26th Jun 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Biden, in leaked memo, told Obama war plan flawed

Assange’s asylum bid sparks bizarre escape plans

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Samsung Galaxy S III sales to hit 10m in July

Venus crashes, Djokovic, Sharapova untroubled

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NO: 15490

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Cabinet resigns on legal, constitutional grounds

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150 FILS

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www.kuwaittimes.net

SHAABAN 6, 1433 AH

2009 Assembly unlikely to meet • Assembly ‘stormers’ in court

Max 45º Min 30º High Tide 04:41 & 15:46 Low Tide 10:08 & 22:13

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: (Left) HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receives HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, who tendered the Cabinet’s resignation, at Dar Salwa yesterday. (Right) Sheikh Sabah receives reinstated Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi at Bayan Palace yesterday. — KUNA

Cyprus joins bailout queue behind Spain NICOSIA/MADRID: Cyprus said yesterday it would seek a European bailout to handle fallout from the Greek crisis, becoming the fifth euro zone country needing rescue funds hours after Spain formally requested help for its banks. Despite the spreading crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel dashed any lingering hope in financial markets that Europe would issue common euro zone bonds to underpin its single currency. Cyprus, the third smallest economy in the euro zone, announced it would apply for European Union funds as it needs to raise at least €1.8 billion - equivalent to about 10 percent of its domestic economic output - by the end of this week to recapitalise Cyprus Popular Bank.

“The purpose of the required assistance is to contain the risks to the Cypriot economy, notably those arising from the negative spillover effects through its financial sector, due to its large exposure in the Greek economy,” a government announcement said.

Nicosia has to satisfy European regulators by June 30 about the health of Cyprus Popular Bank which has suffered heavy losses on Greek debt. It may seek more.

Greece’s own crisis deepened yesterday when its new finance minister who was appointed only last week resigned because of ill health, throwing the government’s drive to soften the terms of its EU/IMF bailout into confusion shortly before a European summit. Tiny Cyprus, one of the euro zone’s smallest Continued on Page 13

Morsi takes revolution to Mubarak’s old office

CAIRO: An Egyptian official welcomes the new president-elect, Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi, at his new office in the AlIttihadiya presidential palace yesterday. — AFP

CAIRO: Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president whose powers have already been curbed by the army, began work on a coalition yesterday after touring his new palace, once home of Hosni Mubarak who banned his movement for three decades. Declared winner on Sunday a week after a tumultuous run-off vote that pitted him against a former air force chief, the Islamist faces the challenge of meeting sky-high expectations in a nation tired of turmoil while the economy is on the ropes.

But his campaign pledge to complete the revolution that toppled Mubarak last year but left the pillars of his rule intact will come up against the entrenched interests of the generals who are in charge of the transition to democracy. Shortly before the historic presidential vote, a newly elected Islamist-led parliament was dissolved by the army based on a court order, and the generals issued a decree setting limits on the president’s remit, which cuts into Morsi’s powers to act but exposes him to blame for any failures. Critics at home and in the West called it a “soft coup”.

Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: In a week of major political surprises and moves, the Cabinet submitted its resignation to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah yesterday, the information minister told a press conference. The move came for purely legal and constitutional reasons, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said, adding that it was based on recommendations by a ministerial committee assigned to study necessary procedures to implement a constitutional court ruling issued last week.

The constitutional court last week nullified the general elections in February, thus declaring the National Assembly illegal and reinstated the 2009 Assembly which was dissolved by the Amir in December last year.

The court based its decision on the grounds that two Amiri decrees - one dissolving the previous Assembly and a second inviting Kuwaiti voters to elect a new Assembly - were found to be flawed and accordingly scrapped.

The minister explained that to implement the court ruling, the government must approve the decrees and send them to the Amir to be issued and the government is afraid that its composition could involve some suspicions and accordingly decided to resign. He said the main reason for the resignation is to pave the way for an entirely new government that is constitutionally perfect, which will approve the needed decrees without any possibility of it being challenged in the future.

Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: MP Musallam Al-Barrak, flanked by other MPs and activists, speaks to the media outside the Palace of Justice yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Saudi women banned from sports: HRW

JERUSALEM: Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chat after delivering joint statements following their meeting and a lunch at the Israeli leader’s residence yesterday. — AFP

Putin talks Syria, Iran on Israel trip JERUSALEM: Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday cautioned against foreign interference in Syria during a rare visit to Israel aimed at burnishing Kremlin’s credentials as a key Middle East power broker. “From the very beginning of the so-called Arab Spring, Russia has been persuading its partners that democratic changes should take place in a

civilised manner and without external intervention,” Putin said after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his first visit to the country since 2005.

Analysts see Putin’s trip to Israel followed by a visit to the West Bank and Jordan today as a diplomatic Continued on Page 13

DUBAI: Human Rights Watch warned yesterday that despite a Saudi announcement that women will be allowed to participate in the 2012 Olympics, millions of women are still banned from sports in the ultraconservative kingdom. “It’s an important step forward, but fails to address the fundamental barriers to women playing sports in the kingdom,” the New York-based watchdog said in a statement. “Millions of (Saudi) girls are banned from playing sports in schools, and women are prohibited from playing team sports and denied access to sports facilities, including gyms and swimming pools,” HRW added.

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in London issued a statement on Sunday announcing that women will be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time. The Saudi Olympic Committee will “oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify,” the BBC quoted the statement as saying. So far there has been no official confirmation of the report from Saudi Arabia, and none of the local newspapers reported the announcement yesterday. The issue of women participating in sports remains extremely sensitive in the Muslim state, where women are not even allowed to drive and the authorities shut down private gyms for women in 2009 and 2010.

Meanwhile Dalma Malhas, tipped to become a pioneering woman competitor for Saudi Arabia, failed to qualify for the games, the International Continued on Page 13

AL-QUSAYR, Syria: A wounded Syrian man is lifted off the back of a pickup truck following shelling by Syrian government forces close to the restive city of Homs yesterday. — AFP

Syria warns NATO Second jet shot at • Top officers defect ANKARA/BEIRUT: Turkey said yesterday Syrian forces had fired towards a Turkish military transport plane involved in a search for an F-4 reconnaissance jet shot down by Syria last week, but the second aircraft was not brought down.

Damascus described its shooting down of the jet on Friday as an act of selfdefence and warned Ankara and its NATO allies against any retaliation.

Turkey said the incident would “not go

unpunished” but it did not intend to go to war over it. The disclosure of the second incident came on the eve of a NATO crisis meeting that Turkey summoned to address the shooting down of its F-4 jet, which Ankara has described as an unprovoked attack in international airspace.

In shell-shattered districts of Homs, heart of a 16-month-old revolt against President Bashar Al-Assad, rebels battled Continued on Page 13

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LOCAL

‘Kuwait should use general surplus as oil prices fall’ Steps to avoid a negative impact KUWAIT: Kuwait should use its general surplus in order to meet costs if oil prices drop below the $101 - 103 per barrel marker, which is the break-even point (BEP) in the state’s budget. This was explained by Adnan AlAbdulsamad, President of the state budget committee in the 2009 and 2012 parliaments.

“It is required that expenses be reduced in order to avoid a negative impact on developmental projects,” the lawmaker told reporters Sunday.

At least 70 percent of expenses in the state’s budget are used to pay salaries of public sector employees and general subsidies which amount to KD 15.209 billion, Al-

Abdulsamad added. This number does not include allowances paid to state employees in the form of living costs and rent allowances.

Al-Abdulsamad was answering questions about the risks involved after oil prices dropped to $87.75 per barrel early this week.

On that regard, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) board member Sheikh Dr Khalifa Al-Nasser Al-Sabah told Al-Rai that “Kuwait has already entered the phase in which financial surpluses are being used to meet high expenses that were raised after the government approved wide-scale salary increases last year”.

“The Kuwaiti economy today is exposed to

developments pertinent with oil prices,” Dr AlSabah said, adding that the oil prices’ decline definitely has a ‘negative impact’ on the state budget, reported Al-Rai. Meanwhile, Al-Qabas daily published results of a random survey in which 91 citizens were asked about whether they are aware of the fact that the state budget is at risk due to falling oil prices.

The results show that 92 percent of Kuwaitis surveyed are unaware of the current risk, and that for reasons which include “giving priority to improving standards of living” as described by an economic analyst who spoke to Al-Qabas on condition of anonymity.

KUWAIT: Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah speaks to reporters during a press conference at the information ministry yesterday.

— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Kuwait sponsors women’s empowerment project KUWAIT: Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor is sponsoring a project targeting women’s economic empowerment as part of the government’s program of action, in cooperation with the UN Development Program (UNDP).

The Kuwaiti economic system is a capitalist one that is, by nature, based on two key pillars, namely an efficient and developed banking system and small and medium-sized projects, the ministry said in a press release.

But, it said there is still much work for setting out a fresh system for small-sized proj-

ects, noting that a relevant major initial step was taken in May 2012 when the National Assembly (parliament) passed an integrated law in this respect.

The second impressive step, it maintained, includes the creation of incubators for smallsized projects.

Business incubators are programs designed to support the successful development of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support resources and services.

The Ministry of Social Affairs had established the first incubator for small-sized projects as part of Kuwaiti women’s economic empowerment, according to the release.

Furthermore, work is being underway for turning the ministry’s family development center into a new incubator building and the project is expected to be completed before the end of this month.

The fresh incubator will provide various services, mainly training and consultation and counseling, it pointed out.

Recommendations made on fish scarcity

KUWAIT: Head of Kyrgyzstan media delegation Dr Gayed Al-Marzouki lauded here yesterday the humanitarian efforts of Kuwait Red Crescent Society stressing that its efforts were felt both on a regional and global scales. Speaking to the press after visiting KRCS’ headquarters, Al-Marzouki said that the delegation was briefed about the society’s mission to help others around the globe during the visit. The Kyrgyzstan delegation is visiting Kuwait on an invitation by the Foreign Ministry foreign media department.

KUWAIT: The committee entrusted with studying fishing companies held a meeting at the M inistr y of Commerce and I ndustr y, putting for ward recommendations on the scarcity of fish and its high price in the local market.

These will be listed in a report to be presented to Anas Al-Saleh Minister of Commerce and I n d u s t r y fo r p re s e n t i n g i t t o t h e Co u n c i l o f Ministers to take necessary action.

The committee advised fishing not be banned before alternative solutions are found to supply fish to the local market.

This can be done by either increasing the import of fish or increase support given to fishermen. Sources said that meeting does not discuss about taking action on a fishing ban.

Th e t h re e s o l u t i o n s d i s c u s s e d d u r i n g t h e meeting talked about a total stoppage or programmed stoppage ‘in periods’ or quality stoppage. This will be implemented by the Ministry of Commerce and also through Public Authority f o r A g r i c u l t u r e a n d Fi s h R e s o u r c e s ( PA A F R ) which is responsible for issuing relevant decrees. The role of the Ministry of Commerce will be to supply fish to consumers at competent rates. —Al-Anbaa

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti Cabinet has tendered its resignation to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The decision was announced by Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah following an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, presided over by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah yesterday.

10 year jail term for Qatari citizen

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

When sweetness becomes sour Special report on diabetes in Kuwait KUWAIT: Fighting Diabetes is one of the biggest challenges the Gulf healthcare sector has to deal with.

The Dasman Diabetes Institute aims to prevent and to mitigate the impact of diabetes in Kuwait. Dr. Kazem Behbehani, who is Director General of the Dasman Diabetes Institute, explains the clinic’s raison d’Ítre: “ The Dasman Diabetes Institute was built in relation to a sur vey taken about 8 years ago where 150 physicians identified that the future need of Kuwait is to concentrate on diabetes. That is basically the beginning of it. It was built at the time of His Highness the late Amir, and it was opened on June 6, 2006 by His Present Highness of Kuwait.”

“A lot of prevention is done. But the chronic diseases are the diseases that are going to be found more and more in the country, including diabetes,” said Behbehani. “We have a 24-hour call center that people can

call to ask questions and receive answers for Type I Diabetes. We have a lot of clinics - about 30. They open at 8:30 am and close at 9:00 pm with a short lunch break in between.”

On its website, the Institute defines its mission with the following words: “Our aim is to prevent, control, and mitigate the impact of diabetes and related conditions in Kuwait through effective programs of research, training, education, treatment, and health promotion and thereby improve quality of life in the population.”

Kuwait has traditionally close relations with the United States of America. Unfortunately the northern Gulf state does not only import cars, clothes, and Coke from “God’s own country” but also imports manners that lead to health problems that can became almost epidemic.

“The lifestyle has changed. The children are always out. Basically, food is becoming more available

outside the house. There are a lot of places that offer wonderful food in large portions and the calories are not mentioned and education is not there.”

Around half of the population is obese, although Dasman’s Director General Dr. Behbehani warns: “With both diabetes and obesity, you can lose 15 years of your life.” Over 250,000 people in Kuwait live with diabetes.

Due to the fast-food culture, Kuwait has one of the highest bodymass indexes in the world among men, and the oil-rich state even beats the U. S. in this regard.

The near-epidemic spread of diabetes in Kuwait has many reasons.

Well-known fast-food chains welcome Kuwait travelers at the airport.

There is a “restaurant” near the immigration section where most Western nationals can obtain an entry visa on arrival. But the basic reason seems to be lack of sports and increasing

time spent at home at computers.

“Unfortunately, we are number 3 according to the IDF (International Diabetes Foundation) which was announced in December 2011”, said Behbehani whose institute works closely with universities in the UK and the U S “It is sad to hear this and I am very sad to have to mention it because it will have an effect that we haven’t seen yet since it’s in the younger generation as well as the old.”

The tragic aspect in all this is the fact that Kuwait does not have a lack of state of the art-healthcare. The opposite is the case. “We have a very unique example of the health system in the country because we have general hospitals and we have close to over 94 primary health care centers, which are divided between these hospitals,” Behbehani explained. He and his team do not see their roles as medical fire brigades. —Marcopolis

KUWAIT: The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced Qatari national Ali Al-Marri to ten years rigorous imprisonment for running over a citizen Ahmed Asad using his vehicle at the Jlai’ah desert camping area on the National Day celebrations, said security sources. Asad and his friend Ibrahim Haidar were sentenced to six months in prison for quarrelling with the Qatari national.

Absconding driver Police are currently conducting a search for a Sri Lankan driver of a secured cash collection vehicle in connection with stealing KD 60,000. Security source added that detectives suspect that the man might have exited the country using a forged passport. Case papers indicate that a major telecommunication company had reported that one of its cash collection vehicles that contained half a million KD went missing. Upon tracking down the vehicle, detectives found it abandoned at the airport, with KD 440,000 in it. Since the suspect’s passport is in the company’s possession, he is believed to have left using a fake passport. Further investigations are still in progress.

‘Missing’ found A 25-year-old citizen was reported missing after embarking on a jet ski cruise along with two other friends off Al-Kout Marina. Upon receiving the

report at 10 pm, marine rescue forces from Shuaiba and Salmiya marine rescue centers searched national waters until 6 am. They were joined by Coast Guard boats and helicopters from the Ministry of Interior and the US Army. The citizen was finally found at 11 am in a state of exhaustion on the artificial island, off Ahamdi port. He was immediately rushed to hospital for treatment.

Commenting on the incident, Colonel Mohammed Al-Shatti Marine Rescue Director warned urged everybody to refrain from entering deep water and avoid remote spots, follow all safety regulations, carry enough fuel, wear a life jacket and to be in possession of a communication device.

Motor accidents A 40-year-old citizen suffered severe back pain and his 12-year-old son sustained various injuries in an accident that took place at Amman Street, Salmiya.

They were both taken to Mubarak hospital for treatment.

A 20-year-old Syrian sustained various injuries and bruises after he lost control over his bike and it flipped over along Istiqlal Road. He was admitted to Amiri hospital.

Work mishap A 37-year-old Egyptian construction worker suffered a double leg fracture while working at building under construction in Hawally. He was admitted to Mubarak hospital for treatment.

GCC plays important global role

KUWAIT: Deputy National Security Bureau chief Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali Al-Sabah received here yesterday the Turkish Ambassador to Kuwait Umit Yalcin. The two sides discussed issues of common interest and bilateral relations.

Constituencies to remain unchanged KUWAIT: The number of electoral constituencies will be not be changed or amended, sources said however, the voting mechanism will be changed to one vote per individual.

They said that an Amiri decree will be issued

amending the voting mechanism, after fourvote method failed to bring good results, strengthening tribalism in the country.

Sources expected that elections will be carried out in the end of September.— Al-Shahed

LUXEMBOURG: UK Foreign Secretary William Hague yesterday underlined the crucial role being played by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to resolve the Syrian crisis but also as global actors.

“The GCC have a very important role globally as well as in handling the crisis in Syria and in relations with Iran’s nuclear programme. I was very pleased to host talks with the UK and GCC foreign ministers last Thursday in London,” he said.

Hague is in Luxembourg to take part in the EU foreign ministers’ meeting and the meeting of the EU-GCC ministerial council this evening.

“Our cooperation with Gulf countries

has intensified in recent years and when it comes to the Syrian crisis they have a role to play in themselves by putting pressure on the Syrian regime,” said the British minister.

“I wish they will consider additional economic measures of the kind that we are implementing in the EU. So I think there is additional work for the GCC putting economic pressure on the Syrian regime and on particular individuals and business entities,” he said.

“But as leading nations in the Arab world they play a natural leading role including through the Arab League in trying to find a peaceful solution to this terrible crisis,” he added. — KUNA

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

local

News

in brief

National Guard vehicle goes missing KUWAIT: A military vehicle belonging to the National Guard has disappeared from a patrol point near the electricity tower along the Fifth Ring Road. The National Guard intelligence explained that the vehicle could have been smuggled abroad, especially since it could not be traced anywhere. Sources said that the vehicle contained sensitive wireless equipment. An extensive investigation was begun and all officers and personnel employed at the location were summoned for investigation. This incident is the first of its kind to take place in the history of National Guard.

Investigations are still going on.

KFSD delegation honored KUWAIT: A Kuwait Fire Services Department(KFSD) delegation headed by Lt Colonel Khalil Al-Amir, PR and Media Manager, met recently with the Ministry of Information’s Assistant Undersecretary for TV Affairs, Ali Al-Rayyes and his media consultant Fakhri AlOudah. Trophies were awarded to them in appreciation of the role played by Kuwait TV in providing media coverage FOR KFSD’s efforts in firefighting and rescue operations.

New electronic stamps KUWAIT: Sources revealed that Ministry of Finance has completed the project of government electronic stamps which will put an end to forgery in the revenue stamps. Sources said that the project will be released in the coming financial year, and Ministry of Finance has communicated with all ministries asking them for details and kinds of services they provide to public, which requires payments through revenue stamps.

Sources said that the new project shall put an end to use the stamps more than once and forge those stamps. Further it is one step forward the electronic government which concerned parties are trying to implement.

Gulf oil integration crucial amid global about-turn KUWAIT: Gulf integration in the realm of oil and gas is extremely crucial in the light of instant global and world changes, an economic report showed here yesterday.

Oil-rich Gulf countries supply the world with a quarter of its oil needs, and roughly 20pct of its natural gas requirements, according to the recent report, released by the Diplomatic Center for Strategic Studies.

They also boast around 45pct of world oil reserves and 17pct of natural gas stocks, it indicated.

However, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states are still lacking in proper integration and cooperation, and the Gulf private sector is still unable to play a significant role in oil development, the report lamented.

Comparatively, the global oil market has been dynamically developing, the report said, calling for an equilibrium between energy production and efficient consumption.

Gulf oil integration could contribute to slimming relevant costs by means of devising concerted policies involving exploration, refining, marketing and pricing, the report emphasized.

It listed recent significant developments in the global energy market as growing demand for oil and natural gas, prompting oil-producing countries to boost their output. Gulf countries are able to largely control supply and demand in the international oil market, it concluded. —KUNA

Medical check for holidaymakers called impossible for Kuwaitis TB outbreak reports ‘baseless’

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Kuwaitis and expats are traveling to different locations this summer to escape the exasperating heat in Kuwait. But in the span of days or weeks, should travelers be subject to tedious medical procedures when re -entering Kuwait? The Ministry of Health (MoH) has previously recommended a medical procedure for returning domestic helpers, especially if they have visited their home countries for more than a month. The MoH stressed that infectious diseases could be easily contracted in a matter of days from one country and transferred unknowingly to Kuwait.

In fact, the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, are implementing strict international standards of medical procedures before allowing expatriates to work in Kuwait. But the procedure is not the same for vacationing Kuwaitis and expatriates.

Some doctors and advisers to the MoH recommend a medical check-up, especially if the country they visited has a high prevalence of infectious diseases. However some doctors are opposed to it.

“Spending two or three weeks outside Kuwait and then recommending them for a medical check-up when re-entering is improper, if not impossible. It will not be implemented to Kuwaitis, but perhaps it could be recommended for other nationalities after one to three months vacation.

For Kuwaitis or even expats to undergo such procedures after a short vacation is tedious and it could be very stressful. You want to take a vacation, you want to unwind, to unload- not to add a greater burden,” a Kuwaiti medical doctor told this reporter when asked if he will recommend medical procedures to allow vacationing locals and expats to re-enter Kuwait. Two

of the most highly contagious diseases which can be easily transferred from one person to another are Tuberculosis (TB) and Hepatitis. Recently, there was a rumor that Kuwait is suffering from an outbreak of TB, although the MoH released an official denial.

According to an MoH official, the rate of this particular disease is of a normal average compared to other countries. Others suggested that an outbreak or the transfer of TB in the country was significantly high due to quick transfer of the disease, especially from vacationing housemaids, or

other expats, who went for prolonged holidays and came back to Kuwait without undergoing medical procedures.

The Ministry of Health’s Undersecretary Assistant for Public Health Affairs, Dr. Qais Al-Duwairi Al-Duwairi, told news dailies recently that rumors about the outbreak of TB disease were untrue. “Each diagnosed TB case is immediately treated at the ministry’s specialized facilities. The Ministry of Health has specialized accurate programs to test labor forces for infection of all diseases, and that is on par with international standards”.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah receiving yesterday at Bayan Palace visiting Sayyid Muqtada Al-Sadr and his accompanying delegation. The meeting was attended

by Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Meanwhile, Head of the MOH’s Public Health Department, Dr. Yousuf Mendekar, clarified that nationals of 29 countries “including Asian nationalities” are required to carry out new medical examinations in each case of residency renewal.

“If a person tests positive to TB, the individuals residency procedures would automatically be terminated and he would be deported immediately after wards. TB patients with valid residencies are treated at the respiratory rehabilitation center at the Chest Disease Hospital,” he added.

Dr. Mendekar says MOH offers the opportunity to carry out tests to domestic workers returning from their annual leaves, as per the employer’s request. He also mentioned there was a recommendation to carry out medical examinations for returning housemaids who spend at least two months outside Kuwait before returning to the country, as long as they have stayed in Kuwait for a minimum of two years.

Some private company sector employees are required to undergo a general medical examination every year or every time they renew their residences. Such employees include hospitality employees as well as other health related workers including spa, massage parlor and salon workers. Other workers have an examination only once, or upon entering the country. Some expatriates commented that implementation of Kuwait’s medical procedures is very unfair. However they did say that Kuwait has a responsibility for their own people and visitors. “If they think that it’s the best way and necessary to protect their population, who are we to question their regulations? There is nothing wrong with that; it’s their prerogative and it’s up to them to tackle their health related issues,” one expat commented.

Police takes precautionary measures ahead of Iradah Square protests KUWAIT: A demonstration will be held today at the Iradah Square, initiated by the opposition bloc, hoping to gather thousands of participants to express frustration at the Constitutional Court’s order that rendered the 2012 parliamentary elections null and void.

According to an Al-Rai daily report, the coalition of oppositionist groups that formed a majority in the 2012 parliament have joined hands with the Nahaj group to announce the demonstration. “The Islamist group’s goals

are to achieve constitutional reforms that aim to prevent errors that have a chaotic effect, said the source who confirmed that the gathering is expected to feature participation of oppositionist lawmakers,” reported Al-Rai. The Ministry of Interior is already taking security precautions to secure the planned gathering, a source told Al-Qabas on Sunday.

“Special task forces will be called to deal with cases of emergency in addition to field operation teams who have been strictly instructed

to avoid contact with protestors while keeping demonstrations under control,” the source said. The Constitutional Court passed a verdict last Wednesday stating that the procedures of the 2009 parliament’s dissolution as bring unconstitutional.

The same applies to the subsequent call for elections as well as the election results in which the opposition secured an impressive win in the 2012 elections.

On Sunday, a member of the 2012 parlia-

ment Mohammad Al-Saqr expressed his ‘great feeling of pride’ at the court verdict which he described as “an evidence of improved comprehension of the Constitutional Court’s functioning.”

“The experience of an unconstitutional 2012 parliament is not better than that of the 2012 parliament which lacks credibility, adding to the urgency of realizing political reform demands,” the veteran liberal politician said.

Kuwaiti company largest Australian sheep carrier in ’11 KUWAIT: Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading Company (KLTT) imported 69 pct of all Australian sheep exports in 2011, making it the largest Australian livestock carrier in the world, the company said yesterday.

After meeting a high-level Australian state delegation, Assistant Managing Director of KLTT, Faisal Al-Bader, told KUNA that 2011 saw the continuation of close cooperation between Kuwait and Australia in the sheep trade, which began 40 years ago, making KLTT Australia’s largest partner in the region.

Al-Bader said the Australian delegation was headed by Consul General in the Office of Australian Trade Gerard Sabre, who had expressed his government’s strong desire to promote trade relations with Kuwait, especially with regard to the transportation and trade of livestock. This trade relationship generates great interest as one of the most important factors in food security in the region.

Al-Bader added that the meeting would address all obstacles hampering cooperation between the two sides through a review of all proposals for the development of the company’s activities and operations in Australia to respond to the large increase in the demand for lamb and mutton.— KUNA

Meslim, Juwaihel compensated KD 3,000

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: The administrative court yesterday reviewed the cases of writing off the candidacy of former MPs, Faisal AlMislem and Mohammed Al-Juwaihel in the 2012 parliamentary elections. The court ruled that based on the constitutional court order annulling the 2012 parliament, the case no longer stood and accordingly, it ordered to compensate both candidates with KD 3,000 each.

Neqa defence Former MP, Menawer Neqa ( whose membership was annulled along with the 2012 parliament) hailed the nine former MPs and the young Kuwaitis being prosecuted for breaking into the parliament and expressed his full support for them. “What they did was a patriotic action to liberate the parliament from the corrupt MPs”, he said pointing out that being close enough to the accused MPs, he found them the most patriotic ones who are ready to wage endless wars on corruption in a fight to protect public interests.

Further, he urged citizens to take part in a big rally today evening in order to convey a strong public message to decision-makers in protest against corruption.

On the other hand, Neqa slammed the visit of the Shiite clergyman, Moqtada Al-Sadr to Kuwait after he had slandered both Kuwait and the ruling family as well as involvement in killing innocent people in both Iraq and Syria. “The government’s agreement to receive Al-Sadr is an insult to the whole Kuwaiti people and the ruling family”, he said.

On his part, the office of the Iraqi Shiite leader, Moqtada AlSadr stressed that Al-Sadr’s visit to Kuwait was a cordial one upon an invitation from the Kuwaiti government.

KUWAIT: Information Ministry Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah said “Kuwait has been working for 50 years on boosting freedom and liberties in the country,” adding that “it is the responsibility of all to project national unity, which is the foundation of democratic success in Kuwait”. Sheikh Salman was speaking at the inauguration of a three-day training course for journalists which was organized by Kuwait Journalists Association.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LOCAL

Letters to muna

kuwait digest

Ignore baseless rumors

Card machines on KPTC buses Dear Muna Alfuzai, wanted to report that the machines used in KPTC buses which, in most cases, can only print the receipt of payment if cash is paid.

For some reason, the machines are not operational and even if they are, very seldom can you swipe your card (containing cash) to pay for your bus ride. Here is the twist, for some cards (which have sufficient funds), if you cannot swipe, you have to pay cash. If this persists, and the cards which have funds expire, guess what? No refund is given.

I find this rather bizarre and urgently request KPTC to address this matter. For frequent bus users that have money added to the card cannot use the card. Should the cards expire, they are not refunded. Their inability to use the card can be contributed to the fact that card machines on KPTC buses are seldom operational for card swipes. I hope the minister of transport can please address this issue for expats where vehicle purchase is not possible, considering the proposal to increase license renewals as well as other issues. Thank you very much.

Regards Zaheer

By Waleed Al-Ahmad

I

T

he rumor alleging that the government ‘used’ the court system to ‘dismantle’ the 2012 parliament through the recent Constitutional Court ruling is as silly as someone hypothesizing that the country’s woes can be attributed to an Israeli plot to attack Kuwait’s democracy!

The verdict directs that the 2009 parliament be reinstated after ruling that the 2012 parliament’s elections were unconstitutional, shocking to everyone, except for a minority group who may be happy to see the old parliament return. Despite the harsh reality that the 2009 parliament will return, we have no other choice but accept the court’s ruling in order to take steps forward instead of lodging protests against an alleged governmental conspiracy to oust the opposition bloc-dominated parliament.

It does not make sense to think that the government would actually risk going through constitutional dilemma and public outrage just so that it can overthrow the parliament.

I urge the opposition bloc to bury all the conspiracy theories, regroup and start planning for the next elections, which I am confident they will win with even more impressive results.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet needs to deal with several problems including the need for reconvening the 2009 parliament in order for ministers to swear-in before MPs. There is a risk that this might not happen due to an expected lack of quorum as many of the old parliament’s members plan to boycott sessions. Meanwhile, majority of MPs announced that they are resigning from the reinstated 2009 parliament, but their resignations cannot technically be tendered unless the Parliament holds a least one session.

What really bothers me about this whole dilemma is the fact that the government fell into a gruesome constitutional error despite having an army of legal, political and constitutional consultants.

Are there penalties going to be slapped on advisors who showed the Cabinet the green light to proceed with unconstitutional procedures? I just hope they will not end up being promoted! — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

Overlooked facts about dissolution

By Dr Mohammad Al-Moqatei

T

he Constitutional Court’s verdict rendering decree issued on Dec 6, 2011 to dissolve the parliament and the subsequent call made to hold new elections as being unconstitutional, does not come as surprise. It is also illogical from a legal standpoint. Why are statements being made taking the issue out of context?

I made sure in at least 20 published articles to warn the government and lawmakers, especially the opposition bloc that errors in the dissolution process must be rectified before it is too late so as to protect the country from an avoidable political crisis. I even urged that the election be boycotted because it violated the Constitution, and chose to reject all invitations to attend election campaigns. I admit that I did not vote in the 2012 elections despite the fact that there were many candidates that were deserving. I took that stand because of my deep-rooted convictions — to protect constitutional values instead of buying desperate attempts to justify the dissolution process which all candidates unfortunately fell for.

I would like to note that around 14 members of the 2009 parliament had called for rectifying the error in the parliament’s dissolution, and their names were mentioned in an article I wrote and appeared in Al-Qabas on December 18, 2011.

These lawmakers did not stay strong for long, and they soon joined the election race when they felt that the issue was been solved.

I warned that the dissolution could be overruled should any person of interest file an appeal to the court, but my warnings were not heeded to.

Not only that, many candidates including Ahmad Al-Saadoun, spoke in favor of the government’s claim that the dissolution procedures were legally valid. I believe the government should not be held solely responsible for proceeding with unconstitutional procedures. Al-Saadoun’s stand also paved the way for fresh elections to be held. —Al-Qabas

In my view

What holds Turkey back?

By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed

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urkey is the largest neighbor of Syria and it has a huge influence, especially in its northern regions. The Turks obtained some legal reasons for intervention in Syria to defend their interests and sovereignty, which was violated several times by the Syrian armed forces. We should not forget that what happens in Syria poses a threat to the security of Turkey, whether the regime remains or leaves.

Turkey fears that the Turkish and Kurd separatists might return after it had crushed them. The military operations against them cost Turkey more than 40,000 deaths in the past guerilla warfare.

Turkey also fears that terrorist groups might fill in the void that would follow the downfall of the regime. It also fears that, if it survives, the regime may take revenge against it.

When the Syrian defense systems downed a Turkish military plane a few days ago, everybody expected Turkey to take revenge immediately, particularly that it had previously warned the Syrian regime it would not keep silent over the repeated aggressions of its forces across the borders. But Turkey disappointed many people. It has done so before when it made a solemn pledge that it would not allow the continued slaughtering of the Syrian people.

Turkey is a big neighbor. It has huge military might that would enable it to emerge triumphant in any military confrontation. It will find itself very warmly welcomed by the majority of the Syrian people as a savior from a criminal regime that kills dozens of innocent and unarmed civilians every day. What prevents Turkey from becoming like the US when it freed France from the Nazi occupation?

What holds Turkey back from becoming like Saudi Arabia and the US when they liberated Kuwait from the invading Saddam forces? Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan could play the same role played by former US President Bill Clinton in salvaging Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. Turkey continually insinuated that it wished to intervene to harness the regime and stop the massacres against the Syrians, but it always seemed scary.

Why is Turkey frightened when it has the military might that will make its victory over Assad’s regime an easy task, especially given that his forces are fatigued and detested by the people?

The Turkish military strength was well expressed by the former prime minister of Cyprus when he was asked why his country didn’t arm itself. He replied: “There is no use. Turkey has enough power to crush us in a few hours.”

The reasons behind Turkey’s fears, in my opinion, are that the Turks, who fought their last individual battles against the Greek Cypriots in August 1974, do not want to be part of any war unless it is

under an international flag. This will not be possible because of the Russian and Chinese veto. They would also want to go into Syria as part of a NATO alliance similar to what happened in Libya. Again, this will not be possible, because NATO is not interested in fighting Assad. Turkey wants to be part of an international campaign. It is a large NATO member, second only after the US, with a military force of 750,000 soldiers.

Why doesn’t Turkey have the will to fight the Syrian regime regardless of what it has done to it and the embarrassment it has caused in front of the public opinion in the region? The Turks, in my belief, are hoping for one of two things to happen: the Syrian regime bowing down in front of the continued uprising that has exhausted it; or the world community, which is sick of its crimes, coming to an agreement to topple it by force. In the second option, Turkey will be the spearhead and enter Damascus under an international banner.

This second possibility is, however, not likely because of Russia, which totally backs the Syrian regime.

Turkey has its own internal fears that any war it wages against Syria will open a hell for it by the separatists or opposing Kurdish and Armenian groups. Externally, it fears that Iran may attack it if it dares to fight Syria. These are, however, weak justifications because Turkey is militarily and economically much stronger than Iran. It will also be assisted by NATO in this case. Secondly, the Syrian regime is actually staggering, despite the solid look Assad is trying to fake.

I believe that Turkey - who has been hesitant for a long time, kept silent on Assad’s continued humiliations and disappointed those who thought it to be a brave lion - would ultimately reach a point to drive it to intervene in Syria to protect its interests. The only difference is that Turkey, if it decides to intervene now, will get huge popular and moral support by he Arabs and other communities who abhor Assad’s regime.

When the Syrian defense systems downed a Turkish military plane a few days ago, everybody expected Turkey to take revenge immediately, particularly that it had previously warned the Syrian regime it would not keep silent over the repeated aggressions of its forces across the borders.

Respected Madam.

Salam, I am one of the many women who have been suffering because of a ban placed on Pakistani nationals, in addition to six other nationalities, for the past two years. I understand that all countries have their own concerns and strategies, but when expats from these ‘countries’ are working here, how can they deny issuing visas to their families. Every family faces their own problems.

It is very difficult to live alone without one’s spouses. This blanket ban has bought immense pain to a lot of people. I hope you can understand it! My humble request to you is to please highlight the problem. May be your people or government will listen to your voice. Please do something for us.

Thanks Khan

Dear Muna, It is important to pay great care and attention to words and phrases such as ‘freedom,’ ‘liberation,’ ‘liberal’ and ‘freedom of the press,’ and carefully ascertain what these things mean and what their limits are. It is easy to become excited at the prospect of making your country more ‘liberal,’ but unless you have figured out where that should stop, you could be digging your own grave as many countries in the West are finding out.

To the Socialist, ending Capitalism is ‘freedom’ but if you achieve it, what comes next?

Communism? Have you seen the record that Communists have for killing its own people?

121 million is a conservative approximation.

Mao Zedong killed over 60 million all by himself. Is that freedom?

To women suffering under a harsh religious regime, feminism can sound like freedom.

However, study feminism without letting them direct your studies and what you find beneath it is a hidden evil that ruins whole communities and was designed to do just that. There is more to freedom than fancy words emphasized in the media. Some very careful thought has to go into what that word actually means and where its limits lie. For without limits freedom becomes anarchy and anarchy is not freedom but chaos.

George London

Dear Muna, Your article about constitutional monarchy was fascinating and quite educational, particularly for many foreign residents who live and work in Kuwait but who know little of the historical politics surrounding current day events in Kuwait. I believe your article is of vital importance for Kuwait and citizens, residents and guests.

You have my respect for your courage in writing it.

Luis Suarez

kuwait digest

Stop trading accusations

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

T

he time is not at all suitable for exchanging accusations or creating accusations from nothing - and then blaming others in respect to the constitutional crisis which the country is currently going through. It is true there are parties benefiting from entering this crisis, but even so, we should stop to listen to what they say.

A crisis can pass through any country, but the matter needs a decision and a quick one. However, prolonging the crisis might be in the interest of certain parties. It may in the interest of the majority, who are looking to aim for a new political victory or in the interest of government, which is looking to crack down in the crisis.

They may be looking to recover legality which has been taken constitutionally, in such a way as to keep the general outlook intact.

We must realize that the quicker we solve this crisis, the better it will be for the state. The country can no longer bear fighting of any kind, regardless its type or size. There is no room for further wounds.

We now need a quick decision to come out of this crisis and I

think it would be appropriate to offer two invitations. The first is for dialogue where all opposing parties meet with the main political powers whose actions have created this crisis.

The second is an invitation for real national dialogue which combines all political groups. The government. should stand up to its political responsibilities. To retain our state everyone must be aware that entering such a tunnel will cause the loss of a country, which is bigger than a fight over power.

The state is bigger than everyone. Every centimeter of this state has been wounded by the tools of fight, and we can no longer bear this fighting.

Let it stop NOTE: You must be aware that there are some who are organizing media arguments through twitter to attack the other party. The strange thing is that everyone in the state knows this, yet the government is the only one which appears to be unaware of this. It is as if it is the last one to know. — Al-Anba

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

local

Kuwait lauds strong EU-GCC cooperation

KUWAIT: Dignitaries pose for a group photograph during the honoring function.

Finance Ministry honors former minister Shamali ‘Honesty and competence’ KUWAIT: The Finance Ministry held a function Sunday evening to honor former minister Mustafa Jassem Al-Shamali under the patronage and presence of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah. Addressing the gathering, Al-Shamali said that a public office is a means of serving the homeland, and stressed that the success of state bodies and administration spills over in all aspects of life in the country.

He added that throughout his career, his motto was ‘honesty and competence’ which he believes are the two keys to success. “As I end my career, I cannot but express my thanks and gratitude and honor to have served at the ministry and alongside officials including governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait(CBK) and the chairmen at Kuwait Investment Authority, the Public Institution for Social Security(PIFSS) and Customs Department.

“I have the greatest appreciation for their support during times of challenge,” Al-Shamali remarked. Acting Finance Minister, Minister of Education and of Higher Education Nayef Al-

LUXEMBOURG: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalid Suleiman Al-Jarallah, said yesterday that the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and the 27-member European Union share common positions on many regional and international issues and enjoy very good cooperation, “Relations, contacts and cooperation between the EU and GCC are very, very strong and we are happy with this kind of cooperation,” he said in an interview.

He said in yesterday ’s Ministerial meeting between the EU and GCC in Luxembourg that they were set to discuss the cooperation between the GCC and the EU. “This is an annual meeting which we have either here in Luxembourg, Brussels or in a GCC country. We have an agenda which is related to the cooperation between the two sides and we will also discuss regional issues like Syria, Iran’s nuclear program, Yemen and Iraq,” he said.

“We will also discuss the situation in the countries affected by the Arab Spring, including Egypt, and the relations between the EU and GCC countries with the Arab Spring countries,” said the Kuwaiti official. He further added that the

EU is trying to support the countries, including Egypt, Tunisia and Libya and Yemen. The financial crisis in Europe, he said, is also affecting the economies of Gulf countries, “There is a serious challenge in Europe regarding the crisis and it affects our economies and the prices of oil,” said Al Jarallah.

“We hope that our friends in Europe will contain the problem and develop their economy to avoid a serious problem not only for Europe, but for the whole world,” he added.

Regarding the recent Syrian-Turkish tensions following the shooting down of a Turkish fighter plane, Al-Jarallah said that he is certain that the crisis will not escalate, “I am confident that in the end wisdom will prevail and I am sure that there will be some kind of containment,” he added.

Al-Jarallah arrived in Luxembourg Sunday afternoon as the head of a fivemember delegation to participate in the joint EU-GCC ministerial meeting.

Kuwait’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, Nabeela alMulla, along with second secretar y Mubarak Al-Hajiri and Abeer Alduaij, are also in Luxemborg to welcome and support the Kuwaiti delegation. — KUNA

Laws, penalties needed to end discrimination against women

Hajraf said Al-Shamali’s career is one that is long and with many accomplishments since his graduation in the 1960s till his appointment in leading posts in the finance and economy sector.

His long experience in foreign economic relations brought the ministry a valuable resource of information that aided decisiontaking.

Al-Hajraf stressed that AlShamali proved his mettle by leaving the post. On his part, the Industrial Bank of Kuwait Board Chairman and Managing Director

Abdulmehsin Al-Hnaif said AlShamali belongs to the founding generation, and had shown excellent leadership in his post and in his management of departments under the ministry’s umbrella.

Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah said he was honored to have served alongside Al-Shamali for over 18 years, and hoped the standards of service and policies he put in place would ser ve the ministr y for many years to come. His Highness the Prime Minister

Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak AlHamad Al-Sabah presented AlShamali with a commemorative shield at the end of the ceremony. The officials attending included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Acting Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Khalid Al-Hamad AlSabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khalid AlHamad Al-Sabah, and a host of ministers, governors, and senior state officials. —KUNA

Wataniya launches new mobile internet packages KUWAIT: Gone are the days when internet was confined to laptops and personal computers. Wataniya Telecom now offers its customers more freedom and value with the new Net-on-Phone plans. People will no longer need to find a Wi-Fi zone to stay connected. Customers can now surf, chat, tweet and download as much as they like anywhere, anytime with the new unlimited mobile internet plans and at incredibly affordable rates.

The new and enhanced plans offer customers substantial volume of data usage at high speeds of up to 21.6 Mbps. People can use 1.5 GB of internet per month for as little as KD 5 and even after finishing their allotted speed rates, their connection is not suspended. They can continue using

the internet but at lower speeds with no additional charges. Activation and subscription to the Net-on-Phone plans are extremely easy. Wataniya customers need to send NOP or 1616 to see the choices. They can activate their chosen plan instantly from their mobile phone. Non-Wataniya customers may visit any Wataniya branch to benefit from this offer.

Customers have the liberty to roam with their mobile internet at six fils per KB. This feature is optional and available with all Net-on-Phone plans.

In an official statement, Wataniya Telecom stated that “Customers no longer have to worry about their internet consumption and can download larger volumes. With the new plans, even prepaid customers who run out of credit can still have access

to the internet.” Wataniya further elaborated, “We look forward to receiving positive feedback from our customers as we will continue to find new solutions and technologies to keep them connected with the latest telecom trends and beneficial packages.”

Net-on-Phone plans are the most generous offerings available in the market today, not just because of the unlimited internet access but because customers can get up to 10 times more internet volume on high speed as compared to the past.

Wataniya wants to enrich its customers’ experiences by giving them choices and freedom that will enable them to make the best use of their apps, games and smartphone features.

anti-doping meeting in Bangkok KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS) will take part in a ministerial meeting on sports doping, which begins in Bangkok on Wednesday under the supervision of both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Olympic Council of Asia.

Head of the Kuwaiti delegation, PAYS Chairman and Director General Faisal AlJazzaf, said in a statement yesterday, before leaving the country, that the annual meeting is aimed at educating and protecting youngsters and athletes away from the risks involved with doping, which has become a growing problem in sports.

He added that PAYS, an active member of the meeting since 2004, will provide a detailed report on actions taken in the field of anti-doping at the domestic level. He noted that the meeting, which will include a scientific conference to combat doping with the participation of a group of specialists in the agency, will aim to illustrate positive ways for participating countries to work to stop this dangerous practice. — KUNA

GENEVA: Kuwait yesterday expressed satisfaction over a report by the Human Rights Council Working Group on Discrimination against Women. The report stressed that ending discrimination against women requires stronger laws and penalties.

Addressing the 20th regular session of the Human Rights Council, Foreign Ministry Political Researcher Iqbal Fahad Thnayyan Al-Ghanem said the report is in harmony with the Kuwaiti Constitution.

She emphasized that Kuwait realizes the importance of women’s empowerment and encouraged more active participation in politics and parliamentary affairs by women.

Kuwaiti law, she continued, granted women the right to become members of parliament, municipal councils and bodies. “We also see women assuming many leading posts in the country in political, diplomatic, and administrative spheres”.

“Out of its belief in the need to bolster women’s standing and the role of contributing to social development alongside

male peers, the country has enacted many laws and issued many regulations that give women equal rights in the civil service, at ministries, and other state bodies. “Many laws had been issued recently giving women even more rights, such as the right to state housing, laws on service in the working hours and special benefits in the public sector. There have also been regulations that take into consideration women’s physical and overall constitutions, wherever due, in different professions.”

The researcher told the council that Kuwait’s ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is further proof of its belief in a policy of equality. She also said there had been many great services to the homeland rendered by women from all walks of life and in all fields and professions. The council discussed a periodic report presented by the Human Rights Council Working Group on Discrimination against Women regarding both law and practice. — KUNA

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LOCAL

Salary ‘highest consideration’ of women when choosing a job Bayt.com survey on MENA workplace KUWAIT: The recent’Women in the MENA Workplace 2012’ sur vey conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s leading job site, and YouGov, a research and consulting organisation, has revealed that working women in the region are motivated professionally mostly by monetary prospects, and that 65% of them believe that women in mixed gender workplaces receive no special benefits.

When asked to select any option (or several options) that applies to them when asked about reasons for employment, the majority of women (57%) chose “gain financial independence”. This is especially true in KSA, where 65% of women - the highest in the region - stated this as their main objective, as did most Arab women residing in the GCC (58%) and Western women (57%). Meanwhile, six out of 10 Arab women residing in the GCC also chose to work in order to broaden their perspectives in life, while most Asian women (63%) seek to financially support their household.

Women who are 25 or below are also strongly motivated to put their education to good use, while those in the 36-45 age bracket want to secure their children’s future.

When looking for a job, MENA women take the following into consideration, in order of importance: salary (59%), opportunities for long-term career growth (31%) and health insurance for their whole family (28%).

Retirement benefits are important to working women aged 46 and above. “ Women across the MENA region are breaking stereotypes and embracing their careers more wholeheartedly than ever before. There is a desire for equality and it seems that, for the most part, this desire is being met by employers,” said Lama Ataya, Bayt.com. “The results of this survey fall in line with Bayt.com’s experience with the MENA workplace, and with our analysis of employee and employer habits and aspirations to pres-

ent a clear picture of the regional employment market.”

Seven out of ten women (69%) are comfortable with working in mixed gender environments, which 74% of all survey respondents work in. In KSA, 37% of women work in mixed workplaces; however, they are separated from men.

The survey showed that there are more female managers/bosses in Lebanon (28%), Tunisia (24%) and UAE (20%) in comparison to other countries, though only 19% of respondents across the region claim to report to a woman. In general, while the majority (68%) have no preference for the gender of their superior, women (especially in Jordan, KSA and Egypt) prefer to work for a male boss (as per 28% of the region’s respondents) as opposed to a female one (4%).

Maternity leave for most women is between one to three months (22% claim one to two months, 28% claim two to three months), though nearly a quarter (23%) do not know what their company’s allotted time is. Only 13% of women are highly satisfied with their maternity leave and benefits, with 41% claiming low satisfaction.

“It is encouraging to find that so many women are comfortable working in mixed gender environments, which is perhaps a nod to a more Westernised influence over regional society,” said Sundip Chahal, CEO YouGov. “The low satisfaction with maternity leave suggests that there is room for this benefit to be expanded upon for employers looking to increase their appeal to existing female employees and job seekers.”

In terms of benefits, the most commonly received is personal health insurance (51%), followed by paid maternity leave (38%); company transport or transport allowance (28%); job-related training (28%) and family health insurance (19%).

Almost half of the surveyed women (44%)

state that fewer opportunities for job promotions are the biggest challenge they face in their work. Stressful and demanding work environments follow, according to 38%, while a third (33%) state that lack of flexible working timings, limited opportunities to perform and insufficient job training and coaching are equally demanding.

When it comes to working hours, 58% of women claim to put in as many as their male colleagues, while 22% claim to work even more.

Sentiments are equally divided in terms of whether women feel they receive equal or less pay than men working within their company (an evenly-split 41% both ways), with women in Qatar, UAE and KSA feeling that they receive less. Four out of ten (40%) of the region’s working women believe that their chances for promotion are dependent more upon their performance than their gender, however, 31% believe that they are at a disadvantage in this respect because they are female.

More than half (56%) of women believe that they are treated equally to their male counterparts in the workplace, and 65% state that there are no special benefits for female employees within their company. In Qatar, KSA and UAE however, women feel that men are given preferential treatment.

Of the women who completed the survey, almost a third (30%) claim that their career choices have had a positive impact on their marital life. Six out of ten (57%) women state that their decision to have children has affected their career, especially for those respondents who are 35 years old or younger.

Data for the Bayt.com “ Women in the Middle East Workplace” , June 2012, survey was collected online from May 17 to 30, 2012, with 2,185 respondents from UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

Officer charged after releasing inmate KUWAIT: A Farwaniya police officer faces charges after helping a detainee escape through a scam, a local daily reported yesterday.

According to a security insider with knowledge of the case, an Egyptian prisoner was released early last week, just two weeks after his arrest for failing to carry identification. A Lance Corporal then provided a passport and civil ID for the suspect. An investigation was soon launched after finding that the passport and ID provided belonged to a different person, while the actual prisoner was identified and revealed to be facing criminal charges. The officer who provided the documents to the police station’s chief was put under arrest after surveillance tapes revealed that he received the passport and ID from a person outside the station shortly before handing them over.

Smuggling foiled A man was arrested at the Nuwaseeb border checkpoint (south) along with a friend as he tried to smuggle himself out of the country through a scam.

Customs officials were alerted when the two Kuwaiti men became nervous when they presented their civil IDs to finalize travel procedures. The two were taken into custody after officers

noticed that one of the IDs belonged to another person. The driver of the car admitted that the ID in question was his brother’s, and he was trying to use it in order to help smuggle his friend, who faces criminal charges, out of the country. They were referred to the proper authorities for further action.

Smuggler’s accomplice Investigations are currently ongoing for an accomplice to a man arrested recently for smuggling a huge shipment of alcoholic drinks, worth over KD1 million, the Al-Anbaa daily reported yesterday. Speaking on a condition of anonymity, a security source revealed that the suspect confessed to having a partner who disappeared after learning about the arrest. The new confessions were made during “intensive interrogations’ carried out by Undersecretary Assistant for Criminal Security Affairs, Maj Gen Abdulhameed Al-Awadhi. The two-container shipment confiscated in Sabhan contained more than 18,000 bottles of different liquor brands, smuggled from a GCC country.

Upset drunk Police are looking for a drunk man who escaped after a taxi driv-

er drove him to the nearest police station after picking him up at the Gulf Road. In his statement to officers, the Egyptian driver realized his customer was intoxicated following a verbally abusive conversation about the Egyptian revolution. The passenger first criticized the revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak, and ended with him complaining about losing his usual vacation destination. The suspect escaped when the driver kept him inside the taxi while reporting the incident, and before police came out to place the suspect under arrest.

Hungry drunk A Salmiya police officer pressed verbal assault charges against an inmate held for intoxication following an argument about food orders. The Kuwaiti suspect, held pending blood test results, became upset when the officer ignored his request to order him some Machboos Dijaj, a traditional dish made of fried rice with chicken. The officer filed a case after the detainee insulted him repeatedly.

Armed fight Five men were arrested at Kubbar island following an armed quarrel and have been held on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol. Coast guard offi-

cers arrested the Kuwaiti men shortly after the fight was reported. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects disposed of a handgun he used to shoot warning shots during the struggle after witnessing coastguard boats approaching. The men remain in custody pending blood test results.

Car theft gang Three teenagers were arrested, along with a storekeeper who helped them steal customers’ cars which stopped outside his baqala (small grocery store) in Al-Jahra.

