriving to review Greek progress towards securing a further slice of bailout cash before the country goes bankrupt. Officials

in Germany have insisted they will wait for this report, due in early September, before casting judgment on Greece’s ability to stay in the euro-zone as voices calling for a “Grexit” grow louder in Berlin.

As the auditors began work, Samaras said the Greek recession this year could be much worse than expected, with the economy shrinking by “more than seven percent.”

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announced a visit to Athens for talks with Samaras on Thursday, his first since June 2009. Other political efforts to contain the crisis were set to intensify, with Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos due in Berlin for talks with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

Berlin has insisted it is a “regular meeting” but spokeswoman Marianne Kothe acknowledged on Monday: “They will of course discuss the current situation in Spain” amid speculation Madrid will soon be forced into a full-blown bailout. —AFP

CAIRO/DUBAI: Egypt’s shares fell yesterday after President Mohamed Morsi asked outgoing water minister to form a government, disappointing investors hoping for an economy specialist, while bargain hunters lifted Dubai’s bourse.

Cairo’s main index dropped 1 percent. The selection of Hisham Kandil, an irrigation expert little known outside Egypt, weighed on the market.

Mohamed Radwan at Pharos Securities said the decision is a surprise because several potential prime ministers named in media in recent weeks have been finance specialists. “The market is definitely reacting negatively,” said Radwan. “(Kandil) may have a decent track record but it might be academic and it could take him time to take things in hand.” In Dubai, bellwether Emaar Properties halted a three-day decline, rising 1.6 percent to 3.2 dirhams per share. The stock is up 24.9 percent year-to-date and has rallied in recent weeks on the back of earnings optimism.Three analysts polled by Reuters expect the developer to roughly double its second quarter profit over last year. “Emaar’s next short-term target is 3.27 (dirhams) and in the long-term you should see it around 3.33 to 3.50,” said Amjad Bakir, head of MENA CORP Securities.

“On the daily chart of Emaar, the relative strength index is at 51 which is a good support level to rebound,” he said, adding anything above the 71 level would mean the stock is overbought. Dubai’s index rose 0.8 percent, also up after three sessions of declines. The bourse has gained 11.2 percent so far in 2012. Elsewhere in the UAE, heavyweight lender First Gulf Bank added 0.2 percent after its second-quarter profit beat estimates.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian Fertilizers (Safco) surged 3.7 percent to a 15-week high, after the firm said it would distribute a dividend of 1.5 billion riyals ($399.98 million) for the first half of 2012.

Safco, a unit of Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) and the kingdom’s second-biggest chemical firm, also plans to raise its share capital to 3.3 billion riyals from 2.5 billion by distribution one bonus share for every three held. ding three shares.

Petrochemical stocks also advanced, helping lift the index by 0.4 percent. Heavyweight SABIC added 1.2 percent and Yanbu National Petrochemical gained 2.8 percent. Shares in National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) and Boubyan Bank ended flat. On Monday, NBK said it would increase its stake in Boubyan to more than 58 percent but had failed to secure full backing for its takeover of the Islamic lender. NBK recovered from an early-session drop, but is hovering near a nine-month low and last week posted a 41.6 percent drop in second-quarter profit that widely missed analysts’ estimates.

“NBK used to produced the lion’s share of the sector’s profit and to have such bad results, even for the most optimistic person, it shows that things are going to go downwards for the sector,” said Fouad Darwish, head of brokerage at Global Investment House. —Reuters

22

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

BUSINESS

US Fluor eyes more projects in Gulf offshore oil KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia: US engineering firm Fluor Corp is eyeing oppor tunities in OPEC member states Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, where it sees increasing offshore oil and gas activities in the coming years, a senior executive at the firm said.

“We do see a trend to more offshore opportunities and see a number of offshore opportunities in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar,” Jose Bustamante, Senior Vice President for Fluor ’s Energy & Chemicals

Group in the Middle East, told Reuters.

Currently the majority of oil production in top oil exporter Saudi Arabia comes from onshore oilfields but several offshore fields such as the giant Manifa in Saudi are in the works.

Bustamante did not see any slowdown in Gulf oil and gas projects based on the front-end engineering and design (FEED) work. “In chemicals, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are leading the new investments,” he

said. State oil giant Saudi Aramco signed in the past month billions of dollars worth of deals with its partner Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical to expand a petrochemical complex in Rabigh, while bidding continues for several units at the Sadara project, owned by Aramco and US Dow Chemical.

Colin McKenzie, vice president for Fluor Saudi Arabia told Reuters in the same interview his company is interested in a long-term offshore engineering services contract that

is expected to be retendered by Saudi Aramco as part of the state oil giant’s plan to maintain potential production capacity in oil and gas fields.

The contract is due to expire in 2014 following an extension that Worley Parsons (WP), Aramco’s current contractor for this project, obtained in March this year, a spokesman for WP said. Fluor is also looking to win more deals in Iraq as it aims to increase its presence at the war-stricken country. The company,

already working in Iraq’s West Qurna One, is bidding for several projects for oil and gas facilities. “...We have a number of proposals out there (which), if successful, will substantially increase our presence,” Bustamante said. He did not elaborate. Foreign oil firms working to develop giant oilfields in Iraq, including Exxon Mobil, recently issued several tenders for contractors to help with hammering out logistics and construction work at targeted oilfields. — Reuters

NBAD Q2 profit edges up, meets estimate Outlook remains unchanged for earnings, NPLs DUBAI: National Bank of Abu Dhabi, the largest lender by market value in the United Arab Emirates, reported a 2-percent rise in quarterly profit yesterday due to higher net interest income, meeting forecasts.

NBAD had second-quarter net profit of 1.05 billion dirhams ($284.8 million), up from 1.03 billion dirhams in the same period a year earlier, the bank said in a statement. Analysts had forecast an average profit of 1.031 billion dirhams in a Reuters poll.

Net profit for the first half of the year rose 6.9 percent to 2.08 billion dirhams compared to 1.95 billion dirhams in the opening six months of 2011.

The improvement in top-line revenue was due to higher net interest income and net income from Islamic financing contracts, the bank said, which grew 4.6 percent in the first

half of 2012 compared to the same period last year. “The group has not changed its forecasts for 2012,” said Chief Executive Michael Tomalin who is slated to retire this year.

“Assuming continuing current market conditions, (we expect) mid to high single digit growth in earnings for the year with non-performing loans peaking round 3.75 percent of performing loans by year end or early 2013,” The bank booked net impairment charges of 292 million dirhams in the three months to June 30, a drop of 12 percent on the same period last year. Provisions for the first six months of 2012 were down 13.2 percent due to lower collective provisions and strong recoveries, the statement said.

Non-performing loans increased to 5.34 billion dirhams, accounting for 3.18 percent

Egypt Islamic finance plans include boosting waqf CAIRO: The Freedom and Justice Party, the parliamentary arm of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, aims to develop the practice of waqf or religious endowments as part of its plans to expand the use of Islamic finance, a party official said.

In waqf, people contribute a portion of their wealth, in cash or other assets, to sharia-compliant and charitable projects such as mosques and schools. But the management of such endowments in Egypt has been widely criticized as inefficient.

Ahmed al-Najjar, a member of the FJP’s economic committee, said in a telephone interview this week that waqf endowments (awqaf ) in the country totalled about half a trillion Egyptian pounds ($82 billion), but the yield on them was very low - according to a report by the Ministry of Religious Endowments, it is about 1.5 billion pounds annually, he said.

One problem is that managers of a waqf often lack financial expertise, in contrast to countries such as Turkey and

Malaysia. The solution may be to encourage the hiring of experienced financial managers for awqaf, Najjar said. Another proposal under consideration by the FJP is to encourage the formation of awqaf not through a contribution from a single wealthy donor, but through multiple small subscriptions to a sukuk (Islamic bond) offered publicly.

The proceeds of the sukuk could then be used to purchase waqf assets. This would expand the number of people involved in awqaf and give managers more flexibility to invest endowment money, Najjar said.

Despite the election victory in June of Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi, backed by the Brotherhood, a new cabinet has not yet been formed and there is no fully functioning parliament or constitution. This is likely to delay any administrative or legislative moves to boost Islamic finance. But Najjar said the FJP would push for the creation of shariacompliant financial instruments to be used in monetary policy. — Reuters

of the loan book. At the end of the second quarter of 2011, they stood at 4.17 billion dirhams, or 2.65 percent of the loan book.

Operating income for the quarter reached 2.07 billion dirhams, up 3.2 percent over the same period last year. The corresponding period of 2011 yielded 2 billion dirhams.

Loans and advances grew to 162.8 billion dirhams at the end of the second quarter, up 2.1 percent on the end of 2011 and 6.4 percent on the same point last year.

Short-term government deposits worth 27.2 billion dirhams, which had been placed with NBAD in the first quarter, were withdrawn in the second, meaning a 14.5 percent quarter-on-quarter slump in deposits at the bank. Compared to the end of 2011, deposits were up 5.7 percent to 162.8 billion dirhams. — Reuters

Saudi Aramco sells 55,000 ton naphtha on a C&F basis

SHANGHAI: An investor talks to another, not in the picture, at a private securities company yesterday in Shanghai. Asian stock markets mostly dropped yesterday despite a sign China’s manufacturing is beginning to recover as the possibility of a credit rating downgrade for Germany added to jitters over Europe’s debt turmoil. —AP

SINGAPORE: Saudi Aramco sold 55,000 tons of spot naphtha on a cost-and-freight (C&F) basis to South Korea, the first cargo sold on a delivered basis by its trading subsidiary, traders said yesterday.

Before its trading entity was set up some six months ago, Saudi Aramco only sold cargoes on a free-on-board (FOB) basis. The C&F cargo, likely from Ras Tanura, is scheduled for first-half September arrival at a South Korean port.

It was sold at around $14 to $16 a ton premium to Japan quotes. The C&F or CFR tag means that Saudi Aramco will take care of the costs and freight needed to ship the cargo to the buyer. FOB means the buyer has to charter their own vessel and pay for freight.

Most petrochemical makers in Asia often buy spot cargoes on a C&F basis, while trading houses usually buy on a FOB basis. Traders said the C&F naphtha cargo was likely to be the first of many offered by Saudi Aramco’s trading subsidiary. Saudi Aramco is the top naphtha supplier to Asia and set up the trading entity for refined products to profit from its massive production system. — Reuters

Dubai’s Abraaj names new CEO for Aureos DUBAI: Abraaj Capital, the Middle East’s largest private equity firm, closed its acquisition of UK-based Aureos Capital, it said yesterday, and appointed a new chief executive for the specialist fund manager.

Abraaj struck a deal to buy the emerging market fund manager in February, creating an entity with approximately $7.5 billion in assets under management. Financial terms were not disclosed. Abraaj, which owns stakes in Orascom Construction, budget carrier Air Arabia and supermarket chain Spinneys, said at the time it would not

raise fresh debt for the acquisition.

The Dubai-based firm said Tom Speechley, senior partner at Abraaj Capital, has been appointed chief executive of Aureos Capital and will manage the firm’s small and mid-cap assets, the statement said.

Aureos manages assets of $1.3 billion and provides expansion and buyout funding to small and mediumsized businesses in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Its chief executive Sev Vettivetpillai will now be the executive chairman of the company, Abraaj said. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds

.2797210 .4341140 .3390920 .2822760 .2747220 .2880150 .0050240 .0021460 .0761870 .7422620 .3956460 .0746120 .7268320 .0466200

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2812000 GB Pound/KD .4364080 Euro .3408850 Swiss francs .2837680 Canadian dollars .2761740 Danish Kroner .0458160 Swedish Kroner .0405370 Australian dlr .2895380 Hong Kong dlr .0362490 Singapore dlr .2233160 Japanese yen .0035930 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0765900 Bahraini dinars .7461850 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0750070 Omani riyals .7306740 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.553 5.072 3.053 2.141 3.173 220.090 36.173 3.425 6.439 8.876 89.338

.2851140 .4424830 .3456290 .2877180 .2840180 .2935680 .0051200 .0021880 .0776560 .7565720 .4032730 .0760500 .7408440 .0475190 .2833000 .4396670 .3434300 .2858870 .2782360 .0461580 .0408400 .2917000 .0365200 .2249840 .0036200 .0050880 .0021740 .0030080 .0034780 .0771620 .7517580 .4007070 .0755670 .7361310 .0067920

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.883 77.158 729.380 745.850 76.464

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.250 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.466 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.309 Tunisian Dinar 176.65 Jordanian Dinar 396.190 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.884 Syrian Lier 4.899 Morocco Dirham 32.64 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 280.700 Euro 354.52 Sterling Pound 441.820 Canadian dollar 274.79 Turkish lire 152.400 Swiss Franc 295.01 US Dollar Buying 279.500 GOLD 293.000 148.000 75.250

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

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

SELL CASH

294.800 751.150 3.730 281.800 554.700 46.000 47.000 167.800 48.670 346.400 37.110 5.330 0.032 0.161 0.237 3.710 400.260 0.191 91.630 43.700 4.340 227.900 1.830

47.600 733.670 3.090 6.960 78.130 75.410 225.670 36.460 2.690 444.000 41.600 288.500 4.400 9.290 198.263 77.010 282.800 1.360

10 Tola

GOLD 1,678.360

Sterling Pound US Dollar

733.490 3.001 6.726 77.700 75.410 225.670 36.460 2.160 442.000 287.000 4.400 9.090 76.910 282.400

COUNTRY

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 442.000 282.400

SELL DRAFT

293.300 751.150 3.448 280.300

225.700 46.538 344.900 36.960 5.050 0.031

SELL DRAFT

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

294.51 281.95 289.17 345.07 282.00 441.81 3.68 3.455 5.030 2.161 3.168 2.990 76.85 750.87 46.52 401.76 733.93 77.87 75.41

SELL CASH

294.00 282.00 288.00 344.00 282.85 442.50 3.63 3.580 5.295 2.380 3.650 3.150 77.35 750.00 48.10 399.00 736.00 78.00 75.65

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 400.230 0.190 91.630 3.220 226.400

Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

282.350 281.115 439.780 342.605

Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

284.895 747.515 76.850 77.500 75.255 398.015 46.511 2.156 5.041 2.993 3.451 6.712 692.610 4.605 8.980 4.400 3.250 88.860

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

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 Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars

282.400 2.985 5.060 2.165 3.453 6.760 76.990 75.460 750.800 46.536 445.100 2.990 3.205 1.550 347.400 283.600

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 *Rates are subject to change

281.950 344.700 441.700 280.050 3.675 5.060 46.540 2.150 3.438 6.742 2.985 751.000 76.800 75.300

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

BUSINESS

AT&T smartphone sales fall in Q2, boosting net NEW YORK: AT&T Inc yesterday said that it saw declining smartphone sales in the second quarter, leading to the best profitability ever in its wireless arm as it saves on phone subsidies.

The largest telecommunications company in the US says it activated 5.1 million smartphones in its latest quarter, down from 5.5 million in the same period a year ago. Much of the decline came because AT&T subscribers are holding on to their phones longer: the company said the rate of upgrades to new phones was at a record low. That’s good news for the company because the company subsidizes each smartphone by hundreds of dollars to be able to sell it to cus-

tomers for $99 or $199. IPhones, in particular, are expensive to sell, because Apple charges an average of around $650 for each one. However, AT&T charges subscribers an “upgrade fee” on top of the price of the new phone. It raised that fee from $18 to $36 this year, which may have helped dampen the number of upgrades.

But tighter upgrade policies don’t seem to be scaring off AT&T subscribers. They were more loyal than ever in the quarter, helping AT&T outdo analyst expectations by adding a net 320,000 subscribers on postpaid plans in the quarter.

However, more than half of the new subscribers were tablet users, who pay less than smartphone

users. Also, AT&T continues to lag Verizon Wireless, which already has more subscribers.

Last week, Verizon reported adding 888,000 subscribers to its rolls in the quarter.

Analysts still expect AT&T’s profits to take a dive later this year, when the new iPhone comes out. In a yearly ritual, buyers flood AT&T and Apple stores, and AT&T pays dearly for the privilege of having the nation’s most popular network for iPhones. The strong wireless results helped boost Dallas-based AT&T net income rise to $3.9 billion, or 66 cents per share, for the April to June period. That’s up 8.7 percent from $3.6 billion, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier.

For the latest quarter, analysts expected earnings of 63 cents per share. Revenue edged up 0.3 percent to $31.6 billion. Analysts were expecting $31.7 billion. If it weren’t for the sale of its phone-books business in May, revenue would have risen 2 percent. AT&T sold a controlling stake in the Yellow Pages division to private - equit y firm Cerberus Capital for $950 million. The unit was profitable but shrinking, and AT&T wants to be a growing company. AT&T shares rose 19 cents to $35.57 in premarket trading. The shares are close to a three-year high of $36.21 hit three weeks ago. — AP

All eyes on ECB to come to euro-zone’s rescue Spain stares into never-ending debt crisis

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras speaks to members of his conservative party at the parliament in Athens yesterday. The premier underlined that the country remains committed to the fulfilment of the terms included in the bailout packages of its international creditors. — AFP

Australian gas rush set to overhaul Qatar’s lead SYDNEY: Australia is set to become the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas producer, with analysts predicting it will overtake Qatar by 2020 as it unlocks reserves that could last more than a century. Seven of the world’s 10 major LNG projects are under construction Down Under, with Aus$176 billion ($183 billion) of private Australian and foreign investment in gas projects since 2007.

“The projects already under development will take us ahead of Qatar. It’s just a case of when that happens,” Wood Mackenzie analyst Chris Graham told AFP. Analysts expect Australia to pip the small Gulf emirate, which holds the world’s third-largest gas reserves and last year saw LNG production capacity rise to 77 million tons per annum (mtpa), by 2020.

But the government is hoping it reaches the target sooner, with China’s demand for LNG growing by almost one-third last year, while India’s import capacity is projected to triple by 2015. Australia is already the fourth biggest source of LNG in the world, with three exportoperational projects-Western Australia’s North West Shelf and Pluto projects, and Darwin LNG in the Northern Territory. Indonesia and Malaysia are the second and third largest producers. But based on projects that are already committed or under construction, Australia’s LNG exports-of 18.9 mtpa worth Aus$11.1 billion in 2011 — are expected to hit 63 mtpa by 2016-17.

Beyond these, there is a suite of other proposals that if developed could increase output above 100 mtpa, and potentially position Australia as the world’s largest LNG exporter by the end of the decade. “By 2017, based on proposed and committed new projects, Australia’s LNG production capacity is projected to quadruple,” Resources Minister Martin Ferguson said.

Australia’s abundance of natural resources and proximity to commodities-hungry Asia helped the economy avoid recession during the global financial crisis, thanks to exports of coal and iron ore. LNG is the newest potential earner from Asia’s development, with the vast majority of exports already sold to Japan (69 percent in 2010) and with sales contracts to supply China and South Korea also in place.

“Australia is a very popular source for East Asian buyers because of low political risk and they are comfortable dealing with operators in this country,” Graham said. “Sure, it is a high cost environment but resources in Australia are huge and opportunity from a resource perspective is obviously there and it ultimately comes down to competing projects elsewhere in the world.”

Adrian Wood, an analyst at Macquarie Securities, said Australia was likely to overtake Qatar by 2020, but only just, with strong competition from the United States and also potentially parts of Africa.

The Australian government expects LNG exports to expand rapidly as developing countries enjoy economic growth and move away from using coal to gas for electricity generation. “Natural gas is increasingly the fuel of choice for developing economies because of its versatility and lower carbon emissions compared with other fossil fuels,” Ferguson said this month.

He also noted the challenges of providing adequate skilled labor and the infrastructure needed to deliver projects that export LNG-natural gas that has been cooled to liquid state to make it practical for transportation. As a Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics report released his month noted: “The principal challenges for Australia’s LNG export sector is that projects have relatively high costs, slower construction times and larger capital expenditure.”

The costs, partly due to the remote locations of offshore gas fields, have lumped some Australian projects with capital costs of about Aus$3-4 billion per million tons of annual capacity-well above recent projects in Papua New Guinea and Angola, the report said. This compares with a capital cost of less than US$1.7 billion per million tons of annual capacity for the Angola LNG project.

“These costs are the highest in the world and are attributed to high labor and other input costs and a high Australian dollar,” the report said. “Counterbalancing these relatively higher costs are Australia’s stable system of government, high levels of personal security, welldefined property rights, and established fiscal and regulatory frameworks that encourage foreign investment.” — AFP

A UPS truck drives away after making a stop in Coral Gables, Florida. UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, lowered its earnings expectations for the year yesterday as economic weakness and uncertainty persist around the globe. —AP

FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank may have to ride to the euro-zone’s rescue again very soon, analysts said yesterday, as Spain looks set to be the next country engulfed by the never-ending debt crisis. The long-running turmoil shows no sign of abating, with Spanish borrowing costs soaring to dangerously high levels and bailed-out Greece’s rescue program seemingly on the rocks.

And in yet another blow yesterday, ratings agency Moody’s warned it could strip euro kingpin Germany of its coveted triple-A rating.

Moody’s argued that Germany-Europe’s biggest economy which has fared relatively well since the start of the crisis-faces increasingly incalculable risks in a possible Greek exit from the euro-zone and soaring costs of potential bailouts for Spain and Italy.

After Greece, Ireland and Portugal were all compelled to seek aid from their European partners, analysts now see the much bigger economy of Spain possibly as the next domino to fall.

“Without substantial ECB action, the eurozone may soon lose the ability to control the market panic,” Berenberg Bank economist Christian Schulz wrote in a note to investors.

In Paris, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he hoped that Spain would not need a full bailout, but if so, it could require a boost to Europe’s rescue fund or ECB action.

Analysts feel the Europe’s current anti-crisis strategy is having only a limited effect and the ECB is the only player currently capable of acting fast enough.