Investigators suspected that organized crime could be behind several auto theft reports made by customers of the same store, who all provided similar descriptions of three youngsters accused of the crimes. The suspects were arrested following monitoring in which police arrested them before they could drive away with a car whose owner left it running to go inside the store. During investigations, the three Kuwaiti juveniles said that the storekeeper helped them by keeping customers distracted while they stole their cars. Officers arrested the storekeeper, who was sent with the thieves to law enforcement authorities to face charges.

KUWAIT: Trucks are seen lined up illegally at the ‘press street’ in Shuwaikh. The busy road inside one of Kuwait’s most active areas has become home for heavy duty vehicles that are left in ‘no-parking’ places for extended periods of time, negatively affecting the traffic flow in the process. Several trucks are often used for storing cement or as “a place for outlaws to stay” according to unconfirmed eyewitnesses’ reports. —Photos by Sherif Ismail

MOC discusses state of fishing industry with govt agencies KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry hosted a meeting with several state agencies and private companies on Sunday to discuss the state of the country’s fishing industry.

“This is the third meeting hosted by the ministry to find appropriate solutions for the problem of decreasing fish stocks,” said Abdullah Al-Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Control Affairs at the Ministry .

Al-Ali noted that several local and international studies have been conducted in this area, as well as requests for refraining from fishing. The requests were

Zain’s CSR strategy focuses on education KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, announced that in cooperation with the Ministry of Education they will provide the high school exam results via short message services (SMS) at no cost via the dedicated short code (99909) .

In a press release zain, jointly with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced that they will provide the SMS service for free, joining the happiness of students in the moment when they are rewarded for a year of hard work.

Nadia Al-Saif, Director of Value-added Services in Zain Kuwait explained that those students willing to receive their high school result can access the service by sending their seating number to Zain’s short code (99909). A message containing the student’s results will be sent back as a response to the student’s message.

Al-Saif said, “In a bid to share this special moment with the students and their joy, Zain will provide the SMS service for free.”

She continues, “Zain is keen to offer this service because we provide added value to all of our stakeholders. By offering this

Al-Ayoubi represents Kuwait in DSS apprenticeship program KUWAIT: The Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), organisers of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), announced the winners of the DSS Apprenticeship Programme 2012 - the region’s most hotly contested destinationmarketing internship programme, which this year welcomes its largest batch ever.

The programme once again brings together some of the brightest marketing and business administration students from across the Middle East and North Africa. Offering an incomparable opportunity to get behind the scenes of one of the region’s biggest tourism success stories and work alongside highly experienced practitioners in the field, the DSS Apprenticeship Programme this year welcomes winners from 12 countries - the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, KSA, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and for the first time Morocco.

Othman Jamal Al-Ayoubi, a fourth year marketing student at the American University of Kuwait was chosen by a jury comprising of key DSS representatives and marketing professionals to represent Kuwait in the 7th edition of the prestigious programme.

Laila Suhail, CEO of Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) said: “Over the years, DSS has proudly highlighted not just Emarati culture, but also Arabic heritage through various shows

and activities that have become some of the most anticipated events in our calendar. Othman Al-Ayoubi from American University of Kuwait correctly pointed out in his essay that cultural activities have a wide appeal among Arab tourists, and

Othman Jamal Al-Ayoubi have a great potential to attract tourists from outside the region. It is no surprise that he finds himself as one of this year’s apprentices and I look forward to his contributions and observations that will help enhance the appeal of DSS.” The programme this year reached out to a record 75 universities across 12 coun-

tries, growing tremendously from the pilot programme launched in 2006, which included four participating universities in two markets.

Each university was invited to nominate its top six senior students from the marketing, business administration and events streams. Each student was asked to submit an essay on ‘What new strategies and opportunities they would implement to make the 2012 edition have a stronger impact across the region’, a topic chosen by the DSS Apprenticeship Programme team. A special jury comprising key DSS staff and other marketing professionals evaluated the submissions before short-listing candidates for phone interviews and selecting the final winner from each market, based on the quality of their essays, answers and expressed ability to make a valuable contribution to the programme. In his winning essay AlAyoubi said: “DSS has become a truly world-class event, achieving global recognition as one of the biggest success stories for destination marketing. I think DSS provides a perfect opportunity for Dubai to showcase Arab cultures and traditions.

Keep the cultural aspect of DSS as a way of promoting the traditions and culture of the Emarati people, and entice more people to come to Dubai during the summer.”

The winners will each receive an allexpense paid trip to Dubai, inclusive of

forwarded to companies in an effort to maintain the country’s fish stocks. He added that those at the meeting also discussed how successful these studies could be and the possibility of implementing recommendations in more areas. He mentioned that the meeting showcased a video by representatives of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) on the environmental phenomenon of red tides, fish deaths, marine bacteria, ocean sewage dumping, as well as the authority’s view on finding solutions for maintaining a fish breeding environment. — KUNA

return flights and a two-week stay at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, one of the world’s leading business hospitality management schools, managed by Jumeirah Group the global luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding. The winners will work closely with the DSS team throughout their internship, attending workshops, taking part in visits to key DSS events and tourism landmarks and meeting leading players responsible for building the Destination Dubai brand. The internship will offer students the opportunity to get hands-on experience that will both enhance their theoretical understanding of their chosen field of study as well as its practical application while building a valuable network of potential future employers and corporate mentors.

At the end of their internships, the students will be required to apply the knowledge earned and practical skills gathered by creating a powerful presentation to be shared with senior DSS management, key stakeholders and the wider DEPE team, outlining feedback on their first-hand experiences at this year’s event as well as innovative strategies and creative ideas that could enhance the DSS offering in future years. Previous winners’ presentations have often yielded insightful ideas that have been successfully applied to enhance the DSS offering year on year.

SMS service, Zain reflects on its desire to demonstrate a new vision which is part of the organization’s social responsibility strategy.” She concluded, “After a long academic year and many exerted efforts students are rewarded for their hard work. We, at Zain, hope to put a smile and joy on the faces of every schoolgirl or schoolboy in the country.”

Nadia Al-Saif

Japan’s tsunami-hit railway buys new trains with Kuwait’s aid TOKYO: The Tsunami-hit railway lines in Northeastern Japan will introduce three new train cars next February with Kuwait’s aid, the Kuwaiti Embassy in Japan said yesterday. Due to the severe damage caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami in March last year, the train cars on the South Rias Line were left unfit for use. With contributions from Kuwait, through a subsidiary on the Sanriku Railway Co. rehabilitation and regional revitalization support activities, the Railway Company decided to purchase new train cars and replace the damaged ones, the embassy said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

The three new cars, each at a price of USD 1.9 million, are equipped with bigger windows and more comfortable seats than the old carriages. Sanriku Railway’s South Rias Line, which runs along the Pacific coast of Iwate Prefecture, was completely destroyed by the twin natural disasters and remains out of service.

Following the catastrophe, which left more than 19,000 people dead or missing, Kuwait offered a donation of 5 million barrels of crude oil. The money was distributed to the three hardest-hit prefectures, including Iwate.

During his meeting in Tokyo with HH the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in March, Iwate Governor Takuya Tasso thanked him and the Kuwaiti people for their support and generosity.

Tasso said that the allocated share of Kuwait’s donation has been used for various reconstruction projects in his prefecture, including financial assistance for survivors, rehabilitation of agriculture and fishery industries. The governor also explained plans to restore damaged railways, a train station and to purchase new trains. — KUNA

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Iraq faces its painful legacy of mass graves

Pakistani Islamists behead 7 soldiers Page 12

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CAIRO: Egyptians sleep after celebrating the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi in the presidential elections in Cairo’s Tahrir Square yesterday. — AP

Morsi to restore severed Iran ties Morsi’s comments unsettle Western powers

News

in brief Saudi beheads citizen

RIYADH: Saudi authorities beheaded yesterday one of its citizens after he was convicted of shooting dead two fellow Saudis, the interior ministry announced in a statement carried by state news agency SPA. Musfer bin Atallah Al-Jaeed shot dead Ahmed bin Mayud AlSawat and Fares bin Masud Al-Sawat after a dispute, the ministry said. Jaeed was beheaded in the the western province of Taef. His beheading brings to 40 the number of people executed in Saudi Arabia so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on official reports. Under the AFP count, at least 76 people were beheaded in 2011, while rights group Amnesty International put the number of executions last year at 79. The death penalty in Saudi Arabia applies to a wide range of offences including rape, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking, as well as murder, as stipulated by Islamic sharia law.

Omani activists charged MUSCAT: Fourteen Omani rights activists arrested in early June for demanding political reforms in the country have been charged with defamation and illegal gatherings, their lawyer said yesterday. The activists, including bloggers, writers and lawyers, were charged with participating in “illegal gatherings and blocking roads,” said Yacoub Al-Harithi after the court hearing in the capital Muscat. Three of the activists were also charged with “defaming sultan” Qaboos, the country’s ruler, a much more serious charge which according to Harithi falls within the category of “state security crimes.” He said that a total of 36 Omanis were arrested for anti-government actions since the beginning of June. Fourteen of them appeared in court yesterday, 12 of the accused were set free, and 10 others remain in detention without charge. The 14 defendants will appear in court Wednesday for a “final defense,” a decision that triggered anger among the lawyers because of the “very short time period granted for the lawyers to study the case,” said Harithi.

Scores ‘buried alive’ KAMPALA: Many villagers were feared dead in eastern Uganda yesterday after a landslide buried several settlements on the slopes of Mt Elgon which straddles the Kenyan border, local media reports said.

Some reports said about 10 people had been killed in the landslide, while the local member of parliament, David Wakikona said that up to 100 people could have been buried. This could not be independently verified. “Three villages have been flattened in the Bumwalukani parish on the slopes of Mt. Elgon and the initial reports I have is that more than 100 have been buried,” he said.

DUBAI: Egypt’s Islamist President-elect Mohamed Morsi voiced interest in restoring long-severed ties with Tehran to create a strategic “balance” in the region, in an interview published yesterday with Iran’s Fars news agency. Morsi’s comments are likely to unsettle Western powers as they try to isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear program, which they suspect it is using to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Tehran denies this.

Since former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was toppled by a popular uprising last year, both countries have signaled their interest in renewing ties which were severed more than 30 years ago. “We must restore normal relations with Iran based on shared interests, and expand areas of political coordination and economic cooperation because this will create a balance of pressure in the region,” Morsi was quoted as saying in a transcript of the interview.

Fars said it had spoken to Morsi a few hours before Sunday’s announcement that declared him the winner of Egypt’s presidential election. Asked to comment on reports that, if elected, his first state visit would be to Riyadh, Morsi said: “I didn’t say such a thing and until now my first international visits following

Iran to execute two for alcohol TEHRAN: Iran is to execute two people caught drinking alcohol for a third time after judges upheld the Islamic republic’s strict laws on liquor consumption, media yesterday quoted a top judicial official as saying. Hassan Shariati, the judiciar y chief of the northeastern province of Khorasan-e Razavi, announced the sentence in an ISNA news agency report that was published by the Donya-eEqtesad daily.

The two unidentified people were repeat offenders, having been twice before convicted of drinking and lashed 80 times each, Shariati said. He said the death penalty for their third conviction had been validated by Iran’s Supreme Court. Under Iran’s interpretation of Islamic sharia law, imposed after its 1979 revolution, a first and second conviction on the charge of drinking alcohol is punishable by a maximum sentence of 80 lashes.

A third offence risks a death penalty but, if the convicted person repents, the sentence can be commuted to the whipping. Only members of Iran’s Christian minorities are exempt from the alcohol laws. The last time execution was ordered for a repeat offender on the charge was in 2007, but it was overturned after the convict officially expressed contrition, the Shargh daily reported. Despite Iran’s tough penalties, some 60 million to 80 million liters (16 million to 21 million gallons) of alcohol are smuggled into the country each year, of which police seize only around a quarter, according to officials.

An officer at Iran’s anti-smuggling bureau said in early 2011 that the value of liquor smuggled to Iran was around $730 million per annum. According to Iran’s police chief, Esmaeel Ahmadi Moghadam, the country has some 200,000 alcoholics. Alcohol is also covertly manufactured in Iran, sometimes resulting in deaths due to the production methods used. Iranian police have also started taking measures against driving under the influence of alcohol, with offenders liable to a fine of two million rials (120 dollars), confiscation of their driving license and criminal prosecution.— AFP

my victory in the elections have not been determined.” Rivalry between Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran has been intensified by the “Arab Spring” revolts, which have redrawn the political map of the Middle East and left the powerful Gulf neighbors vying for influence. Iran hailed Morsi’s victory over former general Ahmed Shafik in Egypt’s first free presidential election as a “splendid vision of democracy” that marked the country’s “Islamic Awakening”. Western diplomats say in reality Egypt has little real appetite to significantly change relations with Iran, given the substantial issues the new president already has to face in cementing relations with regional and global powers. “Iran is hoping for Egypt to become a deterrent against an Israeli attack as well as a regional player that Iran can use as a potential counter-balance against Turkey and Saudi Arabia,” said a diplomat based in Tehran. “Egypt, at least under present circumstances, would side with either of these against Iran.”

In contrast to comments Morsi made in a televised address after his victory was announced on Sunday, Fars news quoted him as saying Egypt’s Camp David peace accord with Israel “will be reviewed”, without elaborating. The peace treaty remains a

lynchpin of US Middle East policy and, despite its unpopularity with many Egyptians, was staunchly upheld by Mubarak, who also suppressed the Muslim Brotherhood movement to which Morsi belongs. The Sunni Brotherhood, whose Palestinian offshoot Hamas rules the Gaza Strip, is vehemently critical of Israel, which has watched the rise of Islamists and political upheaval in neighboring Egypt with growing concern. Egypt’s formal recognition of Israel and Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution led in 1980 to the breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two countries, among the biggest and most influential in the Middle East.

They currently have reciprocal interest sections, but not at ambassadorial level. Egypt’s foreign minister said last year that Cairo was ready to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran, which has hailed most Arab Spring uprisings as anti-Western rebellions inspired by its own Islamic Revolution. But Iran has steadfastly supported Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Tehran’s closest Arab ally, who is grappling with a revolt against his rule, and at home has continued to reject demands for reform, which spilled onto the street following the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.—Reuters

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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

Iraq faces painful legacy of mass graves ARBIL: Iraq wants to put the legacy of murderous dictator Saddam Hussein behind it, but faces a huge need for specialists to excavate mass graves thought to contain at least half a million unidentified victims. The stakes are high for Iraq, a country seeking reconciliation with itself, where countless families lost all trace of their relatives during the dictator’s 1979-2003 rule or the terrible internecine violence in the years after his overthrow.

Families have not been able to come to terms with the loss, as they have never found the bodies of their loved ones or learned the circumstances of their deaths. But the process of excavating the mass graves and identifying the victims, which could take decades because of its scope and difficult terrain that includes landmines and unexploded ordinance, requires a highly skilled workforce that does not exist in Iraq.

The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), created on the initiative of former US president Bill Clinton and financed by Western states, has since 2008 held courses for employees of the Forensic Institute and the ministry of human rights aimed at addressing the shortfall.

Plastic skeletons-The courses, offered in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region in north Iraq, include plastic skeletons buried

ARBIL: Iraqi forensic students seen at a mass grave in Iraqi northern city of Arbil. — AFP in the garden of the hospital where signs of trauma.

The team makes a thorough record they are held. “We try to make the scenario as realistic as possible,” said of the “grave”, making drawings on James Fenn, the coordinator of the graph paper and lists of bones and program, pointing to 20 participants evidence discovered. The approach is

Mahmudi - Libya’s last premier loyal to Gaddafi till the end TRIPOLI: Baghdadi Al-Mahmudi, who was extradited on Sunday from Tunisia to Libya, was loyal to Muammar Gaddafi until the end, serving as premier from 2006 up to the final days of his regime. A physician by training, Mahmudi arrived in a private plane to Tripoli, where he was immediately transferred to prison under orders of the Libyan prosecutor general. “(Mahmudi is) charged of committing crimes against the Libyan people,” Libyan interim Prime Minister Abdel Rahim Al-Kib told journalists.

His extradition represents a major diplomatic victory for Libya’s interim government which has been keen to prove to the world that it can conduct fair trials for exregime figures. Mahmudi is also the first senior official to be sent back for trial in Libya and his extradition could set a precedent for other countries who have sheltered members of Gaddafi’s regime. Libya wants to try Mahmudi, who is said to have been born in 1945 in the coastal town of Zawiyah, for inciting rape during last year’s conflict, according to his defense team.

Mahmudi fled to neighboring Tunisia last September shortly after rebel fighters seized the capital Tripoli, effectively putting an end to more than four decades of ironfisted rule. He was arrested on September 21 on Tunisia’s southwestern border with Algeria and jailed for illegal entry.

Mahmudi had appealed his extradition request on the grounds that he had applied for refugee status and could face execution if sent back to Libya, where the new authorities are still struggling to impose the rule of law. In May, Mahmudi staged a hunger strike in protest over the

extradition deal brokered between Tunisia and Libya, fearing for his life as the sole holder of Libyan state secrets since Gaddafi’s death on October 20.

From March 5, 2006 through the war of 2011, Mahmudi was the Secretary of the General People’s Committee, the equivalent of the country’s prime minister. He held a series of government posts before that, including health minister from 1992 to 1997, as well as shorter stints as minister of human resources and minister of infrastructure. Mahmudi oversaw vast fortunes in the oil-rich nation as chairman of the Libya Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world which was created in 2007 to restructure state enterprises. He also oversaw the Libyan Oil and Gas Counil which was created in 2006. Mahmudi sparked a major frenzy in French media this year with claims that Gaddafi had funded Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign to the tune of 50 million euros ($65 million).

Lawyer Slim ben Othman said that his client claimed to have personally handed the money to Sarkozy representatives in Geneva and that the issue had been discussed during an October 25 hearing in Tunis. Former French President Sarkozy rejected the claims in May as “grotesque.”

Mahmudi faces an uncertain fate in his home country which is gearing up for July 7 elections for a general national congress, the first national poll since Gaddafi’s ouster. Rights groups have repeatedly stressed the need for judicial reform in Libya which was left with a weak state and powerful militias lording over justice and jails with impunity.— AFP

Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmudi

Sadr demands reforms NAJAF: Cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, head of a powerful Shiite movement in Iraq has called for more political reforms, saying he would back a no-confidence vote against the prime minister if they were not made.

Sadr, a Shiite cleric who led uprisings against the US presence before American forces withdrew last December, is now an influential player in government after his bloc’s support of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki helped secure his position.

“Our main demand and the last demand is reforms,” Sadr told journalists during a rare news conference at his family home in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, southern Iraq.

“I said and I am still saying that there is a promise from me to the other blocs if the votes (for a no-confidence motion) reach 124, my 40 votes are with them.” He did not elaborate on what kind of political reforms he would like to see and said he would only support a no-confidence vote provided it did not prove harmful to Iraqis.

Iraq’s main Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish factions have been locked in a dispute over power since US forces left. Maliki’s opponents have been calling for a vote of noconfidence against the Shiite leader, but have so far failed to muster enough sup-

who were carefully digging in the soil.

Gradually, the outlines of a dozen “bodies” emerge, some with their hands and feet bound, or showing

port for the motion. The ruling National Alliance was formed when Maliki’s party linked with Sadrists and other Shiite groups. A successful ballot would be the most serious challenge to Maliki in his six years in office, potentially sinking the government and escalating sectarian tensions in a country still pulling back from years of war. Maliki and Sadr, once foes when the populist cleric’s militia battled US and Iraqi security forces, united in 2010 after nine months of political wrangling following an inconclusive vote. Sadr has criticized Maliki over the political crisis and the premier’s opponents say he is amassing power they fear could turn Iraq into a dictatorship like that of Saddam Hussein. “I once told Nuri Al-Maliki: you reached your chair through political blocs,” Sadr, who was dressed in clerical black robes and a black headdress, said. “From Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis.

You’ve come and hit them later on, this violates the political framework and ethics.”

Sadr, the scion of a Shiite religious family, said a vote of no confidence against Maliki could not be used as an excuse for government not to deliver services to Iraqi people and said differences between the leaders were long-standing.—Reuters

very scientific and rigorous. “We have learned to use a trowel and to dig without using machines like bulldozers, as they cause damage and may erase lots of evidence,” said Salah Hussein, one of the trainees. One of his colleagues, Thamer Hassan, has a brother who has been missing since 1987. “Maybe he is in one of the graves,” Hassan said, adding that despite this, his motivation was his “duty” as an employee of the ministry of human rights. Once they have been exhumed, the bones are given to another team from the Forensic Institute in Baghdad, who are charged with examining them. The trainees examine the bones on a table, trying to determine how many people they might have belonged to, their age and their sex-and listing the details with care. “It’s important for the families,” said Dr Dunia Abboud, a 26-year-old dentist. “A lot of families lost a member and don’t know what happened to them.” “We try to help them,” Abboud said. “This helps to do justice.”

At least 270 mass graves- Some 170 people have been trained since 2008, but the need is huge, said Johnathan McCaskill, the head of Iraq programs for ICMP. The Iraqi government is work-

ing under the assumption that there are 500,000 missing people, but some estimates put the number of missing from repression under Saddam’s rule, especially against the Kurds and Shiites in the 1980s and 1990s, at more than one million. “The information we started up with was that there are at least 270 different mass graves in the country,” McCaskill said. Most of Iraq’s mass graves date from the time of Saddam’s rule, he said, but it is possible that there are some from the bloody sectarian fighting that came in the years after his overthrow, in which tens of thousands of people were killed.

McCaskill said that after Saddam’s fall in 2003, some people began to dig on their own, looking for relatives, though this has since been prohibited by law. The ICMP is also working with the Iraqi government on a DNA identification program with much more reliable technology. But it is complex and expensive. Samples are currently analyzed at the ICMP headquarters in Sarajevo. Meanwhile, the training will continue for at least two years. But is a course enough to prepare someone for something so disturbing? Thamer Hassan thinks so, saying: “I am ready to work in real graves.”—AFP

Jet incident shows Syria defenses capable, jumpy Effective air defenses supplied by Russia LONDON: While the exact circumstances remain far from clear, the shooting down of a Turkish warplane shows Syria’s military to be capable, extremely jumpy and increasingly drawn into confrontation with its most powerful neighbor.

That could prove a major deterrent for Western powers in particular, who want President Bashar Al-Assad gone but are unwilling to risk troops or aircraft in a military intervention. Equally, they are wary of triggering a wider regional war.

Turkey says its F4 Phantom reconnaissance jet was engaged in testing the domestic Turkish radar system when it entered Syrian airspace by mistake. But Ankara is adamant it was firmly back over international waters when it was attacked without warning. Syria says the aircraft was firmly within its airspace and approaching its coast low and fast.

Exactly what the jet’s true mission was remains far from clear. While Turkey says it is not unusual for planes to drift across national boundaries when on missions or exercises, the dangers of straying into Syrian airspace at such a time of tension would have been very apparent.

Having complained repeatedly that Syria’s escalating conflict was crossing its borders, with thousands of refugees fleeing and occasional cross-border Syrian artillery and small arms fire, Turkey is widely believed to be increasing its support for Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels on its soil.

The downed jet, some believe, may have been on a reconnaissance mission for the rebels or possibly trying to probe Syria’s Russian-made radar and air defenses. With Western and Arab powers increasingly actively trying to bring down Assad, some analysts say almost anything is possible. “What all this tells us is that there are a lot of “fishy” tactics and strategies going on in the region, with numerous players behind many curtains,” said Hayat Alvi, lecturer in Middle Eastern studies at the US Naval War College. “The Syrian military has reason to be jumpy, given these circumstances. Nonetheless, the idea that it would be in Turkey’s and Syria’s respective national interests to engage in military conflict with each other is not plausible. Both sides would have too much to lose, and very little to gain.”

Friday’s incident underlined the fact that should foreign powers hope to repeat the kind of military intervention that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, it would first require an overwhelming assault on Syria’s air defenses. Foreign militaries may well now feel they have little choice but to keep a more respectful distance from Syria’s borders, aware that even sophisticated high flying US spy planes or pilotless drones could prove vulnerable. “It’s clearer that this was... a reconnaissance jet - reinforcing my view that this was a surveillance flight, and therefore suggestive of a bolder Turkish effort to step up the pressure and assist rebels,” said Shashank Joshi, senior fellow and Middle East specialist at the Royal United Services Institute.

AVOIDING ESCALATION? Turkey denies the jet mission had anything to do with the situation in Syria. The two countries initially cooperated in the search for the aircrew and wreckage in what appeared to be a deliber-

ANKARA: Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives at the Prime Ministry building to lead a cabinet meeting in Ankara yesterday to discuss Turkey’s possible steps against Syria, which is accused of shooting down Turkey’s fighter jets in international airspace. — AFP ate strategy to avoid further escalation. Ankara says the aircraft was clearly marked as Turkish and Syrian claims that they did not know its nationality when they fired were not convincing.

“Understanding the circumstances of the incident is crucial in informing Turkey’s response especially as the region may ignite with hasty knee-jerk reactions,” said Anthony Skinner, regional analyst for political risk consultancy Maplecroft. “This is something which (Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip) Erdogan, who is not one to pull his ‘rhetorical punches’, clearly understands.”

So far, Turkey has stopped short of explicitly threatening a military response. It has said it will formally consult its NATO allies under the alliance’s Article Four, avoiding invoking the common defense clause under Article Five that could request other members support in retaliation. Some believe the entire incident may simply be the result of mistakes on both sides.

According to the Syrian military, the jet was shot down by direct anti-aircraft gunfire rather than by anti-aircraft missiles, which have a much longer range. If the jet were only in range four minutes or less, the gunners might have fired without any time to consult senior commanders or Damascus itself.

“The assumption here is that the F4 strayed into Syrian territory,” said Henri Barkey, international relations professor and Middle East specialist at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. “The Syrians are clearly quite nervous and are likely to interpret any action, however innocent, as hostile. My guess is that anti-aircraft units have been given orders to shoot at anything that crosses into Syrian airspace. Reports of Turkish arms support for the insurgents also feeds the paranoia of the regime.” With Assad under

mounting strain, it is even possible the Syrian gunners thought they were firing on one of their own aircraft to stop it fleeing the country. Earlier this week, a Syrian air force colonel flew his aircraft to Jordan to defect.

RUSSIAN-BUILT AIR DEFENCES Syria bought new air defense systems from Russia, along with the training that goes with it, after Israeli jets penetrated its airspace in 2006 to “buzz” Assad’s summer palace in 2006 in the apparent hope Damascus would pressure militant group Hamas to free kidnapped soldier Gilat Shalit. Defense experts say the systems purchased were far from the best available, and were unable to prevent another Israeli raid the following year that destroyed a suspected Syrian nuclear weapons site; although there were some reports that raid was only enabled by a cyber attack that blinded Syrian radar. As Gulf states in particular ramp up their support for opposition fighters, Syria’s air defense systems also make the kind of parachute weapons and supply drops that were vital to rebel states in Libya largely impossible.

In principle, if Turkey decided it appropriate, it could demand military support from the rest of NATO or simply take its own retaliatory action against Syrian military targets. But few believe that is likely, at least for now. “NATO as a body is likely to be cagey in offering its support, and NATO’s collective-defense clauses do not necessarily cover all contingencies, particularly if you fly into someone else’s airspace,” said Joshi at the Royal United Services Institute. Ultimately, whether by accident or design, some argue the entire incident has given Damascus the chance to send an explicit warning to the rest of the world to back off.— Reuters

Libya ex-PM extradition rattles Tunisia’s alliance TUNIS: Tunisia’s post-revolution political alliance faced its deepest crisis yet yesterday after the Islamist prime minister ignored the president’s opposition to the extradition of a former top Libyan official. President Moncef Marzouki was furious that Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali ordered the transfer to Libya of Muammar Gaddafi’s last Prime Minister, Baghdadi Al-Mahmudi, without his consent.

Marzouki has always opposed the extradition, arguing Libya’s new regime offered insufficient guarantees of a fair trial, and was in southern Tunisia Sunday for an official ceremony when Jebali ordered the move.

Marzouki, a veteran human rights activist, did not sign the extradition order and found out about Mahmudi’s transfer through the media, his adviser said. The presidency “considers this decision is illegal, all the more so

because it has been done unilaterally and without consulting the president of the republic,” a statement from Marzouki’s office said.

“The extradition decision, signed by the head of the Tunisian government, constitutes a clear violation of our country’s international commitments and those towards the UN,” the statement added.

The virulence of the humiliated Marzouki’s statement revealed the uneasy nature of his alliance with Jebali’s Ennahda (Renaissance) party, which won Tunisia’s post-uprising polls in October 2011. The Islamist movement won the most votes in the election for the constituent assembly but had to form an alliance with other leading parties. A power-sharing deal handed the prime minister ’s job to Ennahda, the presidency to Marzouki’s Congress for the Republic (CPR) and the post

of parliament speaker to Mustapha Ben Jaafar, who heads the leftist Ettakatol.

Marzouki has tried to retain control of Tunisia’s foreign policy in recent months but the row over Mahmudi’s extradition illustrated how little sway he really holds. “Mr. Mahmudi’s extradition is a matter pertaining to Tunisia’s foreign policy and this field is part of the presidency’s prerogatives,” Marzouki’s statement said. But Tunisia’s three-way power deal is not an even split and Jebali, Tunisia’s real boss, had warned earlier this month that Mahmudi’s fate was for the judiciary to decide and did not require presidential approval. Marzouki’s camp was in combative mood Sunday and threatened to take the matter to the constituent assembly, the interim body tasked with preparing fresh polls and drafting a new constitution.—AFP

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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

South Americans bar new Paraguay leader from summit ASUNCION: Paraguay’s new president was barred Sunday from participating in a summit of South American leaders next week, deepening the country’s isolation over the ouster of his predecessor Fernando Lugo.

Argentina’s foreign ministry said the move was adopted by the other members and associate states of Mercosur, a South American trading bloc that is scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday in the Argentine city of Mendoza. The statement expressed the group’s “most energetic condemnation of the rupture of the democratic order that occurred in the Republic of Paraguay, for not having respected due process.”

The summit had loomed as a key test for Paraguay’s President Federico Franco, who has so far failed to gain international recognition for the government that replaced Lugo. Lugo told reporters earlier Sunday that he planned to go to the summit, calling his sudden impeachment and ouster by a Senate vote on Friday a “parliamentary coup d’etat.” Franco’s government “is a false government,” Lugo added. “The public does not accept a government that has broken the institution of the republic. You cannot collaborate with a government that its people do not consider legitimate.”

“ We will under take ever y sor t of peaceful protest (to press) for the return of constitutional order that was interrupted,” Lugo said.

About 2,000 people protested against the new government in front of the studios of state-run TV Publica in central Asuncion, but otherwise the city was quiet as usual on a Sunday, with little traffic and shops closed.

Paraguay ’s newly named Foreign Minister Jose Felix Fernandez had said he would attend the summit with a Paraguayan delegation. Franco had indicated he might not go if his presence would make matters worse. The Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, also was preparing to hold a meeting in Lima in the coming days to discuss the situation in Paraguay, which currently holds the presidency of the regional grouping.

Lugo said he had communicated with Peru’s President Ollanta Humala, whose country is next in line to be president of the group. “We are going to move up that transfer (of the presidency)... also for next week,” Lugo said. Lugo, a leftist former Catholic priest, was hauled before the Senate on Friday to face charges that he had poorly managed a land dispute that erupted in an armed clash June 15 between police and squatters.

Mexico’s Supreme Court to take up Carlos Slim TV case MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s Supreme Court will decide if billionaire tycoon Carlos Slim can enter the lucrative television market in a legal case that centers on whether the government botched a regulatory filing or officials intentionally let a deadline pass. The case is due to reach the high court before the end of the summer. Slim, the world’s richest man, is counting on a win. “We soon expect a favorable decision in this matter,” Alejandro Cantu, the top attorney for Slim’s mobile phone giant America Movil, told Reuters recently.

Mexico has barred Slim from the television market until his home phone business, Telmex, gives fair access to rivals. The court, though, could let Slim proceed if it decides officials forfeited the right to stop him when it mishandled the original, fouryear-old Telmex paperwork for a television license. Telmex was absorbed into mobile phone giant America Movil last year as Slim consolidated his holdings. Documents reviewed by Reuters showed that in 2008 officials from Cofetel, the telecommunications regulator, considered allowing Telmex into the television market, swapped memos and even drafted a “no” decision, but ultimately failed to respond in the required time, thus legally opening a door for Slim.

Mexico’s federal comptroller’s office is now weighing sanctions against former Cofetel officials who mishandled

documents and otherwise caused the delays that gave Telmex a legal foothold to enter the TV market, said an official from the comptroller’s office who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the record about a pending case. The case will likely become a test for a judicial system that has recently stood up to Slim and other powerful interests that have long shaped the country.

In a handful of recent decisions, the Supreme Court has consolidated regulatory power in the hands of Cofetel.

The Telmex TV case will be a further test for the high court, analysts said.

“Will this be decided on a narrow technicality or whether the whole issue was tainted? That is the question for a court that has won trust as the final arbiter on these key telecom issues,” said Shannon O’Neil, a scholar at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and an expert on Latin America who has previously written about Slim and the telecoms industry.

Clues to the current dispute are found in a paper trail Reuters examined that dates back to July 2008, when Telmex first asked the government for a television license. Senior Cofetel officials sent memos back and forth about the Telmex license and were aware of a 60-day deadline to make a decision, but did nothing as the regulatory clock wound down, according to documents and former officials. — Reuters

Leaked memo: War plan flawed, Biden warned WASHINGTON: As President Barack Obama considered adding as many as 40,000 US forces to a backsliding war in Afghanistan in 2009, Vice President Joe Biden warned him that the military rationale for doing so was flawed, a new book about Obama’s expansion of the conflict says. The book, “Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan,” also says that in planning the drawdown of troops two years later, the White House intentionally sidelined the CIA. Obama purposely did not read a grim CIA assessment of Afghanistan that found little measurable benefit from the 30,000 “surge” forces Obama eventually approved, the book quotes a US official as saying.

A copy of the book by Washington Post correspondent Rajiv Chandrasekaran was obtained by The Associated Press. It will be released today. A previously undisclosed Biden memo to Obama in November 2009 reflects his view that military commanders were asking Obama to take a leap by adding tens of thousands of forces whose role was poorly defined.

Although Biden’s doubts have become well known, the new book details how Biden used a months-long White House review of the war to question the basic premise that the same “counterinsurgency” strategy that had apparently worked in Iraq could be applied to Afghanistan.

“I do not see how anyone who took part in our discussions could emerge without profound questions about the viability of counterinsurgency,” Biden wrote to Obama. To work, the counterinsurgency or “COIN” doctrine requires military gains to be paired with advances in government services, a “credible” Afghan government and Afghan security services that can take over, Biden’s memo said.

Although the US military could accomplish any technical assignment related to the new strategy, such as sweeping

insurgents from a village, “no one can tell you with conviction when, and even if, we can produce the flip sides of COIN,” Biden wrote. He supported a buildup of 20,000, half the number requested by then-war commander Gen Stanley McChrystal. The memo echoed a secret message to Washington from then-US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry that had called Afghan President Hamid Karzai an unreliable partner for the proposed surge. Eikenberry, a former top Army general who had served in Afghanistan, said more forces would only delay the time when Afghans would take over responsibility for their own security.

The Eikenberry memo was leaked shortly after he sent it, and confirmed

by US officials. Biden was presumed to agree with it, but he stayed mum at t he t ime. Obama’s compromise 30,000 additional forces and a deadline to begin bringing them home was intended to blunt the momentum of a resurgent Taleban insurgenc y w it ho ut committin g Obama to an open-ended war. — AP

Six police officers and 11 landless peasants were killed in an exchange of gunfire that erupted when police tried to evict the squatters from land owned by a wealthy opponent of Lugo. The Senate voted 39-4 on Friday to impeach Lugo, who initially accepted the verdict and stepped down. Oilrich Venezuela, whose membership of Mercosur has been blocked by Paraguay, recalled its ambassador to Asuncion and halted oil shipments over the move, with Chavez saying he would do nothing to support “this coup.” Chavez likened the turn of events in Paraguay to the coup that toppled Honduras’ president Manuel Zelaya in June 2009, which plunged the Central American country into an 18-month-long constitutional crisis.

“For us, the president of Paraguay is still Fernando Lugo. We do not recognize this new government,” Chavez said in Caracas. Argentina, which has condemned the move as a thinlyveiled “coup,” has also pulled its ambassador from the country, as has Ecuador, while Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay said they were recalling their envoys for consultations. El Salvador said it would not recognize the new government.

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa said that at the UNASUR summit, his

country would propose a return to “democratic order” in Paraguay. “We cannot gloss over this legalistic non-

how it comes out.” In an interview with AFP on Saturday, Franco had said he might stay away from the Mercosur

ASUNCION: Ousted Paraguay’s President Fernando Lugo prepares a mate, a traditional South American infusion, before a meeting with his cabinet ministers, in Asuncion yesterday. — AP sense,” he added. But a foreign policy advisor to the Brazilian government, Marco Aurelio Garcia, told the staterun Agencia Brasil that neither Brazil nor the other Mercosur states would inter vene in Paraguay ’s internal affairs. Garcia said it was time “to let the crisis in Paraguay decant to see

summit. “Let’s wait and see what happens in the coming days. We will take the pulse and will decide accordingly.

But I think the most important thing right now is to get our house in order.

Everything is very new and it is not very wise to leave the country right now.” — AFP

Can ‘Chavismo’ outlast Chavez?

Lack of anointed successor could lead to infighting CARACAS: Twenty years ago, Hugo Chavez launched the most powerful movement in Venezuela’s history with an improvised speech of just 90 seconds. Bound for prison after a failed Feb 4, 1992, coup that was the culmination of years of conspiring within the military, the then-lieutenant colonel was allowed by his captors to address the nation to exhort fellow dissident soldiers to surrender. Wearing what would become his trademark costume of red beret and green military fatigues, Chavez took advantage of their mistake.

“Unfortunately, for now, the objectives we had planned were not obtained,” said Chavez, electrifying Venezuelans with his hint of an unfulfilled radical agenda to eradicate poverty and corruption in the South American OPEC member. Now, a battle with cancer has weakened him and is posing an existential threat to “Chavismo”: the unruly movement of hardline leftists, conservative military men, political pragmatists and opportunistic entrepreneurs who came together to fulfill the words from 1992.

Nearly a year after Chavez announced his diagnosis, only his closest confidants and an inner circle of doctors know the exact nature of his condition, beyond its location “in the pelvic region.” Efforts by reporters, other doctors and even bondholders to predict whether the socialist stalwart will recover or die - or what cancer he has - still look like no more than educated guesswork. That has turned the once theoretical debate over “Chavismo without Chavez” into a very real enigma with major political and economic repercussions.

The future of Chavismo is closely watched by oil companies outside Venezuela seeking improved access to the world’s largest crude reserves, investors excited about a more freemarket government, and regional allies such as Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua who benefit from Chavez’s politically inspired largesse.

With no way of knowing for certain what ails “el comandante,” all are asking variants of the same question: Will he survive cancer and, if not, can Chavismo continue without its founder and guiding light?

“It seems, unfortunately, the health of the president is the health of the revolutionary process,” said Nicmer Evans, a pro-government analyst who has been warning the ruling Socialist Party that over-dependence on Chavez and personalization of the state make it vulnerable in any scenario without him. If the president’s foes have their way, Chavismo will end the same day his rule does.

Supporters say he is recovering but insist Chavismo would continue in its current form even beyond him, just with different men leading Chavez’s vision. Chavismo could also simply metamorphose into a diluted and nostalgic philosophy like “Peronism” in Argentina.

CHAVEZ: ‘NOTHING WILL STOP THE REVOLUTION’ Chavez, whose indefatigable optimism has helped him defeat challenges ranging from a military coup to an oil industry shutdown, has insisted his recovery is a fait accompli. He has been increasingly prominent in the last two weeks, calling into state media and appearing in public several times, emphatically asserting that he is on course for another six-year term where he will deepen socialism in Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Nearly two-thirds of the country agree he will make it to the Oct 7 presidential elections, according to polls that also show him handily beating opposition challenger Henrique Capriles to win a third term. Most surveys give him a double-digit lead.

“Whatever my personal destiny is, the revolution already has its inertia. Nothing and nobody will be able to stop it,” the 57-year-old president said after his latest operation in February to treat a recurrence of cancer eight months after surgeons removed a baseballsized tumor from his pelvis. Nevertheless, the unusually long silences for the famously loquacious leader, his months of flying back and forth to Havana for treatment, and even a tearful plea that God spare his life, have shed doubt on the future of his movement.

Failure to consolidate “Chavismo without Chavez” could bring prolonged instability - a power struggle between factions, civil unrest and potentially unsettle the oil industry. For millions of poor Venezuelans, the combination of Chavez’s insurrectionist past, humble roots and fiery discourse demanding social justice give him a quasi-religious status. “The role of strongmen in certain historical eras is to move the masses: to be a representative of the masses without any formal legitimization,” Chavez told historian Agustin Blanco in 1995 when

discussing his evolution from failed coup leader to virtual pop icon.

Presenting himself as an inheritor of the ideals of South American liberation hero Simon Bolivar, Chavez has portrayed his movement as an extension of the 19th century struggle to end Spain’s colonial rule. Chavez has enjoyed a series of successes at the ballot box and stayed in power for 13 years, helped by the largest wave of oil revenue in the country’s history that has bankrolled an unprecedented social spending crusade. He cemented his status as a provocateur of Washington early on through an alliance with Cuba, undermining the US embargo there by providing favorably priced oil.

MILITARY LEADERSHIP Those ideas helped him create direct economic and political links to citizens, sidestepping clumsy state bureaucracy through social programs known as “missions” and community councils that solve local problems with state funds. It also gave the military an unprecedented role in governance during Venezuela’s post-dictatorship modern history, from 1958, putting soldiers and officers at the helm of everything from social development projects to state-backed agricultural schemes. “Chavez believes in obedience more than anything else, which is why he depends so much on the military world,” said Raul Salazar, a former defense minister under Chavez now in the opposition. “The armed forces are fractured because they fulfill a strange mix of administrative functions.”

For leftist activists, Chavismo politics are the apex of how to reinvent the state as the driver of social change. For critics, they are a thinly veiled excuse to put state institutions and the country’s purse strings in the hands of one man. “Chavismo has become much more than a party or a movement,” Diosdado Cabello, National Assembly president and one of Chavez’s closest allies, told Reuters. “The relationship between Chavez and the people goes much beyond the merely political, it goes straight to the spiritual.” His links to the country’s downtrodden echo a century-long history of Latin American populism, perhaps most famously embodied by Argentina’s Juan Peron. But his intense involvement in government decisions large and small is unprecedented since the end of Venezuela’s last dictatorship.

WAITING IN THE WINGS Two simple campaign posters hung along a Caracas highway were enough to fill newspapers for almost a week. The signs featured Chavismo’s signature red backdrop, a crowd of supporters in the background, and a picture of his ally Cabello with the words “Diosdado Presidente” beneath. — Reuters

Utah mom upset over haircut punishment

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, speaks in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington. — AP

PRICE: A Utah mother says she felt intimidated in court when a judge told her that he would reduce her 13-year-old daughter’s sentence if she chopped off the girl’s ponytail in court - an offer the mother says she now wishes she hadn’t taken.

Valerie Bruno, of Price, said she has filed a formal complaint against 7th District Juvenile Judge Scott Johansen with the Utah Judicial Conduct Commission. The teenager and an 11-year-old friend were referred to juvenile court for cutting off the hair of a 3-year-old girl with scissors in March and for harassing another girl in Colorado by telephone. When the 13-yearold faced Johansen for a hearing

in May, he ordered she serve 30 days in detention and to perform 276 hours of community service, but he also offered to take 150 hours of community service off the sentence if her mother cut her ponytail in his courtroom.

Bruno is now expressing regret for not consulting an attorney before taking her daughter into the courtroom. “I guess I should have went into the courtroom knowing my rights, because I felt very intimidated,” she told the Deseret News. “An eye for an eye, that’s not how you teach kids right from wrong.” Mindy Moss, mother of the 3-year-old whose hair was cut off, said she approved of the

sentence and even spoke up during the hearing when she felt Bruno had not cut off enough of her daughter’s hair. Johansen then directed Bruno to cut the ponytail all the way “to the rubber band.”

Moss told The Salt Lake Tribune that she originally called police about the haircut because she worried the girls’ behavior could become more serious. “I didn’t want them to think they got away with it ... It was malicious,” Moss said.

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Johansen were unsuccessful Sunday. Colin Winchester, executive director of the Utah Judicial Conduct

Commission, said the state Constitution bars him from commenting on whether a complaint has been filed against a judge. A complaint only becomes public if disciplinary action is taken against a judge, he said. Under state law, judges are given discretion in coming up with sanctions for youth that will change their behavior in a positive way.

Johansen ordered the friend of Bruno’s daughter to have her hair cut as short as his. She was allowed to go to a salon to have it done, then return to the courtroom to ensure that the new hairstyle met with the judge’s approval. — AP

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Assange’s asylum bid sparks bizarre escape plans LONDON: It sounds like a brainteaser: how could WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange get from Ecuador’s embassy in London onto a plane to its capital Quito, without setting foot on British territory? When he walked into the embassy on Tuesday seeking political asylum, the Australian ex-hacker pinned his hopes on Ecuador as his ticket out of extradition to Sweden, where he faces questioning over sex crime allegations. But legal exper ts say the dramatic escape bid has lured 40-yearold Assange, who had exhausted his British legal options-into an apparent dead end.

Britain’s Foreign Office says that as long as the anti-secrecy campaigner stays in the embassy, which occupies a flat in London’s plush Knightsbridge district, he is beyond the reach of the police.

But if he steps outside, he faces immediate arrest by the police for having breached bail conditions, which include staying at his bail address between 10:00

pm and 8:00 am. And Scotland Yard officers are guarding the exits. Barrister Carl Gardner summed up the situation as “a headache”. “Merely the fact of giving someone asylum doesn’t mean they can travel across another countr y ’s territor y without being arrested,” he said. “It’s not at all obvious how he could get to Ecuador.”

Paul Whiteway, London Director of the Independent Diplomat consultancy, said Assange could be arrested even before leaving the embassy’s Victorian mansion block, which faces the famous Harrods department store. “The premises are covered by diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention,” he said. “But in this case, the Ecuadorian embassy only occupies part of the building.” He added: “The inviolability of the embassy ought to extend to forms of transport, but even if he were able to get into a car, what would happen at the other end? How would he get into an aeroplane without being arrested?”

The puzzle has already spawned a number of ambitious escape scenarios. There has been speculation over whether Ecuadorian officials could bundle Assange out of

The plot was foiled by customs officials. Gardner dismissed the idea that Assange would be put in a diplomatic bag as the stuff of “spy fiction”, but had his own inventive suggestion.

LONDON: A television camera points at the main door of the Ecuadorian embassy in London yesterday, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is asking for asylum. —AFP Britain in a large “diplomatic bag” with immunity from search or seizure. In a notorious case in 1984, the Nigerian government tried to kidnap former minister Umaru Dikko by smuggling him from Britain to Nigeria as diplomatic baggage.

“Possibly the best way Ecuador could help him-and this sounds mad-is if they appoint him one of their representatives to the UN,” the former government lawyer said.

Legal exper ts say British authorities could reject any

attempts to have Assange accredited as an ordinar y diplomat. But Gardner believes that if Assange was made a representative to the UN, international law could guarantee him safe passage to the UN’s New York headquarters and then to his post in Ecuador.

“From his point of view, it would be flying into the jaws of the lion,” he admitted, stressing that the plan involved “extreme legal creativity”.

Assange has said he fears that if he was extradited to Sweden, Stockholm would eventually hand him over to the United States. The WikiLeaks website enraged Washington by publishing a flood of secret US information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more than 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables. Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa, who has often been at odds with Washington, has said he is considering Assange’s asylum request and studying the WikiLeaks founder’s claim that he could

be sentenced to death in the United States. Correa insists Ecuador will make a decision “without bowing to absolutely any pressure”.

But he also said: “We don’t want to offend anyone, least of all a country for whom we have deep respect, like the United Kingdom.” Whiteway believes British authorities are determined not to let Assange leave because his success could spark a wave of copycat asylum bids. “It could open the floodgates to other cases of individuals involved in legal cases who might seek to avoid UK jurisdiction by claiming asylum in a foreign embassy,” he said.

“That would surely be deeply unwelcome.” Ecuador has pledged to take its time assessing Assange’s request. In extreme cases, asylum-seekers have stayed holed up in embassies for years. In 1956, the United States granted Hungarian cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty refuge in its Budapest embassy. He stayed until 1971. —AFP

A battle for Internet freedom as UN meets The role of cyberspace in Arab Spring uprisings

EDINBURGH: Scottish Conservative Party Leader Ruth Davidson, (left) former British Finance Minister Alistair Darling, (center) and Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie attend the launch of a campaign against Scottish independence in Edinburgh, Scotland yesterday. —AFP

UK lawmakers launch Scottish anti-independence campaign EDINBURGH: Lawmakers from Britain’s three main political parties launched a campaign against Scottish independence yesterday, insisting that Scotland benefits from the United Kingdom’s “unique influence”. Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), plans to hold a referendum in autumn 2014 on severing the more than 300-year-old union and launched its campaign last month.

But as the “Better Together” campaign launched in Edinburgh, British Prime Minister David Cameron said a united Britain was “something worth fighting for”.

“We all know Scotland can stand on its own two feet,” said Cameron, whose Conservative party backs the union along with its junior coalition partners the Liberal Democrats and the opposition Labor party. “We just believe the UK is special and we would all lose if separation happened. We treasure our United Kingdom and Scotland’s place in our family of nations.”

Pro-union campaign leader Alistair Darling said Scotland currently enjoyed “the best of both worlds” through the devolved powers of its parliament at Holyrood and its role in British government. “The United Kingdom is a country with unique influence-in the EU, in the Commonwealth and in the G20 group of the world’s largest economies,” the former finance minister said as he launched the campaign in the Scottish capital. “Why would we want to give away this deep

influence?” Speaking at Edinburgh’s Napier University, Darling said that Scotland has “real clout” in the UN Security Council, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and NATO as part of Britain.

Darling, the Labor Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West who was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010, said the decision would be “the most important we will make in our lifetime”. He added that independence would be an “inadequate response” to Britain’s economic problems. “Times are really tough at home and really uncertain, especially in Europe, where all the problems of a currency union are laid bare,” he said. Responding to the speech, Salmond branded the pro-union case as “threadbare”.

“The anti-independence campaign’s claim to be making a positive case has been exposed as a fraud,” he said. “Alistair Darling’s presentation was littered with words such as ‘borders’, ‘division’ and ‘upheaval’, expressing arguments better suited to the 18th century than to the 21st.” Salmond, who has pushed for a referendum since his party won a majority in Holyrood in 2010, says Scotland should be able to run its own foreign, economic and defense policies. The Scottish government currently has powers over some policy areas such as health and education, but control of defense, energy and foreign affairs remains in the hands of the British government.—AFP

WASHINGTON: A year after the Internet helped fuel the Arab Spring uprisings, the role cyberspace plays in launching revolutions is being threatened by proposed changes to a United Nations telecommunications treaty that could allow countries to clamp down on the free flow of information. For months, dozens of countries have been meeting behind closed doors to debate changes to the 24-year-old treaty. The US delegation to the World Conference on International Telecommunications to be held in Dubai this December has vowed to block any proposals that could permit online censorship or undercut the Internet’s current governing structure.

Yet those assurances have failed to ease fears that bureaucratic tinkering with the treaty could imperil Internet freedom and diminish its role in economic growth, according to legal experts and civil liberties advocates who have been tracking the discussions.

Russia, for example, has proposed language that requires member states to ensure the public has unrestricted access and use of international telecommunication services, “except in cases where international telecommunication services are used for the purpose of interfering in the internal affairs or undermining the sovereignty, national security, territorial integrity and public safety of other states, or to divulge information of a sensitive nature,” according to a May 3 UN document that details the various proposals for amending the treaty.

The wording of this provision could allow a country to cite a UN treaty as the basis for repressing political opposition. The provision also appears to contradict Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says people shall have the right to access information “through any media and regardless of frontiers.” A senior UN official said Friday the amended treaty will not create any barriers to information online, but acknowledged that the Russian proposal has not yet been rejected. Any proposals that cannot be agreed to by all member states will not be included in the final document, said Hamadoun Toure, secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union, the UN agency that oversees the treaty.

An amended treaty would be binding on

Britain’s Cameron plans radical welfare shake-up LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday set out radical plans to reform Britain’s welfare system, including housing benefit cuts that could see young adults forced to move back in with their parents. Cameron said the shakeup, which also includes a time limit on unemployment benefit for people who have been out of work for several years, would end the “nonsense of paying people more to stay at home than to get a job”. “Why has it become acceptable for many people to choose a life on benefits?” said the Conservative leader.