With the euro-zone’s public debt and deficit levels well below those of the United States and Japan, Europe has less of a debt problem than a confidence crisis, the analyst said. And that was “largely because of the reluctance of its central bank to intervene forcefully in market panics.

Moody’s rating action may bring the end to this reluctance a little closer,” Schulz argued.

Right from the start of the crisis, the ECB has not hesitated to launch a series of emergency measures. The central bank quickly reversed last year’s rate hikes and earlier this month cut eurozone borrowing costs to an all-time low of 0.75 percent. In May 2010, it embarked on a hotly contested strategy of buying up the bonds of debtmired countries, known as the Securities Markets Program or SMP. And in two long-term refinancing operations (LTROs) in December and February, it pumped

more than 1.0 trillion euros ($1.2 trillion) into the banking system to avert a dangerous credit squeeze in the 17 countries that share the euro.

ECB officials have never ceased to repeat that such measures are only temporary and merely meant to buy time for governments to tackle the root causes of the crisis-profligate spending.

The SMP program, for one, has lain virtually dormant since February and there were no signs of the ECB reviving it as recently as last week.

But ECB chief Mario Draghi, in an interview with Le Monde at the weekend, said: “We are very open. We have no taboos.”

UniCredit analyst Erik Nielsen suggested the ECB could intervene by the end of this week if the situation does not calm down. The central bank’s governing council is scheduled to hold its next policy meeting on August 2. The quarter-point rate cut at its last meeting was seen by many as too timid, especially as the bank announced no

ROME: Raffaele Lombardo, President of Sicily Region (center) talks with journalists outside Chigi Palace after meeting with Italian Premier Mario Monti in Rome yesterday. Italian business groups, unions and politicians have been warning for over a week that Sicily might become the “Greece of Italy,” thanks to years of financial mismanagement that has recently come to light. — AP

Rosneft expresses interest in BP’s Russia venture MOSCOW: Russia’s state oil giant Rosneft said yesterday it had opened talks with the British energy group BP on acquiring a stake in the troubled but lucrative TNKBP joint venture it co-owns with four t ycoons. The announcement follows weeks of denials by Russia’s largest oil company of any ownership interest in a venture that has grown into the country’s fourth largest crude producer since being formed in 2003. BP said on June 1 that it was seeking buyers for its 50 percent stake in TNK-BP because of continuing boardroom disputes with the powerful billionaires who jointly operate the company.

“Rosneft announces that, in connection with BP’s recent statements regarding its intention to pursue a potential sale of its participation in TNK-BP, Rosneft has informed BP of Rosneft’s interest in a potential acquisition of such participation,” the company said in a statement.

“As a result, the parties agreed to commence negotiations on this matter and signed a non-disclosure agreement.”

Rosneft said it had also informed the tycoons who operate their stake in TNK-BP through the Alfa Access Renova (AAR) consortium of their interest in BP’s stake.

The state firm did not disclose the size of the stake under discussion. AAR announced last week that it had opened negotiations on acquiring half of BP’s shares in the joint venture-a 25 percent stake estimated to be worth at least $10 billion (8.3 billion euros).

The TNK-BP shareholders’ agreement gives the tycoons three months to negotiate a deal with BP first but does not keep

the British firm from holding talks with other interested parties.

The announcement provides an opening for BP to formally resume its ties with the Russian state a year after seeing its $16 billion Arctic exploration alliance with Rosneft blocked by protests from the four billionaires. The Arctic deal-seen by world majors to be the path to a vast new energy source whose importance is growing with continuing volatility in the Middle Easteventually went to the US super-major ExxonMobil.

Rosneft has since struck two more Arctic agreements with global majors. BP had been left out of those talks. The Russian company’s statement hinted broadly that BP stood to benefit long term from a deal with Rosneft.

“Rosneft believes that an acquisition of BP’s interest in TNK-BP would be in the best interest of both Rosneft’s and BP’s shareholders and would lead to further development of TNK-BP,” the statement said. BP has reaped nearly $20 billion in dividend payments since forming the joint venture at the start of what promised to be a new era of Russian openness to investment from the world’s biggest energy firms.

TNK-BP has since developed into one of the top 10 private oil producers in the world and is currently one of Russia’s largest owners of so-called greenfield projects that focus on the development of new reserves. But that upside has been clouded for BP by a history of tensions with the Russian government that has seen the group’s chief executive forced out of the country and the firm lose access to vital fields. — AFP

Vodafone Qatar Q1 loss narrows as base grows DUBAI: Vodafone Qatar, an affiliate of Vodafone Group, reported a narrower quarterly loss yesterday, thanks to an increase in subscribers and higher consumer spending.

Vodafone, which ended Qatar Telecom’s domestic monopoly in 2009, made a first quarter net loss of 118.3 million riyals ($32.49 million) in the three months to June 30. That compares with a loss of 122.3 million riyals in the

year-earlier period. The operator’s financial year starts on April 1.

One analyst forecast a quarterly loss of 120 million riyals, in a Reuters poll. Quarterly revenue was 350.5 million riyals, up from 290.6 million riyals a year ago.

Vodafone Qatar launched post-paid contract services in June, which the operator hopes will help woo subscribers

new emergency measures, so markets are waiting to see what Draghi might deliver next week.

A report by the INET Institute for New Economic Thinking, a group of 17 leading economists who make up the “Council of the Euro Zone Crisis,” called on the ECB to act.

“The ECB must use all tools (conventional and non-conventional) to ensure a more homogeneous transmission of monetary policy,” the economists wrote.

As the International Monetary Fund has suggested, “monetary policy should be accommodative during this emergency period, using both conventional and non-conventional policies to support” economic growth and facilitate the real exchange rate adjustments needed, they said.

Given that the current woes of Spain and Italy were “self-fulfilling fiscal crises, we believe that the ECB could and should be committing to much larger interventions in the market.” — AFP

from Qatar Telecom and improve margins. Customers on post-paid contracts are typically wealthier and spend more on telecoms as well as being less likely to switch operators.

Vodafone had 878,200 mobile customers as of June 30, up 16 percent from a year earlier. First-quarter average revenue per user (ARPU), a key metric for telecoms, was 122 riyals, up 5 percent year-on-year. — Reuters

UAE First Gulf Bank Q2 net profit up 14% DUBAI: First Gulf Bank, the second-largest lender by market value in the United Arab Emirates, posted a 14 percent rise in second-quarter net profit on the back of increased lending and a better net interest margin, beating analysts’ forecasts. The lender, majority-owned by Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, made a net profit of 1.02 billion dirhams ($278 million) for the three months ended June 30, compared with 890 million dirhams in the prioryear period, it said yesterday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had estimated an average profit of 950.1 million dirhams for the second quarter.

Profit for the first six months of the year grew 11 percent over the same period last year to 1.95 billion dirhams.

FGB’s net interest margin expanded to 3.8 percent at the end of the second quarter from 3.6 percent at the end of March. The bank attributed the rise to a new strategy for managing its balance sheet. Loans and advances rose 6 percent in the first half of the year to 110.9 billion dirhams. Deposits at the end of June were 1 percent higher than at the end of 2011. The rise comes at a time when lending in the wider United Arab Emirates’ banking system has been subdued, growing only 0.3 percent over the first five months of this year, according to the latest figures from the central bank.

Liquid assets at FGB stood at 12 percent at the end of June, which put the bank “in a very solid position to be fully compliant” with new central bank guidelines, according to Andre Sayegh, chief executive of FGB. Last month, the country’s regulator announced that banks would have to hold high-quality liquid assets equal to 10 percent of their liabilities from Jan. 1 next year, a move aimed at preparing the sector to comply with Basel III global standards.

Provisions for non-performing loans rose marginally in the second quarter, by 1 percent from a year earlier to 413.9 million dirhams. Costs rose 20 percent in the first half of the year to 667 million dirhams. No reason for the rise was given in the statement, although the bank said its cost-to-income ratio remained the lowest in the UAE at 19.3 percent. In June, Bahrain-based SICO Investment Bank named FGB as one of its top picks in the UAE banking sector and warned the industry faced slower but more sustainable growth due to tough central bank regulations aimed at controlling excessive lending. SICO maintained its long-term “buy” rating on First Gulf Bank as it expects the lender’s low operating costs and deployment of liquid assets to help sustain its profitability.

Shares in FGB didn’t trade yesterday ahead of the results announcement. They have risen 10.9 percent this year, compared to a 2.8 percent rise by the main Abu Dhabi share index. — Reuters

24

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

business

Oil above $103 after China data; Europe LONDON: Oil held steady yesterday after China’s economy showed signs of improvement, offsetting further evidence of damage to Europe’s economy.

China’s manufacturing output this month grew at its fastest pace in nine months, helping lift an index of activity in the country’s factory sector to its highest level since February and suggesting pro-growth government policies are having an impact.

“China is the biggest driver of oil demand and its overall oil appetite does not seem to have suffered so much, as it builds up infrastructure and crude stockpiles,” said Tony Nunan, a Tokyo-based risk manager at Mitsubishi Corp.

Brent crude was up 4 cent at $103.30 a barrel by 1045 GMT, after earlier reaching $104.26 in earlier trade. US crude was up 3 cents to trade at $88.17. Brent fell more than 3 percent on Monday after Spain’s central bank said the euro-zone’s fourth-largest economy sank deeper into recession in the second quarter, stoking fears the country was headed for a bailout.

And the likelihood of the euro-zone tipping back into recession grew after the bloc’s private sector shrank for a sixth month in July as manufacturing output plunged.

“The euro-zone crisis will take months or years to find a solution ... unfortunately there’s no quick fix as there are many moving parts,” said Nunan. Even Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is

feeling the chill from the debt crisis. Its private sector shrank for a third straight month in July, suggesting the economy may contract in the third quarter after an expected fall in the second.

Further clouding investor sentiment, Moody’s Investors Service changed its outlook for Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to negative from stable and cited an increased chance that Greece could leave the euro-zone.

Oil found some support from supply worries triggered by turmoil in Syria and tension between Iran and the West over Tehran’s nuclear program. As international pressure continues on President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Syria acknowledged on Monday that it had chemical and biological weapons and said it could use them if foreign countries intervened in its civil war.

“The risks of escalation of the conflict in Syria, we think, will continue to limit the extent of any bearish sentiment,” ANZ analysts said in a note yesterday.

Moderating recent threats from Iranian officials about shutting a vital oil shipping lane, a military commander was quoted on Monday as saying Iran would not close the Strait of Hormuz as long as it was able to use the lane itself.

Also on the supply front, US crude oil stockpiles are forecast to have remained unchanged over the last week as a drop in imports was offset by lower refinery run rates, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday. — Reuters

Property boom changes Philippine’s skylines Expat remittances fuel buying power MANILA: As a Philippine property boom gathers pace, even Paris Hilton, Donald Trump and highfashion house Versace are getting a piece of the action.

The good times are into their fourth year, fuelled by steady economic growth, Western firms offshoring jobs to the Philippines, the buying power of millions of Filipinos working abroad and low interest rates. “It just so happens that today the stars are aligned... we have never seen the economy this bullish,” said Antonino Aquino, president of Ayala Land, one of the country’s biggest property developers.

Ayala Land is one of the main players in what industry figures describe as an unprecedented construction boom that is transforming the skyline of the nation’s capital, as well as many provincial cities. In Manila, formerly sleepy pockets such as the Fort army base and the rundown Eastwood industrial zone have become chic, new business districts, catering mainly for the fast-growing outsourcing sector.

At the Fort, Ayala Land this year broke ground on its $714-million One Bonifacio High Street project, which when completed in 2017 will host the Philippine Stock Exchange, a Shangri-La hotel, and retail outlets. The project also has a 63-storey residential tower, with 298 suites ranging from $500,000-$1.9 million that sold out last month in 96 hours, according to the company.

Across the country, more than 850,000 square metres (9.1 million square feet) of office space and 14,000 residential units will enter the market this year, property consultants CBRE Philippines said in a report. It said many of the residential units

catered for a growing middle-class on the fringes of Manila and other urban centres.

The building boom has also spread to hotels, shopping malls and casinos, triggering hopes of a long-anticipated take-off of the underdeveloped tourism industry. Three of the world’s biggest gaming industry leaders are building a $4-billion, 100hectare (247-acre) Entertainment City complex of

MANILA: Filipino workers at a construction site in Manila. casinos on Manila Bay. The first of the casinos are set to open early next year.

Meanwhile, Trump, the New York mogul, has put his name to a $150-million, 56-storey, curtain-glasswalled Trump Tower that broke ground in the financial district this year.

“High-end buyers look for key differentiated features,” said Robbie Antonio, managing director of Century Properties that is behind the Trump

Tower development. He said 70 percent of the 220 residential units, which are worth up to $1.86 million each, have been sold. The firm is putting up a nearby tower designed by the Versace fashion house the first of its kind in Asia-featuring individual wading pools as well as its iconic Medusa-head brand imprinted on lamp shades and cutlery.

Century also flew in socialite and hotel heiress Hilton to Manila last year to help design and promote a suburban Manila residential project that features a man-made beach. Industry players say the property boom reflects the overall status of the nation’s economy as it picks up steam after decades of underperforming compared with many of its Asian neighbors.

The economy grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter, the stock market has surged 20 percent this year to hit all-time highs, and the country’s credit rating has been bumped up to just a step below investment grade. The central bank’s benchmark interest rates are also at historic lows4.0 percent for the benchmark borrowing rateensuring large piles of cheap cash for property development. Aside from the macroeconomic picture, real estate analysts point to the outsourcing phenomenon as one of the key drivers of the property boom. From virtually nothing a decade ago, outsourcing now employs more than 600,000 people and is worth $11 billion annually, according to the main industry association which is forecasting 15 percent growth in the years ahead. Many of the skyscrapers are being built to cater for the outsourcing workforce, which performs a myriad of tasks from call centre duties to designing architectural plans for foreign firms. — AFP

Barclays picks lawyer to head business review LONDON: Barclays has picked veteran lawyer Anthony Salz to lead a review of its culture and practices following an interest rate rigging scandal that has rocked the bank, forcing its chairman and chief executive to quit. The review could include a change to the bank ’s bonus structure and is expected to complete before May 2013. The scandal has shown Barclays needs to step up its efforts to change culture, the bank admitted yesterday.

Salz spent more than 30 years as a corporate lawyer with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, including 10 as senior partner. “The culture of the banking industry overall, and that of Barclays within it, needs to evolve,” Barclays said.

The review “will assess the bank’s current values, principles and standards of operation and

determine to what extent those need to change,” the bank said.

It will also test how well current decision-making processes incorporate the bank’s values and assess whether appropriate training, development, incentives and disciplinary processes are in place.

“Trust has been decimated and needs to be rebuilt,” Barclays said.

“Recent events indicate clearly that Barclays, like other big UK banks, needs to redouble its efforts.”

The review will be independent and Salz will repor t to Michael Rake, deputy chairman. The bank said it expects to fully implement its findings. It will analyze past events that have had a negative impact on its reputation.

Barclays was fined a record $450 million last month by US and British regulators for rigging the

London interbank offered rate, or Libor, between 2005 and 2009, sparking fierce criticism about its culture and risk-taking. It subsequently emerged that Britain’s financial regulator warned Barclays four months earlier that its culture was too aggressive and must change.

Salz is currently executive vice chairman of Rothschild, and he will continue in that role. He joined Rothschild in 2006. His other roles include non-executive of the board of the Department for Education and trustee of the Tate Foundation, Eden Project and the Royal Opera House.

He was vice chairman of the BBC board of governors between 2004 and 2006 and chaired two reports on press self-regulation, published in 2009 and last month.— Reuters

Wipro profits up 18%, growth outlook muted MUMBAI: Wipro’s June quarter profit rose 18 percent from a year earlier but it warned growth will stall as economic uncertainty in Europe and the US, both crucial export markets, hits India’s multibillion dollar outsourcing industry. Net income for the April to June quarter was 15.8 billion rupees ($284 million), the company said yesterday. Revenues rose 24 percent from a year earlier to 106.53 billion rupees ($1.92 billion). Both were in line with expectations.

Analysts polled by FactSet had expected net income of $288.4 million on sales of $1.91 billion.

Wipro, India’s third-largest outsourcer, said revenue in its mainstay information technology services business will be flat this quarter, at between $1.52 and $1.55 billion from $1.52 billion for the prior quarter.

Growth in Wipro’s core business has already faltered. After two quarters of sequential growth around 2 percent, Wipro’s IT services revenues for the June quarter fell 1.4 percent from the prior quarter in dollar terms, hit by a $25 million foreign exchange loss. That disappointed investors, who

drove the stock down nearly 3 percent in Mumbai yesterday, after a near two percent slide on Monday.

Ankita Somani, an analyst at Mumbai’s Angel Broking, said the dollar IT revenues came in below expectations because of the currency loss, while the earnings guidance was “decent.”

“This year won’t be as good as the last couple of years for IT companies,” she said, citing falling spending by banking and financial services clients.

The US accounts for over half of Wipro’s revenue and Europe accounts for nearly a third. Rival Infosys, which has positioned itself as a premium player, has also felt the pinch of economic uncertainty in its most important export markets. Its US-listed shares fell to their lowest in three years after it cut its sales forecast and missed profit expectations for the June quarter. India’s top outsourcer, Tata Consultancy Services, which has pushed geographic diversification more aggressively than its peers, fared better, posting 13.6 percent profit growth for the June quarter on strong volumes, topping Infosys’ 8.3 percent growth. — AP

BANGALORE: Wipro Ltd employees walk inside the company’s compound during break in Bangalore yesterday. — AP

25

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

business

Markets panic as euro-zone faces turbulent summer BRUSSELS: The world market panic that started the week looked all too familiar: an alarming reminder of last summer’s financial storm brought on by the euro-zone debt crisis.

And much like last year, European leaders hold few tools to stem the chaos in a swift and convincing fashion. “The problem is about the same as last year, except the situation is much more serious,” a European diplomat told AFP. Almost exactly a year ago, euro-zone leaders called an emergency summit where they hastily cobbled together a second bailout for Greece that included new loans and a massive writedown of Greek debt held by private investors.

But lacking in details, instead of offering a reprieve the measures heightened fears of contagion sending borrowing prices for core euro-zone countries such as Italy and Spain soaring. A year later, Greece’s survival in the euro-zone remains very much in doubt.

And now Spain, the euro-zone’s fourth biggest economy, is also in danger: mired in recession, its banks are on the brink of collapse after a decade -long real estate bubble popped. The European Union and

International Monetary Fund have agreed to put as much as 100 billion euros into rescuing Spain’s troubled banks, but most investors now believe that will not be enough. They fear that Spain now needs a full rescue as handed to Greece, Ireland and Portugal is now needed.

It is that fear that is driving the stock markets and the euro itself sharply downward. “Contagion fears have battered European equity markets” as a “perfect storm of fears about an imminent Greek exit, and the solvency of Spanish and Italian regions has seen markets drop sharply,” said Michael Hewson, Senior Market Analyst at CMC Markets UK. But despite the explosive situation, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said Monday there was no need to call euro-zone leaders together at the height of summer in a repeat of last year. In theory, the 17 leaders of the single currency area are to meet in October, after finance ministers meet in late August or September to review the situation in Greece and Cyprus-but not Spain.

“We can’t very well meet everytime the markets go crazy,” a European government source said.

But even though nothing is planned between now and autumn, diplomatic sources said that could be

place. The very measures that had made a two-day summit in late June a reported success cannot be applied.

FRANKFURT: Brokers are seen at the stock exchange in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany yesterday. Top rated Germany, Europe’s paymaster, faced the prospect of a damaging downgrade as Moody’s warned that problems in Spain and Italy made the euro-zone debt crisis even more dangerous. — AFP quickly changed, with officials on stand-by. The most pressing worry for the summer is that the financial tools created to face the crisis are not yet in

For one thing, a new banking supervisory regime across Europe will only be up and running some time in 2013.

And the European Stability Mechanism, the permanent rescue fund set up to provide emergency funding to fragile sovereigns and banks, will only be operational in September at best: a key decision is pending at Germany’s constitutional court. Until then, the ESM’s predecessor, the European Financial Stability Facility holds whatever financial rescue firepower there is. But the EFSF, created in the early days of the crisis, only holds 200 billion euros, far too little to save a country like Italy, and its nearly two trillion euros of public debt.

“If an intervention is needed in August, there’s a problem,” a European diplomat said. Last summer’s market panic was finally tamed once the European Central Bank intervened, successfully stabilizing Italian and Spanish debt prices. But for now, the ECB remains reluctant to resume buying up bonds of euro-zone nations, known as the Securities Market Program. According to data published on the ECB’s website, the central bank did not buy any sovereign bonds last week and has not done so since February. For the ECB, with the crisis in its third year, it is now up to governments to finally take over. — AFP

China seeks N American energy assets, know-how CNOOC lays groundwork for deal

BUDAPEST: Demonstrators hold signs against the influence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the Head of the IMF mission to Hungary and the resident representative of the IMF in Hungary left the Hungarian Parliament in downtown Budapest yesterday after meetings with Hungary’s representatives of government and parliament. — AFP

China manufacturing data picked up in July: HSBC BEIJING: China’s manufacturing activity contracted at its slowest pace in five months this month, an independent survey showed yesterday, indicating that Beijing’s easing measures were beginning to take effect. Preliminary figures from HSBC’s closely watched purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which gauges nationwide manufacturing activity, hit a five -month high of 49.5 in July, the British banking giant said in a statement.

A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 points to contraction. HSBC said the reading, which was higher than the 48.2 that HSBC recorded in June, indicated that government measures to boost economic growth were working. “That said, the below-50 July reading implied demand still remaining weak and employment under increasing pressure,” Qu Hongbin, a Hong Kong-based economist with HSBC, said in the statement.

“This calls for more easing efforts to support growth and jobs.” China’s gross domestic product fell to a more than three year low of 7.6 percent in the second quarter, prompting the central bank to take the rare step of slashing interest rates for the second time since early June.

It has also cut the amount of money banks must keep in reserve, aimed at

stimulating lending, three times since December. Chinese leaders have vowed to take further measures, and Premier Wen Jiabao has called stabilizing economic growth the government’s top priority.

Qu the economist said falling inflation gave Beijing leeway to introduce more policies to bolster growth, with “meaningful improvement” of the world’s second-largest economy expected in the coming months. China’s consumer price index, the main measure of inflation, slowed to 2.2 percent in June, its lowest level in 29 months, according to official data.

Zhang Zhiwei, an economist with Nomura International Limited in Hong Kong, said the July PMI reading reinforced signs that the Chinese economy bottomed out in the second quarter and will rebound in the July-September period. “We continue to expect policy easing to pick up,” he said in a research note.

Chinese shares edged up modestly yesterday as investors awaited other economic data due to be released early next month to further confirm the recovery.

The Shanghai Composite Index closed up 5.19 points to 2,146.59 on turnover of 46.7 billion yuan ($7.3 billion). HSBC will issue the final reading of July PMI on August 1. — AFP

Indonesia’s weakening rupiah raises concerns JAKARTA: Indonesia’s weakening rupiah and widening current account deficit are raising concerns about Southeast Asia’s largest economy, which is struggling against contagion from the global crisis.

The rupiah has declined more than nine percent in the past 12 months, the most drastic drop in Asia after the plunge in India’s rupee, which hit an alltime low in May. Bank Indonesia (BI), the nation’s central bank, has intervened to strengthen the rupiah, selling US dollars to banks and offering term deposits to stop dollars leaving for safe havens abroad.

“If the rupiah continues to weaken it will create an economic slowdown,” said Lana Soelistyoningsih, an economist at the University of Indonesia. “A weakening rupiah will raise inflation, increasing the price of imported materials and slowing productivity,” she said.

But Manulife Asset Management analyst Kenny Soejatman said that BI’s interventions on behalf of the rupiah have been effective. “The issue of an unstable rupiah is over now, and people are realizing that Bank Indonesia actually knows what it’s doing in promoting growth for the country,” Soejatman said.

For Indonesia the year began on a positive note after a meritorious 2011, which marked the fastest growth in 15 years, of 6.5 percent, and a record $20 billion in foreign direct investment.

Investors have swarmed to Indonesia for its population of 240 million and fastgrowing middle class, rich natural reserves and political stability. The country also won its second investment-grade credit rating status in January.

Ratings agency Moody’s retained a stable outlook on Indonesia’s economy Monday but noted “a pause” in the external payments position. A negative tilt in the balance of trade is adding downward pressure on the rupiah, Moody’s assistant vice president Christian de Guzman said.

Struggling economies in Europe and the United States are affecting demand for commodities. “ Weaker external demand has had an effect on commodity prices, as well as demand for Indonesian commodities, so we’re seeing exports slowing,” de Guzman said. The World Bank noted zero growth in first-quarter real exports, and forecast a current account deficit of $7.9 billion this year, already recording three consecutive quarters in deficit. —AFP

SHANGHAI: Offshore Chinese energy giant CNOOC’s $15 billion offer for Canadian oil and gas producer Nexen Inc is strategically calibrated to win regulatory approval - unlike its failed 2005 attempt to buy Unocal.

The deal announced on Monday shows China’s appetite for overseas energy assets remains as strong as ever despite its current economic slowdown. Weaker oil prices and a resolve to capture technologies China needs to unlock its own sizable but hard to extract reserves are powerful incentives for its energy companies to snap up foreign producers.

Back in 2005, protests that the sale of Unocal might jeopardize US national security prompted CNOOC Ltd. to withdraw its $18.5 billion bid. “The main problem for Chinese companies buying American companies is always not the price, but the politics,” said Sun Chong, an analyst at Sinolink Securities, based in Shanghai.

This time, in an apparent show of commitment to national interests, CNOOC is pledging to set up a regional headquarters in Calgary, Alberta, where Nexen is based. It also says it will keep the Canadian company’s management and projects in place and list shares on the Canadian bourse.

CNOOC laid the groundwork for the deal early on with earlier preliminary purchases of Nexen oil sands.

“It’s structured the deal in a number of ways to ensure it has a maximum chance of being approved,” said Thomas Grieder, AsiaPacific energy analyst at IHS World Markets Energy in Geneva.

The incentive to make the deal work is evident: dependent on foreign oil for more than half the energy it consumes, China has a strong vested interest in diversifying its supplies, said Sun. That is especially true for CNOOC, whose existing fields are fast maturing. “ The resources CNOOC has found in offshore China are respectable resources but they have much bigger ambitions than that and want to be a global player,” Grieder said.

The purchase of a big player like Nexen, if approved, would “massively grow the company,” he said. The takeover offer will face a review by Canada’s industry minister and the Competition Bureau, an independent regulatory agency.

Canada has balked at past foreign bids for natural resources, but with US interest in Canadian gas and oil dented by the surge in supplies of natural gas, it now may be more open to such acquisitions.

CNOOC and other big state -owned Chinese energy companies have increased purchases of oil and gas assets in the Americas as part of a global strategy to gain access to resources needed to fuel China’s economy.

Also on Monday, Canadian oil and gas company Talisman Energy announced it was selling a 49 percent interest in its UK division to China’s Sinopec Corp for $1.5 billion. Total acquisitions by Chinese energy firms jumped from less than $2 billion between 2002 and 2003 to nearly $48 billion in 2009 and 2010, according to the International Energy Agency.

Act to avoid damage to US economy: Geithner WASHINGTON: A wave of tax increases and billions of dollars in automatic spending cuts would cause “a lot of damage” to the fragile US economy, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Monday.

Tax breaks for all Americans are set to expire at the end of the year, and $100 billion in cuts to domestic and military programs are set to take effect in January if Congress does not agree on a new deficit-cutting deal. “Many people who look at this say that, yes, you’d at least get a recession out of this,” Geithner said on PBS’ Charlie Rose television show. “The cumulative size of those cuts - tax increases and spending cuts - are very, very large relative to the economy,” he said.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office forecasts that the mix of spending cuts and tax hikes would cause the US economy to contract at an annual rate of 1.3 percent for the first half of 2013 if lawmakers do not act.

The White House is pushing Congress to extend for one year tax cuts for families earning less than $250,000 a year. Taxes for those earning more than that would increase in 2013 if Congress passes legislation the Obama administration wants.

Republicans argue that all tax cuts should be extended to avoid hurting the tepid economy.

Geithner warned lawmakers that investors could not stomach a repeat of last year’s debt ceiling battle that increased the US Treasury’s borrowing costs and stripped the United States of its top credit rating. “You saw huge damage to consumer confidence, to business confidence, and to confidence around the world in the United States because you had people in public office threatening to default on our nation’s obligations,” Geithner said.

President Barack Obama said on Monday that Congress “ought to be able to come together and agree on a plan, a balanced approach” to avoid the steep automatic spending cuts.

Geithner reiterated that the domestic fiscal problems and the European Union’s economic crisis were still the biggest threats to the US economy.

But he said he thought the 17-nation common currency euro zone would stay intact. — Reuters

Often, they are paying a premium to get those deals done. The CNOOC offer of $27.50 a share is 60 percent above Nexen’s closing price last Friday.

Given that Nexen’s share price several years ago was $40, however, the deal is less expensive than it looks, said Gordan Kwan, head of energy research at Mirae Asset in Hong Kong.

Despite its own slowing growth, China’s demand for energy is soaring, partly fueled by a drive to buy at a time when prices are relatively weak. The country’s imports of liquefied natural gas jumped 29 percent in the first half of this year while coal imports surged 61 percent, according to Chinese customs data.

One key aim of the acquisition, analysts say, is to acquire advanced technology. “This deal with Nexen has deep-water technology, shale gas, oil sands as well as paving the way to develop in Nigeria,” Kwan said.

“CNOOC, 10 years from now when they look back at it, this will be a great deal,” he said. Nexen operates in western Canada, the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Africa and the Middle East, with its biggest holdings in oil sands.

But it is also exploring for natural gas in shale rock formations and owns about 300,000 acres (121,400 hectares) of shale-gas blocks in the Horn River Basin in British Columbia. The US Energy Information Administration has estimated that China has about 36 trillion cubic meters (1,300 trillion cubic feet) of recoverable shale gas, the biggest known reserves. But the country lacks the expertise needed to get to it. — AP

Australia bank chief upbeat on China SYDNEY: Australia’s central bank chief yesterday played down fears of a significant slowdown in key trading partner China, describing it as “cyclical” in an upbeat assessment of the domestic economy.

Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens said Australia’s “remarkable” recessionbeating performance in the financial crisis had been underpinned by its ties to Beijing, stable banks, a floating dollar and stimulus measures.

China is Australia’s biggest trading partner and its economy, the world’s second largest, grew 7.6 percent in the second quarter year-on-year, its slowest pace in more than three years. Stevens said it was cooling in line with Beijing’s plans and was consistent with annual growth in “the seven to eight percent range”.

“The recent data suggest that, so far, this is a normal cyclical slowing, not a sudden slump of the kind that occurred in late 2008,” he said. “To be sure, that is a significant moderation from the growth in GDP of 10 percent or more that we have often seen in China in the past five to seven years. But not even China can grow that fast indefinitely.”

Earlier “breakneck” growth in China had stoked inflation, overheated property markets and led to a “good deal of poor lending”, he said, adding that moderation was preferable if it allowed sustainable growth in the long term.

Australia was the only developed economy to avoid recession during the global financial crisis but its strength has come under renewed scrutiny with Europe in turmoil and China easing.

Stevens said some commentators were warning that the “luck” it had enjoyed so far may be about to change.

But he said Australia started from a solid base following years of hard work and

dismissed concerns about any vulnerability, describing it as in a better position than pre-crisis.

Stevens said Australia was well positioned to weather any fresh storms, with its banks stronger than they were several years ago due to higher savings rates and less offshore borrowing.

Housing prices had fallen without the kind of damaging crisis seen in other countries with “the ingredients we would look for as signalling an imminent crash seem(ing), if anything, less in evidence now than five years ago”. “The degree of vulnerability to a global panic of any given magnitude appears to have diminished, rather than grown, over the past few years,” said Stevens. — AFP

SYDNEY: Glenn Stevens, governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), delivers his address entitled “The Lucky Country” to the Australian Business Economists group in Sydney yesterday. — AFP

26

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

BUSINESS

The Alfa Romeo MiTo debuts in Kuwait Essential style, cutting edge technology and superlative driving pleasure KUWAIT: Now available in Kuwait at Al Mulla & Behbehani Motor Company (Phone# 1885500), the exciting Alfa Romeo MiTo was the first car produced by the legendary Italian brand after the stunning 8C Competizione Alfa Romeo’s icon of style and technology - from which it borrows a number of characteristic design cues - the uniquely shaped side windows that are delineated by flush glazing, a three-part “trilobo” motif that distinguishes the front bumpers, the shape of the headlights and the LED taillights.

“Alfa Romeo cars have always been known for their drive comfort and dynamic behavior, and in the case of the MiTo, self-avowedly an Alfa to the core, they are taken to new levels, MiTo stands for Milan+Torino, Designed in Milan - built in Torino.” said Andrew Bailey, Brand Manager, Fiat Group Automobiles at Al Mulla & Behbehani Motor Company (MBMC).

It features, as standard, a sophisticated array of electronic devices for dynamic control and safety along with two tried and tested layouts for the suspension system; a MacPherson configuration at the front and a semiindependent configuration with torsion beam at the rear.”

Designed and engineered for an uncompromising sense of control and

driving satisfaction, the MiTo was the first Alfa Romeo car to be equipped with the Alfa DNA system, an innovative device that operates on the main driving parameters (engine response, stability control and steering assistance) adapting the car’s personality to the needs of the driver and the road conditions.

The Alfa DNA system acts on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox, allowing three different vehicle behavior modes, depending on the most suitable driving style for the conditions or the requirements of the driver - Dynamic: Supersporty mode; Natural: Urban mode and All Weather mode for maximum safety, even in low grip conditions.

The MiTo’s award-winning revolutionary powertrain, a highly advanced 1.4-litre 4 cylinder MultiAir Turbo Petrol, generates 135hp and 190 Nm of torque at 4,250 rpm (Normal) or 206 Nm at 1,750 rpm (Dynamic), with a top speed of 207kmh and a highly fuel efficient return of 5.6 litres per 100kms.

It sets new standards in terms of efficiency, combining high power output for sporty performance with record-breaking fuel consumption and low emissions. With cylinder-bycylinder, stroke-by-stroke direct air intake control and without a throttle

valve, multi award-winning MultiAir technology cuts fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10%, while at the same time delivering 10% more power and 15% more torque.

The MiTo also features Alfa’s TCT (Twin Clutch Transmission), a 6-speed automatic gearbox with two clutches.

Its sophisticated technology ensures continuous torque delivery and traction without loss of power while shifting. From the technical point of view, the device consists of two gearboxes in parallel, each with its own clutch, which allows the selection and engagement of the next gear while the previous one is still engaged.

Shifting is obtained by gradually switching the corresponding clutches, guaranteeing continuous torque delivery and therefore traction.

Alfa TCT interacts with all the electronic systems fitted on the car, and continuously “dialogues” with the Alfa DNA selector for better behavior on the road according to current conditions and driving style, working seamlessly with the braking, steering and stability control systems and the engine management control unit.

Alfa TCT can be used in automatic or sequential mode according to whether the driver wants a more comfortable or sporty driving experience.

In sequential mode, gears are shifted

by moving the gear stick up or down or via controls on the steering wheel (optional).

“Compact and dynamic, the MiTo is 4.06 metres long, 1.44 metres high and 1.72 metres wide - its interior, featuring highly distinctive dashboard and seats, represents the ultimate expression of Italian style - welcoming yet sporty, with high quality materials and incredible attention to detail throughout the cabin,” said Bailey.

The MiTo’s advanced hands-free Blue&Me(tm) system has changed incar communication, information and entertainment, with real benefits in terms of comfort and safety - created from a partnership between Fiat Auto and Microsoft, it is now available on all new Alfa Romeo cars Blue&Me(tm) allows you to use your mobile phone and listen to music via Bluetooth(r) technology in total safety, thanks to the system’s state-of-the-art hands-free functionality combined with steering wheel controls.

For the ultimate in sound quality, the Alfa Romeo MiTo is also available with an optional Bose sound system.

Specially manufactured for Alfa by the acknowledged leader in the Hi-Fi sector, the system has a power output of more than 500 watts and an acoustic system that comprises the main speak-

Burgan Bank announces Value Account draw winner KUWAIT: Burgan Bank yesterday announced Jawad Gholam Hussain raz Mkhwah as the winner of the Burgan Value Account draw. The lucky winner took home cash prize equivalent to KD4000. Jawad mentioned that he has been dealing with the bank for 6 Years and is very happy with the products and services offered by the bank.

Burgan Bank’s Value account presents a range of benefits that are unique to the Kuwaiti market.

It is an account that is dedicated to expatriates and offers a credit card and an attractive range of exchange rates during remitting money back home from AlMezzeini Exchange Company. Also the quarterly draw entitles a lucky customer to win cash prize equivalent to KD 4000.

Burgan Bank online banking offers account holders the flexibility to transfer money, pay credit card outstanding amounts and much more. Opening a Value account is simple, just visit your nearest Burgan Bank branch and get all the details. Or simply call our Call Center 1804080 and our executive will be more than happy to assist you. For further information visit www.burgan.com

Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is the youngest commercial Bank based in Kuwait, with a significant focus on the corporate and financial institutions sectors, as well as having a growing retail and pri-

vate bank customer base.

Burgan Bank has four majority owned subsidiaries: Gulf Bank Algeria - AGB (Algeria), Bank of

Baghdad - BOB (Iraq), Jordan Kuwait Bank - JKB (Jordan) and Tunis International Bank - TIB (Tunisia), (collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”).

The Bank has continuously

improved its performance over the years through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base.

The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region. Burgan Bank’s brand has been created on a foundation of real values - of trust, commitment, excellence and progression, to remind us of the high standards to which we aspire. ‘People come first’ is the foundation on which its products and services are developed. Earlier this year, ‘Brand Finance’ - the international brand valuation company- rated Burgan Bank brand as AA with positive outlook. The rating places Burgan Bank Brand at 2nd amongst the most valuable banking brands in Kuwait. Excellence is one of the Bank’s four key values and Burgan Bank continually strives to maintain the highest standards in the industry. The Bank was re-certified in 2010 with the ISO 9001:2008 certification in all its banking businesses, making it the first bank in the GCC, and the only bank in Kuwait to receive such accreditation. The Bank also has to its credit the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twelve consecutive years.

ARABAL 2012 highlights aluminum industry’s commitment to environmental standards KUWAIT: Qatalum has stated that the program of the Arab International Aluminum Conference (ARABAL 2012), which will be held in Doha from 20th to 22nd of November 2012, will include topics that discuss environmental issues and their correlation with the aluminum industry, in a time of increasing movement to reduce the impacts of industry and environmental emissions.

Aluminum Qatar added that the aluminum smelting industry focuses on environment friendly concepts and values, as well as on environment, health, and safety standards, from construction to operation. Aluminum plants in the region are striving to develop emission controls that allow auto-control of emissions and their intensity. These plants pay special attention to smoke filtration systems from the main production centers to reduce emissions to the atmosphere. The growing interest in environmental aspects forms a new addition to the range of procedures that aim to preserve environment and reduce emissions from operation and production.

Waste management processes are witnessing a remarkable progress in smelters, related to the process of sorting and separating the solid and liquid waste, which is then carried, stored and dis-

posed properly. In addition to procedures taken to reduce waste and improve treatment procedures through reuse, recycling, or utilization, including management of the water consumption required for operation, as well as recycling this water.

Qatalum, organizer of ARABAL 2012, statedthat aluminum smelters play a leading role in maintaining the health and safety of employees and of the entire community, on the basis of the industrial nature of aluminum industry and the intense activities and operations associated with production in the aluminum smelters, which involve direct risk on the surrounding environment. A number of smelters have adopted a culture and philosophy that focus on the importance of preserving natural resources and acting responsibly in their operations to preserve the environment, reduce harmful emissions, and reduction and recycling in all operations. These smelters show full commitment to adopt and implement international quality standards it all its products and services offered in all phases.

The focus and attention placed on the level and type of technology used have been increased, as aluminum smelters are using advanced tech-

nologies which help protect and preserve the environment, by using air quality monitoring stations around and outside the aluminum plants to measure the impact on the environment several times a day. Results are constantly examined with the aim of keeping emission levels within the accepted international standards. Aluminum companies pay special attention to minimizing harmful effects with the objective of improving, detecting, and managing the health of employees by providing them with a series of constant medical tests, particularly those regarding noise, inhalation of hazardous gases, and exposure to high temperature.

The 16th Arab International Aluminum Conference (ARABAL 2012) will be held at the Grand Hyatt Doha 20th - 22nd November 2012, under the patronage of HE Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum. ARABAL is the premier trade event for the Middle East’s aluminum industry and the only conference in the world attended by every single primary aluminum manufacturer in the region.

Therefore, it is the conference of choice for anyone interested in the Middle East aluminum industry.

ers in addition to a subwoofer with 6 channel digital amplifier and a central speaker in the dashboard for wraparound nuanced sound, guaranteeing exceptional listening quality for all passengers under all driving conditions.

Safety technology reaches new heights in the MiTo - the following safety features come as standard; 7 airbags, SBR (Seat Belt Reminder) technology, Anti-whiplash devices on seats, Double pretensioners on front seat belts, Collapsible steering wheel, Steering column designed to absorb impact energy in a controlled manner and LED rear lights to improve the visibility of the vehicle.

The MiTo’s hydraulic, power-assisted braking system comprises two crossover, independent circuits and has proven to be particularly effective, allowing quick and progressive braking with shorter stopping distances.

The MiTo is also equipped with the ABS anti-lock braking system, one of the most sophisticated currently available - this incorporates EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution), which distributes the braking action over four wheels in order to stop the wheels locking and ensure complete vehicle control in all conditions.

The MiTo also features the new Electronic Q2 system that, by reproducing the effect of a self-locking dif-

ferential, guarantees excellent cornering behaviour, making the car safer and more enjoyable during a sporty drive or in poor road grip conditions.

VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control), Alfa Romeo’s interpretation of ESP (Electronic Stability Program), intervenes in conditions approaching the point where vehicle stability is at risk, and assists the driver in controlling the car. The ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) system is an integral part of the VDC and it optimises traction at any speed, with the help of the brakes and engine control.

Other safety features include HBA (an hydraulic brake assistance device that automatically increases brake circuit pressure under emergency braking situations) - the Hill-holder system (which, when starting on a hill, maintains the braking action for a few seconds after the brake has been released, thus avoiding the car moving backwards) - MSR, which prevents the engine locking during over-run and gradually adapts engine braking action to the driving situation, and CBC (Cornering Brake Control), which is activated when the car goes round a bend while braking. In this case, the braking pressure is discharged individually onto each wheel in order to maintain vehicle stability, minimising any understeer or oversteer.

ABK offers more services for prestige card holders KUWAIT: Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait has added attractive services that will benefit its Prestige cardholders. Prestige cardholders can now enjoy free valet parking services at select locations in Kuwait, as well as avail a free safe deposit box available at numerous ABK branches.

Stewart Lockie, GM, Retail Banking at ABK, explained about these new services “At ABK we strive to provide premium services to our customers, Stewart Lockie some related to banking and others related to lifestyle, in order to cater to a diverse segment. Our new services like free valet parking and free safe deposit box for a year come as an added value to the wide range of services and benefits already in the reach of Prestige cardholders.”