Cameron, who came to power in 2010 in a coalition with the centrist Liberal Democrats, said his government had inherited a welfare system that created “perverse incentives”. He added: “It gave us millions of working-age people sitting at home on benefits even before the recession hit,”

he said in a major speech in Kent, southeast England. “It created a culture of entitlement.” The controversial plan to withdraw housing benefits for people under the age of 25 would “stop the state dragging young people into dependency,” the prime minister said.

But the opposition Labor party attacked the proposal, saying young families “with their first foot on the career ladder will be knocked off if help with their rent is taken away”. “ This is another smokescreen from an out- oftouch prime minister who’s now put our country back into a double - dip recession, forced up youth unemployment to over a million and is doing nothing to fix the unfolding chaos,” said Labor’s work and pensions spokesman Liam Byrne. Cameron, whose government has introduced steep austerity measures in a bid to

shrink its yawning deficit, said Britain needed “a welfare system that the countr y can properly afford”.

The proposals include introducing regional variations in benefits, to reflect the different cost of living across the country, and a reduction in the current £20,000 ($31,1000, 24,900-euro) cap on housing support. Unemployed people may be required to have a CV to claim benefits, and people on sick ness benefits could be forced to take steps to improve their health. Single parents on benefits could be forced to look for work when their child is three years old, as opposed to five under the current system. The speech has been seen as an attempt by Cameron to regain support from rightwing lawmakers who have accused him of letting the Liberal Democrats water down Conservative policies.—AFP

the United States if it is ratified by the Senate.

But approval is not automatic. The treaty, known formally as the International Telecommunications Regulations, is sure to be scrutinized by lawmakers wary of its potential impact. The ITU does not operate like the UN Security Council, where the United States has the power to veto resolutions to which it objects. The ITU works on a consensus basis.

Proposals can be stopped from serious consideration if enough countries voice their objections. More than 190 nations will attend the Dubai conference and the US delegation is seeking support for its positions at the preparatory meetings that will continue until the conference convenes.

“It is important that when we have values, as we do in the area of free speech and the free flow of information, that we do everything that we can to articulate and sustain those values,” Philip Verveer, deputy assistant secretary of state and US coordinator for international communications and information policy, said in an interview. The drafting and debating of proposals in preparation for the Dubai conference have taken place largely in secret. Public interest groups have criticized the process and said it runs counter to development of sound public policy. In response to calls for transparency, two research fellows at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center launched the website WCITLeaks.org earlier this month as a way to make leaked documents available publicly.

The secretive nature of the talks has sparked rumors the UN is plotting to take control of the Internet. Toure has called the takeover rumors “ridiculous.” Independent, nongovernmental organizations including the Internet Society, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, and the Worldwide Web Consortium have for years served as the Internet’s governing bodies.

They handle core tasks like network and domain name administration and establish Internet policies, standards and rules based on input from the public and private sectors.

This system allows the Internet to evolve organically and react rapidly to changes in technology, business practices and consumer behavior, according to open Internet advocates.

Yet for countries still grappling with how communications have been transformed by the Internet, ITU and the treaty are viewed as the best avenues for plugging themselves into the global information economy. For developing nations that don’t have an effective broadband infrastructure, bureaucratic and regulatory measures can allow them to benefit financially from the Internet traffic that electronically crosses their borders.

But treaties are static instruments that often are unable to adapt and adjust to the fast pace of Internet innovation, said Sally Shipman Wentworth, senior manager for public policy at the nonprofit Internet Society.

“Further, we do not believe that we should simply take the 1988 regulatory model that applied to the old telephone system and apply it to the Internet,” she said. A proposal offered by a European association of telecommunications network operators would put pressure on content providers such as Google, Facebook and Netflix to offset the costs of delivering Internet traffic to end-users.

That traffic increasingly includes bandwidth-hungry video, and the proposal from the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association essentially argues that the investment needed to expand and improve data delivery should be borne by the operators and the content providers. Verveer called the proposal unworkable and said it would have unintended consequences, such as blocking Harvard, MIT and other universities from putting courses online at no cost to users in places where access to education is already limited. “If it became necessary to pay in order to make these courses available, they would predictably become less available, which would be very unfortunate,” he said.

Even what appear to be minor alterations to the treaty can have far-reaching consequences. A coalition of Arab states has proposed expanding the treaty’s definition of telecommunications by adding the word “processing.” The change, if made, would expand the treaty’s reach and “essentially swallow the Internet’s functions with only a tiny edit to existing rules,” Robert McDowell, a Republican member of the Federal Communications Commission, said late last month at a congressional hearing. —AP

Man sentenced to life over US stabbing spree FLINT: A man convicted of murder in a 2010 stabbing spree in Michigan was sentenced to life in prison Monday, wrapping up the first in a series of cases against Elias Abuelazam. Michigan offers no parole to people convicted of first-degree murder, which means the 35-year-old Israeli immigrant will be locked up until he dies unless he wins an appeal. The first of 10 possible trials stemming from the stabbing spree centered on the death of Arnold Minor, a 49-year-old handyman who was attacked after midnight near downtown Flint.

The evidence was virtually impossible to overcome: The victim’s blood was found in Abuelazam’s Chevy Blazer and inside his luggage. Before the mandatory sentence was announced, Minor’s mother, Elzora Minor, collapsed and was carried out of court. She was standing in front of the judge with daughter Stephanie Ward, who had a no-nonsense farewell for Abuelazam. “I’m just glad for this day and hope that he rots in hell for the pain he put this city through,” Ward told Genesee County Judge Judith Fullerton.

Outside court, Elzora Minor, 68, said she felt overwhelmed and fell when she

looked over at Abuelazam and saw him grin. Abuelazam was given a chance to speak but said nothing about the crime.

Defense lawyers said Abuelazam was paranoid schizophrenic and under the spell of demons that forced him to kill.

ATLANTA: In this file photo, Elias Abuelazam attends an extradition hearing in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta. — AP But three experts hired by prosecutors interviewed him and found he wasn’t mentally ill or incapable of understanding the criminal acts. The stabbing spree terrified the working-class city of Flint.

Fourteen people were stabbed in the area, and five died, including Minor.

Survivors said their assailant claimed to have car trouble or asked for directions before attacking.

Most were stabbed in the wee hours. There is no evidence that Abuelazam, who worked the afternoon shift in a party store, knew them. A motive has not been offered.

Abuelazam had lived in Flint just a few months, staying in a house owned by his uncle, who lived next door.

Abuelazam was captured in Atlanta in August 2010 while trying to flee to Israel. He faces two more murder trials and six attempted murder trials in Michigan as well as an attempted murder case in Toledo, Ohio. It’s not clear, however, whether prosecutors actually will pursue that many trials. With a life sentence now secured, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said he’s open to plea deals but first wants to talk to victims and relatives of victims. “I have to balance their feelings with my fiduciary duties to the county,” Leyton said, referring to the cost of so many trials. —AP

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Pyongyang calls war games flag ‘provocation’

TAEAN: South Korean Marine Corps’ amphibious vehicles cruise toward the shore during a landing operation in Taean, about 170 kms southwest of Seoul yesterday. The exercise was timed to mark the 62nd anniversary of the start of the Korean War on June 25. —AFP

SEOUL: Nor th Korea yesterday called the use of its flag during USSouth Korean military drills last week a serious provocation and evidence of US hostility that justifies the growth of Pyongyang’s nuclear arms program. The statement from an unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesman came on the 62nd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, leaving the Korean Peninsula still technically at war. Animosity between the rival Koreas and between Pyongyang and Washington has deepened since a North Korean rocket launch in April that Seoul and Washington called a cover for a test of banned

long-range missile technology.

Nor th Korea says the rocket, which broke apart shortly after liftoff, was meant to put a satellite into orbit. Pyongyang has since threatened to attack Seoul’s conservative government and media if it doesn’t get an apology for perceived insults against the country and its new, young leader, Kim Jong Un. The US-South Korean drills Friday were the allies’ biggest since the Korean War, and South Korean militar y officials called them a warning to North Korea. A huge North Korean flag on a hill disappeared behind flames and smoke as South Korean jets and US helicopters fired rockets.

The flag wasn’t hit. “It is an extremely grave military action and politically-motivated provocation to fire live bullets and shells at the flag of a sovereign state without a declaration of war,” said the North’s statement, which was dated Sunday but was released by the official Korean Central News Agency early yesterday. The Foreign Ministr y spokesman called the North’s nuclear program “an allpowerful treasured sword for preventing a war and reliably protecting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” North Korea “will further bolster up its nuclear deterrent for self-defense as long as the US, the world’s biggest nuclear

weapons state, persists in its hostile policy.”

The drills Friday coincided with several days of joint naval exercises involving the nuclear-powered aircraft supercarrier USS George Washington and separate US, South Korean and Japanese naval rescue drills. On Sunday, F-18 flights arrived and departed every few minutes on the carrier as a light drizzle fell over choppy seas. During a ceremony in Seoul on Monday, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik said his country “must focus on strengthening our national defense and security awareness in order to prevent another Korean War from happening again.” —AP

Pakistani Islamists behead 7 soldiers Pakistan urged to act against Qaeda safe havens PESHAWAR: Pakistan said yesterday that seven soldiers were beheaded by Islamist militants who infiltrated from Afghanistan, lashing out at Kabul over cross-border attacks. The protests come with Pakistan under growing US pressure to act against Al-Qaeda-linked safe havens on its own soil and the anti-terror

Intelligence officials blamed the attack on loyalists of Pakistani cleric Maulana Fazlullah, who fled to Afghanistan after losing control of Swat to the army. But yesterday, the military said 11 soldiers went missing in the same incident, “out of whom seven soldiers have been reportedly killed and then beheaded”. The

KARACHI: Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf (center) briefs the media following his visit to MQM headquarters in Karachi yesterday. —AP Islamabad-Washington alliance at its lowest ebb since the 9/11 attacks. Pakistan already reported that six soldiers were killed in gunbattles with militants Sunday who crossed from Afghanistan into the northwestern district of Upper Dir, a key border transit route that neighbors the Swat valley where Pakistan defeated a local Taleban insurgency in 2009.

bodies have not been found, but intelligence intercepts indicated that they had been killed, a senior military official said in the northwest.

The army said more than 100 militants “from a safe haven across the border” attacked troops on patrol. It claimed to have killed 14 militants.

Pakistan said two rockets and sniper fire were also fired into Lower Dir yesterday. The

News

in brief

Mob kills three for ‘witchcraft’ RAIPUR: Villagers in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand killed a man and his two teenaged sons, accusing them of practicing witchcraft, police said yesterday. The three were hacked to death on Friday by a mob in the village of KherraDipatoli in southern Jharkhand, around 100 kilometers from the state capital Ranchi, district police chief Jatin Narwal said by phone. Police are investigating the incident, but no arrests have yet been made, Narwal said. Killings resulting from suspicions of people practicing witchcraft, or “black magic” are relatively common in rural India where superstition is prevalent in village life, social activists say.

India nabs terror suspect NEW DELHI: Indian police have arrested a key suspec t accused of coordinating the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people were killed and more than 300 wounded, the government said yesterday. Abu Hamza, also known as Sayed Zabiuddin, an Indian-born member of the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was detained at Delhi international airport on June 21 when he arrived from the Middle East. Hamza was allegedly one of the handlers based in the Pakistani city Karachi, who issued instructions by telephone to the 10 Islamist gunmen as they stormed two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre, a restaurant and a train station in Mumbai. “The Delhi police has done a magnificent job. I am sure that the investigations will take place and we will wait till the investigations,” I ndia’s Ex ternal Affairs M inister S M K rishna told reporters. Hamza, who has used a string of aliases, had been living in Saudi Arabia in recent years and is now being held in police custody in Delhi, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported. Indian media citing police sources said that Hamza was aged 30 and came from the western state of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital. Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only gunman caught alive during the 60-hour assault on Mumbai in November 2008, was handed down a death sentence by the Bombay High Court last year.

army “has strongly protested with their counterparts across the border for not taking action against miscreants present in safe haven in Afghanistan,” a military official said. Pakistan’s new prime minister yesterday also condemned the attacks and said he would discuss the matter with President Hamid Karzai.

“Pakistan has strongly protested with Afghanistan on the cross-border attacks and I will also take up this issue with Karzai,” Raja Pervez Ashraf told reporters in Karachi.

His office, however, did not elaborate on when such a conversation might take place.

Pakistani troops have been bogged down for years fighting local Taleban but have resisted US pressure to carry out a sweeping offensive against Afghan Taleban fighters in its North Waziristan tribal area. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Islamabad earlier this month that Washington was running out of patience over terror safe havens. Islamabad imposed a blockade, now in its seventh month, on overland NATO supplies into Afghanistan since US air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers along the Afghan border on November 26.

Pakistan was the Taleban’s chief backer when the militia was in power, and is accused by both Kabul and Washington of continuing to play a double game in supporting the insurgency despite its official US alliance. Pakistanis have sought to deflect some of pressure, by saying the country has suffered more than any other from terrorism, and accuse Kabul and Washington of trying to find a scapegoat for the 10-year war in Afghanistan. Afghanistan and Pakistan have long blamed each other for Taleban violence plaguing both sides of their porous, mountainous border. Pakistan says rebels have regrouped in eastern Afghanistan.

Afghan and US officials want Pakistan to eliminate Taleban and Al-Qaeda-linked havens used to launch attacks in Afghanistan. —AFP

Myanmar, Bangladesh to discuss Rohingya, unrest YANGON: The leaders of Myanmar and Bangladesh will discuss the issue of Rohingya refugees and related unrest near their shared border next month, Bangladesh’s ambassador in Yangon said yesterday. The topic will be on the agenda when M yanmar President Thein Sein travels to Bangladesh from July 15-17 to meet Prime M inister Sheikh Hasina, Major General Anup Kumar Chakma said. “It is expected the Myanmar refugee issue will be discussed with more seriousness this time,” he said. “Bangladesh supports all actions (and) measures that are being taken by Myanmar to restore normalcy in Rakhine State as early as possible.”

Myanmar government officials said they were unable to confirm the planned trip. Myanmar’s Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh, has been rocked by rioting, arson and a cycle of revenge attacks involving Buddhist Rak hine and Muslim Rohingya this month, prompting growing international concern. More than 80 people have been killed in the violence, with

sporadic outbreaks of violence still occurring, according to the Myanmar government, which has placed the whole of Rakhine state under emergency rule. “ The overall situation in Sitt we distric t is under control although the curfew is still in force,” he said by telephone.

About 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar, according to the UN, which views them as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities. In recent weeks Bangladesh has turned away hundreds of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the violence in Myanmar despite pressure from the United States and rights groups to grant them refuge. The impoverished South Asian country is already home to a Rohingya refugee population estimated at 300,000.

Speaking a Bengali dialect similar to one in southeast Bangladesh, the Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants by the M yanmar government and many Burmese, prompting many to attempt to flee to third countries in rickety boats. —AFP

N Korea executes returned refugees SEOUL: North Korea has publicly executed four refugees who were repatriated by China and sent 40 others to its notorious prison camps, a South Korean activist said yesterday. China has repatriated 44 fugitives from its communist neighbor in recent months, said Kim Heung-Kwang, who heads NK Intellectuals Solidarity, a Seoul-based defectors’ group.

Four of them were executed and 40 sent to camps for political prisoners, he told a seminar. South Korean rights groups say there are six political prison camps in the North holding around

200,000 detainees. Kim said he had obtained his information from a source inside the North, but gave no details. The South’s unification ministry, which is in charge of cross-border affairs, declined to comment. Tens of thousands of North Koreans looking to escape hunger or repression in their communist homeland have fled in recent years. Virtually all cross the border to China, which repatriates those fugitives it catches. Beijing says they are economic migrants rather than refugees, a policy criticized by international rights groups. —Agencies

SRINAGAR: A Kashmiri Muslim protester throws a tear gas canister at Indian police during a demonstration, after a fire broke out at the 200 year old heritage Sufi shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani in downtown Srinagar yesterday. —AFP

Clashes erupt in Kashmir SRINAGAR: A fire destroyed a revered Muslim shrine in Indian-administered Kashmir yesterday, prompting anti-government protests by residents angered over what they said was a slow response by firefighters. At least 30 protesters and 10 policemen were injured in clashes, police said. Shops and businesses remained closed. The cause of the fire at the 200-year-old shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani in the heart of Srinagar city was not immediately known. The blaze started from the roof shortly after morning prayers and quickly engulfed the wooden structure, a police official said.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The 11th century saint, popularly known worldwide as Ghaus-eAzam, is buried in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The shrine, which held his relics, has served as an important center of Islamic and spiritual teachings in Kashmir. “The holy relics are safe and have been retrieved,” the officer said.

Police and paramilitary soldiers laid razor wire and erected steel barricades on roads leading to the shrine where thousands of men and women had gathered, many of them wailing and crying.

Scores of firefighters tried to douse the flames, but protesters threw stones at them and burned a fire truck, saying their response was slow. Thousands of

people later crowded nearby streets, chanting anti-India slogans and demanding Kashmir’s freedom from Indian rule.

Clashes erupted in at least four other neighborhoods in Srinagar, with protesters throwing stones at police and officers responding by firing bullets into the air and using tear gas, the officer said.

Authorities appealed for calm and ordered a probe into the fire. “It’s an unfortunate incident. The probe will be completed within a few days,” Law Minister Ali Mohammed Sagar told reporters in Srinagar. But separatists rejected the government probe and instead called for an independent investigation. They also called for a general strike on Tuesday. “It needs to be thoroughly probed as the custodians of the shrine informed us that the fire started at at least three places in the shrine,” said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a top separatist leader. “We’ve no faith in government probes. They always use these tactics to becalm public anger.”

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and is claimed by both. AntiIndia sentiment runs deep in the Indianadministered portion, where rebel groups have fought since 1989 for independence or merger with Pakistan. More than 68,000 people have been killed in the uprising and subsequent Indian crackdown. —AP

Police mull bounty for Aum cult arrests TOKYO: Police in Japan are mulling how to divide the $250,000 reward for information that led to the capture of the final suspects in the 1995 nerve gas attack on Tokyo’s subway, reports said. Police authorities and a group of retired investigators had put up two lots of 10 million yen ($125,000) for anyone who tipped them off over where they could find two of the country’s most wanted fugitives.

Their 17-year hunt ended earlier this month with the capture at a cafe of Katsuya Takahashi, a 54-year-old believed to have been part of a gang that released Nazideveloped sarin on Tokyo’s heaving underground system, killing 13 people and injuring thousands. Local media reports have suggested two people are in line for the 10 million yen reward, one who called police to say a man who looked like Takahashi had been seen at the cafe two days earlier and someone who worked there. Reports say it was only at the staff member’s urging that officers even bothered to have a close look at the customer resembling the man whose image had been plastered across televisions and newspapers for the previous few weeks.

When they talked to the man-who was about to leave-he confessed his identity and

was later arrested, reports said. Takahashi’s arrest came weeks after fellow fugitive Naoko Kikuchi, 40, was arrested following what local media have said was a tip off from a relative of her boyfriend. Her lover, reportedly aware of her status as one of Japan’s most wanted, was arrested on suspicion of harboring a criminal suspect. Police are reportedly studying whether the tipster qualifies for the 10 million yen bounty, which cannot be given to an accomplice or to someone who committed a different crime to receive the information, according to police.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police and the National Police Agency declined to immediately comment on the status of the rewards, which will be distributed after reviews by a police agency committee and the nation’s police chief. Neither Takahashi nor Kikuchi have yet been indicted, although both are expected to face murder charges eventually for their part in one of Japan’s worst ever mass-killings. Both have confessed to having been involved with Aum Supreme Truth, a doomsday cult led by a partially blind guru who had an obsession with sarin. Thirteen of those convicted over the 1995 attack are on death row. —AFP

Bus crash kills 25 MEXICO CITY: Guerrero state officials say a bus crash in southwest Mexico has killed 25 people, including nine minors.

The crash also wounded 22 people. A state government press release says the vehicle was headed to the town of Buenavisa de Cuellar, 83 miles from the capital of Chilpancingo del Bravo. The

statement says the bus’ brakes gave out, causing it to skid off the road shortly after noon on Sunday. The bus was carrying people to a political rally.

The leftist Democratic Revolution Party released a statement expressing condolences for party supporters killed in the crash and their families. —Agencies

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

A young swimmer leaps into the waters of Mead’s Quarry in Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday. — AP

Putin talks Syria, Iran on Israel trip Continued from Page 1 mission as world powers scramble for a solution to stop the bloodshed in Syria and resolve Iran’s nuclear crisis.

Russia is pushing for an international Syria conference and has already discussed the plan with Jordan as well as the European Union, Iran and Iraq. Putin’s strident rhetoric and a flat-out refusal to support sanctions against Moscow’s Soviet-era ally Syria has pitted him against the West, but the Russian strongman found a grateful audience in Israel whose President Shimon Peres urged Moscow to play a bigger role in the region.

“I am confident that Russia, which defeated fascism, will not allow today’s threats to continue. Not the Iranian threat. Not the bloodshed in Syria,” Peres said in the resort town of Netanya where the two leaders unveiled a World War II monument. “Russia, which made such a decisive contribution in the Second World War, is the same Russia that can make another decisive contribution, this time to peace in the Middle East,” he said next to the black-and-white monument overlooking the Mediterranean.

Putin and the Israeli leaders said they discussed the Syrian crisis and Iran’s controversial nuclear program but gave no details. Speaking alongside Putin after the talks, Netanyahu again warned that Iranian nuclear weapons would pose “a severe danger, first and foremost to Israel, but also to the region and entire world”. Israel and much of the international community believe Iran’s nuclear program masks a weapons drive, and the United States has led a push for tough sanctions against Tehran.

Israel, which is widely believed to have the Middle East’s sole if undeclared nuclear arsenal, has said Iran’s program poses an existential threat and has warned it reserves the right to use all means necessary to respond, including military. The international community has been pursuing talks

with Tehran, but three high-level meetings - the most recent in Moscow - have failed to produce any breakthrough. The P5+1 group - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany - has agreed to another round of discussions in Istanbul on July 3, but Israel has warned that lengthy talks give Iran time to continue uranium enrichment.

Earlier yesterday, Putin sought to highlight common history that he said brings the two nations closer. He said the Netanya monument would serve “as a reminder that the world is still fragile and we should do our best in order for the criminal Nazi doctrines, no matter what form or shape they take, to be left in the past.” Guests at the ceremony like World War II veteran Boris Kagan, 87, expressed hope that ties between Israel and Russia would improve with Putin’s visit. “We have to be friends,” said Kagan, his chest decorated with rows of medals.

Today, Putin is to meet with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Bethlehem for talks likely to focus on the stalled peace process. The peacemaking Quartet, which groups Russia, the United States, European Union and United Nations, has been trying to nudge the two sides back to direct talks, on hold since late 2010. But little progress has been made, and the Palestinians have insisted on a settlement freeze before talks resume, while Israel calls for new discussions without preconditions.

“Russia has made important strides in reasserting itself into the Mideast picture during the past 18 months,” said Bob Zelnick, a Hoover Institute fellow and author of “Israeli Unilateralism: Beyond Gaza”. “The Russians are still playing it carefully. They have inserted themselves into the Syrian picture just enough to be taken seriously by other players without aligning themselves with the hated Syrian leadership.” — AFP

Syria warns NATO Continued from Page 1 troops as aide workers tried to evacuate civilians. Turkish television reported the desertion of a Syrian general and other officers across the border. Syria’s account of Friday’s shooting down, though tempered with commitment to a “neighbourly relationship”, seemed likely to further anger Ankara.

“NATO is supposed to be there to strengthen countries,” Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi told a Damascus news conference. “If their meeting is for hostile reasons (they should know that) Syrian land and waters are sacred.” Turkey say the wreckage of the aircraft, shot down close to the Mediterranean maritime borders of both states, is lying in deep water. Makdissi said some flotsam had been found and turned over to Turkey. There was no word on the two airmen.

“The plane disappeared and then reappeared in Syrian airspace, flying at 100 metres altitude and about 1-2 km from the Syrian coast,” he said.

“We had to react immediately, even if the plane was Syrian we would have shot it down. The Syrian response was an act of defence of our sovereignty carried out by antiaircraft machinegun which has a maximum range of 2.5 km.”

In Ankara, Turkish air force chiefs briefed both President Abdullah Gul, the commander of the armed forces, and the cabinet on what Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said would be a “decisive” response. Turkey also

said it would take the matter to the United Nations Security Council.

Though not known for his emotional restraint, Erdogan has eschewed bellicose rhetoric over the incident, aware perhaps of Western reluctance to commit to any military action and wary himself of anything that could trigger a regional sectarian war.

According to Ankara’s account, the aircraft entered Syrian airspace briefly and by mistake while on a mission to test Turkish air defences.

Some analysts have suggested it might in fact have been testing the responsiveness of Russian-supplied Syrian radar that would be a major obstacle to any foreign intervention, including supply of Syrian rebels or reconnaissance support. “I’m not of the opinion that Turkey will immediately respond militarily,” agreed Beril Dedeoglu of Galatasaray University.

“But if there is another action, then there will cer tainly be a militar y response, there is no doubt.”

Erdogan turned against former ally Assad after he refused his advice to bow to demands for reform. He now allows the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) to use Turkish territory as a safe haven, though Ank ara denies supplying arms. Over 30,000 refugees are also accommodated On Turkish soil. After Friday’s attack, Erdogan invoked an article in NATO’s founding treaty providing for urgent consultations if a member considers its security interests threatened. Had he sought some kind of retaliation from the NATO meeting today, he could have invoked another article

on mutual defence. That he did not, suggests the reaction will remain at least for now, on the diplomatic stage.

European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg called for a calm response from Turkey, saying they would increase pressure on Assad. “Military intervention in Syria is out of the question,” said Dutch foreign minister Uri Rosenthal. “It is not a matter of consideration for the Dutch government. That is also at stake in the ... context of NATO.” The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC ) said it was again trying to arrange a safe evacuation of trapped civilians from Homs. But anti-government activists reported heavy shelling on central districts, including Jouret al-Shiyah and Al-Qarabis. Video showed detonations and machinegun bursts from the skeletal shells of abandoned apartment blocks. The activist Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Assad’s troops carried out raids and arrests in areas still under army control, and heavy fighting between government forces and rebel fighters was reported in the opposition centres of Idlib, Deir al-Zor and Deraa, the birthplace of the uprisi n g. “ I n D e r a a , re gi m e re g u l a r troops are trying to reassert control o f s o m e v i l l a g e s w i t h h e av y shelling, gunfire and helicopters firing missiles,” the Observatory said in an email. “People are fleeing villages because they know the army is trying to push out the rebels,” it said. — Reuters

Cyprus joins bailout queue behind Spain Continued from Page 1 economies, has a disproportionately large off shore financial sector heavily exposed to Greece. Greece, Ireland and Portugal have already taken EU rescues for their sovereign finances, and Spain is looking for an EU bailout for its banks.

At the two-day Brussels summit starting on Thursday leaders will discuss a crossborder banking union, closer fiscal integration and the possibility of a debt redemption fund. But Merkel, who leads Europe’s biggest economy and the main contributor to its rescue funds, said sharing debt liability within the 17-nation euro area would be “economically wrong and counterproductive”.

France, Italy and Spain have pushed hard for steps towards mutualising debts and liabilities through a joint bank deposit guarantee, a common bank resolution fund and issuing common euro zone bonds. The conservative German leader adamantly rejects such ideas and is keen to squelch them before the meeting. “When I

think of the summit I feel concerned that yet again we will have too much focus on all kinds of ways of sharing debt,” Merkel told a conference in Berlin. Critics say that by refusing any such collective solutions, Berlin risks unleashing speculative attacks on Spanish and Italian bonds, hastening rescues which the euro zone’s rescue funds are too small to manage. Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos asked for up to Ä100 billion ($125 billion) in a letter to Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker, saying the final amount of assistance would be set at a later stage. The letter formalises Spain’s request for the bailout, agreed on June 9. He confirmed his intention to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the package by July 9 and said the amount should be enough to cover all banks’ needs, plus an additional security buffer. The EU’s top economic official, Olli Rehn, said a deal on terms for the loan from Europe’s bailout funds could be concluded within weeks.

The rescue is intended to help Spanish lenders recover from the effects of a burst

real estate bubble and a recession, which have piled up bad loans and sinking property portfolios. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told business leaders he would soon take new measures to revive economic growth and create jobs. He gave no details but said the government remained committed to cutting the public deficit. Two independent audits last week put the Spanish banks’ capital needs in a severe economic downturn at up to 62 billion euros, and a fuller audit will be delivered in September. Some market economists believe the rescue is merely a prelude to a full bailout for the Spanish state, which saw its borrowing costs soar to euro era record levels above 7 percent early last week, although they have eased to below 6.50 percent. A working document prepared by top EU officials calls for the gradual introduction of a banking union, starting with supervisory power for the European Central Bank and developing a deposit guarantee scheme based on pooling national systems, with a levy-funded bank resolution fund. — Reuters

Saudi women banned from sports: HRW Continued from Page 1 Equestrian Federation (FEI) said yesterday. “Regretfully the Saudi Arabian rider Dalma Rushdi Malhas has not attained the minimum eligibility standards and consequently will not be competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games,” FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos said in a statement out of Lausanne. He said that the International Olympic Committee however “has a number of other female athletes from Saudi Arabia in other sports who are currently under consideration.” Malhas, 20, had been aiming to achieve the minimum eligibility standard required for the Olympic Games by the June 17 dead-

line, but her horse was sidelined by injury and missed a month’s work during the qualifying period.

The fact that “so few (Saudi) women are qualified to compete at the Olympic level is due entirely to the country’s restrictions on women’s rights,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at HRW. Worden urged the Saudi authorities to “allow sports in schools, gyms for women, and to add women to the Saudi National Olympic Committee immediately.” Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei are the only three countries never to have sent women athletes to the Olympics.

Qatar has already announced it will send a three-woman team to

London, comprising shooter Bahia Al-Hamad, swimmer Nada Wafa Arakji and Noor Al-Malki, a 100m and 200m sprinter. Brunei, meanwhile, will send a woman to London as part of its two-athlete delegation - 400m hurdler Maziah Mahusin. Saudi Arabia’s decision could provoke resistance in the country which operates under a strict Islamic code under which women are forced to cover themselves from head to toe. There had been increasing pressure on the Saudis to fall into line over sending a women’s team with International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge admitting in April that he was conducting lengthy talks with the kingdom’s rulers. — AFP

Cabinet resigns on legal, constitutional...

Continued from Page 1 Sheikh Mohammad reiterated that the new government will approve a decree to rectify the Amiri decree that dissolved the 2009 National Assembly. That decree was declared flawed by the constitutional court. The move means that the government has decided to dissolve the reinstated Assembly because the “reasons for dissolving it in December last year still exist”. But the minister did not explicitly say whether the reinstated Assembly will be called to hold any sessions before it is dissolved again with a new Amiri decree.

He however said that the new government can recommend to dissolve the 2009 Assembly only after being sworn in by the Amir and without taking the oath in the Assembly. Assembly sessions must be attended by at least one minister to become legal. Under Kuwaiti law, Cabinet ministers are first sworn in by the Amir to become ministers and later take the oath in the Assembly to become members of parliament.

Meanwhile, the 2009 Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-

Khorafi was received by the Amir after returning from abroad following the court ruling. Khorafi has not visited the Assembly building and was expected to meet late yesterday with a group of the 2009 MPs in order to discuss the situation. However, from the developments yesterday, especially the government’s resignation, it is not expected that the 2009 Assembly will hold any meeting and will be dissolved as soon as the new government is formed.

In another development, the criminal court opened the trial of 68 activists who stormed the Assembly building in November last year. The activists include nine MPs from the 2009 Assembly, who were also members in the scrapped 2012 Assembly, in addition to former MP Mohammad Al-Khalifa. The judge immediately freed the nine MPs because of their immunity and called the rest one-by-one and read out the charges against them. They were accused of storming a public building, assaulting and resisting police, and instigating policemen to disobey orders. The court however let all the men go and set the next hearing for Oct 8.

Morsi takes revolution to Mubarak’s old...

Continued from Page 1 One pressing concern - on which many Egyptians are likely to judge his performance - will to be to revive the economy of the world’s most populous Arab nation.

Yesterday’s stock market rally, at least partly fuelled by relief that the vote and result passed off without violence, may encourage the new president, but he still has to prove to wary longer-term investors that Egypt is on the road to recovery.

Egyptian newspapers welcomed Morsi’s win over Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last prime minister, as a victory for the people, although many more liberal-minded Egyptians worry his conservative group will slowly whittle away at social freedoms. Further afield, his win has had an immediate impact beyond Egypt’s borders, inspiring Islamists who have risen up against autocrats across the Middle East and swept to power in North Africa. Israel worries its 1979 peace deal with Egypt, never warm, will cool further.

Palestinians in Gaza, however, are delighted. Iran saw his election as an “Islamic awakening” - though Tehran and the Muslim Brotherhood follow different, often opposing forms of the faith. Iran’s Fars news agency published an interview in which Morsi called for restoring full ties between Cairo and Tehran to build strategic “balance”. A Morsi aide said he gave the interview 10 days ago.

A security official said Morsi, 60, and his wife took a tour of their new home, once Mubarak’s main residence - a dramatic change of fortunes full of symbolism for a former political prisoner whose group was pursued remorselessly during Mubarak’s 30-year rule. An aide said Morsi then went to the Defence Ministry for talks with the head of the ruling military council’s Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and the army-appointed Prime Minister Kamal Al-Ganzouri. They discussed forming a new government at the meetings, which Egyptians will see as a sign that real power still lies with the army.

As president, Morsi can appoint the cabinet. His aides say he has already reached out to politicians from outside the Brotherhood such as reformist Mohamed ElBaradei, who has yet to publicly respond. But legislative powers remain with the army while the parliament is dissolved, restricting his power to act. Egypt’s armyappointed government, led by Ganzouri who also served in the 1990s as prime minister under Mubarak, submitted its resignation yesterday but was asked to stay on temporarily until Morsi, who has yet to take the oath of office, put a team together, Information Minister Ahmed Anis said.

“The revolution reaches the republican palace,” wrote Al-Shorouk newspaper. Another, Al-Akhbar, quoted from Morsi’s victory speech: “I am a servant of the people and an employee of the citizens”. It is a sentiment widely spoken: the sense that at last, perhaps, Egyptians have a leader who can be “fired”.

Celebrations in Cairo’s Tahrir Square - theatre of the rev-

olution that overthrew Mubarak - extended through the night. Some Brotherhood followers were still celebrating, surprised by their victory that broke a sixdecade tradition of presidents plucked from the military. “It was a little surprising that the army acknowledged his win,” said 40-year-old teacher Adel Mohamed who was in the square when the result was declared after a nervous week’s wait since the vote. “The pressure from the street, from the revolution, will give Morsi strength to negotiate.”

From Syria’s opposition who are seeking the downfall of President Bashar Al-Assad came word that Cairo was again a “source of hope” for a people “facing a repressive war of annihilation”. But millions of Egyptians, and the Western powers, looked on with unease at the prospect of the long-suppressed Brotherhood making good on its dream of an Islamic state. Israel has been particularly nervous, urging its neighbour to respect their peace deal. It worries that the Brotherhood’s win will embolden Palestinian Islamists opposed to Israel.

“Darkness in Egypt,” headlined Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “respected” the result and said he saw future cooperation with the new administration. An aide to Morsi said during Morsi’s campaign that he would delegate meetings with Israeli officials to his foreign minister, unlike Mubarak who often met top Israelis.

Mubarak went to Israel only once, for the funeral of assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. “Morsi’s victory is most likely to strengthen the hand of Hamas in its fight against Israel because it will give it a moral boost,” said political scientist Mustapha Al-Sayyed.

But the army, determined not to see its $1.3 billion in US military aid a year jeopardised, will probably ensure ties are not undermined even if the relationship sours, diplomats say. Pledging to uphold international treaties, in a gesture to Israel, Morsi said in his first televised address as president-elect that he would work with others to see the democratic revolution through.

“There is no room now for the language of confrontation,” he said, a message addressed not just to the army but to the young, urban revolutionaries who launched last year’s uprising only to see the Brotherhood dominate the political scene afterwards.

One of the most influential revolutionary youth groups greeted Morsi’s win as a victory for last year’s uprising. “ We have defeated the candidate of Mubarak’s military state, the candidate of the corrupt ‘deep state’ that we are fed up with,” said the April 6 Youth movement. “Starting today we will work as one body for Egypt.” Western powers congratulated Morsi, who received a phone call from US President Barack Obama, offering help. The White House said in a statement: “The president underscored that the United States will continue to support Egypt’s transition to democracy and stand by the Egyptian people as they fulfil the promise of their revolution.” -— Reuters

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Issues

What if Iran gets the bomb?

By Bernd Debusmann he West worries too much about the prospect of Iran going nuclear. If it did get the bomb, the Middle East would probably become a more stable region. So says Kenneth Waltz, a veteran scholar, in an essay in one of America’s most influential magazines. “Why Iran Should get the Bomb,” says the headline in Foreign Affairs, the house organ of the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York think tank. “Nuclear Balancing Would Mean Stability.” The author is a senior research scholar at the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies. His contrarian essay coincides with yet another unsuccessful round of negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group of countries who insist the government in Tehran must do more to prove that its nuclear program is peaceful, as it claims, rather than intended to build weapons.

The talks this week in Moscow brought Iranian negotiators together with officials from the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany. The negotiations produced no breakthrough and no sign of compromise. New US and European sanctions, including a ban on Iranian oil imports, are coming into force next month. Whether they will be more likely to make Iran bow to Western demands than previous turns of the sanctions screw is open to doubt.

What next? “Most US, European, and Israeli commentators and policymakers warn that a nuclear-armed Iran would be the worst possible outcome of the current standoff,” Waltz writes. “In fact, it would probably be the best possible result: the one most likely to restore stability in the Middle East.” He dismisses US and Israeli warnings that a nuclear Iran would be a uniquely terrifying prospect. “Such language is typical of major powers, which have historically gotten riled up whenever another country has begun to develop a nuclear weapon of its own. Yet so far, every time another country has managed to shoulder its way into the nuclear club, the other members...decided to live with it.”

What’s more, “by reducing imbalances in military power, new nuclear states generally produce more regional and international stability, not less.” Cases in point: China, which became less bellicose after becoming a nuclear power in 1964; Pakistan and India, which signed a treaty agreeing not to target each other’s nuclear facilities and have kept the peace since then. In the Middle East, according to this view, Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal has produced an imbalance in power that is “unsustainable in the long term”. “What is surprising in the Israeli case is that it has taken so long for a potential balancer to emerge.” If Iran eventually went nuclear, the argument goes, Israel and Iran would deter each other the same way nuclear powers elsewhere have deterred each other - viz the United States and the Soviet Union or India and Pakistan. Since 1945, when the United States dropped nuclear bombs on Japan, no country with nuclear weapons has used them. It’s not difficult to find officials in Washington who think that a nuclear Iran is inevitable but decline to say so on the record because President Barack Obama has declared, repeatedly, that an Iranian bomb would be unacceptable and that containment of a nuclear Iran was not an option for his administration.

While views such as Waltz’s are not often aired in public in the US, experts both inside and outside the government have long pondered what would happen “the day after”.

That could mean the day after Iran reached nuclear “breakout” - the ability to make a bomb at short notice - or the day after it tested a bomb. All this is based on an unproven assumption: that Iran’s theocratic rulers have decided to build nuclear weapons. US intelligence agencies admit they don’t know. Think tanks both in the United States and Israel have run “day after” simulations that assumed what both countries have pledged to prevent - Iran succeeding in making a bomb despite ever tighter sanctions, sabotage of nuclear installations and assassinations of scientists. One of the questions addressed in such war games is the extent to which nuclear weapons would shield Iran from attack.

A recent simulation run by Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies had the following scenario: Iran conducts an underground nuclear test in Jan 2013, after expelling inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and after a series of provocative maneouvres by Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval vessels and aircraft against forces of the US Fifth Fleet. “In our assessment,” wrote the authors of the report on the exercise, Yoel Guzanski and Yonathan Lerner, “ the actual likelihood of an attack on Iran once Iran is in possession of proven nuclear capability decreases dramatically, although (it is) not entirely eliminated”. That sounds in synch with Waltz’s thesis that Israel and Iran would deter each other.

Whether that would bring stability to the perpetually unstable Middle East is another matter. — Reuters

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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.

India poised to revive retail reform plan

By Ross Colvin and Rajesh Kumar Singh ndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was overseas and his outgoing finance minister was clearing his desk last week as the government quietly began preparing the ground for a new push to open up India’s $450 billion retail sector to foreign firms. Investors and business leaders clamouring for reform may be sceptical that the bold measure, shelved in December after a political uproar, will finally be implemented. But a combination of intensifying political pressure, souring investor sentiment, double-digit food inflation, the threat of a credit ratings downgrade and a narrowing window of opportunity to act will likely force the government to undertake some long-overdue economic reforms within the next three to six months, economists, government officials and analysts said.

“It is different this time. There is considerable pressure on them to act,” said Govinda Rao, an economic adviser to Singh. A Finance Ministry official said the government would move first on retail reform, which will allow foreign firms to own 51 percent of supermarkets, in the hope this will improve investor sentiment, boost capital inflows and help stabilise the plunging rupee, which hit a record low against the dollar on Friday. Measures aimed at arresting the rupee’s slide were announced yesterday. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was not clear on whether the steps would be taken by the central bank or the government, but finance ministry officials said they were not aware of any imminent policy announcements like supermarket reform.

There are other signs that strongly suggest the government may soon take action on stalled reforms, although this is not likely before the July 19 presidential election and possibly not until after the monsoon session of parliament ends in late August. Mukherjee will step down today to run for president and Singh is widely expected to take on the finance portfolio, at least temporarily. Singh is hailed as the architect of India’s landmark 1991 economic reforms, but as prime minister he has so far failed to build on them. With his reputation on the line and his party facing a host of state

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elections later this year and next year and general elections due by 2014, there is speculation that Singh may use this opportunity to finally stamp his authority on an economy now growing at its slowest pace in nine years.

The bruising fight over the nomination for the presidency has brought Congress closer to Uttar Pradesh state’s powerful Samajwadi Party (SP), which backed Mukherjee and with 21 seats in parliament could bolster the government if other allies withdraw from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition. The ally causing the most trouble for the coalition is West Bengal state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress party was opposed to Mukherjee as president. Banerjee scuppered the proposal to open up the retail sector in December.

While Banerjee is often described as mercurial and unpredictable, SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has been called opportunistic and fickle. He strongly opposed the retail reform in December, but in an interview with Reuters last week he hinted that he may have softened his position. “Let me be very clear that I will not compromise the interests of farmers or the common Indian businessmen or traders,” he said. But, he added: “We will not let the UPA government fall because that would mean giving rise to communal forces, which we will just not allow under any circumstances.”

Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily sees the Congress party’s success in getting the Samajwadi Party and other allies to back Mukherjee as “a good platform for takeoff” on reforms. “The government is seriously moving on FDI (foreign direct investment) in retail and civil aviation,” he said. Economists say the most urgent reform is not opening up the retail sector but cutting the government’s huge fuel subsidies bill, which has swollen the fiscal and current account deficits.

But implementing supermarket reform, which has already been passed by the cabinet, would be less politically explosive than hiking diesel and kerosene prices, which has the potential to trigger violent social unrest. Singh told the G20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, last week that his government was “taking steps to revive investor sentiment” and was

ready to make tough decisions on subsidies. He gave no details of the steps, but his speech coincided with leaks in Indian newspapers that the government planned to move soon on retail reform.

At the same time, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, a champion of the reform, wrote again to the chief ministers of some states to emphasise that it would not be imposed by the central government. Rather, it would be left to individual states to decide whether to implement it. The idea behind this “inkblot” strategy is that as some states take up the retail reform, others will see the benefits and implement it too, said Thomas Varghese of the Confederation of Indian Industries. The big question is: if only a handful of states take it up, will that be enough to lure the likes of Carrefour, Tesco and Wal Mart - which already have joint venture wholesale operations in India - into the potentially hugely lucrative market? There was no immediate comment from the companies. India is the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables with an annual production, according to the government, of more than 200 million tonnes. But much of the harvest is left to perish because the country does not have adequate cold chain and transportation infrastructure. The entry of big foreign retailers may change that.

Sharma wrote that the retail reform plan “holds the potential to transform the rural economy” that most of India’s 1.2 billion people still depend on for their livelihoods. Although the chief ministers of Congress-run states Maharashtra India’s richest - New Delhi, Haryana and Assam publicly pushed for the reform last week, senior party officials told Reuters there was still a lack of consensus because of concerns that foreign firms could import goods to the detriment of local suppliers. Rajeev Malik, a senior economist at CLSA Singapore who has been acid-tongued about what he sees as the government’s incompetent management of the economy, said he expected it to implement some economic reforms in the coming weeks. “I do think some things will happen. But will much of it happen? That remains to be seen. The government is not going to become a born-again government,” he said. — Reuters

Egypt Islamists face new compromises

By Tom Perry ohamed Morsi’s victory in Egypt’s presidential election takes the Muslim Brotherhood’s long power struggle with the military into a new round that will be fought inside the institutions of state themselves and may force new compromises on the Islamists. Stripped of many of its powers in the past week by the generals, the presidency Morsi is set to assume bears little resemblance to the one that Hosni Mubarak was forced to give up 16 months ago after three decades in charge. That, together with a host of other factors, will put a break on how much Morsi, 60, will be able do in office.

Despite the historic magnitude of his victory - Morsi is Egypt’s first freely elected leader and comes from a group outlawed for most of its 84-year existence - the chances of rapid changes in domestic or foreign policies appear faint. Some of Morsi’s more ambitious campaign pledges - his promise to implement Islamic sharia, for example - could well be shelved as the realities of office bite in a country that is deeply divided by the idea of Brotherhood rule. As things stand now, Morsi does not even have a parliament to pass such legislation, even if he wanted to, although he will form both a presidential administration and appoint a prime minister and government. But the Brotherhood-led legislature, elected in January, was dissolved by the generals who have given themselves the power over legislation in its absence.

“Morsi’s thinking was to get a foothold in the presidency and to use some of the informal powers that come with it - being the figurehead - to try to slowly accumulate powers to offset the military council,” said Joshua Stacher, an assistant professor of political science at Kent State University. “But what we have is a situation where the civilian, elected president will be taking the blame for Egypt’s continuing problems, while the military council is above such criticism. It has become kinglike,” he said.

A constant theme of Egyptian history

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since army officers overthrew the king in 1952, the old rivalry between the Islamists and the military looks set to continue. Even with its flaws, the presidency and the popular mandate it represents adds a string to the Brotherhood’s bow as it gets ready for a struggle of even greater importance than the historic presidential election: the fate of a new constitution which will define Egypt’s new system of government. “The Muslim Brotherhood will take what they’ve got - a prize unimaginable to them 18 months ago.

An imperfect presidency is way better than none at all,” said a Western diplomat in Cairo.

“It’s part of the new and delicate act of political compromise - part of Egypt’s new cohabitation.”

The yet-to-be written constitution will set out the extent of the presidential powers and the role of the military establishment, which

the Brotherhood has said appears bent on making sure it is written in a way that protects army interests. The Brotherhood had secured a decent say in the body that started work on the constitution last week. But the generals have also given themselves new powers over the process, including the right to set up a new constitution-writing body if the existing one is deemed to have failed. A court, which sits today, is to review a challenge to the legitimacy of the current drafting body.

And beyond the Brotherhood’s struggle with the military lies another, potentially more challenging opponent for Morsi: the entrenched interests of agencies accustomed to doing things the old way. The so-called “deep state”, including shadowy security agencies, will likely prove a major obstacle to change. “President Morsi will struggle to con-

Egypt’s new president-elect, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, gives a speech in the studio of the state television in Cairo on Sunday after winning the Egyptian presidential elections. — AFP

trol the levers of state. He will likely face footdragging and perhaps outright attempts to undermine his initiatives from key institutions,” Elijah Zarwan, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said in Cairo. “Faced with such resistance, frustration may tempt him to fall into the trap of attempting to throw his new weight around,” he added. “This would be a mistake.”

With a convincing, but far from crushing, 3.5-percentage point victory margin over Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last prime minister, Morsi immediately faced calls to make overtures to those who have been alarmed by the Brotherhood’s rise. In his first remarks as president-elect, he promised to be a president for all. He has pledged to build a broad administration - something analysts say would be a major asset to the Brotherhood as it pursues its reform agenda. That process of forming an administration started yesterday. Among names cited by senior Brotherhood officials, reformist former UN diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei has been sounded out on his interest. Shafiq also said he was available, if asked.

Brotherhood activists have promised to extend street protests to force the generals to backtrack on the recent decisions that have taken some of the shine off Morsi’s win. But behind closed doors, the Brotherhood will also continue to seek compromise with the generals, as they have done in the past few days since the constitutional decree was issued.

“Nobody should doubt there is going to be deal-making,” said Shadi Hamid, director of the Brookings Doha Center. “The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces still has the tanks and guns and the Brotherhood still understands that,” he said. “There has to be some temporary power-sharing agreement. “There has to be give and take.” Mustapha Kamal AlSayyid, a professor of political science at Cairo University, said: “There are some very important, divisive issues between them. “It is important for Morsi to either resolve them or to accept some compromise, because otherwise his rule will be marred.” — Reuters

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

sp orts Evans goes from Tour to Games

Veron hangs up boots

Parker could miss Olympics

SYDNEY: Cadel Evans will lead a strong and experienced Australia team bidding for an elusive first men’s road cycling title at the London Olympics, which begin less than week after the end of the Tour de France. Evans begins his title defence in the gruelling road racing classic in Belgium on Saturday and will have just five days from its conclusion on July 22 before the opening ceremony of the Games.

“The riders will come together the day after the Tour to prepare as a team,” Australia’s professional men’s coordinator Matt White said in a news release.

“It will just be a matter of maintaining the form they’ll have from the three weeks of racing in France.” The 35-year-old will not, however, be competing until the individual time trial on Aug. 1, where he will be looking for his first medal in his fourth Games. Stuart O’Grady will be racing in his sixth Games having also been included in the team alongside this year’s Milan-San Remo Classic winner Simon Gerrans, three-times individual time trial world champion Michael Rogers and Olympic debutant Matt Goss. — Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: Former Argentine international playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron, 37, played the final match of a distinguished career on Sunday in the final round of games in the country’s Closing Championship.

Veron, whose nickname ‘Brujita’ translates as ‘The Little Witch’, was part of the Estudiantes side that drew 2-2 away to Union de Santa Fe to end the season in ninth place.

On an emotional day, the Estudiantes players paid tribute to Veron by wearing t-shirts with his number 11 on the back and with the slogan ‘Thanks, Witch’. Veron followed in the footsteps of his father Juan Ramon, who was known as ‘The Witch’ during a successful career spent mostly with Estudiantes in the 1960s and ‘70s.

The younger Veron’s career began with the same club in his home town of La Plata in 1994, and he went on to make a name for himself during a decade spent in Europe with Sampdoria, Parma, Lazio, Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan before returning to Estudiantes in 2006.

He won the UEFA Cup with Parma in 1999, the English Premier League with Manchester United in 2003, one Serie A title (2000) and two Italian Cups (1999, 2000) as well as the Copa Libertadores in 2009. Veron also won 73 caps for Argentina and took part in three World Cups (1998, 2002 and 2010). —AFP

PARIS: NBA star Tony Parker may miss the London Olympics after almost losing his eye in a fight involving singer Chris Brown and members of hiphop star Drake’s entourage. Parker’s cornea was scratched in the fight, and the San Antonio Spurs guard has revealed he had to have an operation to remove a shard that had “penetrated 99 percent” of his left eye. Parker says “I almost lost my eye.” He did not join the rest of France’s team last Wednesday and will see a specialist in New York when he is cleared to take longhaul flights after July 5.

“I’m seeing a specialist in New York with the hope of being given the all clear to play in the Olympic Games,” Parker said.

“Spurs are very worried.

“Anything can happen, including me being out of the Olympics. The decision doesn’t belong to me anymore.

It’s in the hands of the doctor and San Antonio.” Parker said he has been having hallucinations and been unable to leave his hotel room for eight days because of the risk of infection. — AP

MLB results/standings Tampa Bay 3, Philadelphia 2; Minnesota 4, Cincinnati 3; Miami 9, Toronto 0; Baltimore 2, Washington 1; Boston 9, Atlanta 4; Detroit 3, Pittsburgh 2; Houston 7, Cleveland 1; Chicago White Sox 1, Milwaukee 0 (10 innings); St Louis 11, Kansas City 8; LA Angels 5, LA Dodgers 3; Oakland 4, San Francisco 2; San Diego 2, Seattle 0; Arizona 5, Chicago Cubs 1; Tampa Bay 7, Philadelphia 3; Texas 4, Colorado 2; NY Yankees 6, NY Mets 5.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division W L PCT NY Yankees 43 28 .606 Baltimore 41 31 .569 Tampa Bay 40 32 .556 Boston 38 34 .528 Toronto 37 35 .514 Central Division Chicago White Sox 38 34 Cleveland 37 34 .521 Detroit 35 37 .486 Kansas City 31 39 .443 Minnesota 29 42 .408 Western Division Texas 45 28 .616 LA Angels 40 33 .548 Oakland 35 38 .479 Seattle 31 43 .419 National League Eastern Division Washington 41 29 .586 NY Mets 39 34 .534 Atlanta 38 34 .528 Miami 34 38 .472 Philadelphia 34 40 .459 Central Division Cincinnati 39 32 .549 Pittsburgh 38 33 .535 St Louis 38 35 .521 Milwaukee 33 39 .458 Houston 30 42 .417 Chicago Cubs 24 48 .333 Western Division LA Dodgers 43 30 .589 San Francisco 40 33 .548 Arizona 37 35 .514 Colorado 27 44 .380 San Diego 26 47 .356

GB 2.5 3.5 5.5 6.5 .528 .5 3 6 8.5 5 10 14.5

3.5 4 8 9 1 2 6.5 9.5 15.5 3 5.5 15 17

Leishman ends wait for maiden PGA title CROMWELL: Australian Marc Leishman faced a long and nervous wait on Sunday but ultimately his sizzling final round eight-under-par 62 proved enough to give him his maiden PGA Tour title at the Travelers Championship.

Leishman finished the tournament at 14-under 266, a stroke in front of 2010 Travelers winner Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman, who was left ruing a doublebogey, bogey finish that dropped him from 16-under.

“It’s an incredible feeling, I didn’t think I would be in this position when I started this morning,” Leishman said. “This isn’t the way I thought I would pick up my first win, but I’m not complaining. I’ll take a win any way I can get it.”

Roland Thatcher also had a disappointing finish when, needing a birdie at the last to force a playoff, he hit his approach from the fairway into a greenside bunker and finished with a bogey.

Thatcher finished at 12-under in a tie for fourth with Briton Brian Davis, South African Tim Clark and fellow American John Rollins.

Sweden’s defending champion Fredrik Jacobson finished with a 68 to tie for eighth at 11-under. Leishman went out early and posted a good number that turned out to be enough for a breakthrough win. Starting a good two hours before the final group, the 28-year-old Victorian wasted no time getting to work and carded five birdies on the front nine.

Leishman credited a bad finish to his third round 70 for providing him with motivation for Sunday’s blistering round. “Yesterday I doubled 17 and bogeyed 18 and it fired me up to really go out and do some damage today,” he said.

Fire him up it did as he went out in 30 and then added three more birdies coming in to cap off a flawless round.

Leishman then faced a long wait as his various pursuers found a number of different ways to throw their chances of winning away on the closing holes.

“The wait was the hardest part, you don’t really get too nervous out on the course,” Leishman said. “I got something to eat, watched some soccer and then put the golf on. Then I hit some balls and putted. “I’m glad that turned out to be a practice session and not a warm up session.”

There was no playoff required, though, because Hoffman was the only player to match or pass Leishman’s 14-under. — Reuters

Red Sox win over Braves BOSTON: Kevin Youkilis said farewell at Fenway Park on Sunday in Boston’s 9-4 win over the Atlanta Braves helped by Cody Ross, who hit two homers and drove in five runs for the Red Sox. Youkilis was traded to the White Sox for utilityman Brent Lillibridge and right-hander Zach Stewart after the game.

Youkilis was lifted for a pinch-runner after hitting a triple in the seventh inning.

He was greeted with a hug from Nick Punto, who pinch-ran for him, and many of his teammates on the top step of the dugout. The burley infielder, in his ninth season with the Red Sox, took his helmet off and waved to the crowd, blew a kiss and was urged to come out for a curtain call by his teammates before heading down the steps. He was given a lengthy standing ovation and the fans chanted “Yook.”

John Buck hit a three-run homer as Florida snapped a six-game losing streak with a win over Toronto.

Greg Dobbs had a two-run homer among his three hits for the Marlins, winners for just the third time in 18 games.

Buehrle (6-8) gave up seven hits in winning his 25th interleague matchup, breaking a tie with Freddy Garcia. Buehrle struck out seven.

Orioles 2, Nationals 1 At Baltimore, Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to interrupt Baltimore’s agonizing offensive struggle in a win over Washington.

Baltimore appeared headed for its third shutout loss in six games before Adam

one out in the seventh. Jones followed with his homer. Berry’s homer off of Kevin Correia four pitches into the game was his first in 96 career big league at-bats. Austin Jackson singled ahead of Berry.

Rays 7, Phillies 3 At Philadelphia, Brooks Conrad hit a pair of two-run doubles off winless Philadelphia ace Cliff Lee as Tampa Bay swept a day-night doubleheader.

Lee (0-4) allowed five runs and six hits in seven innings. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner hasn’t won a game since last Sept. 26.

Brandon Gomes (2-2) earned the win with 2 2-3 scoreless innings. In the opener, Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer in the

Rangers 4, Rockies 2 At Arlington, Texas, Matt Harrison worked five scoreless innings for his 10th victory and Leonys Martin had a pair of extra-base hits for his first three RBIs in the majors as Texas beat Colorado.

Martin, the Cuban defector who signed with the Rangers last year, had an RBI double in the second and a two-run triple an inning later. Harrison (10-3) won his sixth consecutive decision. His outing was cut short because of tightness in his lower back that caused soreness in his left hip.

Marlins 9, Blue Jays 0 At Miami, Mark Buehrle pitched effectively for seven innings to become the most successful in interleague play, and

White Sox 1, Brewers 0 At Chicago, pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar lined an RBI single in the 10th inning as the Chicago White made it an adventuresome afternoon, beating Milwaukee. After the game the White Sox acquired All-Star infielder Kevin Youkilis and cash from Boston in a trade for infielder Brent Lillibridge and right-handed pitcher Zach Stewart.

Alejandro De Aza opened the White Sox 10th with a double off Manny Parra (02). Adam Dunn walked with one out and Escobar, batting for Lillibridge, singled.

Padres 2, Mariners 0 At San Diego, Edinson Volquez pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and Alexi Amarista hit a two-run double as San Diego beat Seattle.

Volquez (4-7) was in command for 6 2-3 innings and was not hurt by the control issues that have hampered him this season. Volquez, who leads the majors in walks with 55, walked three but was rarely stressed by the Mariners. The right-hander combined with three relievers for the fivehitter.

Yankees 6, Mets 5 At New York, Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning as the New York Yankees touched up RA Dickey for five runs in a victory over the Mets. Nick Swisher had an early three-run shot against Dickey, who was coming off consecutive one-hitters - making him the first major league pitcher in 24 years to accomplish that feat. But in a much-anticipated matchup at sold-out Citi Field, both he and Yankees ace CC Sabathia were missing their best stuff.

Cano drove a 2-0 delivery from Miguel Batista (1-2) over the home run apple in straightaway center for his 16th homer and fifth in seven games. The Yankees won the final two games of the weekend series by one run to finish 5-1 against their crosstown rivals this season.

Including a sweep in the Bronx earlier this month, the Yankees have won five consecutive series against the Mets since May 2010.

Twins 4, Reds 3 At Cincinnati, Josh Willingham hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off shaky closer Aroldis Chapman, rallying Minnesota over the Reds.

Joe Mauer opened the ninth with a double off the left field wall against Chapman (4-4). Willingham followed with his 15th homer of the season. Willingham’s homer overcame Joey Votto’s eighthinning, two-run homer that had given the Reds a 3-2 lead.

in Kansas City since 2009. Mike Moustakas had two home runs for the Royals, who gave up 41 hits and 30 runs to their state rivals in the three games.

Angels 5, Dodgers 3 At Anaheim, California, Mark Trumbo drove in Albert Pujols with the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning as the Angels won their season series with the Dodgers for the third straight year.

Peter Bourjos hit an early two-run homer and Howie Kendrick added another RBI single in the seventh for the Angels, who won four of six in the Freeway Series.

Bobby Abreu and Dee Gordon drove in early runs for the slumping Dodgers, who have lost six straight series to the Angels.

BOSTON: Red Sox’s Kevin Youkilis tips his helmet as he comes off the field after hitting a triple and being replaced with a pinch runner in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves. —AP Jones led off the eighth with a single off Sean Burnett (0-1) and Wieters drove an 01 pitch over the center-field wall. Pedro Strop (4-2) got the final out in the eighth for Baltimore and Jim Johnson worked the ninth for his 22nd save.

Tigers 3, Pirates 2 At Pittsburgh, Justin Verlander pitched a five-hitter and Quintin Berry hit a tworun shot for his first major league home run as Detroit avoided a sweep with a win over Pittsburgh.

Berry also scored the go-ahead run on Delmon Young’s single in the eighth, an inning after Garrett Jones tied it with a two-run homer. Verlander (8-4) had allowed only two infield hits through six innings before Pedro Alvarez singled with

eighth off Antonio Bastardo (2-2). Phillies starter Cole Hamels pitched three-hit ball for seven shutout innings.

Astros 7, Indians 1 At Houston, Chris Johnson homered and drove in three runs, and J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer to lead Houston over Cleveland for their its series since taking two of three from the White Sox in June 810. Houston starter J.A. Happ (6-7) got his second consecutive win by allowing four hits and a run in seven innings.

Cardinals 11, Royals 8 At Kansas City, Carlos Beltran had three RBIs, and Matt Holliday and Allen Craig each drove in two runs, powering St. Louis to a victory and its first three-game sweep

Athletics 4, Giants 2 At Oakland, California, Derek Norris hit a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth inning for his first major league home run as Oakland walked off with a stunning victory over San Francisco.

Norris hammered a full-count pitch from Santiago Casilla (1-3) over the leftfield wall to help the A’s avoid the first three-game sweep by San Francisco in Oakland. Buster Posey’s two-run homer in the first was all the Giants could squeeze out against AJ Griffin.

National League Diamondbacks 5, Cubs 1 At Phoenix, Wade Miley outpitched Matt Garza in eight strong innings and Justin Upton had three RBIs as Arizona completed a three-game sweep with a victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Miley (9-3) retired 20 of the first 21 batters he faced before giving up a homer to Alfonso Soriano in the seventh inning, then worked out of a jam in the eighth with runners on second and third. Jason Kubel hit a solo homer off Garza (2-6) and Upton broke open a tight game with a two-run single through the left side off Manny Corpas in the eighth inning. —AP

Xcite.com launches Euro Cup Gaming App on Facebook page KUWAIT: With the 2012 Euro Cup Championship tournament heating up, www.xcite.com has launched a new initiative where football enthusiasts can log on to the xcite.com’s Facebook page to predict the winning team.

This exclusive application is specially designed for soccer enthusiasts on the X-cite Facebook page. It works on a simple and easy to use system; the game allows fans to predict scores of the ongoing matches and enables them to collect points for predicting the right result. The app offers soccer enthusiasts an interactive Facebook page that is both an entertaining as well as a rewarding experience. Not only can one interact with other fans, but have the chance to participate in the daily competitions until the 1st of July 2012. There is KD 10 discount coupon given out to 10 winners daily and a grand prize for the 55 Inch LED TV from LG. “Football is truly one of the most popular sports in Kuwait and the Middle East. We wanted to take this opportunity to reach out and connect with football enthusiasts in Kuwait and our loyal fan base on Facebook. The gaming app on

Facebook will provide all participants to share their love for football to their friends and communities. In addition, there is the added incentive to win the daily discount coupons and the grand prize of the LG LED TV that is being raffled out” said Samer Sayegh, VP - Alghanim Electronics. www.xcite.com is the online portal for X-cite

by Alghanim Electronics which is the region’s largest consumer electronics and home appliances retailer. The X-cite website has been at the forefront of using social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to reach out and connect with customers.

This in turn provides a meaningful experience to customers that goes beyond the customary brand experience and creates a sense of ownership for the online community. www.xcite.com has run various contest and activities using social media in the past to engage with its customers.

The online and social media engagement strategy helps xcite.com to build awareness and educate customers better about the many exciting things that are available on www.xcite.com and in the 17 retail outlets spread across Kuwait.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

sp orts

Saudis to permit women to compete in Olympics LONDON: Saudi Arabia has moved to send female athletes to the Olympics for the first time at the London Games.

The ultraconservative Muslim kingdom is one of three countries which have never included women in their Olympic teams, along with Qatar and Brunei. The International Olympic Committee says talks have been ongoing with Saudi Arabia to ensure participation.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking forward to its complete participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games through the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, which will oversee the participation of women athletes who can qualify for the games,” the Saudi Embassy in London said in a statement.

An official in Saudi Arabia, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Monday, says an announcement by King Abdullah about Saudi women’s participation in the Olympics was expected some days ago, but was postponed after the death of Crown Prince Nayef. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Discussions on sending women to the games have been wrapped in secrecy for fear of a backlash from the powerful religious establishment within a deeply traditional society, in which women are severely restricted in public life and are not even allowed to drive.

Saudi officials have been sending mixed signals for months. While some were saying they had been working on an arrangement with the IOC, top sports officials in the kingdom were adamant in publicly denying the possibility of female athletes competing at the Olympics.

Saudi Olympic Committee president Prince Nawaf said in April that female participation had not been approved by the country’s leaders and that Saudi-based women traveling to London would be contrary to the country’s traditions and norms.

Nawaf left open the possibility of Saudi women who are studying abroad being able to compete outside of the team as independent athletes.

However, that option was quashed after pressure from human rights groups and the IOC.

There are no written laws that ban or restrict women from participating in sport in Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest shrines. The stigma of female athletes is rooted in conservative traditions and religious views that believe giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sin. Saudi women bear the brunt of their nation’s deeply conservative values. They are often the target of the unwanted attention from the kingdom’s religious police, who enforce a rigid interpretation of Islamic Shariah law on the streets and public places like shopping malls and university campuses.

Women do practice sports in the conservative kingdom, some even compete in clandestine football and basketball leagues. There are no national competitions, however, that would allow Saudi women to compete in order to qualify for international events. If the Saudis do send women to the games then female athletes in judo and in track and field are considered possibilities for the games, sports officials familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press while speaking on condition

of anonymity. Because Saudi women may not meet the international qualifying standards, the IOC may grant them Olympic entry based on “special circumstances,” an IOC official told The AP in March.

The IOC wants more than one woman on the Saudi team, and hopes for at least two or three, the official said, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

IOC President Jacques Rogge has said he is “optimistic” that Saudi Arabia will send women athletes, but last month said any deal was far from complete. Describing talks with Saudi Arabia as “not an easy situation,” Rogge said discussions were under way with Saudi Olympic authorities and with athletes themselves.

Qatar and Brunei are expected to include women, according to the IOC. If some arrangement can be made for the Saudis, all national Olympic committees in London would include women athletes for the first time in Olympic history.

About 204 national Olympic committees are expected to compete in London, representing 10,500 athletes. — AP

Indian hockey’s glorious past meets ambitious present NEW DELHI: When 76-year-old Gurbux Singh opened the small, black case with trembling fingers and gently fished out the gold medal he won almost half a century ago, India hockey captain Bharat Chetri and his Londonbound team mates could not take their eyes off him.

In all probability, this was the nearest they will ever get to an Olympic gold. Dangling right before those 16 pair of eyes at a Delhi hotel on Sunday was not just a round piece of yellow metal but a symbol of what India, once a hockey super power, has been chasing over the last three exasperating decades. “It’s made mainly of silver and coated with gold, but an Olympic gold medal is not about how much it’s worth. It’s about sentiment,” Singh told Reuters as he displayed the medal later.

“We were requested to bring our Olympic gold medals to show the boys and motivate them - and they looked motivated,” he said, closing the case and putting it safely back into his jacket pocket.

Hockey India (HI) could not have come up with a better way to motivate the 16-member Indian men’s team leaving for London than bringing them together with 30-odd former Olympians who were part of the country’s golden hockey era.

India won the first of six successive Olympic gold medals in 1928 and added another in 1964. Their last came in 1980, by which time Indian hockey was on the decline.

Their freefall from the summit of hockey reached its nadir in 2008 when India, considered hockey’s spiritual home, failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. But India will be back at the Games in London, and hockey greats, many now forgotten in a cricket-obsessed country, defied old age to turn up at the send-off ceremony to inspire Chetri and his team mates.

Hardayal Singh, who won gold in 1956, needs a walking stick for every step and had to be helped on stage. A sheepish HI secretary Narinder Batra confessed they did not really know how old he was as the federation did not have his date of birth in their records.

AS Bakshi, Singh’s 87-year-old team mate from the Melbourne squad, found the plaque he was presented with too heavy and dropped it. The same hands that wielded a hockey stick and joystick, he later became a commercial pilot, are now unable to bear the weight of a memento.

Jaswant Singh Rajput dropped his memento too, prompting sports minister Ajay Maken to come down from the stage and hand over the plaques while the ageing greats sat in comfort.

The biggest cheer was reserved for Leslie Claudius, whose three gold medals and a silver from four Olympic appearances between 1948 and 1956 placed him in a league of his own.

“Those were the days. On grass, you could slip the stick under the ball which helped our dribbling style.

Astroturf has killed that,” he lamented. At 85, Claudius has hearing problems and repeats the question to make sure he heard it right.

“India’s chance in London? Honestly I have not seen much of these boys but winning a medal looks difficult.

Difficult though not impossible.”

Chetri said he and his team mates would do whatever it takes to make that possible. “I placed one of the gold medals on my palm just to get the feeling. It’s indescribable,” the goalkeeper said.

“These are the legends we grew up reading about.

Meeting them like this is very, very special. It’s one of the most memorable days of my life and I promise we won’t let them down.”— Reuters

Gurbux Singh

SWITZERLAND: This May 27, 2012 file photo shows William Lockwood, James Chapman, Drew Ginn and Jushua Dunkley Smith (from left) of Australia during the Men’s Quadruple Final A race at the World Rowing Cup. — AP

British and Aussie men’s rivalry hots up in rowing LONDON: With oars and boats and an Olympic gold medal at stake, it’s not even close to being cricket. The fierce sporting rivalry between England and Australia is usually at its most intense during cricket’s Ashes series, but this year the focus will switch from the crease to the crisp waters of Dorney Lake.

That’s where Britain and Australia’s flagship rowing crews go head-to-head at the Olympics.

The two countries have won the men’s four at the last five Olympics and have reorganized their squads to make the boat a priority again this year, setting up what is promising to be the most gripping race of the eight-day regatta.

“London will become epic,” said Drew Ginn, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who is in the Australia boat. So far, the crews’ rapport has been civil - friendly, even. But the mind games started in earnest in mid-June after the Australians handed Britain, the reigning Olympic and world champion, a rare loss in the third and final 2012 World Cup regatta over Munich’s Olympic course. It will likely be their last meeting before the final in London on Aug. 4, giving Australia a mighty psychological boost.

“They’re meant to be the No. 1 British heavyweight sweep boat. They are a genuine gold opportunity for their medal tally in their home Olympics,” said James Chapman, who is in the Australia boat with Ginn, Joshua Dunkley-Smith and William Lockwood.

“There’s some extra pressure of expectation of hosting the Olympic Games and this might start to create some doubts in their minds.”

Britain won the men’s four at the 2011 world championships but the boat has since been strengthened with the addition of Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed, who were part of the 2008 Olympic gold crew before trying their luck in the pairs from 2009-11.

With Alex Gregory and 2008 Olympic champion Tom James making up the four, Britain won the first two World Cup regattas in Belgrade and Lucerne in May - and even rowed a world’s best time in beating Australia in Switzerland.

However, three weeks later, the Australians held off the trademark late burst by a sluggish British boat in Munich. Triggs Hodge said his crew will produce its best when it matters.

Deferr follows gymnasts dreams BARCELONA: Double Olympic gold medallist Gervasio Deferr works for free in a deprived corner of Barcelona helping under-privileged children improve their lives and follow their dreams through gymnastics. The 31-year-old, Spain’s most decorated gymnast, was Olympic champion in the vault at the Sydney and Athens Games, and won silver in the floor exercises in Beijing, but after a decade at the top he retired in January last year to go into coaching.

Deferr combines his job at the Sant Cugat del Valles Centre for High Performance in Barcelona with his unpaid work in a small club in La Mina, a neglected neighborhood of San Adrian del Besos on the northern outskirts of the Catalan capital.

The former gymnast trains around 100 boys and girls aged between seven and 14, teaching them the love and sacrifice needed in a discipline that could help change their lives.

“Gymnastics has given me the life I have,” Deferr, who started in the sport aged five, told Reuters. “I want to be able to change people’s lives through gymnastics. Being able to dedicate myself to it, is a luxury.” The son of Argentine immigrants, Deferr founded the La Mina club which carries his name with other sportsmen in November 2010. They had a social objective, which was to bring gymnastics to those less fortunate, though not exclusively.

“It would be very arrogant for us to say that some people could not dedicate themselves to gymnastics, but I hope we can realize our principal objective,” he said.

The neighborhood around the club expanded rapidly and in a disorderly manner in the economic boom of the 1960s, drawing a high proportion of immigrants and ethnic minorities.

In the last decade, local authorities have worked to try to improve the area, which suffers from higher than average rates of illiteracy and drug abuse.

Another of the club’s aims is to encourage social integration, and as part of their educa-

tion children have to carry out activities with people from nearby districts.

Deferr’s gymnasium charges 40 euros a month for a 1.5 hour training session twice a week, and up to 75 euros for three-hour sessions, six days a week, which is around half the going rate.

It has been a difficult balancing act to be able to keep the doors open and pay the trainers, who are the only people who get paid in the project, despite support from the local council and the Sports Council of Catalunya.

“We started in a terrible position, losing 2,000 euros a year, but what do we want? This is a social project in La Mina,” Deferr said as he sat in a cultural centre near the gymnasium, where he is known by everyone as ‘Gervi’.

Deferr demands full commitment from the parents and his pupils and has provided money from his own pocket to help out when he has seen dedication from struggling families, so the children can complete their courses.

Deferr, who says he has matured since losing two international medals after testing positive for cannabis in 2002, looks to the project’s private donors to step in and assist others, and to help balance the gym’s books. While he explained his project, a drug addict approached and asked for a cigarette.

“This is the father of one of the girls who came to the gym, and any (drugs) he has left over, she smokes. I am trying to make sure the kids don’t grow up to be like this at 18,” he said.

The children ran up to hug Deferr in the gym and were keen to show him how they had advanced during the week, while parents watched from the viewing gallery waiting to speak to him for progress reports, and about subscriptions for the coming year.

“This kid is going to be an Olympian,” Deferr said pointing to a blond haired, 10-year-old boy. The muscle definition could already be seen despite his young age, and he had only been training for two years. The boy trained apart with three others because they were competing in a Catalan regional competition on the weekend.—Reuters

“To have the pressure and expectations that people are expecting us to win, that’s even better,” the strokeman told The Associated Press. “When we put our best bits of training into the race that counts, I know that no one will beat us.”

Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent winners of nine Olympic golds between them from 1984 to 2004 - made their names in the four, ensuring the boat will forever be British rowing’s headline-grabber. Australia similarly has an illustrious recent history in the four, with the “Oarsome Foursome” containing Ginn winning gold in Atlanta in 1996 to defend their country’s title from 1992.

Returning to the sport in 2010 after taking a two-year sabbatical following back surgery, Ginn is Australia’s most famous rower. He is relishing being back in high-level competition and has been keeping his fans regularly updated on his blog, named “Rudderfish.”

“I have been part of a few good rivalries and yet on this occasion, even short-lived as it may be, I have enjoyed the on-water and off-water experience,” he said in a recent post.

Ginn predicts the duel on Dorney Lake will be a case of raw power vs. pace.

“We are not that big or that strong so we

have to row well,” he said. “We can see the way others are rowing and cannot get involved in fighting toe-to-toe on horse power. We are fast, though. And can race hard and stick to a plan and this is a strength.

“We have made no secret of our intent to make the men’s four race into a drag race. We want it to be fast. We aim for it to be aggressive and we are willing to push ourselves beyond our imposed limits to find a way to hold speed for as long as possible.”

Britain’s Munich setback left its crew at a loss, with Reed saying in an honest admission: “We haven’t got the fitness and strength to beat a crew of the class of Australia at the moment.”

A pre-Olympic wobble from Britain is nothing new, however. Since 1996 under German coach Juergen Groebler, the men’s four has never won its final race before an Olympics.

“Going to the training camp ... I will remember there is a crew out there that is faster than us at the moment,” Reed said. “It may well make our preparation campaign.

The Olympics are not over by any means.

“Getting silver (in Munich) could be the best thing that happened to us.”— AP

Japan looking for more judo gold at Olympics LONDON: The birthplace of judo is struggling to stay on top of the sport. Judo is a source of national pride in Japan, where the martial art originated. But the country’s judo ego has been bruised in recent years, and it’s looking for a comeback at the London Olympics. Despite rule changes to the throwing and grappling sport that favor the Japanese, bigger opponents using unorthodox techniques have gotten a foothold into the sport, often at Japan’s expense. The country won eight of 14 judo gold medals at the Athens Games, then dropped to four in Beijing. This summer, Japan is betting a new generation of judo players can restore their supremacy: of the 14 judoka on the team, 12 will be making their Olympic debut.

“For the Japanese, nothing less than gold will do,” said Nicolas Messner, who is a spokesman for the International Judo Federation, the martial arts governing body.

“Japan will definitely be the favorite in the Olympics, though in some categories, there will be a lot of surprises.”

Tsagaanbaatar Khashbaatar earned Mongolia’s first Olympic medal at the Beijing Games, and a couple other countries not known for their sporting prowess Uzbekistan, Georgia and Ukraine - boast strong medal contenders for the London Olympics. “There’s not a weak country in judo anymore,” US Olympic coach Jimmy Pedro said. “The Olympics for some countries like Egypt and Iran represents what they are all about. They want to exceed at the strong, manly sports to send a message to the rest of the world.”

After the Beijing Olympics, officials changed the rules to preserve the sport’s Japanese origins after they saw wrestling techniques creeping into judo. Direct attacks on the leg that don’t involve any other techniques in combination are forbidden.

Misato Nakamura Now competitors rely more on traditional Japanese judo, which focuses on throws from an upright position. The change also increased the number of fights which end in ippon, judo’s equivalent of a knockout.

Ippons are usually won when a judoka throws his or her rival flat on their back with force and control. It also has made judo more interesting and easier to follow for spectators. “We know people complain that judo is complicated to understand,” Messner said.

“But even if you don’t understand the rules, it’s clear when someone gets thrown to the ground who has won the match.” There are only two judo veterans on Japan’s Olympic team: Misato Nakamura, who won a bronze medal in Beijing in the women’s 52-kilogram division and Takamasa Anai, the defending Japanese champion in the men’s 100-kilogram category for the past four years. At 27, Anai is the oldest judoka on the team and says it’s his job to set the tone for the team’s London performance.—AP

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

S P ORT S

Storm demolish Mystics SEATTLE: Ann Wauters scored 14 points and had seven rebounds to help the Seattle Storm beat the Washington Mystics 72-55 on Sunday for their fourth consecutive victory.

Sue Bird added 14 points, five assists and four rebounds for the Storm (5-7). Crystal Langhorne led Washington (2-8) with 21 points. Matee Ajavon added 11, and Noelle Quinn had 10.

Seattle never trailed again after Bird hit a free throw to put the Storm up 10-9 with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter.

Dream 74, Liberty 64 At Newark, New Jersey, Angel McCoughtry scored 23 points and Sancho Lyttle added 19 to lead Atlanta over New York. McCoughtry shot 7 for 20 from the field and 8 for 10 on free throws in her return after missing two games due to a knee injury, helping the Dream (57) snap a two-game skid.

Leilani Mitchell scored 16 points, Kara Braxton had 14, and Cappie Pondexter and DeMya Walker added 12 each as New York (4-9) lost for the fourth time in five games. New York’s lone win during that stretch came at Atlanta last Tuesday in a game McCoughtry missed.

SEATTLE: Storm guard Tanisha Wright (right) tries to break through Washington Mystics guard Matee Ajavon (left) and Ashley Robinson during a WNBA basketball game. —AP

Silver Stars 91, Sparks 71 At Los Angeles, Sophia Young scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures as San Antonio handed Los Angeles its first loss at home.

The Silver Stars (5-5) led wire to wire and snapped a four-game, road-losing streak. They won consecutive games for the first time this season and improved to 20 against Los Angeles.

The Sparks (10-4) were attempting to start 7-0 at home for the first time since 2006. They had won eight consecutive at home dating to last season.

Young scored 13 points in the second half. She made jumpers to give San Antonio leads of 76-60 and 80-64. Shameka Christon matched a season-high with 16 points. Danielle Robinson added 14 points and Becky Hammon 12 points and 10 assists.

Candace Parker returned for the Sparks after she sat out Saturday with a sore knee, but was held to five points and four rebounds in the second half. She finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds. —AP

Sri Lanka crush Pakistan GALLE: Sri Lanka claimed the extra half-hour at the end of the fourth day to complete a 209-run rout of Pakistan in the first Test yesterday. The visitors, chasing an unlikely victory target of 510, were bowled out for 300.

The game looked like dragging on to the fifth day when fifth-wicket pair Younus Khan (87) and Asad Shafiq (80) put up stubborn resistance with a stand of 151.

After the pair were removed, Mohammad Ayub (22) and Adnan Akmal (40 not out) continued to frustrate the Sri Lankan bowlers.

When the extra half-hour started Pakistan were 279 for eight but Suraj Randiv snapped up the last two wickets to finish with figures of three for 86 in the second innings and seven for 99 in the match.

Shafiq hit 13 fours in an attractive innings before edging a catch to Mahela Jayawardene at slip off Rangana Herath. Former captain Younus struck seven fours to thwart the home attack until he was finally undone by the second new ball after tea, caught behind by Prasanna Jayawardene off Nuwan Kulasekara.

Debutant Ayub then presented Nuwan Pradeep with his first test wicket when he was trapped lbw.

Earlier, Sri Lanka broke through in the second over of the day when nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal (12), sent back by Younus after he charged down the wicket, failed to beat Randiv’s direct hit from extra cover. Kumar Sangakkara then dropped Shafiq off Randiv at short mid-wicket when he was on 33.

Younus also survived an anxious moment when Tillakaratne Dilshan dived forward at mid-off to take a ‘catch’ but the batsman was adjudged not out by the third umpire.

Paceman Kulasekera ended with figures of three for 48 while spinner Herath picked up two for 91. Sangakkara was named man of the match for his 199 not out in the first innings.

The second Test in the three-match series is in Colombo starting on Saturday. —Reuters

GALLE: Sri Lanka’s substitute fielder Dinesh Chandimal unsuccessfully dives to hold a catch off Pakistan’s batsman Asad Shafiq (unseen) during their first Test cricket match. —AP

Scoreboard GALLE: Final scoreboard in the first test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan yesterday: Sri Lanka 472 & 137-5 declared Pakistan 100 & 2nd innings M Hafeez c M Jayawardene b Kulasekara 4 Taufiq Umar b Kulasekara 10 Azhar Ali c Samaraweera b Herath 7 Younus Khan c P Jayawardene b Kulasekara87 Saeed Ajmal run out 12 Asad Shafiq c M Jayawardene b Herath 80 Mohammad Ayub lbw b Pradeep 22 Adnan Akmal not out 40 Abdur Rehman c Sangakkara b Randiv 14

World chiefs back video umpires KUALA LUMPUR: Cricket’s chief executives yesterday backed the mandatory use of video umpires in Tests and oneday internationals, a year after they were made optional at the request of powerful India. The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) chief executives’ committee said independent tests had proved the reliability of the Decision Review System (DRS), which incorporates ball-tracking and “hotspot” thermal imaging.

“We have made good progress in independently testing ball-tracking and the new enhancements have resulted in the CEC (Chief Executives’ Committee) unanimously supporting the ICC Cricket Committee’s recommendation to universally apply the DRS in all Test matches and ODIs,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.

The recommendation for compulsory DRS-provided host countries can afford the equipment-will now be considered by the ICC Board, which is meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur.

Optional DRS has caused confusion and controversy, including complaints during India’s Test tour of England last year, when the visitors refused to allow it.

Separately, the chief executives threw their support behind the introduction of day-night Tests, as long as both teams agree and the ICC can provide a suitable ball.

They also called for Bangladesh to provide a report on allegations of graft during this year’s Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 competition, and urged both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to implement anti-corruption codes.

India, which accounts for the lion’s share of global cricket revenues, has been suspicious of DRS since making a number of unsuccessful referrals during the 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial.

On Sunday, Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore complained about the absence of DRS in the first Test against Sri Lanka-reportedly due to cost issues-after a rash of umpiring errors. —AFP

Umar Gul c Samaraweera b Randiv 4 Junaid Khan c sub (J Mendis) b Randiv 8 Extras (b-9, lb-2, w-1) 12 Total (all out, 114 overs) 300 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-21, 3-25, 4-38, 5-189, 6-212, 7243, 8-266, 9-280.

Bowling: N.Kulasekera 23-8-48-3 (w-1), N.Pradeep 15-4-56-1, R.Herath 42-9-91-2, A.Mathews 4-1-8-0, S.Randiv 30-4-86-3.

Result: Sri Lanka won by 209 runs to lead threematch series 1-0.

SONOMA: Clint Bowyer celebrates on top of his car after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race. —AP

Bowyer picks up his first win of season at Sonoma SONOMA: Clint Bowyer and his crew chief both needed jobs at the end of last season. They found them at M ichael Waltrip Racing, a team that survived a near-collapse in its first season only to struggle in its bid to rise above mediocrity.

The team then picked up Mark Martin, who needed a team that would let him race a partial schedule. Later came Brian Vickers, who was out of work but willing to fill the seat for some of Martin’s off days. The team overhauled its approach, changed its way of thinking, and made sweeping upgrades throughout the organization.

It’s made for a dramatically improved organization all year, and now MWR has its first victory of the season. Bowyer, led by former Juan Pablo Montoya crew chief Brian Pattie, earned his first win on a road course Sunday by holding off Kurt Busch at Sonoma.

“I’ve had good teammates and good stuff before, but never like this,” said Bowyer, who left Richard Childress Racing at the end of last season when a contract extension couldn’t be completed.

“This is a young group, Michael stuck it out and I’m telling you, he’s fixing to reap the benefits. He’s worked hard.” Waltrip was beaming after the win, his third since the team was formed in 2007.

“This place just reminds me on how mightily Michael Waltrip Racing struggled when we started,” Waltrip said. “Just five short years ago we were here and wondering what our future was like and how we were going to survive. We probably appreciate this more than anybody ever could, because we know how close we were to just not being around anymore, just six months out of our start.

“So to stand up there, be able to cheer with Brian Pattie and the team and see Clint take the checkered flag after all we have been through, it’s just really special.”

Bowyer had to hold off Busch on the winding 1.99-mile road course. Although Bowyer finished fourth three previous times on this road course, his background is on dirt tracks and this style of racing isn’t his strong suit. So the irony of winning Sunday wasn’t lost on Bowyer.

“To have this dirt boy from Kansas at Victory Lane on a road course is big, trust me,” Bowyer said. “I saw Jeff Gordon, he’s sitting there on the wall, he’s won this race many times, he’s a champion of this sport and I just beat him. I passed Jeff Gordon, and you have no idea, a young racer from Kansas, you don’t forget stuff like that.”

Bowyer dominated by leading 71 of the 112 laps. Defending race winner Busch, in an unsponsored car, was all over the bumper of Bowyer’s Toyota late and got a final shot at taking the win away when caution flew with four laps remaining.

Only Busch damaged his car with roughly eight laps to go, and he worried the entire caution period whether his Chevrolet was ruined and had no chance of catching Bowyer through the two-lap overtime sprint to the finish.

Bowyer raced side-by-side with Busch at the green flag, then cleared Busch and

pulled away for the win. “Kurt raced me clean, he bumped me and roughed me up, but never did anything to jeopardize either one of us,” Bowyer said.

I t was a strong day all-around for MWR, which got a fourth-place finish from Vickers, who was back to NASCAR after racing last weekend at Le Mans.

Martin Truex Jr. led 15 laps, and was running in the top 10 until a late-race incident with Joey Logano dropped him to 22nd.

Waltrip believes Vickers could have a stronger future with the team. “Certainly is a possibility to add Brian to our driver lineup with a fourth team, or even have him hang around another year, and if Mark ever gets done driving - which I wouldn’t wait around for Mark to quit if I was him,” Waltrip said.

“If you think of somebody’s attitude that is 180 degrees different, he struggled getting tangled up with folks, and he started the season saying ‘I’m not that guy, I know how to race these cars and I’m going to prove it.’ He’s been amazing for our organization.”

Tony Stewar t passed Busch on the final lap to claim second, but said it was because Busch’s car was struggling. “Kind of got it by default there to a certain degree. Once we got by there, we just were not close enough in that last lap to get to Clint,” Stewart said.

Busch wound up third. He was emotional after - Busch missed Pocono earlier this month because he was suspended by NASCAR for verbally abusing a media member - and said he was thrilled to compete for the win in an underfunded, unsponsored Phoenix Racing car.

“It’s an amazing day, when you can do what we did,” Busch said. “I’m a little choked up because A: We were in position. B: I was very considerate to Bowyer, who was going for his first win with the new team. And then C: which is most important, I made a mistake, I got into those tires in turn 11.”

Busch, who has struggled with his temper on and off the track, saw a silver lining in his strong finish. “If I can get my head on straight here, and after the race, then I could be able to race every weekend and go for victories,” Busch said.

Vickers was fourth for MWR, followed

by Hendrick Motorspor ts teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Greg Biffle was seventh, followed by pole-sitter Marcos Ambrose, AJ Allmendinger and Joey Logano. Most everyone believed the race would be a runaway win for either Ambrose or Gordon, but neither really contended.

Ambrose led the first 11 laps before plummeting through the field, and said the setup on his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford was just off. “ We really missed it,” he said. “ We missed it bad, and we did good to recover and get a top-10 out of it. We will take it and move on. We got the pole and had a lot of speed; we just missed it for the race. “We were slow. It was just terrible.

We had no speed in the car and we paid the price.” Gordon led one time for 13 laps before running out of gas as he was headed in for a scheduled pit stop. —AP

Alonso shows rivals clean pair of wheels LONDON: Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, like the keen cycling fan he is, has made the breakaway and now it is up to the rest of the Formula One pack to reel him in. That will be no easy matter, even if his car is still not the fastest. The Spaniard’s stirring victory in his home European Grand Prix in Valencia on Sunday made him the first repeat winner in eight races of a thoroughly unpredictable season.

That success may have been against the odds, with Alonso starting 11th on the grid and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on pole and charging to victory before an alternator failure brought his car to a halt while leading.

Yet the double world champion has now surged 20 points clear of Red Bull’s Mark Webber in second place, with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton a further three points behind. Sunday was Alonso’s 20th successive race in the points, a run stretching back to Valencia last June, and only two of those finishes have been out of the top five.

With seven different winners in the first seven races, consistency has been the name of the game and Alonso, repeatedly getting more out of the car than anyone would have thought possible, has been the master.

“This victory is very important because our main rivals in the championship had some problems. Reliability is a key factor this

year and you need to score points every time,” said Ferrari principal Stefano Domenicali.

Until Sunday the championship rivals had all been tightly bunched together with nobody managing to get more than seven points clear at the top since the first race of the year.

Briton Hamilton, who was left fuming after a collision with Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado’s Williams pitched him into the wall and out of the race on the penultimate lap, arrived in Spain just two points clear of Alonso. After last month’s Monaco Grand Prix Alonso was three points clear of Vettel who had been level at the top with the Spaniard after the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

Vettel, in turn, was four points clear at the top after the Bahrain race in April while Hamilton had a lead of two points after China and Alonso was five points ahead after Malaysia in March.

The Spaniard has now put clear distance between himself and the rest but there are many miles to cover and mountains to climb with more than half the season ahead.

I t could take rivals several races to reduce the gap, however, even if they will be pointing at their own mechanical misfortunes to show how quickly the situation can change. —Reuters

SPAIN: Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso from Spain drives his car during the European Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday. —AP

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

SPORTS

18

Euro 2012 gets its best game — and pain KIEV: In world soccer, there surely is no greater anguish than a penalty shoot-out involving England. It’s agony to watch because you know in advance how it will end - with England players, proud men like Steven Gerrard, walking like the dead off the pitch.

Alone in a world of torment, regret and whatifs after falling short once again in the toughest, cruelest test this sport, any sport, has devised for players’ minds. This time, against Italy in the most enthralling of the four Euro 2012 quarterfinals, the names that got added to England’s hall of penalty infamy were both Ashleys, Young and Cole.

The winger and the left back increased the sorry group of England players who cracked while faced with just an opposing goalkeeper and their own fear of failure. Their predecessors included the likes of David Beckham and Gareth Southgate, who managed to turn the shame of his missed penalty kick at Euro ‘96 into a joke, appearing in a pizza commercial

with his head hidden in a paper bag. And Cole and Young won’t be the last. Because England’s record of failure in shootouts is now so consistently awful that it has become a running sore on the national psyche.

The loss to Italy dropped England’s record in seven World Cup and European Championship shootouts to: Rest of the world 6, England 1. One. Uno. Ein. No matter the language, that is the astounding number. Luck is part of it. So is preparation. But mostly, penalty shootouts are won between the ears. They are about confidence, belief, and being able to shut out that inner voice whispering, “You are going to miss this.” The goal looks smaller than it is, the ‘keeper looms like a giant.

Gerrard, who slotted home England’s first penalty early Monday morning in Kiev after 120 minutes of soccer ended 0-0, has described England’s penalty curse as a “mental block.” In his biography, he suggested England must start practicing shootouts at

the end of friendly matches, while the stadium is still full. “It’s the only realistic way of practicing penalties. That draining walk from the halfway line. The tension. That feeling that everyone is watching, jeering or cheering,” the England and Liverpool captain wrote. So that’s an idea for the future. But, in Olympic Stadium, it was just pain.

“We have done the country proud, but again we go home with heartbreak and it’s difficult to take,” said Gerrard. This was the eighth time Italy has faced a shootout in World Cups and the Euros. It has now won three.

FIFA boss Sepp Blatter isn’t a fan of shootouts, saying this May that “when football goes to penalty kicks, it loses its essence as a team sport.”

He has asked German great Franz Beckenbauer to see if an alternative is possible. But shootouts are unbeatable drama. This one was no exception. Like gladiators about

to face the lions together, the two ‘keepers, Joe Hart and Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, shared a hand slap of mutual respect before the shooting began.

England assistant coach Gary Neville threw a pen in anger into the turf - as if he knew that this would end in English tears again. “Send us victorious, happy and glorious” the England fans sang. Two trainers pounded and massaged Gerrard’s legs like pizza dough, readying the England captain’s tired muscles for the torture ahead.

Italy’s Riccardo Montolivo was the first to crack, firing his penalty wide of Hart’s righthand post. He buried his head in his hands.

Perhaps, just perhaps, this might be England’s night after all. But no.

Young shot high, his penalty slamming off Buffon’s crossbar. England manager Roy Hodgson chewed his lip. Next up for England was Cole. The Chelsea player nervously licked his lips on the long walk from the center of

the pitch to the penalty spot. He placed the ball on the turf, took seven steps back and stood hands on hips.

Uh-oh. Clearly, he was thinking about it too much. Sure enough, his run-up was slow and his shot to Buffon’s left was tame. The Italian guessed correctly, making the block.

Alessandro Diamanti then finished the job, ramming the dagger through English hearts by shooting cleanly past Hart. Cue Italian delirium as Buffon puffed out his cheeks in relief. Neutrals would say that justice was done: Italy was the better team. But that will be of no consolation to the English.

“Penalties has become an obsession for us in English football; in training they have done extremely well,” Hodgson said. “But you can’t reproduce the tired legs. You can’t reproduce the pressure. You can’t reproduce the nervous tension.” But England can and does reproduce shootout failure, over and over again.

Ouch.—AP

Portugal prepare Spain ambush

DONETSK: Combination made during the Euro 2012 football championships shows Spanish head coach Vicente Del Bosque and Portuguese head coach Paulo Bento (left). Portugal will face Spain tomorrow in their Euro 2012 football championships semi-final match.—AFP

Pirlo’s cheeky penalty sums up Italy’s mood KRAKOW: If Italy can replicate the coolness in front of goal shown by Andrea Pirlo when he dinked in his cheeky penalty against England, the Azzurri might have a chance of troubling Germany in Thursday’s Euro 2012 semi-final.

In 120 goalless minutes against a poor English side Italy wasted chance after chance on Sunday but the fact they were creative and always tried to win the game bodes well for a nation with a sometimes unjustified reputation for dull play.

Pirlo is 33 but is in the running to be player of the tournament after scoring or setting up all of Italy’s goals in Ukraine and Poland while his spot kick in the 4-2 shooutout win had Tweeters and fans raving about his outrageous ability. “”I saw that the goalkeeper was really hyped and I thought I’d do it like that, it was easier to take it like that,” Pirlo told reporters after England’s Joe Hart had bounced up and down on the line and made funny faces. ”It created a bit of pressure on the keeper.” The difference in class between his spot kick - reminiscient of Antonin Panenka for Czechoslovakia against West Germany in the 1976 final - and Hart’s antics was mirrored throughout a game which Italy dominated in terms of possession and chances.

Daniele De Rossi, who came off with a niggle and could be a doubt for Thursday, struck the post early on with a swerving long range drive while substitute Alessandro Diamanti also hit the woodwork before netting the decisive kick in the shootout.

Right back Ignazio Abate also came off with injury and his replacement Christian

Maggio was booked, meaning he will miss the Warsaw semi-final, but for now Italy are enjoying their unexpected last four berth. “”I would not have expected it, but I always believed,” said Diamanti, once an also-ran with West Ham United in the English Premier League and now with Bologna. “”Italy played a great game from the first minute to the last.”

Cesare Prandelli’s side came into the tournament with low expectations after a string of friendly defeats and another domestic match-fixing scandal which deprived the squad of left back Domenico Criscito, who denies wrongdoing. Quiet man Prandelli even changed formation for the confidenceboosting 1-1 draw with holders Spain in their opening group game and although he has since reverted back to a four-man defence, his tactical mastery has many Italy fans purring.

Popular daily Gazzetta dello Sport was wildly enthusiastic yesterday with a front page headline of “”A winning Italy, come on!” in the wake of the national team’s win and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso triumphing in the European Formula One Grand Prix.

Italians know they will struggle to motor past the flowing Germans but their rousing 2006 World Cup semi-final win over the hosts en route to the title amid another match-fixing affair gives them hope. The fact Italy have never lost to Germany in a World Cup or European Championship match, winning three and drawing four, could also lead to rising expectations but if forward Mario Balotelli continues to misfire their dreams may be dashed.—Reuters

KIEV: Italy’s Andrea Pirlo scores past England goalkeeper Joe Hart in the penalty shootout of the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match against England. —AP

DONETSK: Having swept past France to reach the Euro 2012 semi-finals, Spain can expect a more exacting ordeal tomorrow when they face a Portugal team who beat them 4-0 in their last meeting. Spain have largely held the upper hand against their Iberian rivals, losing just nine times in 37 encounters, and they edged Portugal 1-0 in the last 16 en route to their triumph at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

However, Portugal claimed emphatic revenge less than five months later with a four-goal victory in Lisbon that condemned the reigning world and European champions to their heaviest defeat in 47 years. The teams have changed little since. Nine members of Portugal’s likely starting line-up at Donbass Arena in Donetsk on Wednesday featured in the game, while Spain are expected to start with eight of the same players.

Cristiano Ronaldo terrorised the Spanish back line at Estadio da Luz two years ago and would have claimed one of the finest goals of his career had Nani not headed his goal-bound shot over the line from an offside position.

The 27-year-old is not short of scores to settle against a team who can call upon five of his Real Madrid colleagues. After match-winning performances against the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, he is finally making his mark at a major tournament and Spain’s ability to keep him quiet will be pivotal.

The match should provide an intriguing clash of styles, with Spain likely to dominate possession while Portugal await opportunities to spring forward on the counter-attack.

“Portugal will be very difficult,” said Spain’s Cesc Fabregas after Saturday’s 2-0 win over France. “They have strong individuals and strong players. Apart from their good open play, they are very good on the counter-attack, and we’ll have to work hard. “They have Ronaldo, Nani, Raul Meireles, Joao Moutinho.

They have very good players.”

Spain have lost only three times in 47 competitive matches and are closing in on an unprecedented treble of major honours, but Portugal right-back Joao Pereira says his side can take heart from their own recent form.

“We’re going to keep our own personality because things are going well,” he said. “We have respect for them, of course, because they’re world and European champions, but we’re not going to give them too much respect because it’s 11 versus 11,

and we play good football.” For the first time at the tournament, Portugal coach Paulo Bento will be obliged to change his starting line-up due to the thigh injury sustained by striker Helder Postiga in Thursday’s 1-0 win over the Czech Republic. Werder Bremen’s Hugo Almeida is set to deputise, while defenders Pepe and Fabio Coentrao both returned to training on Sunday after sitting out Saturday’s session to rest injuries.

Spain reported no new injuries after their victory over France, but coach Vicente del Bosque must decide whether to persevere with Fabregas in the ‘false nine’ role or restore Fernando Torres to his starting XI. While Spain are gunning to become the first team to win three consecutive major international

tournaments, Portugal are aiming to reach a first final since their heartbreaking loss to Greece as hosts of Euro 2004.

The two sides’ records in semi-finals are sharply contrasting. Spain have never been beaten at this stage of an international competition, but Portugal have won only once in five attempts.

Even the great Eusebio succumbed to the country’s semi-final jinx, with a late penalty not enough to prevent Portugal losing 2-1 to England at the 1966 World Cup. The 70-year-old will not be present tomorrow after being taken ill at Portugal’s team hotel and going to hospital, but he has since been given the all-clear. Victory for Portugal would be the perfect get-well gift.—AFP

LVIV: A combination of two pictures shows Portuguese defender Pepe and Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta (right) during the Euro 2012 championships.—AFP

Blanc’s future on the menu PARIS: As the dust settled on France’s Euro 2012 quarter-final defeat at the hands of defending champions Spain, attention has turned to whether Laurent Blanc will remain as coach.

The 46-year-old-known as “the President” from his playing days as part of the successful France side that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 — is out of contract.

This has alerted some leading clubs, including English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, whose chairman Daniel Levy is a known admirer of Blanc and wishes to talk to him, according to several English newspapers.

However, the impression given in the French media is that Blanc-who made his name as a coach guiding Bordeaux to a 2009 domestic double-wants to continue rebuilding the side he inherited from the 2010 World Cup debacle.

There is a general enthusiasm for Blanc to be offered a new contract by French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet.

But some suggested that Le Graet-not a known admirer of Blanc’s-will insert some clauses that could make it difficult for the coach to accept.

“Deep down Le Graet was never Blanc’s biggest fan,” wrote sports daily L’Equipe. “Hence he has not appreciated the sometimes frivolous attitude that Blanc has adopted towards him.

“Two years after (he took the job) the coach is not in the same position as he was when he held talks with Frederic Duchaussoy (the caretaker president at the time after the fallout from the 2010 World Cup). “It appears fanciful to imagine that Le Graet will allow Jean-Pierre Bernes, Blanc’s agent and several players in the squad, as prominent a role in the negotiations as was the case in 2010.”

L’Equipe assessed that the stakes are extremely high for both men, with Blanc standing to lose his position in the build-up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and Le Graet left with the difficulty of finding any coach with a similar standing.

Unlike in 2008, when France failed to make it past the group stages and Domenech was ridiculed for proposing to his girlfriend rather than giving his reaction to the team’s performances, the situation is more complex, the newspaper added.

“The overall verdict less brutal against him (Blanc),” the sports daily said, praising him for his perseverance with Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema. Le Parisien, though, criticised him for all but abandoning Benzema in his strategic planning for the games, hence his return of no goals, because both players played with heart and did not sulk like some others. Like most of the French press, the newspapers faulted Blanc for his misplaced faith in recalling Hatem Ben Arfa from the international wilderness and most of all his loyalty to Samir Nasri.—AFP

Analysis

Justice done as fresher inventive Italy prevail DONETSK: The doom-mongers said Italy’s Euro 2012 quarter-final with England had 0-0 and penalties written all over it and although that is what transpired, the Azzurri deservedly progressed after looking fresher and more inventive.

England defended manfully — as they almost always do — but it is not enough in an international tournament and when Alessandro Diamanti’s winning spot kick hit the back of the net on Sunday, purists Europe-wide heaved a sigh of relief.