Lockie added “Free safe deposit boxes allow customers to keep their valuables

in a secure place, especially while travelling. Since boxes are offered in various branches around Kuwait, it gives customers the much required flexibility.

Branches with safe deposit boxes are Ahmadi, Fahaheel, Farwaniya, Hadiyah, Jabriya, Jleeb, Salmiya, Sharq, Shuwaikh, Qurain, Zahra, Andalus and Sabah Hospital and of course the main branch at head office.”

“Free valet parking service provides our Prestige clients luxury and comfort, just by showing their ABK Prestige Card.

Popular locations where clients can enjoy this service are the three entrances to Marina Mall, P.F. Chang’s restaurant on Gulf Street, Slider Station Restaurant opposite Seif Palace, Fish Market restaurant on Gulf Street, Marina Hotel, in addition to Starbucks branches in both Kefan and Jabriya.

For more information about ABK’s exclusive offers , please visit any of our branches , call Ahlan Ahli on 1899899 , or talk directly to one of our account managers through Ahli Chat service via our website www.eahli.com

Lack of domestic triggers means dancing to global problems Markaz GCC Outlook H2 2012 KUWAIT: Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz” recently released a semi-annual review of its “What to expect in 2012” report in which the authors review the first half of 2012 and project the remainder of 2012 based on an assessment of various drivers that affect the performance of GCC stock markets.

The first half of 2012 was mostly about markets reacting to events in the developed world.

The regional markets clearly lacked major triggers except for the disappointment from MSCI, which came in June. Market talks, early in the year, about Saudi Arabia allowing foreign investor participation did not see any constructive development as well. Concerns about Chinese hard landing also affected market sentiment due to its impact on commodity demand. Anemic growth in developed countries, combined with slowdown in emerging markets (especially China) pushed down Oil prices in the first half. Brent Crude lost 8.9% in the first half after a good 14.4% rally in the first quarter.

In their previous note in January, the authors adopted a Neutral view of the markets due mainly to lackluster market activity which was overshadowing more positive indicators on the economy and earnings. The report had adopted a Positive stance on Saudi Arabia and Qatar due to positive economic growth, earnings potential and market liquidity.

While Qatar was a surprise, the authors still maintain their Neutral view on Dubai. Attractive valuations and earnings growth from a lower base possibly helped Dubai post gains in 1H12.

But they are still skeptical about its real estate recovery and issues surrounding its debt problems.

Kuwait Weighted Index return For the rest of 2012, the report is still sticking with a Neutral view for most of the markets albeit with a Positive bias due to comeback of market liquidity and robust government sector growth. The report maintains a Positive outlook on Saudi Arabia for 2H12 due to increased economic activity, improving liquidty and earnings growth potential. According to Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI), Saudi economy grew by 5.94% in 1Q12 on YoY basis. The Kingdom’s first quarter corporate profits rose 15% YoY to $6.7bn. Value traded in Saudi came in at $332bn for 1H12, a 114% YoY growth.

The authors have upgraded the outlook on Kuwait from Neutral to Positive for the remainder of 2012 due to positive economic factors, increased earnings growth potential and a pickup in market liquidity. Kuwait earnings staged a comeback in the 1Q12 after three continuous quarters of de-growth. However, earnings dropped 25% over the year on account of a one-time gain of $959mn booked by Wataniya Telecom in 1Q11.

The authors have upgraded the outlook from Neutral to Positive for Abu Dhabi while maintaining a Neutral outlook on Dubai. Their Neutral stance on Dubai, despite its attractive valuations, is because of problems with GREs which could deteriorate if market environment for fund raising becomes difficult.

In June, MSCI announced that MSCI UAE and MSCI Qatar Indices will continue as Frontier markets until next annual review in June 2013.

In 1Q12, UAE corporate profits increased 8% YoY and more than doubled over 4Q11 to $3.1bn.

27

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

EMC delivers documentum solution suite for life sciences DUBAI: At EMC World 2012, EMC announced the immediate availability of the EMC(r) Documentum(r) for Life Sciences Solution Suite. The suite is comprised of solutions built on top of the Documentum platform and are optimized for the cloud with the EMC(r) OnDemand hybrid cloud deployment model. The solutions focus on simplifying compliance, cost reduction, cost avoidance and enabling process quality. The first available solution is Documentum(r) Quality and Manufacturing for Life Sciences.

Life Sciences companies look for the safest, fastest and most cost effective methods to bring quality drugs and medical devices to market. They look to ensure consistent revenue

streams, speed production and delivery of products, and minimize disruption to ensure Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP).

EMC’s Documentum-based Life Sciences solutions deliver a unified, configurable document control platform for compliance with industry regulations.

The foundation of these solutions include the Documentum(r) Enterprise Content Management platform, Documentum(r) D2 for configuration and intuitive user interfaces, implementation and migration services. The D2 configuration technology enables auditing, reporting and e-signature support for compliance, lifecycle management and document control services, and industry-specific modeling capabilities all designed for

Life Sciences. For more than 20 years, the Life Sciences industry and governments have relied on the Documentum brand for new drug and product submissions and on-going compliance. In delivering these solutions, EMC renews its commitment to a treasured industry. � Simplified compliance: automated policy enforcement that enables compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance � Process quality and innovation: unify quality and control across document lifecycles and ensures process consistency � Ease of use: simplify document handling, streamline collaborative authoring, and enable compliant use of SharePoint(r) and Microsoft(r) Word

� EMC OnDemand, a managed service by EMC experts, increases agility, saves time and costs, improves IT efficiency, and simplifies management of highly-complex applications. � EMC OnDemand is a hybrid cloud deployment model for enterpriseclass applications, designed to help customers accelerate their journey to the cloud. Developed using a range of best-in-class technologies from VMware, RSA and EMC, the infrastructure can contain one or many EMC and EMC partner products and can be completely portable from one data center to another. It also enables customers to provision and configure the system for rapid deployment.

In addition to the Life Sciences solutions, EMC OnDemand is available

for EMC(r) Documentum(r) D2 for configuring intuitive user client interfaces to the EMC Documentum platform, EMC Captiva for enterprise capture, EMC Document Sciences for customer communications management and EMC Documentum for enterprise content management.

John O’Melia, Vice President of Worldwide Services for the Information Intelligence Group, EMC “EMC is thrilled to deliver solutions for Life Sciences, marking a return to a key industry in a big way with comprehensive offerings that deliver highly configurable compliance products.

Our focus on Good Manufacturing Processes enables companies to avoid costly disruptions and fines that easily reach seven figures.”

Computer hackers and defenders mix in Vegas

BROOKS FALLS: In this photo taken July 17, 2012 and provided by explore.org, a brown bear catches a salmon at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park in Alaska. A new video initiative will bring the famed brown bears of the park directly to your computer or smartphone. In a partnership with explore.org, a live webstream will be unveiled today that will allow the public to log on and see the brown bears in their natural habitat, including views of the bears catching salmon at Brooks Falls. — AP

Webcams make Alaska bears accessible ANCHORAGE: A new video initiative is bringing the famed brown bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park directly to computers and smartphones.

Without having to go there, you’ll be able to watch mature bears compete for salmon at Brook Falls and other sites and cubs tumbling over each other as they play. Starting today, a live Web stream (http://is.gd/bfPAs8) will allow the public to log on and see the brown bears in their natural habitat.”I think it’s an unparalleled opportunity for people to get that front row seat of the lives of the bears at Brooks Camp,” said Roy Wood, chief of interpretation for Katmai National Park and Preserve.

The project is a partnership with explore.org, which set up four highdefinition cameras in Katmai, spokesman Jason Damata told The Associated Press. Three of them are at existing viewing stands where bear fans come to watch the animals.

The cameras provide access to a national park that is difficult to reach and expensive for most tourists. It is about 275 miles southwest of Anchorage, but no roads lead to Katmai. A trip there involves multiple airplanes and a lot of advanced planning: it’s hard to get a lodge reservation at Brooks Camp before 2014.

Camping is allowed, but on a reservation system that goes online Jan. 5.

“It takes a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of money, and the webcams will make it accessible to anyone with access to a computer, a smartphone, a tablet device,” Wood said.

The park draws just under 10,000 visitors a year, but about 2,200 bears live in Katmai National Park. About 100 of them are in the Brooks Camp area.

One camera is at Brooks Falls, where the bigger male bears compete for salmon, some while the fish are trying to jump the falls. The bears eat mostly the brains and eggs of these fish and let the carcasses flow downstream.

This is the prime viewing area now.

The second camera is about 150 yards away, where females and cubs eat the fish scraps floating downstream. The third is at the lower falls, where bears will congregate later this summer when dead salmon float downstream after spawning. “Any bear can catch them when they’re dead,” Wood said.

The fourth is on Dumpling Mountain and provides an aerial view of the entire ecosystem, including Brooks Lake, Naknek Lake, Brooks River and falls, and in the distance the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, Damata said.

“The placement of the cams is fantastic,” Wood said. “I mean, they’ll be close enough, many of the bears you’ll

be able to identity and follow the individual bears as they use the salmon at Brooks Falls and raise their young here.”

The cameras are powered by solar and wind energy. Microwave signals are sent to the Dumpling Mountain camera, which are then sent to King Salmon, Alaska, where a T1 connection allows for the high-definition cameras to be broadcast to the Internet. The best action of the four cameras will be broadcast.

They are the latest addition to a list of live-streaming webcams in the Pearls of the Planet initiative for explore.org, underwritten by the Annenberg Foundation. The subjects of other webcams include osprey off the coast of Maine, and polar bears in the Arctic and Scandinavia; locations such as the California redwood trees and in institutions like the Vancouver Aquarium, where cameras are directed on belugas and jelly fish. A camera in Brookeville, Md., is focused on a golden retriever and her new litter. The pups will be raised and trained to be service dogs for military members suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The mission is simple. We simply want people to fall in love with the world again,” said Charles Annenberg, creator of explore.org and vice president of the Annenberg Foundation. A previous attempt to set up live bear cams from Katmai with a museum in Homer, Alaska, failed due to lack of funding.

“It’s very expensive to run streaming video, more expensive than we could handle with our partnership with the Pratt Museum because both of us don’t have a good revenue stream,” Wood said. He said it was a “great, fortunate day for us that explore.org called and said they were interested.”

Annenberg, who also goes by the name Charles Annenberg Weingarten, said the intent of the bear cam and others provided by the organization is to make adults fall in love with the world again.”I think when you watch these brown bears, and the salmon going upstream and you see the beauty of this nature, I think it’s going to put a smile on your face and a sense of bewilderment and awe you felt a long time ago when we were all kids,” he said. He said when people view the live stream, he hopes they realize what they are seeing is pure there’s no ulterior motive other than an experience to reconnect with nature. The cost of the project wasn’t disclosed, but explore.org will absorb the full costs. No advertising will be sold. — AP

SAN FRANCISCO: Rival factions from the Internet security world will mix warily this week at a pair of Las Vegas conferences gathering computer security experts and software savants who make sport of hacking them.

More than 6,500 high-level security experts will attend the Black Hat conference already under way, with many apt to swap surnames for code-names and stay for the infamous Def Con gathering of hackers that starts tomorrow.

Black Hat plays out in posh ballrooms at Caesar’s Palace on the Las Vegas strip with big-name sponsors including Microsoft, Qualys, Looking Glass, Cisco, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Amazon.com. Def Con unfolds in the Rio hotel and casino on the opposite side of the Las Vegas Freeway, with attendees plunking down $200 each in cash to hear how to crack anything from smartphones and power grids to door locks.

While Black Hat has invitation-only evening soirees at hot clubs, Def Con draws crowds to its annual Toxic BBQ in a local park, “Hacker Jeopardy” team drinking games, and all-night hacker duels. As different as the Black Hat and Def Con scenes may seem, the realms have been converging with the shift of threats from brilliant kids showing off online to cyber attacks by nation states, industrial spies, and criminal gangs. The founder of both Def Con

and Black Hat, Jeff Moss, is now chief of security at US-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the agency in charge of website addresses. Security firms started by longtime Def Con hackers or which have hired them for key positions have become key players at Black Hat. A “Spot the Fed” game that began in early Def Con days as a way to ferret out undercover cops has evolved into a playful way to break the ice between hackers and police who attend to sharpen crime fighting skills and recruit talent.

Def Con on Saturday revealed that this year’s “top-secret VIP speaker” will be US National Security Agency (NSA) director General Keith Alexander, who will give a presentation titled “Shared Values, Shared Responsibility.”

“Dark Tangent has been working to get a speaker this high-profile from the NSA for quite a long time, and we’re excited that he’s coming to our 20th anniversary shindig,” Def Con said at its website, referring to Moss by his hacker name.

Press covering Def Con were sent safety tips that include shunning bank teller machines near the conference because of potential hacking and shutting off wireless connection features on all gadgets to thwart cyber attacks.

“You are entering one of the most hostile environments in the world,” Def Con organizers warned. “Prepare to hack and be hacked.”

After leaving Las Vegas, change all online passwords just to be safe, Def Con organizers added.

While the potential to hack into power plants, mass transit systems and other highprofile targets grab headlines during the back-to-back gatherings, ramped up attacks on smartphones will be among hot topics for attendees.

“The biggest trend of the moment revolves around mobile devices,” said Qualys director of engineering Ivan Ristic, who will give a Black Hat presentation on tightening security at websites. “Every single year we see a greater diversity of mobile devices used in every layer of our society,” he continued.

“There is an increasingly hostile environment and yet an increase in the exchange of information.”

Smartphones and tablet computers have become popular devices for online shopping, banking and other exchanges involving potentially valuable personal information.

Black Hat briefings at which findings are presented will begin on Wednesday. “I’ve been attending Black Hat for years; the most popular talks are those demonstrating how to break things,” Ristic said. — AFP

New Sony Xplod CD/DVD car audio receivers Connect listeners to their music like never before KUWAIT: Sony, the leading consumer electronics brand, announced the launch of five new Xplod A/V receivers (XAV-701BT, XAV-741, XAV-601BT, XAV-64BT, XAV-63). Offering enhanced iPod/iPhone control, a wide range of smartphone and USB connectivity options, multi-channel surround sound and more, Sony’s latest in-dash receivers provide rich, immersive music and video experiences while on the move.

The new Passenger App Control allows users to connect an iPod(r) or iPhone(r) via USB to display their favourite TV shows, movies, and compatible applications onscreen1.

Bluetooth connectivity on the XAV-701BT, XAV-601BT and XAV-64BT with an external microphone completes the package, enabling true hands-free calling while driving.

The XAV-701BT/741/601BT A/V receivers feature high-quality WVGA panel displays with full touchscreen capability and a myriad of ways for passengers to share their favourite multimedia when on the road. Meanwhile, dual USB connectivity allows for simultaneous

connection to USB mass storage devices such as the Walkman(r) digital music player for music playback and control over the display of album artwork and playlists.

These receivers also offer universal smartphone connectivity to any MirrorLink(tm)-certified smartphone. Once connected, drivers can play music, make and take phone calls, as well as control smartphone-based navigation services and applications, all from the receiver’s 6.1-inch or 7-inch touchscreen. The application achieves full smartphone integration while not compromising driving safety. MirrorLink(tm) is a technology standard developed by the Car Connectivity Consortium that enables the streaming of smartphone content to in-dash receivers, facilitating control of applications and music on the receiver’s touchscreen.

Sony is also redefining the in-car audio-visual experience. Each receiver uses Sony’s proprietary Advanced Sound Engine with full digital processing and Virtual 5.1ch to deliver powerful surround sound, truly bringing the theatre into the car. Visuals are equally stunning, pow-

ered by an extremely advanced GUI design that offers a super-fast response, a 6-Pre-set Visualizer, customizable wallpaper, and variable illumination to match any car’s interior.

For added theft protection, the 601BT includes a fully detachable faceplate, rendering the receiver useless without it.

Delivering premium functionality at an entry-level price, the XAV-63 and XAV-64BT offer a number of improvements typically found only in more expensive A/V receivers.

Like the high-end models, these two receivers come with 6.1 inch high-quality WVGA displays, enhanced fast-response GUI design, iPod(r)/iPhone(r) Passenger App Control, and Sony’s own Advanced Sound Engine with full digital processing for ultimate sound versatility. iPod(r) video playback, simultaneous USB connectivity, Digital Clarity Tuner and Bluetooth (64BT only) complete the package.

The new range of Xplod A/V receivers is currently available across Supplying Store showrooms and other leading electronics retailers in Kuwait.

Apple, Samsung score partial court victories

CALIFORNIA: An Apple customer Shayan Hooshmand, 11, uses PhotoBooth on a 21.5-inch iMac at an Apple store in Palo Alto, Calif. — AP

BERLIN: US electronics giant Apple and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics each scored partial court victories in Germany yesterday in their global war over rival tablet computers. A regional appeals court in the western city of Duesseldorf upheld a ban on sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7.7 computer for infringing on Apple’s design patent, and extended it from Germany to the rest of the European Union.

But it said that the redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1 N was now sufficiently different to the Apple iPad to be acceptable under competition law. The two technology giants are engaged in a legal battle involving dozens of cases worldwide as they

struggle for leadership in the hugely lucrative smartphone and tablet computer market. Apple launched legal action in April last year, accusing Samsung of “slavishly” copying its iPhone and iPad designs.

Samsung has focused its own lawsuits on technology patents rather than design.

In November, the Duesseldorf regional court had slapped a temporary ban on Samsung’s previous model, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, saying it copied the iPad. But changes Samsung made to the successor model for the German market to meet the court’s demands rendered the tablet computer sufficiently different, it said in February.

Apple appealed this decision. — AFP

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Alzheimer’s drug fails to slow disease TRENTON: A closely watched experimental Alzheimer’s treatment has failed to slow the disease in one late-stage study, a big disappointment for doctors and patients but not the end of the road for the drug. Pfizer Inc. said Monday that it will continue to study its effect on a different group of patients.

Pfizer, which is testing bapineuzumab with partner Johnson & Johnson, said the injected drug didn’t slow mental or functional decline in patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease. The study included about 1,100 patients who carry a gene called ApoE4, which gives people a higher risk of developing the memory-robbing disorder.

About half the population does not carry that gene, however, and studies in patients without the gene continue.

Results of one trial are set to be announced later this summer. Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Ellen Rose said scientists who conducted mid-stage tests on bapineuzumab had seen “a hint that the people who are carriers of the ApoE4 gene might not have as good a chance as people who are not carriers.”

New York-based Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, based in New Brusnwick, N.J., are each running two studies of the experimental drug. The other three studies - two

in patients without the ApoE4 gene and one in patients with it - are all continuing, after review by an independent safety monitoring committee.

There’s no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Current medicines, including Pfizer’s Aricept and Forest Laboratories’ Namenda, temporarily ease symptoms such as memory loss, confusion and agitation. But they do nothing to slow, stop or reverse mental decline, leaving patients and their loved ones desperate for a new treatment.

Alzheimer’s experts were disappointed by the news and said they still hope the drug will prove effective in other studies of people without the ApoE4 gene. “I remain hopeful that we might see a more positive clinical result in the ApoE non-carriers, as they may have less brain pathology to reverse at the stage of mild-to-moderate dementia,” said Dr. Reisa Sperling, a neurologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who is one of the leaders of the bapineuzumab studies.

However, the basis for hoping bapineuzumab works in people without the gene “unfortunately is pretty slim,” said analyst Erik Gordon, a professor at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “Fortunately, Pfizer is carrying on despite the slimness of the hope for bap-

ineuzumab because slim hopes are all the hope we have at this point for Alzheimer’s.”

Finding a drug that could at least slow the disease has become a sort of Holy Grail in the pharmaceutical industry. A successful medicine would be guaranteed to generate billions in annual sales, given the world’s aging population.

Successful Alzheimer’s drugs “could be the next Lipitors - in terms of their size should they work ,” says Bernstein Research analyst Dr. Timothy Anderson. But he noted that bapineuzumab and similar drugs have been viewed as “highly likely to fail and so far this assumption has been correct.” In a note to investors Monday, Anderson pegged the probability of success at around 20 percent for the entire category, adding, “these initial results will naturally make investors more skeptical than they already are.”

Lipitor, Pfizer’s cholesterol fighter, was the world’s top-selling prescription drug until it got generic competition in December. It had peak global sales of $13 billion several years ago. Worldwide, about 35 million people already have dementia, and Alzheimer’s is the most common type.

In the US, about 5 million have Alzheimer’s.

Bapineuzumab is one of three experimental Alzheimer’s drugs undergoing latestage patient tests. All are being closely

watched by doctors, patients, investors and analysts. The other experimental medicines are solanezumab, developed by Eli Lilly & Co., and Gammagard, made by Baxter International Inc. Last Tuesday, Baxter reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference that a tiny study indicated its drug might help stabilize Alzheimer’s for up to three years. Four patients who got the highest dose of Gammagard for three years showed no decline on memory and cognition tests, but a dozen others on different doses or shorter treatment times didn’t fare as well.

Meanwhile, J&J last week said that detailed results of its two studies testing bapineuzumab will be presented at a neurology conference in Sweden in September. Pfizer said in a statement that the test results from what’s called Study 302 have been shared with government regulators and doctors conducting the study so that patients participating in all the studies can be notified.

“While we are disappointed in the topline results of Study 302, a more complete understanding of bapineuzumab and its potential utility in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease will be gained following the availability of additional data,” Dr. Steven J. Romano, Pfizer’s head of pri-

mary care medicines development, said in a statement. Bapineuzumab is an antibody-based drug that targets the betaamyloid protein, the sticky plaque that clogs patients’ brains and is believed to play a central role in development of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are still analyzing the study’s data on biomarkers spinal fluid and brain imaging - to see if bapineuzumab had any effect on clearing amyloid. If so, that might lend support to trying the drug earlier in the course of the disease, before people have so much plaque that it causes symptoms. The biomarker results will be presented at scientific conferences this fall, Sperling said.