Inexperienced Mario Balotelli missed a host of chances, and Italy’s lack of clinical finishing could well be found out in Thursday’s semi-final with Germany, but he at least found himself in decent positions unlike the poor Wayne Rooney. One diving header over and a misdirected overhead kick was all England’s usual talisman could muster in a leggy display which belied the fact he had only played one match in Ukraine and Poland because of suspension and should have looked fresher than all the rest.

Italy dominated possession with 64 percent of the ball and had 35 shots to England’s nine, with 20 on target. Daniele De Rossi and Diamanti hit the post and Antonio Nocerino had a goal disallowed for offside. Gone are the days of Italian catenaccio and trying to seal 1-0 wins, whatever the blank score line says. Pundits still comment that Italy are defensive, but that is because they have good defenders, not because of the style of play.

Italy see holders Spain as the high watermark, with coach Cesare Prandelli praising his Latin brothers every time he can, but Sunday’s game was in some ways more entertaining than the world champions’ cagey 2-0 win over France on Saturday.

Spain might have managed two more goals with 30 minutes less game time but Italy were

always looking to score, unlike Spain and certainly unlike England.

The Azzurri have learnt one thing from the English and nowadays they look much more threatening from dead balls than in the past, meaning all their attempts at goal do have not to come from clever flicks or sublime Andrea Pirlo passes.

AC Milan thought 33-year-old Pirlo was washed up last year when they let him join rivals Juventus on a free transfer only for him to inspire the Turin side to steal Milan’s Serie A title.

The 2006 World Cup winner sprayed the ball around the Kiev pitch like he owned the place, which he did for large parts of the contest as Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker were run ragged in a one-dimensional English 4-4-2. His chipped penalty was coolness personified.

Pirlo still needs to move closer to the opposing goal to be really effective but Germany will identify him as the man they have to stop to reach the final. Indeed, all of Italy’s four goals in the group stage were scored or created by Pirlo.

England missed the injured Frank Lampard, someone with guile to create like Pirlo, but in truth England’s long tale of woe when it comes to major tournaments is a just reflection of their creative limitations whatever the glamour of the Premier League.

Italy kept the ball for long spells but moved it faster and were more forward-thinking than Spain. The lack of a finisher though may prompt Prandelli to mull bringing in Antonio Di Natale for Balotelli, who at least dispatched his penalty with aplomb. Italy’s penalty shootout record improved to three successes in eight at major tournaments while England have now won only one of seven. But it was not penalty demons that did for England, it was the footballing gods who knew full well that Italy had deserved to win.—Reuters

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

SPORTS

19

A mournful lament for a fabulous Euro KIEV: With Germans wowing like Brazilians, the attack minded Italians shedding their defensive skins and the Spanish hogging the ball to suffocate opponents rather than dazzling with “Ole!” artistry, the European Championship has delivered a festival of enthralling and cerebral football that has challenged national stereotypes. But, strangely, it feels a bit funereal, too.

In years ahead, when the matches on offer aren’t, say, the Netherlands vs. Germany or Italy vs.

Spain but maybe Wales vs. Estonia, will we mourn Euro 2012 as the last great international football tournament, truly memorable for unrelenting highquality play from first day to last? Possibly.

As UEFA President Michel Platini convincingly argues, opening the Euros to more teams - 24 instead of the current elite of 16 from 2016 - will be more democratic and more inclusive for European football’s lesser nations, the likes of BosniaHerzegovina, Montenegro, Estonia or Norway that narrowly missed out this time.

Better value for money, too. More teams will mean more matches, which in turn should mean greater use of stadiums, airports and other expensive public works built for a sporting extravaganza that lasts just weeks. Landing at the new airport in Euro 2012 host city Donetsk - the terminal shiny and imposing although there are very few planes on the tarmac - one cannot help but wonder whether the money couldn’t have been better spent.

So the head says “yes” to Platini’s plan. But the heart says “no” after 28 games at Euro 2012 that, with a few exceptions, were hugely engrossing, with quality matchups and play. The fear is that by

watering down such fine wine to make it stretch further from 2016, Platini may also rob the Euros of some flavor. Another feature of Euro 2012 has been that football, the beautiful game, has outshone the mindless hooligans and ugliness associated with it.

Fighting between Polish and Russian fans, against the police and with each other when their teams played out a 1-1 draw on June 12 in Warsaw was the exception not the rule.

By levying fines totalling euro325,000 ($400,000) from Russia, Croatia, Germany, England and Poland, UEFA demonstrated commendable intolerance for rowdy behavior and fans who racially abused Italy forward Mario Balotelli, who is black.

But UEFA muddied the message by imposing a one-match ban and a euro100,000 ($125,000) fine on Nicklas Bendtner after the Denmark forward celebrated a goal by lowering his shorts to reveal the name of a betting firm on his underwear. The severity of the punishment gave the impression UEFA is more concerned about tackling ambush marketing and preserving exclusivity for its sponsors than weightier issues like fan racism and violence. Unlike this season’s Champions League, UEFA’s top club competition won by Chelsea with defensive and reactive tactics, Euro 2012 has rewarded bold and dynamic attack-minded football. The four semifinalists - Italy, Germany, Portugal and Spain - took games to their opponents, instead of merely sitting back, soaking up attacks and waiting for opportunities to quickly counter, as Chelsea did against Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. In the Champions League final, Bayern had 35 attempts on goal, Chelsea just nine.

But Bayern still lost, so football and fortune did not favor the most enterprising team.

But the reverse was true in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals. The losers - France, the Czech Republic, Greece and England - together made just 24 attempts on goal. That was as many as Germany, alone, in its 4-2 win over Greece and a stunning 11 fewer than Italy, which from Daniele De Rossi’s shot against the post in the third minute peppered England’s goal but somehow didn’t score in 120 minutes. Still, Italy’s subsequent 4-2 penalty shootout victory justly rewarded a team and its coach, Cesare Prandelli, whose flowing forward attacks are dismantling the stereotype of defenseheavy Italian football grinding out ugly wins.

For Prandelli and Germany coach Joachim Loew, the aesthetics of victory are important, too.

Prandelli hopes the richer new palate of hues in the Azzurri’s style of play will rub off on Serie A clubs, too. “Coaches need to start playing football more, and not just look for results,” Prandelli said. “There are two years of work behind this and I think this is the future of football. In terms of quality, we’re not lacking anything to anyone.”

No huge new star emerged at Euro 2012, with the exception, perhaps, of 21-year-old Alan Dzagoyev. But his three goals for Russia were dulled by his team’s collective failure to reach the quarterfinals. Instead, this has been a tournament where established names - notably Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta and Andrea Pirlo - again demonstrated with awesome play why they are stars.

Other established names - the entire Netherlands squad, England’s Wayne Rooney and

France’s uncouth and uncool Samir Nasri - left us doubting whether they are quite the stars they take themselves to be.

If there is a Euro 2012 bone to pick, it is that too few fans from western Europe were able to venture this far east, seemingly because of cost, the daunting logistics of travel to and between co-hosts Poland and Ukraine and, possibly, because of pretournament concerns of racism and hooliganism that, it turned out, were hugely overblown.

Stadiums filled with fans from Poland, Ukraine, Russia and former Soviet republics who relished the chance to partake in a tournament that previously had been no futher east than Germany and the former Yugoslavia. And, naturally, once their own nations went out in the group stage, local crowds didn’t root for remaining teams with the same fervor that Spanish or Italian fans would have done had they been here in greater numbers.

They still paint their faces and make plenty of noise. But their cries of “Ukraine! Ukraine!” during, for example, England vs. Italy and France vs. Spain, were divorced from the on-field action and therefore disconcerting.

But that is perhaps a snobby western opinion that ignores the fact that since taxpayers from Poland and Ukraine are footing the bill, they can damn well enjoy this party in whatever manner they like. The same could be said of South Africans who insisted on blowing their earsplitting vuvuzela plastic trumpets at their World Cup in 2010.

If that is our only complaint, these have been very successful Euros, indeed. A true celebration of football but, sadly, perhaps the last of its kind.—AP

Dull England gain grudging respect but few admirers

Spain’s Gerard Pique

Prankster Pique is delivering for Spain GNIEWINO: Gerard Pique’s reputation as something of a joker and his glamorous popstar partner Shakira make him one of the more colourful characters in the ranks of the highly disciplined and professional Spain team. With his spiky quiff and cheeky smile, the 25-year-old defender is fond of pranks like hiding team mates’ clothing and equipment - he once made Barcelona’s Victor Valdes late for a training session by pinching his goalkeeping gloves.

But there is a serious and steely side to Pique that has served the world and European champions well on their run to the last four of Euro 2012 and he is widely considered one of the most accomplished centre backs around. In an interview at Spain’s training base in Gniewino, northern Poland on Monday, he said it was important to inject some humor into what can be a dreary experience at major tournaments, when the players are a long way from home and need to fill the hours between training and matches. “I like to have a joke and a good time,” a smiling Pique, wearing a red Spain shirt and sitting behind a small desk, told Reuters. “When you are taking part in a tournament like this where you have to be together for a month if you don’t try to have some fun then it can get monotonous and a bit wearing,” he added as rain and wind lashed the window.

“Of course when it comes to the matches and you are out there on the pitch you have to be totally focused on your work. “You can’t joke around then as you can pay for it by con-

ceding a goal.” Pique is having to shoulder more responsibility in the Spanish team in the absence of his injured Barcelona team mate, the experienced and respected Carles Puyol. Puyol’s position in the centre of defence has been filled by Sergio Ramos, who played at right back during Spain’s triumphant World Cup campaign in 2010 but has now switched to the middle for both Real Madrid and his country. The pairing of Pique and Ramos, whose clubs are bitter rivals, prompted mutterings about a prickly relationship but Pique dismissed the idea out of hand. “It is working out really well,” he said, pointing to the fact that Spain have only conceded one goal in their four matches at Euro 2012. “It’s true that we miss Puyi but Sergio is a player with a great deal of quality. “With every match we are improving as a partnership and we are getting to know each other better all the time. I think the defence in general has been excellent.” Pique and his team mates are busy preparing for Wednesday’s semi-final against Iberian neighbours Portugal, whom they knocked out of the 2010 World Cup at the last 16 stage with a 1-0 success. The last time they faced each other, however, in a friendly in Lisbon, Portugal romped to a 4-0 victory and Pique said Spain were looking to learn the lessons from that humiliating reverse. “It’s not that it hurts still but it’s certainly a game we need to keep in mind,” he said. “They did a lot of things right and we did not so we need to analyse that.—Reuters

KRAKOW: Unfancied and unloved, England arrived at Euro 2012 written off by many of their own supporters, but their solid defensive displays and stubborn team unity earned grudging respect even if they did little to set pulses racing.

Beaten only once, and then on penalties, England were finally, but deservedly, eliminated 4-2 in the shootout by a superior Italy team after riding their luck in a goalless draw at the end of extra-time in Sunday’s quarter-final in Kiev.

Having slogged through a 1-1 draw with France and then overcome Sweden 3-2 with a late goal before beating co-hosts Ukraine 10 in demanding Group D games that stretched them to their limits, it was clear England exceeded expectations.

But their dignity under duress and the promise of a clutch of younger players introduced by new manager Roy Hodgson should ensure he continues to retain the confidence of the squad and is afforded cordial treatment by the media.

Two years on from England’s sorry exit at the 2010 World Cup finals, when they left Rustenberg in disarray after a 4-1 thumping by Germany, Hodgson should take satisfaction from steadying what appeared to be a rocking, if not mutinous, ship.

Former manager Fabio Capello’s lack of command of the English language and the complex relations within the group had left Hodgson, appointed on May 1, with an awkward task and a need to make several difficult decisions.

He took on the challenge and made his calls with shrewdness and courage, backing selections like defenders Glen Johnson and John Terry against the views of his critics.

Their performances, and those of the squad in general including newcomers like forward Danny

Welbeck, justified Hodgson’s choices, even if they lacked inspiration thanks to the dearth of imaginative, creative players.

Not even the return of rusty striker Wayne Rooney, who was

with a resounding vote of confidence, before choosing to depart in February this year.

Given that backdrop, and only two warm-up games, Hodgson did much as expected by sticking to a

WARSAW: An England soccer fan reacts during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between England and Italy.—AP suspended for the opening two group games, could inject any vim into a blunt attack and dull team. It is unlikely that injured absentees like midfielders Jack Wilshere or Frank Lampard would have made much difference.

After the 2010 World Cup, Capello’s future was called into doubt but he was retained, if not

pragmatic and defensive approach as England went unbeaten, barring Sunday’s penalty loss, through their first six games under his control.

For Hodgson, the greatest problem - and biggest challenge - is to find gifted, dynamic midfield players so that, if England qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals, they can

go to Brazil and play football that is brighter than the turgid, industrial game on display at Euro 2012.

England showed they have a fine goalkeeper in Joe Hart, can defend stoutly and are well-organised, but they rarely crossed the halfway line with distinction or purpose and, overall, demonstrated a lamentable lack of technique and passing ability.

In four games, they failed to enjoy even 50 percent of the possession - statistics that prove England are unable to retain the ball because their passing and technical levels are inferior to their rivals.

Hodgson knows and understands the problem, but believes that in time the squad can improve sufficiently to make an impression at a tournament and enjoy a significant knockout victory against a major rival nation for the first time since 1966.

“It’s only a matter of time,” he said. “If this group of players continue to show the same degree of determination and will to be a team, and work so hard as a team, we’ve got quality players who can come into the squad who will add to the competition.

“So I’m convinced it won’t be that long before we beat a top nation. We had our chance... We came close to taking it, but not quite.

“I think we’ve got to keep building on the work we’ve done at this tournament and make sure that the good things remain and we work on some of the things we could have done a little bit better.”

He knows he will also be heavily reliant on English football’s new national training centre at St George’s Park for a long-awaited change in basic attitudes and expectations - and a supply of more technically accomplished players.—Reuters

Portugal, how many players in the team?

WARSAW: Headlines can be deceiving, especially those involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.

Ronaldo’s goals have won consecutive matches at the European Championship, sending Portugal into Wednesday’s semifinals against Spain. So readers would be forgiven for thinking there was only one player in the team.

After a faltering start to the tournament, the Real Madrid star rediscovered his scoring touch in the team’s final group game, knocking in both goals in an impressive 2-1 comeback victory over the Netherlands.

Between the expert finishing and the carefully styled haircut, it was a typical showman’s performance. A display that will have delighted his Twitter followers, who number nearly 11 million, and that was delivered despite taunts of “Messi, Messi, Messi” - his Barcelona rival - from the Dutch fans.

What’s more, it also seemed to liberate him from past tournament failures and remind him, as if the former Manchester United winger needed it, that he is one of the most prolific scorers in club football.

Ronaldo followed up with arguably an even more commanding performance against the Czech Republic, hitting the post twice before heading home the only goal in a hopelessly one-sided quarterfinal match.

Worshipped by fans, admired by teammates and respected by opponents, the 27-year-old Ronaldo has predictably been singled out for praise by everybody at the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine. Except by the man who, maybe, matters most: his coach. After beating a Netherlands side that had reached the World Cup final two years ago, Paulo Bento pointedly played down Ronaldo’s exploits. Post-match, the very first question was whether Bento felt Ronaldo’s performance against the Dutch had answered critics who believe he can’t play as well for Portugal as he does for Real Madrid.

Given an open invitation to heap praise on his star player, Bento turned it down flat.

“No, this is a topic that has been discussed excessively,” Bento said. “You’re comparing a player’s performance for his club and his performance for the national team. I think we’ve had enough of that.

Right now, above all else, we’re happy and proud of what we’ve done as a team.”

It was a similar story after Ronaldo’s one-man show against the Czechs. “He has jobs to do within a collective dynamic,” Bento said. “He scored once, but had other chances. I believe we should not reduce our match analysis to the performance of only one player.” The point that Bento is trying to make is that Ronaldo, for all his prodigious talent, relies on the

service of his teammates to make things happen.

And the winner against the Czechs was a case in point. Attacking midfielder Joao Moutinho turned in a superb performance throughout the game, with the high point coming in the 79th minute with a surging run and teasing cross that Ronaldo pounced on.

Raul Meireles has also worked hard down the middle to keep the supply line open to a player who scored 60 goals for the Spanish champions last season, while Nani has chipped in from the flanks.

Clearly, there are 10 other names on the team sheet. But there is no avoiding the conclusion that Portugal simply wouldn’t be where they are now without Ronaldo. As Czech Republic coach Michal Bilek is well aware, all teams have decent forwards.

“It’s just that Ronaldo is better. He can play with his head, with both feet,” Bilek said. “That decided the match.” Fear is a weapon in any sport and Ronaldo breeds it in opponents. For defenders, he is a waking nightmare simply because he is so hard to play against.

Try to take him on in a tackle and you risk being made a fool of or being left on your backside - an embarrassment that befell defender Gregory van der Wiel as Ronaldo scored his second against the Netherlands. —AP

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal prepare Spain ambush

Sri Lanka crush Pakistan

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

Indian hockey’s glorious past meets ambitious present

Page 16

WIMBLEDON: Russia’s Maria Sharapova plays a forehand shot during her first round women’s singles match against Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova on the first day of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament.—AFP

Venus crashes, Sharapova untroubled Djokovic, Federer advance at Wimbledon LONDON: Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams suffered her worst All England Club defeat in 15 years yesterday, but draw cards Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova powered into the second round.

Williams lost 6-1, 6-3 to 79th-ranked Russian Elena Vesnina in what was the 32-year-old’s first opening round loss since her 1997 debut.

But the former world number one-the champion in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008 — believes she can still compete at the top level despite her ranking having slipped to 58 after a six-month absence fighting serious illness. “There’s no way I will give up just because I have had a hard time in the first four or five friggin’ tournaments back.

That’s not me,” said a fiesty Williams at a post-match news conference.

When asked if she will play at Wimbledon in 2013, she was adamant. “Sure,” she said. “I don’t have time to be sorry for myself.” Yesterday’s defeat was just Williams’ fourth loss at the first round stage of a Grand Slam against 52 wins.

Vesnina, who had lost in the first round of nine of her last 10 Grand Slam appearances, will next face Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska who enjoyed a 6-3, 6-3 win over Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova. While Williams was heading for the exit, another crowd favourite, Kim Clijsters, was rolling back the years with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Serbian 18th seed Jelena Jankovic. Clijsters, unseeded this year and playing her last Wimbledon before retirement, will face Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic.

The 29-year-old Belgian, playing just her second event since March, was untroubled against the

error-plagued, former world number one Jankovic who lost in the first round for a second successive year. “When I saw the draw I knew it was going to be a tough one but at the same time I really looked forward to playing her,” said Clijsters, after her eighth win in nine meetings with Jankovic.

Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam with victory at the French Open, eased past Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova 6-2, 6-3. Sharapova, the 2004 champion, will face Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova, who reached the semi-finals in 2010.

Top seed Djokovic, opening business on Centre Court, reached the second round with a 6-3, 6-3, 61 win over Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Djokovic, 25, playing for the first time since his French Open final defeat to Rafael Nadal, will next face America’s Ryan Harrison. “It’s a very unique

feeling to walk out first on Centre Court,” said Djokovic, whose hopes of becoming just the third man to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once were shattered by Nadal in Paris. “I think this is the only tournament that actually allows you to have information 12 months in advance when you’re playing.”

Third seed Federer beat Spain’s Albert Ramos 61, 6-1, 6-1, taking just 79 minutes to kick off his bid for a record-equalling seventh title.

The six-time champion, and record 16-time Grand Slam title winner, will face colourful Italian Fabio Fognini for a place in the last 32.

Federer, shunted out on to Court One for his 2012 opener, fired down nine aces in his straightforward win over left-hander Albert Ramos, the world number 43 who has never won a match on grass. Federer, without a Grand Slam title since the

Lochte, Phelps set up first trials duel OMAHA: Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte set up their first duel at the US Olympic swimming trials yesterday as they qualified for the final of the 400m individual medley.

Phelps, whose unprecedented eight gold medals at the Beijing Games gave him 14 Olympic titles, has won the event at each of the last two Olympics and still owns the world record of 4min 03.84sec that he set at the Water Cube in 2008.

He clocked a sedate 4:14.72 to win his heat, while Lochte, the reigning world champion in the event, won his heat in 4:10.66.

Lochte, however, said the four-second gap would mean nothing in yesterday’s late final. “I think that’s the easiest 4:14 he’s ever done,” Lochte said of Phelps. “He looked really smooth. Tonight’s going to be a dogfight-and it ’s not just me and M ichael, there’s Tyler Clary, too.”

Clary, who claimed silver behind Lochte at last year ’s World Championships in Shanghai, won his heat in 4:15.88, the fourth-fastest time of the morning. Chase Kalisz, swimming next to training partner Phelps, was third-quickest in 4:15.78.

Phelps didn’t swim the 400m medley in Shanghai. After Beijing, he said he wouldn’t swim the punishing event again in major international competition.

Some solid performances at Grand Prix meetings this season, particularly a strong

2010 Australian Open, is bidding to equal Pete Sampras’s record of seven Wimbledon titles.

But he has fallen in the quarter-finals in the last two years, losing from two sets to love up for the first time in his career in 2011 when he went down to France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Djokovic and Federer then saw two dangerous rivals knocked out of their section of the draw.

Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, the 2010 runner-up, slumped to a 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) to Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, the world number 87. Gulbis will tackle either Italy’s Simone Bolelli or Jerzy Janowicz of Poland for a place in the last 32.

American 11th seed John Isner, who famously won the longest match in history at Wimbledon two years ago, went down 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 75 to Colombia’s Alejandro Falla, the world 73.—AFP

Gatlin secures London return ahead of Gay

OMAHA: Ryan Lochte swims in the men’s 400-meter individual medley preliminaries at the US Olympic swimming trials. —AP

mid-season swim in Indianapolis in March, prompted him to reconsider. “We’ll know more tonight if it was a good decision,” said Phelps’s coach Bob Bowman.

“It was all right,” Phelps said of his preliminary performance, noting it was about a second slower than the 4:13.43 he clocked in the heats of the 2008 Olympic trials. “It felt fairly relaxed.” Clar y, who had said he expected Phelps to forego the event, now must beat either Phelps or Lochte to secure a London berth. Only the top two finishers in each event book tickets to the Games.

“It did come as a surprise, but it doesn’t change my game plan going into tonight,” he said. “It will definitely be a more interesting race now.” Dana Vollmer, keen to erase

the disappointment of her disastrous 2008 trials, led the way into the semi-finals of the women’s 100m butterfly in an impressive 56.59sec.

Vollmer won the 100m fly world title at Shanghai last year, but in returning to Omaha she returned to the scene of bitter disappointment in 2008, when she finished fifth in the 100m fly and seventh in the 200m free and failed to make the Beijing team-four years after she earned relay gold as a teenager in Athens. “I knew coming into this meet I feel better than I did at worlds,” Vollmer said. “I knew I needed to get the first race in and I’d be less ner vous. I t felt smoother and easier than I expected that time to feel.”—AFP

EUGENE: Justin Gatlin is back. So is Tyson Gay. Eight years after winning Olympic gold and two years after concluding a doping ban, Gatlin secured his return to the Games by running an eye-catching 9.80 seconds to win the 100 metres at the US Olympic trials on Sunday.

It was the second fastest time of the year after Usain Bolt’s 9.76 seconds and a personal best for the 30-year-old Gatlin, whose previous quickest time was the 9.85 he ran to win gold in Athens.

Gay, coming back from hip surgery after nearly a year off the track, also looked ready to take on the world’s best in London as he clocked 9.86 for second.

“Everything seems so surreal,” a smiling Gatlin, dressed in a red Team USA uniform, told reporters. “I just went out there and gave it my all.” His start was not the greatest but by 35 metres Gatlin looked like the runner of old as he turned on his speed with Gay close behind. “His execution down the track was almost flawless,” said his coach, retired sprinter Dennis Mitchell. It left Gatlin confident he could win another gold in London ahead of the likes of Jamaica’s world record holder Bolt and world champion Yohan Blake.

“I think I can go faster ... enough to win the gold,” Gatlin said. Gay had one word to describe his emotions. “Bittersweet,” he said. “I always like to win. I came in second, but I guess at the end of the day it was about making the team, so I got to make I sure I turn this little bit of frown into a happy face.

“For me to start training in March and make the team is a beautiful accomplishment.”

Ryan Bailey claimed the third spot in 9.93 while 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Walter

Dix finished last in 10.95 as leg problems continued to hamper him.

The sprint came after LaShawn Merritt and Sanya Richards-Ross had delivered the fastest 400 metres times of the year.

Olympic champion Merritt, who has also served a doping ban since his Beijing triumph, romped home in 44.12 seconds to defeat collegiate winner Tony McQuay and Bryshon Nellum, who four years ago was shot in both legs. McQuay ran 44.49 and Nellum finished in 44.80. Athens Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner was a well-beaten sixth in 45.24.

Not to be outdone by the men, former world champion Richards-Ross breezed home in 49.28 seconds in the women’s race. She outran Dee Dee Trotter (50.02) and Francena McCorory (50.43).

In the field, Reese Hoffa popped the longest shot put of the outdoor season to pace the always tough squad for the Games.

The former world champion hit a worldleading 22.00 metres on his third attempt to outdistance world indoor champion Ryan Whiting and Olympic silver medallist Christian Cantwell. Whiting threw 21.66 and Cantwell 21.28. Olympic medallists Stephanie Brown Trafton and Jenn Suhr also booked return trips to the Olympics in women’s field events.

Surprise 2008 gold medallist Brown Trafton dominated the discus, closing out the competition with a throw of 65.18 metres.

Suhr, the Beijing silver medallist, cleared 4.60 metres in the pole vault. The trials select the US team for the London Games and only the top three finishers in each event book a spot provided they meet the qualifying standard.—Reuters

Qatar sees 2013 growth as slowest in decade Page 22

US consumer confidence falls in second quarter Page 23

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

India efforts to prop up rupee fail Page 25

The new Mercedes-Benz SL now available in Kuwait PAGE 26

LUXEMBOURG: (From left) Belgium’s Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec, Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Marga and Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn share a word during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg yesterday.—AP

EU affirms Iran oil embargo from July 1 Govts reject Greece push for exemptions LUXEMBOURG: EU governments yesterday formally approved an embargo on Iranian oil to start on July 1, dismissing calls by debt-ridden Greece for possible exemptions to help ease its economic crisis.

They also warned Iran that more pressure could be put in place if it continued to defy international demands for limits on its nuclear program, which they say is geared to developing weapons. The Islamic Republic says its nuclear activity is for electricity production and other peaceful ends only.

“It is important that the Iranian leaders understand the resolve of the countries of the European Union on this,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

“We will go on intensifying the economic pressure until the world can be satisfied that Iran’s nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.”

Greece had pushed for a delay in

the implementation of the EU ban originally drafted in January - because it relies heavily on Iranian crude oil to meet its energy needs. Tehran has offered preferential credit terms to debt-stricken Athens. At a meeting in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers said that the embargo would go ahead as planned, although they pledged to review its implementation in the future to ensure European governments retain sufficient access to crude. “There is no change in terms of how we’re going forward on July 1,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on the sidelines of the meeting. “The sanctions that have been agreed will be implemented.”

Ashton said European governments hoped diplomacy could resolve the nuclear standoff soon, but they would keep sanctions against Iran under constant review and could crank up pressure.

“My ambition, my real ambition, is

to try to resolve this as quickly as possible. We look for what further pressure were are able to do and these discussions continue pretty much consistently, to persuade Iran to come and negotiate with us.”

A new package of financial sanctions by the United States comes into effect later this week. In the short term, six world powers that negotiate with Iran under Ashton’s leadership want Tehran to stop enriching uranium to a fissile level close to that needed to produce material for nuclear bombs. But diplomatic efforts to solve the decade-long standoff faltered at a round of talks between Iran and the powers - United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany - in Moscow this month, and Israel has renewed threats to attack Iran if it fails to rein in its nuclear work.

International pressure has already inflicted damage to the Iranian economy. The International Energy Agency

Thomson Reuters buys ME info firm Zawya DUBAI: Thomson Reuters Corp has bought privately held Zawya Ltd, an online service supplying business information in the Middle East and North Africa, the global news and information provider said yesterday.

Zawya provides profiles of companies in the region, real-time news and research and an online network for professionals. It has a partnership with Dow Jones Newswires, part of News Corp, to distribute the news agency’s content. Basil Moftah, Thomson Reuters managing director for the Middle East, said there were no plans to end the Zawya-Dow Jones arrange-

ment. He noted that Thomson Reuters had a worldwide agreement to distribute Dow Jones news through its terminals.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Zawya shares were purchased from a group of shareholders led by Saffar, a Dubaibased investment group, Thomson Reuters said.

Thomson Reuters, which provides news and information to financial, legal, accounting and healthcare professionals, has about 600 employees in the Middle East and North Africa.

Zawya employs 200 people, mainly in Dubai and Beirut.— Reuters

S&P puts Egypt rating on CreditWatch negative NEW YORK: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s placed Egypt’s long-term sovereign ratings on CreditWatch negative yesterday, citing worries about the transition from the previously deposed authoritarian regime.

“In Egypt, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has recently taken steps to consolidate its position of power, a move opposed by other political groups,” S&P noted in a statement. The agency rates the country as B. “We now believe that a protracted, and possibly volatile, transition from the authoritarian regime deposed in January 2011 is more likely,” the statement added.

Moody’s Investors Service rates Egypt B2 while Fitch rates Egypt B-plus. Islamist Mohamed Morsy

was declared Egypt’s first freely elected president on Sunday, sparking joy among his Muslim Brotherhood supporters, who vowed to wrest more power from armed forces reluctant to cede ultimate control. The election decision ended a week of disputes over the count in the poll to replace Hosni Mubarak, pushed aside by his fellow officers 16 months ago to appease the Arab Spring revolution. “The CreditWatch placement reflects our view that we may lower the long-term ratings over the next three months if, among other factors, we think Egypt’s main political factions are unwilling or unable to compromise sufficiently on political decisions that would reduce pressures on fiscal and external indicators,” S&P said. —Reuters

says its crude exports have fallen by some 40 percent this year.

Europe was a major client for Iranian oil, but under the sanctions regime agreed in January EU governments have stopped signing new contracts for Iranian crude. Available data show deliveries virtually dried up in May and June. Greece has lobbied other EU governments to allow purchases under previously signed deals after July 1, or to provide Athens with credit guarantees that would help it to buy crude elsewhere. These requests have been rejected, diplomats said.

The British government has also pushed for exemptions on the provision of insurance on Iranian crude, sold to countries outside of Europe, but has dropped such calls in the run-up to the July deadline.

The vast majority of the world’s oil tanker insurance is sold by British firms. — Reuters

Islamic private banking set to grow: StanChart DUBAI: Islamic private banking looks set for strong growth in the Middle East, Standard Chartered Plc’s head of private banking ex-Asia said yesterday.

From a current very low base, private banking services adhering to Islamic principles will grow to between 20 and 25 percent of new wealth management business within two or three years, said Stephen Richards Evans, head of private banking for Europe, Middle East, Africa, South Asia and the Americas. Richards Evans was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the bank’s Islamic private banking service.

While Islamic finance has drawn increased focus in recent years as financial institutions attempt to tap into heightened wealth in areas such as the Gulf, the development of private banking products in the area has been slow due to the complexities of ensuring compliance with Islamic principles.

“At the minute, the end-to-end Islamic offering is quite limited,” Wasim Saifi, global head of Islamic consumer banking at StanChart, told a press conference yesterday.

“This is not the end offering but part of the journey and as we go forward, our offering will be strengthened as our customers’ needs are identified.” Standard Chartered had around $50 billion of assets under management globally at the end of 2011, Richards Evans said, though he declined to say how much of this was in the Middle East.

“We don’t give the number, but we have approximately 60 relationship managers covering the Middle East, so assuming that the average relationship manager has something like $160 to $180 million, you can extrapolate,” he said, which would equate to between $9.6 billion and $10.8 billion. —Reuters

Egypt surges after election results, Gulf stocks slip MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS CAIRO/DUBAI: Egyptian shares made their largest one-day gain in more than nine years after the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi was named as the country’s first freely elected president, while most Gulf markets slipped amid weak global cues.

Cairo’s index surged 7.6 percent, its largest single-day rise since Feb. 2003, after Mursi’s win was announced on Sunday, which boosted hopes for a violence-free transition from army rule.

Yestrday’s rally is also the fourth biggest gain in the index’s 14 year history. Traders, however, were cautious, saying the market euphoria could quickly evaporate if the new president cannot form a government with broad political support. “I wouldn’t judge the market on one day.

Let’s wait for the rest of the week. One more speech and the market could drop,” said Osama Mourad, CEO of Arab Finance Brokerage.

The market fell 10 percent over the course of the election on fears it could be derailed or marred by violence. But voting and the announcement of Mursi’s win against Ahmed Shafik, ousted leader Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister, passed off peacefully. “The market is celebrating the lack of violence around this result,” said Mourad. “The market was afraid of clashes on the streets.”

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, the index fell 0.9 percent in its third straight loss as weak global markets and declines in oil prices weighed on sentiment.

It trimmed year-to-date gains to 4.1 percent, losing most of the 23.8 percent surge during January and early April. “The news internationally continues to be bad and there are demand concerns from Western and emerging markets, which are causing investor fear,” said Muhammad Faisal Potrik, research analyst at Riyad Capital.

Equities hit a one-week low and Spanish borrowing costs rose yesterday as investors worried that policymakers at a European summit this week would make little progress in solving the debt crisis that is hurting world economic growth. Brent crude fell briefly below $90, with concerns about faltering global growth hitting investor confidence.

Analysts expect lower petrochemical prices for the quarter to weigh on upcoming earnings of related stocks, but impact will be mitigated by lower feedstock prices available for Saudi companies.

Petrochemical stocks fell with bellwether Saudi Basic Industries Corp and Saudi Kayan Petrochemical down 1.1 and 1 percent respectively.

Newly-listed Alinma Tokio Marine dropped 8.4 percent on the second day of trading after its share price jumped to as much as 100 riyals on Sunday, compared to a 10 riyals initial public offer price.

Elsewhere, UAE bourses ended mixed as volumes in Abu Dhabi slumped to a one-week low and Qatar closed flat as investors were little encouraged to increase risk. Dubai’s index slipped 0.3 percent, moving within a range of 80 for the past six weeks. Abu Dhabi’s index ticked up 0.3 percent. “Gulf markets have been inflicted with the summer lull there’s a clear lack of direction despite some improvements in Greece’s debt situation,” said Sleiman Aboulhosn, assistant fund manager at Al Masah Capital. Leaders of the three parties in Greece’s government will go to Brussels to try to win concessions from European partners over a bailout package as soon as Prime Minister Antonis Samaras recovers from eye surgery, one of them said yesterday.

In Kuwait, the index fell 0.7 percent, slumping to a fresh five-month low ahead of news the government had resigned. The government submitted its resignation to the country’s ruler yesterday, a government source said, deepening a political crisis in the major oil exporter and US ally. Last week a constitutional court ruling dissolved the 50-member parliament and reinstated the previous assembly. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

BUSINESS

Qatar sees 2013 growth as slowest in decade State to continue heavy investments DOHA: Qatar expects its economic growth will slow to 4.5 percent in 2013, the weakest rate in a decade, but the tiny Gulf Arab state plans to continue heavy investment in its non-hydrocarbon sector, the state planning authority said yesterday.

OPEC member Qatar’s oil and gas-reliant economy has been surging at a break-neck, double-digit pace for the past six years as the country has become the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, but it is expected to decelerate as the impact of two decades of gas output expansion fades.

The General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) sees inflation-adjusted gross domestic product growth easing to 6.2 percent in 2012 from 14.0 percent last year. The weakening global growth outlook and the euro zone debt crisis pose a risk to Qatar as they are affecting oil prices.

“While the (euro) bloc’s problems may seem remote from Qatar, an unexpected weakening of oil prices risks reducing the resources available to the state,” the GSDP said.

Worsening global economy prospects have already knocked crude oil prices down $35 from March highs to around $90 per barrel, near the lowest levels since December 2010.

The International Monetary Fund said in January, after concluding regular consultations with Qatar, that its government had ade-

quate financial cushions to mitigate potential risks. “4.5 percent is a bit below our expectations, but is still a fairly healthy number,” said Paul Gamble, head of research at Jadwa Investment in Riyadh. Qatar, which has avoided the social unrest that rocked the Arab world last year, plans to boost government spending by 27 percent to $49 billion in the fiscal year that began in April.

It plans to invest about $130 billion in its non-hydrocarbon sector in 2012-2018, the GSDP said. Infrastructure spending should average more than 10 percent of GDP ahead of the 2022 soccer World Cup. “We anticipate robust activity in the construction sector, primed by Qatar’s infrastructure spending plans. This is likely to peak around 2015, so we are still very much in the development phase,” Frank Harrigan, director of the GSDP’s Economic Development department, told a news conference.

“Over the longer term, there are opportunities in the downstream hydrocarbon sector, but these investments are still very much in the planning stage. By 2020 we will see a more significant presence in downstream petrochemical projects than today.”

In September, Qatar raised basic salaries and social benefits for state civilian employees by 60 percent, while military staff received 50-120 percent increases.

Despite increased spending, the Gulf Arab

country’s government budget should show a comfortable surplus of 7.8 percent of GDP in the 2012 calendar year, although GSDP forecasts it to fall to 4.8 percent in 2013. Inflation in Qatar, which pegs its riyal to the US dollar, should edge higher and float between 2 and 3 percent in 2012 and 2013, the GSDP said. It has been hovering just above 1 percent since the start of 2012 due to weakness in the property sector.

“Inflationary pressures are expected to remain tame in 2012 and 2013,” the GSDP said.

“Excess supply in the residential rental market looks set to continue and - in a context of anemic global demand - non-fuel global commodity prices seem unlikely to stoke imported inflation,” it said.

Only 250,000 of Qatar’s 1.7 million population are Qatar citizens, the rest being foreign workers and professionals.

Construction ahead of the 2022 World Cup is likely to boost the number of low-skilled workers from the Indian sub-continent, but as they remit much of their income overseas the increase in their numbers is unlikely to create inflation pressure.

“The pressures they will create on the economy will be very different than that of a professional workforce. We don’t see acute inflationary pressures arising from this source,” Harrigan said. — Reuters

Abu Dhabi SWF sees value in emerging equities DUBAI: Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the cash-rich emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, expects emerging market stocks to outperform in the long-term and said it took a “selective” approach in deploying money at its fixed income unit in 2011.

ADIA, whose assets range from Citigroup bonds to a stake in Britain’s Gatwick airport, said high volatility in emerging market stocks had more to do with increased risk aversion among investors than fundamental concerns.

“Looking forward, it is likely that such volatility will decline over time as investors gain confidence in the ability of emerging markets to manage the various challenges they face and begin to focus more on economic fundamentals,” the fund said in its 2011 review.

The sovereign wealth fund, among the world’s largest, expects central banks in large emerging economies such as China and India to use monetary polic y to thwar t inflationar y pressures, a factor it thinks will improve market valuations.

ADIA does not disclose its assets but analysts estimate it

has $400-$800 billion under management. MSCI’s emerging equities index, the market benchmark, has been relatively flat in 2012 after falling 20.4 percent last year on concerns global growth would slow, mainly due to the debt crisis in Europe.

ADIA said its fixed income department had operated in a challenging environment in 2011, and had readjusted its portfolio positioning to counter the sell-off in developed markets. It did not disclose whether it had reduced its European exposure as the debt crisis in the region rumbled on.

“It (the fixed income department) took a selective approach in deploying capital by giving careful consideration to the increased level of risks in government bond markets,” ADIA said.

Other sovereign wealth funds have been reviewing their European holdings in light of the crisis, now in its third year.

China’s $410 billion fund China Investment Corp has cut its stock and bond investments in Europe because it sees rising risks of a euro zone breakup, the fund’s chairman was quoted as

saying in an interview published earlier in June.

ADIA has been beefing up its private equity department and hired Christophe Florin to head its emerging markets private

equity team in May. In 2011, ADIA restructured its external equities department, separating indexed funds from active funds as part of a more focused strategy. —Reuters

CAIRO: Traders work at the Egyptian stock exchange building in central Cairo yesterday a day after Islamist Mohamed Morsi was elected the country’s first civilian president. — AFP

M Stanley upgrades Saudi Telecom to overweight RIYADH: Morgan Stanley said it expects Saudi Telecom Co’s (STC ) earnings momentum to improve as domestic revenues stabilize, and upgraded the stock saying the company could boost dividend payout as early as next year.

Morgan Stanley upgraded STC, the Gulf’s No.1 telecoms operator, to “overweight” from “equal-weight” and raised its price target on the stock to 48 riyals from 39 riyals.

“The stock has two potential positive drivers: solid earnings momentum surprising the market, and room to increase the dividend payout as core free cash flow has improved”, Morgan Stanley wrote in a note to clients.

Revenue at STC, which has operations across the Muslim world from

Bank Muscat plans share sale at 25% discount

Turkey to Indonesia but continues to earn the bulk of its revenue from its home market, could grow by 9 percent in 2012, it said.

STC posted a 60-percent increase in its first-quarter profit buoyed by soaring demand for broadband, and reported higher revenue at its mobile, fixed line, corporate and wholesale units.

Morgan Stanley retained Saudi Arabia’s Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) as its top pick, citing a combination of growing yield, solid earnings and attractive valuation.

Shares of STC, which remains majority government-owned nearly a decade after its partial privatization, were trading slightly down at 39.20 riyals at 1010 GMT yesterday. — Reuters

UAE mall developer MAF picks banks for bond

DUBAI: Bank Muscat, Oman’s largest lender, is planning to offer new shares to existing holders at a 25 percent discount to raise capital to fund its credit growth and venture into Islamic finance.

The bank, in which Dubai Financial Group has a 14.7 percent stake, will raise 96.7 million rials ($251.17 million) from the rights issue, a company document seen by Reuters showed. As part of the issue, Bank Muscat is offering 226.5 million shares at 0.427 rials per share, the document said.

The lender’s shares closed at 0.57 rials Sunday on the Muscat bourse. Rights issues are generally sold to current shareholders at a nominal discount. Proceeds from the sale will be used to fund the bank’s credit expansion and future foray into Islamic finance, the document said.

“The additional capital will also strengthen the capital adequacy of the issuer and enable readiness for adoption of Basel III when introduced,” the document stated. While lenders in neighboring Gulf states have ramped up sharia-compliant services in recent years, Oman has stood out by refusing to participate in the industry. The central bank reversed that stance last year, partly to prevent the outflow of Islamic funds. Bank Muscat intends to set up a sharia-compliant banking arm to offer Islamic services, it said in December. Bank Muscat posted a 20-percent growth in first-quarter net profit in April thanks to increased lending and a drop in impairments. — Reuters

DUBAI: UAE mall developer Majid Al Futtaim Holding (MAF) has picked banks to arrange investor meetings ahead of a potential second bond issue this year, lead managers said yesterday.

MAF, the sole franchisee of French hypermarket chain Carrefour will meet investors in Singapore and London starting June 26 following which the company may issue a dollar-denominated bond, subject to market conditions. JP Morgan Chase, National Bank of Abu Dhabi , Barclays Plc, Standard Chartered Plc and UBS AG have been mandated to arrange roadshows.

Any eventual bond will be under MAF’s $2 billion medium term notes program, which was set up last year.

Due to market volatility, MAF, a rare example of an investment-grade fully corporate bond issuer from the region, decided to hold off on a debut conven-

tional offering under the program last year and instead opted for an Islamic bond in January. It raised $400 million from a 5-year bond which priced at 5.85 percent. The sukuk was bid well above par at just under 106.5 cents to the dollar on Friday, to yield 4.3 percent, indicating a healthy level of investor interest in the paper.

MAF, which is seen as more price sensitive than other regional issuers, will be hoping to take advantage of a recent rally on Gulf bonds, particularly the high grade paper and Dubai names which has resulted in narrowing spreads and possibly more appealing pricing.

The company agreed terms for a $500 million loan to fund a shopping centre in Egypt where the mall developer had to take writedowns after Arab Spring protests, its chief executive said in March. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4340000 .3480000 .2900000 .2710000 .2790000 .0040000 .0020000 .0759320 .7397840 .3830000 .0710000 .7252260 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2789500 GB Pound/KD .4336000 Euro .3482270 Swiss francs .2899840 Canadian dollars .2711670 Danish Kroner .0468470 Swedish Kroner .0395190 Australian dlr .2789220 Hong Kong dlr .0359500 Singapore dlr .2173350 Japanese yen .0034950 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0759770 Bahraini dinars .7402150 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0744070 Omani riyals .7248280 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

.2830000 .4430000 .3570000 .3000000 .2790000 .2870000 .0070000 .0035000 .0766950 .7472190 .4010000 .0770000 .7325140 .0072000 .0500000 .2825500 .4391960 .3527210 .2937260 .2746670 .0474520 .0400290 .2825220 .0364140 .2201400 .0035400 .0049760 .0021260 .0030030 .0034670 .0769580 .7497680 .3996460 .0753670 .7341820 .0066720

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

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

48.200 728.220 3.130 6.820 77.550 74.850 221.380 36.210 2.671 440.700 41.100 296.900 4.300 9.240 198.263 76.440 280.700 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,655.410

Sterling Pound US Dollar

728.040 2.980 6.610 77.120 74.850 221.380 36.210 2.110 438.700 296.400 4.300 9.020 76.340 280.300

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 438.700 280.300

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

SELL CASH

SELL DRAFT

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

285.800 745.580 3.660 277.300 550.600 45.700 48.400 167.800 48.040 356.500 36.830 5.200 0.032 0.160 0.235 3.650 397.300 0.190 91.680 44.300 4.310 225.400 1.816

284.300 746.580 3.425 275.800

221.400 46.310 355.000 36.680 5.930 0.030

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

283.26 277.39 298.34 355.83 280.25 438.67 3.61 3.428 5.027 2.127 3.155 2.978 76.37 746.22 46.37 399.27 729.38 77.39 74.94

SELL CASH

283.00 277.00 295.00 356.00 281.50 438.00 3.65 3.550 5.200 2.400 3.700 3.200 77.00 746.00 47.75 397.50 732.50 77.75 75.25

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 397.200 0.189 91.680 3.100 223.900

Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

280.000 278.235 441.295 355.410

295.990 741.285 76.210 76.855 74.625 394.140 46.352 2.110 5.011 2.987 3.422 6.640 686.835 4.545 8.980 5.895 3.220 88.355

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL COUNTRY

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

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 Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

280.000 2.980 5.019 2.115 3.419 6.685 76.335 74.820 744.400 46.272 448.800 2.990 1.550 360.600 280.500 3.190

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

280.600 354.450 439.700 275.750 3.555 4.940 46.360 2.107 3.417 6.600 2.973 746.900 76.400 74.900

*Rates are subject to change

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

BUSINESS

US consumer confidence falls in second quarter Slow job growth, euro crisis make Americans cautious LONDON: US consumer confidence fell in the second quarter from early this year as slowing employment growth and an escalating euro zone crisis made Americans more cautious about the economic outlook, a survey showed yesterday.

Consumer sentiment in the world’s biggest economy fell by 5 points in the second quarter from the first quarter to 87, according to a quarterly survey by global information and insights company Nielsen, conducted May 4-21. A reading below 100 indicates consumers are pessimisticabout the economic outlook for the coming months.

Only 34 percent of Americans were optimistic about their job prospects for the next six months, compared with 38 percent in a survey in the first quarter, the survey showed. Thirty three percent said now was not a good time to buy things they needed, down from 38 percent in the first-quarter survey.

TOKYO: A businessman checks a securities firm’s electronic stock board in Tokyo yesterday. Asian stocks mostly drifted lower yesterday as investors grew cautious ahead of a critical European Union summit later this week where Greek leaders will attempt to renegotiate some terms of the country’s international bailout. — AP

Troubled RBS bank hit by severe computer glitch LONDON: State-rescued Royal Bank of Scotland battled yesterday to repair an already battered reputation as it struggled to fix a week-old computer glitch that has affected millions of customers.

Faced with a huge backlog of unprocessed transactions, RBS said “1,200 branches” across Britain would stay open longer than usual up until late on Friday.

Problems with the bank’s payment processing software left customers at the bank and at RBS-owned lenders NatWest and Ulster Bank unable to pay bills, access accounts and receive wages.

“We’re making progress in putting things right,” RBS said in a statement issued yesterday Monday, while customers vented their anger on social networking sites. “We have arranged for our customers to be advanced cash in our branches when they were missing payments and had no available funds,” the bank added.

RBS chief executive Stephen Hester meanwhile insisted that a corner had been turned in the bank’s attempt to sort out the mess, adding that senior executives would face “proper accountability” over the fiasco. “We’re well on the road to recovery. Fingers crossed all the bugs have been got out but we feel a corner has been turned,” Hester told Sky News television.

An RBS spokesman had already said that a “large majority ” of the three lenders’ combined 15 million personal banking customers had been affected by the IT meltdown.

In a separate statement yesterday, NatWest apologized for causing “an unacceptable level of inconvenience.”

Ulster Bank, which serves clients in Northern Ireland, said on its website that about 80 branches would have extended opening hours. “We recognize this is an unacceptable inconvenience and we

want to reassure our customers that if they experience bank charges as a result of this issue they will be refunded. Once again we would like to unreservedly apologize,” Ulster Bank added.

Hester had issued a public apology on Saturday and admitted that customers had been let down.

Despite the banks’ moves, some customers were unforgiving. “Goodbye NatWest, from a customer of 25 years’ standing,” read one comment posted yesterday on Twitter. Parent group RBS is 82-percent owned by the British government after a massive bailout in the wake of the global financial crisis.

But it is still struggling to repair itself and last month posted a first quarter net loss of £1.52 billion (1.87 billion euros, $2.46 billion), almost three times the amount posted a year earlier. Amid public anger over a raft of poor results, Hester waived his latest annual bonus of shares worth £963,000, which had been due on top of his £1.2 million salary for his work in 2011. RBS last week meanwhile said it planned to axe 618 jobs at its department offering financial advice to customers, on top of 35,000 posts axed by the group since the 2008 financial crisis. “Unfortunately for RBS the damage is irreparable for the customers that they will lose as a result (of the glitch) and the problems will only feed anti-banking rhetoric further,” said Simon Denham, head of Capital Spreads trading group.

Investec bank analyst Ian Gordon said the fiasco could cost RBS dearly.

“I would estimate that the cost could run into the tens of millions of pounds,” he said. “If you ask about the reputation damage, that is harder,” to estimate. RBS shares were down 3.29 percent at 235.3 pence on London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index, which showed a drop of 1.36 percent at 5,438.58 points in late deals. — AFP

India optimistic about sealing EU trade deal ANTWERP, Belgium: India is optimistic it can seal a free trade deal with the European Union and is urging its negotiating partner to settle the details of an agreement it says would benefit both their stumbling economies.

The two sides have disagreed over duties on car imports - India’s tariff on European cars being nearly 10 times greater than Europe’s on Indian vehicles - and access for India software companies to the EU market. “For us the services sector is very, very important. We recognize the interest of the EU on wines and spirits, on automobiles,” Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma told a news conference in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

“So it’s not that there is a lack of recognition. It is fine -tuning the details that is on the table. It is not the substantive issues at all ... Most of the issues stand concluded to the best of my understanding,” he said on the sidelines of the Global India Business Meeting.

Sharma said he would meet European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht today to assess progress. India, Asia’s third largest economy after China and Japan, has enjoyed two decades of rapid growth power by IT and outsourcing, even if manufacturing has lagged, weighed down by red tape and creaky infrastructure.

Sharma said India planned to increase manufacturing’s share of

gross domestic product to 26 percent within a decade from 16 percent now and would invest $1 trillion over five years on infrastructure. The minister said he could envisage foreign companies investing in both sectors, particularly in planned greenfield industrial sites.

A Free Trade Agreement would help India’s growing companies expand into the EU, the country’s biggest trading partner and the buyer of more than 40 billion euros ($50.14 billion) of Indian goods and services in 2010. Europe wants access to a vast, young market of 1.3 billion potential customers.

Negotiations started in 2007 and India’s trade minister said the two sides had agreed to finalize an FTA by the end of 2012. “I remain optimistic that we will be able to conclude an agreement,” Sharma said, without giving a specific timeframe.

The minister stressed the need for both sides to reach a deal, particularly given economic stress. Europe’s economy is expected to stagnate or contract slightly this year, while India’s would grow by 6 to 7 percent, a figure Sharma described as “depressing” when compared to the norm of 9 percent.

“An ambitious free-trade agreement between the European Union and India will be the best message that the global economy can have in the challenging times,” he said. — Reuters

The poll, covering 500 online respondents in the United States, showed that confidence fell after rising in the two previous quarters although it was still higher than levels seen last year.