Biomarkers are genes or measurable characteristics that indicate a normal biologic process, a disease or a response to a treatment. “I would defer complete judgment on the drug until I see some biomarker data,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “It still may leave the door open for some positive news if there are any biomarker movements.”

Many scientists believe the drugs are being tried too late, “like lowering the cholesterol after the heart attack,” said Petersen. He had no role in these studies but consults for Pfizer on other potential Alzheimer’s treatments. — AP

US adds $150 million to fight AIDS, targets stigma 34.2 million people worldwide are living with HIV

KABUL: A young Afghan amputee practises walking with her prosthetic leg at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hospital for war victims and the disabled in Herat yesterday. The ICRC orthopaedic project, which began in 1988 in Kabul, now has seven centres in various Afghan provinces. — AFP

Hip, knee replacements tied to heart attack risk NEW YORK: Older patients who have a hip or knee replaced face an increased risk of heart attack in the two weeks after the procedure, according to an international study.

Researchers, whose findings appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine, said that people having joint surgery had up to 31 times the risk of a heart attack shortly afterward.

“The risk of acute myocardial infarction is substantially increased in the first 2 weeks after total hip replacement (25-fold) and total knee replacement surgery (31-fold) compared with controls,” wrote Arief Lalmohamed from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, who led the study.

The link between joint surgeries and heart problems was especially high for patients aged 80 or older, they found. But those under the age of 60 weren’t at any higher risk.

Although it’s not clear that the hip and knee procedures themselves triggered the heart attacks, researchers said it’s reasonable to think they would have some role.

“Surgery is a risk, because surgery and anesthesia that you need to have the surgery increase stress levels for patients,” said William Hozack, an orthopedic surgeon at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, who wasn’t

involved in the study. The findings come from hospital records for 95,000 people who had a hip or knee replaced in Denmark between 1998 and 2007. The researchers compared each patient with three people, of the same age and gender, who didn’t have a joint replaced. Over the six weeks after their surgeries, one in 200 patients who had a hip replaced and one in 500 who underwent knee replacement had a heart attack.

The researchers couldn’t account for everything about patients that might affect both their risk of needing a joint replaced and having a heart attack, such as being overweight or obese, or having high blood pressure. Lalmohamed expects the procedures do have some direct impact on heart risk.

Cutting into bones could promote clot formation in the bone marrow, especially in hip surgery, his team said. Blood loss and oxygen deprivation can also happen during any major surgery, he told Reuters Health. “These stressors are known to increase the risk of heart attack. Furthermore, the perioperative period itself is a very stressful time for the patient,” he said, adding that patients should discuss their heart history with their doctor before surgery. — Reuters

Late night TV and computer sessions linked to depression LONDON: Sitting in front of a computer or TV screen late into the night or leaving it on when you fall asleep could increase your chances of becoming depressed, according to a study by US scientists. The study, by a team of neuroscientists at Ohio State University Medical Center partly funded by the US Department of Defense, will give screenaddicted night owls pause for thought.

The researchers - who exposed hamsters to dim light at night and picked up changes in behaviour and the brain that bore striking similarities to symptoms in depressed people - said a surge in exposure to artificial light at night in the last 50 years had coincided with rising rates of depression, particularly among women, who are twice as prone as men.

“The results we found in hamsters are consistent with what we know about depression in humans,” said Tracy Bedrosian, who led the study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. Although exposure to night-time light has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and obesity, the relationship with mood disorders is poorly understood.

The hamsters involved in the experiment were exposed for four weeks to dim light at night - equivalent to a television screen in a darkened room - and the results compared to a control group exposed to a normal lightdark cycle. The experimental group was then moved back onto a normal cycle for one, two or four weeks before they were tested.

The results showed they were less active and had a lower than usual interest in drinking sugar water - both symptoms are comparable to signs of depression in people.

The similarity extended to their biological

make-up. The researchers found changes in the hippocampus - a part of the brain - that were consistent with people suffering depression. The hamsters exposed to dim light at night were also shown to produce more of a protein called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a chemical messenger that is mobilised when the body is injured or infected and causes inflammation in its efforts to repair the damage. “Researchers have found a strong association in people between chronic inflammation and depression,” said Randy Nelson, who also worked on the study. “That’s why it is very significant that we found this relationship between dim light at night and increased expression of TNF.” The scientists found that blocking the effects of TNF with a drug prevented signs of depression in the hamsters, though some other indicators in the structure of the brain were unaffected.

For instance, hamsters that were exposed to dim light at night still showed a much reduced density of dendritic spines - hairlike growths on brain cells that are used to send chemical messages from one cell to another.

The overall symptoms of depression were reversible, the researchers said. Those hamsters returned to a normal light-dark cycle saw both their TNF levels and the density of their dendritic spines return to normal after about two weeks. “The good news is that people who stay up late in front of the television and computer may be able to undo some of the harmful effects just by going back to a regular light-dark cycle and minimizing their exposure to artificial light at night,” Bedrosian said. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: The US is adding an extra $150 million to the global AIDS fight, taking a first step toward reaching some stigmatized populations.

Despite tough fiscal times, “I am here today to make it absolutely clear the US is committed and will remain committed to achieving an AIDS-free generation,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told the International AIDS Conference on Monday.

That’s a big goal: Some 34.2 million people worldwide are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and 2.5 million were infected last year.

But the world’s largest AIDS meeting this week is debating how to spread scientific advances in ways to stem spread of the virus to get there.

Key is targeting those tools where they can have the greatest effect. “We need to go where the virus is,” Clinton told the meeting. That means a focus on populations at especially high risk: gay and bisexual men, sex workers and injecting drug users. In many countries, stigma and laws that make their activities illegal drive those populations away from AIDS programs that could teach them to reduce their risk of infection, Clinton said.

“If we’re going to beat AIDS, we can’t afford to avoid sensitive conversations,” she said.

Removing stigma is crucial, singer Elton John told the conference. “We have to replace the shame with love,” the British artist said. “We have to replace the stigma with compassion. No one should be left behind.”

Included in the new US funding is $15 million for research to identify the best HIV prevention tools to reach those key populations in different countries, and $20 million to create a challenge fund to support country-led efforts to put those findings into practice.

Closer to reality is a goal of virtually eliminating transmission of HIV from infected pregnant women to their babies by 2015, by getting the mothers onto anti-AIDS drugs. HIV-infected births are rare in the United States and are dropping steadily worldwide, although some 330,000 children became infected last year. Clinton said the US has invested more than $1 billion toward that goal in recent years and is providing an extra $80 million to help poor countries finish the job.

Much of the AIDS conference is focused on how to get treatment to all people with HIV, because good treatment saves their lives and reduces their chances of infecting others. But

drugs aren’t the only effective protection. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said male circumcision is “stunningly successful” too at protecting men from becoming infected by a heterosexual partner. Clinton said the US will provide $40 million to help South Africa reach its goal of providing voluntary circumcision to half a million boys and men this year. The world spent $16.8 billion fighting AIDS in poor countries, the hardest-hit, last year, and the United States is the leading donor. But Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and philanthropist, said the world is facing great uncertainty about whether wealthy nations will continue funding AIDS programs with the same vigor as in the past.

“As these budget trade-offs are made, the voices of the AIDS community and the global health community are going to have to be louder than ever,” said Gates, whose Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged more than $1 billion to

global AIDS efforts. Another $7 billion a year is needed to get 15 million people in low- and middle-income countries onto medication by 2015, a United Nations goal. A record 8 million received it last year.

“We have to be innovative,” said Sheila Tlou, the former health minister of Botswana, now with UNAIDS. “We have to look at new ways of funding.” Speaking to the conference via video, French President Francois Hollande said his country was doing that by beginning what’s called a financial transaction tax next month. The tax idea has received a lukewarm reception in other parts of Europe and the US. And researchers from Zimbabwe described how individuals and companies in that country pay 3 percent of taxable income into a National AIDS Trust Fund that has grown large enough to fund anti-AIDS medicines for a quarter of patients using them. — AP

WASHINGTON: AIDS Healthcare Foundation activist Mark Martin, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., center, marches during the Global AIDS Funding Protest March, Monday, in Washington. — AP

Lab-engineered jellyfish may mend a broken heart PARIS: Using cells from rat hearts and a seer polymer film, scientists on Sunday reported they had created an artificial jellyfish that could one day help save patients with heart disease. The exploit marks an advance in so-called biomimicry, in which a natural wonder inspires copycat innovation in the lab.

The interest in the jellyfish lies in its remarkable swimming ability, which comes from muscles that open its bell-like body and then contract it, thus ejecting water and driving the creature along. This pump-like design has been honed by more than 500 million years of evolution to be as simple and ener-

VINH: This handout photo received yesterday from the US Department of Defense shows US Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Maria Aluma-Lopez (L) providing instruction on oral hygiene to children and adults at a medical civic action project on July 13, 2012 in the city of Vinh during the Pacific Partnership 2012. US and foreign service members were scheduled to hold several medical and engineering civic action projects during the two-week event. —AFP

gy-efficient as possible.

As a result, it offers tempting insights for scientists hoping to make small, reliable heart pumps for the future. “It occurred to me in 2007 that we might have failed to understand the fundamental laws of muscular pumps,” said Kevin Kit Parker, a professor of bio-engineering at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

“I started looking at marine organisms that pump to survive.

Then I saw a jellyfish at the New England Aquarium, and I immediately noted both similarities and differences between how the jellyfish and the human heart pump.”

The paper is published on Sunday in the journal Nature Biotechnology. Dubbed “Medusoid” after the Medusa, the snake-haired creature of mythology that provides the Latin name for jellyfish, the lab creature has a body of an ultra-thin silicone polymer with eight limb-like appendages.

The arms are coated with a protein in patterns that resemble the muscle architecture of the real jellyfish. The protein’s job is to act as a nutritional scaffold to grow and direct a batch of cells derived from the muscles of rat hearts.

Thus primed for action, Medusoid was unleashed in a lab container of electrically conductive fluid. The scientists threw a switch to put a tiny voltage, ranging from one to five volts, into the fluid to

make Medusoid’s muscle cells contract and relax rhythmically.

As they did so, the arms opened and closed like fingers on a clenching fist, propelling Medusoid around the tank. “I was surprised that with relatively few components-a silicone base and cells that we arranged-we were able to reproduce some pretty complex swimming and feeding behaviours that you see in biological jellyfish,” said John Dabiri, a professor of aeronautics and bio-engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

“I’m pleasantly surprised at how close we are getting to matching the natural biological performance, but also that we’re seeing ways in which we can probably improve on that natural per formance. The process of evolution missed a lot of good solutions.”

The natural jellyfish has also inspired “Robojelly,” a US Navybacked research innovation that was showcased in March.

It has eight appendages made of shape-metal alloy-metals that remember their original shape after being scrunched up.

The appendages are coated with a platinum powder that reacts with the oxygen and hydrogen in seawater to create heat, which causes the segments to contract. When they cool down, they relax, thus ejecting the water and pushing Robojelly along.— AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Sally Ride, first US woman in space, dies at 61 LOS ANGELES: Space used to be a man’s world.

Then came Sally Ride, who blazed a cosmic trail into orbit for US women. With a pitch perfect name out of a pop song refrain, she joined the select club of American space heroes the public knew by heart: Shepard, Glenn, Armstrong and Aldrin.

Ride, the first American woman in orbit, died Monday at her home in the San Diego community of La Jolla at age 61 of pancreatic cancer, according to her company, Sally Ride Science.

Ride flew into space on the space shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, when she was 32.

Since then, 42 other American women followed her into space. “Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model. She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars,” President Barack Obama said in a statement.

When shuttles started flying frequently with crews of six or seven, astronauts became plentiful and anonymous. Not Ride. “People around the world still recognize her name as the first American woman in space, and she took that title seriously even after departing NASA,” Eileen Collins, the first female space shuttle commander, said in a statement. “She never sought media attention for herself, but rather focused on doing her normally outstanding job.”

When Ride first launched into space, feminist icons such as Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda were at Kennedy Space Center and many wore T-shirts alluding to the pop song with the refrain of the same name: “Ride, Sally Ride.”

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former astronaut, said Ride “broke barriers with grace and professionalism - and literally changed the face of America’s space program.”

“The nation has lost one of its finest leaders, teachers and explorers,” he said in a statement.

Ride was a physicist, writer of five science books for children and president of her own company, which motivates youngsters to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. She had also been a professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego.

In 1978, NASA included women in the astronaut corps, selecting Ride and five other women to join the club, which had been dominated by male military test pilots. Ride beat out fellow astronaut candidates to be the first

American female in space. Her first flight came two decades after the Soviets sent a woman into space and less than a year after a second Soviet woman flew.

“On launch day, there was so much excitement and so much happening around us in crew quarters, even on the way to the launch pad,” Ride recalled in a NASA interview for the 25th anniversary of her flight in 2008. “I didn’t really think about it that much at the time - but I came to appreciate what an honor it was to be selected to be the first to get a chance to go into space.”

Ride flew in space twice, both times on

Challenger, in 1983 and on October 5, 1984, logging 343 hours in space. A third flight was cancelled when Challenger exploded in 1986.

She was on the commission investigating that accident and later served on the panel for the 2003 Columbia shuttle accident, the only person on both boards. She also was on the president’s committee of science advisers.

The 20th anniversary of her first flight also coincided with the loss of Columbia, a bittersweet time for Ride, who discussed it in a 2003 inter view with The Associated Press. She acknowledged it was depressing to spend the anniversary investigating the accident, which

In this June 1983 photo released by NASA, astronaut Sally Ride, a specialist on shuttle mission STS-7, monitors control panels from the pilot’s chair on the shuttle Challenger flight deck. Ride, the first American woman in space, died Monday after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61. — AP

killed seven astronauts.

“But in another sense, it’s rewarding because it’s an opportunity to be part of the solution and part of the changes that will occur and will make the program better,” she said.

Later in the interview, she focused on science education and talked about “being a role model and being very visible.”

“She was very smart,” said former astronaut Norman Thagard, who was on Ride’s first flight.

“We did have a good time.”

It was all work on that first flight, except for a first-in-space sprint around the inside of the shuttle, Thagard recalled in a phone interview Monday. He didn’t know who won.

Born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, Ride became fascinated with science early on, playing with a chemistry kit and telescope. She also excelled in tennis and competed in national junior tournaments.

She earned bachelor’s degrees in physics and English from Stanford University in 1973 and a master’s in 1975. She saw an ad in the student newspaper calling for scientists and engineers to apply to become astronauts and was chosen in 1978, the same year she earned her doctorate in physics from Stanford.

Ride was married to fellow astronaut Steve Hawley from 1982 to 1987. Hawley said Ride was never fully comfortable being in the spotlight. “While she never enjoyed being a celebrity, she recognized that it gave her the opportunity to encourage children, particularly young girls, to reach their full potential,” Hawley said in a statement released by NASA. One of Ride’s last legacies was allowing middle school students to take their own pictures of the moon using cameras aboard NASA’s twin Grail spacecraft in a project spearheaded by her company.

“Sally literally could have done anything with her life. She decided to devote her life to education and to inspiring young people. To me, that’s such a powerful thing. It’s extraordinarily admirable,” said Maria Zuber, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who heads the Grail mission. Ride’s office said she is survived by Tam O’Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years and a co-founder of Sally Ride Science; her mother, Joyce; her sister, Bear, a niece; and a nephew. — AP

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

WHAT’S ON Bangladesh Embassy notice he Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will follow the following office hours during the holy month of Ramadan.

Sunday to Thursday: 9 am - 3:30 pm. Friday and Saturday: Weekly holidays.

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Announcements Indian Embassy passport and visa Passports and Visa applications can be deposited at the two outsourced centers of M/S BLS Ltd at Sharq and Fahaheel. Details are available at www.bls-international.com and www.indembkwt.org .

Consular Open House Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizens 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 at the Embassy. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) can be contacted. Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances.

Indian workers helpline/helpdesk Indian workers helpline is accessible by toll free telephone number 25674163 from all over Kuwait.

It provides information and advice to Indian workers as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. The help desk at the Embassy (Open from 9AM to 1PM and 2PM to 4:30PM, Sunday to Thursday) provides guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal and other issues. It also provides workers assistance in filling up labour complaint forms. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attachÈ in the Labour section and the head of the Labour Wing can be contacted.

Gulf Bank customers donating blood

906 lives saved with Gulf Bank’s ‘Give Life’ blood donation movement ulf Bank hailed the success of its recent ‘Give Life’ blood donation movement, as the road-show reaches its halfway mark. Statistics collected by the Bank and confirmed by the Central Blood Bank have shown that since the Bank’s movement commenced on 21 March 2012, it has managed to save 906 lives to date.

The Bank’s ‘Give Life’ road-show has taken place at 13 of the Bank’s branches, Jabriya and Hawally branches in April, Ghazali and Al-Zahra branches in May, and Mansouriya and Shuwaikh branches

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in June. ‘Give Life’ aims at building awareness amongst the public so that they can help save lives in a simple and easy way.

The Bank’s third round of visits will commence after the Holy month of Ramadan and will take place in the Jahra branch on 5 September, Jahra 2 branch on 12 September, Sabah Al-Naser branch on 19 September, and will continue through the year in other venues as well as Gulf Bank branches to involve the wider community on this humanitarian cause.

Gulf Bank was recently honored for its outstanding humanitarian support during The Central Blood Bank’s ‘World Blood Donor’s Day’ celebrations, for its contribution in the form of its exclusive sponsorship of the ‘Club 25 Educational Initiative’, a campaign organized by the Central Blood Bank.

Fawzy Al-Thunayan, General Manager of Board Affairs at Gulf Bank commented: “Our mission is to increase the awareness of the importance of blood donation, and how it can significantly save lives. At Gulf Bank, we strive to contribute to our

community and its people through many initiatives such as our ‘Give Life’ blood donation drive. We are very pleased with the success of this initiative, saving 906 lives so far and sparing families and loved ones from grief. We urge as many people as possible to participate and encourage others to donate time and blood to save lives and benefit the future of our community through our ‘Give Life’ movement. Interested donors can easily donate blood by visiting one of the Bank’s branches on the scheduled dates.”

Legal Advice Clinic Free legal advice is provided on matters pertaining to labour disputes, terms of contracts with employers, death/accident compensation, withholding of dues by employers, etc. by lawyers on our panel, to Indian nationals on all working days between 1500hrs to 1600hrs.

Ambassador’s Open House The Open House for Indian citizens by the Ambassador is being held on all Wednesdays at the Embassy for redressal of grievances. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day.

Al-Babtain Deewan receives well wishers Al-Babtain Deewan received well wishers on the occasion of the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan Iftar he AWARE Center cordially invites you to its Ramadan Iftar to be preceded by a lecture entitled, “The Meaning of Ramadan,” by Iman Martin on July 26th, 2012 at 6:00pm.

Ramadan presents a wonderful opportunity for westerners to learn more about Kuwait, to meet new individuals & have questions regarding Islam & the Holy month of Ramadan answered.

During this special month, the communal meal referred to as Iftar, breaks the fast at the end of the day & brings family & friends together. As part of AWARE’s Ramadan activities, we invite you to join us for a Ramadan presentation followed by a traditional “Iftar dinner,” at the AWARE Center.

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Register and Win promotion at Q8India.com ity Centre, Kuwait’s premier mega-market, in association with Q8India.com, a leading online Indian community portal, is holding a monthlong ‘Register and Win’ promotion campaign. Any resident in Kuwait can participate in the promotion by visiting www.Q8India.com and registering their name, email and phone number. A winner will be picked each day (except Friday), from the list of names registered on the previous day, and receive a free shopping voucher worth KD10 from City Centre.

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KIB honors Mohammed Javed after 37 Years of Service uwait International Bank (KIB) has recently honored Mr. Mohammed Javed Ismail on the occasion of his retirement following 37 years of working as a Senior Dealer in the Treasury Department. Honoring Ismail comes as an important belief the bank holds to appreciate and value their employees which will ultimately serve as an encouragement to their career path at the bank.

KIB held a farewell party for Javed, celebrating his long and valuable journey with the bank. The ceremony was attended by the Acting Chief Executive Officer Loai Maqamis and Thunayan Al Ghanim Executive Manager of the

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Treasury & Investment Department, in addition to managers and bank staff.

On the occasion, acting Chief Executive Officer Loai Maqamis said: “It’s our pleasure to honor Javed in recognition of his efforts over the past 37 years he dedicated to working and serving KIB with utter loyalty and devotion. KIB will always support its staff in all departments to develop their abilities and skills to serve customers with the highest standards” Maqamis concluded by wishing to Javed, emphasizing on his influential role during the past 37 years in serving the bank.

‘Leniency of Islam’ n unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait.

The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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Ramadan Mubarak with holy month’s crescent sparkle at Safir Fintas mbrace the true spirit of Ramadan with Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait unique offerings this month. Get together with friends and family & celebrate the authenticity of Arabian hospitality.

Experience the authentic Middle Eastern scenery in a traditional Kuwaiti setting with a modern twist at Al Roshinah restaurant, serving a sumptuous Iftar buffet with an array of traditional dishes with a distinctive Arabic accent.

Capture the true essence of the Arabian nights with live oud entertainment in the specially designed majlis at Hilal AlFintas Hall for a harmonious Arabian Hospitality. Savor a traditional Arabic mezzeh & dessert or opt for a Suhoor a la carte menu. Unwind & enjoy the wide selection of shisha flavors in a festive Ramadan atmosphere Recline to the mellow sound of the

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sea in the specially designed Ramadan ‘Sadu’ tents at the beach garden, while sampling from the traditional Middle Eastern delicacies, refreshing beverages & dessert and puffing on one of the varieties of shisha. Enjoy your favorite TV programme along with a selection of traditional indoor games in an opulent setting.

Sponsored by Gulf Air & Sama Dental Center during the Holy month of Ramadan, guests will experience an unforgettable evening along with valuable weekly prizes not to be missed! At Safir Hotel & Residences Kuwait, you get to celebrate the true essence of traditional flavors in Arabesque settings.

Aware Centre he AWARE Management is glad to inform you that Summer 3 Arabic language courses will begin on August 12, 2012 until September 26, 2012. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for

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travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers & those working in the private business sector.

Arabic classes at the AWARE Center are unique because students are provided with the chance to practice their Arabic through various social activities that

aim at bringing Arabs and Westerners together.

AWARE Arabic courses highlights * Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics * Better prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic * Combine language learning with

cultural insights * Taught in multi-nationality group settings * Provide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs.

For more information, call 25335260/80 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw.”

Competitions in patriotic songs Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

ndo-Kuwait Friendship Society, Kuwait (www.indokuwaitfriendshipsociety.com) is planning to conduct competitions in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. This is the first time in Kuwait, an Indian Association is organizing contests in “Patriotic Songs” for both Indian and Kuwaiti School students. The first 3 places will be declared separately by Judges who are experts in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. Several prizes and awards will be handed over for the winning schools. Pradeep Rajkumar and A K S Abdul Nazar said that IKFS wants let our children learn what they mean as a “Patriotic” to their home country. 4 pages of spot Essay competition related to “Patriotism” also will be held in the same day as a spot reg-

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istration. 1 Girl and 1 Boy student from each School can participate in the ESSAY contest. Dr. Mohamed Tareq, Chairman of the First Indian Model School in Kuwait “ Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS) already confirmed as a Co-Sponsor of the Program.

Conditions apply 1) The competitions are meant for all the Schools located in Kuwait and should be nominated by school authority.

2) Each school can select group of 7 students for the “PATRIOTIC SONGS (Indian and Kuwaiti)” and nominate separately.

3) Children of above 12 years till 17 years (VII classes to XII

classes) are eligible for the contest. But if School is permitted 4) Musical instruments or KARAOKE mixer should be accompanied by the participating students/Children and the school team should operate and select the mixers.

5) Time frame: 7 minutes - Names will be called as “First come” in the Registration.

The Event will be held at the auditorium of “Salmiya Indian Model School” on Saturday, 27th October 2012 from 09:30 am onwards. It will be a full day program with fun and full of entertainments. Food-stalls of different Kuwaiti and Indian tastes will installed.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Air Arabia’s new safety video features children he next time you prepare to takeoff on an Air Arabia flight, you will be greeted on the television monitors inside the aircraft cabin by the airline’s youngest flight crew members. In a first for the aviation sector in the Arab world, an in-flight safety film developed

by Air Arabia features a group of children briefing passengers about the onboard safety instructions.

Child stewards dressed in Air Arabia outfits have replaced the actual crew members. In the video, developed in both English and Arabic, the children are seen interacting with passengers also played by children - and instructing them about safety with the help of colourful drawings and animation pictures.

This unique movie has once again transformed what used to be a drone of instructions in the background to an attention-grabbing visual. In the video,

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the children playing flight crew and stewards’ roles can be seen going around and interacting with those playing passengers. Every once in a while a “steward” in the video comes across another child - a “passenger” - playing a video game or fiddling with a mobile phone. A sweet juvenile voice tells the “passenger” to put away the device, and points out it is unsafe for use during certain times on a flight.

This fun and engaging delivery of the message makes for high passenger involvement throughout the onboard briefing. And those little voices keep ringing in the ears, gently hammering a point home and making for better recall.

The video has been used on Air Arabia flights since mid-July and can be viewed on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjla H6oSMCU

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian ConsulateGeneral in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF 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 BRITAIN Consular section at the British Embassy will be starting an online appointment booking system for our consular customers from Sunday, 01 July 2012. All information including how to make an appointment is now available on the embassy website. In addition, there is also a “Consular Appointment System” option under Quick links on the right hand side on the homepage, which should take you to the “Consular online booking appointment system” main page.

Please be aware that from 01 July 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers for legalisation, notarial services and certificates (birth, death and marriages). If you have problems accessing the system or need to make an appointment for non-notarial consular issues or have a consular emergency, please call 2259 4355/7/8 or email us on consularenquirieskuwait@fco.gov.uk. If you require consular assistance out of office hours (working hours: 0730-l430 hrs), please contact the Embassy on 2259 4320.

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EMBASSY OF INDIA During the holy month of Ramadan, the office timings of the Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres of BLS International Visa Services Co, Kuwait, situated at (i) Emad Commercial Centre, Basement Floor, Ahmed Al Jaber Street, Sharq, Kuwait, and (ii) Mujamma Unood, 4th floor, Office No. 25-26 Makka Street, Fahaheel, Kuwait, will be from 8.00 am - 3.00 pm from Saturday to Thursday (i.e. six days a week). Tokens for submission of applications will NOT be issued after 2.00 pm. Delivery of passports and visas will be from 11.00 am onwards. Embassy of India, Kuwait, will maintain its usual working hours.

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EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform Kenyan residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that with effect from June 1, 2012 the Embassy has moved from its current location to a new location in Surra Block 1, Street 8, Villa 303.

Please note that the new telephone and fax numbers will be communicated as soon as possible. For enquiries you can contact Consular Section on mobile 90935162 or 97527306.

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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 ■■■■■■■

Al-Matrouk Deewan received well wishers on the occasion of the month of Ramadan. A large number of officials and citizens attended.

Student Visa Day at US Embassy held o support Kuwaiti students currently studying or planning to study in the United States, the US Embassy’s Consular Section, in cooperation with the National Union of Kuwaiti Students (NUKS) - US Branch, held a Student Visa Day on July 18. The Consular Section allotted 200 appointments for student visa applicants, coordinating closely with NUKS-US Branch representatives to ensure that a successful event be held. Encouraging Kuwaiti students to pursue higher educational opportunities in the US is one of the top priorities of this US Mission.

For instructions on how to apply for a student visa to the US, please see our website for more information: http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/student3.html.

To avoid delays during periods of high demand, students are encouraged to apply for their visa as early as possible.

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Starwood Hotels celebrates holy month of ramadan with ‘iftar for cabs’ initiative s part of its ongoing commitment to the Holy Month of Ramadan, Starwood Hotels & Resorts is launching its third annual ‘Iftar for Cabs’ initiative at more than 30 participating Starwood hotels in the Middle East.

The ‘Iftar for Cabs’ initiative was launched in 2010 and has since become an annual tradition for many cab drivers throughout the region. During the hour of Iftar on Tuesday 7th August, 2012, associates from participating Starwood hotels will hand over Iftar packs to cab drivers as they drive through the main entrance of each hotel.

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Guido de Wilde, Senior Vice President & Regional Director, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Middle East says: “This initiative truly represents the spirit of Ramadan. It gives us great pride as a company to go the extra step to give back to the communities in which we operate. This is our way of saying thank you to cab drivers who work tirelessly throughout the year to provide transportation services to our guests and therewith support our hotels.”

Catering teams at each hotel will prepare Iftar packs which will include a diverse selection of food

and beverage items. Associates from across various departments within the hotels, including Catering, Administration and Guest Services, will join forces on the ‘Iftar for Cabs’ initiative.

“I am very proud of our team’s enthusiasm and commitment to this initiative and we look forward to continuing the success of the previous years,” added de Wilde.

Starwood’s ‘Iftar for Cabs’ initiative has been widely appreciated by owners and the community, and has also been awarded by the UAE Road Transport Authority.

FASTtelco to sponsor Koutbo6.com championship ASTtelco, the leading internet Service providers in Kuwait, winner of the Bizz International Award of 2012 for displaying business excellence and for being the most inspirational company, and winner of the Annual GCC HR Excellence Awards for Best Change Management Strategy of 2012, announcing its sponsorship of the Ramadan Championship for KOUTBO6.com The sponsorship of this Ramadan championship by FASTtelco comes from a continuance chain of sponsoring events and activities by the company

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processing the company’s roll in contributing to the community social events with its individuals, and bend technological tools in the hand of individuals to make maximum benefits out of it to serve the community.

The “Kout Bo 6”is one of the most popular cards gamesin Kuwait, considering its easy and simple rules and the amazing group spirit it has.

The Ramadan championship for this year includes 6 different games and 8 individual competitions in “ KOUT BO 6” and “Bloat” , and a total of KD 5000 will

be winners prize. The championships will be held for the following games: Kout bo 6, Hand, Sbetah, Bloat, Trex, and Kout bo 4.

Prizes include KD 400 Cash + 2 MB internet subscription(For 3 months) for the first place winner and KD180 cash + 2MB internet subscription (For 3 months) for second place winner and KD 80 + 2MB internet subscription (For 3 months) for the thirds place winner, in addition to prizes for individual competitions. For more information about the contest, please visit www.Koutbo6.com

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA During the holy month of Ramadan, the South African Embassy will be open to the public, Sunday through Thursday from 09:00 am to 13:00 pm. Please note that the Consular Section operation hours will be from 09:30 am to 12:00 pm, Sunday through Thursday.

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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.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

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

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

I’m Alive Untamed & Uncut Rescue Vet Rescue Vet World Wild Vet Wild France Animal Kingdom In Too Deep Safari Vet School Safari Vet School Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Corwin’s Quest Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Breed All About It Growing Up...

Wild France Wildlife SOS Gorilla School Animal Cops Houston Rescue Vet Rescue Vet Animal Precinct Wild France Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Natural Born Hunters Natural Born Hunters Dogs vs. Cats Dogs 101 Wildlife SOS Gorilla School Animal Kingdom In Too Deep Monster Bug Wars Monster Bug Wars Speed Of Life Animal Cops Houston

Bleak House Eastenders Doctors London Hospital The Weakest Link After You’ve Gone Fimbles Tellytales Bobinogs Nina And The Neurons Show Me Show Me Boogie Beebies Charlie And Lola Fimbles Tellytales Bobinogs Nina And The Neurons Show Me Show Me Boogie Beebies Charlie And Lola After You’ve Gone 2 Point 4 Children The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Bleak House Bleak House London Hospital Lead Balloon After You’ve Gone 2 Point 4 Children Eastenders Doctors Bleak House Bleak House London Hospital The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Casualty My Family Fawlty Towers Life On Mars Roger & Val Have Just Got In Last Of The Summer Wine Great Ormand Street Blackadder The Third The Weakest Link Casualty

00:30 Holmes On Homes 01:20 Holmes On Homes 02:05 MasterChef

02:35 MasterChef 03:00 Rachel’s Favourite Food For Living 03:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 03:50 James Martin’s Champagne 04:15 James Martin’s Champagne 04:35 MasterChef 05:00 MasterChef 05:25 Living In The Sun 06:20 Living In The Sun 07:10 Living In The Sun 08:00 MasterChef Australia 08:25 MasterChef Australia 09:10 Bargain Hunt 09:55 Antiques Roadshow 10:45 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 11:30 Come Dine With Me 12:20 10 Years Younger 13:05 What Not To Wear 14:00 What Not To Wear 14:50 Bargain Hunt 15:35 Antiques Roadshow 16:25 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:55 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 19:20 James Martin’s Champagne 19:45 Come Dine With Me 20:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 21:20 Bargain Hunt 22:05 Antiques Roadshow 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:40 Come Dine With Me

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

BBC World News America BBC World News America BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time BBC World News London Live World Business Report BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC Focus On Africa BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time

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

Puppy In My Pocket Tom & Jerry Kids Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Popeye Classics Dexter’s Laboratory Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes The Scooby Doo Show Johnny Bravo The Flintstones The Jetsons Wacky Races The Garfield Show Tom & Jerry Kids Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Puppy In My Pocket Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye The Jetsons Duck Dodgers

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures...

06:25 Casper’s Scare School 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Johnny Test 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Bakugan Battle Brawlers

ROAD TO PERDITION ON OSN ACTION HD

13:30 Sym-Bionic Titan 13:55 Foster’s Home For...

14:45 Angelo Rules 15:35 Powerpuff Girls 16:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 16:40 Johnny Test 17:05 Adventure Time 17:30 Regular Show 17:55 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 18:20 Batman Brave And The Bold 18:45 Young Justice 19:10 Hero 108 19:35 Ben 10 20:25 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:15 Grim Adventures Of...

22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

00:00 Amanpour 00:30 World Sport 01:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 02:00 World Report 03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Quest Means Business 06:00 The Situation Room 07:00 World Sport 07:30 Eye On 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 Inside Africa 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 Amanpour 12:30 Leading Women 12:45 Future Cities 13:00 World One 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Leading Women 19:45 Future Cities 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

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

Monsters Inside Me Sons Of Guns Rattlesnake Republic Finding Bigfoot Wreckreation Nation Monsters Inside Me How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Swamp Loggers American Chopper Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Stan Lee’s Superhumans Mythbusters Mythbusters Border Security Auction Kings Ultimate Survival American Chopper Fifth Gear Swamp Loggers Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Border Security Auction Kings The Gadget Show Stan Lee’s Superhumans Mythbusters Mythbusters

00:35 Engineered 01:25 Ten Ways 02:15 Junk Men 02:40 Junk Men 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Junkyard Mega-Wars 04:25 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 05:15 Engineered 06:05 Ten Ways 07:00 Junk Men 07:25 Junk Men 07:50 Head Rush 07:53 Bang Goes The Theory 08:20 Sci-Fi Science 08:50 Smash Lab 09:40 Junkyard Mega-Wars 10:30 Moon Machines 11:20 Moon Machines 12:10 Moon Machines 13:00 Moon Machines 13:50 Moon Machines 14:45 Moon Machines 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Bang Goes The Theory 16:30 Sci-Fi Science 17:00 Ten Ways 17:50 Smash Lab 18:40 Mars: The Quest For Life 19:30 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 20:20 Prophets Of Science Fiction 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Gadget Show 22:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 22:50 Prophets Of Science Fiction 23:40 Smash Lab

00:55 Style Star 01:25 Too Young To Kill 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 THS 06:00 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Giuliana & Bill 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Khloe And Lamar 13:35 Khloe And Lamar 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York

15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 17:25 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 21:55 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

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

Ghost Lab Crime Scene Psychics Fatal Encounters Killer Kids Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab Crime Scene Psychics Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Australian Families Of Crime American Greed Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 Nomads 01:00 Travel Madness 01:30 Travel Madness 02:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 02:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 03:00 Exploring The Vine 03:30 Naked Lentil 04:00 Dive Detectives 05:00 Asia Action Challenge 2000 06:00 Nomads 07:00 Travel Madness 07:30 Travel Madness 08:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 08:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 09:00 Exploring The Vine 09:30 Naked Lentil 10:00 Dive Detectives 11:00 Asia Action Challenge 2000 12:00 Nomads 13:00 Travel Madness 13:30 Travel Madness 14:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 14:30 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 15:00 Naked Lentil 15:30 Naked Lentil 16:00 Dive Detectives 17:00 Asia Action Challenge 2000 18:00 Nomads 19:00 Perilous Journeys 20:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 20:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 21:00 Danger Beach 21:30 Danger Beach 22:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 23:00 Bondi Rescue 23:30 Bondi Rescue

00:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 01:00 The Known Universe 02:00 Naked Science 03:00 Untamed Americas 04:00 Crash Science 05:00 Shark Nicole 06:00 Lockdown 07:00 Air Crash Investigation 08:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 09:00 The Known Universe 10:00 Naked Science 11:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 12:00 Crash Science 13:00 Alaskan Killer Shark 14:00 Lockdown 15:00 Naked Science S2.5 16:00 Mega Bridges 17:00 The Known Universe 18:00 Naked Science 19:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 20:00 Huge Moves 21:00 Animal Autopsy (AKA Inside Nature’s Giants) 22:00 Banged Up Abroad 23:00 Air Crash Investigation

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

Rescue Ink I, Predator Dam Beavers Caught In The Act Dangerous Encounters Bears Of Fear Island Kingdom Of The Forest Dam Beavers Caught In The Act Dangerous Encounters World’s Deadliest Swamp Men Wildlife Rescue Africa Planet Carnivore Wild Russia Caught In The Act Dangerous Encounters World’s Deadliest Swamp Men Extinction Sucks Extinction Sucks Dam Beavers Caught In The Act Dangerous Encounters World’s Deadliest Swamp Men

CALVIN MARSHAL ON OSN CINEMA

00:00 Survival Of The Dead-18 02:00 Mirrors 2-18 04:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 06:00 The Warrior’s Way-PG15 08:00 No Time To Fear-PG15 10:00 Wild Bill-PG15 12:00 The Net-PG15 14:00 No Time To Fear-PG15 15:45 Hidalgo-PG15 18:00 The Net-PG15 20:00 Get Rich Or Die Tryin’-18 22:00 Road To Perdition-18

01:00 Not Since You-PG15 03:00 West Is West-PG15 05:00 Gasland-PG15 07:00 Calvin Marshall-PG15 09:00 West Is West-PG15 11:00 The Borrowers-PG 13:00 Helen-PG15 15:00 Mars Needs Moms-PG 17:00 Waiting For Superman-PG15 19:00 Brighton Rock-PG15 21:00 Marley & Me: The Puppy Years-PG15 23:00 Page Eight-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 02:30 Two And A Half Men 03:00 2 Broke Girls 03:30 Whitney 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 06:00 Seinfeld 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 2 Broke Girls 09:30 The Cleveland Show 10:00 Happy Endings 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Seinfeld 14:00 Whitney 14:30 Happy Endings 15:00 The Cleveland Show 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:30 Seinfeld 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 2 Broke Girls 18:30 Whitney 19:00 Parks And Recreation 19:30 Parks And Recreation 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 22:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 23:00 Two And A Half Men 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Royal Pains House Perception White Collar Warehouse 13 Good Morning America The Glades Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show The View White Collar Live Good Morning America Century City Hawthorne Grimm Alphas Supernatural Warehouse 13

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30

Cold Case Perception Revenge White Collar Revenge Cold Case Emmerdale Coronation Street Smallville White Collar House Emmerdale Coronation Street

13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Smallville Cold Case Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Smallville Hawthorne Grimm Alphas Supernatural Revenge

01:00 The Running Man-18 03:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 05:00 Men In Black-PG15 07:00 True Justice: Lethal Justice-18 09:00 Returner-PG15 11:00 Men In Black-PG15 13:00 Bodyguard: A New BeginningPG15 15:00 Returner-PG15 17:00 Fighting-PG15 19:00 Sniper: Reloaded-18 21:00 The Godfather III-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 PG15 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Coldblooded-PG15 Roommates-PG15 The Making Of Plus One-PG15 The Dukes-PG15 Roommates-PG15 Babe-FAM Inspector Gadget (1999)-

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:15 09:00 11:15 13:00 14:45 17:00 19:00 21:00 PG15 23:00

The Chamber-18 The Color Of Money-PG15 A L’origine-PG15 Tresor-PG15 Spiderman 2-PG15 The Client List-PG15 Oceans - Into The Deep-PG Spiderman 2-PG15 Skirt Day-PG15 The Tempest-PG15 Moonlight And Valentino-

Coming & Going-PG15 Babe-FAM All Night Long-PG15 Mystery Men-PG15 Can’t Hardly Wait-PG15

Fargo-18

01:15 Say Anything-PG15 03:00 The Great Debaters-PG15 05:15 Lord Of The Dance-PG 07:00 District 9-PG15 09:00 Flash Of Genius-PG15 11:00 Mr. Popper’s Penguins-PG 13:00 Shrek Forever After-FAM 15:00 Morning Glory-PG15 17:00 Flash Of Genius-PG15 19:00 Ghost Machine-PG15 21:00 Marley & Me: The Puppy Years-PG15 22:45 True Grit-PG15

00:00 The Fourth Kind-PG15 02:00 Soul Surfer-PG15 04:00 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never-PG 06:00 Lego: The Adventures Of Clutch Powers-FAM 08:00 Slipstream-PG15 10:00 Kung Fu Magoo-FAM 12:00 Soul Surfer-PG15 14:00 Quest For Zhu-PG 16:00 Slipstream-PG15 18:00 The Winning Season-PG15 20:00 127 Hours-PG15 22:00 Ghost Machine-PG15

00:00 Hua Mulan-PG 02:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase-FAM 04:00 True Story Of Puss’n Boots-PG 06:00 Hua Mulan-PG 08:00 Ramses Of Egypt-PG 10:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG 12:00 True Story Of Puss’n Boots-PG 14:00 Olentzero Christmas Tale-FAM 16:00 Scooter The Penguin-PG15

18:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG 20:00 Rango-FAM 22:00 Scooter The Penguin-PG15

01:00 07:00 11:00 11:30 13:30 16:00 17:00 17:45 21:00

The Open Championship Darts World Match Play Futbol Mundial Super Rugby AFL Premiership Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Futbol Mundial Live Olympics - Football Live Olympics - Football

01:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:40 22:00

UFC 149 Aldo Vs. Koch Super Rugby Highlights Super League Trans World Sport Super Rugby NRL Premiership Darts Super Rugby Highlights Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Live Olympics - Football Live Olympics - Football

01:00 Futbol Mundial 01:30 NRL Full Time 02:00 Darts World Match 06:00 Ping Pong World Championship 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Asian Tour Golf Show 08:30 AFL Highlights 09:30 Futbol Mundial 10:00 World Cup of Pool 11:00 World Cup of Pool 12:00 City Centre Races 12:30 City Centre Races 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 AFL Highlights 15:00 NRL Full Time 15:30 NRL Premiership 17:30 Golfing World 18:50 Live Olympics - Football 21:00 Live Olympics - Football 23:45 European PGA Tour

01:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 15:00 19:00 20:00 21:00

Prizefighter UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE Vintage Collection WWE NXT NHL V8 Supercars Highlights Mobil 1 The Grid WWE This Week WWE Smackdown Live PGA European Tour UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed Live Darts World Match

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

Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ax Men Storage Wars Storage Wars No County For Old Men Ancient Aliens Britain At War Ax Men Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ancient Aliens Britain At War Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ax Men Storage Wars Storage Wars No County For Old Men Britain At War Ancient Aliens Storage Wars Storage Wars No County For Old Men Britain At War Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ax Men Lock N’ Load Top Shot

34

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 747

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) A clear-minded insight into your own plans and methods is available to you this morning. Your sensitivity to and sympathy with others’ moods and emotions are extremely strong. If you think you have any psychic abilities, they could be more sensitive than you realize. Problems are valued for the insight that you gain as you work your way through them, rather than perceived as obstacles. Outer circumstances are favorable for you to move in a forward and positive direction. Now marks a time when love, creativity and self-expression satisfy a deep yearning to be appreciated and admired—needed. You may be able to enjoy and value your own life situation. Later this evening you are ready for a little privacy and quiet time—relaxation.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) A work matter that has been concerning you for a while will finally come to a close. The results may not be as spectacular as you wanted, but certainly successful. You and a few other people that have been working on this matter, or project, will soon see some recognition for all the hard work of late. Emotions are up and you may even find yourself pondering a bit on the meaning of life. You feel at one with your situation. There is a basic drive to appreciate and taste life. This afternoon, you may find yourself enjoying a long conversation, writing a letter or making a special phone call. Your desires are strong and you will want to enjoy yourself this evening. Dancing, running into old friends . . . anything is possible.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A syndrome that occurs in many women from 2 to 14 days before the onset of menstruation.