“Consumer uncertainty prevails with weak job gains, instability in global financial markets and continued budget issues at local, state and national government level,” said Todd Hale, senior vice president of consumer and shopper insights, Nielsen. Concern for the economy - the top concern for US consumers increased from the first quarter, with 42 percent of consumers citing the economy as their main concern, up from 40 percent in the previous survey.

Seventy eight percent of Americans believed the economy was in recession. That was down from 83 percent in the previous survey, but 56 percent of those who saw a recession in the latest survey expected the downturn to last at least another 12 months.

The US economy has been losing more steam

since May when the survey was taken.

Manufacturing, which had been one of the strongest links in an otherwise frail economic recovery, grew in June at its slowest pace in 11 months, suggesting weaker overseas demand and the euro zone debt crisis may be starting to take a toll.

Job creation has also slowed and the Federal Reserve launched another round of monetary stimulus last week to try and stimulate the economy. A recent sharp fall in oil prices, by $35 from March highs to around $90 a barrel, offers some positive news for consumers but its impact will take time to factor through to households.

The US consumer confidence survey is part of the global quarterly Nielsen Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions, established in 2005, which tracks consumer confidence, major concerns and spending intentions in 56 countries. The global survey will be published next month. — Reuters

Greece launches drive to win over skeptical lenders ATHENS: Greece’s new leaders announced a trans-Atlantic roadshow yesterday to try to persuade sceptical lenders to give them more time to repay the country’s massive debt, as hopes faded for any real progress on the issue at this week’s European summit.

Unexpected medical problems will prevent Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and incoming Finance Minister Vassilis Rapanos attending the June 28-29 summit in Brussels. The problems also forced the postponement yesterday of the first meeting between the new government and Greece’s “troika” of international lenders.

Samaras’s government, an unlikely alliance of right and left that emerged from a June 17 election, has promised angry Greeks it will soften the punishing terms of a bailout saving them from bankruptcy in exchange for deep economic pain. Euro-zone paymaster Germany has already rejected major concessions.

Berlin signalled yesterday that Europe would wait for the troika’s report on Greece before taking any decisions on how to adjust the bailout package to compensate for weeks of political paralysis and a deeper than expected recession. A new date for the troika visit has not been set.

Samaras, 61, emerged from hospital yesterday with a bandage over one eye, two days after undergoing surgery to repair a damaged retina. He was under orders not to fly or make the long road trip to Brussels, doctors said.

Rapanos, a mild-mannered banker reported by Greek media to have a history of ill-health, will be discharged on Tuesday after being rushed to hospital on Friday, before he could be sworn in, complaining of abdominal pain, nausea and dizziness.

The 64-year-old underwent a gastroscopy and colonoscopy, an official at the Hygeia Hospital told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The tests, “showed everything is completely normal.”

Speaking to Mega TV, government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said Rapanos had told Samaras on Friday, after being offered the job, that he had a “chronic situation” that he

had learned to live with and that it would not effect his ability to do the demanding and stressful job.

The government said Samaras and the leaders of his two coalition allies would take their case for renegotiating the bailout conditions to Europe and the United States as soon as the prime minister was well enough.

“We discussed with Mr Samaras that it would be meaningful, irrespective of the one-toone discussions we have with our counterparts or with other crucial people, to also organize a common appearance at the decision-making centres,” said Evangelos Venizelos, leader of the Socialist PASOK party. “These are Brussels, Frankfurt, but also Washington because of the International Monetary Fund, and of course the capitals of the big European countries which take part in discussions on the euro zone’s future,” he told reporters.

At the two-day EU summit starting on Thursday, Greece will be represented by Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos and outgoing Finance Minister George Zanias in a delegation headed by President Karolos Papoulias.

Avramopoulos and Zanias met yesterday to discuss tactics, working from a government program that calls for tax cuts, extra help for the poor and unemployed, a freeze on public sector lay-offs and two more years to bring Greece’s deficit under control.

Much of this program, agreed by the coalition over the weekend, would unravel basic elements of a bailout agreement reached with lenders as recently as March.

It is a wish-list that Germany will almost certainly reject and the new government is keenly aware that there is a mountain to climb in winning a softening of the bailout terms.

“We have facts and data to show the medicine is not working,” a government official, who declined to be named, said after the Avramopoulos-Zanias meeting. “The recession is very deep and unemployment (at almost 23 percent) is very high.” — Reuters

NEW YORK: Trader Michael Zicchinolfi uses his handheld device as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. US stocks are sliding at the opening of trading, following global markets lower after Spain requested help for its struggling banks. —AP

PARIS: Christian Noyer, head of the French central bank, arrives at the Elysee Palace for a meeting with French President Francois Hollande, in Paris, yesterday. —AP

France fights to ward off euro-zone bank contagion PARIS: Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy - France? With a gaping public deficit and record level of debt, the euro-zone’s second largest economy wants to be sure it is not sucked into the bloc’s game of debt-crisis dominoes, hence Paris’s forceful lobbying for ways to shore up Europe’s banks.

France is one of the strongest advocates of a Europe-wide banking union and, with an eye on its own banks’ exposure to vulnerable debt in struggling countries, for immediate recapitalization of banks from eurozone rescue funds.

“I think the French are pushing this for a simple reason: They bloody well know they’re next in line. They’re after Italy,” said Nicholas Spiro, head of consultancy Spiro Sovereign Strategy.

The debt crisis has already spread through Greece, Ireland and Portugal, all of which have international bailouts. Spain has asked for help for its banks. Cyprus may seek a broader bailout imminently. Italy has recently seen borrowing costs rise to dangerously high levels. Eager to stop the snowball, France’s new President Francois Hollande quickly championed ideas to fight contagion, some of which have brought him into direct opposition with Germany.

Investors are currently giving France the benefit of the doubt, driving French yields to historic lows as they seek the relative safety of debt issued by a core European country that nonetheless offers richer yields than Germany.

However, France’s finances are nothing like as good as Germany’s, and its banks have heavy exposure to Greece and Italy - a concern that has conditioned its response to the crisis.

“It’s clear that pressure from the debt crisis will come on France and other AAA countries if there is not significant progress in mutualising risks,” said Michel Martinez, Societe Generale’s chief economist for France.

Spain and Italy’s borrowing costs have eased somewhat on expectations that an EU leaders’ summit this week will produce bold new approaches to contain the crisis.

Short of that, they run the risk of becoming too costly to manage, prompting the need for sovereign bailouts.

Hollande’s Socialist government has thrown its support behind the idea of setting up a banking union in Europe, with a central supervisory

authority, joint deposit guarantees and a fund to wind down dud banks.

But France is also pushing for more immediate solutions that could shelter banks from the risks associated with the sovereign debt of southern Europe, fully aware that the crisis could deteriorate with lightning speed.

Paris has been a vocal supporter of using the euro zone bailout funds to recapitalize banks directly, although Germany’s opposition to the idea remains a major obstacle.

Ratings agencies have said repeatedly that the prospect of Paris being forced to prop up its banks is a factor weighing against France’s rating, which Standard and Poor’s have already downgraded in January by one notch from AAA. Egan-Jones, a smaller ratings agency that has made a name for itself by downgrading more aggressively than bigger rivals, cut France to BBB-plus earlier this month, partly on concerns that the state may need to support French banks.

Moreover, Moody’s has downgraded French banks BNP Paribas , Societe Generale and Credit Agricole , along with other major international banks, saying it had become unclear to what degree the government was prepared to support its banks.

Apart from France’s own financial stress - its gross debt is about 90 percent of gross domestic product and rising - its banks have major exposure to the euro zone’s most fragile economies.

Once among the top lenders to Greece, France’s banks have quietly retreated from the country. But while they no longer hold large amounts of Greek government bonds, Credit Lyonnais and Societe Generale remain present in Greece through subsidiaries.

BNP Paribas, BPCE, Credit Agricole, Societe Generale and Dexia, meanwhile, have a combined exposure of 32.5 billion euros to Italian sovereign debt. Moody’s noted that BNP was exposed to Italy through its local subsidiary BNL, which has a 71-billioneuro loan book, and 11 billion euros of Italian government debt. French bank shares and the cost of insuring bank debt have closely tracked swings in Italian government debt spreads, hinting that investors see the banks’ fate tied to Italy’s struggle to avoid being dragged into the eye of the debt crisis.— Reuters

24

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

business Essar Energy gets provisional OK to clear forest for mine BHOPAL: Essar Energy Plc said it received provisional approval to clear forests at its Mahan coal block in India’s Madhya Pradesh state, but its shares fell as the news highlighted regulatory hurdles delaying its power projects in the country. The company is facing twin setbacks in its key market for oil products and electricity due to delays in government approvals to mine coal to supply its power projects, and a ruling that ended a major tax break for an oil subsidiary. Essar Energy, 77 percent-owned by privately held Indian conglomerate Essar Group said on Monday it was still awaiting final approval from the Indian Cabinet to clear forests at the Mahan site, where the company is building a power plant. If Essar Energy is not in a position to supply coal from its own mines, it will have to buy more expensive coal from overseas or from domestic producers.

Deutsche Bank analyst Lucas Herrmann said sourcing fuel at market rates could also lead to “challenging economics” for Essar’s Tori power plants in the state of Jharkhand, where the company is also awaiting approvals to start mining to supply power plants due to come on stream in 2014. Essar shares fell as much as 7.7 percent. The company will continue its dialogue with state and central governments to ensure the approval process does not lose momentum, Chief Executive Naresh Nayyar said in a statement.

Arden Partners analyst Adam Forsyth said the provisional approval for Mahan boded well for other projects. Essar Energy also said it was negotiating with Indian lenders to arrange for a new debt facility of about $1 billion to meet a sales tax liability at Essar Oil Ltd, through which it operates its oil and gas business in India.

An Indian court recently ruled that Essar Oil could not defer payment of about $1.24 billion in sales tax. The company had deferred paying the tax under a tax benefit program offered by the western state of Gujarat, where its Vadinar refinery is located.

Essar Energy, which recently changed its accounting period, recorded $737.1 million in core earnings for the 15 months through March. The company said this compared with analysts’ average forecast of $713 million for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.— Reuters

Spain requests banking aid Euro-zone enters pivotal week MADRID: Spain formally sought a banking rescue of up to 100 billion euros ($125 billion) yesterday, kicking off a pivotal week in the battle for the euro-zone’s future. The plea to Spain’s euro-zone partners shed little new light on how the help will be delivered to the banks, hobbled by huge, reckless loans that turned sour after a property bubble imploded in 2008.

It came at a key moment in the euro-zone crisis after debt markets pushed Spanish and Italian 10-year borrowing rates well above six percent and raised concerns for the future of the currency union itself.

A full-blown bailout for Spain, the fourthlargest economy in the euro-zone, would dwarf the rescues of Ireland, Greece and Portugal and strain the resources of the bloc to the limit.

“Whether Spain will also need full-fledged financial support beyond the bank program will depend on its ability to retain market access,” said Antonio Garcia Pascual, analyst at Barclays Research.

“This in turn depends on both Spain’s policy commitments and, to a greater extent, on the speed with which Europe’s decisions evolve towards greater financial and fiscal integration in the coming days and weeks.”

European Union leaders prepared for a two-day summit from Thursday, when they will consider deepening economic and monetary union in the 17-nation euro-zone. A 10page draft blueprint for discussion at the summit charts a route to banking union, direct euro-zone intervention in troubled banks, and an option to issue mutualized debt, said a Financial Times report.

Leaders will also have to decide how to respond to demands from Greece’s new gov-

ernment for new terms on its bailout, including a two-year deadline extension on reforms.

Eurozone finance and economy ministers, who make up the Eurogroup, will consider Spain’s plight separately on July 9. In a letter to Eurogroup head Jean-Claude Juncker, Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said Spain would offer all its help to reach a draft loan agreement in time for the Eurogroup meeting. There has been no decision yet on the loan amount, though Eurogroup ministers

have offered up to 100 billion euros, and consultants hired by Madrid estimated that the banks need up to 62 billion euros in capital.

Euro-zone powers must still decide how to disburse the money, who will be eligible, what conditions are to be imposed, and the terms of the loan contract. “The important thing for us is the timetable for repayment and interest rates,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo told reporters in Luxembourg. “If we have a long repayment

BARCELONS: A group of “Yayoflautas”, a movement of pensioners and elderly people united in protest, occupy the German consulate during a protest against the government economic measures in downtown Barcelona. — AP

schedule and a low interest rate, the deal would be much more favorable,” he said.

Investors have shown concern that the rescue loan might be delivered through the European Stability Mechanism, which has priority over ordinary investors in case of a default. Spain has argued in favor of eurozone powers lending money directly to the banks, thus avoiding increasing Madrid’s sovereign debt burden. If Spain took out the full 100 billion euros, its public debt would grow by about 10 percentage points to reach 90 percent of economic output by the end of this year, analysts say.

“The question is still open over whether the help will go directly to the banks or through the state,” Margallo said. The option of direct intervention in the banks was discussed in a Rome summit on Friday of the leaders of Germany, Spain, Italy and France but no decision was reached, he added.

Friday’s summit agreed instead on a 130billion-euro economic stimulus package for the euro-zone.

Though Europe dodged the immediate threat of a Greek exit from the euro-zone when pro-bailout parties managed to form a government last week, Athens is now pushing for easier terms.

Greece’s new three-party coalition headed for a showdown with a “troika” of international creditors-the European Union, IMF and European Central Bank-over its bid to revise an austerity-centered bailout. Originally due yesterday, however, the auditors’ visit has been delayed with no new date yet set, a government official said. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras underwent major eye surgery on Saturday and is expected to stay at home for at least a week. — AFP

Oil forecasters play snakes and ladders, says analyst LONDON: With just a few days to go, researchers from Barclays and Deutsche Bank have emerged as the most accurate oil price forecasters in the first half of 2012, seizing the crown from 2011 champions Goldman Sachs, based on Brent prices since the start of January.

Back in December, Barclays and Deutsche were among the most bullish forecasters, predicting frontmonth Brent futures prices would average $115 per barrel in 2012, up from $111, and well above the mean forecast of $105.

Only 5 of the 32 forecasters in the December oil poll had higher predictions, led by Goldman’s influential research team, which had Brent averaging $120 this year.

The first three months of the year clearly vindicated the bulls. Brent surged from $107 at the end of 2011 to top out at $126 on March 13, with average prices peaking at nearly $119 per barrel in the middle of April (http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/ ce/FCASTS-2012.pdf ).

The subsequent price plunge has led to a dramatic reversal in fortunes.

With prices now trading around $90, the average for the year is dropping 20 cents a day. Barclays and Deutsche have overtaken Goldman as the most accurate forecasters, and are themselves about to be overtaken by JPMorgan in the next few days. But their success may be short-lived. If prices stabilize around current levels, and that is a big if, but consistent with efficient markets theory, the annual average will drop to a little over $100 per barrel by the end of the year.

The top forecasters would then be a group of centrists and moderate bears led by Commerzbank, Credit Suisse, DNB, National Australia Bank, Prestige Economics, Raymond James, Santander, and UBS, all of whom forecast average prices between $100 and $105 this year, just below the average for all analysts in the survey.

Performance rankings are based on price predictions issued at the end of last year, included in the Reuters poll published on December 21, 2011. The poll was the last out-of-sample set of predictions for 2012 and so is the best test of forecast accuracy.

In a cruel irony, few of the forecasters currently on track to win the 2012 crown have those predictions any more. The surge in Brent between January and March caused most analysts to revise their predictions upwards, partly as a matter of simple arithmetic and partly because a sharp price decline as a result of a slowing economy no longer seemed as likely as it had done at the end of last year.

The average price forecast surged from $105 in the December poll to $115 in the May version. The next poll is due to be published later this week.

Bearish forecasters made some of the biggest revisions. The eight forecasters with predictions of $100-105 in December had raised their average forecast by $12.83 per barrel to $115.96 by the time of the May poll.

Not only have the upward revisions by these eight forecasters been greater than other analysts in the survey (who increased their predictions by just $9.12 on average), but the forecasters in this group now have an average forecast slightly higher than everyone else.

It seems that formerly bearish fore-

casters have over-compensated for their previous error by raising their forecasts more than everyone else, and swinging from more bearish than average to more bullish.

By May, only Santander had maintained a mildly bearish forecast of $104.7, up from the $100 predicted in December.

In contrast, UBS had boosted its prediction from $100 to $112, Prestige was up from $103 to $122.8, and Credit Suisse was up from $105 to $125 - making it the most bullish forecaster in the survey alongside Citigroup. Extreme volatility in published forecasts highlights the pressure on analysts from sales teams and clients to track short-term price movements and not stray too far away from either current prices or the market consensus.

As a result, most forecasts are really now casts rather than predictions, reacting rather than anticipating to price changes. In contrast, Goldman has tended to publish a forecast and stick with it, heeding Lady Macbeth’s admonition to “screw your courage to the sticking place”. The bank’s boldness and tenacity (it published by far the most bullish prediction in 2011 and again this year) paid off handsomely last year, though its prospects look more uncertain in 2012 unless crude prices soar in the remaining six months.

FORWARD PRICE One aspect of the so-called “financialisation” of commodities has been the more forward-looking behaviour of oil and other raw materials prices.

The average maturity of futures contracts has increased as hedge funds and other investors have taken positions in longer-dated contracts to express a longer term view - often on the “super-cycle”.

Price prognostications have also been getting more long-term (partly leading and partly responding to demand from clients).

For some observers, the increasingly forward-looking nature of the market is a sign it is becoming more efficient, pricing in more contingencies, and therefore dampening realised volatility.

But the wild swings in prices (macro volatility, not micro volatility) and predictions suggest it may also be reacting to shadows. Like the bond market, which famously predicts more recessions than actually occur, oil prices and forecasts may be overresponding to the threat of sharp supply and demand changes.

Arguments about market efficiency - fundamentals versus speculative bubbles - will not be resolved any time soon.

Whether or not the market is becoming more efficient, however, it does appear that the forward visibility captured in both prices and forecasts remains limited to a few months rather than a year, much less than several years ahead. For all the hubris among investors and commentators about being able to predict prices 12 months or even 5 years ahead, the market and analysts seem trapped in an endless short-term stretching at most six months forward, with little visibility beyond. — Reuters

Oil falls as investors doubt EU growth talk LONDON: Brent crude fell briefly below $90 as trade moved to European trading hours yesterday, reversing the modest gains earlier in the day, with concerns about faltering global growth and Europe’s intractable debt crisis hitting investor confidence.

The concerns over a further slowdown in the euro-zone economy, which could lead to lower oil demand, overshadowed supply disruptions in the US Gulf due to a storm and in strike-hit Norway.

Brent crude dropped by 93 cents to $90.05 a barrel by 1100 GMT, having briefly touched as low as $89.86. US crude fell 75 cents to $79.01 a barrel.

Oil is on track to post its biggest quarterly fall since the financial crisis in 2008 as the euro zone crisis and weak growth in the United States roil global markets, while ample supply from OPEC has added to the downward pressure on prices. “Another round of European sovereign debt issues ... and bearish fundamentals have already started to weigh on oil prices,” Morgan Stanley said in a research note.

“If OPEC production continues at today’s levels, stocks would build above normal through the third quarter and supply would outstrip demand in 2012.” European shares and the euro also fell. Investors were skeptical that a June 28-29 European Union summit would make any substantial progress towards tackling the euro zone debt crisis, now in its third year and buffeting Spain, the region’s fourth largest economy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed on Friday with leaders of France, Italy and Spain on a 130 billion euros ($156 billion) package to revive growth, but resisted pressure for common euro zone bonds or a more flexible use of Europe’s rescue funds.

Before the European market open, US crude and Brent crude were trading higher than Friday’s close as a storm threat shut a quarter of US offshore crude and gas output, while a strike in Norway closed two major fields including benchmark grade Oseberg.

US companies shut oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico at the weekend as a precaution ahead of Tropical Storm Debby.

Debby has since weakened while remaining the northeast Gulf of Mexico, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said yesterday.

The US Gulf of Mexico is home to about 20 percent of the nation’s oil production. Oil workers in Norway went on strike from Sunday over a dispute on pensions and other issues and shut down the Heidrun and Oseberg fields, which together account for about 9 percent or 150,000 barrels per day of Norwegian oil production.— Reuters

25

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

business

India efforts to prop up rupee fail Measures too small, formality: Analysts MUMBAI: India yesterday announced a slew of measures to boost the rupee, which has fallen to record lows against the dollar, but the currency and stocks slid as investors were left unimpressed by the moves. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in consultation with the government, unveiled the measures to try to attract increased foreign in-flows as the rupee has been hit by India’s slowing economic growth and global uncertainty.

In one headline move, the RBI said that the limit on foreign investment in government bonds had been raised by $5 billion to $20 billion.

The rupee, which has depreciated more than 10 percent since April, fell to 57.05 against the dollar after yesterday’s announcement due to disappointment over the lack of any “bigticket” reforms to kick-start growth, analysts said.

Indian shares also ended down 0.53 percent at 16,882.16 at the close of trade yesterday.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the government’s influential Planning Commission, dismissed

the market reaction to the bank’s announcement. “I am hopeful it will bring back confidence,” Ahluwalia told reporters. “This is very difficult time for whole global economy.

“I wouldn’t judge the measures by the markets... The underlying strengths of the economy are more than what the rupee movement suggests, markets movements do not always necessarily reflect what is the long-term position.

“The economy looks a bit a weak... lots of steps are being taken by the government to correct them.”

But analysts and forex experts were not enthused and said they expected the rupee to weaken further in coming days after the currency touched a record low of 57.32 against the dollar last week. Abhishek Goenka, chief executive of India Forex, a consultancy firm, called the measures “too small and a mere formality.”

“If the government had not done anything, it might have been better,” he told AFP. Siddhartha Sanyal, chief India economist with Barclays Capital said the RBI’s announcements were

GLOBAL ECONOMY WEEKAHEAD

Light dims for emerging economies WASHINGTON: Commodity prices can be a good barometer for emerging market growth, and their relentless sell-off over the past two months has tracked the fading of the one bright light in the global economic recovery.

Brazil and India are slowing sharply, China has ratcheted down a notch as global trade slows, and the almost 30 percent decline in the price of oil has hit Russia’s economy. These all make for troublesome developments when Europe is teetering on the edge of recession and US business is retrenching. “This is part of the long period of healing in the global economy,” said Pablo Goldberg, head of emerging markets research at HSBC. Emerging and developing economies had roared out of the 2007-2009 global financial crisis to post 7.5 percent and 6.2 percent GDP growth in 2010 and 2011. They were lifted by generous stimulus programs and their solid government, bank and household balance sheets.

The stellar performance helped drive commodity prices to heady levels. The Thomson Reuters/Jeffries Commodity Research Bureau Index hit a record level above 471 in mid2008 on strong demand from emerging economies before retreating. It rallied again from late 2009 until mid-2011.

But as China showed signs of slowing, it has slumped, and since March this year, the index has lost 18 percent.The hope had been that buoyancy in emerging markets would allow the global economy to ride out its long and painful healing as US households paid down debt and banks cleaned up their balance sheets.

Then Europe’s government debt problems intervened, protracting the slow recovery. European Union leaders meet next weekend, but they have warned not to expect any quick fix to the 2-1/2 year old debt crisis. The most they expect to deliver at their summit is an agreement to move forward on a banking union, while pushing off fiscal and political union to a later date.

This gradualist approach will keep the euro zone in a perilous state for many months or even years ahead, with Spain and Italy vulnerable to market pressures, hurting growth.

Now the drivers for emerging market growth are fading too.

Export demand from Europe, and to a lesser extent the United States, is slumping. Despite growing domestic consumer markets, emerging economies remain heavily export dependent.

A round of central bank tightening last year to counter inflationary pressures is starting to bite.

China in 2010 and 2011 tightened interest rates by 1.25 percentage points and Brazil and India by 3.75 percentage points.

In addition, financial market volatility driven by the euro crisis is scaring investors away from riskier assets. At the same time, major Western banks are withdrawing from emerging markets as they restructure and rebuild their capital base.

All of this is sucking investment from emerging markets.

The Institute of International Finance estimates that international banks have withdrawn $190 billion in financing from Latin America and Eastern Europe since the second half of 2011. “That undermines their capacity to finance investment projects, which in turn exacerbates the negative impact on emerging markets’ fixed investments stemming from both higher uncertainty and weaker future demand from advanced economies,” said Martin Schwerdtfeger, a senior economist at TD Economics. Investment banks have started to lower their emerging market growth forecasts.

Barclay’s Capital shaved 0.2 percentage point from this year’s GDP outlook, to 5.6 percent, and by half that amount from its 2013 forecast, to 6.2 percent.

Credit Suisse is more pessimistic. It cut its GDP forecast by 0.4 percentage point in both 2012 and 2013, to 5.1 percent and 5.6 percent respectively, and warned that worse could come if Europe’s problems deepen. World leaders at their G20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, last week noted that “clearly the global economy remains vulnerable.” If economic conditions further deteriorate significantly, countries with sound budgets stand ready to implement additional budgetary stimulus measures, they said.

But this time around, emerging economies have less room to maneuver. In 2008, their budgets on average were in balance. Four years later, they have a 2 percent deficit, Credit Suisse estimates. On the monetary front, policy rates on average were 7 percent in 2008 and today are several points lower.

In other words, for a variety of domestic policy reasons, any new round of macroeconomic stimulus would likely be less forceful than the one that engineered the strong rebound in 2009 and 2010.

So Credit Suisse warns not to expect emerging economies to rescue global growth for a second time. “We may not be at the brink of a new global recession, but we are even less likely to be at the threshold of a global boom,” it said. — Reuters

“moderate” and could only “somewhat support” the rupee, as expectations from the government or the central bank were too high.

Other measures taken by the RBI on Monday included allowing sovereign wealth funds, endowment funds, pension funds and foreign central banks to invest in government bonds.

But most observers say that unless the government takes structural measures to boost economic reforms and revive the confidence of foreign investors, the local currency was unlikely to appreciate in the coming weeks.

As the euro-zone crisis deepens, foreign investors have been pulling out funds from riskier markets such as India, selling equities worth $323.16 million since March.

The once -booming economy is suffering from slowing industrial growth, troublesome fiscal and current account deficits and a stalled reform agenda. The economy grew just 5.3 percent in January to March, its slowest quarterly expansion in nine years. — AFP

MUMBAI: Indian laborers push a trolley outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) headquarters in Mumbai. India yesterday announced a slew of economic measures, including raising the foreign investment cap for government bonds, to boost the rupee, which has fallen to record lows against the dollar. — AFP

Cyprus to hold crisis talks as bailout looms Fitch cuts island’s sovereign debt NICOSIA: Cyprus’ leaders will discuss today options for reviving an economy on the verge of succumbing to a bailout, with a debate raging on whether the country should seek aid from the EU’s rescue fund or look further afield. Political leaders would meet today afternoon, a press release from the presidency said, shortly after ratings agency Fitch cut the island’s sovereign debt to non-investment grade.

Heavily exposed to the crisis in Greece, cashstarved Cyprus needs to recapitalize its secondlargest bank by Friday. For weeks, it has been trying to juggle its options between a bailout from Europe’s EFSF fund or a bilateral loan from either

Russia or China.

It was unclear whether a loan from either country would be forthcoming, giving the Mediterranean island precious little leeway to rustle together 1.8 billion euros for Cyprus Popular Bank by the end of the week.

Government sources have told Reuters that President Demetris Christofias wanted to consult political leaders before taking a definitive decision, suggesting one was close.

Earlier yesterday Fitch downgraded Cyprus to BB+, saying Cypriot banks could potentially need up to 4 billion euros in capital primarily on the back of losses in Greece.

Fitch said the amount, representing 23 percent of Cypriot GDP, was mainly related to exposure in Greece, though a rapidly growing increase in nonperforming loans at home was also a factor.

“Even assuming Greece remains in the euro zone, Cypriot banks will have to bear significant loan losses as the Greek economy continues to contract over the medium-term as well as the deterioration in domestic asset quality,” Fitch said.

Fitch said it saw a heightened possibility of the Republic needing an EFSF bailout to recapitalise its banks, and a bilateral loan from the Russian federation to cover gross budgetary financing requirements until the end of 2013. — Reuters

Japan Inc’s ritual hiring fails to meet standard

NAIROBI: A Kenyan vendor sells second-hand clothes (locally known as mitumba) at the Gikomba open-air market yesterday in Nairobi. Local dealers welcomed Kenya’s Finance Minister Njeru Githai’s move to lower import duty on “Mitumba” in this year’s budget read two weeks ago. — AFP

Nervous investors fill Swiss safes with cash and gold ZURICH: Investors trying to protect their wealth from global economic uncertainty have been stashing bank notes, gold bars and other valuables in Swiss banks, fuelling demand for safe deposit boxes. The euro-zone debt crisis and fear that loose policy by central banks will stoke inflation have sent investors in search of extra security. New deals to prevent secret bank accounts in Switzerland being used for evading taxes may also be contributing to the trend.

Some banks in Switzerland, known for its financial stability, say they have even run out of space. “We are experiencing a rise in demand for safety deposit boxes. This rise can’t really be quantified, however. In many branches the safe deposit boxes are fully rented,” said Albert Steck, spokesman at Migros Bank, a cooperative bank which serves retail clients. Zuercher Kantonalbank (ZKB) said requests for space in safes has climbed this year, as the euro zone debt crisis deepened and the outlook for the global economy worsened.

“Since the start of the year demand for safe deposit boxes has risen in the low single digits,” said spokesman Igor Moser. Baloise, an insurance company, said several bank clients had asked recently to raise the amount of coverage for the contents of safe deposit boxes.

“It’s therefore likely that safes at some banks are somewhat fuller than they were a few years ago,” said Baloise spokeswoman Jeanine Hoppe.

Another sign anxiety is rising, is that a phenomenon last seen when the financial crisis erupted in 2008 has reappeared: Appetite for Swiss franc bills has grown,

according to Swiss National Bank data. “This development was due largely to high demand for 1,000 franc notes, which points to the fact that the additional demand was primarily for storing money,” an SNB spokesman said.

With central banks around the world flooding markets with liquidity, some people fear spiraling inflation. The wealthy want assets that keep their value if prices rises. “So much money has been pumped into the system that people are worried about inflation down the road,” said Bruno S. Frey, professor of economics at the University of Zurich. “You counter that by buying real assets of material value.” Gold is one option.

An Italian businessman was recently caught trying to smuggle gold bars into Switzerland under his car seat. In further evidence of rising interest in gold, ZKB has seen demand for its goldbacked exchange-traded fund rise over 20 percent since 2009.

Fine art and property are also considered sure bets in troubled times. The Swiss housing market is booming and the price of fine art has been on the up. “Assets barely earn interest and bluechip stocks move in one week what they used to move in one year,” said Ulrich Koerner, chief operating officer of Swiss flagship bank UBS. “Against that backdrop, some people say they would rather buy a nice painting instead of a mutual fund.”The interest in real assets and in safe-deposit boxes may also be linked to offshore clients of Swiss banks, looking to find a way to circumvent pending deals with Germany, Austria and Britain that would tax their secret accounts. — Reuters

TOKYO: Each April, hundreds of new graduates report for work in Japan’s corporate world, all on the same day, all dressed in standard business black, and all ready to be moulded into staunch company loyalists.

Across the country, companies select and groom new staff under a decades-old formula that puts an emphasis on loyalty, diligence and conformity, not the vision or out-of-box thinking that experts say corporate Japan badly needs to halt its decline.

The current heads of Japan’s companies are often criticized for failing to keep pace with fleet-footed foreign rivals, but most are a product of that system and there is nothing to suggest it will change any time soon.

“Companies were assessing your personality and looking whether you would fit,” says Erina Seki, 23, one of the students Reuters followed through the annual fivemonth ritual of dozens of job fairs, workshops and interviews. “At one insurance firm, I was told that I wouldn’t fit because I was too vocal about my opinions,” said the fourth-year accounting major from Tokyo’s Rikkyo University, who finally landed a job with an outplacement service company.

“I thought companies were looking for perfect matches with the corporate culture.” Unlike in many other parts of the world where the ability to deal with the unexpected or devise new solutions to problems are prized, the top concern for Japanese employers seems to be how well a recruit would blend in and get along with others, the students said. They recounted being asked same generic questions over and over again in what could be up to a dozen of interviews for a single prospective employer.

The outcome? A culture where even outsiders brought in to shake things up struggle to challenge the status-quo. The six-year reign of Welsh-born Howard Stringer at the helm of Sony Corp, which ended after a dismal run of losses, and the ouster of another Briton, Michael Woodford, as head of camera and endoscope maker Olympus are cases in point. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: A stall vendor makes jewellery at the entrance to a subway in Shanghai yesterday.

Chinese manufacturing activity hit a seven-month low this month, data from HSBC showed, putting pressure on Beijing to do more to boost the world’s second-largest economy. — AFP

26

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

BUSINESS

The new Mercedes-Benz SL now available in Kuwait Completely redeveloped SL continues tradition from over 60 years LUWAIT: The all-new 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL is now available in Kuwait from Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co, Kuwait. The new SL categorized as Lightweight, athletic, luxurious is the completely redeveloped SL which continues its tradition from over 60 years.

The letters “SL” have ever since been synonymous with a symbiosis of sportiness, style and comfort - and with groundbreaking innovations.

The new SL has been produced for the first time almost entirely from aluminium and weighs up to 140 kilograms less than its predecessor.

Its highly rigid all-aluminium body shell provides the basis for agile, sporty handling that has been taken to an entirely new level, coupled with exemplary roll characteristics and ride comfort. Even better driving dynamics come courtesy of the new engines; they are more powerful yet at the same time up to 29 percent more economical than the engines in the outgoing generation. Other new features include the unique Frontbass system, which turns the luxury sports car into a concert hall regardless of whether the top is open or closed, and the highly efficient adaptive windscreen wipe/wash system MAGIC VISION CONTROL; it supplies water from the wiper blade to the windscreen - as required and depending on the direction of wipe.

“The new SL continues the tradition started by its predecessor, but offers considerably more comfort and athletic character, setting new standards in the luxur y roadster class.

The new SL from Mercedes-Benz offers considerably more sportiness and comfort than its successful pred-

ecessor, setting new benchmarks in the luxury roadster segment. Add to this absolute suitability for everyday use - making it an unparalleled allrounder amongst sports cars,” said Michael Ruehle, General Manager Abdul R ahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co Kuwait.

In short: Anyone who talks about the new SL is talking about passionate, refined motoring of the highest calibre. Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of MercedesBenz Cars: “ There are around 900 million cars in the world and thousands of models. But there are only a handful of automotive icons. Our SL is one of them: it has class, it has style, it oozes comfort and luxury.

But it blends all of this with unbelievable sportiness and dynamism.

Vir tually no other car can meet Gottlieb Daimler’s standard as perfectly as our SL: the best or nothing.”

Lighter and more rigid The new-generation MercedesBenz SL takes the meaning of the famous letters “SL” - super-light - literally. Consistent weight reduction is one of the most outstanding design characteristics in the new SL - as was the case in its namesake, the original SL of 1952 with its lightweight tubular frame. For the first time Mercedes-Benz has implemented an all-aluminium bodyshell in a seriesproduction model. Only very few components consist of other materials. The designers use the even lighter magnesium for the cover behind the tank. High-strength steel tubing is integrated in the A-pillars for safety reasons.

The new aluminium bodyshell weighs around 110 kilograms less

Burgan Bank announces winners of Yawmi account KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000. Winner ’s names will also be announced through Marina FM on a daily basis during their prime shows.

The lucky winners for the five daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: 1. Saadeyah Sadeq Hadi 2. Abdul-rahman Saleh Abdul-Rahman 3. Fatemah Sulaiman Naser Aloraifan 4. Saqer Ahmed Mohammad Alsaqer The newly re -launched Yawmi Account is better, easier and faster than any day before. With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from.

Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account. Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.

The newly designed Yawmi account has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders.

Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw.

Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank ’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and ser vices, or log on to Burgan Bank ’s www.burgan.com for further information.

than it would using the steel technology from the predecessor. “The effect is rather as if a heavyweightclass passenger had got out of the c a r ” s ays D r Th o m a s R u d l a f f, re s p o n s i b l e fo r t h e a l u m i n i u m bodyshell at Mercedes-Benz. “The result is perceptible and measurab l e. Le s s we i g h t m e a n s m o re dynamism and less consumption. In other words: the motoring enjoyment increases, the environmental burden decreases.”

The aluminium structure is not only lighter but also proves superior to the predecessor’s steel construction in terms of rigidity, safety and

comfort. This is achieved thanks, among other things, to its intelligent lightweight construction with components optimised for their specific task. Thus, diverse processes are used to make different kinds of aluminium depending on the use the component is to be given: the parts are made by chill casting or vacuum diecasting, worked into extruded aluminium sections or into aluminium panels of different thicknesses. The result: high rigidity, high safety levels and better vibration characteristics.

Driving pleasure Powe r f ul while acce lerating, e f fo r t l e s s l y s u p e r i o r a c ro s s a l l speeds, nimble on winding roads the new SL provides no end of driving pleasure. Apart from the powerful engines, the sportily tuned yet comfortable suspension, which also boasts an intelligent lightweight construction, proves outstanding.

For instance, the steering knuckles and spring links on the front axle are also made out of aluminium to reduce the unsprung masses. The same also applies to virtually all the wheel location components on the rear axle.

The new SL is available with two different suspension systems: the SL features semi-ac tive adjustable damping as standard. The optional ac tive suspension system ABC (Active Body Control) is available as an alternative.

Interior: Aesthetic, stylish, sporty The new SL combines its aesthetically honed profile, which follows the Mercedes-Benz tradition, with a luxurious feel. Fine materials, perfectly finished with great attention

to detail, distinguish the style and character of the interior.

Compared with its predecessor, the new generation of the SL is much longer (+50 mm to 4612 mm) and wider (+57 mm to 1877 mm), providing more room for more comfort in the interior, too. Shoulder room (+37 mm) and elbow room (+28 mm) have been increased, exceeding the dimensions normally found in this vehicle class. Clear lines create a formally coherent internal space within this comfortable interior. Generously used wood trim extends from the centre console across the dashboard into the doors, creating a pleasant wraparound effect. Three types of wood along with two different aluminium trim finishes are available. Perfectly in tune with the roadster’s character, it combines the unpretentious atmosphere of a high-performance spor ts car with the comfor table, st ylish ambience one comes to expect in a luxurious touring car.

Design: Classic SL proportions The designers have brought the latest generation of the SL unmistakably to life on the basis of tradition but added new perspectives and visions. The result is a stylishly sporty and elegant luxury sports car with the classic hallmark SL balanced proportions: the long bonnet gives way to a compact passenger compartment that is set well back.

A wide, muscular tail end giving the impression of raciness provides the finishing touch. A handful of elaborately styled lines define the powerfully sculpted and yet calm surfaces of the flanks. Finely worked details, a striking tail end as well as ventilation grilles with chromed fins from

the dynamic traditional MercedesB e n z d e s i gn h e r i t a g e v i s u a l l y emphasise the SL legend.

An upright classic sports car radiator grille clearly marks out the new SL visually as a prestigious member of the current Mercedes-Benz sports car family. The centrally positioned star is a contemporary reinterpretat i o n o f t h e f a m o u s t ra d e m a r k , which now extends into the centre section with its organically flowing contours.

The safest roadster Thanks to the crash-optimised aluminium structure, standard-fit PRE-SAFE(r) and assistance systems on the same high level as the SClass, the SL is the world’s safest ro a d s te r. Th e r i gi d a l u m i n i u m bodyshell forms a sturdy passenger compartment along with precisely defined deformation zones in the front and tail ends. In the event of the vehicle overturning, A-pillars made out of a mix of steel and aluminium and two roll-over bars protect the passenger compartment.

The restraint systems including the t wo -stage driver and passenger airbags have been further developed.

A headbag integrally covers the side head-impact area. An additional thorax airbag in the seat backrest can protect the upper body in the event of a side impact. Another new feature is the crash-responsive NECK-PRO head restraints developed by Mercedes-Benz which are fitted as standard in the SL. The new SL is available now in Kuwait from Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. - The Authorized General Distributor of MercedesBenz in Kuwait.

Joyalukkas arrives to ornament Nellore NELLORE, India: Joyalukkas, one of the world’s largest jewelry retail chains has opened its large format jewelry showroom in Nellore. The bustling and exciting town witnessed the grand opening of this showroom on June 23, 2012 by actress Nithya Menon in the presence of dignitaries, VIPs and senior management team of the Joyalukkas Group.

The lighting of the auspicious lamp was fulfilled by Anam Vivekananda Reddy, MLA of Nellore Rural, Bhanusree, Ex-Mayor, Nellore Corporation and Sridhar Krishna Reddy, MLA of Nellore city.

“Nellore is an exciting city, the center of business, industry and agriculture. It is our honor to be able to expand to this blessed city and serve the residents of Nellore with the Joyalukkas experience of jewelry. My team and I are excited and look forward to serving the discerning jewelry lovers of Nellore with a refreshing experience in jewelry, the mix of this includes breathtaking choice, best value, great convenience and world class service, said Joy Alukkas, Chairman of Joyalukkas Group.

Conveniently located at Minibypass Road, this showroom offers ample parking space and 20,000 sq, feet of shopping space spread across 3

floors and features a wide range of collections in gold, diamond, precious stone, platinum, pearl and sliver. The mix of jewelry offered will be a choice

which were announced on the inaugural day to ensure the customers get the best for their buy at Joyalukkas.

“Nellore is very special to us hence we

the blessings and support of Nellore residents to make our presence here a grand success,” added Joy Alukkas.

Joyalukkas is constantly on an

of traditional and contemporary designs to fulfill the needs and demands of all types of jewelry buyers.

Joyalukkas has planned also some exciting promotions and offers to coincide with the opening celebrations

have pulled all strings to ensure we offer the residents the best experience in Jewelry shopping. Our Nellore showroom will feature over a million designs in all options of jewelry possible at the best value possible. We look forward to

expansion drive and the Management has announced its intention to open four more showrooms in key locations in Andhra Pradesh within the next six months in Tirupati, Kakinada, Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam.

Al Tijari announces winner of mega draw, winners of daily draw with Najma account KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait held the Al-Najma Account draw on June 24, 2012. The draw was held under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry represented by Abdulaziz Ashkanani.

The winners of the Al-Najma daily draw are: Mohammed Ali Akbar AbdulMotaleb — KD 7000, Othman Adel Othman AlKhulaifi — KD 7000, Adnan Neamah Sahi Jaida’a — KD 7000, Taranum Ibrahim Shaikh— KD 7000. The winner of the mega draw: Nisha George George — KD 100,000 The Commercial Bank of Kuwait announces the biggest daily draw in Kuwait with the launch of the new Najma account. Customers of the bank can now enjoy a KD 7,000 daily prize which is the highest in the country and another 4

mega prizes during the year worth KD 100,000 each on different occasions: The National Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and on the 19th of June which is the date of the bank’s establishment.

With a minimum balance of KD 500, customers will be eligible for the daily draw provided that the money is in the account one week prior to the daily draw or 2 months prior to the mega draw. In addition, for each KD 25 a customer can get one chance for winning instead of KD 50.

Commercial Bank of Kuwait takes this opportunity to congratulate all lucky winners and also extends appreciation to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their effective supervision of the draws which were conducted in an orderly and organized manner.

The Nellore Joyalukkas jewelry showroom will showcase the signature Joyalukkas format with stylish, convenient interiors and the best collections of jewelry from around the world.

Joyalukkas, is the only ISO 14001:2006 & ISO 9001:2008 certified jewelry retail chain which also ensures and adheres to quality standards like the BIS Hallmark for gold jewelry, IGI certification for Diamond jewelry and PGI certification for Platinum jewelry to ensure trust, assurance and total peace of mind to customers.

Joyalukkas also features many convenient and value added schemes like ‘Easy Gold scheme, Joyalukkas Golden Rewards Card, 100 percent buy back guarantee etc to make jewelry purchases easy and convenient for jewelry lovers.

This international jewelry retail chain is also one of few retail chains to be recognized with many awards and accolades for its exceptional standards in jewelry retailing. Its popular Chennai showroom has been recognized by the Limca Book of records for being the largest jewelry showroom in the world. Joyalukkas Bengaluru showroom was also recently awarded ‘Best Single Store of the year’ by the ‘All India Gem and Jewelry Trade Federation’.

5 days remaining to deposit or open an Al-Danah account to enter the KD 500,000 draw KUWAIT: The countdown to the Al-Danah KD 500,000 draw has begun and only 5 days are left for customers to increase their deposits or to open an Al-Danah account by June 30th, to enhance their chances of winning, and be eligible for the third quarterly draw, in which one customer will win KD 500,000.

O p e n i n g A l - D a n a h a cco u n t m e re l y requires a minimum balance of KD 200 deposited in the account to allow active p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e A l - D a n a h d raws.

M i n o r s w i s h i n g to o p e n a n a cco u n t re q u i re t h e i r p a re n t s o r t h e i r l e g a l guardian to open the account on their behalf. Customers are advised to maintain the minimum balance, allowing them to automatically enter the weekly and quarterly draws, as well as the annual draw.

Gulf Bank ’s Al-Danah offers week ly

draws of KD 1,000 each to ten winners.

Quarterly draw winners are eligible to win KD 500,000 during the third quar terly draw and finally KD1 million dinars during the fourth quarter. Gulf Bank would like to remind its customers that opening an Al-Danah Account is quick and simple through its’ 56 branches strategically located throughout Kuwait. Customers are encouraged to go to their nearest Gulf Bank branch or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805 805 and our Customer Ca re Ce n te r re p re s e n t a t i ve s w i l l b e delighted to assist you with any further information or questions that you may have on Al-Danah or on any of the Bank’s products and services. Customers can also log on to Gulf Bank’s bilingual website www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanah for further information.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Internet group picks Arab-American as CEO NEW YORK: A businessman with experience in building consensus will be the next CEO of the Internet agency in charge of contentious policies surrounding Internet addresses. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which is pushing through a major change in the way Web and email addresses are structured and assigned, announced Fadi Chehade’s appointment Friday. He will replace former US c ybersecurity chief Rod Beckstrom as chief executive.

In selecting Chehade, ICANN went with someone who isn’t well known and isn’t well versed in the organization’s core tasks - keeping the Internet address system running smoothly.

Chehade does, however, have a knack for diplomacy. In the early days of ecommerce, he persuaded leading tech companies such as IBM and HewlettPackard to collaborate on a system called RosettaNet for exchanging data, even as they competed for customers.

ICANN Chairman Steve Crocker said those achievements outweighed the drawbacks.

In an exclusive interview with AP ahead of the announcement, Chehade, 50, said his work at RosettaNet prepared him for the new role. “The thrill and the satisfaction of bringing people around some common understanding is tremendous,” Chehade said. “I have a personal and deep love of bringing consensus.” He said that when executive recruiters contacted him about the posi-

tion at ICANN, “I immediately had flashbacks of how much I enjoyed doing a job that everybody told me was impossible and difficult.”

As CEO, Chehade will receive a base salary of $560,000 plus up to $240,000 in bonuses based on merit. He is tentatively set to start Oct 1. His tenure lasts until July 1, 2015. Beckstrom leaves ICANN this July 1. Chief Operating Officer Akram Atallah will serve as CEO in the interim. One of Chehade’s chief tasks will be guiding the largest expansion of the Internet address system since its creation in the 1980s. The change affects how people find Web sites or send email and could lead to more options for businesses as easy-toremember “.com” names are harder to obtain.

ICANN has received 1,930 proposals for 1,409 different domain name suffixes, including “.love,” “.google” and “.music”. They would rival “.com” and others now in use. A florist called Apple can’t use “apple.com” today because the computer company has it, but the shop might get “apple.flowers” one day.

Even after a decade of debate, however, the expansion still faces criticism, much of it from trademark holders who worr y about having to police the Internet for addresses that misuse their brands. “Anything new like this is going to create angst and controversy, and it’s going to create opportunity,” Chehade said.

ICANN is also in charge of assigning

the numeric Internet Protocol addresses used to identify computers, smar tphones and other Internet-connected devices. And it faces perennial calls for the United Nations to take a greater role in crafting Internet policies. Although ICANN has board members from around the world, it is headquartered in Los Angeles and gets its authority from the US government, which funded much of

Fadi Chehade the Internet’s early development.

Chehade has some international experience, having served for a year in Dubai as IBM general manager for global technology services for the Middle East and North Africa. Born in Lebanon and of Egyptian decent, he speaks English, Arabic, French and Italian. He lives in Los Angeles and became a US

citizen in 1986. Chehade moved to the US in 1980 at age 18. Smuggled out of Beirut, he arrived in Los Angeles with $482 and worked two restaurant jobs there before attending Polytechnic Institute of New York on a scholarship.

After graduating with a computer science degree in 1985, he got a master’s in engineering management from Stanford University a year later.

He worked at Bell Labs before starting a company, Nett Information Products, in the early 1990s. The company offered ser vices that used Lotus Notes software to let companies collaborate with partners over proprietary networks. Ingram Micro Inc, a distributor of information-technology products, bought the company in 1996 and tasked Chehade with adapting the services to run over the Internet. It was there that he built software for computers from various companies to talk to one another with little human intervention. For instance, when CompUSA places an order through 3Com Corp’s website, 3Com’s computers automatically contact Ingram Micro’s machines to ship the products to CompUSA. That system was custom built. Its success prompted Chehade to create standards - such as common ways for proprietary systems to define shopping baskets - so that it could be used by hundreds or thousands of businesses.

That effort evolved into RosettaNet, which brought together leading, sometimes-competing companies such as

Microsoft Corp, SAP AG, Oracle Corp, IBM Corp, Hewlett-Packard Co, Dell Inc and Cisco Systems Inc., along with FedEx and UPS. “I had to get all these Silicon Valley giants in a room and convince them that if their machines talk to each other, we don’t lose a competitive advantage,” Chehade said.

After leaving RosettaNet in 2000, Chehade created Viacore Inc, which offered supply-chain management services to businesses that didn’t want to build their own systems in-house. IBM bought the company in 2006 and hired Chehade. He left IBM in 2009, after spending a year in Dubai. After a brief stint as CEO of CoreObjects Software Inc, Chehade became head of Vocado LLC, which makes software for educational institutions.

Atallah, the No. 2 executive at ICANN, was Chehade’s deputy at CoreObjects.

They had also known each other as children; both served in the boy scouts in Lebanon. Chehade credited the Internet with helping him stay in touch with childhood friends, many of whom scattered around the world because of a lengthy civil war in Lebanon during the late 70s and 80s. He said his “personal and professional passion about the value of the Internet” will lead him to favor policies that keep the Internet free from unnecessary restrictions. At a news conference in Prague announcing his appointment, Chehade added, “I’m here because I owe the Internet everything that I’ve achieved today.” — AP

Lack of computer access a major hurdle for the poor

SEOUL: South Korean models hold the company’s latest smartphone, the Galaxy S III, during its unveiling ceremony for the domestic market yesterday. — AFP

Samsung Galaxy S III sales to hit 10m in July SEOUL: Samsung Electronics Co, the world’s top mobile phone maker, said yesterday it expects global sales of the latest Galaxy smartphone to surpass 10 million in July even as it struggles to keep up with demand because of component shortages. Shin Jong-kyun, president of Samsung’s mobile communications business, said the Galaxy S III will hit the 10-million milestone within two months of its launch. “It has been tough to keep up with demand,” Shin told reporters.

Samsung’s failure to procure sufficient mobile components for its latest smartphone has stoked concerns that its second-quarter smartphone sales could be much lower than expected. Shin said the company expects to resolve the supply issues with mobile components sometime in the next week. “Despite the tough economic situation in Europe and problems with supplying components for the Galaxy S III, the second-quarter earnings will be better than the first quarter,” he said.

Shares of Samsung tumbled 4.2 percent on the Seoul bourse yesterday, closing at a four-month low. The benchmark Kospi index fell 1.2 percent. Samsung began sales of the Galaxy S III in Europe on May 29 and released the smartphone through all major mobile U.S. carriers last week. In its home market, the company started sales of the latest iteration of Galaxy earlier yesterday. Samsung’s sales estimate for the S III reflects robust demand from mobile operators. Unlike

Apple Inc, Samsung does not disclose sales figures to consumers.

The South Korean company said the S III will be released by around 300 mobile carriers in 147 countries by the end of July, aiming for an early start before rival Apple announces a new version of the iPhone in the third quarter.

The third version of the Galaxy S features a bigger screen - measured 4.8inch diagonally - but is thinner and lighter than its predecessors and the iPhone 4S. Samsung packed the highend smartphone with a legion of new features including eye-recognition technology that keeps the screen from dimming. It also has voice command functions that let users schedule an alarm or adjust volume by speaking to their device.

Its near-field communication technology enables sharing of data heavy multimedia content among Galaxy S III users quickly. But activating the function - called S Beam - takes multiple steps. Because Samsung customizes its flagship smartphone based on Google’s Android operating system, some of Samsung’s features overlap with those made by Google. Separately, Samsung’s mobile president said it is still investigating the explosion of a Galaxy S III in Ireland. He said the battery wasn’t the cause. Samsung overtook Nokia as the world’s biggest mobile-phone maker in 2011 and competes with Apple for the top smartphone maker position. It aims to double its smartphone sales this year

PHILADELPHIA: Fingering an orange flash drive like a good-luck totem, Teisha Reynolds took a break from the computer class she hopes will change her life. At a KEYSPOT computer-access center within the Families First/People’s Emergency Center in West Philadelphia, Reynolds is enrolled in computer classes to help get off welfare. Reynolds, 36, keeps hearing the whole world is online. That’s not entirely true. “When you’re poor and without a computer, there’s a big gap between you and everyone else,” Reynolds said. “For me and my two sons, it’s very hard not having one.”

Throughout the nation, a stark divide separates those with access to computers and computer training, and those without. For lowincome Americans, it’s akin to being stuck yelling out a window to communicate while everyone else is using the phone. Overall, 90 percent of Americans making between $50,000 and $74,999 are online, according to a study released by the Pew Research Center in April.

For those making more than $75,000 annually, it’s 97 percent.

Among Americans who make less than $30,000 a year, however, just 62 percent are online. And, only 43 percent of people without high school diplomas use the Internet, compared with 94 percent of people with college degrees. “ The more people without access to the Internet get left behind, the greater the gap between the haves and have-nots becomes,” said Greta Byrum, technology expert with the New America Foundation, a nonpartisan public policy institute in Washington. “It robs people of a voice.” Being connected to the Web is “part of being a fully functioning member of our society,” said Curtis Skinner, a family expert with the National Center for Children and Poverty at Columbia University.

Most people can’t apply for jobs without being online. And a growing number of services for the poor - including food stamps - may soon be available online only. In Florida, for example, people seeking unemployment benefits must apply online. Some can’t, and a large proportion of claims are being denied, Skinner said. How people get on the Internet is changing, of course.

Among smartphone owners, for example, those with lower household income levels are more likely than other groups to say their phone is their main source of Internet access, according to Pew. Experts suspect that may be because smartphone Internet

Instructor Hamidoy Traore (right) talks with students (from left) Shakeya Precha, Teisha Reynolds and Ashley Epps during computer class in the technology center at Families First at People’s Emergency Center in Philadelphia June 1, 2012. — MCT access can be cheaper and more households. The Philadelphia met- has a passion for this,” Cohen said.

The program has had mixed convenient than owning a home ropolitan area registered 64 perresults, with just 463 broadband computer with broadband access - cent.

Interestingly, Skinner said, low- activations in Philadelphia, as an always-on, high-speed computincome students with Web access opposed to more than 5,000 in er line.

A large percentage of poor spend more time than their better- Chicago, Comcast figures show.

Americans also get online by using off counterparts using online time Overall, 41,000 US households computers in libraries. In for games and social networking signed up for it. “That’s not much at Philadelphia, the poorest city with rather than schoolwork. That may all,” Byrum said. The program more than 1 million residents in the be because there aren’t that many doesn’t allow the elderly or any United States, it is estimated that low-income adults with sufficient low-income people without school41 percent of people lack access to computing acumen to police their age children to participate, she computers in their homes, accord- kids, experts said. To help poor peo- added. Philadelphia groups that ing to an analysis based on 2008 ple get online in Philadelphia, the represent the poor, notably Action census material. Some researchers Freedom Rings partnership - United, say Comcast did a poor job using updated figures, such as including city agencies, nonprofits, of publicizing the program and set Temple University urban studies and Drexel University - has used up too many hurdles to apply.

“We did a terrific job publicizing professor Charles Kaylor, believe federal grant money to create 77 it,” Cohen countered.

In the real number is closer to 54 per- KEYSPOT computer-access labs.

It’s not easy for low-income Philadelphia, for example, fliers cent.

David L Cohen, executive vice adults to be cyber-savvy. “ This were sent home with public school president of Comcast Corp, which new world is strange for them,” students. He added that senior citihas created a program to get more said Hamidou Traore, an instruc- zens were not a target audience for low-income Americans online, said tor at the People’s Emergenc y Internet Essentials, and that applino more than 15 percent to 20 per- Center. “Their reading levels and cations were now easier. Even if the cent of residents were hooked up writing skills aren’t all there. It’s Comcast program improves, it to broadband in poor communities. overwhelming.” To help address won’t connect the poor to the Web By comparison, 85 percent to 90 such problems, Comcast last year overnight.

Besides, said Melissa Gilbert, percent of residents in better-off created Internet Essentials, which communities get broadband, offers a discounted $9.95-a- urban studies professor at Temple, Cohen said. Overall, the month home broadband Internet the poor suffer problems beyond Philadelphia metropolitan area service to people whose children the Web. She related the story of a (including Camden and qualify for free or reduced-price woman who showed up at a comWilmington) ranks 35th out of 100 school lunch. The program also puter-training class with her in broadband adoption rates, helps low-income people buy a brother. To see the screen, the two according to the most recent infor- computer for $150. The nation’s needed glasses. They were so desmation compiled by the American largest provider of residential titute, however, they had to share University School of Internet service, Comcast agreed a single pair. “Are you concerned Communication. The Bridgeport, to the program as a condition of about access to the ‘net if you’re Conn., metropolitan area had the its deal to buy NBC Universal Inc., hungry?” Gilbert asked. “Probably highest rate, at 77 percent of Byrum said. “The whole company not.” — MCT

Sony, Panasonic team up on next-generation TVs TOKYO: Struggling Japanese electronics giants Sony and Panasonic said yesterday they would team up to develop televisions with advanced technology, in a bid to claw back market share from overseas rivals. Despite a long-standing rivalry, the firms said they would aim to establish mass-production technology for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) television panels next year, as they try to recover from multi-billion-dollar losses. The technology lets producers make TVs that consume less power while offering a sharper picture than conventional flat panels, and is expected to be one of the dominant technologies in next-generation televisions.

However, the industry has struggled to find an economical way to develop larger screens equipped with the technology. The partnership marks the first time the two firms have teamed up in a core business, a major turning point for Japan’s hard-hit electronics industry.

“Each company plans to utilise its own strengths to develop and commercialise its own competitive, high-performance, next-generation OLED televisions and large-sized displays,” the firms said in a joint statement. The move comes as South Korean rivals Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics reportedly plan to separately release 55-inch (140 cm) televisions with the advanced OLED technolo-

gy this year. But Mitsushige Akino, analyst at Ichiyoshi Investment Management in Tokyo, cast doubt on the Sony-Panasonic deal, saying it would likely not be enough to save the firms’ money-losing TV divisions. “It is too late. They should have done such a deal five or six years ago,” he told AFP. “The two companies need more drastic measures such as a withdrawal from the TV business altogether. This won’t change their severe business circumstances.” Sony and Panasonic lost more than $15.0 billion combined in the year to March owing to falling sales and intensifying competition. The losses have been particularly acute in the television business, where Japanese firms have

been hurt by a strong yen, shrinking profit margins and stiff competition from foreign rivals. Earlier this month Sony shares tumbled below 1,000 yen for the first time since 1980 and the era of the Walkman, sending the value of the company crashing to less than a tenth of what it was just over a decade ago. In April, Sony said it would cut about 10,000 jobs and spend nearly $1.0 billion on an overhaul that its new chief Kazuo Hirai described as “urgent”. Sony has vowed a return to the black after losing 456.66 billion yen ($5.7 billion) in the year to March, forecasting a net profit of 30 billion yen in the current fiscal year through March 2013. —AFP

TOKYO: In this April 15, 2009 file photo, a photographer takes a photo of a clear image of flowers on a Sony Corpís 21-inch OLED, or organic lightemitting diode, display model shown for the first time in Japan at the 5th International Flat Panel Display Expo ‘Display 2009’. — AP

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

IVF in young women tied to breast cancer

LOS ANGELES: Randy Munoz, pictured October 10, 2011, is vice chairman of the nonprofit Latino Diabetes Association.—MCT

He’s the Latino Diabetes Association’s keeper of the flame LOS ANGELES: Randy Munoz glided among the guests, greeting and hugging them. They were in a posh club 54 floors above Los Angeles, and the windows looked out to a shimmering vista of lighted streets. They swirled cocktails, dined on shrimp and gyoza, soaked up a Latin trio and traded pleasantries.

Then Munoz, called on to speak, riled the serenity with a jolt of emotion. “How many of you guys have diabetes in your families? OK. Keep those hands up and look around. Look around. That’s disgusting. Seriously. That’s sad,” Munoz said.

“It’s no wonder our kids are 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide now because, you know, they have carte blanche, the McDonald’s and the Carl’s Jr.’s that just come into our low-income communities and set up shop and nobody’s watching them.” Munoz was angry. He is often incensed. One out of eight Latino adults in Los Angeles County has been diagnosed with diabetes, a rate more than two times higher than for white adults, according to a 2007 survey taken for the Department of Public Health.

Poor, Spanish-speaking Latinos are particularly vulnerable because they are much less likely to have access to information about the disease, decent medical care and healthy foods.

“We need your help, guys. So dig in those deep pockets that I know you’ve got and that your friends have and help us out, help us help the community,” said Munoz, vice chairman of the nonprofit Latino Diabetes Association. For the last seven years, typically volunteering more than 20 hours a week, Munoz has struggled to put the Latino Diabetes Association on a solid financial footing. He had a receptive audience at the February fundraiser at the City Club, but the evening drew only about three dozen people.

Munoz initially imagined he would raise $50,000, then trimmed his hopes to $25,000.

The final tally was $9,000.

Though often disheartened, Munoz keeps plugging. “I’m the kind of guy that, till the credits are going up, thinks the movie is going to get better,” he said. “This is my calling.”

Munoz, 46, grew up in Estrada Courts, a public housing development in Boyle Heights, and dropped out of high school. “The dean told me ‘I can hardly wait for you to turn 18 so you can go to the joint,’ “ he recalled.

He eventually earned a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. He worked in the garment industry for 14 years before landing a job with the county’s Community and Senior Services Department. In 1994, Munoz’s 10-year-old niece, Amber Arevalo, who was overweight, found out she was diabetic. “We had no idea of how serious it was,” he said. “It’s really a misunderstood disease.”

Diabetes is caused when the body fails to make enough insulin or respond to it and is then unable to absorb sugar from the bloodstream, which can lead to severe complications. The most common form can often be controlled by proper diet and exercise.

As Arevalo grew up, she suffered heart attacks and strokes. She had part of a finger amputated. She wore a colostomy bag and went to dialysis three times a week. She lost her sight and was eventually bedridden. And she became Munoz’s inspiration to fight diabetes.

“I was extremely, extremely close to my niece,” he said. “I wanted to prevent more Ambers.” His mother, a brother and a nephew also have diabetes. “It’s ridiculous,” he said.

“They just announced officially that it is an epidemic. Ta-da! We knew that.” Last year, Munoz found out he was at risk of developing diabetes. He received a blood report with an elevated sugar level. Although he had insisted on being tested every year, he said, the office found no record that he had been. The experience underscored the disregard Munoz believes Latinos often face. “I was really angry when I found out,” he said.

“Here I am, I’m a big advocate on it. What about people who don’t speak English or are seniors? I’m thinking: No wonder we have a diabetes epidemic.” When Munoz began working with the Latino Diabetes Association, it was an idea on paper. The plan was to go into some of the county’s poorest communities and provide free classes in Spanish on yoga, healthy cooking, preventing diabetes and how to live with it. “This is one of the seeds you need. You need a lot of seeds to make it better. But you’ve got to start with something,” said Dr. Michael Marcus, a podiatrist who estimates that three-quarters of his patients are diabetics who have foot problems caused by nerve damage or poor blood flow.—MCT

NEW YORK: Women who go through in vitro fertilization (IVF) early in life are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who don’t undergo the treatment, according to an Australian study. But the findings, based on a study of more than 21,000 women and published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, cannot determine whether IVF contributed to the cancers or whether something else could explain the risk.

“I don’t think it’s a huge increased risk that you should worry or panic (about),” said Louise Stewar t, the study ’s lead author and a researcher at the University of Western Australia in Crawley. She added, however, that the findings did show a link between the two and doctors should keep that in mind. For the study, Stewart and her colleagues collected information on 21,025 women between the ages of 20 and 40 who went through fertility treatment at the hospitals of Western Australia between 1983 and 2002. They were able to piece together enough data to follow the women for some 16 years to see if they developed breast cancer.

Roughly 1.7 percent of the 13,644 women who only used fertility drugs without IVF ended up developing breast cancer by the end of the study. That figure was about two percent for women who used fertility drugs and underwent IVF - a difference that researchers said wasn’t statistically significant. When they divided the women into different age groups, though, that changed.

Women who started taking fertility drugs around their 24th birthday and went through IVF had a 56 percent greater chance of eventually developing breast cancer compared to those in the same age group who only went through fertility treatments without IVF. But there was no increased risk for women who started fertility treatments when they were about 40 years old, regardless of whether they had IVF or not.

Stewart told Reuters Health that a possible reason that younger women see an increased risk of breast cancer is that they are exposed to higher levels of circulating estrogen during their cycles of IVF treatment. “The development

of breast cancer is linked to estrogen exposure and the longer one is exposed, the greater the risk,” said Linda Giudice, president-elect of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, in a statement. “In an IVF cycle there is a short, but significant elevation in circulating estrogen, and whether this is linked to the observations found in the study is not clear at this time.” Stewart added that another explanation could be that younger women who undergo IVF may be different in some significant way from those who only have other types of fertility treatment.

“If, for example, younger women who had IVF were more likely to have a specific cause of infertility, and this was related to an increased risk of breast cancer, then it would appear that IVF was related to breast cancer when in fact it was the type of infertility that was more common in women who had IVF,” she said. She emphasized that this is just speculation, adding that the data used in the study didn’t include information about the women’s causes of infertility - and that the current study’s results need to be confirmed by future research.—Reuters

LOS ANGELOS: (Left) In this July 13, 2004 photo Natalie Homza is notified by her new hearing dog Arby that her oven timer is going off during a training exercise. (Right) In this undated file photo provided by the National Academy of Sciences, Dodger, a 2-year-old female dolphin, carries a marine sponge for use as a foraging tool in Australia.—AP photos

Animal smarts: What do dolphins and dogs know?

WASHINGTON: It’s not just man’s closer primate relatives that exhibit brain power. Dolphins, dogs and elephants are teaching us a few lessons, too. Dolphin brains involve completely different wiring from primates, especially in the neocortex, which is central to higher functions such as reasoning and conscious thought. Dolphins are so distantly related to humans that it’s been 95 million years since we had even a remotely common ancestor.

Yet when it comes to intelligence, social behavior and communications, some researchers say dolphins come as close to humans as our ape and monkey cousins.

Maybe closer.

“They understand concepts like zero, abstract concepts. They do everything that chimpanzees do

and bonobos can do,” said Lori Marino, a neuroscientist at Emory University who specializes in dolphin research. “The fact is that they are so different from us and so much like us at the same time.” In recent years, animal researchers have found that thought processes in critters aren’t a matter of how closely related they are to humans.

You don’t have to be a primate to be smart. Dolphin brains look nothing like human brains, Marino said.

Yet, she says, “the more you learn about them, the more you realize that they do have the capacity and characteristics that we think of when we think of a person.”

These mammals recognize themselves in the mirror and have a sense of social identity. They not only know who they are, but they

also have a sense of who, where and what their groups are. They interact and comprehend the health and feelings of other dolphins so fast it as if they are online with each other, Marino said.

Animal intelligence “is not a linear thing,” said Duke University researcher Brian Hare, who studies bonobos, which are one of man’s closest relatives, and dogs, which are not. “Think of it like a toolbox,” he said. “Some species have an amazing hammer. Some species have an amazing screwdriver.” For dogs, a primary tool is their obsessive observation of humans and ability to understand human communication, Hare said. For example, dogs follow human pointing so well that they understand it whether it’s done with a hand or a foot; chimps

don’t, said Hare, whose upcoming book is called “The Genius of Dogs.”

Then there are elephants. They empathize, they help each other, they work together. In a classic cooperation game, in which animals only get food if two animals pull opposite ends of a rope at the same time, elephants learned to do that much quicker than chimps, said researcher Josh Plotnik, head of elephant research at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation in Thailand. They do even better than monkeys at empathy and rescue, said Plotnik. In the wild, he has seen elephants stop and work together to rescue another elephant that fell in a pit. “There is something in the environment, in the evolution of this species that is unique,” he says.—AP

Hotel inside S Africa’s Kruger Park irks conservationists

ECUADOR: Lonesome George, the last known individual of the Pinta Island Tortoise, subspecies Geochelone nigra abingdoni, is pictured at Galapagos National Park’s breeding center in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz island, Galapagos on March 18, 2009.—AFP

Giant tortoise Lonesome George dies, last of his kind QUITO: Lonesome George has died, leaving the world one subspecies poorer. The only remaining Pinta Island giant tortoise and celebrated symbol of conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands passed away Sunday with no known offspring, the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador said in a statement.

Lonesome George’s longtime caretaker, Fausto Llerena, found the giant tortoise’s remains stretched out in the “direction of his watering hole” on Santa Cruz Island, it said.

Estimated to be more than 100 years old, the creature’s cause of death remains unclear and a necropsy is planned. Lonesome George is being kept in a cold chamber to prevent decomposition prior to the procedure.

Lonesome George was discovered on Pinta Island in 1972 at a time when giant tortoises of his type, Geochelone nigra abingdoni, were already believed to be extinct.

Since then, the animal had been part of the park service’s tortoise program, but repeated efforts to breed Lonesome George failed.

“The plight of Lonesome George provided a catalyst for an extraordinary effort by the government of Ecuador to restore not only tortoise populations throughout the archipelago but also improve the status of other

endangered and threatened species,” the park said.

In honor of Lonesome George, it said it was convening an international workshop in July on management strategies for restoring tortoise populations over the next decade.

“Lonesome George’s legacy will be an increased effort in both research and management to restore his island of Pinta and all of the other giant tortoise populations of Galapagos,” it said. The Galapagos Islands, situated about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off Ecuador’s coast, are considered a haven for tortoises.

There are about 20,000 giant tortoises left in the Galapagos, according to the park’s website. They are believed to be able to live up to the age of 200. The Galapagos gained fame when Charles Darwin visited in 1835 to conduct landmark research that led to his revolutionary theories on evolution. The archipelago has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978 for the rich plant and animal life found both on its land and in the surrounding sea. In 2007, the organization declared the island chain’s environment endangered due to the increase of tourism and the introduction of invasive species.—AFP

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s worldrenowned Kruger National Park is to get its first luxury hotel, but not everyone is impressed by the decision aimed at attracting the growing black middle class. The move by South African National Parks has been met with disapproval from staunch nature lovers who argue that the hotel will degrade the reserve’s ecology and ambiance. But authorities insist the development is part of the evolution of safari tourismgeared to shed the park’s image as an elitist destination for white South Africans and foreigners looking to escape to nature.

Of the more than one million people who visit the park annually, white South Africans are the largest group, according to SANParks. More and more blacks visit every year, but they are just 26 percent of the total. Among them, only six percent stay overnight.The target market for the hotel are the so-called “black diamonds” of the new middle class, who officials hope will help make national parks more commercially viable.

“Our assessment has shown that this group does not like staying in camps or lodges available in the park,” parks tourism boss Glenn Phillips told AFP. Created in 1898 by colonial-era president Paul Kruger, the park opened to the public in 1927 and was long seen as a symbol of white domination in a country where polemics around land and race run deep.

The hotel, planned for the southern part of the two-million-hectare (five-million-acre) reserve, will be built near the Malelane Gate, the most convenient entrance from Johannesburg and the airport in nearby Nelspruit. It will be a single-storey complex with 119 rooms, overlooking the Crocodile River. However, assurances by SANParks that “the development would be line with our mandate to conserve nature” have failed to convince all conservationists, sparking a heated debate and even accusations of racism.

‘Before long there will be a nightclub’ The national parks have had to respond to stereotypes, such as online comments and letters to local newspapers saying blacks do not enjoy the wild and would degrade the quiet

park setting with big luxury cars and loud music.

“Are these people going to be happy to sit in the hotel after sunset and listen to the sound of the African bush? Before long there will be in-house entertainment, a nightclub and then a casino to keep the money moving,” one reader wrote to a newspaper in Nelspruit.

One fierce opponent of the hotel, Allan Eccles, a Johannesburg-based tour operator for Falcon Africa Safaris, has accused SANParks of “commercialising Kruger Park and attempting to turn it into a Disneyland”.

“This hotel should have been built outside the park. There has been no evidence suggesting that the black middle class want the hotel there,” Eccles told AFP, adding that the proposed site is an environmentally sensitive area. Phillips said SANParks officials were aware of the emotions stirred by the plans, but that “some of the concerns were unfounded”.

SANParks’ long-term strategy is to build

hotels in other parks across the country, aiming to attract more domestic visitors. Change to Kruger has always caused controversy, from the building of the first camp in 1939 to the tarring of roads and opening of petrol stations, Phillips said. Today only 0.3 percent of the park, which is nearly the size of Belgium, is developed.

Retired Kruger park manager Salomon Joubert described the hotel plans as a “dramatic deviation from national park philosophy ”.

“National parks are there for their scientific, for their spiritual and educational values. They are not here as resorts,” Joubert told television news show Carte Blanche. But another ex-Kruger manager, Harold Braack, supported the hotel, saying the parks must evolve with the times. “I believe that the hotel development will be a benefit to Kruger and to local communities-this is important if we wish to have a Kruger National Park in the future,” said Braack. “Conservation has to grow with people and benefit people.”—AFP

JOHANNESBURG: An artist impression of a Hotel that will be buit in Kruger National Park. —AFP

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Reinventing senior citizen centers HACKENSACK: They don’t want to listen to Sinatra; they want to learn how to play the guitar. They don’t want baked chicken and mashed potatoes; they want baked brie and cabernet. And they certainly don’t want to go anyplace where the day’s biggest excitement is the visiting nurse checking their blood pressure.

Senior centers are being reinvented to cater to a baby boom generation looking for something different in a golden-years hangout. Many of these over-65 residents are in good health, working full time or taking care of grandchildren. They don’t want to be treated like they’re old-in fact many won’t even go to a place with “senior” over the door.

“I think the name, ultimately, is going to have to change at some point,” said Bonnie Leibowitz, co-president of the New Jersey Association of Senior Center Directors. She added: “I have 90-year-olds who tell me they don’t want to be around older people all the time.” The label “senior center” conjures an image of a room with metal folding chairs and wheelchairs positioned around rectangular tables, a bland but nutritious lunch at every setting. In the corner-to be rolled out later-a bingo cage. But more and more, seniors are looking for places to meet where they won’t just pass the time but get some advice on how to better manage it. Places where they can discuss art, books and movies and get tips on how to decrease stress, de-clutter their homes, get jobs, stay healthy, stay fit, stay out of the nursing home-or for that matter, stay out of their imagined idea of a senior center where the highlight is a cup of applesauce for dessert.

One such hip gathering place for seniors opened in Hackensack, N.J.’s Shops at Riverside mall two years ago in a stylish storefront. It looks more akin to a hotel lobby or a cocktail

lounge than one of the governmentrun “senior nutrition sites” in New Jersey. “I just thought it looked interesting,” said Lola Small, 81, who popped into the Senior Source one day and became a regular.

A recent widow, Small appreciates the friendships she’s made with other active seniors who are looking for a livelier atmosphere than at traditional senior centers, where, she says, “they are just looking forward to eating all

the vendors who pay the rent in exchange for the opportunity to pitch their services. Another gathering place that breaks from the traditional senior center mold is the Korean Community Center in Englewood, N.J. Its mission is to give older Koreans a way to serve the community. It has evolved into the multigenerational activity center, with art, cooking, exercise and wellness programs that serve children as young as 4 and seniors as

HACKENSACK: Sheryl Sarnack, center, conducts laughter yoga class for senior citizens in a relaxing, more modern venue, the Senior Source, at Riverside Square Mall, in New Jersey.—MCT the time.” “I went there once,” Small said of the senior center in her town.

“It wasn’t for me.”

Typically seniors arrive at the mall site around noon, listen to a talk on a topic like stress management or maybe catch an afternoon showing of a film. Afterward, they head off together for a walk around the mall or P.F. Chang’s for dinner. The activitiessuch as laughter yoga-aren’t planned by anyone with a degree in geriatrics but by the seniors themselves, or by

old as 90. Many of the center’s oldest members organize an art contest for kids or run other programs, in keeping with the founders’ philosophy that the best way to keep seniors healthy is to keep them active and give them an opportunity to help themselves and others, said Dr. KyeEun Ma, the center’s president.

The 100 classes and programs the center offers each month attract all ages, including the rigorous exercise classes, which some of the center’s

oldest members have signed up for.

“It’s not determined by age,” Ma said.

“It’s determined by ability and by interest.” Ma said seniors benefit from not being isolated from the rest of the community, while the children learn the benefits of living healthy and taking care of themselves by seeing the active lives of the octogenarians in their midst.

There is still a need for government-run centers to stay true to their original mission of serving basic needs-for a frailer population that needs a daily discounted meal and other services to remain healthy and financially stable.

But that’s also why healthier and wealthier seniors “won’t go near them,” said Lita Talbot, a health care consultant who advises businesses that serve senior populations. “They don’t see some of these senior centers as being for them.” Though many traditional senior centers now offer a variety of programs, from advanced computer training to job-search services, the trick is getting seniors in the door. Indeed, when Mahwah, N.J., opened a senior center 10 years ago, officials decided their program would be different than the government-run senior centers in other towns. This center offers a series of vigorous exercise classes and entertainment, like Beatles tributes.

“We are serving a more affluent senior population who would rather go out to lunch at a restaurant,” said Suzanne Small, director of the center.

“They just want to come here for an exercise class or an art program.

They’re not interested in spending the day here.” But the desires of today’s new generation of seniors sometimes go beyond what can be offered. At the center she runs in Monroe Township, N.J., Leibowitz would love to offer more evening programs for working seniors. —MCT

More soccer sprains when one ankle is stronger NEW YORK: Pro soccer players are much more likely to suffer ank le sprains when one foot is stronger than the other, according to a Greek study. Ankle sprains occur when a ligament in the joint is over stretched or torn, often from a sudden twist or awkward landing. They are among the most common injuries in soccer and can lead to pain and stability problems lasting months or even years for some.

Though there have been a number of studies into why athletes suffer sprains, few have focused on soccer players, said George Vagenas, from the University of Athens and lead researcher, and colleagues, who published their findings in the American Journal of Spor ts Medicine. The researchers did pre-season tests of ankle strength and stability in 100 players from four professional soccer teams in Greece, then followed the players over the next 10 months to see who would get hurt on the field.

Seventeen players suffered one or more non-contact sprains during the season. Those with considerable strength differences between their left and right ankles were nine times as likely to suffer sprains as those whose ankles were about the same strength.

When a player cuts or lands from a jump, it’s important to have symmetrical activation of the two sets of ankle muscles to help the joints absorb the impact and prevent damage, Vagenas told Reuters Health by email. “All soc-

cer players, professionals or not, must be evaluated during the pre-seasonal period by sports specialists for verification of potential functional asymmetry of the ankle joint,” he said.

Sports medicine experts said the report has an important message for amateur athletes as well.”This study does suggest that if soccer players want to lower their risk of suffering ank le sprains, then they should strengthen their ankle musculature evenly, so that they have a good balance between both legs,” said Erik Wikstrom, an expert in ankle sprains at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“Proper balance between the lower extremities is very important.” Earlier studies have shown that both lace-up ankle braces and balance training on a “wobble board” can help stave off injuries to the joint. “I tell people to go ahead and balance on one leg, then the other for two to three minutes,” said Timothy McGuine, a sports medicine specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who added that two to three times a week is a good start.

The Greek researchers also found that heavy players were more prone to sprains, which makes sense given the extra force their ankles have to absorb when they land or cut. Apart from keeping a healthy weight, McGuine told Reuters Health that it’s important to learn how to land properly too. “Don’t land stiff legged. We want a soft foot strike.”—Reuters

Colon cancer is quickly gaining pace in Kuwait the options they have for treatment.”

What is cancer staging all about?

Generally, doctors use staging as a way to assess the required treatment by defining first the extent to which the cancer has spread. Factors taken into account include the size of the tumor, penetration level, effect on adjacent o as well as distant organs, and number of lymph nodes.

Dr. Abdullah Al Haddad KUWAIT: “It is very difficult to ignore the facts,” said Dr. Abdullah Al Haddad, Specialist of General Surgery and Colon and Rectum surgery at Dar Al Shifa Hospital. “Colon cancer is quickly gaining pace as the number one type of cancer found in Kuwait.”

“A patient starts off with fear of diagnosis, and quickly panics or loses hope right after they discover the truth,” he continued. “What usually works to get them through is by understanding exactly what is happening to them, and

On diagnosis & treatment In terms of diagnosis, the gastroenterologists report is very crucial, as it mainly is used to accurately allocate the lesion or cancer. If the patient has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, then a CT or MRI will be done before surgery.

Apart from colonoscopy and surgery, the other existing diagnostic tools that can be used are virtual colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy, or barium enema.

Most colon cancer cases require surgery, after which the doctor can assess whether the patient requires chemotherapy. The only exception to a change of treatment order is in the case of metastases being present. For rectal

cancer, depending on the depth of the tumor and the close proximity to the anus, the decision will be made in terms of giving chemotherapy or radiotherapy before the surgery.

“Here at Dar Al Shifa Hospital we understand that a fundamental comfort factor during a time like this is being sure that treatment is being conducted by the best talent available; and so it is our first priority.”

There are a number of advanced methods used in surgical intervention, such as the conducting endoscopy and removal of the tumor through the rectum - a procedure which is unique to Dar Al Shifa Hospital. Patients usually return to practicing their normal routines within a few days post-operation.

Life after surgery Post treatment, most people lead normal lives. The rate at which recovery happens depends on a number of factors, mainly starting with the level of advancement in surgery, as well as the patient’s adopted lifestyle after surgery. Patients are advised to do a blood test every three months for 2

years and go for a check-up every 6 months af ter their surgeries. “I t is important to conquer the fear that comes with these situations, which is achieved by a acquiring knowledge on the matter” continued Dr. Al Haddad.

“At Dar Al Shifa Hospital the doctors are ver y diligent at helping our patients by explaining the process and what comes with it, ensuring that they feel safe to ask whatever questions they might have.”

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Announcements Open House for Indian citizens pen House for Indian citizens by the ambassador which is being held every alternate Wednesday has been found useful by the Indian community and the embassy. It will now be held on every Wednesday from June 2012 between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs. in the embassy. During the month of June, 2012 the dates for the open house fall on 20th and 27th of the month. In case Wednesday is an embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day.

To ensure timely action/follow-up by the embassy, it is requested that, wherever possible, Indian citizens should exhaust the existing channels of interaction/grievance redressal and bring their problems/issues in writing with supporting documents. It may be mentioned that embassy of Indiaís 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.

For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) could be contacted. Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances. Similarly, a labour wing Help Desk functions from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs in the Labour Hall to address the labour related issues. There is also a 24x7 Help Line (Tel No. 25674163) to assist labourers in distress. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attaches in the labour section and the head of the labour wing could be contacted.

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‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait.

Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to- 97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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

Registration is on! For information, call 22512257.

Aware Diwaniya he AWARE Center cordially invites interested Western expatriates to its diwaniya presentation entitled, “You and the environment: how can you make a difference?” by Dr Mohammed AlFurgi.

Environmental issues are sometimes classified as academic or elite issues and we may feel that we as individuals do not have a role to play. We do have a role to play in improving our environment and an important one indeed. We (the individuals) are by far the majority and we are the ones that dictate what will happen to our environment. We are targeted as consumers and by making the right choice we could force the producers to change their products. Kuwait a country with a relatively small population but high consumption rate suffers from environmental problems, and we as citizens or residents could make a difference in alleviating these problems through simple practices. What can citizens and residents do to reduce littering and conserve water and energy? In his 25-minute presentation, Alforgi will discuss these questions and many more.

Dr. Alforgi graduated from the University of Tulsa, Tulsa Oklahoma with a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering and an M.S. in engineering management. He also holds a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Wyoming, USA. Dr. Alforgi has taught petroleum engineering at the College of Technological Studies in Kuwait, as well as at universities in Libya, the United Arab Emirates and Wyoming. He was a chairman of the Department of Petroleum Engineering Technology, at the College of Technological Studies. He wrote several papers on petroleum economics and takes deep interest in socio-economic changes that occur due to this particular resource.

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Summer Scrabble for kids ood news for kids still here during the summer vacations. You can join up with me to learn some tricks, tips and how to play Scrabble the right way! Need to know more? Then register with me Rohaina at 66634224 or at rainaveer@hotmail.com. You will be given Scrabble boards and have loads of fun games, mind games and quizzes. If this sounds fun, then call soon. Classes will end on July 26th.

Classes are on Thursdays ONLY and from 2.30 4.00 pm. Loads of fun and games in store.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Al Bayan Bilingual School celebrates graduating class of 2012 l Bayan Bilingual School celebrated its graduating class of 2012 under the auspices of Lulwa Saleh AlMulla, Secretary General for Women Cultural and Social Society at Courtyard Marriott, Al-Rayya ballroom. Among the guests of honor were Dr. Martha Thompson, chair for the school’s board of trustees, Waleed Al Humaidhi, Saleh Al Nafisi and Thomas Quinn, BBS Director and the educational faculty, members of BBS administration and parents.

Jihad Sadeddin, the high school principal gave the opening speech welcoming guests and parents in the ceremony, Thomas Quinn - School Director addressed the graduates with ten points he considered important for them to follow in their lives like using their imagination and creativity, to be bold and coura-

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geous, to believe in themselves and to have big dreams and elaborated that making mistakes is a part of learning.

Following this, Mrs. Lulwa advised the graduates in her speech to continue to seek education and knowledge in their lives and to think objectively and positively about matters they will face in life as they gain real life experiences in each passing minute and every decision they make. She also commended the role of the BBS students over the years in volunteer work in the Kuwaiti society and advised them to continue to do so in the coming years and make it a key aspect of their lives in the future.

The ceremony included different prizes and awards; The salutatorian was Yasmeen Hayat and the valedictorian was Abdulaziz Al Shalfan. PTA Award (Parents

Teachers Association) went to Dawood Al Matar, NHS Award (National Honor Society) prize went to Dawood Al Matar and Sara Al Qusous. Male Athletic Award went to Fahad Bourslee while the Female Athletic Award went to Fay Al Othman, Student Council Award went to Jamal Jamal, Aisha Al Marzouq, Abdul Mohsen Al Oraifan and finally The Principal Award went to Yara Bassam and Marwan Al Enizi.

The program also included wonderful songs in both English and Arabic languages performed by the 89 graduates. A majority of the graduates are perusing their university degree in USA, Lebanon, UAE, Ireland and Kuwait. It is the school’s pride and joy that some of them have been accepted in top and prestigious universities like; Babson College, Bentley

University, University of California, Boston University, California State University, MIT, University of Michigan, Syracuse University, University of Wisconsin and more.

The ceremony concluded with awarding the graduating class their graduation certificates by Mrs. Lulwa, Dr. Martha, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Jihad in a joyful setting that overwhelmed the audience with happiness. Mr. Jihad ended the ceremony with remarks of appreciation to people who contributed in the success of the event.

Kuwait travelers offered Monsoon Getaway he Sultanate’s only Marriott Resort, Salalah Marriott Resort in Mirbat, Oman is set to launch its Khareef offer for its international guests and local residents for the upcoming monsoon season. Starting from the 21st of June 2012 to the 31st of July 2012, the property offers a rate of 50 Omani Rial per person in a Deluxe Double Room including breakfast and 17% taxes and service charges, offering the most attractive rate for both leisure and business travelers who visit Salalah this summer. These special rates are valid for any stay during weekdays and weekends and also include complimentary airport transfers from/to Salalah International Airport as

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well as a shuttle bus service to the Salalah Khareef Festival upon request.

Ahmed El-Meligui, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Salalah Marriott Resort says: “The Khareef Season offers an ultimate summer escape for everyone due to the low temperatures and unique rainy weather in the Middle Eastern Region. The majority of travelers to the region during the Khareef are GCC tourists who are escaping the heat in their own countries. Our main source markets are locals and residents of Oman representing 48% of the total GCC visitors, followed by UAE with 22%, Saudi Arabia with 17% and Kuwait with 7% of the total GCC visitors.

With Ramadan falling into Khareef Season this year the peak season for the region will be even more compressed and is shortened to only four than the usual six weeks. “The respective authorities in Salalah have been extremely proactive and supportive regarding the hoteliers concerns about a shorter season. Therefore the Khareef Festival was moved forward from 21st of June to 18th of July 2012 and all other marketing initiatives have been advanced as well, so the effect of a short Khareef Season has been minimized. I am positive that with our 5 star facilities, our personalized service and our most competitive rates we are looking forward again to another

successful Khareef Season in 2012”, concludes El-Meligui.

Celebrate this monsoon season with the whole family and enjoy luxury inspired by nature at Mirbat Beach and book your escape to nature now! Call reservations at +968 23268245 or log on to www.marriottsalalahresort.com.

Oman Air offers direct flights from/to Muscat to Salalah and Dubai. The national carrier flies five daily return flights between Muscat and Salalah in addition to two direct flights a week from Dubai to Salalah.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

WHAT’S ON Competitions in Patriotic songs ndo-Kuwait Friendship Society, Kuwait (www.indo-kuwaitfriendshipsociety.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 registration. 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.

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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

t was a rosy moment at the Nigerian Embassy House in Bayan as diplomats, friend and wellwishers gathered for the naming ceremony of the Nigerian Charge D’affairesís son. May the Almighty Allah guide you baby Ahmad as you grow to be a blessing to your family. Greetings from the Nigerian Embassy, friends and wellwishers.

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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.

Dr. Ghalib Al-Mashoor said in a press release that Invitations for all schools located in various parts of Kuwait are already been sent. Schools under one management but from different locations can also participate in the contest individually. As per the school directory, there 23 Indian schools in Kuwait.

The last date of receiving names of the Participants is scheduled on 2nd day of October, 2012 (INDIA’s GHANDI JAYANTHI DAY). The entry is free to all and due to 2nd day of Eid Al-Adha holidays, a large crowd is expected to attend in addition to, Senior Kuwaiti and Indian citizens will also grace the function.

All the applications of interest should be sent to: ikfsociety@gmail.com Phone:99430786

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 Please be advised that the British Embassy Consular Section will be starting online appointment booking for our consular customers from Sunday, July 1, 2012. All information including how to make an appointment will be available on the embassy website from June 24, 2012.

You will also be able to book appointments on the embassy website from June 24, 2012. Please be aware that from July 1, 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers. We will provide regular updates every Thursdays throughout June. For the latest FCO travel advice please visit: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-eastnorth-africa/kuwait ■■■■■■■

IAA monitors Print Research

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

he International Advertising Association (IAA) Kuwait chapter is monitoring the first Print Research conducted by ‘GfK Media Research Middle East’ (GfK MRME). The research aims at delivering an accurate picture of the newspaper and magazines readership and patterns, providing the targeted markets with the most comprehensive and accurate data and competitive intelligence.

In order to ensure the quality and objectivity of the study and to raise the level of confidence of advertisers in print media, IAA has undertaken an initiative - the first of its kind - to subject this study to further scrutiny.

Accordingly, CESP (www.cesp.org), a

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French company specialized in media audit research, will follow up the fieldwork closely. Its representative spent four days in the company’s offices to supervise the training procedures and the fieldwork in order to make sure that the study was following international standards. The audit will continue throughout the fieldwork and until its finalization.

The fieldwork was supervised by IAA president Walid Kanafani, and IAA vicepresident Iqbal Haddad. Kanafani highlighted the importance of cooperation between the research companies and the concerned advertisers and media in order to improve this vital sector. He said the print “occupies the top rank in

terms of media spending, exceeding 50%”. “Therefore, it was natural for the Association to give priority to the publications over other media,” he said. He expressed hope that this initiative would mark the beginning of a series of activities the Association plans to carry out.

GfK MRME’s Regional Director Tarek Ammar voiced his delight at the launch of the research, which comes within a set of studies that GfK MRME plans to conduct. These studies are highly important as they help newspapers and magazines develop their business in light of the rapid changes in the world of media and communications, not to mention the follow-up of topics of

interest for the readers, and the drawing of a strategy for the distribution of their newspapers.

Ammar said GfK MRME’s expertise in audience and readership studies “will help us provide the Arab markets with clearer and more accurate data, especially since we are committed before the media sector to keeping pace with global developments in this area”. “We provided the research units with the possible means of quality assurance,” he said. The results are expected to be announced in mid-summer.

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 ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

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

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

Taco Bell launches first Drive Through Service n Thursday, June 14, Taco Bell, the USA based Mexican inspired restaurant franchise, successfully launched their fifth location within Kuwait at Hateen. The fifth branch is located adjacent to the Hateen Mall ensuring convenient accessibility for residents and non-residents of the area. Founded in 1962 in California, USA, Taco Bell offers a wide variety of products that exude quality and value. The brand has seen tremendous success within the USA and is now one of

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the highest selling brands in over 5,800 locations within the USA and 400 locations internationally. Taco Bell is well known for their innovative American-Mexican inspired products such as their Tacos, Burritos, Nachos and other specialty items such as the Fiesta Taco Salad and Crunchwrap.

In addition to the Hateen location, Taco Bell is also currently located at The Avenues Mall, Shaab, Kaifan, and Abu Halifa. Taco Bell Hateen is the first among its loca-

tions to add a drive through service making it more convenient for customers to place their orders and enjoy the experience of Taco Bell on the run. Taco Bell kicked of the grand opening on Thursday, June 14 in style. Several customized Hotrod cars were on site to mark the opening of the drive.This Launch marked the second drive through of its kind in the Middle East and first in Kuwait.

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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.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

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

Untamed & Uncut After The Attack Must Love Cats Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Natural World Cheetah Kingdom Predator’s Prey Pet Passport Pet Passport Escape To Chimp Eden Project Puppy Jeff Corwin Unleashed Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Breed All About It Your Very First Puppy Natural World Animal Precinct Animal Cops Philadelphia Safari Vet School Safari Vet School Bondi Vet Wildlife SOS Natural World Cheetah Kingdom Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Project Puppy Jeff Corwin Unleashed Dogs 101 Bad Dog Wildlife SOS Bondi Vet Escape To Chimp Eden Predator’s Prey Natural World Extreme Animals World Wild Vet Animal Cops Miami

00:40 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 01:10 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 01:40 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 02:05 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 02:30 MasterChef 02:55 Living In The Sun 03:45 Masterchef: The Professionals 04:15 Masterchef: The Professionals 05:10 James Martin’s Favourite Feasts 05:35 MasterChef 06:05 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 06:30 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 07:00 Living In The Sun 07:55 MasterChef Australia 08:40 MasterChef Australia 09:05 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 09:30 Bargain Hunt 10:15 Antiques Roadshow 11:10 Come Dine With Me 12:00 10 Years Younger 12:50 Holmes On Homes 13:35 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 14:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 15:10 Bargain Hunt 15:55 Antiques Roadshow 16:50 The Boss Is Coming To Dinner 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 Rachel’s Favourite Food For Living 18:30 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 19:00 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 19:20 James Martin’s Favourite Feasts 19:45 Antiques Roadshow 20:40 Holmes On Homes 21:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 22:10 Bargain Hunt 22:55 Antiques Roadshow 23:45 Come Dine With Me

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15

Duck Dodgers The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop Tom & Jerry Kids A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Jetsons Puppy In My Pocket Popeye Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective

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

Wacky Races The Flintstones A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye Classics Dexters Laboratory Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dastardly And Muttley A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Duck Dodgers Tom & Jerry Kids Droopy: Master Detective Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies The Garfield Show Scooby Doo Where Are You! Dastardly And Muttley Looney Tunes Puppy In My Pocket Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show The Garfield Show Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Droopy: Master Detective The Flintstones Wacky Races Dastardly And Muttley New Yogi Bear Show

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:25 Eliot Kid 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Regular Show 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10: Alien Force 13:30 Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders 13:55 Camp Lazlo 14:45 Powerpuff Girls 15:35 Angelo Rules 16:25 The Marvelous Misadventures...

16:50 Grim Adventures Of...

17:15 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:40 Adventure Time 18:05 Regular Show 18:30 Ben 10 18:55 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:20 Hero 108 19:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 20:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:00 Ben 10: Alien Force 21:25 The Powerpuff Girls 21:50 Cow And Chicken 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

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 African Voices 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 Talk Asia 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 Amanpour 12:30 The Royals 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 The Royals 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 00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 Shine 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 Shine 16:55 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

One Way Out Behind Bars Hillbilly Handfishin’ Extreme Fishing River Monsters Behind Bars How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Gold Rush Hot Rod Apprentice: Hard Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Bear Grylls’ Wild Weekend Finding Bigfoot Tornado Road Border Security Auction Kings Ultimate Survival Hot Rod Apprentice: Hard Wheeler Dealers Gold Rush Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Border Security Auction Kings South Beach Classics Rattlesnake Republic Finding Bigfoot Wreckreation Nation

00:35 Man Made Marvels Asia 01:25 Colony 02:15 Brave New World 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Smash Lab 04:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:15 Man Made Marvels Asia 06:05 What’s That About?

07:00 Brave New World 07:50 Head Rush 07:53 Bang Goes The Theory 08:20 Sci-Fi Science 08:50 Sport Science 09:40 Smash Lab 10:30 The Gadget Show 10:55 The Gadget Show 11:20 Man Made Marvels Asia 12:10 Brave New World 13:00 Mega World 13:50 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 14:45 Smash Lab 15:35 The Gadget Show

THE TRANSPORTER ON OSN ACTION HD

16:00 16:03 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:40

Head Rush Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Fi Science What’s That About?

Sport Science Race To Mars Catch It Keep It Scrapheap Challenge The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Stuck With Hackett Stuck With Hackett Scrapheap Challenge Sport Science

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

Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Emperor’s New School Emperor’s New School Brandy & Mr Whiskers Brandy & Mr Whiskers Replacements Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Fairly Odd Parents Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mouk Fish Hooks Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb Jessie Jessie Austin & Ally The Return Of Jafar Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Shake It Up A.N.T. Farm A.N.T. Farm Jessie Jessie Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb Phineas And Ferb So Random So Random Aladdin & The King Of Thieves Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Good Luck Charlie So Random The Return Of Jafar A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Wizards Of Waverly Place Kim Possible

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:20 American Dragon 06:45 Rekkit Rabbit 07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 08:00 Phineas And Ferb 08:25 Pair Of Kings 08:50 Iron Man Armored Adventures 10:05 Iron Man Armored Adventures 10:30 Kickin It 10:55 Zeke & Luther 11:20 Rated A For Awesome 11:45 Rekkit Rabbit 12:10 Pair Of Kings 12:35 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 13:10 Phineas And Ferb 13:25 Phineas And Ferb 13:45 Scaredy Squirrel 14:10 I’m In The Band 14:35 Zeke & Luther 15:00 Pokemon: Black And White 15:25 Iron Man Armored Adventures 15:50 Rated A For Awesome 16:15 Kickin It 16:40 Pair Of Kings 17:05 Zeke & Luther 17:30 Mr. Young 17:55 Mr. Young 18:20 Mr. Young 18:45 I’m In The Band 19:10 Kick Buttowski 19:35 Pair Of Kings 20:00 Zeke & Luther 20:25 Phineas And Ferb 20:50 Kid vs Kat 21:15 Aaron Stone 21:40 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:05 Phineas And Ferb 22:30 Kid vs Kat 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 THS 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 10:15 40 (More) Crimes Of Fashion 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 13:35 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Khloe And Lamar 17:25 Khloe And Lamar 17:55 E! News 18:55 E!es 19:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

21:25 22:25 23:25 23:55

Giuliana & Bill E! News Chelsea Lately Fashion Police

00:30 The Haunted 01:20 A Haunting 02:05 I Married A Mobster 02:30 Scorned: Crimes Of Passion 03:20 Deadly Women: Face To Face 03:45 Dr G: Medical Examiner 04:30 The Haunted 05:20 A Haunting 06:10 Disappeared 07:00 Forensic Detectives 07:50 Murder Shift 08:40 Mystery ER 09:30 Real Emergency Calls 09:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

10:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 11:10 Disappeared 12:00 Street Patrol 12:25 Street Patrol 12:50 Undercover 13:40 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 14:30 Real Emergency Calls 14:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

15:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:10 Disappeared 17:00 Forensic Detectives 17:50 Undercover 18:40 Real Emergency Calls 19:05 Life Or Death: Medical Mysteries 19:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry?

20:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 21:10 Disappeared 22:00 Killer Kids 22:50 Deadly Women 23:40 Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:05 01:55 03:30 05:25 07:00 08:50 10:30 12:05 14:00 16:30 18:30 20:15 22:00

Cop Bar Girls Down Came A Blackbird-18 Blood Red-PG The Believers-PG Memories Of Me-PG The Secret Invasion Twelve Angry Men The Group-PG Play Dirty-PG Across 110th Street-PG Order Of Death Twice Told Tales

00:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 01:00 Destination Extreme 01:30 Destination Extreme 02:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 03:00 City Chase Marrakech 04:00 Treks In A Wild World 05:00 Endurance Traveller 06:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 07:00 Destination Extreme 07:30 Destination Extreme 08:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 09:00 City Chase Marrakech 10:00 Treks In A Wild World 11:00 Endurance Traveller 12:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 13:00 Destination Extreme 13:30 Destination Extreme 14:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 15:00 City Chase Marrakech 16:00 Treks In A Wild World 17:00 Endurance Traveller 18:00 Madagascar Maverick 19:00 Travel Madness 19:30 Travel Madness 20:00 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 20:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 21:00 Exploring The Vine 21:30 Exploring The Vine 22:00 Long Way Down 23:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy

00:00 Geo Sessions 01:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 02:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 03:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 04:00 Racing To America 05:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 06:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 06:30 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 07:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 08:00 Racing To America 09:00 One Man & His Campervan 10:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 11:00 The Frankincense Trail 12:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 13:00 David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway 14:00 Food Lover’s Guide To The Planet 15:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 16:00 Racing To America 17:00 A World Apart 18:00 Geo Sessions 19:00 Around The World For Free 20:00 Departures 21:00 Banged Up Abroad 22:00 62 Days At Sea 23:00 Into The Drink 23:30 Into The Drink

00:00 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00

Megastructures Mystery Files Mystery Files Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) Megastructures Fight Science Hunter Hunted Banged Up Abroad Air Crash Investigation Megastructures Mystery Files Mystery Files Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) Megastructures Fight Science Hunter Hunted Banged Up Abroad Air Crash Investigation Ancient Megastructures Mystery Files Mystery Files Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) Megastructures

DUE DATE ON OSN CINEMA 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

World’s Deadliest Animals Shark Men Lockdown Air Crash Investigation

00:00 Animal Autopsy 01:00 Shark Nicole 01:55 Moray Eels: Alien Empire 02:50 Strike Force 03:45 Animal Superpowers 04:40 Built For The Kill 05:35 Hidden Worlds 06:00 Hidden Worlds 06:30 Moray Eels: Alien Empire 07:25 Strike Force 08:20 Animal Superpowers 09:15 The Kill Zone 10:10 Chimp Diaries 10:35 Chimp Diaries 11:05 Maneater Manhunt 12:00 I, Predator 13:00 Fish Warrior 14:00 Strike Force 15:00 Hooked 16:00 Sixgill Shark: Into The Abyss 17:00 Among The Great Apes With Michelle Yeoh 18:00 Maneater Manhunt 19:00 Moray Eels: Alien Empire 20:00 Strike Force 21:00 Animal Superpowers 22:00 The Kill Zone 23:00 Chimp Diaries 23:30 Chimp Diaries

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 PG15 09:45 12:00 14:15 PG15 16:00 17:45 20:00 22:00

Fading Of The Cries-18 Child’s Play 2-18 Thick As Thieves-18 Inside Out-PG15 True Justice: BrotherhoodIn The Line Of Fire-PG15 Iron Man 2-PG15 True Justice: BrotherhoodThe Warrior’s Way-PG15 Iron Man 2-PG15 Child’s Play 3-18 The Transporter-PG15

01:00 Jumping The Broom-PG15 03:00 Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs.