4. An implement consisting of handle with a free swinging stick at the end.

9. Made from residue of grapes or apples after pressing.

13. A local and habitual twitching especially in the face.

14. A genus of Lamnidae.

15. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically.

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

17. A unit of resistance equal to a billionth of an ohm.

18. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

19. An established custom.

21. Favoring one person or side over another.

23. The district occupied entirely by the city of Washington.

24. A member of an agricultural people of southern India.

26. A genus of temperate and arctic evergreen trees (see spruce).

29. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

32. A member of the Semitic speaking people of northern Ethiopia.

34. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

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

36. The Hebrew patriarch who saved himself and his family and the animals by building an ark in which they survived 40 days and 40 nights of rain.

41. The basic unit of electric current adopted under the System International d'Unites.

42. Tranquilizer and antidepressant (trade name Triavil) sometimes used as an antiemetic for adults.

44. A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause).

45. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

48. A small mallet used by a presiding officer or a judge.

52. Smeared thickly.

54. An agency of the United Nations responsible for programs to aid education and the health of children and mothers in developing countries.

56. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

57. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

58. Bar temporarily.

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

62. A public area set aside as a pedestrian walk.

63. (sometimes followed by `of') Having or showing realization or perception.

64. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. A major god.

2. Tropical Asian starlings.

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

4. Freight car without permanent sides or roof.

5. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

6. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.

7. Antibacterial drug (trade name Nydrazid) used to treat tuberculosis.

8. The 11th letter of the Greek alphabet.

9. A port city and resort in Andalusia in southern Spain on the Mediterranean.

10. Squash bugs.

11. Ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside).

12. Wearing or provided with clothing.

20. Conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence.

22. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

25. (Greek mythology) One of the three Graces.

27. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in a mosque.

28. A boy or man.

30. A rotating disk shaped to convert circular into linear motion.

31. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

33. (prefix) In front of or before in space.

37. A suburb of Paris.

38. A small railroad car propelled by hand or by a small motor.

39. Fishtail palm of India to Malay Peninsula.

40. A state in the southeastern United States on the Gulf of Mexico.

41. Ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside).

43. Of or like a cecum.

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

47. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.

49. A former copper coin of Pakistan.

50. Any of a family of bowed stringed instruments that preceded the violin family.

51. A chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints).

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

54. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

55. A federal agency established to regulate the release of new foods and health-related products.

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

59. Military action involving the use of electromagnetic energy to determine or exploit or reduce or prevent hostile use of the electromagnetic spectrum.

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

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You have much inspiration and fervor today, perfect for accomplishing as much as possible in your work field. Communicating and getting others to understand your message is very important—you are good with the public. Your timing should be perfect for whatever you want to achieve. You are charming and always manage to enchant others with your words and manner. You bring a sense of the beyond and mystical to any conversation. Someone will seek help through your psychic abilities later today. Music is a great way to relax and tonight, you and your friends may gather this evening to hear and share the new recorded music that each of you has collected. A feeling of being at peace and stable on the emotional level is strong at this time.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) This is a good day for work. Your charisma is high. You show a great deal of interest in some new technical equipment and you are ready and willing to give a helping hand to others. Since you are good at bringing out the best qualities of others, you may discover a hidden talent in a co-worker friend.

Enjoy this time of discovery, progress, productivity and the possibilities of your new discoveries. This day is so inspiring that you and a friend or loved one may put your heads together to think of new adventures for future enjoyment. Adventuresome, you could start taking a class in skydiving, scuba diving or piloting a glider. This is not an ordinary or dull day. This is a time to get excited about the new things to discover in the future.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) There is something special you want to do now and it may involve a business of your own—it costs money. Your degree of thriftiness, however, will get you where you want to go. This is an important time to weigh the pros and cons of any business venture. Resist the temptation to live beyond your means! If you want to entertain in your home, you will find successful results—especially if you want to do a little networking with regard to your standing in the community or in the professional realm. A charity auction could be successful and fun if you want to raise some money for a neighborhood child.

This could mean bidding for a picnic lunch or selling the recipe for a favorite homemade ice cream party.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) If you give your best effort now, considerable success may follow. Follow your instincts but stop to gather information from time to time. New information comes from strange places—pay attention. You will be successful as you make money more through rational, intellectual processes than with brute, physical actions. You have plenty of enthusiasm and warm up to things and people quickly. Also, during this time, you may show interest more in cultural or literary affairs regarding the spending of money than with just merely collecting material goods. This is a time that can create exciting and permanent bonding between partners! Romance is highlighted and there may be a great desire to try something new or go somewhere unexplored.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) A strong urge for visiting with your co-worker friends will have to wait until noontime. You are sociable, even to the point of bringing out the performer in others. Many of your co-workers have been talking about what it would be like to put on a talent, fashion, gadget show. Everybody wants to play a part in putting the show together. This might be lots of fun. If you find someone to put in charge of organizing the show and another person in charge of advertising, etc., you will have a top notch performance. Customers and families of employees and other employees will be looking forward to viewing the talent and getting to know the people with whom they work. Everyone is in a positive mood, with lots of ideas going on in their heads.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may draw the last straw today when you realize that your routine is boring and you are restless. You may want to break the normal routine and introduce some new elements into your activities. Although this time will induce you to be more impulsive than usual, it also gives you the power to break out of any rut you may have made for yourself. Your thinking will be more original than usual. Restrictions chafe you just now. This is the time to examine and think about what is important and of lasting value. Performing kind deeds reaps positive results and benefits for the giver as well as the receiver—this is a good day to do a good deed. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others—at work or at home.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

Your communicative abilities are accented. This is an excellent time to sway others to your ideas through speeches or clever arguments; your thinking is most lucid and grasping. You could find yourself needing a new audience from time to time. Work at separating the professional from the social and enjoy a variety of people when you are not in a work situation. You are well disposed towards business. You may daydream an excellent opportunity for financial success. Be as flexible as possible today—there are good surprises all around—it is good that you are attentive to the details of your work—this ranks you highly professional. Companionship with others is most rewarding this evening and given the opportunity to socialize, seize the moment.

Today you may be feeling a little restless and looking for some sort of change to help you settle down and achieve.

Perhaps a little walk, a drink of water and some form of light stretching would help you become more refreshed. Any change in sitting position or subject matter may also help you to resume your work with renewed vigor. Change is around the corner . . . nothing life altering—just new and absorbing. This afternoon, a regular routine on the home front provides a feeling of stability and permanence. Music is likely to play a more important role for you—perhaps you will purchase a new music recording for your enjoyment. Conversations with old friends are a delightful way to end this busy day.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Everything you hear may not be the greatest news this morning but if you look hard enough, you will find some positive and fun anecdotes to enjoy. Patience will be the secret tool in the workplace today. The results of your professional endeavors will exceed your expectations—certainly something to be celebrated. Close relationships take on more emotional depth, power and importance today. Visiting relatives may be part of your plans later today. You may want to join them in some meal or entertainment. Feeling appreciated, needed and part of a group is comfortable. This should be a good time for bonding with others. An animal may need special attention this evening—perhaps a lost animal. Overall, this is a very good day.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Shrewd thinking makes you a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the professional activities that you are faced with today.

It may be a bit stressful to keep the momentum going now so you will probably want to plan a fun evening with friends. Keeping in touch and communicating with your friends, helps you to feel needed. You feel good when you make others smile and that is what you do today. Sensitivity to beauty through the arts is heightened and through one of your friends, you may find out about an opportunity to express your talent. You and a friend may spend quite a lot of time deciding what part, what song or what music to use when you try out for a part in a play or a solo in a musical performance.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TAT TE OF K KUW WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENE GENERAL OF CIVIL AV VIA AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

Veery hot h with light to moderate north westerly changing to south easterly wind, with speed of 10 - 32 km/h

BY Y NIGHT:

Relatively hot and humid over coastal areas with light to moderate south easterly to southerly wind, with speed of 12 - 35 km/h No Current Warnings arnin a

WARNING A

37 °C

22451082

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

49 °C

31 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WAISEEB A

48 °C

29 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

49 °C

29 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

49 °C

32 °C

ABDAL LY

49 °C

33 °C

Jabriya

25316254

JAL ALIY YAH A

48 °C

34 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FAILAKA A

47 °C

30 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

42 °C

34 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

39 °C

33 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YAN A

42 °C

29 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

ST TAT TION

DA AT TE

WEA AT THER

Wednesday e

25/07

West Jahra

24772608

Thursday

South Jahra

24775066

Friday

North Jahra

24775992

Saturday

North Jleeb

24311795

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

very hot + raising dust

48 °C

31 °C

S-SE

20 - 45 km/h

26/07

very hot + raising dust

47 °C

31 °C

SE-S

20 - 40 km/h

27/07

very hot

49 °C

32 °C

S-SE

08 - 30 km/h

28/07

Veery hot and humid ov over coasts

49 °C

32 °C

VRB-NW

08 - 30 km/h

03:32

MAX. Temp.

51 °C

Sunrise

05:03

MIN. Temp.

30 °C

Zuhr

11:54

MAX. RH

22 %

Asr

15:30

MIN. RH

03 %

Sunset

18:46

MAX. Wind i

S 36 km/h

Isha

20:13

TOT TA AL L RAIINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

24892674

23900322

AIT AIRPORT RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WA

PRA RA AY YER TIMES Fajr

24884079

Fintas

24/07/2012 0000 UTC

Temperatures DA AY

24575755

24710044

SFC. CHART

4 DA AYS Y FORECAST

New Jahra

N.Kheitan

00 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Dr. Salem soso General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

BY Y DA AY:

48 °C

24719048

22545171

Expected Weather e for the Next 24 Hours

KUW WAIT A CITY

Al-Omariya

Al-Shohada’a

Ext.: 2627 262 - 2630

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

MIN. REC.

Firdous

22418714

Fax: 24348714

MAX. EXP P.

Al-Ardhiya

PHONE

Al-Madena

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

36

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Shepherd engaged to marry for third time ctress Cybill Shepherd is hoping the third time’s the charm. The 62year-old’s publicist confirms Shepherd is planning to marry a former jeweler-turned-psychologist named Andrei Nikolajevic. News of the engagement was first reported by the Daily News in New York. Shepherd was previously married to David Ford and Bruce Oppenheim and has three children from those relationships. In an interview in March 2012 with The Associated Press for her TV show “The Client List,” Shepherd confirmed she had a boyfriend and said they “managed to stay under the radar.” She said she was “very happy” with her life.

A

Rock Hall to honor Berry with series in Oct ne of rock’s pioneers will be celebrated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this fall. Chuck Berry will be honored by the hall as part of its American Music Masters series. Berry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In October, the icon will be the subject

O

of a week-long celebration by the hall and Case Western Reserve University.

It kicks off Oct. 22 and ends with an all-star tribute concert on Oct 27.

Performers have yet to be announced, though Berry is set to take the stage.

In a statement released Tuesday, 82year-old Berry said he is “looking for-

ward to reelin’ and rockin’ in Cleveland.” Past honorees include Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Woody Guthrie.

Rapper booked after collision in S Korea popular member of South Korean boy band 2PM has been booked for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol after colliding with a motorcyclist early yesterday, police said. Nichkhun Horvejkul, 24, was found to have a blood-alcohol content marginally over the legal limit and could have his licence suspended, a detective at Seoul’s Gangnam police station said.

The motorcyclist suffered bruises but no broken bones. Nichkhun, a ThaiAmerican, is a rapper, dancer and occasional support vocalist for the six-member group, which is highly popular in Asia. His agency JYP Entertainment issued a public apology over the incident and said the artist would cooperate with police. Since making his debut on 2PM’s first album in 2008, Nichkhun has become one of South Korea’s most popular entertainers. He recently appeared in a Thai film entitled “Seven Something”.

A

Nelson on board for Railroad Revival Tour ountry legend Willie Nelson is on board for this year’s Railroad Revival Tour. He’ll be joined by Jamey Johnson, Band of Horses and actor-musician John Reilly and Friends. The train tour kicks off Oct. 20 in Duluth, Ga., and runs through Oct. 28 in Oakland, Calif. The artists will ride in vintage, 1940s railcars. They’ll perform in open air, pop-up concert venues in parks, fields and lots around the railroad tracks where they stop. Other stops include Memphis, Tenn.; Oklahoma City, Old Town Spring, Texas; Tempe, Ariz.; and San Pedro, Calif. Tickets go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. EDT. A documentary called “Big Easy Express,” featuring last year’s trip with Mumford & Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show, is out today on iTunes and DVD.

C

Elton John: Cure AIDS with love Penna wants three kids with Price

ir Elton John believes AIDS can be cured “with love”.

The ‘Candle in the Wind’ hitmaker pointed out that US legislation to provide AIDS relief to developing nations was based on compassion and caring for other people and thinks the strength of emotions is what drives research into the incurable illness. Speaking at the AIDS 2012 international conference in Washington D.C., he said: “Maybe you think I’m naive. “Maybe you think I’m off my rocker. Here I am telling an audience of 7,000 global health experts that you can end AIDS with love. “[But] thanks to all this compassion, all this love, more than 8 million people are on treatment ... Thanks to people who have chosen to act, who have chosen to care, we can see an end to this epidemic, but it’s going to take a lot more compassion to get us there, a hell of a lot more.” Elton, 65, went on to note that “shame and stigma” prevent many people from getting help with the condition and discussed his belief that everyone needs to feel that they matter in the world. He added: “We have inexpensive and accurate take-home tests for HIV. But we can’t convince people to get tested if they think their lives don’t count ... Millions of people around the world feel ashamed because of who they are.

They feel subhuman, worthless, like they don’t matter at all.” Referring to his recovery from cocaine addiction, he added: “I felt that shame before and it almost killed me. It’s killing people all around the world. We have to replace the stigma with compassion.”

S

eandro Penna wants three children with Katie Price. The Argentinean model is keen to start a family of his own with the 34-year-old beauty - who has children Harvey, 10, Junior, seven, and Princess Tiaamii, five, from previous relationships - but she isn’t sure if her body is up to coping with the rigours of child birth again. In scenes from her reality show ‘Katie’, she tells him: “I don’t know if my body can do that.” Katie who has previously been married to Peter Andre, the father of her two youngest children, and cage fighter Alex Reid - also told fiance Leandro she would only marry again if she knew it would last forever. She explained: “I’ve always said if I get married again then it has to be forever. Otherwise I’ll get a name for just wearing a wedding dress, in different colours, all the time.” However, Leandro - who she got engaged to shortly before the scenes were filmed - reassured her he was serious in his commitment.

He said: “For me, it’s very important. It’s a big decision, marriage.

It’s not that easy.” Of her second marriage to Alex, he added: “You married very quick, very stupid.” Katie insisted her relationship with Leandro - who she has been dating for just over a year - is “different”. She said: “We don’t have to think about my past ones, do we? With you, it’s different, everything is very different.”

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Gomez enjoys ‘most incredible’ birthday elena Gomez had the “most incredible” 20th birthday over the weekend. The singer-and-actress’ birthday on Sunday saw her scoop a trophy at the Teen Choice Awards before being spoiled by boyfriend Justin Bieber with dinner at Il Cielo restaurant in Beverly Hills. She later posted a picture of her with a rose-topped cake on Facebook, with a message saying: “Beyond blessed, so much love. Thank you for the most incredible birthday yet! I’m truly, truly grateful. I love my family, friends and all of you.” The singer was then joined by a male friend for a Japanese lunch at Yamato restaurant in Encino, California. Selena was also charmed by a video made for her by fans from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which she also posted on her Facebook. She wrote underneath: “Thank you so much for this video, for all the tweets and facebook messages, for the Teen Choice Awards surprise, for everything you do for me. Thank You. (sic)” At the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, the pop star and her band, Selena Gomez and the Scene, scooped the Choice Music Group award.

She was also given birthday cupcakes topped with sparklers, which she passed out to fans as the audience started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. —Agencies

S

Alley sued over weight-loss claims irstie Alley is being sued over an alleged weight-loss product scam. The former ‘Cheers’ actress claimed she had shed 100 pounds by using supplement Organic Liaison but now an angry dieter has claimed Kirstie and the product’s maker have engaged in “nothing more than a healthy deception” and her new figure was down to her appearance on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in the early months of 2011. Marina Abramyan filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles Superior Court on July 20, which claims Kirstie’s extreme weight loss was the “result of an above average exercise regime and extremely low calorie diet”.

She also claims that ‘DWTS’ “tracked [Alley’s] weight loss as a result of hours and hours of dancing every day for several months”. Abramyan alleges the supplement’s marketing campaign involving Kirstie violates Federal Trade Commission regulations and that she wrote to the company demanding they cease their deceptive practices. However, the company wrote back to Abramyan, denying her claims and refusing to change their advertising practices, prompting her to file suit. She is seeking an injunction preventing Organic Liaison from proceeding with its current campaign, which utilizes before-and-after ‘DWTS’ photos of Kirstie, as well as unspecified damages for the “proposed plaintiff class”. Representatives for Kirstie and Organic Liaison have not yet commented on the matter.

K

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

lifestyle M u s i c

M

ariah Carey will join “American Idol” as a judge next season, Fox announced Monday, bringing her star power to the show that remains a ratings leader but has seen its viewership and pop culture status diminish. “I am so excited to be joining ‘Idol,’” said Carey, addressing the Television Critics Association via Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly’s cellphone, which he put on speakerphone for the hotel ballroom meeting. She couldn’t be on hand with the group because “this kind of all just happened really quickly,” Carey said in her brief remarks. “I can’t wait to get started in the fall ... and I will see you in January.” The show, which saw judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez exit at the end of last season, will be back on the air for season 12 in January.

Reilly called Carey “the biggest recording artist that any of these (talent) shows has ever had,” adding that she was the “artist that many of these contestants have tried to emulate, have tried some of the songs, have tried to hit the notes.” Playing the drama up, Reilly placed a call to Carey and put her on speaker. “Hi, Mariah. How are you? It’s Kevin,” he said. “We do have a deal, don’t we? Yes!” Reilly said he was “thrilled” to confirm reports that Carey was being courted by Fox and said the deal was freshly signed within the last few hours. The Grammy-winning pop star is receiving just shy of $18 million a year for a one-year contract with a renewal option, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person, lacking authority to discuss the matter publicly, spoke on condition of anonymity.

The exit of Tyler and Lopez left original judge

Randy Jackson and started a guessing game about potential replacements, with Carey at the top of the list. As one of music’s best-selling singers, she could provide the clout “American Idol” needs to compete in an increasingly crowded talent show field.

Besides Fox sibling “The X Factor,” which recently added Britney Spears and Demi Lovato as judges, there’s NBC’s “The Voice,” which boasts Christina Aguilera among its big names. “Not being the only game in town now, we need to keep things fresh,” Reilly said. The search is on for a third judge, and he promised another impressive pick. It could a star or someone like music executive and “Idol” mentor Jimmy Iovine, who wasn’t a household name when he joined, Reilly said. But, he added, after 12 seasons “we need to have something to talk about.”

“We have the biggest names in the business, like Mariah Carey, interested in doing this ... so for the next couple of weeks it will be a matter of picking the right one, with the right chemistry, making the deal, and finalizing this,” he said. Jackson’s value to the show was enhanced by Carey’s signing, although Fox has yet to say whether he’ll judge next season. Ryan Seacrest will be back as host. “I can’t confirm and don’t want to talk about anyone” else on the show, Reilly said. But he added that Jackson “has been working with Mariah and is in fact her co-manager, and Randy was very instrumental in doing this deal.”

Simon Cowell, the former “American Idol” judge who adapted his UK hit “X Factor” for Fox, was asked about Carey’s new gig at a critics’ session later Monday. “I’m happy for her, actually. I like Mariah. I

&

M o v i e s

think she’s going to find it difficult to say no. You’ve got to say no to people and she’s sweet,” he said, then quickly backtracked, adding, “No, I think she’ll be great.”

Cowell had reason to be diplomatic: Carey’s husband, Nick Cannon, is host of Cowell’s “America’s Got Talent” on NBC. “American Idol” ended the 2011-12 season as the leading entertainment show and No. 2 overall, just behind NBC’s top-rated “Sunday Night Football.” But the show aired its least-watched finale ever this season and the advertiser-favored young adult audience has been steadily shrinking. The show’s cachet hasn’t been helped by a run of champions who have failed to achieve the career sizzle of past competitors Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson.