Evil-PG 05:00 Coyote County Loser-PG15 07:00 Bound By A Secret-PG15 09:00 Jumping The Broom-PG15 11:00 Calvin Marshall-PG15 13:00 50 First Dates-PG15 15:00 My Dog Tulip-PG15 17:00 The Conspirator-PG15 19:00 Due Date-PG15 21:00 The Deep Blue Sea-PG15 23:00 Meet Monica Velour-R

00:00 King Of The Hill 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 Louie 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Raising Hope 05:30 Til Death 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 The Simpsons 09:00 Til Death 09:30 Traffic Light 10:00 Happy Endings 13:00 Til Death 14:00 Raising Hope 14:30 Happy Endings 15:00 Traffic Light 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:30 Man Up! 19:00 The Cleveland Show 19:30 Happy Endings 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Eastbound And Down 22:30 Entourage 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Justified Missing Luck Suits Good Morning America Franklin & Bash Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show The View Missing Suits Live Good Morning America Franklin & Bash Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar Royal Pains House Luck True Blood

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Unforgettable Missing Luck Justified Suits C.S.I. Miami Unforgettable Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Missing Justified Suits Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Unforgettable Emmerdale Coronation Street The Protector White Collar Royal Pains House Luck Rescue Me

01:00 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

13 Assassins-18 Quarantine 2: Terminal-18 Outcast-R Taxi-PG15 Dad Savage-PG15 Friday Night Lights-PG15 The Warlords-PG15 Dad Savage-PG15 Spider-Man-PG The Siege-18 The Transporter-PG15 Sleep Dealer-18

00:00 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story-PG15 02:00 Vice Versa-PG 04:00 Cats & Dogs-PG 06:00 Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie-PG15 08:00 Vice Versa-PG 10:00 Nothing Like The HolidaysPG15 12:00 Garfield-PG 14:00 Bad News Bears-PG 16:00 Nothing Like The HolidaysPG15 18:00 The Extra Man-PG15 20:00 Miami Rhapsody-PG15 22:00 The Joneses-PG15

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:30 13:00 15:00 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:00

Square Grouper-18 Yona Yona Penguin-PG Gilles’ Wife-PG15 South Solitary-PG15 2001: A Space Odyssey-PG15 Oceans - Into The Deep-PG Eight Below-PG 2001: A Space Odyssey-PG15 Good Hair-PG15 The Associate-PG15 Triage-18 Blame It On Mum-18

01:00 Eurotrip-18 03:00 Justice For Natalee Holloway-

PG15 04:45 Yogi Bear-FAM 06:30 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 09:00 Leap Year-PG15 10:45 Yona Yona Penguin-PG 12:45 The LXD: The Uprising BeginsPG15 14:15 My Name Is Khan-PG15 17:00 Leap Year-PG15 18:45 Transformers: Dark Of The Moon-PG15 21:15 The King’s Speech-PG15 23:15 Meet Monica Velour-R

00:00 Pelican Blood-18 02:00 Chasing 3000-PG15 04:00 Ways To Live Forever-PG15 06:00 Hop-PG 08:00 Chasing 3000-PG15 10:00 Citizen Jane-PG 12:00 Game Change-PG15 14:00 Bustin’ Down The Door-PG15 16:00 Hop-PG 18:00 Just Go With It-PG15 20:00 Personal Effects-18 22:00 Transformers: Dark Of The Moon-PG15

00:00 NRL Premiership 02:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 03:00 Masters Football 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 NRL Premiership 09:00 Super League 11:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 12:00 Masters Football 15:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 16:00 NRL Premiership 18:00 Super League 20:00 Masters Football 23:00 International Rugby Union

00:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 01:00 Super League 03:00 PGA European Tour 07:00 Masters Football 10:00 IRB Junior World Championship 12:00 International Rugby Union 14:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 15:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 16:00 Masters Football 19:00 International Rugby Union 21:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 22:00 Futbol Mundial 22:30 NRL Premiership

01:30 Golfing World 02:30 Triathlon 05:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 06:00 Ping Pong World Championship 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 AFL Premiership Highlights 09:00 Triathlon 12:30 IronMan 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 ITU World Triathlon Series 16:30 AFL Premiership 19:00 Golfing World 20:00 NRL Full Time 20:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 AFL Premiership Highlights 22:30 ITU World Triathlon Series

00:00 01:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 23:00

UFC Unleashed Prizefighter UFC UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Bottom Line Prizefighter V8 Supercars Extra Mobil 1 The Grid WWE Bottom Line WWE Vintage Collection V8 Supercars V8 Supercars Extra WWE NXT WWE Experience UFC Prelims UFC

Classifieds TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD OMA THY DHX FDB MSR RBG QTR JZR KAC THY JZR DHX KAC JZR KAC BAW KAC JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD IRA GFA MEA JZR MSR MSC JZR MSR KAC KAC GFA FDB KNE JZR QTR KAC SVA RJA JZR KAC KAC QTR JZR ETD KAC JZR JZR UAE UAL GFA SVA JZR JZR ABY MSR KAC QTR KAC SYR KAC KAC KAC FDB MSR MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE JZR ABY QTR DHX JZR AIC FDB GFA UAL JZR DLH MSR JZR MSR THY PIA

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 26/6/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 620 ADDIS ABABA 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 768 ISTANBUL 370 BAHRAIN 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 3553 ALEXANDRIA 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 1541 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 154 ISTANBUL 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 301 ABU DHABI 619 LAR 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 514 TEHRAN 672 DUBAI 219 BAHRAIN 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 535 CAIRO 140 DOHA 562 AMMAN 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 257 BEIRUT 678 ABU DHABI 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 325 NAJAF 303 ABU DHABI 1802 CAIRO 787 RIYADH 215 DEIREZZOR 857 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 2128 CAIRO 502 BEIRUT 144 DOHA 542 CAIRO 341 DAMASCUS 166 PARIS 786 JEDDAH 104 LONDON 63 DUBAI 624 SOHAG 403 ASSIUT 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 742 DAMMAM 614 BAHRAIN 572 MUMBAI 774 RIYADH 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 229 COLOMBO 415 AMSTERDAM 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 372 BAHRAIN 539 CAIRO 981 CHENNAI 59 DUBAI 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 2138 CAIRO 513 SHARM EL SHEIKH 614 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 205 LAHORE

Time 0:15 0:20 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 2:50 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:10 4:35 4:55 5:00 5:50 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:35 6:40 7:15 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:20 9:30 9:40 10:00 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:30 14:55 15:00 15:05 15:05 15:15 16:30 16:35 16:40 16:40 16:40 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 17:55 18:00 18:05 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:40 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:10 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:35 23:40 23:59

Airlines AIC UAL DLH MSR KLM PIA THY ETH THY UAE FDB DHX OMA RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA JZR GFA THY JZR KAC BAW FDB KAC JZR ABY KAC KAC KAC UAE JZR KAC QTR FDB KAC ETD IRA IRA GFA KAC KAC MEA KAC JZR MSR MSC JZR KAC JZR JZR GFA FDB MSR KAC JZR KNE SVA KAC RJA QTR KAC KAC KAC ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE JZR GFA ABY UAL SVA JZR MSR QTR FDB SYR KAC MSR MSC JZR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC GFA DHX ALK KLM JZR ABY KAC UAE QTR KAC KAC JZR DHX QTR AXB FDB

Depature Flights on Tuesday 26/6/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA/CHENNAI 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 411 AMSTERDAM 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 769 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 644 MUSCAT 3554 ALEXANDRIA 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 534 CAIRO 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 677 ABU DHABI 256 BEIRUT 126 SHARJAH 513 IMAM KHOMEINI 561 AMMAN 671 DUBAI 856 DUBAI 214 DEIREZZOR 101 LONDON 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 1801 CAIRO 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 618 LAR 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 623 SOHAG 404 ASSIUT 324 AL NAJAF 785 JEDDAH 786 RIYADH 176 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 673 DUBAI 538 CAIRO 473 JEDDAH 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 641 AMMAN 135 DOHA 773 RIYADH 613 BAHRAIN 741 DAMMAM 304 ABU DHABI 512 SHARM EL SHEIKH 238 AMMAN 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 134 BAHRAIN 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 511 RIYADH 526 ASSIUT 2129 CAIRO 145 DOHA 64 DUBAI 342 DAMASCUS 283 DHAKA 607 LUXOR 402 ALEXANDRIA 184 DUBAI 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 543 CAIRO 222 BAHRAIN 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 415 DAMMAM 1540 CAIRO 120 SHARJAH 381 DELHI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 554 ALEXANDRIA 373 BAHRAIN 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE 60 DUBAI

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:35 0:55 1:00 2:15 2:45 3:40 3:45 3:50 3:55 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 7:30 8:10 8:25 8:25 8:35 9:00 9:05 9:15 9:15 9:20 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:40 10:45 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:15 12:25 13:00 13:05 13:10 13:15 13:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:45 15:45 15:50 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:30 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 18:55 19:05 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:05 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:15

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Single bachelor accommodation available in Abbassiya double bedroom flat on 1st July, rent KD 40.

Contact: 99162583.

(C 4054) Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor non smoking, Amman street, opposite to Al Rashid hospital.

Contact: 66232356. (C 4055) 24-6-2012 Sharing accommodation available for bachelor with Pakistani (non-smoking), near K.P.T Round About, Hassawi.

Contact: 99792546. (C 4052)

FOR SALE Toyota Corolla 2011 model, white color, well maintained low mileage, excellent condition, wanted price KD 3,750/-. Contact: 60099305. (C 4056) 26-6-2012 SITUATION VACANT Full time live out maid/nanny for three months, starting mid July.

Must have own residency.

Work from 7am to 7pm, Saturday - Thursday in Salwa. Call 97687172 for interview.

25-6-2012 A multinational company in Africa is looking for an experienced Human Resources/Personnel Manager. Salary will be paid in US dollars - with other incentives. Be ready to relocate to Africa. Indian, Christian, Keralite (pre ferred). Send CV with 3 letters of recommendation to ekehinde2006@yahoo.com 24-6-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Vasanthada Bobee Kingson, s/o V. Devadanam, holder of

Indian passport No. F0464754, have changed my name Vasanthada Bobee Kingson to Yusuf Ahmad. Henceforth I will be known as Yusuf Ahmad. (C 4057) 26-6-2012 It is hereby notified for the information of all concerned authorities and the public that I, Rajee Ramanathan Koolathu, Punaroor House, Panniyaly, Omalloor P.O., Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Pin - 689647, holder of Passport No. K 1677756 issued on 03-11-2011 by the Passport Officer, Thiruvananthapuram, have embraced Islam Religion with a new name Fathima Raja K. Hereafter I will be a member of Islam Religion and will be known by the name Fathima Raja K. only and will sign accordingly. This change will come into effect in all records related to me.

25-6-2012 I, Joseph Mathew Thamarakkatte holder of Indian passport No. E5415197 change my name as Mathew Joseph Thamarakkatte.

(C 4053) 22-6-2012 SITUATION WANTED Sri Lankan lady (housemaid) looking for part-time job, only Monday, Wednesday and Saturday (only English family).

Contact: 55680045.

(C 4058) 26-6-2012

No: 15490

Prayer timings Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:15 11:51 15:25 18:52 20:24

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

34

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 717

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) As a natural architect and builder, you are able to use your mind in making decisions regarding matters of form and function. For you, the goal and the way to get to it are the same thing. You like to build each step and have each decision be an end in itself. Things must be done right. You will surprise several people today, as you often do, when you respond to questions quickly, simply and with enough of an artistic slant to take the questioner into a new understanding.

You are skillful in many avenues of education and business experience and can enjoy working with political issues as well. If you do not work in politics you may find that writing about certain issues will be beneficial to many who do not understand the working of politics.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) There is much to talk about today—perhaps a meeting. You are out-front and frank and can get many things accomplished. In the heat of some sort of competition, remove the emotional—it will only slow your progress. On the move, you are a traveler of both the world and the mind—philosophy and religion. You can demonstrate great understanding to the needs of others and you are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and society. This is a good day to solve problems and make important decisions whether they are in or outside the workplace. You will find a way around almost any obstacle and are in control and able to guide yourself with ease. Someone returns a favor to you this evening; you will be highly appreciative.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. A state-chartered savings bank owned by its depositors

and managed by a board of trustees.

4. Any of various deciduous or evergreen ornamental shrubs of the genus Abelia having opposite simple leaves and cymes of small white or pink or purplish flowers.

10. A unit of pressure.

13. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

14. Any of various rich and elaborate cakes.

15. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.

16. (Irish) The sea personified.

17. Steal goods.

19. Capital and largest city of Iraq.

21. A state in midwestern United States.

22. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

23. Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for its fragrant flowers and colorful fruits.

24. A public promotion of some product or service.

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

28. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

29. Reports of the work of a society or learned body etc.

33. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

35. A federally chartered savings bank.

38. In the shape of a coil.

41. A light touch or stroke.

42. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

43. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

44. A unit of surface area equal to 100 square meters.

45. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

47. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

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

54. The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb.

58. A digital display that uses liquid crystal cells that change reflectivity in an applied electric field.

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

63. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

64. A port city in southwestern Iran.

66. One of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.

67. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

68. A member of an agricultural people of southern India.

69. An associate degree in applied science.

DOWN 1. Australian operatic soprano (1861-1931).

2. Express in speech.

3. Someone who operates a barge.

4. A city in northern India.

5. English monk and scholar (672-735).

6. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet.

7. (New Testament) Disciple of Jesus.

8. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

9. A soft yellow malleable ductile (trivalent and univalent) metallic element.

10. A small carriage in which a baby or child is pushed around.

11. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

12. A state in the Rocky Mountains.

18. United States physicist (born in Austria) who proposed the exclusion principle (thus providing a theoretical basis for the periodic table) (1900-1958).

20. Lacking or deprive of the sense of hearing wholly or in part.

25. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

26. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

30. A state in New England.

31. An acute inflammatory disease occurring in the intestines of premature infants.

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

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

36. Speaking a Slavic language.

37. A small cake leavened with yeast.

39. (Judaism) Sacred chest where the ancient Hebrews kept the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments.

40. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

46. The cry made by sheep.

48. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

49. Port city in western Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea. 50. A genus of Ploceidae.

51. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

52. A narcotic that is considered a hard drug.

53. A small nail.

55. An elaborate song for solo voice.

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

57. A software system that facilitates the creation and maintenance and use of an electronic database.

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

60. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

61. A shape that sags.

65. A silvery soft waxy metallic element of the alkali metal group.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You are most happy when you can do something for someone. Given only a few facts, you are able to take in a situation and come up with a real picture of what is needed. You are able to solve problems; this could include computer or other technical problems, as well as psychological ones. You will be able to put your ideas into words and describe or analyze situations for yourself and others. Chances are you work in one of the many service occupations that include taking care of and looking after people. Your mind and caring attitude are what others find so special about you. You are happy today as you are fully engaged in progressive work. Tonight the tables are turned and someone asks you to come for dinner—go!

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You work well with those in authority who are independent and original. You could find yourself engaged in nonconformist causes—always ready to promote what is innovative. You find yourself in support of whatever new-wave product or breakthrough advance is next in line. You discover new ways of working with traditional materials. Expect a sense of support from those around you. Your business expertise is in high focus. This is a great time to be with others and to work together. You are in a good position to speak to groups and society in general. This could involve convincing higher-ups to check out your ideas on new and cheaper methods of transportation. Your ideas could help your community win an environmental award.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) You are always upbeat and positive and find ways to employ the most beneficial and useful tools for difficult situations. Today you find several opportunities to set the pace of positive thinking. One or two of your teammates or co-workers may talk among themselves and create a somewhat negative situation but one or two words from you can make the situation turn positive. You set the example when you share a truth and as you simply state a better way of thinking, your work surroundings suddenly will improve. With your creative talent you may eventually be able to create and coordinate a business of your own. Most will agree that you are indeed very original. You will discover new techniques later today that will energize your day.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This is a time of good fortune when life, including finances, just seems to be going your way. There are plenty of choices for you to ponder but most situations appear almost made to order. You are able to see which path is the one for you to take. You will also benefit through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. A respected supervisor may lend a bit of advice that helps you or your co-workers to see some benefit from changing or adjusting a technique of working that shortens the time of work. Later today you are in the mood to be entertained and may look to some different methods of entertainment—perhaps learning to sail. There is a love of the sea. Mysticism, mythology, poetry and music are also an interest.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

A whirlwind of information is available to you today and it could be that you have a new method of gaining information. It may be a bit difficult to concentrate on your usual work, in order to learn about this new working tool, but there is an understanding where a learning curve is concerned.

Eventually everyone in the workplace will gravitate toward a working routine and have the ability to use this new tool in order to create an easier workday. Your career may be very important to you. You have a knack for always finding assistance in whatever career moves you decide to make. In fact, your ability to gather support makes a public career of one kind or another quite probable. Success is indicated in education, politics or the law. Relax tonight.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Your career is running smoothly. Successful career moves, however, may demand conformity and cost you personal freedom, perhaps toning down your unconventional habits. You make your way by using practical vision and common sense. You could have some recognition in your career at this time. Concurrently, a change of direction is in order, finding you in a gradual curve toward a more inward time. You have strong family, business or property ties that affect your public image and goals. There may be tricky finances connected with your business or profession. Home and family are your main focus, even at the expense of career. It would be excellent if you could work out of your home. Consider what it would take to work at home.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You could be particularly persuasive in your profession and may be chosen to help a new salesperson or help a disgruntled customer today. The situation is a natural for you and your special talents come into play for all to see. You excel as a social being and should be in a career that involves your deep-seated interest in other people, partnerships, relationships, etc. You find yourself through other people. You are riding a high in terms of taking advantage of the cycles in your life. Saying or writing with style comes natural. A yen for variety is a hallmark of this phase and this particularly applies to romantic experience and artistic taste. The latter tends to focus on literature in general and poetry in particular.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Your communication skills are at a high. Your timing should be perfect and those around you should find you most spontaneous and alert to your work. Ideas and thoughts will have greater meaning and form. You may be very eloquent or forceful in speaking or communicating. The rebel in you likes to ignore your dreams and ideals and just let come what may. You relish your freedom and independence and pursue it even at the expense of what you really want. The romantic in you struggles against the frontier spirit that often moves you to action.

Relationships, whether partnerships, personal ties or the social scene, are very important during this time and can have a strong influence on your career. This evening you could enjoy a movie.

To

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Today you can expect a little boost—some sort of extra support from those around you. You may feel that you are in harmony with others. Work and achievement mean a great deal to you. You may fail to appreciate some out-of-the-ordinary demands on you today—tread carefully here because your judgment may not be the best. You may be well advised to accept the recommendation of others concerning the right steps to take. At least you should weigh your assessment of a situation carefully. The tendency to go too far, expand too fast and overindulge needs to be noted—make adjustments. Your appetite may carry you away from what you see is the best path. A good book, good music and a loved one can make this day end pleasantly.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You do not care much for the superficial. You appreciate getting past the surface and down to the heart—the bare bones of a situation today. This is what makes you a very shrewd and discriminating business person. Your ambitions are backed up by the will to get things done. This can make you very emotional and you would be wise to pace yourself today. Your mind and thoughts always gravitate to what is lasting and true. Your boss or superior may appreciate your ideas if you allow him or her a time of deliberation. Your ideas are always to the point and candid, never florid or superficial. Subjects concerning philosophy and religion come into play around a dinner table this evening in which some lively conversations develop.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 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

PHARMACY

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

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

ST TAT TE OF K KUW WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA ATE T GENERAL GEN OF CIVIL AVIA V AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

WWW.MET.GOV V.KW .

BY Y NIGHT:

Relatively hot with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of 10 - 32 km/h

BY Y DA AY:

Hot with light to moderate north westerly to light variable wind, with speed of 10 - 30 km/h

WA ARNING

No Current Warnings arnin a

KUW WA AIT CITY

43 °C

31 °C

22451082

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

44 °C

30 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WA AISEEB

42 °C

30 °C

Sharq

22465401

WA AFRA

45 °C

29 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

42 °C

28 °C

ABDAL LY

44 °C

29 °C

Jabriya

25316254

JAL ALIY YA AH

43 °C

28 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FA AILAKA

43 °C

30 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

42 °C

33 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

38 °C

31 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WA ARBA A - BUBY YAN A

45 °C

26 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

ST TAT TION

SFC. CHART

25/06/2012 1200 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST Temperatures DA AY

DA ATE T

WEA ATHER T

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

Tuesday

26/06

hot

45 °C

30 °C

NW-VRB

10 - 30 km/h

Wednesday e

27/06

hot

44 °C

31 °C

NW-SE

08 - 30 km/h

24775066

Thursday

28/06

hot

46 °C

32 °C

VRB-NW

08 - 30 km/h

North Jahra

24775992

Friday

29/06

hot

47 °C

33 °C

VRB

06 - 22 km/h

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

AY YER TIMES PRA

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Expected Weeather for the Next 24 Hours

MIN. N. EXP P.

24575755

2627 - 2630 Ext.: 26

22418714

Fax: 24348714

MAX. REC.

New Jahra

PHONE

Ahmadi

Hawally

Rabiya

ADDRESS

Al-Madena

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

Fajr

03:14

MAX. Temp.

Sunrise

04:50

MIN. Temp.

43 °C 32 °C

Zuhr

11:50

MAX. RH

14 %

Asr

15:24

MIN. RH

Sunset

18:51

MAX. Wind

Isha

20:23

TOT TAL AL RA AINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

06 % NW 64 km/h .13 mm

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

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

lifest yle G o s s i p

Gervais cool with popularity icky Gervais “doesn’t lose sleep” about how popular he is.

The 50-year-old comedian - who is famed for his cutting remarks to celebrities while hosting the Golden Globes and his use of offensive terms - does not want to be a “national treasure” and will not tone down his work so he can be more popular. He said: “There’s only so many nods and winks you can do to reassure people. I can’t go round doing anodyne comedy and trying to become a national treasure. Nothing bores me more. “I don’t lose sleep over being popular; I lose sleep over knowing I did something wrong. And I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. I like dealing with original subjects, taboo subjects,

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ay-Z’s bodyguards were allegedly involved in a “ruckus” at BBC Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend after someone insulted Beyonce Knowles. The ‘99 Problems’ hitmaker’s entourage reportedly “piled in” on a man after he upset the rapper’s wife backstage at the London music event this weekend. A source told the Metro newspaper: “Someone in the entourage said something to Beyonce to really upset her. “Jay-Z’s bouncers moved in and there was a massive ruckus. Things really kicked off as his heavies all piled in on the guy.” Meanwhile, Jay-Z and the other stars performing at the event - including Rihanna, Leona Lewis and Jessie J were told not to make backstage demands unless they paid £1,000 for a rider, and all artists were provided with a shopping list of items they could buy to make their dressing rooms cozier. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “The VIP artists got quite a shock when they were booked. “They were told they were welcome to bring an entourage and their families as long as they paid for their fair share of the facilities themselves. “To have a rider, they had to fork out £1,000 - and that’s per rider.”

Despite the price tag, Jay-Z still opted for brown leather sofas, white carpets and patinas in his backstage area.

misunderstood subjects. I like to take the audience to places it hasn’t been before.” Despite sticking to his feelings on comedy, Ricky does admit he may come “unstuck” one day if he pushes things too far. He added to Live magazine: “I’m not a politician, I’m trying to make people laugh. But I want them to laugh at things I find funny. I know I might come unstuck. I look at it in quite a Darwinian way: I’m going to do exactly what I want, and see if I survive.”

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hanning Tatum’s worst stripping job was when he had to dress as a clown. The hunky actor who plays an erotic dancer in new movie ‘Magic Mike’ - previously worked as a stripper and was dismayed when his boss told him he had to put on a comic outfit for a routine, and despite his protests that it wouldn’t be sexy he was made to go on stage anyway. He told ‘Access Hollywood’: “ [I had to wear] a clown outfit - true story, not making it up.

It was the worst idea that I had heard - and I had heard some bad ideas and seen some bad skits! “I was like, ‘Clowns aren’t sexy - if anything they’re scary. Why is this gonna work? ‘And they were just like, ‘Nah, nah - it kills, bro. It kills, bro. They’re gonna love it.’ “I danced to, like, ‘99 Red Balloons’ or something, I come out and ... crickets. Crickets. People didn’t know if it was a joke [or] if it was supposed to be for real. No one cheered, no nothing. That was the last night I did that. I was like, ‘What did I tell you?!’ “ Wearing a Boy Scout uniform to perform while his sister and her friends sat in the audience was also a low point for the actor. He explained: “[It was] my first night of stripping and my sister and six of her friends came my first night up, which was horribly mortifying. My sister didn’t watch, but all her friends watched, all in the front row, and I’m just like, ‘This [Boy Scout routine] is the worst idea ever!’ But the clown was the worst of all.”

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aty Perry is taking a break from showbiz. The 27-year-old singer reportedly wants to step back from her career and take time to properly recover from the breakdown of her marriage to Russell Brand last year. According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, she said: “I need to let my heart heal.” Katy spent much of her 14-month marriage on her world tour and has hinted that her career was one of the causes for the split. She said: “For a modern woman, it is important to be supported and that there is equality in every aspect.” Katy - who is now dating Florence + the Machine guitarist Dan Aykroyd - recently insisted she doesn’t regret her failed relationship with Russell, 37. She said: “Everybody asks me if I regret something, they ask me if it’s going to be that one moment [her marriage]. “Actually it’s really a lesson learned and

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it’s super valuable, I could not buy this lesson.

“And I apply it to my life, I learn and a lot of the time, I get really good material for my songs.” The brunette beauty was unsure if she wanted to open up about her marital troubles in her upcoming documentary film ‘Katy Perry: Part of Me’ but ultimately wanted to be honest about her life. She said: “The whole movie is about overcoming obstacles, overcoming my family, my set of rules and belief systems.”

igourney Weaver changed her name from Susan because she was “too tall” for the moniker. The actress decided to swap her name when she was a teenager because she thought it better suited the way she looked. She told The Sun newspaper: “I was about six feet tall and called Susie or Sue. “Even at 11, I was being shunned by normal-sized children. It led to me changing my name from Susan to Sigourney at 13. “I felt too tall to have a short name like that and saw ‘Sigourney’ in F Scott Fitzgerald’s book ‘The Great Gatsby’.” Sigourney, now 62, admits her stature and unusual looks led to her suffering from a lack of confidence when she was a teenager and at the start of her acting career. She added: “I wish I’d had more confidence at 18 - but that lack of confidence lasted until well after that. I was just downright shy. “I do so wish I could have handled criticism better. I was constantly judged as ‘too tall’ or ‘too zany’. I did feel awkward and gawky. “Even now, I realize that I am not charming enough on screen to sustain an audience for two hours, without a good script to carry me.” Sigourney’s own daughter Charlotte, 22, is very different to her and does not suffer from the same confidence issues the ‘Ghostbusters’ star did when she was younger. Sigourney explained: “When I looked at my own daughter, at 18, it was wonderful to see all the options she had. “She had just voted for the first time, was starting university, was studying philosophy and playing drums and electric ukulele in a band. Her view of the world was much wider than my own at that age.”

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rad Pitt and Angelina Jolie plan to marry in the UK. The Hollywood couple - who got engaged in April after being together for seven years - are reportedly looking to have a low key wedding ceremony in Windsor, before jetting off to the South of France to celebrate on their luxurious Chateau Miraval estate in Provence. A source told the Daily Star newspaper: “They’ve always planned to have the official part secretly with just their kids and family. “They’re looking at Windsor register office, where Charles and Camilla and Elton John and David Furnish tied the knot. “ The couple who raise six children together; Maddox, 10, Pax, nine, Zahara, seven, Shiloh, six, and three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne - are passionate gay rights advocates and previously said they were delaying their engagement until same sex couples had the right to wed in America, but in the UK homosexual unions are allowed making the country the perfect location for their nuptials.

The source added: “It allows same-sex marriages, something the couple passionately believe in.” Brad, 48, and Angelina, 37, are currently both shooting their new films, ‘ The Counselor’ and ‘Maleficent’ respectively, in Britain and think the venue would be ideal for a no fuss ceremony. The insider explained: “It just seems easier. They’ll keep it very low key. They haven’t finalized a date, but they are planning to slip out and get married with the minimum of fuss.”

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Witherspoon excited about pregnancy eese Witherspoon is “very excited” about her pregnancy. The 36-year-old actress - who has two children, Ava, 12, and Deacon, eight, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe - has spoken for the first time about her and spouse Jim Toth’s unborn baby, and admitted she is feeling “very round”. Speaking during ‘An Evening with Reese Witherspoon’ hosted by the Gene Siskel Film Center at The Ritz-Carlton in Chicago on Saturday, she said: “I’m very excited ...

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Frankly, I’m feeling very round tonight.” The ‘This Means War’ actress also admitted pregnancy had left her with a huge appetite. When it was suggested she avoided foods like Chicago’s famed deep-dish pizza, she told the Chicago Sun Times newspaper: “Maybe, but it’s not easy. I’m always feeling like I’d like to eat everything in sight!” Although Reese won’t confirm her due date, she admitted she will be taking a break once she finishes filming ‘Devil’s Knot’

in Atlanta with Colin Firth. She said: “It’s about a crime that occurred in 1993. It happened in Arkansas, and it’s what I’d say is a very American story.” “And, after I finish that, I’m going to take a little time off - and go have a baby!”— BangShowbiz

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

In this photo taken on June 4, 2012, Joanna Talibong sings during a practice supervised by a music director in Manila.

—AFP photos

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M o v i e s

Jackson Gan, the head of the music studio where singer Julia Joanna Talibong during a practise in Manila.

Talibong is recording a demo, gestures during an interview with AFP.

Philippines’ musicians sing their way out of poverty n a mock-up stage in a Philippine music studio, single-mum Joanna Talibong is singing for her life. The former churchchoir girl is nervous and struggling to stay in key as she battles through more than a dozen takes of the syrupy Olivia Newton-John ballad “Suddenly”. If she and keyboard-playing friend Jason Panggoy can get their video-demo right, they stand a chance of securing a series of gigs in South Korea that would enable them to start a long journey out of crushing poverty.

“I did not finish college, so I don’t have many job options... overseas I can earn a lot more,” the carpenter’s daughter tells AFP during a break from singing at the studio in a rundown quarter of Manila, the country’s capital. Roughly nine million Filipinos, or 10 percent of the population, work overseas because there are so few job opportunities in their largely impoverished homeland. While many toil as largely anonymous maids, sailors, construction workers and labourers in foreign countries, tens of thousands also stand under spotlights entertaining crowds as singers and musicians.

From high-class hotel bars in the Middle East

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to Las Vegas casinos, ex-pat pubs in Asia and luxury cruise liners sailing the Caribbean, Filipinos are often found performing near-perfect cover versions of almost any genre.

Talibong is desperate to join them, or she will be forced back to a bar in a small northern Philippine city where for the past three months she and Panggoy have played to tobacco traders and travelling salesmen for $3.50 a night. Adding to her problems is her ninemonth-old son, who has a clubbed foot and lives with his grandparents while Talibong pursues her musical career.

Her manager has lined up a six-month booking for Talibong and Panggoy at bars in South Korea that would pay them each $800 a month, and she knows exactly where her first pay cheques would be be spent. “My priority is an operation for my son’s clubbed foot. That’s really my goal. That’s what’s pushing me to work really hard,” says Talibong, who is just 21 years old. But first the duo’s demo tape-which also includes a Taylor Swift and Matchbox 20 numbers-must pass muster with the artist review board in Seoul, a review process that takes

about a month. Their manager, Wilma Ipil, who has been sending an average of two bands to South Korea every month since 2008, concedes the duo may not get the gig, amid growing competition from other Filipino talents trying to make it overseas. “Previously, even inexperienced musicians got hired,” says Ipil, who sang in Hong Kong, Thailand and China herself before going into band management. “But now, with the wealth of talent available, promoters have become more discriminating.”

Nevertheless, the demand for Filipino performers overseas is enormous, according to Jackson Gan, the head of the music studio where Talibong is recording her demo. “Our only competition is ourselves. The whole world knows that if you have a low budget but need quality, you get Filipino talent,” says Gan, who also acts as an agent for other export acts. Gan estimates between 25,000 and 30,000 Filipino musicians and singers play in 3,000 clubs, hotels, cruise ships and restaurants around the world at any one time.

The pay generally ranges from $800-1,500 a month, according to Gan. He says even

However Gan says most performers have a short shelf-life overseas, particularly the female lead singers who often have to end their foreign sojourns when they have babies or for other family reasons. And although many can copy perfectly the world’s most popular songs, few cover band members will ever get a recording contract. But there are some inspirational success stories for those who continue to dream of making it big. The most famous is Arnel Pineda, who for many years fronted Filipino bands in Manila bars and in Hong Kong.

His big break came in 2007 when members of US rock group Journey were looking for a new lead singer and saw clips of him singing the band’s songs on YouTube. Pineda was hired soon after an audition in the United States, and his first album fronting the band debuted in the top 10 of the American Billboard Charts. Pineda and Journey continue to perform at sold-out concerts around the world. —AFP

Malaysian, Indonesian, Australian, and Chinese bands tend to recruit Filipina lead singers. Gan attributes the success of Filipino performers overseas to the deep roles music and dance have in local culture.

Singing contests are often the highlights of village fairs and beauty contests, while song and dance are a staple of the most popular national television game shows. Karaoke is one of the country’s most loved forms of entertainment, with guests at weddings and birthday parties expected to be able to belt out songs behind a microphone to entertain their hosts.

Karaoke is also a mainstay at bars, restaurants and shopping centres.

“Some of my singers were discovered at karaoke joints,” says Gan, a 20-year veteran of the business, whose scouting regimen sees him serving as judge at singing contests in remote villages across the country. Gan says Philippine musicians are also well-known for their warm audience rapport, a reflection of a general easygoing nature for which Filipinos are famous.

“That is a very important part of the music. It’s not just plain singing,” he says.

Wikipedia founder speaks out over student’s extradition immy Wales, creator of online giant Wikipedia, launched a petition on Sunday against the extradition to the United States of a British student accused of copyright infringement. The founder of the free Internet encyclopedia said Richard O’Dwyer, a 23-yearold student at Sheffield Hallam University in northern England, had become caught in a war being fought by “content providers” and Internet users. British Home Secretary Theresa May approved the deportation of O’Dwyer, who created a website allowing people to watch films and television shows for free, in March. Wales launched the petition on the Guardian newspaper’s website, and accused the “moguls of Hollywood” of using their muscle to bring about “endless encroachments on our civil liberties.”

O’Dwyer allegedly earned tens of thousands of pounds (dollars) through advertising on the TVShack website before it was closed down by US authorities. Wales said the student “struck me as a clean-cut, geeky kid” when they had met and “precisely the kind of person one can imagine launching the next big thing on the Internet.”

“Given the thin case against him, it is an outrage that he is being extradited to the US to face felony charges,” he wrote in the Guardian. The entertainment industry has been fighting a running battle with websites over their illegal use of copyrighted material. “O’Dwyer is the human face of that battle, and if he’s extradited and convicted, he will bear the human cost,” warned Wales. A spokeswoman for the Home Office, Britain’s interior ministry, said the government had found “no statutory bars to his surrender” when approving his extradition.

J Emily Mortimer and Jeff Daniels per form a scene in HBO’s “The Newsroom.”—MCT photos

Sorkin takes to the moral high ground again with ‘The Newsroom’ magine, for a moment, what our lives would look like if scripted by Aaron Sorkin. We’d all be witty, golden-tongued literates who spout verbal symphonies. We’d aspire to big, high-minded goals and refuse to be slaves to The Man. Moreover, we’d firmly believe that arcane data points and policy issues are sexy, not nerdy, and we’d routinely espouse the virtues of Mom, Dad and apple pie while racing through office hallways as dramatic music swells in the background.

That’s a roundabout way of saying that the mighty Sorkin, who spent some time flirting with the big screen (“The Social Network” and “Moneyball”) has, at last, returned to television with his utopian world views, and he’s looking for a few (or many) starry-eyed dreamers to come along for the ride. Nearly 13 years after Sorkin’s “The West Wing” arrived on the scene to portray Washington politics as a noble pursuit instead of the ugly mud wrestling it actually seems to be, he’s bringing a similarly idealistic approach to TV journalism. In HBO’s “The Newsroom,” he envisions a swashbuckling band of reporters committed to so-called serious news in an era of political polarization and celebrity obsession. To which we say, good luck with that.

At the center of this compelling, timely and vital drama is veteran anchorman Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels). He’s considered the “Jay Leno” of newsmen - a play-it-safe kind of guy who found a cushy niche with solid ratings by delivering the news down the middle of the road, all the better to avoid alienating anyone. Whatever fire remains in Will’s belly is reserved for launching sarcastic insults at his newsroom minions and generally being a pain-in-the-butt blowhard. No wonder, then, that most of his frazzled staff is poised to jump ship.

But Will experiences a major reality check after having a very public, mad-as-hell meltdown and a subsequent managementenforced vacation. When he returns from his break, he’s stunned to discover that his oldschool boss (Sam Waterston) has hired a former war correspondent, MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer), to executive produce his show.

For Will, this new arrangement is a nightmare, because he and MacKenzie once dated, and their relationship apparently ended disastrously. On the other hand, she’s the one person who can jolt the apathy right out of him. She wants to do it by producing a newscast that is more concerned about integrity than ratings and attempts to reclaim “journalism as an honorable profession.” Sure, it’s a noble goal, but will it work when so many viewers seem more concerned about the latest travails of Lindsay

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Lohan? And can the damaged Will actually risk losing his only “friends,” the audience?

Sorkin clearly is attracted to the behind-thescenes frenzy of live TV, having embraced the conceit twice before with the highly acclaimed “Sports Night” and the Nielsen misfire “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” But “The Newsroom” comes with an intriguing twist: It’s set in the recent past, which allows his fictional reporters to cover real-life events. Sunday’s opening episode, for example, focuses on the horrific BP oil spill of 2010.

Otherwise, most of the familiar trademarks are in place: the gale-force blasts of Sorkinese banter, which sometimes feel like congressional filibusters, only more articulate; the dizzying rush of workplace scenes; the occasional doses of wry humor; the thorny workplace romances and, of course, the seductive aura of wish-fulfillment. As usual, Sorkin has an exceptional cast to deliver the goods. It’s great to see the underrated Daniels, who has languished in marginal roles recently, get something meaty to sink his teeth into. And longtime “Law & Order” fans might be surprised at just how funny and profanely feisty Waterston can be.

Mortimer, too, has a wonderfully engaging presence, as does Alison Pill as a razor-sharp, but less-than-confident newsroom newbie, and John Gallagher as a gung-ho senior producer.

The third episode brings on Jane Fonda in a recurring role. for which she essentially plays a female Ted Turner. Sorkin, who was accused of being too liberal with “The West Wing,” deploys these characters as equal-opportunity bashers.

They rip into Democrats, Republicans and the tea party as well as lazy journalists, callous corporations and the uninformed audience.

As for the latter, he points out via McAvoy that America once “... aspired to intelligence. We didn’t belittle it.” And unlike much of television, this is a show that aspires to great heights. From what we know about Sorkin, it won’t always succeed. There will be times when “The Newsroom” will get too overwrought and ponderous, too earnest and even sanctimonious.

And there will be times when some viewers will find themselves rolling their eyes. But just as someone who prefers Conan to Leno, I’d rather spend time with an edgy show that aims high and sometimes falls short, than one that doesn’t. And I’d rather be in the company of a great screenwriter than a run-of-the-mill one. So welcome back, Mr. Sorkin. It’s a pleasure to have you. —MCT

“On March 9 the Home Secretary, having carefully considered all relevant matters, signed an order for Richard O’Dwyer’s extradition to the US,” she said. O’Dwyer’s mother Julia said her son was being “sold down the river” by the British government.

did not store copyright material itself and merely directed users to other sites, making it similar to Google.

The lawyer also argued that his client was being used as a “guinea pig” for copyright law in the United States. The court heard that after

File photo shows Sheffield student, Richard O’Dwyer, posing in front of the Westminster Magistrates Court in central London. —AFP “If Richard appears to have committed a crime in this country, then try him in this country,” she said. The student would be the first British citizen extradited for such an offence. He faces jail if found guilty of the charges, which were brought after a crackdown by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency His lawyer had argued in court that the website

O’Dwyer was arrested in London in November 2010, he admitted to police that he owned TVShack.net and TVShack.cc and earned about £15,000 (18,000 euros, $23,500) a month from online advertising. —AFP

‘All is Well,’ ‘Drought’ win at LA Film Fest he Portuguese film “All is Well” and the Mexican film “Drought” won tops honors on Sunday at the annual Los Angeles Film Festival.

“All is Well,” the story of two sisters struggling in Lisbon after fleeing civil war in Angola, took the top prize for the festival’s best narrative film, while “Drought,” about a northeastern Mexico cattle-ranching community, was honored as best documentary. The award for best performance in the narrative film competition went to Wendell Pierce, Emory Cohen, E.J. Bonilla and Aja Naomi King for their performances in Joshua Sanchez’s “Four.”

Among audience awards, best narrative feature went to “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” while “Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives,” took the prize for documentary feature. “Searching for Sugar Man” won the audience prize for best international feature. “In an extremely competitive year, our juries had hard choices to

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US singer Jeniffer Lopez performs during the Pop Music Festival 2012 at Arena Anhembi in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 23, 2012. —AFP

make,” the festival’s artistic director David Ansen said in a statement. “The winning films are wonderful examples of what the Festival celebrates: bold, fresh, personal visions that expand the horizons of independent cinema.”

Awards were also presented in several categories for short films. The 18th Los Angeles Film Festival, which showcases new American and international cinema, kicked off on Thursday. It is organized by Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that also produces the prestigious Spirit Awards, traditionally held the day before the annual Academy Awards. —Reuters

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

lifestyle F a s h i o n

Models display creations as part of Prada Spring-Summer 2013 Menswear collection on June 24, 2012 during the Men’s fashion week in Milan. — AFP

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ueen of the Milanese catwalks Miuccia Prada put on a faultless show of flamboyant sixties graphic prints for the third day of the Male SpringSummer 2013 collections in Italy’s fashion capital. Prada models sashayed down a bright white catwalk to the soundtrack of Jean-Luc Godard’s cult 60s film “Contempt” (“Le Mepris”) wearing immaculately tailored uniforms with a sash rising from the ankles to loop under the models’ legs in the style of alternative smoking trousers.

The Italian fashion house finished its Tshirts and shirts with white rounded collars and kept suit jackets short with padded shoulders.

Blocks of eye-catching colour-green, aviator blue, white and bordeaux- were paired with shoes and sandals in varnished leather, worn with black socks.

Over at Bottega Venega it was the turn o f t h e h u m b l e p u l l ove r to gra b t h e limelight, “an item of clothing that is part of traditional and contemporary cultures worldwide”, said creative director Tomas Maier. Chocolate-coloured jumpers had a zip on the back or sides and were teamed with slim trousers and loose tunics embellished with Maier’s customary attention, which this time included tassels and laces around the collar.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

lifestyle F a s h i o n

While Bottega Venega did experiment with playful layering of luxurious organza and silk, hoods flying in the breeze and cropped sweaters that gave its models the look of Spanish toreros, the house stuck with its more sober classic leather accessories. More colourful was Salvatore Ferragamo with an acid range of David Hockney-style pigments-fluorescent pink, bright blue and mint green tinted collars and shoulders while a zesty orange raincoat with white stitching gave a feeling of being by the sea. British designer Vivienne Westwood meanwhile imagined a very English picnic look, inspired by Manet’s “Luncheon on the Grass” (“Dejeuner sur l’Herbe”) painting, but with a touch of fantasy.

Designers Vivienne Westwood and husband Andreas Kronthaler acknowledge the audience.

Models display creations as part of Roberto Cavalli.

Her collection combined knitted tunicstyle dresses with plunging necklines, wrapover cardigans and bling gold chains fit for a rapper. Bermuda shorts paired with dainty short-sleeved shirts, bow ties and cotton suits with fine white and blue stripes were reminiscent of pale-skinned English college students sheltering under straw hats. Closing the show, Roberto Cavalli spiced things up with his favourite leopard prints and metallic rock-star suits worthy of the Rolling Stones that also featured in the collections of Versace and Burberry on Saturday. — AFP

Models display creations as part of Vivienne Westwood SpringSummer 2013 Menswear collection.

Colourful sixties prints on show in Milan

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Myanmar traditional artist troupe performs during a ceremony to mark the 130th anniversary of the birth of the country’s legendary dancer Po Sein at the National Theater on Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Yangon, Myanmar. — AP

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Smooth the outside surface of the cake.

A cookie cutter is used to create shapes out of the fondant.

Hands fit the fondant around the cake.

A woman adds designed shapes out of the fondant to the cake.

he frosting is already flowing at Duff’s Cakemix on Melrose Avenue. Celebrity baker Duff Goldman’s decorate-your-own cake shop is expected to open by the end of the week next door to Charm City Cakes West, the L.A. outpost of the Baltimore bakery that for 10 seasons was featured on Food Network’s hit reality-g‚teau show “Ace of Cakes.”

The new Charm City Cakes West, which isn’t open to the public, has been turning out custom cakes that included a 5-foot-tall wedding cake covered with 1,500 sugared flowers and a 100-pound replica of the USS Missouri with a built-in smoke machine and LED lights for the premiere of “Battleship” — the kinds of cakes made with buttercream, fondant and strategically placed Rice Krispies treats.

Cakemix, on the other hand, is for anyone off the street who wants to go wild with a tube of buttercream. By decorating a cake, that is. (Think Color Me Mine or Build-A-Bear, but you get to work with a lot of frosting and sprinkles and eat the results.)

“It’s for people who’ve never decorated a cake before and want to get creative,” says the earringed Goldman, sporting a chef’s jacket, camouflage shorts (held up by a makeshift belt of plastic wrap) that expose the Little Prince tattoo on his right leg, and unlaced bright yellow Merrell running shoes.

“The great thing about cake is it doesn’t feel like work. You forget about work. Kids, adults, they all get the same look in their eye when they’re decorating cakes. ... That’s the magic right there.” The 2,400square-foot space has bay windows that look directly into the Charm City Cakes work area, where a giant cake version of a plushy bear from “Toy Story 3” is under construction. Cakemix’s work tables seat 50 would-be decorators. Three walk-in refrigerators shared between Cakemix and Charm City Cakes are filled with cakes and buttercream. The place smells like sugar.

I make my first foray into fondant during one of the test runs that Cakemix has been holding in the last couple of weeks to get ready for opening. It’s not without fear; I’ve frosted a cake before, but I’ve never decorated one other than to stick a few candles in it.

A chalkboard menu lists the decorating options.

Choose a 6-inch ($36) or 9-inch ($52) round cake to decorate, then choose from cake flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, marbled chocolate and vanilla, red velvet, carrot or the flavor of the week. Filling flavors include cream cheese, vanilla, chocolate or the weekly special.

A decorator on staff will walk a customer through the process of decorating. (Goldman might teach some classes but won’t usually be around for pointers.) I’m armed with a 6-inch three-layer vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream (the cake is fully baked with a thin layer of outer frosting called the crumb coat).

Then I must decide if I want to decorate with more buttercream or with fondant, which is a pliable frosting that can be molded and sculpted. I go with fondant. Deep pink.

Decorator Ricky Webster hands me a ball of fondant, and I knead a few drops of food coloring into it.

Then I take my now very pink fondant to a sheeter _ a several-thousand-dollar piece of equipment that works like a pasta machine _ to roll the fondant into a thin, even sheet, about an eighth of an inch thick.

Next I must place the fondant over the entire cake: The trick is to get it completely smooth. Webster throws around terms like “blousing” and “skirting.” I try to stay focused.

“Yours looks better than mine!” says Goldman, who has just wrapped a cake with yellow fondant. Not really. Mine’s slightly bubbled around the edges and I’ve got a few cracks.

“That’s OK. I think of cake decorating as not so much about decorating as it is about covering up mistakes,” a staffer reassures me.

The next step is the “airbrush shower,” a booth of floor-to-ceiling glass with a tiled floor and drain. I can spray edible paint directly onto the glass to see what colors I want to work with. Then it all gets hosed down and washed down the drain.

Holding the spray gun about a foot from the cake, I spray liquid orange coloring around the base. Now I get to go crazy with more fondant: I cut out green circles and rings, brush them with water and “glue” them to the cake. I do manage to cover up the cracks, but then I leave fingerprint smudges on the airbrushing.

No problem, Goldman says. He helps me mix a blue that he thinks suits the cake. “It should be warmer,” he says of the blue fondant and adds a tiny amount of yellow food coloring. He cuts another circle and places it over my smudges. I add more circles, and then he says, “We need lasers.” I agree. And they should be red.

Goldman uses a pastry bag of red frosting to deck the cake out with laser-beam dots. Then he tops my pink and orange Saturn-ring laser-dot cake with its piece de resistance, a bear he’s shaped from fondant.

“You should be doing this,” he tells me. “I get paid for this.” But I plan to take all the credit. — MCT

Celebrity baker Duff Goldman opened Cake Mix on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California.— MCT photos

he Egyptian Pharaohs would’ve approved. Sisyphus would be relieved. After four decades of planning and a 105-mile odyssey, the rock officially has come to rest at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. On Sunday, hundreds of camera-toting, iPhone-wielding Angelenos and a clutch of dignitaries descended on Michael Heizer’s monumental new outdoor sculpture, a 340-ton granite boulder suspended over a 456-foot-long concrete channel, formally known as “Levitated Mass.”

The rock’s public unveiling produced a scene that combined civic fanfare and primordial drama with the hoopla of a Hollywood red-carpet opening. The first waves of people swarmed beneath the sculpture, ooh-ing and ah-ing and creating a momentary traffic jam in the artwork’s walkway as they paused to ponder the monolith or seek shade beneath its iconic bulk.

“It is a monument to our own time and our own place and our own aspirations as people,” Michael Govan, LACMA’s chief executive, said during the brief dedication ceremony under a blistering late-morning sun. “And being made of stone, concrete and steel and engineered to withstand time, perhaps it will be here millennia forward to communicate those feelings to future civilizations.”

Sunday’s festivities were the climax of a process that started as an art commission but grew into a pop-culture phenomenon of sorts. Heizer first had the idea for “Levitated Mass” some four decades ago. But his vision went unfulfilled until a heavyweight group of LACMA donors, led by former board chair Nancy Daly, ponied up large private gifts toward the artwork’s $10 million price tag.

The rock drew massive attention in March when it made an 11-night journey from a quarry in Riverside through a series of Los Angeles County cities to the LACMA grounds on Wilshire Boulevard. The boulder traveled on a specially made transporter at just a few miles per hour as it negotiated surface streets, bridges, at least one tight overpass and sharp turns, a trip that required months of logistical planning and negotiating with local municipalities.

Crowds turned out to watch it move through the Greater L.A. area, and in one place where it stopped for the night, Bixby Knolls in Long Beach, thousands of people flocked to an impromptu street party around the boulder.

Alisa Katz seems amazed with artist Michael Heizer’s, “Levitated Mass,” which opened to the public at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on June 24, 2012, in Los Angeles, California. — MCT Besides seeing the artwork itself, Sunday’s opening afforded a rare public sighting of Heizer, who was present in a polo shirt, sunglasses and a large, wide-brimmed hat.

Although he didn’t speak from the podium, Heizer obligingly signed autographs and answered questions from museum visitors and the mobs of news media.

Still, the famously reclusive artist kept his comments minimalist and laconic. “When you saw this rock, how did you know it was the one?” one female reporter asked.

“Because it was big,” Heizer replied.

Along with breathless tweets and enthusiastic Facebook posts, the rock also has generated online criticism from fiscal libertarians and others who regard it as a P.T. Barnum-esque folly. No such sentiments could be heard from those who turned out Sunday.

“This is a world event. This is sit-up-and-take-notice.

Because L.A. will move the earth, and not only from the earthquakes,” said Marlene Picard, a Namibia native who said the sculpture reminds her of her parched, flinty homeland. Nicole Mirante-Matthews and her husband, Jason, traveled from Los Angeles’ Silver Lake section to walk their pit bull puppy, Olive, through the exhibit. The pair, both rock climbers, saw the tented rock before it left the Riverside quarry.

“We’d like to put this in our backyard, but it’s bigger than our house,” Nicole said, laughing. “It’s amazing to be standing under a huge rock in the middle of a big city.” Attendant politicians saw the rock as a symbol for, well, whatever they pleased. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the pristine concrete walkway that slices beneath the boulder “reminds me of what our streets should look like. And I’d like to get ‘em there, so we’ve got to extend Measure R.” The 2008 measure raises money for traffic reduction and other transit projects.

Leaving no public policy stone unturned, Villaraigosa also gave a plug for the planned subway line extension to LACMA and for environmental conservation. The mayor said the rock, lifted from a desert, reminds us that “we actually do live in a semi-arid place” and “that we have to conserve our water, we have to protect our climate.”

William Escalera, who serves on LACMA’s modern art acquisitions council, predicted that Angelenos would find many uses for the rock. “People will want to get married in front of it,” he said. “I hope nobody wants to climb on it.”

There’ll be plenty of time to find out. It’s going to be around for a while. — MCT