Earlier Monday, veteran “Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said there’s a slender possibility that Lopez might return. His reasoning: Since she told Seacrest she was 99 percent sure she was leaving, that means there’s a 1 percent chance she won’t, Lythgoe said. He said he hoped that was the case, although Lythgoe also told the critics’ annual summer meeting that he thought the show should be freshened each season with new judges. But Lopez’s representative confirmed again Monday that she’s leaving “American Idol.” She originally made the announcement July 13, a day after Tyler said he was leaving.

Reilly also disputed Lythgoe’s comment, saying, “it’s 100 percent that Jennifer won’t be back to the show.” “We came to a mutual decision with Jennifer

and Steven,” he said, calling it a “great experience with both of them. Creatively, we were all happy.”

But it was decided “it was the time for a change,” Reilly said. Lythgoe said his own contract is under negotiation, declining to comment further. Reilly later called Lythgoe “the best producer in the business.” — AP

This May 26, 2012 photo shows US Singer Mariah Carey performing on stage during a concert at the Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morocco. — AP

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In this Sept. 24, 2011 photo, singer Britney Spears performs on a stage during a concert in Moscow, Russia, during her European tour. — AP photos

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ooks like Simon Cowell has a challenger on his hands in a competition for who can be the most nasty television judge. Former pop princess Britney Spears is giving Cowell, the brutal British TV celebrity judge, a run for his money in her new job on the panel of US talent show “The X Factor.” “You can’t destroy that song, sweetie,” “predictable,” and “I want to know who let you on stage,” were just some of the remarks delivered by the 30-year-old singer to contestants during auditions for the TV contest, according to early promotions for its second season that begins in September.

“Britney is quite mean, which I think you will discover,” Cowell, who is both a judge and the creator of “X Factor”, told T V reporters on Monday in a satellite appearance from Miami. In fact, he joked, she is “as sweet as a lemon.” Spears signed on to judge “X Factor” in May, making her one of the biggest celebrities on reality TV. The “Toxic” and “Baby One More Time” singer joined former Disney Channel star Demi Lovato, 19, on the panel after both Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger were fired following a disappointing first season.

“They are harder to please than me or (fourth judge Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid),” Cowell said of the two young pop singers. “They are very happy giving people a ‘no.’ They

Singer Demi Lovato performs during ABC’s “Good Morning America” summer concert series, Friday, July 6, 2012, in New York.

definitely have their own opinions.” Cowell, who made his name as an acerbic judge on “American Idol” said the pair were brought in to help lure younger viewers to “X Factor,” which last year delivered only about half the viewers enjoyed by “Idol.” Both shows air on the Fox network.

Spears said she was “just a very honest person” who was eager to help young singers on their way in the music business that has given her a 15-year career as one of the world’s biggest pop stars. “I have done eight tours and I have been in the music industry for a while, and I think being able to give back is really interesting,” she said, explaining her decision to accept the job for a reported salary of $15 million.

Cowell said various changes were being made to the look of the show for the upcoming season in a bid to differentiate it from the plethora of other TV singing contests. He also said he aimed to announce two new hosts in late August who he hoped would be a man and a woman without prior TV experience. — Reuters

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In this publicity photo provided by Warner Bros. Pictures, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake is shown in a scene in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ action thriller “The Dark Knight Rises.”— AP

ollywood star Hugh Jackman will begin filming the next installment of his “X-Men” spin-off movies in Sydney next week, even though the female lead is yet to be confirmed. “I am so happy to be home. To be shooting a movie of this magnitude here at home to me is one of the great privileges I’ve had in my career,” Jackman told reporters on the set of the film.

Director James Mangold rejected reports that Jessica Biel had pulled out as the female lead at the last minute but refused to comment on who would be playing the role of the villainous mutant Viper. “The story couldn’t be more of a fantasy,” Mangold said of the reports. “The Wolverine” sees Jackman reprise his most famous role as the superhero with metal claws and will be shot in Sydney after a Aus$12.8 million (US$13.2 million) dollar grant from the Australian government.

Jackman, 43, joked that Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who visited the set yesterday, could have a role in the movie, which sees Wolverine journey to Japan. “It’s not a traditional role; it’s a stunt double role for myself,” he said. “We just did a quick audition, she’s incredible. I don’t know if you know about her martial arts background; the movie is set in Japan and she really is very handy with the sword and with the nunchucks.”

Jackman, who admitted struggling to get into shape after packing on the pounds

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he most recent Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises” had the third largest opening weekend ever, despite the movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colorado, according to figures released Monday. Twelve people were killed and 58 wounded in the hail of gunfire in Friday’s Colorado massacre, in which an attacker gunned down film-goers at a packed premier of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

This might have proved a marketing nightmare for the studio, and Warner Brothers, initially did not publish weekend box office figures-a move swiftly followed by rivals, wary of offending the public.

But when figures were released on Monday they showed that “The Dark

here seems to be very little of the blame-it-onHollywood backlash in the wake of the Colorado theater massacre that so often occurs when people struggle to make sense of a senseless, violent act. Many agree that you simply can’t hold the art form itself responsible in the shooting that left 12 people dead and 58 others injured at a packed midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.”The alleged shooter, 24-year-old James Holmes, appeared in court Monday for the first time since the bloody attack of early Friday morning.

While his hair was dyed the kind of bright, orangered shade you might see in a comic book, authorities say it could take months to determine a motive.

Still, the film industry seems to recognize the potential for scrutiny and has tried to show sensitivity in response to the tragedy, if not some defensiveness. Warner Bros., the studio that released the much-anticipated final piece in writer-director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, quickly pulled a trailer for its upcoming film “Gangster Squad,” which was playing in theaters before “The Dark Knight Rises.” The promo for the 1940s period film - which features a star-studded cast including Sean Penn,

to play Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables”, said his role as Wolverine, which he first played 12 years ago, was “the backbone of my career”. “I love the character. I still love the character,” he said. “I had no choice at the time, I was going to take anything that came along, but I happened to have walked into probably the most interesting and complex of the superhero characters. “I’ve always loved playing it and when I stop loving it I’ll stop doing it,” he added.—AFP

Knight Rises”-directed by Christopher Nolan-had earned $160.9 million in its first three days, according to Exhibitor Relations, which tracks ticket sales. The last chapter in the Batman trilogy comes behind opening weekend grosses for “The Avengers” ($207.4 million) and the final Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” ($169.2 million).

However both “The Avengers” and “Harry Potter” were 3-D movies, meaning the ticket prices were higher.

“The Dark Knight Rises” had the most profitable weekend of any 2-D film, earning more than the $158.4 million raked in by its 2008 trilogy predecessor, “The Dark Knight,” according to industry figures. The

Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone - features a climactic scene in which mobsters fire automatic weapons into a movie theater audience from behind the screen.

But now there’s the problem of what to do with that scene when the film itself comes out Sept. 7.

Trim it to make it less graphic? Edit it out entirely?

Warner Bros. would not confirm Hollywood trade reports that the footage will be cut from the movie and a costly reshoot had been ordered to replace the theater scene. The studio also canceled “The Dark Knight Rises” premieres in Paris, Mexico City and Tokyo as well as delayed reporting of its usual Sunday box office estimates out of respect for the victims, with other studios following suit. The film earned an impressive $160.9 million over the weekend, making it the biggest 2-D opening ever, but falling just short of expectations following the mass shooting.

And late Monday, Warner Bros. announced it was making a “substantial” yet undisclosed donation to victims of the shooting. Finding the right tone going forward, especially when it comes to violent content, has been on the minds of industry leaders and

Actor Hugh Jackman, left, and Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard react during a press conference ahead of the start of the filming of “The Wolverine” movie in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. — AP

3-D computer-animated adventure comedy “Ice Age: Continental Drift” was second in box-office receipts, raking in $20.4 million dollars in its second week on the big screen, according to Exhibitor Relations.

Third was “The Amazing Spider-Man,” starring Andrew Garfield, with $10.8 million, followed by cheeky teddy bear comedy “Ted” with $10 million, and Pixar studio’s 3D animated fairytale “Brave” with $6 million.—AFP

performers alike since the deadly attack. Asked whether Hollywood bore any responsibility for the violence in Colorado, producer and DreamWorks Studios co-founder David Geffen said: “I don’t think that’s true at all.” “I think it’s a tragedy and to blame the movie business is incorrect and inappropriate,” Geffen said Sunday at the Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills.

Diane Lane said during the same event that she doubts the content of “The Dark Knight Rises” provided inspiration. Among the film’s big, action set pieces are organized attacks on a stock exchange and a football stadium, but the violence features no blood. “I think it’s just an opportunistic scenario,” the actress said. “I leave it to people who sit in rooms with diagrams and charts to try to correlate cause and effect. And I think hindsight is 20-20 and we’re not anywhere near hindsight. This is still fresh paint on the canvas of our culture and it remains to be seen. There’s a lot of healing to go on.”—AP

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

lifestyle T r a v e l

Waterfront and harbor area, downtown Bergen.

—MCT photos

By Anne Z. Cooke

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he visitors touring Maihaugen Heritage Village were itching with curiosity. They’d wandered the site’s narrow lanes and peered inside the 200-year-old log cabins. They’d explored the craft shops and traditional hand-hewn barns brought from far-flung farms and forests and reassembled here, under the trees. Now they wanted to know if any of Norway’s leading figures-statesmen, film makers, painters or artists-had their roots in these humble huts.

“What about Thor Heyerdahl, the anthropologist, who wrote “Kon-Tiki?” asked a bearded man in a brown sweater.

“Is there a connection with Henrik Ibsen or Edvard Grieg?” said a woman with two teenagers. Elsa, our guide, tall and blond, paused to think. A frown flitted across her brow.

Then she brightened, remembering. “Grieg was here!” she told us. “He vacationed in Lillehammer in summer. The Gudbrandsdalen Valley folk tunes were an important influence on his music.” She adjusted her red-and-blue embroidered skirt and smiled. A half-dozen cameras clicked.

Elsa could be forgiven for wishful thinking. With Norway’s tourist season at hand, every rural hamlet with a legendary anecdote claims one of Norway’s native sons.

From creators to cranks, Norway’s finest are familiar to most of us: the controversial playwright Henrik Ibsen; Edvard Munch, the eccentric painter; novelist and Nobel Prize-winning author Sigrid Undset, whose edgy themes are still current. But most often the halo spins over composer Edvard Grieg, whose plaintive melodies were born in these northern forests.

Plainly, deconstructing Norway was the key to the fertile genius of so many moody and eccentric prodigies. So we rented a car for 10 days and, after touring Oslo, headed north from the capital city through sunny farm country, eventually turning west across Norway’s mountain spine.

Descending beside blue-green fiords, we ended our trip in Bergen, on the coast.

Guides in period costumes show visitors around Maihaugen, a recreated heritage village, near Lillehammer.

Along the way, as time allowed, we followed each beckoning back road in search of wood-timbered stave churches, lakeside villages and botanical gardens. Lunch, often bread, cheese and reindeer sausage, never tasted as good as when we picnicked in a wide spot with a view.

And what a land it is. Dark and brooding in winter, Norway awakens to the midnight sun. Snow-clad peaks feed rushing rivers. Swollen waterfalls careen over spongy tundra and trickle down steep ravines. Roses bloom. To the west, the coastline climbs out of the North Sea like a polar bear on the hunt, cold fiords probing the cliffs with slippery fingers.

And from May through September? Norwegians — and visitors — take to the outdoors, to pick blueberries, lie in

the sun, tour manor houses and gardens, visit art exhibits and take in outdoor concerts, music recitals and craft fairs.

In Oslo (www.visitoslo.com/en/), we strolled through Frogner Park to see sculptor Gustav Vigeland’s modernist sculptures, more than 200 in the one park. Over-sized, physical and stolid, they are arranged in a formal garden setting that creates a perfect contract to their sense of free space. Grouped as couples, families and children, their faces expressionless, they are all mankind at its core.

Nearby was the Edvard Munch Museum, where not just one version of the painter’s famous work, the “Scream,” but many versions, a subject that obsessed the eccentric Munch.

These and their contemporaries in the late 19th and other early 20th centuries were frequent patrons of the Grand Hotel Cafe, where they met for morning coffee or in the evening, for conversation and beer. And the cafe is still popular, packed with residents and tourists. You won’t have to ask who’s who among the crowded faces painted onto a wall-length mural behind the tables. Norway’s best and brightest, they are identified by name and position on the back of the menu.

Heading north to Lillehammer we stopped briefly to see the “long jump” facility, where Olympic-bound skiers practice during the winter. But we spent most of the day at Maihaugen, exploring its more than 140 timbered houses, barns, craft shops and even a stave church. Farther north, we stopped in Lom to tour another stave church, this one a 12th century relic, and like its kin, built entirely of wood.

The gloomy nave and massive beams left a frisson of darker days; fierce dragon heads topped a half dozen peaked, wood-shingled gables.

Beyond Lom, a sign on a dirt road pointed the way to the Juvbre Glacier and the summit of 8,148-foot Galdhopiggen, a mystery we couldn’t miss. Icebound year around, the mountain is the site of the SkiCenter, a summer host for Olympic skiers in training. And there, unexpectedly, was the U.S. Women’s Ski Team, taking slalom runs.

“We spend a week or two here in August, because it has Europe’s best snow,” one of the skiers told us, pausing to smile and chat on her way in for lunch.

Crossing over Norway’s snowy spine, (the roads are plowed), we paused to snap photos, then continued down windings twists and turns, on the last leg to Bergen. The road skirted some fiords and crossed others, via daily car ferry service. Eventually we reached the mighty Sognefjord, 112 miles long and 4,000 feet at its deepest point.

Though many a far-flung village boasts that Grieg ate there, slept there or taught lessons there, the town of Lofthus, on the Hardanger Fiord, makes an honest claim to his presence. The composer spent several vacations here, staying in the Ullensvang Hotel, breathing the fresh air and hiking the mountain trails. Later he stayed for a year to compose, retiring to a hut on the hotel grounds in search of the inspiration that so often failed to come. The hotel owner, Mr. Utne, the great great-son of the first Mr. Utne to befriend the composer, guided us through the cabin and pointed out Grieg’s desk and chair.

As they say in Oslo, “Bergeners are a different breed,” and so they are. Bergen, (www.visitbergen.com/en/) historically separated from eastern Norway by the mountains, is a waterfront town, built by Hanseatic traders and shipping merchants. To learn more about its origins, we joined a tour at the Bryggen Museum, built above the excavated foundations of the town’s first waterfront dwellings. Stay for both portions of the tour. The second half, the most interesting, we thought, goes through the excavated portions of the town’s 16th century row houses to show how the merchants lived and worked.

Don’t miss the other attractions: the waterside fish and vegetable market, the restored Berghus Fortress and King Hakon’s Hall, with relics dating from about 1250; and the waterfront houses and shops. If a half-day tour includes a ride up the mountain for an aerial view of the town and bay, jump on it.

At the urging of friends, we saved time for a farewell pilgrimage to Troldhaugen (“the Trolls House”), Grieg’s country retreat. This spacious house, where he and his wife, a singer, spent their last years, overlooks a lake outside Bergen, surrounded by a green lawn and quiet garden. The piano, which Grieg played when the couple entertained, is touted as the highlight of the tour. But it was their everyday things-the Victorian sofas, lace dresser covers, mixing

Log cabins look down at the valley and distant mountains, near Bergen.

bowls, plates, thumbed music on the piano and the family photographs-that gave me a sense of a man finally at rest.

Not long ago the Grieg Foundation built a hall at the end of the rear garden, where recitals and chamber concerts perform year around. In summer, musical events are held here almost daily, a fitting way, we thought, to come full circle.

Norwegian log cabins, seen here at Maihaugen, a heritage village near Lillehammer, were introduced here at home by Norwegian immigrants.

If you go

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ly direct from New York to Oslo on Continental Airlines and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines). Other airlines connect through Copenhagen, London, Zurich, Frankfurt, Rome and most large European cities. Ferry service is available from Denmark and Sweden.

Touring by car: Reserve a car with Hertz, Avis or Budget before you leave home. All have offices in Oslo and Bergen. Norway requires an international drivers’ license, usually available through your auto club. — MCT

Edvard Grieg’s piano is the focal point of his living room, in his home, now the Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen, near Bergen.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

lifestyle A r t

These pictures show visitors interacting with a 3D painting at the Magic Art Special Exhibition at the Hangzhou Peace International Exhibition and Conference Centre in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. Visitors interacted with the paintings by touching, sitting on them and even sticking their heads into the artwork in one of the few art exhibitions where photography and touch are actively encouraged. —AFP

Mariah Carey joins ‘American Idol’ as new judge

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

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A man buys dates in a souk market in Casablanca in preparation for breaking the Ramadan fast during the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Casablanca, Morocco. — AP

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ent over strips of blotting paper, senses primed and notebooks in hand: this is how generations of “noses” have honed their art at the world-famous Givaudan perfumery school near Paris. Fully one third of all fine fragrances created worldwide owe their existence to alumni of the school, which has been training young men and women in the subtle art since 1946 in the bland suburb of Argenteuil. In the “vanilla building,” five perfumers in the making-a Frenchman, two Brazilians, a young woman from Japan and another from Morocco-are hard at work, studying test strips imbibed with various scents.

“This is the room where ‘Opium’ was created, and over there is where they invented ‘Poison’,” said the school’s director Jean Guichard, reeling off mythical names from the history of perfume.

Givaudan’s former students include Jean-Claude Ellena, master perfumer at Hermes, Guerlain’s inhouse “nose” Thierry Wasseur, and Jacques Polge, Chanel’s head perfumer since 1978 and the creator of both “Coco” and “Allure.” Guichard himself was the nose behind two well-known Cacharel perfumes, “Eden” and “Loulou,” for which he blended

“vanilla, a powdery something and hibiscus flowers inspired by a Gauguin painting.”

Right now, 26-year-old Leandro Petit is concerned with Lily of the Valley, a flower whose fragrance cannot be extracted, and which is therefore synthesised for perfumers from a mix of natural and chemical components. “I’m discovering all the different aspects of the substance,” he enthused.

“It’s fascinating.” On another table, 27-year-old Nisrine Grillie, a chemist by training, talked AFP through the basics of chromatography, the molecule-by-molecule analysis of a perfume.

‘Each period has its great perfumes’ Both she and Leandro belong to a tiny elite, cherry-picked by the Givaudan group, the world’s biggest fragrance and flavoring company which creates perfumes for the top luxury brands right down to shampoos and detergents. Of the 200 to 250 applicants each year, Guichard selects an average of just three. “Our students are chosen for their academic profile and personality, but especially for their ability to understand their times, to be open to the world around them,” he said.

“Each period has its great perfumes, its great filmmakers, its great musicians and its fashions. A great perfumer should be able to express the spirit of his age, to embody an era while doing what he loves.” While there is theoretically no age limit, most of the students here are between 25 and 30, with four to five years of university education behind them, when they embark on the three-year course. New graduates owe their first five years of work to Givaudan, which runs six creative studios in Paris, New York, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Dubai.

Whatever their background, in science or humanities, a future nose needs technical training to get to grips with the vast field. Whether designing for a fragrance or a laundry powder, “there is a necessary apprenticeship-which they then have to put to one side in order to be able to create,” Guichard said.—AFP A file picture taken on July 26, 2011 shows French Hermes’s exclusive inhouse perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, using perfume smelling strips at his home in the French southeastern city of Cabris. — AFP

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arfumerie d’Exception is a new opening in Al Hamra Luxury Centre. It has been created to fill an identified gap in the market whereby many of the world’s top niche fragrance brands should be represented under one very luxurious roof. arfumerie d’Exception is a new luxury concept appealing to a clientele that appreciate the niche fragrance market at its very best. A fragrance boutique where the offering cannot be confused with premium or lower end brands, providing 100% focus on the needs of the consumer seeking only the best within the world of fragrances.

The result is a perfect mix of 24 of the worlds

most luxurious and niche fragrance brands, all new to Kuwait and all exclusive to Parfumerie d’Exception.

The philosophy surrounding Parfumerie d’Exception is: “No matter how amazing the concept may be, the true point of difference is in the brand portfolio within and the exclusivity of those brands” Parfumerie d’Exception can be found on level B1 at Al Hamra Luxury Centre Sharq.

rtistic flair, passion for design and dedication to creating exceptional, bespoke and timeless pieces of art are benchmarks of internationally acclaimed jewellery designer Bina Goenka.

The founder of the Bina Goenka brand of uberluxurious jewellery hones her vast design talents to create fusion ranges of visually stunning statement pieces, each akin to miniature works of modern art, designed to tantalise the senses and wrap you in sheer indulgent decadence. Bina’s philosophy uniquely entwines elements of art in the creative design process with scientific practices in the manufacture, ensuring that each item is produced to the highest quality and precision and are bespoke to the requirements of its wearer. With the Bina Goenka brand, you are assured a jewellery service that will last a lifetime.

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Bina’s designs are worn by people from different cultures, across the world.

Bina designs jewellery for all occasions, from engagements and weddings to timeless gifts and heirlooms. Her pieces are made from pure gold and white gold all infused with precious stones.

Flawless jewellery is sculpted to create a tempting array of precious pendants, necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, anklets and wedding jewellery.

Each handcrafted piece of jewellery is individual to its buyer and is hallmarked with Bina’s unique vision, elegance and style. Every ornate item is created to suit a particular personality and so is an extension and expression of their personal style and individuality, narrating its own intriguing story. The Bina Goenka brand exudes style and decadence, and retails from £3,000 to £125,000.

Bringing a personalised touch to her brand, Bina extends an interactive, by-appointment-only

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The Bina Goenka brand is available internationally including in Europe, Middle East and India, with the signature store located in the chic Grand Hyatt Hotel in Santacruz, Mumbai.

Bina Goenka